Catholic

Jun082015

Marriage and being single as a contemplative

The idea of being a devoted personality type, acknowledging the positive aspects of charity and loyalty, along with the negative tendency toward dependency, marriage (the essence) and proper Catholic socializing is dominating my mind, being formed in proper dimension’s. Alcoholism and existential passivity aiming at being a Superman, while becoming an underground man–now defeated within a lifelong dedication to Catholicism. I have been reborn at fifty. My kneejerk passion is I want to be married. Concretely, the union of a man and woman comes into focus, the sacrament of marriage I muse upon longingly. I read through the Catechism, exploring the profoundness, continual focus upon marriage within Catholicism. Sacred Scripture begins with the creation of man and woman in the image and likeness of God and concludes with a vision of “the wedding-feast of the Lamb. Scripture speaks throughout of marriage and its “mystery,” its institution and the meaning God has given it, its origin and its end, its various realizations throughout the history of salvation, the difficulties arising from sin and its renewal “in the Lord” in the New Covenant of Christ and the Church.

My thoughts go to an incident with Father David Mary. We spent a summer week with seminarians in Minnesota strengthening the faith through communal interacting. Father instructing the young men entering their sophomore year of undergraduate study on the life of a priest, while the friars spent a week of instruction with an educating priest supplying a quick weeklong overview of Catholic moral theology. The closing Sunday mass celebration father gave a remarkable homily, expressing his rousing passion for being a priest. Something he said marked me deeply, the idea applicable for all Catholics. He spoke extensively and practically regarding the establishing of a sound prayer life for the young men, stressing they were young, enjoying leisure time, able to indulge and discern their personal proclivities in prayer. A daily holy hour, the Rosary, meditation, a litany of prayers, quiet time with the Lord, lectio divina, of course father followed the teachings of Bishop Fulton Sheen in firmly promoting Eucharistic adoration as the strongest means of establishing a personal relationship with the Lord. If the young men did not form a stout daily prayer life early in their priestly formation they would never be able to once entering the priesthood. The demands, time constraints, and struggles were too difficult. During the overwhelming responsibility of being a priest, they must persevere in prayer, setting aside every a day an hour of alone time with God. Not writing, reading (lectio divina ok), nor reasoning, performing the Liturgy of the Hours–none of these edifying endeavors qualified. Rather personal prayer was listening, pleading, imploring, sitting still and being quiet. The personal prayer hour would become their solace, source of strength, and only effective way of fulfilling their role as a Catholic priest. Eventually as priest, the young men would find it would be the highlight of their day, a favorite time anticipated eagerly. The young seminarians must establish an effective prayer life now. They must ignite a personal relationship with the Trinity through their personal prayer life right now.

In regards to marriage and proper Catholic socializing as one striving for a penetrating contemplative life, father’s guidance is essential. If I do not exercise a strong prayer life, if I am not dedicating that daily hour to the Lord my efforts are futile, an abomination of self-will. The increasing of the two greatest commandments, the blossoming of LOVE occurs within our personal relationship with Christ, our prayer life. Catechism on the sacrament of matrimony: God who created man out of love also calls him to love the fundamental and innate vocation of every human being. For man is created in the image and likeness of God who is himself love. Since God created him man and woman, their mutual love becomes an image of the absolute and unfailing love with which God loves man. It is good, very good, in the Creator’s eyes. And this love which God blesses is intended to be fruitful and to be realized in the common work of watching over creation: “And God blessed them, and God said to them: ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it.'” In order to participate in such loving Catholic relationship–the quote expanding to parental responsibilities, we must possess the means to nurture love and that is through our personal prayer life.

