Sacraments

Posted on January 22, 2012 | Leave a comment

Instituted by Jesus Christ, sacraments are visible and gracious expressions of the Holy Spirit working through human action. The Roman Catholic Church recognizes seven Sacraments: baptism, reconciliation,confirmation, eucharist, marriage, anointing of the sick, and holy orders.The Council of Vatican II discerned that we are a sacramental church. Baptism, confirmation, and holy orders can be performed only once and cannot be undone. Reconciliation,eucharist, and anointing of the sick can be performed on an on-going basis. Ideally marriage is performed only once or until the death of the spouse.

As we are a sacramental church, God calls us to show His love, mercy, and compassion to others. We are to advocate for social justice. We are continually called to renewal, turn away from sin, and seek God and His righteousness. We are ambassadors and representatives of Christ here on earth, and are a foreshadow of the Heavenly Kingdom that well be known fully upon His return. We labor and carry out His will for His glory.

We ask God in his infinite mercy to guard us against the burdens of sin and temptation. We ask for strength to endure trials and tribulations. We seek His love and warm embrace ask Him to send the Comforter to give us solace in peace in times of distress.

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Posted in Uncategorized

Thoughts on the New Year

Posted on December 30, 2011 | Leave a comment

I think I grew a lot in 2011. I was introduced to WordPress for one thing. More importantly, I discovered a deeper yearning to serve God and the Church. I have been very happy with my involvement in RCIA. I delivered products for work, and made some good presentations. I developed closer friendships. I am starting to get used to the new missal. Last but not least, I started listening to my friends, doctors, and body, and have started diet and fitness program. I have been at it for almost two months now.

In 2012, I see possibilities in faith, work, relationships, and health. I want to continue my studies of Church doctrine and history. At work, I want to get more involved in training material development. Also, I want to do do some bulletin boards. I simply was too out of shape and lacked the creativity to do it. My strengths are structure, habit, and analysis. I hope as I become more fit, I will become more sociable and have more and closer friends.

I really don’t have anything novel to say on the wider issues of life. Politics will continue to be contentious. Downward pressures on the middle class will continue in the economy. In short more of the same.

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The anointing of the Sick and Holy Orders

Posted on December 30, 2011 | Leave a comment

Anointing of the Sick and Holy Orders

Introduction
Sacraments are gracious actions of the Holy Spirit working through human deeds. The Catholic Church has seven inter-related sacraments. The meaning and thought behind these sacraments has varied of the course and history of the Church with Vatican II restoring some to their original intent and giving others new meaning and purpose. Most of these are communal and involve human touch. All in someone or another act to restore the original union with the divine and advance relationships with others.

Anointing of the Sick

The Council of Trent said:
The sacred anointing of the sick was instituted by Christ our Lord as a true and proper sacrament of the New Testament. It is alluded to indeed by Mark, but is recommended to the faithful and promulgated by James the apostle and brother of the Lord.

Vatican II Council issued the following statement on this sacrament:
The sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is given to those who are seriously ill by anointing them on the forehead and hands with duly bless oil—pressed from olives or from other plans—saying, only once: “Through this holy anointing may the Lord in his love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up.

The clearest scriptural reference to this sacrament is:

James 5:14 Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint [him] with oil in the name of the Lord, 15 and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.

The Psychology and Theology of Sickness

Jesus was the great physician. The Gospels notably Mark give many accounts of his healing ministries. Luke was also a physician, and Acts gives many accounts of the Apostles healing the sick.

Sickness is a sign of our mortality that stem from human rebellion and the Fall. It is in itself is not sin nor caused by sin of the person or the person’s parents. Sickness subjects persons to pain, discouragement, and rob them of strength and control of their minds and bodies. Sickness may compromise economic self-sufficiency, and induce dependency upon others, and limit potentials and dreams. Many illnesses carry social stigmas and negatively impact relationships with others. Sickness effects not only the person but their entire family, causing a burden for care takers, and creating a void for children.

Individuals may become distraught and question themselves, others, and God. They may be filled with anger and frustration and question God in His mercy, justice, love, and power. They may feel abandoned to a capricious fate.

