The scandal of child sexual abuse and the cover-ups within the Church is understandably very upsetting (to put it mildly) for most good and faithful Catholics around the world. I have been asked a number of times to give my opinion about it all, but I have to admit that with my own shock and sadness at the sorry situation, I find it difficult to order my thoughts and to respond in a clear and balanced way - especially when things seem to get worse by the day. The following article which I share with you however, says what I would like to say - but in a much better way. I admire and respect Fr Timothy Radcliffe greatly - especially his deep appreciation of the Scriptures and the Church, his wonderful ability to explain our faith in ways easy to understand, and his deep integrity. On top of all this, as former head of the worldwide Dominican Order he also has wide personal experience of the workings of the Church and the Vatican. This article was published in the 10th April edition of THE TABLET International Catholic Weekly, published in London.
Fr. Pat Kelly
SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO? Timothy Radcliffe OP
As the scandal of child sexual abuse and its cover-up swirls around the Church, some Catholics are considering their options as regards their very membership of the institution. Here a former Master of the Dominicans explains why the Church is stuck with him, whatever happens.
Fresh revelations of sexual abuse by priests in Germany and Italy have provoked a tide of anger and disgust. I have received emails from people all around Europe asking how can they possibly remain in the Church? I was even sent a form with which to renounce my membership of the Church. Why stay?
First of all, why go? Some people feel that they can no longer remain associated with an institution that is so corrupt and dangerous for children. The suffering of so many children is indeed horrific. They must be our first concern. Nothing that I will write is intended in any way to lessen our horror at the evil of sexual abuse. But the statistics for the US, from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in 2004, suggest that Catholic clergy do not offend more than the married clergy of other Churches.
Some surveys even give a lower level of offence for Catholic priests. They are less likely to offend than lay school teachers, and perhaps half as likely as the general population. Celibacy does not push people to abuse children. It is simply untrue to imagine that leaving the Church for another denomination would make one's children safer. We must face the terrible fact that the abuse of children is widespread in every part of society. To make the Church the scapegoat would be a cover-up.
But what about the cover-up within the Church? Have not our bishops been shockingly irresponsible in moving offenders around, not reporting them to the police and so perpetuating the abuse? Yes, sometimes. But the great majority of these cases go back to the 1960s and 1970s, when bishops often regarded sexual abuse as a sin rather than also a pathological condition, and when lawyers and psychologists often reassured them that it was safe to reassign priests after treatment. It is unjust to project backwards an awareness of the nature and seriousness of sexual abuse which simply did not exist then. It was only the rise of feminism in the late 1970s which, by shedding light on the violence of some men against women, alerted us to the terrible damage done to vulnerable children.
But what about the Vatican? Pope Benedict has taken a strong line in tackling this issue as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) and since becoming Pope. Now the finger is pointed at him. It appears that some cases reported to the CDF under his watch were not dealt with. Isn't the Pope's credibility undermined? There are demonstrators in front of St Peter's calling for his resignation. I am morally certain that he bears no blame here.
It is generally imagined that the Vatican is a vast and efficient organization. In fact it is tiny. The CDF only employs 45 people, dealing with doctrinal and disciplinary issues for a Church that has 1.3 billion members, 17 per cent of the world's population, and some 400,000 priests. When I dealt with the CDF as Master of the Dominican Order, it was obvious that they were struggling to cope. Documents slipped through the cracks. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger lamented to me that the staff was simply too small for the job.
People are furious with the Vatican's failure to open up its files and offer a clear explanation of what happened. Why is it so secretive? Angry and hurt Catholics feel a right to transparent government. I agree. But we must, in justice, understand why the Vatican is so self-protective. There were more martyrs in the twentieth century than in all the previous centuries combined. Bishops and priests, Religious and laity were assassinated in Western Europe, in Soviet countries, in Africa, Latin America and Asia.
Many Catholics still suffer imprisonment and death for their faith. Of course, the Vatican tends to stress confidentiality; this has been necessary to protect the Church from people who wish to destroy her. So it is understandable that the Vatican reacts aggressively to demands for transparency and will read legitimate requests for openness as a form of persecution. And some people in the media do, without any doubt, wish to damage the credibility of the Church.
But we owe a debt of gratitude to the press for its insistence that the Church face its failures. If it had not been for the media, then this shameful abuse might have remained unaddressed.
Confidentiality is also a consequence of the Church's insistence on the right of everyone accused to keep their good name until they are proved to be guilty. This is very hard for our society to understand, whose media destroy people's reputations without a thought.
Why go? If it is to find a safer haven, a less corrupt Church, then I think that you will be disappointed. I too long for a more transparent government, more open debate, but the Church's secrecy is understandable, and sometimes necessary. To understand is not always to condone, but necessary if we are to act justly.
Why stay? I must lay my cards on the table; even if the Church were obviously worse than other Churches, I still would not go. I am not a Catholic because our Church is the best, or even because I like Catholicism. I do love much about my Church but there are aspects of it which I dislike. I am not a Catholic because of a consumer option for an ecclesiastical Waitrose rather than Tesco (UK stores), but because I believe that it embodies something which is essential to the Christian witness to the Resurrection, visible unity.
When Jesus died, his community fell apart. He had been betrayed, denied, and most of his disciples fled. It was chiefly the women who accompanied him to the end. On Easter Day, he appeared to the disciples. This was more than the physical resuscitation of a dead corpse.
In him God triumphed over all that destroys community: sin, cowardice, lies, misunderstanding, suffering and death. The Resurrection was made visible to the world in the astonishing sight of a community reborn. These cowards and deniers were gathered together again. They were not a reputable bunch, and shamefaced at what they had done, but once again they were one. The unity of the Church is a sign that all the forces that fragment and scatter are defeated in Christ.
All Christians are one in the Body of Christ. I have deepest respect and affection for Christians from other Churches who nurture and inspire me. But this unity in Christ needs some visible embodiment. Christianity is not a vague spirituality but a religion of incarnation, in which the deepest truths take the physical and sometimes institutional form. Historically this unity has found its focus in Peter, the Rock in Matthew, Mark and Luke, and the shepherd of the flock in John's gospel.
From the beginning and throughout history, Peter has often been a wobbly rock, a source of scandal, corrupt, and yet this is the one - and his successors - whose task it is to hold us together so that we may witness to Christ's defeat on Easter Day of sin's power to divide. And so the Church is stuck with me whatever happens. We may be embarrassed to admit that we are Catholics, but Jesus kept shameful company from the beginning.
Timothy Radcliffe OP is former Master of the Dominicans, now based at Blackfriars, Oxford, England. His most recent books are What Is The Point of Being a Christian? and Why Go To Church? the drama of the Eucharist, both published by Continuum.Fr. Pat Kelly, SMA
Please click titles below to read past articles of Fr. Pat Kelly (from previous to oldest).