I am confident this is why Dr Nichta became agitated regarding Catholic socializing based upon spiritually directing one another. Relationships based upon telling each other how to live and practice the faith are really absurd, a perversion of faith. Healthy Catholic interacting is not based upon instructing one another. Accumulating knowledge, putting time in through daily mass, establishing a reputation amongst followers, are only busy work without the personal relationship with God based upon quietness, humility, and surrender. Without a prayer life we ultimately have nothing to offer others–profound insight and knowledge negated, eventually guiding to self-inflicted destruction. Without a prayer life we have no means to profoundly increase the presence of love. Without a prayer life we have no means of discerning God’s will. We cannot exercise or receive proper spiritual guidance without a prospering prayer life. In a marriage or a Catholic relationship lacking both (all) individuals reinforcing their individual faith through a vigorous prayer life, it would lead to power struggles, manipulation, and ultimately frustration, and possibly even warfare. The Catechism covers extensively that the sacrament of marriage does not absolve original sin, the sinning nature of man and woman exist within marriage. UnGodly ways will take command of a marriage. Efforts must be put into place to ensure the sanctity of the marriage.

In life as a single, virginity, chastity tantamount, the Catechism clearly declares a life in imitation of Christ. Christ is the center of all Christian life. The bond with him takes precedence over all other bonds, familial or social. From the very beginning of the Church there have been men and women who have renounced the great good of marriage to follow the Lamb wherever he goes, to be intent on the things of the Lord, to seek to please him, and to go out to meet the Bridegroom who is coming….Virginity for the sake of the kingdom of heaven is an unfolding of baptismal grace, a powerful sign of the supremacy of the bond with Christ and of the ardent expectation of his return, a sign which also recalls that marriage is a reality of this present age which is passing away…..Both the sacrament of Matrimony and virginity for the Kingdom of God come from the Lord himself. It is he who gives them meaning and grants them the grace which is indispensable for living them out in conformity with his will. Esteem of virginity for the sake of the kingdom and the Christian understanding of marriage are inseparable, and they reinforce each other: 

Whoever denigrates marriage also diminishes the glory of virginity. Whoever praises it makes virginity more admirable and resplendent. What appears good only in comparison with evil would not be truly good. The most excellent good is something even better than what is admitted to be good

Being single is truly the more difficult way, the one possessing the possibility of greater eternal rewards, yet its difficulty must be stressed over the glory. I put forth that very few people remaining single, not accepting Church sanctioned celibacy, obedience, and edification through the life of a proper religious, will not be able to live a vibrant spiritual life. A life alone, answering to no one, unaccountable, able to move about not answering for words, thoughts, and conduct is a dangerous life. Commitment and obedience to no one begs forth perversion, spiritual sickness allowed to fester and move about when ever challenged or proper healing presented. As in marriage, celibacy does not absolve a sinning nature. I admire the closing Catechism quote by St John Chrysostom. Marriage and virginity complement one another, working within the body of Christ together. A prospering Catholic single is able to move about, socializing with married couples, enjoying children, being humbled, not insulted, by the fact good families will tend to see the single person as incomplete. Good people convinced the single life is empty, or there is something wrong with the single person, a temper issue, sexual confusion, or selfishness ruling the single person’s life. A spiritually prospering single will embrace the scrutiny, able to stay simple and proud, secure in faith, hope, and charity, presenting a deeper lessen about life: Virginity for the sake of the kingdom of heaven is an unfolding of baptismal grace, a powerful sign of the supremacy of the bond with Christ and of the ardent expectation of his return, a sign which also recalls that marriage is a reality of this present age which is passing away….When the body assist in all parts becoming stronger, the body becomes greater. Singles and married Catholics must strengthen one another, respecting, admiring and learning from each other. They must humbly engage one another.  What appears good only in comparison with evil would not be truly good. The strengthening of the body of the Church is through balance, all parts recognizing the good within one another. If I am only good based upon my declaring of other things evil, not perceiving God’s will within all things, I am failing as a Catholic. And not so much in finding other things evil, yet not properly respecting or honoring all parts of the Church. This is where an extreme difficulty of being single, and truly following in the way of Christ presents itself, demands the embracing of humility, demands the strengthening of a proper prayer life. I cannot traverse a more difficult spiritual path without the essential strengthening of a rich prayer life.

This is becoming longer than intended. I am simply going to quit, more thoughts ruminating, yet I close. Life calls and I answer.