God can work grace through illness. St. John writes in his Gospel:
John 9:1 As he passed by he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him. 4 We have to do the works of the one who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay on his eyes, 7 and said to him, “Go wash in the Pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed, and came back able to see.

Suffering may draw individuals closer to Christ and His agony on the cross. Pain may cleanse the passions of the flesh and in the Dark Nights of the Soul lead a person to encounter God in more perfect union. It can teach a person the Be Attitudes. Notably illness can teach an individual humility, meekness, submission, obedience, and perseverance. Suffering is transformed from a result of the Fall to participating in the saving work of Jesus.

Celebrating the Sacrament

The celebration of this sacrament includes the following principle elements: the “priests of the Church”—in silence—lay hands on the sick; they oer them in the faith of the Church—this is the epilclesis proper to this sacrament; they then anoint the with oil blessed, if possible, by the bishop.

The celebration of this sacrament bestows the following graces: strengthening the spirit, peace and courage to overcome the difficulties that go with the condition of serious illness or the frailty of old age. It strengthens a person against the temptation to discouragement or anguish of facing death. This grace is meant to lead the sick person to healing of the soul, but also for the body if such is God’s will. Furthermore, if the person has committed sins, his or her sins will be forgiven.

This sacrament offers ecclesial grace. The sick person who receives this sacrament, “by freely uniting themselves to the passion and death of Christ,” “contribute to the good of the People of God.” By celebrating this sacrament the Church, in the communion of saints, intercedes for the benefit of the sick person, and he or she, for his or her part, through the grace of this sacrament, contributes to the sanctification of the Church to the good of all people for whom the Church suffers and offers herself through Christ to God the Father.

This sacrament may be preparation for the final journey and in this case called sacramentum exeuntium, “Sacrament of departing.” It completes the holy anointings that began with baptism in which a person dies to flesh and to new life in the Spirit. It prepares a person on the pathway to enter eternity.

In the case of dying, the follow sequence of sacraments is performed by a priest: baptism, resolution, anointing of the sick, and viaticum (the last communion.) If time is of essence, the anointing of the sick may be omitted.

With anointing of the sick, it is important for person, family, or care providers be in communication with the priest, so that the person may receive on going pastoral care and be alert when the final sacraments are performed.

Holy Orders

Introduction

The book of Hebrews speaks of the Old Testament legacy of priests. It begins with Levi and his descendants, notably Aaron. Notably is the priest Melchizedek, king of Salem, who blessed Abraham, and Jesus is the high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. Jesus sets at the right hand of the Father in heaven. He is the minster of the sanctuary and of the tabernacle that the Lord, not man, set up. Priests of the Old Testament continually offered animals as sacrifice for sin offerings and Aaron provided manna from heaven to the Israelites while they were on their Exodus. Jesus came and offered, Himself as the Pascal Lamb, pure and with blemish, once and for all for the forgiveness of sins. For by one offering one offering he has made perfect forever those who are being consecrated. The Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for saying: This is the covenant I will establish with them after those days, says the Lord: I will my laws in their hearts, and I will write up their minds. Their sins and their evildoing will remember no more. Christ acts as a mediator and advocate between man and the Father.

St. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians charismatic leaders of the church: Apostles, prophets, teachers, healers, administrators, speakers of tongues, and interpreters of those who speak in tongues. Biblical authors were careful not to refer to any leader as priests to show that they were under a new covenant. Instead they designated the follow leaders: bishops/ overseers, presbyters/elders, and deacons.

The Church is a priestly fellowship, as all belong to the priesthood of believers, Laity belong to the common priesthood. The ordained ecclesiastical ministry consists of three orders (groups) that serve the laity: the episcopal (bishops), presbyters (priests), and diaconate (deacons).

Analysis

The sacrament of Holy Orders is like baptism and confirmation is conferred only once and cannot be undone. All are baptized men as Christ called only men to be his apostles. Bishops and priests are called to remain celibate for the sake of the kingdom of God. Married men can be ordained as deacons. It is like marriage in that it sets an individual apart for sacred use.