Easter 2010 Message
An Easter Message from Fr. Pat Kelly
“Entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed” (Mk.16:5). “The other disciple...bent down and saw the linen cloths lying flat…. Then Simon Peter…entered [and] saw the linen cloths lying flat. The napkin, which had been around his head was not lying flat like the other linen cloths but lay rolled up in its place” (Jn. 20:3-7). Perhaps the disciples were not so much “amazed” that the tomb was empty (Mary Magdalene had already told them) but by the fact that everything inside the tomb was so neat and tidy! The cloths were neatly placed. The bandage-like cloth that had been wound around Jesus’ head had been re-rolled and was in its proper place. The other linen cloths were lying flat (the Hebrew verb here includes the sense of being set or placed properly). The cloths in the empty tomb were not simply discarded and thrown around. This indicates that the body of Jesus had not been stolen (cf. Mt. 28:13) or quickly removed by robbers or anyone else. The disciples were amazed at the orderliness of the tomb. Whatever had occurred here was planned. The neatly placed linens indicate that the one who was using them had finished with them and had purposely left them aside. Jesus had indeed risen from the dead as he promised and had entered a new realm where his glorified body no longer needed earthly cloths. Finished with them, he left them neatly in the tomb. When Lazarus was raised from the dead he brought his tomb cloths with him: “The dead man came out... his hands and feet bound with bandages, and his face wrapped with cloth” (Jn.11:44). Lazarus had not entered this new realm; he had simply re-entered the earthly realm and would die again. He still needed his earthly cloths. The earthly cloths here symbolise the earthly body that we are all dressed in. As soon as Jesus was born and took on a human body – his mother wrapped him in swaddling cloths(Luke 2:7). The dictionary says: “Swaddling - to swathe (bind) in bandages. Swaddling cloths – in which infants were formerly wrapped to restrain them.” When God became man He agreed to allow Himself to be “bound” by the earthly cloths of human flesh. It is not simply a coincidence that Jesus was wrapped in these earthly cloths when He was born, and that He neatly left the linen cloths aside when He rose from the dead. The earthly binding cloths feature at the beginning and at the end of the earthly life of Jesus. This is surely intentional – another sign that Jesus did indeed rise from the dead - and helps us understand the mystery of this profound, amazing and awesome event that we celebrate every Easter. Alleluia!
Bible Study Program For Lent 2010
Bible Study Idea For Lent
Dear Brother Knights,
If you would like to do something different and special during this Lent, I have a suggestion. I will be joining Christian friends around the world to read (slowly and prayerfully) the Gospel of Mark throughout the six-week period. At the same time we will follow William Barclay's Commentary on Mark's Gospel (from his New Daily Study Bible series). You are welcome to join us.
Please click here for the study plan.
You can get William Barclay's book at Amazon.com or perhaps from your nearest Christian Bookshop. If you don't have a Bible - and don't know which one to go for - I suggest the RSV or the New RSV (Revised Standard Version).
I hope you will join us for this study of Mark’s Gospel. Have a blessed Lent.
Fr. Pat Kelly, SMA
Chaplain, Good Samaritan Council
SOCIETY OF AFRICAN MISSIONS, 23
BLISS AVENUE, TENAFLY, NJ 07670 USA
December 2009
Dear Brother Knights and Ladies,
Greetings from Tenafly!I’m including a personal update with the annual
Christmas letter this year. It would be much better, of course, if I could
write a personal letter to everyone I want to greet at Christmas – but as there
is no way that is going to happen, I’m asking you to put up with this general
letter instead.
As you see from the above address, I am still in USA, and still working
for the development of the SMA. My job is fund-raising – and more specifically
to raise money to help pay for the training of our new missionary priests from
the newer areas of the SMA (especially Africa, India and Philippines). Thank
God we have over 250 students from these areas – which means, of course, that a
lot of money has to be raised to educate them. Not so easy, especially in the
present global economic situation, but I still believe it is the Lord’s work
and that He will bless whatever efforts we make.
My work takes me all over the place (I returned two weeks ago from a
few months in Europe, next week I will be in Virginia and Pennsylvania, and
will be heading to California in January) so I do a lot of travelling and often
live out of a suitcase. This
gets more difficult as I get older (last January I ‘hit’ 60), but meeting
family members and friends on the way certainly makes it more enjoyable. It’s
not always possible to meet up with everyone I would like to, so if I missed
you this year I might catch up with you in 2010. Since I’m always looking for
donations, I guess some people are happy if I miss them! Let me take this
opportunity to thank all of you who are part of our Birthday Programme and who
send birthday donations each year to support our work. If you are not on my
Birthday lists and would like to be, just let me know!
Another thing I like about my present job is that I
have many opportunities to share the Gospel with others – celebrating
liturgies, giving days of recollection and retreats etc. I enjoy doing this
type of ministry, and the fact that I can now do it in English makes it even
better. So I’m turning out to be an itinerant preacher as well as a fundraiser.
I would appreciate your prayers for both aspects of my work. Feel free to
contact me any time if you need prayers for anything.
I have only enough space left on the page to wish you
and your family a very blessed Christmas, and to pray the Lord’s presence with
you throughout 2010.
Fr Pat
Christmas 2009
Modern Magi (Matthew 2:1-12)
In our search
for God we often look in the wrong place. We check the yellow pages in Timbuktu yet ignore the Christ having coffee at the kitchen table. Sometimes it takes a
stranger to point out that the One we are looking for is really quite close.
While Jesus was
living in Hackensack, New Jersey, in the days of President Obama, behold there
came wise men from Los Angeles, Singapore and Rome to seek him. By happy
coincidence their common search brought them together in the baggage area at Newark Airport, and they agreed to continue their journey as a group. They shared a taxi from
the airport and on arrival in Hackensack immediately began to question the
people: “Where is he that is born ‘King of the Universe’ for we have read about
him in our sacred books and have been led to this town? We have come from afar
to find him.”
The initial
reaction was predictable: “The King of what? Living where?” And
each person they asked would walk away with a shake of the head. The three
strangers were obviously important and very determined however, and eventually
the local people began to take them seriously even if they still had no idea
what they were talking about. Finally they held a public meeting to find out if
anyone in Hackensack remotely resembled the person the strangers were looking
for. A big crowd turned up, but the townspeople couldn’t think of anyone who
fitted the bill. “If the King lived here, don’t you think we would know about
it? We are also looking for a Savior who would give meaning to our lives, so if
he lived here, don’t you think we would have recognized him?” The strangers
responded: “Well, if Jesus does not live here as you say, we will have to
search elsewhere.”
“Jesus!” the
crowd shouted, “Why didn’t you say so? Of course he lives here!” The
butcher added “He lives next to me, but he’s no king. He’s just an ordinary carpenter.
He’s a very good neighbor and he certainly helped me out when my wife was ill.
He comforted her throughout the night when she was sick and gave me the courage
and strength to care for her.” The teacher remembered him as an ordinary boy, a
bit weak in math, and usually inattentive and day-dreaming. The nurse added: “I
know him. He is one of the volunteers at the nursing home. He comes in and sits
with the old people. When he is there we all have a feeling of quiet happiness.
He is a good man, but certainly not a king.” And many other townspeople spoke
of him in a similar way.