Final thought, contemplate that last sentence of St John Chrysostom: The most excellent good is something even better than what is admitted to be good.  A bit of a stretch, yet I propose: the wonder and marvel of mystery usurping speculation (reason), presumption and even remarkable knowledge exist within the words.  The wisest can instruct and guide on goodness to the highest degree and still it is nothing compared to the personal insight the Holy Spirit provides those able to immerse themselves within mysteries through a strong prayer life, or even better truth unrecognized, truth unknown stymies that which is known.

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Jun072015

Corpus Christi comes, a parade out into the streets

Solemn feast of Corpus Chrsiti, the Church providing, a procession to celebrate and share in edifying community. As we trudge the awesome steps toward the Trinity, let love grow and reign supreme in our hearts. Serious in devotion, we become sensitive. Healing, we become vulnerable. Brutally honest, we expose ourselves. Thirsting for God, we appear feeble. Learning to love, we become tender. Growing in the spirit, we surrender. Trusting in God, we resort to tears and prayers. To the worldly, we seem weak, one who can be easily dominated, one who can be defeated with impunity. May we exercise appropriate care in sheltering ourselves from the worldly, from those playing at faith like teenagers. Thrill-seekers and the self-consumed can inflicted horrible damage to those accurately purifying upon the contemplative path of Calvary. God is good and providing, allowing everything to happen as it should. We do not seek victory focusing our eyes upon the Cross. From struggle may we grow stronger, the Eucharist (Corpus Christi) and our prayer life always the source of strengthening. Our love multiplying the consequence of advancing. Lord have mercy upon us all.

Here is a commanding consideration, a thought to ponder, from the writings of Saint Alphonosus Rodriguez.

But he suffered not only in His body, but in His soul also, and after a manner far more painful. For, notwithstanding human nature was in Him united to the divine person, yet it hindered him not from feeling the indignity of His sufferings in as lively a manner as if this union had not been at all. Moreover, to render this pain the greater, he was deprived of all consolation; which was the reason that he cried out upon the Cross: ‘My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?’ The holy martyrs were solaced in their torments by comforts from heaven, which made them suffer all things; not only with courage, but even with joy; but Jesus Christ, in order to suffer the more for the love of us, vouchsafe, as to His sacred humanity, to be deprived of all sorts of comforts both of heaven and earth, and not only forsaken by His disciples and friends, but even by His eternal Father. ‘I am become like a man without help or succor’, and yet this man was the only one who ‘was free amongst the dead’…the only one who was free from sin, and consequently ought to have been free from all pain.

The thought brings tears. Jesus absolutely abandoned upon the cross by the Father and Holy Spirit. All Divine consolation stripped, all humanely assistance fleeing, he humanely suffered upon the cross. Nailed to the cross, beaten, humiliated, His only resource was His humanity. Enduring, proving as a man He was a worthy member of the Trinity, His broken and bruised heart magnified love and forgiveness. In His humanity, Our Lord was triumphant. He won the victory for us as one of us. The man Jesus attained eternal salvation for all. He was not playing a game upon the Cross, cleverly allowing the omnipotence of the Trinity to tolerate the nonsense of silly humans being in some staged theatrical drama play. He went through everything vulnerable, on His own, abandoned, experiencing immense pain and consternation as a common man. The Son proved Himself, made His Father and the Holy Spirit proud, joining in unification, the formation of the eternal Trinity. The Father must be immensely proud of His Son. How could He not celebrate and honor His mother, standing weeping her pierced heart out, tears cascading at the foot of the Cross  The beloved apostle John supporting her, contemplatives setting the stage for ages to come.. May we in our humanity endure and hold to His example, always placing Him before us as the one we conduct our actions and thoughts for. The aim of our bent bows upon the Cross.

To set the table for the feast today, one more time Anima Christi:

Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from the side of Christ, wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Separated from Thee let me never be
From the malicious enemy defend me
In the hour of my death call me
And bid me come unto Thee
That I may praise Thee with Thy saints
Forever and ever
Amen

Corpus_Christi_Pic

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Corpus Christi procession leaving the Basilica Santa Maria del Mar of Barcelona

Ramon_Casas_-_The_Corpus_Christi_Procession_Leaving_the_Church_of_Santa_Maria_del_Mar_-_Google_Art_ProjectTaking the Eucharist out to the public in turn of the century Barcelona, exiting the Basilica Santa Maria del Mar.  The oil painting done by Barcelona native Ramon Casas displays the splendor of a Corpus Christi procession.  My mother, born and raised in Zaragoza, family in Barcelona, tells of the wonder and magnitude of the Basilica, yet its quaint association with the common fishermen, dock labors, and seafaring men.  In 1936 the Basilica would be set on fire during the calamitous Spanish Civil War, a conflict of intense aggression against the Church.