Ordination confers an indelible character on the individual. This is an act of grace. Ordination are communal events. The essential rite of Holy Orders for all three degrees consists in the bishop’s imposition of hand on the head of the ordinand and in the bishop’s specific consecratory prayer asking God for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and his gifts proper to the ministry to which the candidates being ordained. At the ceremony, bishops and priests are anointed with the holy chrism. Holy orders are conferred by a bishop, the vicar of Christ, who stand as successors to the apostles.

Three bishops confer ordination for a bishop, a bishop confers ordination on a priest with attending priests laying on their hands, and a bishop confers ordination on a deacon with all the attending deacons signing the cross.

Bishops and priests act in person for Christ. Bishops provide pastoral care for the Church in one particular locality. They offer the sacraments. Priests are co-workers with the bishop and administer the sacraments in the bishop’s absence (baptism, confirmation, reconciliation, Eucharist, marriage, and anointing of the sick.)

The order of deacons was re-established after Vatican II, and as such the deacons are servants to the bishop performing specific ministries to the Church (Fiscal management, Prison Ministry, Hospital ministry, and assisting in the liturgy of mass.).

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Posted in Roman Catholic Church, Spirituality

The Creed

Posted on December 15, 2011 | Leave a comment

Nicaea-Constantinople Creed

I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.

God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit
was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.

He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son
is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy,
catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one baptism
for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Introduction

The Creed is a concise and poetic statement of the Catholic Faith. Saying it is a profession of faith, symbol, narrative, rule of faith and orthodoxy, and doxology. It was born out out of two heresies: the Arian Conflict (Jesus is neither fully divine or human) and the Pneumatonachs/Macedonian argument (The Holy Spirit is not divine.), and two Church Council: Nicaea (325) and Constantinople (381), both in modern day Turkey. Catholics stand and express it corporately following the homily in the order of mass.

Analysis & Exegesis

I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.

I commit my whole life to One and true God. God exists above and beyond time, ever present, and all-powerful. He is perfect and complete in every way lacking nothing. He created the universe out of nothing out of divine and perfect love, setting creation into motion with physical and moral laws God’s plan for salvation existed before time. As Father, He is father of the Son, and ass adopted children we share in His divine promise.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.

God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.

I commit my whole life Jesus Christ.. His name means the anointed one, the Lord Saves us from our sins. As the messiah, He is of the house and lineage of David. St. John spoke of Him in his prologue to his gospel. Jesus is of the same substance or divine stuff of the Father also existing above and beyond time and through Him with the Father all creation was made.

For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit
was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.

God has infinite love for humanity and is continually working His plan of salvation. Humanity is created in the image of God, and He desires to restore us to our original blessing and communion with Him. As a result of the Fall, we are stained with original sin, we are subject to sin and death. Jesus came into this world to act as the Pascal Lamb to take on our sins and redeem us from destruction. Jesus became flesh by the Holy Spirit. The Virgin Mary, who herself was conceived free from original sin, gave birth to Him, her one and only child. He grew with grace and wisdom sharing our common lot.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.

Out of perfect obedience to the Father, Jesus became the Pascal lamb to save us from our sins, and that the Holy Spirit may come to humanity. The Creed is silent and does not mention any of Jesus’ miracles or teachings or the Last Supper. Neither does it mention any of the Disciples or Mary Magdalene. The Creed only mentions Pontius Pilot who has come down through the ages as the epitome of amorality and irresponsibility. He had Jesus tortured and crucified. Yet on the cross he had the sign posted Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews.

An alternative meaning of “suffer” is to permit. Jesus freely chose to go to the cross. He endured the shame, abandonment, and pain for three hours before giving up His spirit. In fulfillment of prophecy, not a bone of His body was broken. A Roman solder pierce His side. Because it was the Day of Preparation, He was taken to unused tomb. The Romans sealed the tomb with a large stone. On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other women came to the tome to prepare the body for burial, but found the stone rolled away and tomb empty. He physically appeared to Mary Magdalene and the to the Disciples.

He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.

Jesus taught and ate with Disciples for a period of 40 days. Then on a mountain, He gave the Disciples the Great Commission, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”. He ascended into the heavens and is now in perfect union with the Father, in a righteous bond of majesty, power, and love. He will come again in glory to establish His everlasting kingdom of love, peace, and joy. He will judge the living and dead with the authority granted to Him by the Father. He will separate them according to their own actions and inclinations of their hearts, like goats from the sheep.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son
is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.