“Where does he
live?” the wise men asked. When they were given his address they went off to
look for him. They found him to be quite ordinary in appearance, but there was
no doubt he had a certain ‘presence’ and it was understandable how he had an
effect on the lives of those around him. Their eyes of faith saw clearly the
presence of the divine in this humble man. They could see that God lived
quietly in Hackensack, and they wanted to go and tell everyone in the town
about their discovery. “No” Jesus said, “go back to your own cities instead and
look for me there. The good people here must find me for themselves. They must
understand that the presence of God is often a quiet, unobtrusive presence. If
it is not desperately wanted, it is easily missed. So go back to your own
people and tell them that you have found God in Hackensack, and that I also
dwell in Los Angeles, Singapore and Rome. Tell them to look for me there. If
they cannot find me there, they will find me in no other place in the world.”
The wise men
went back by another way. The people of Hackensack wondered for a time about
what had happened to the three strangers and their quest, but with the
University close by, they had become accustomed to eccentrics and quickly
forgot about the whole incident.
Daily Prayer Books
The following are details about some books/periodicals that are useful for your daily Prayer Time and/or Bible Study.
MAGNIFICATvvvvv This is an excellent resource for all Catholics who pray. It is published monthly with an additional Holy Week issue in the spring and a Christmas issue in December. It contains the full text for each day’s Mass (Prayers and Readings) as well as a short Morning and Evening Prayer for each day, a daily reflection, a short biography of a saint for each day as well as other prayers and interesting articles.
Magnificat, PO Box 822, Yonkers, NY 10702. Tel.: 1-866-273-5215. www.magnificat.com 1 year (14 issues), $44.95
LIVING FAITHvvvvv Daily Catholic Devotions. This is a handy, fit-in-your-pocket little book of daily reflections based on the Mass readings for each day. It is a useful little book to use when you base your daily prayer on the Mass readings – so have your Bible beside you to look up the readings, or your copy of Magnificat.
Living Faith Subscriptions, 1564 Fencorp Drive, Fenton MO 63026. www.livingfaith.com 1 year (4 issues), $10
THE WORD AMONG USvvvvv Daily Meditations for Catholics. This is another excellent resource for Catholics who want to grow in their spiritual lives and in their understanding of the Scriptures and the Church. There is a daily reflection based on the Mass readings for that day, as well as some thought-provoking reflections and relevant articles on the theme for each month.
The Word Among Us, 9639 Doctor Perry Road #126N, Ijamsville, Maryland 21754-9900.
Tel.: 1-800-775-9673 www.wau.org 1 year (11 issues), $24.95 ($21.95 Seniors).
1 year (11 issues), The Word Among Us plus the Daily Mass Supplement (Mass Readings and Prayers) $34.95 ($31.95 Seniors).
GOD’S WORD TODAYvvvvv A Daily Guide to Reading the Bible. This is a very good resource for those who wish to study the Bible in a way that is both enjoyable and easy to maintain in the midst of a busy life. It is published monthly and each month takes a different part of the Bible, or a different theme, to study and reflect on. The daily reflection is both informative and directed to personal spiritual growth. This is an excellent and systematic way to be faithful to daily Bible Study.
God’s Word Today, P.O.Box 291763, Kettering, OH 45429-9763. Tel.1-800-246-7390 www.godswordtoday.com 1 year (12 issues) $25.95
THE NEW DAILY STUDY BIBLE - William Barclayvvvvv This series of Bible Study commentaries on the New Testament books (17 small volumes) have gained great popularity among Christians of all denominations and are very helpful for personal devotion and spiritual growth – as well as for more serious Bible Study for individuals and groups. I suggest you get any one of the volumes (maybe start with one of the Gospels) and pray and study your way through it. If you enjoy it and find it beneficial (which I am quite sure you will), then get another – and keep going until you have the full set! Look forward to years of growing in your understanding of the New Testament!
You can buy these online at ‘amazon.com’ or your bookshop will order it for you.
The Word Of God
Last year, October 2008, the Pope called a Synod of Bishops (from all over the world) in Rome on the subject of THE WORD OF GOD.
The importance of the Scriptures in the life of the Church and in the lives of all its members was stressed throughout this meeting.
The Pope stated that the work of the Church can succeed only if it is nourished by the Scriptures, and he exhorted the Bishops to take all possible steps to ensure the people of their dioceses had opportunities for scriptural renewal.
For various historical reasons the Bible has not featured as much in the spiritual lives of Catholics as it has in the lives of our Protestant brothers and sisters.
It is true that the Scriptures occupy a prominent place in every Catholic Mass (though for a long time they were in Latin and few understood them!) –
and are used during all our Sacraments and other church services – but, to be honest, until recent times the reading of the Bible for personal devotion was not common among Catholics,
nor was it much encouraged by church authorities.
This has now totally changed. The Second Vatican Council helped to do this as well as Bible-based movements within the Church in recent years (like the Charismatic Renewal).
Millions of Catholics around the world are now studying and praying with the Scriptures. Catholic Scripture scholars are well-known and greatly respected in Biblical research and study.
Catholic Bibles are available everywhere in good and easy-to-read translations with helpful explanatory notes. A number of excellent publications are available (especially here in the United States) to help Catholics read and understand God’s Word (I have mentioned some of them in past Chaplain’s Corner articles and will do so again).
The bottom line here is that there is no longer any excuse for a Catholic who is serious about his/her faith, not to have a Bible and use it!
The Knights of Columbus is an organization of Catholic men who are generally serious about their faith and, as disciples of Jesus, like to be of service to others.
“To be disciples of Christ is to put into practice his teachings” the Pope said at the Synod. He then pointed out that there is “a singular connection … between listening to God and unselfish service to one’s brothers and sisters.” One of the best ways to “listen to God” is to read the Bible.
As Chaplain of Good Samaritan Council I intend to continue doing whatever I can to encourage and help all the members of our Council to listen to God by owning their own personal Bible (I don’t mean the big family Bible up on the shelf),
to use it, to mark it, to get to know their way around it, to pray with it and to grow to love it.
Abundant blessings await those who do.
I’m at the other end of an email address for any brother Knight with a question.
Fr. Pat Kelly, SMA
A Little Bit of Scripture Study
People at the time of Jesus considered wealth as a sign of God’s blessing. On several occasions Jesus turned this notion on its head – greatly surprising his followers in the process.
He told the rich young man (Mt.19:16-22) that if we wanted to be perfect he should sell his possessions and give to the poor. The young man went away very sad “for he had great possessions”.
Immediately following this incident Jesus stuns his disciples by saying “…it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (Mt.19:24) “Who can be saved then?” was their incredulous reply.
It’s an interesting image, a camel trying to squeeze through the eye of a needle. Some suggest that the “eye of the needle” refers to a small gateway in the walls of ancient near-east cities – the one that was used at night when the main gate was closed, and through which one person could enter at a time. No doubt the image of late-comers trying to squeeze their camels through this gateway was a very real image to Jesus’ listeners.
Another possibility, and the one I like best, is a pun on words. The Greek word for camel is “kamelos”. The Greek word for the big strong rope that was used for tying up ships at the harbor is “kamilos”. Both sound very similar. Trying to thread a needle with a “kamilos” is a much more vivid image, isn’t it?