I posted and realized, I am showing my fifty years. I assume turn-of-the-century means the eighteen hundreds on into the nineteen hundreds. The industrial revolution, Pope Leo XIII, Modern thought: Nietzsche, Marx, existentialist, and the theater of the absurd, the reinvigoration of faith through Our Lady of Lourdes and the declaring of Mary’s Immaculate Conception sprouting wondrous fruit, and the precursor to two horrible world wars. Now we have an even more modern turn of the century, the twentieth on into the twenty-first, future shock accelerating at such a rapid pace who dares foresee coming days. How can one not turn to the hope of Divine Intervention, beyond the splendor of an inspiring, warning, Marian apparition; all knowable and possible worldly solutions extinguished. May trust in the Lord be strong during trying and difficult days.

Let us take pleasure in the celebration of the coming Solemn Feast of Corpus Christ. I am grateful for a procession to partake in, a church becoming a home, a chance to be in community, sharing in the taking of the Eucharist to the streets of Cleveland.

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Anima Christi

Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from the side of Christ, wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Permit me not to be separated from Thee
From the malignant enemy defend me
In the hour of my death call me
And bid me come unto Thee
That with thy Saints I may praise Thee
Forever and ever
Amen

Anima Christi, sanctifica me.
Corpus Christi, salva me.
Sanguis Christi, inebria me.
Aqua lateris Christi, lava me.
Passio Christi, conforta me.
O bone Jesu, exaudi me.
Intra tua vulnera absconde me.
Ne permittas me separari a te.
Ab hoste maligno defende me.
In hora mortis meae voca me.
Et iube me venire ad te,
Ut cum Sanctis tuis laudem te.
In saecula saeculorum.
Amen

Music and choral arraignment Monsignor Marco Frisina, a priest whose musical accomplishments are awe inspiring.  On his website investigate his film scores.  All glory goes to God.  This is from his website: Monsignor Frisna’s biblically and liturgically inspired music is melodious, worthwhile and easily sung, open to interpretation either by the entire congregation or a full choir. His work reflects his belief that liturgical melodies are there to assist prayer….function is to elevate the spirit….express the religious value of the text, which in Catholic tradition always has priority over the music and, in a sense, the soul. His diverse repertoire also includes oratorios, film scores, opera and musical theater and spans both religious and secular themes.

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May312015

Benediction: Corpus Christi

To go beyond formality and tradition, to see the truth and essence of words, thoughts, conceptions, possibilities and the deepest penetrating realities, I find the words of the the Benediction hymns profound, worthy of continual contemplation.  Terms to consider: saving victim; immortal Godhead, one in three; native land; down in adoration falling; ancient forms departing; newer rites of grace prevailing; feeble senses fail; faith for all defects supplying; the Trinity beautifully unveiled.

O Saving Victim, opening wide
The gate of Heaven to man below:
Our foes press on from every side,
Thine aid supply, Thy strength bestow.
To Thy great Name be endless praise,
Immortal Godhead, One in Three:
Oh, grant us endless length of days
In our true native land with Thee. Amen.

All heavenly and saintly beings hail the Lord present upon the earth.

All heavenly and saintly beings hail the Lord present upon the earth.

Down in adoration falling,
Lo! the sacred Host we hail;
Lo! over ancient forms departing,
Newer rites of grace prevail;
Faith for all defects supplying
Where the feeble senses fail.
To the Everlasting Father,
And the Son Who reigns on high,
With the Spirit Blest proceeding
Forth from Each eternally,
Be salvation, honor, blessing,
Might and endless majesty. Amen.

Thou hast given them Bread from Heaven.
Containing in Itself all delight.