I commit myself to the Holy Spirit who is consubstantial with the Father and Son. He was active in the Creation breathing in life to all living things. We know Him through His deeds: in the Scriptures He inspired; in the Church Tradition, Magisterium, and Liturgy; in prayers of intercession; in charisms and ministries; signs of apostolic and missionary life; and in the witness of saints. At Christ’s baptism, the Spirit descended upon Jesus like a dove. Jesus breathed the Spirit upon the Disciples in the locked room, and descended upon the Apostles on Pentecost. Through theophonies we engaged the Patriarchs and prophets, and they voiced His truth and wisdom.

I believe in one, holy,
catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one baptism
for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

I commit myself to the Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. The Holy Mother Church, the bride of Christ is both earthly and divine. Her authority goes back to St. Peter. She witnesses the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is care keeper of the keys of the Kingdom. She is more than any one particular rite or denomination. The Roman Catholic stands preeminently among other Christian voices. Her membership includes both the living and the dead. Satan and the powers of Evil will not prevail against her. I attest to one baptism, a work of grace of the Holy Spirit, that rejuvenates us from death in sin to life of forgiveness in love and glory. I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and joy and glory of the world to come and the just will live with Him for life everlasting.

Amen.
Let it be.

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Lord’s Prayer

Posted on December 12, 2011 | Leave a comment

Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come.
Give us this day our daily bread
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

Doxology
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory
are yours, now and forever.

1) Introduction: God has a universal calling for humanity to communion with Him. In the Old Testament, the Patriarchs and Prophets witnessed their relationship with God through prayer. The book of Psalms stand out as a poetic collection of prayers. In the New Testament Jesus is noted for prayer, the Our Father, the Prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, the raising of Lazarus, the priestly prayer, and his words on the cross. The Lord’s Prayer is brief consisting of 7 petitions.
2) Types of Prayer
a) Blessing and Adoration
b) Prayer of Petition
c) Prayer of Intercession
d) Prayer of Thanksgiving
e) Prayer of Praise
3) Way of Prayer
a) Prayer to the Father
b) Prayer to Jesus
c) Prayer to the Holy Spirit
d) Communion with the Virgin Mary
4) Expressions of Prayer
a) Vocal
b) Meditation
c) Contemplation
5) Scriptural sources of the Lord’s Prayer
a) Matthew 6:9-13 (The Sermon on the Mount)
b) Luke 11:2-4 (Answer to his disciples request Him to teach them to pray as John taught his disciples to pray)
6) Location in the Liturgy
a) Communion Rite
7) Analysis
a) Our Father
i) God calls all humanity through the Holy Spirit collectively to communion with Him.
ii) We are children of the one true and perfect father and as such share in His adoption of eternal life.
b) Who art in Heaven
i) God exists in heaven, not a space or place, but a power of majesty, and dwells in the hearts of the just.
c) Hallowed be Thy name
i) God exists above and beyond time by the very nature of His name: “I am that I am.”
d) Thy kingdom come
i) This eschatological statement proclaims that the Kingdom of Heaven/Kingdom of God is present in the person of Jesus Christ, expressed through the Church, and will be fully realized in the Parousia at the end of time
e) Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven
i) God is all-powerful, conceiving creation, setting it into motion, and moving it to its conclusion. He sets forth the ways of life and death, the moral and physical laws of the universe. We ask that His laws of love, mercy, and justice be fully present. The words “Kingdom/Heaven” are used three times in Our Father and the Doxology.
f) Give us this day our daily bread
i) God provides us all our needs As children we trust our loving Father to supply us everything beautiful according to His just and perfect will. This day is not mortal time but God’s time. Daily bread refers to all those things that are necessary for our subsistence:
(1) Food
(2) Water
(3) Shelter
(4) Clothing
(5) Love and mercy
(6) Work & Social Justice
(7) Eucharist & other Sacraments
g) And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us
i) We ask God to forgive us our sins and our estrangement with Him and others, and to bring us into right relationship
ii) We are forgiven through participating in the Sacraments of the Church
iii) God grants us forgiveness out of His merciful and perfect love
iv) God can forgive us because all things are possible for Him.
v) We forgive others because of His grace we live as His images.
vi) This includes the forgiveness of enemies
h) And lead us not into temptation
i) We thank God for granting us free will and free choice
ii) We ask that God to give us the strength, poise, and character to persevere with the uncertainties and pains of life, the dark nights of the soul
iii) We ask the Holy Spirit to guide us along life’s journey and assist us to make prudent decisions
i) And deliver us from evil
i) We ask God to guard us from Satan, the prince of this world
ii) We ask God to break the bonds of sin and death
iii) We ask God that Christ’s return may be soon
iv) We ask that the Church safeguard the keys of the kingdom and be a witness to love and peace
j) For the kingdom, the power and glory are yours, now and forever
i) We proclaim the joy in our hearts for Christ’s promised return
k) Amen
i) Let it be.