Whatever image Jesus intended, the bottom line is the same: riches, material possessions, tend to make people…
• Self-sufficient (where they feel they can manage on their own without God)
• Attached to the world (“where your treasure is, there will be your heart also” Lk.12:34)
• Selfish (the more you have, the more you want)
• Enslaved (to become slaves to wealth is to lose true freedom)
Wealth is not necessarily bad – it’s just dangerous. Jesus doesn’t want us to be filled with fear at the thought of losing our material possessions. He simply wants us to pay more attention to the spiritual riches he offers us. These are the real and true riches. He wants us to learn were true wealth lies.
Fr. Pat Kelly, SMA
A Snake is a Snake
Many years ago, Native American youths would go away in solitude to prepare for adulthood. One hiked into a beautiful valley, green with trees and bright with flowers. There as he looked up at the surrounding mountains, he noticed one rugged peak, capped with dazzling snow.
I will test myself against that mountain, he thought.
He put on his buffalo-hide shirt, threw his blanket over his shoulders and set off to climb the pinnacle.
When he reached the top, he stood on the rim of the world. He could see forever and his heart swelled with pride. Then he heard a rustle at his feet. Looking down, he saw a snake. Before he could move the snake spoke.
“I am about to die,” said the snake. “It is too cold for me up here and there is no food. Put me under your shirt and take me down to the valley.” “No,” said the youth, “I know your kind. You are a rattlesnake. If I pick you up you will bite me and your bite will kill me.”“Not so,” said the snake. “I will treat you differently. If you do this for me, I will not harm you.” The youth resisted a while, but this was a very persuasive snake. At last the youth tucked it under his shirt and carried it down the valley. There he laid it down gently. Suddenly the snake coiled, rattled and leaped, biting him on the leg.
“But you promised….” cried the youth.
“You knew what I was when you picked me up,” said the snake as it slithered away.
Alas for those who allow themselves to be persuaded by the sly and subtle temptations of things in our world that can bite and destroy.
Don’t pick them up to begin with.
Fr. Pat Kelly, SMA
Welcome to Holland
I appreciated the following article by Emily Perl Kingsley and thought you would enjoy it – especially those who have, or know, a disabled child.
WELCOME TO HOLLAND
I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability – to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It’s like this…..
When you’re going to have a baby, it’s like planning a fabulous vacation trip – to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum, the Michelangelo David. The gondolas of Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It’s all very exciting.
After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, “Welcome to Holland.”
“Holland?!” you say. “What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I’m supposed to be in Italy. All my life I’ve dreamed of going to Italy.”
But there’s been a change in the flight plan. They’ve landed in Holland and there you must stay.
The important thing is that they haven’t taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It’s just a different place. So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.
It’s just a different placed. It’s slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you’ve been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills….and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy… and they’re all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say “Yes, that’s where I was supposed to go. That’s what I had planned.” And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away… because the loss of that dream is a very, very significant loss.
But… if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn’t get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things.... about Holland.
Fr. Pat Kelly, SMA
Peace Will Come
(Read James 4:1-10)
“Where do the wars and where do the conflicts among you come from? (James 4:1)
Wouldn’t we all like to know? We see our world torn apart by war. We see conflicts in all levels of society, as well as divisions that threaten to destroy our families. Civilizations have been dealing with conflict in one form or another since history began. Of course, there are often complex political reasons, but James cuts through all these arguments and tells us that conflict stems from sin – from those things within us that are at enmity with God.
We may not always acknowledge it, but a war is raging right now in each of our hearts! Our desires for the things of God are directly opposed to our desires for the things of this world (Galatians 5:16-17). As we contend with these dueling desires, the internal conflict can make its way out and cause strife with others. No one is exempt from this tension: Even the disciples were arguing about who was the greatest! (Mark 9:33-34)
So what’s the answer? Should we just throw up our hands and resign ourselves to a life of battles and wars? Absolutely not! James outlines two key steps to overcoming this conflict: We must submit ourselves to God, and resist the devil. If we come to God, he will come to us (James 4:7-8). Before we can take any of those steps, however, we first have to look within ourselves and recognize the struggle we are facing. When we’ve realized we can’t deal with it on our own, then we are ready to ask God for help!
If you want peace in the world, start by building peace in your own life. Humbly turn your heart to God, and by his power resist the passions that seek to pull you away from him. If you do, you will see victory little by little. You will become more peaceful as you become more closely attached to Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Then, the people in your family, at work, and in your community will be drawn to you as they sense that peace – and they’ll start to change too. As the old song says, peace on earth really can “begin with me!”
“Lord, as you calmed the Sea of Galilee, please calm the storms within me. Let your peace abide in my heart and become a beacon to those around me!”
Taken from THE WORD AMONG US – Daily Meditations for May 2008 (Tuesday 20 May)
www.wau.org.
Fr. Pat Kelly, SMA
Legacy of an Adopted Child
I picked up the following poem recently and liked it. I’m sharing it with you and I’m sure you will have someone else you would like to share it with.
LEGACY OF AN ADOPTED CHILD(Author Unknown)
Once there were two women
Who never knew each other;
One you don’t remember
The other you call mother.
Two different lives
Shaped to make yours one.
One became your guiding star
The other became your sun.
The first gave you life
The second taught you to live it.
The first gave you a need for love
And the second was there to give it.
One gave you a nationality
The other gave you a name.
One gave you the seed of talent
The other gave you aim.
One gave you emotions
The other calmed your fears.
One saw your first sweet smile
The other dried your tears.
One gave you up.
It was all that she could do.
The other prayed for a child
And God led her to you.
And now you ask me through your tears
The age-old question through the years
Heredity or environment – which are you the product of?
vNeither, my darling, neither.
Just two different kinds of love.
God bless
Fr. Pat Kelly, SMA
A Modern Psalm of Praise
TODAY, THIS DAY, IS GOD'S DAY. I ACCEPT IT, AND ALL IT HOLDS, WITH
PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING.
Today, this day, is God's day;
I will rejoice and be glad in it.
I will use the good that God has provided;
I will claim the good that He has in store;
I will put my faith into action.
This day I will say, "Yes, Lord,"
And follow where He leads.
This is the day given me
To use in any way I choose.
This is the day when I will walk
And talk with deeper faith
And move with surer step;
This is the day when I will understand
That all whom I may meet are sons and daughters of God;
Though their ways may differ from my own
And our beliefs seem not the same,
Still I will know that all our ways
Are the ways of God!
This is God's day. I accept it, and I rejoice in it!
My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast!
I will sing and make melody! - Psalm 108:1
Fr. Pat Kelly, SMA
Bible Reading
On a number of occasions in the Gospels when Jesus wanted to say something important to his disciples – he called them away from the crowds and distractions to a quiet place where they could better listen to him and understand what he wanted them to hear.
“And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and deliver him to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day." Matt 20:17-19
He does the same to you and me. He wants to share with us many wonderful things about himself – about how we are to experience him in our lives. To do this he invites us to take time out and go aside into a quiet place where we can better hear him. To take time out every day to listen to Jesus opens us to whatever blessings he wants to give us.
I hope that the little booklet LIVING FAITH (provided by Good Samaritan Council) helps for this “time out” and is an encouragement to open your Bible and spend a little time with God’s Word. If you are using it and find it helpful, put in your order now for the next issue beginning in April. If you are not using it, it is not too late to start.