Let us pray (oremus)
O God, Who in this wonderful Sacrament
has left us a memorial of Thy passion,
grant, we implore Thee,
that we may so venerate the sacred mysteries of Thy Body and Blood
as always to be conscious of the fruit of Thy Redemption,
Thou Who livest and reignest forever and ever.
Amen

Old Testament prefiguring. The Mercy Seat, the Monstrance.

Old Testament prefiguring. The Mercy Seat, the Monstrance.

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May302015

Corpus Christi novena on the feast of the Trinity

To prepare better for Holy Communion, a soul should be disposed on two main points: it should be detached from creatures, and it should have a great desire to advance in divine love.

1. First, a soul should detach itself from all things and drive everything from its heart which is not God. “Whoever has bathed,” says the Lord, “has no need except to have his feet washed” (John 13:10). This signifies, as St Bernard explains, that in order to receive this sacrament with great fruit we should not only be cleansed from mortal sins, but our feet should also be washed, that is freed from earthly affections.

St Gertrude asked our Lord what preparation he required of her for Holy Communion and he replied, “I only ask that you come to me empty of yourself to receive me.”

2. It is most meritorious in Holy Communion to have a great desire to receive Jesus Christ and his holy love. In this sacred banquet only those who are famishing receive their fill. The blessed Virgin Mary had already said this: “He has filled the hungry with good things” (Luke 1:53).

–St Alphonsus Liguori ‘The Holy Eucharist’

Mass downtown at the Cathedral today provided a blessing regarding communion.  Two young girls received their first communion together.  I found it moving to notice that the extensive families supporting and celebrating with the girls seemed unfamiliar with each other, yet the two girls possessed a special bond.  I felt they practiced together.  Called to stand aside the priest as he prepared to serve the congregation, prepared to be the first to receive, one girl called out to the other before advancing upon the sanctuary.  The two joined hands smiling with delight before ascending steps.  The priest spoke in his homily about the sanctity of receiving the body of Christ for the first time, the significance of advancement for a child within the Catholic Church. What a pleasure to witness two beautiful girls so excited to receive their first communion.  A true wonder for the entire familes gathered to witness two loved young ones advancing with, through, and in Christ.

First_Communion_girls

I thank You, Jesus, my Divine Redeemer, for coming upon the earth for our sake, and for instituting the adorable Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist in order to remain with us until the end of the world.
 I thank You for hiding beneath the Eucharistic species Your infinite majesty and beauty, which Your Angels delight to behold, so that I might have courage to approach the throne of Your Mercy. 
I thank You, most loving Jesus, for having made Your- self my food, and for uniting me to Yourself with so much love in this wonderful Sacrament that I may live in You.

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May292015

Dr. Nitcha and Day 2 Corpus Christi novena synchronizing, a strange awful Caribbean Island sharing

Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi

Our most loving Redeemer, knowing that he must leave this earth and return to His Father as soon as He had accomplished the work of our redemption by his death, and seeing that the hour of his death had now come–“Jesus knew that His hour had come to pass from this world to the Father (John 13:1)–would not leave us alone in this valley of tears, so what did he do?

He instituted the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist in which he left us His whole self.

–St Alphonsus Liguori ‘The Holy Eucharist’

I met with my spiritual director today, an impromptu visit, scheduled in during an idle week of therapy. Processing the return to Fort Wayne, Dr Nitcha left me with the contemplative thought that the best we can hope to do within a parting is to leave the other with a greater capacity to love. We accomplish something divine if we part from another having increased their ability to properly love. If we have crippled or crushed another’s sense of love we have imposed self-will, resorting away from Divine Will. The idea of Christ parting from the world and leaving the Eucharist behind became intensely profound.

After the session, graciously granted twenty minutes of socializing, I opted for adoration at a wonderful east side church St Paschal Baylon, a church Dr Nitcha referred me to. I am blessed with his guidance, saying no more, touched he invited me to his millennial daughter’s artwork display. Proud, humble, while hesitant to praise, he informed me his daughter, as a young adult, is recognizing and presenting herself to the world as a serious artist. I responded, ‘to be an artist is a blessing and a curse’. He quickly added, ‘that is the case with all things’.  I cannot not stress the invigoration he brings to my life, supplying confidence, a reassuring of my spiritual life, and encouragement on the natural level. I was able to share a personal experience that occurred before the Eucharist, a bit hesitant regarding the matter.