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Posted in Roman Catholic Church, Spirituality

My studies

Posted on December 5, 2011 | Leave a comment

Finished up reading on the Creed and have switched gears to reading about Our Father. The reading go hand in hand. I am studying the prayer from a scriptural context as well as a contemporary point of view.

Our Father
//Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
//

Doxology
//For the kingdom,
the power, and the glory
are yours, now and forever.//

Here are somethings that are new to me. Jesus uses kingdom and heaven four times. Daily bread includes all the material needs, but it also includes our spiritual needs including the Eucharist. God is powerful. He is moving His creation to eschatological fulfillment. He also gives us free will. We are His children and our heirs to His eternal inheritance. We may stray and live in estrangement from Him, but by nature we are not depraved. We retain His divine likeness. Forgiveness is very hard because of hurt and pain, frustration, anger, or pride. Forgiveness is a work of grace and mercy. A central tenant to the Gospel is to live in peace and harmony with our brothers, sisters, and neighbors, and also ourselves. Keep score has little value. Part of living is going through the hard times, the dark nights of the soul. God’s might, grace and mercy eliminate the night.

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Posted in Roman Catholic Church, Uncategorized

On the 3rd Day He rose from the dead

Posted on December 2, 2011 | Leave a comment

John 10:17 This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father.”

John 3:13 No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.

John 6:39 And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it [on] the last day.

John 6:40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him [on] the last day.”

The Pascal Mystery, crucification, resurrection, and assention are our promise for our own resurrection and life everlasting. It is the promise of the Parousia, the establishment of Christ’s Kingdom, the New Jerusalem. It is our longing. At that point every knee shall bow, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

This is our faith and our hope and what we give thanks for. O death were is your victory, where is your sting. On that day, there will be no more sorrow, sickness, or disability. Every tear will be wiped dry. Praise the Lord.

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Posted in Roman Catholic Church, Spirituality, Uncategorized

For us men and our salvation

Posted on November 27, 2011 | Leave a comment

Why did Christ come down from heaven and take human form? Let me preface that the trinity existed in fulness of form before the dawn of creation. Christ existed before Adam and Even, the snake and the apple.

It is commonly explained that Jesus came into the world to redeem us from the stain of original sin flowing from the Fall in the Garden Eden, ensuing death, and the pit of hell and eternal damnation.

For a variety of reasons, I find such an explanation inadequate. I submit God is all powerful, all knowing, and all loving, perfect and complete in every way. In the beginning, God created man in His own image with original blessing, full of joy, wonder, awe. God, the unconditional lover, desires sweet intimate communion with man.

Yet part of the human condition is universal estrangement from God. This causes great sorrow on earth as well as heaven. Through numerous covenants He has sought to bridge the human and divine gap. It is not that our flesh is evil or that we are hopelessly depraved, yearning evil for evils sake. What is more accurately said is that in our estrangement we, we are of want of God’s love. Our hearts are dried out sponges and raisins. We have become hard and callous. In our emptiness we seek all manner of things including the ignoble, and we lapse into the bondage of sin and death.

Speaking of love, St. Paul uses romantic love as analogy for divine love. I would submit as Beatrice led Dante in the Divine Comedy, the romantic love of a man for a woman, may lead him to experience Divine love and knowledge.