The Church urges Catholics to read the Bible every day and to hear God speaking to their hearts: “In the sacred books the Father who is in heaven comes lovingly to meet his children and talks with them.” (The Church) “forcefully and specifically exhorts all the Christian faithful…to learn the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ by frequent reading of the divine Scriptures.” (Second Vatican Council, Document on Divine Revelation, 21, 25)
Through your daily Quiet Time and Bible Reading you will be open to hearing God speak to your heart. None of us know how many days we have left on this earth. Why not decide now to make this Quiet Time with Jesus part of each and every day that you have left? If you are not already doing this during this season of Lent, what good reason do you have for not starting today?
Fr. Pat Kelly, SMA
Lenten Journey
“You are dust and unto dust you shall return.”
“Repent and believe the Good News.”
One or the other of these sober declarations will be said as we receive Ashes on our foreheads on 6th February – Ash Wednesday. This ancient custom will mark the beginning of our own personal journey into the six-week season of Lent. It is a special time of conversion for all who are serious about their faith: a time for turning away from sin in our life and a time of turning our life towards Jesus.
I encourage all Good Samaritan Knights and family members to make this Lent the most important one you have ever had. Why not? It’s up to you. See if you can find yourself a good reason why you should not do this! What a pity if you let the season pass without making some kind of effort to make it more meaningful. I suggest that as well as (or even instead of!) giving up things (chocolate, alcohol, cigarettes, whatever), you make an extra effort this Lent to come closer to your Lord.
Lent is an excellent time to put aside whatever is keeping you from coming closer to your Lord. Now is an excellent time to open the door to a deeper relationship with Jesus through a more disciplined prayer-time, through the reading of the Bible, and through the celebration of the Sacraments – especially the Mass. Decide to make these things part of your Lenten Journey this year and I guarantee you will not regret it. Easter – the end of your Lenten Journey – will take on new meaning for you.
You should now have your own copy of Living Faith – and I hope this little booklet will be a great help for your daily prayer-time on your Lenten Journey. Read the daily Scriptures from your Bible (the references are given at the bottom of every page of Living Faith) and then read and meditate on the short reflection for the day.
Fr. Pat Kelly, SMA
The Quiet Sermon
A member of a certain church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, the pastor decided to visit him.
It was a chilly evening. The pastor found the man at home, alone, sitting before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for his pastor’s visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited.
The pastor made himself at home but said nothing. In the silence, he watched the dance of the flames around the burning logs. After some minutes, he took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone. Then he sat back in his chair, still silent. The host watched all this in quiet contemplation. As the one lone ember's flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and dead.
Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting. The pastor glanced at his watch and realized it was time to leave. He slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow, once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it.
As the pastor reached the door to leave, his host said, "Thanks for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I’ll see you in church next Sunday."
Fr. Pat Kelly, SMA
Prayer
There is a big difference between saying prayers and praying even though at times they can exist together. Sometimes saying prayers does not involve the heart. The following story (taken from THE PRAYER OF THE FROG by Anthony de Mello) shows this truth.
A Hasidic tale:
Late one evening a poor farmer on his way back from the market found himself without his prayer book. The wheel of his cart had come off right in the middle of the woods and it distressed him that this day should pass without his having said his prayers.
So this is the prayer he made: “I have done something very foolish, Lord. I came away from home this morning without my prayer book and my memory is such that I cannot recite a single prayer without it. So this is what I am going to do: I shall recite the alphabet five times very slowly and you, to whom all prayers are known, can put the letters together to form the prayers I can’t remember.”
And the Lord said to his angels, “Of all the prayers I have heard today, this one was undoubtedly the best because it came from a heart that was simple and sincere.”
Fr. Pat Kelly, SMA
Forgiveness
In 1972 in Belfast my father’s younger brother was shot in the head by a British soldier. He lived for a couple of days before he died – one of the thousands of innocent people on both sides of the divide to be killed in the recent “conflict” in the north of Ireland.
I remember sitting alone with my father in the Intensive Care Unit in the hospital, listening to the blip of the monitors as we prayed the rosary for my uncle. The nurse hovered in the background. A seriously wounded British soldier occupied the second bed in the ICU; shot by an IRA (Irish Republican Army) man. It was my father’s turn to lead a decade of the rosary. He said “Let us pray this decade for this British soldier. Somewhere in England there is a distraught family praying that their son or brother or father will live. We will join them in their prayers.” I was stunned. His own beloved brother was dying, shot by a British soldier, and here he was praying for a wounded British soldier! At that precise moment I learned an essential lesson on the power of forgiveness that I have never forgotten.
The conflict in Ireland (stemming from the often difficult relationship between Britain and Ireland) goes back hundreds of years. Every generation has had its own battles – the painful memories of which are then passed on to the next generation to keep the cycle going. That night I saw my father break out of the cycle. That night I broke out with him.
I have no doubt it was the Holy Spirit that gave my father the power that night to forgive. Even though understandably heartbroken for his brother, he was completely free of bitterness or desire for revenge. He knew he had to be free. Not to forgive would mean remaining a slave to the never-ending cycle of eye-for-eye and tooth-for-tooth that has plagued our little island for so long. It was time to move on.
Punishment for sin is God’s business (or the business of the State if a crime has been committed) and we should leave it to Him. As Christians it is our business to forgive. This is what Jesus has commanded us to do. Yes, it is difficult when the hurt is great or when the perpetrator persists in the wrongdoing – but still we must forgive if we want to be free. We have the power of the Holy Spirit to help us. An essential lesson indeed.
Fr. Pat Kelly, SMA
Possessions
The young man who earnestly asked Jesus, “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?” had only one obstacle to following Jesus; he was too attached to his possessions. He loved his wealth to the point that it prevented him from accepting Jesus’ invitation (Mt.19:16, 21-22). Yet through the centuries, countless men and women have taken Jesus’ call to heart, and have literally given up all they had to honour and serve the Lord.
St Anthony of Egypt (251-356) was forever changed when he read Jesus’ words in Matthew: “Go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven” (Mt.19:21). He promptly obeyed, parting from everything he owned and taking up a life of prayer and solitude. The intensity of Anthony’s commitment changed the face of the church, inspiring other men and women to follow in his footsteps, and virtually founding the monastic movement.
But it isn’t only saints of the distant past or priests and religious who have chosen to follow the counsel of evangelical poverty. [The American] Dorothy Day (1897-1980) was a layperson and a founder of the Catholic Worker Movement, who started her ministry by opening hospitality houses for homeless workers. Known for her austere lifestyle and her desire to be one with the poor, she once said: “The best thing to do with the best things in life is to give them up.” Like Anthony, the witness of her life has influenced many other lay people to reach out to the destitute.
What do these saints have to say to us? While not all of us are called to embrace absolute poverty as they did, their lives challenge us to examine whether our riches may be holding us back. Have our comfort, our desire for more, and our abundance of goods closed us off from everything that God wants to give us? Are there possessions – or even attitudes – that we can’t seem to let go of? Jesus asks us to leave behind whatever is weighing us down on our journey towards heaven. His invitation to “sell” all that we have is not meant to be a burden but a joy that leads us to the freedom of loving God without reservation.