Also a strange incident with a new coworker, one haunting me throughout the day.  Jose is a man from Puerto Rico new to our Maintenance department.  He is engaging and intelligent.  I enjoy the minds of others and today I spent the day with him.  I must warn readers to proceed with caution.  Prepare yourselves, yet I feel this is important.  It was strangely and difficultly edifying when it occurred.  I could not avoid it.  Struggling with his English, Jose became excited, wanting me to watch a video from the internet.  He informed me it was taken by a webcam posted above the entrance of a nightclub from his country.  Several men were hanging out in front of the nightclub, when suddenly two cars came to a screeching halt, men jumping out, beating one of the men with clubs.  The other gathered men fled in sheer terror.  The most horrific thing happened as the attacked man’s arm suddenly dangled absurdly.  “Jose what are they doing?”  “They hit him with machetes.”  “I thought they were clubs.”  “No they are machetes.”  Making the sign of the cross, falling into prayer, aghast, I felt I had to watch, suffering intense compassion for the man being hacked to death, empathizing, trying to understand the insanity and shock that had to be gripping his mind, also feeling overwhelming compassion for the men doing the hacking.  If one were not strong with the Lord how could one expect to handle such an extreme travesty?  The brutality of the death would be impossible to handle properly.  What a horrific thing to do to one’s soul and mind to hack another man to death with a machete.  What a sickening hardening of the heart and sense of decency, an absolute blocking of the fruits of the Holy Spirit.  What fear children must possess within their consciousness knowing such savagery is a reality and possibility, something they could endure or have to inflict, something their mind processes while alone in bed at night.  Jose, not being sensational, authentically telling me in a way that he felt I had to understand, told me about coming across his neighbor as a teenager after his neighbor suffered a machete attack by three men.  It was important for him to tell me the story.  He was working when he decided to return home for lunch in order to eat with his mother.  Walking back to work, he heard desperate cries, discovering his neighbor calling out for help.  His hands were severely gashed from trying to ward off the machete blows, and he suffered awful gashes upon his head.  Jose ran for the man’s brothers and they all wrapped him in a blanket and took him for medical help.  The man lived, still walking and talking the day Jose left his country.  It was not until prayers, a Rosary, and a Holy Hour could I be free of the video images and the story Jose told me.  The things people suffer in this life are immensely gruesome, overwhelmingly abominable.  Oh Lord please help us.  This is not an inconsequential game we have gotten ourselves involved in.  Lord please have mercy and assist us in this tremendous endeavor of life.  At times fearful, with courage and confidence, I plow forward in building a life complimenting my contemplative efforts, nurturing my prayer life.

Dr Nitcha had test results from a personality style test he gave me, a long hundred and fifty question test. The conclusion he presented: I am devoted personality type.  Devoted types care, and that’s what makes their lives worth living.  You won’t find anyone more loving, more solicitous of you, more concerned for your needs and feelings or for those of the groups as a whole.  At their best, individuals with this style are the loyal, considerate, ever-so-helpful members of the family or team…their happiness comes from the fulfillment of other’s directives and goals.  Devoted people are the ones who tell you, “I’m happy if you’re happy”–and mean it.

The negative side of the Devoted personality style creates the neurosis of dependent personality disorder.  People suffering from dependent personality disorder, the pathological extreme of the Devoted style, have the misfortune to experience themselves as helpless, weak, empty, and inferior.  By attaching themselves to another person they gain strength and self-esteem to survive.  Yet they live in fear of losing the person that is so necessary to them.  They can’t bear the very thought of being without the other.   

I just report what is given to me whether I like it or not.  Absorbing, moving forward, fearing not mistakes.  Building upon the gifts of the Holy Spirit, prayerful and mindful, may the Eucharist be glorified through a passionate novena allowing greater understanding.  All hail the omnipotence of the Trinity.

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