Christ came into this world to act as the pascal mystery. Through the blood He shed, He baptizes and emerges our hard and dry hearts in the waters of new life, making them soft and supple. He came into this world to save us for union with God in heaven. His imminent Parousia promises the establishment of His kingdom, the bodily resurrection of the dead, and eternal life. This is cause for great celebration and jubilation. We the beloved wait expectantly for our lover.

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Posted in Roman Catholic Church, Spirituality, Uncategorized

Why Catholic and RCIA

Posted on November 24, 2011 | Leave a comment

I may have shared it earlier on this blog but I want to share it again why I became Catholic and became part of the RCIA team. I am tempted to say that all roads lead to Rome, but for most of my life becoming Catholic was the farthest thing from my mind. I do remember the funeral mass for John 23. It stands out in memory just as clearly as the death of JFK or the Mercury and Gemini space shots. I was raised and confirmed into the Protestant Faith. Luther was a hero. The Reformation was a watershed in church history.

But along the way of my spiritual journey events occurred that laid the foundation for what was to come. The first was to see “Brother Sun, Sister Moon.” Then in college I read Anselm and Aquinas. But other readings to me down the Calvinist path. I did start reading the Bible in earnest. I confess I began reading it from an inerrantist position. My spiritual travels took me to the Presbyterian and the Methodist Church and back again to the UCC.

One event stands out. I was receiving communion in the Methodist Church by intinction. As I took the host, dipped it into the wine, and raised it to my mouth, a drop of wine fell upon my shoe. I became overwhelmed with the awareness that drop was the blood of Christ. The event solidified in my mind transubstantiation of the bread and wine. I returned to the UCC and lived, worked, and worship in fruitless rebellion against the teachings of the UCC. My spiritual readings continued. I started reading Matthew Fox. It would take 20 years for me to complete the book. I also read Thomas Merton, and Kempis. My studies of scripture awoke in me a longing to venerate Mary.Attending San Louis Rey helped stir up the spiritual pot. All this while I journey through the dark night of the senses flowing living with epilepsy and mental illness. Then John Paul II died. As I watched the unfolding events on TV I felt called to come home to the Catholic Church. In my heart I was already Catholic. I just had to submit myself in obedience and discipline of the Church. I attended Blessed Sacrament Church and through the RCIA program. It is there I met Sr. Linda and developed a fast friendship. The hardest thing about RCIA was going a full year with out celebrating the Euchaarist.

I was never able to bond and attach with other with Blessed Sacrament. I was open and candid about my disabilities and this created a barrier for others. Also I needed a parish within walking distance. I was spending a fortune on taxis going to Blessed Sacrament. Then I found St. Didacus. It took me a while to warm up to Fr. Mike. That was my issue not his. Mental illness delayed me from becoming involved in RCIA. I needed to heal and my dear friend Mimi has been an agent to work that healing into my life. As my healing progressed, my yearning to serve God and the Church grew.

As the RCIA started up this year, I wanted to be a part of it. In part because of my ignorance, there is so much I want to learn spiritually. Also being 53, I am beginning to feel my age and all the aches and pains that go along with it. I want to share the insights of my journey with others, especially the young.

If St. John of the Cross in time I will visit the Dark Night of the Soul. I cannot rush it. The night will come in its own time.

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Posted in Roman Catholic Church

Thanksgiving

Posted on November 23, 2011 | Leave a comment

It is Wednesday evening, the day before Thanksgiving, a time to sit down at my MacBook, and take stock of the things I am I am thankful for. I am thankful for friends. I am thankful for my health both physical and spiritual. Just a year ago, I was recovering from a breakdown. How far I have come! I am thankful for the closer bonds I have with my parish and especially the RCIA class. I am thankful for all the professional support people in my life. I am thankful for my family. Lastly, I am thankful to God and to the spiritual path He is leading me on and all the wonderful people He is bringing into my life. Now tomorrow I will go to mass and then to my aunt’s for Thanksgiving dinner. Without being rude, I want to stick as close to my diet as possible. I want to lose so much weight. It has become a major health and quality of life issue.

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