“Lord, may the example of the saints inspire all your children to live detached from this world and to draw closer together as your brothers and sisters!”
(Taken from THE WORD AMONG US – DAILY MEDITATINS FOR AUGST 2007 based on the Mass Readings for August 21st. For more information about this publication check www.wordamongus.org )
Fr. Pat Kelly, SMA
The Chaplain's Job
“The priest chosen to serve the council as chaplain will primarily act as spiritual advisor to the brother knights and families of that council.”
This is my job description. It is a role that I have recently accepted for another year at Good Samaritan Council and one that I am happy to fulfil within the constraints of my present ministry. As many of you know my main work is directing the International Development Office of the missionary Society that I belong to – the Society of African Missions (SMA) While I work directly for our Superior General in Rome, most of my activity is here in the USA, and my office is at the headquarters of our USA Province in Tenafly, New Jersey. (Check out our website to find out more about the SMA: www.smafathers.org )
My work (which is basically trying to find funding for the education of our missionary priests for Africa) takes me to many parts of the USA and Europe, so I spend a lot of time “on the road”. This means that I am not ale to attend many of the Council meetings or events, but I do my best to be present as often as possible. Wherever I am however, I keep myself informed by email of what is happening at the Council.
I especially like to receive the requests for prayers that frequently go out to the members. I place these prayer needs on the Altar when I celebrate Mass and remember them during my daily prayers. This is an important contribution that I believe I can make to the knights of Good Samaritan Council and their families – and one that I can do wherever I am – so don’t hesitate to contact me when you need special prayers for someone or something. Feel free to contact me even directly with your prayer needs:
Interdev@smafathers.org
I hope you will also feel free to contact me for any other kind of spiritual advice or question or comment. I don’t claim to be an expert in any way – except that I spend my life trying to follow Jesus and to spread His Good News, and am happy to share my humble experiences on the way. I would also be happy to receive any suggestions as to how I can better fulfil my mandate as your chaplain.
Fr. Pat Kelly, SMA
What about forgiveness? Part 3 of 3
For the past two months in Chaplain’s Corner I wrote some reflections on “Forgiveness”. As I was preparing to write something for the next issue of the Handout, I read the meditation for the day from The WORD Among Us*. It dealt with the same subject of forgiveness so I decided to include it as a final word (for the present) on this important topic.
(Read the Gospel passage: Matthew 5:43-48)
“In his day, Jesus was looked on as a radical. Many of the Pharisees, for instance, thought he was trying to destroy Judaism. But in reality, he wanted his people to get to the root of the commandments and traditions of Judaism, not dismiss them. That’s why he told them that whoever is angry with his brother is like a murderer, just as one who looks lustfully has already committed adultery (Mt.5:21-30). Still, his most surprising teaching of all was the command to love our enemies. That’s about as far from “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” as you can get!
Even today, this is still a hard teaching. To love our enemy goes against our instincts. We want to retaliate and to be compensated for being violated. However, as Jesus’ disciples, we cannot be content with what our instincts alone tell us. We cannot simply accept what the world defines as acceptable behavior. No, we must try our best to live according to the commandment of love.
“Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt.5:48). We find it difficult to believe that perfection is possible, especially when it means laying down our differences and embracing people who rub us the wrong way. Why? Because we keep thinking that we have to do it by ourselves! We force ourselves to get along with someone who has hurt us, and we’re surprised when it doesn’t work. But can’t we believe that God, who “makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,” will make his grace rise in our hearts and empower us to love those who hate us (Mt.5:45)?
This is why the gospel message is such good news. It is not just a message about sin and redemption. It is also a message of grace and divine power. It’s a message about the Holy Spirit being poured into our hearts to help us take one step closer to perfection every day. God really does want to give us the power to overcome sin. He wants to give us the wisdom of Solomon and the patience of Job. He wants to give us the energy we need to be a light to the people around us. Jesus doesn’t command impossibilities. He makes the impossible possible!” (From The Word Among Us, June 19).
* The WORD among us is another excellent booklet of short, practical, daily meditations based on the readings for Mass – very useful for those who want to grow in their relationship with God and their knowledge of the Scriptures. Check it out at www.wordamongus.org
Fr. Pat Kelly, SMA
What about forgiveness? Part 2 of 3
In last month’s Chaplain’s Corner I remarked that some hurts we receive in our lives are so deep that it is only by the power of the Holy Spirit can we forgive the offender. If we truly want to be a follower of Jesus then we cannot not forgive. When the forgiveness required seems impossible (we may not even want to forgive) we call on the Holy Spirit to help. No one said it would be easy – but we have the power of God’s own Spirit living within us to help us.
Some people think that to forgive wrongdoers is to let them off the hook. Our sense of justice tells us that they must suffer for what they did and that our refusing to forgive them is part of their punishment. We feel they don’t deserve to be forgiven – especially when there is no obvious remorse. To forgive them, we think, might give them the impression that what they did was not so serious.
There are a couple of points here. It’s not a matter of letting them off the hook – it’s more a matter of letting ourselves off it! If I refuse to forgive someone I am giving them a hold over me (in order to continue to withhold forgiveness I must keep my anger and indignation alive). In the end it is I who will suffer more as the hatred and bitterness against them festers in my heart and I am unable to move on. Let us be fully aware that by refusing to forgive someone I do more harm to myself than to the one who has hurt me.
The other point is that we should not take upon ourselves the role of judge. That’s God’s business (or indeed the civil authorities business if a crime has been committed). God knows what they did to you, so leave the punishment to him. You simply forgive them and move on. That’s the way of a follower of Jesus.
“Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God; for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." No, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Rom 12:19-21
Fr. Pat Kelly, SMA
What about forgiveness? Part 1 of 3
The Bible tells us that we are to love our enemies (Mt.5:44) and forgive those who hurt us (Lk.17:3) – not only 7 times, but 70 times 7 (and this doesn’t mean we stop at 490!) (Mt.18:21-22). But surely this is just an ideal we should aspire to, isn’t it? It’s not really possible to keep forgiving in this way, is it? Surely God understands it when we (or those we love) have been deeply hurt we are not always able to forgive, doesn’t he?
I read somewhere: “NOT to forgive someone is to burn the bridge over which I myself must travel to enter heaven.” I wonder might this statement have the same effect on you as it does on me. It really disturbs me. But is it true?
“As the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive” (Col.3:13). How did he forgive us? Totally, fully, completely, that’s how. And that’s how he wants us to forgive others. We pray “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us”. What we are really saying here is “Lord, I want you to forgive me in exactly the same way that I forgive all who have hurt me. If I don’t forgive them, Lord, then I’m telling you not to forgive me.” Scary, huh?
Yes, forgiveness is central to the Christian life – the other side of the coin of Christian Love. A Christian who doesn’t love or forgive is a contradiction in terms. A follower of Jesus loves and forgives even when the hurt is great. As they drove the nails into his hands and feet he said “Father, forgive them”. (Lk.23:34) He also said “Love one another as I have loved you”. (Jn.13:34) Yet the hurts (real or perceived) that some of us experience are indeed so great as to make it almost humanly impossible to forgive – especially when those inflicting the hurts (on us or on those we love) are not at all repentant and persist in their sin. What are we supposed to do then?
This is precisely why Jesus sent his Holy Spirit upon us….to give us the power and strength to live and love as he wants us to….including the power to forgive. With our own strength we may not be able to forgive – but with HIS strength we can. When I can’t do it, HE IN ME can do it! What we have to do is to want him – and ask him – to do it through us. Then we gotta let him. Let us use this Easter Time to prepare to receive the power of the Holy Spirit anew at Pentecost.
To be continued in the next Chaplain’s Corner.
Fr. Pat Kelly, SMA
"He is risen. He is not here."
With these words the angel greeted the women at the tomb of Jesus on that first Easter morning – and our world has never been the same since. Mohammed is dead. Buddha is dead. Confucius is dead. All the founders of the world’s great religions died. Jesus died too. It is the normal process. Only Christians believe that Jesus, after he died, actually rose again! ALLELUIA! Perhaps we are so used to speaking about the resurrection that the enormity of this audacious claim no longer strikes us as it should.
We can be sure that if Jesus had not risen from the dead we would most likely never have heard of him. Something happened on that first Easter day that quickly and dramatically transformed his followers from fearful and despairing men and women who were hiding from the authorities into fearless and passionate witnesses of the Good News. William Barclay says in his commentary on Mark’s Gospel: “By far the best proof of the resurrection is the existence of the Christian Church.”
He continues:
“The resurrection is the central fact of the whole Christian faith. Because we believe in the resurrection certain things follow.
(1) Jesus is not a figure in a book but a living presence. It is not enough to study the story of Jesus like the life of any other great historical figure. We may begin that way but we must end by meeting him.
(2) Jesus is not a memory but a presence. The dearest memory fades. Long since, time would have wiped out the memory of Jesus unless he had been a living presence forever with us.
(3) The Christian life is not a matter of knowing about Jesus, but of knowing Jesus. There is all the difference in the world between knowing about a person and knowing a person. Most people know about the Queen [of England] or the President of the United States but not so many know them. The greatest scholar in the world who knows everything about Jesus is less than the humblest Christian who knows him.
(4) There is an endless quality about the Christian faith. It should never stand still. Because our Lord is a living Lord there are new wonders and new truths waiting to be discovered all the time.”
May you know the risen Lord in your own life and discover his new wonders and truths. Have a blessed Easter time!
Fr. Pat Kelly, SMA
Dying
I was really saddened at the recent death of our brother Knight, Russ Warren. Death and dying are things we all face on occasion with friends and loved ones – and eventually with ourselves. Nothing in this life is more definite. Thankfully for us Christians the pain and suffering experienced at the loss of a loved one is eased somewhat by our belief in the Resurrection. The following poem expresses this belief in a very simple and beautiful way and gives me comfort when I mourn the death of someone I love. I share it with you now.
Fr. Pat Kelly, SMA
DYING
I am standing on the sea shore.
A ship at my side spreads her white
sails to the morning breeze and starts
for the blue ocean. She is an object
of beauty and I stand
and watch her until at last she
fades on the horizon.
Then someone at my side says
"There she has gone" -
gone where?
Gone from my sight - that is all.
She is just as large in the mast,
hull and spars as she was
when she left my side. The
diminished size and total loss
of sight is in me and not in her,
and just at that moment when
someone by my side says
"She's gone" others on a distant
shore take up the glad shout -
"There she comes!"
BISHOP BRENT OF THE PHILIPPINES 1862-1929
My Daily "God Space"
In an earlier Chaplain’s Corner I spoke about how important it is for all of us who want to grow in our faith, to make a space each day for God (let’s call it our “God Space”). We can even begin with five or ten minutes (which is not too much to give God who each day gives us 1,440 minutes) – as long as we are faithful to doing it every day. It is guaranteed that the Lord will bless our faithfulness and will use this space to speak to us, to show His will for us, to help us with our problems and difficulties, to light the way ahead for us, to draw us closer to Himself etc. etc. In His own time He may encourage us to lengthen this space – but leave that to Him. For the present, be faithful to the five or ten minutes every day.
Don’t do anything else during this space. Give God your full attention. People say they do their praying while driving to and from work or while cooking the dinner. Great! It is good to do this and I suggest that you continue doing it – but this time cannot be your God Space. You are also doing something else (driving or cooking or whatever) and therefore you cannot give God your full attention.
Pick a time and a place when you are alert and will not be disturbed. This can be difficult for some people I admit, but for five or ten minutes it is not impossible. A quiet corner can be found in most houses. You might be too tired if you choose the time just before going to bed – so you might consider setting that alarm 10 minutes earlier.
What to do during those five or ten minutes? Try to listen to God. Often when people pray they do all the talking and rarely give God a chance to speak. Jesus said “My sheep hear my voice” (Jn.10:27) – so if we listen we will hear him. If we don’t hear his voice then it can only mean that either we are not His sheep or we are not listening! For those not used to listening to God this might initially take a little practice and patience, but it will happen for those who persevere. He speaks to us in many ways, but one of the best is through His Word. Simply read a passage from the Bible and quietly think about it. Once again I recommend the little booklet “Living Faith – Daily Catholic Devotions” as a good help. It gives the Scripture Readings for the Mass of each day as well as a short and meaningful reflection on the theme of the readings (Subscription details below).
Now (in these early days of 2007) is a good time to begin your God Space if you don’t already have one. I challenge anyone who is faithful to this daily space to tell me at the end of the year that it has not made a difference to their lives!
Fr. Pat Kelly, SMA
The Booklet:
LIVING FAITH: Daily Catholic Devotions
One year subscription (one booklet every 3 months) $8.95. Make check to:
LIVING FAITH Subscriptions, 1564 Fencorp Drive, Fenton MO 63026-2942
Or order online at www.livingfaith.com
26 One-liners to Get 2007 Off to a Good Start
1. Give God what's right -- not what's left.
2. Man's way leads to a hopeless end -- God's way leads to an endless hope.
3. A bit of kneeling will keep you in good standing.
4. He who kneels before God can stand before anyone.
5. In the sentence of life, the devil may be a comma--but never let him be the period.
6. Don't put a question mark where God puts a period.
7. Are you wrinkled with burden? Come to the church for a face-lift.
8. When praying, don't give God instructions - just report for duty.
9. Don't wait for six strong men to take you to church.
10. We don't change God's message -- His message changes us.
11. The church is prayer-conditioned.
12. When God ordains, He sustains.
13. WARNING: Exposure to the Son may prevent burning.
14. Plan ahead -- It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.
15. Most people want to serve God, but only in an advisory position.
16. Suffering from truth decay? Brush up on your Bible.
17. Exercise daily -- walk with the Lord.
18. Never give the devil a ride - he will always want to drive.
19. Nothing else ruins the truth like stretching it.
20. Compassion is difficult to give away because it keeps coming back.
21. He who angers you controls you.
22. Worry is the darkroom in which negatives can develop.
23. Give Satan an inch and he'll be a ruler.
24. Be fishers of men -- you catch them and He'll clean them.
25. God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.
26. Read the Bible -- It will scare the hell out of you.
A blessed New Year to all the Knights of Good Samaritan Council and their families!
Fr. Pat Kelly, SMA
The Flying "V"
Did you ever wonder why geese fly in a V formation? Scientists put their computers and flight simulators to work and discovered the answer; flocks of geese form this pattern because they have discovered it's the easiest way to fly.
The formation acts aerodynamically like a single wing – in other words, wind drag is distributed equally across all the birds. This in turn reduces the drag on each individual bird. Thus, we are told, twenty-five geese flying together in a V can travel up to 70% farther than one goose flying alone. Because the lead goose actually situates itself slightly behind the perfect point position of the V, the geese that follow relieve some of its wind drag. It does not have to work harder than the others. The benefit of the airflow pattern in the V goes both ways. While the lead birds pull along those that are behind, the followers' flight also sends relief back up to the front. Amazing, isn’t it?
We can learn something from the geese. Although we live in a society that promotes individualism and self-reliance, it remains an important truth that we function more effectively in a community. God calls us as individuals, but He calls us into a community – the Church. Like the geese we were created by God to work together, serve together, pray together, and encourage and support each other. When we cooperate and help each other, we not only accomplish much, but we even do it with less stress and difficulty.
This is also a good description of the Knights of Columbus.
Lord, using the particular gifts you have given to each of us, help us to be generous in our sharing and help us work together for the good of all.
[You will find 1 Corinthians chapter 12 very interesting on this subject.]
Fr. Pat Kelly, SMA
The Four Wives
Once upon a time there was a rich King who had four wives. He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to the finest of delicacies. He gave her nothing but the best.
He also loved the 3rd wife very much and was always showing her off to neighboring kingdoms. However, he feared that one day she would leave him for another.
He also loved his 2nd wife. She was his confidant and was always kind, considerate and patient with him. Whenever the King faced a problem, he could confide in her, and she would help him get through the difficult times.
The King's 1st wife was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and kingdom. However, he did not love the first wife. Although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her!
One day, the King fell ill and he knew his time was short. He thought of his luxurious life and wondered, "I now have four wives with me, but when I die, I'll be all alone."
Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I have loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No way!" replied the 4th wife and she walked away without another word. Her answer cut like a sharp knife right into his heart.
The sad King then asked the 3rd wife, "I have loved you all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No!" replied the 3rd wife. "Life is too good! When you die, I'm going to remarry!" His heart sank and turned cold.
He then asked the 2nd wife, "I have always turned to you for help and you've always been there for me. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?" "I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!", replied the 2nd wife. "At the very most, I can only walk with you to your grave." Her answer struck him like a bolt of lightning, and the King was devastated.
Then a voice called out: "I'll go with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go." The King looked up, and there was his first wife. She was very skinny as she suffered from malnutrition and neglect. Greatly grieved, the King said, "I should have taken much better care of you when I had the chance!"
In truth, we all have the 4 wives in our lives:
Our 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it will leave us when we die.
Our 3rd wife is our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, it will all go to others.
Our 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how much they have been there for us, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.
And our 1st wife is our Soul. It is often neglected in pursuit of the wealth, power and leisure of the world. However, our Soul is the only thing that will follow us wherever we go. Cultivate, strengthen and cherish it now, for it is the only part of us that will follow us to the throne of God and continue with us throughout Eternity.
Fr. Pat Kelly, SMA
Locked-Up Jesus
Imagine a ring at your doorbell one evening and on answering, you discover the visitor is the Risen Lord Himself. Somehow, you know it is the Lord. How do you react? What do you do and say? Do you shut the door on him, or tell him to come back on Sunday? Presumably, you welcome him in, summon everyone in the house, and find yourself making such ridiculous statements to the Lord of all creation as ‘Do make yourself at home and stay as long as you like. Everything is yours.’
Now take two week’s leap in your imagination. Jesus has accepted your invitation and He is still with you. How are things at home now? You remember that disturbing passage in the Gospel where Jesus says, “I have come not to bring peace, but the sword, to set daughter against mother, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law, son against father.” The letter to the Hebrews says: “Jesus Christ is the same today as he was yesterday and as he will be forever” so presumably there has been a bit of friction over the family meals in the last two weeks, some members leaving the table, slamming doors, possibly the front door, never to return.
You invited Jesus to make himself at home, so he has begun inviting friends to your house. You remember what people said of his friends in the Gospel, how he dined with sinners. What kind of people do you see coming now to your house, what are the neighbours saying, and what is happening to the local property values? Then you decide that you must not keep Jesus all to yourself, so you arrange for him to give a talk at the local church. You remember that scene in the Gospel where he addresses the scribes, Pharisees and the chief priests and assures them that the criminals and the prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before they do. He gives the same message to a gathering of men and women at your local church parish and there is uproar, the parish losing its principal benefactors.
You return home with Jesus, your Saviour, who has now become your problem. What are you to do? You cannot throw out the Lord of all creation. So you look around the house, find a suitable cupboard, clear it out, decorate it, sparing no expense, get a good strong lock on it and put Jesus inside. Outside you can have a lamp and flowers, and each time you pass, bow reverently and say a quick prayer. Now you have Jesus and he does not interfere any more!
Sound familiar?
Fr. Pat Kelly, SMA
Spiritual Nourishment
I would like to continue just a little more, the theme I began in the last issue of The Handout.
Famine scenes of starving people are sadly an all-to-common occurrence on our TV news bulletins. When people are weakened by the lack of food, they are no longer able to fight infections – and as a result most famine victims die because of dysentery or cholera or typhoid or malaria or some other disease. Our bodies need nourishment – every day – if they are to be strong and healthy and fight off such infections.
Like our bodies, our souls also need to be nourished. If they are not, they too will become weak and will succumb to the many spiritual infections out there. When we are spiritually malnourished then it is easy to be infected by fears, worries, anxieties, temptations to sin, selfishness, greed, depression, etc. etc. All around us people are suffering the results of spiritual starvation. There is no need for this to happen to us.
If we are really serious about our faith, then there is no alternative to spending some time with our God every day. It simply has to be done. I don’t know any shortcuts. The Rosary is, of course, one of the great Catholic daily prayers that has stood the test of time, and one that every Knight is encouraged to pray. I hope to share about the Rosary on another occasion.
Today however, I want to suggest another way that is both easy and enjoyable and a good way to form the habit of daily prayer. First you need to have a Bible. Then there is a little booklet that has a short daily reflection based on the Mass readings for each day. I recommend you subscribe to it (details below). Read at least the reflection every day. If you can take a few more minutes, the readings for the Mass of that day are given at the bottom of each page. Look up the texts and read them and think about them. All of this will only take a few minutes – but they will be minutes that are well spent and I guarantee you will quickly begin to experience the blessings that come from the extra spiritual nourishment of praying God’s Word.
Fr. Pat Kelly, SMA
The Booklet:
LIVING FAITH: Daily Catholic Devotions
One year subscription (one booklet every 3 months) $8.95. Make check to:
LIVING FAITH Subscriptions, 1564 Fencorp Drive, Fenton MO 63026-2942
Or order online at www.livingfaith.com
Physical Therapist
A friend of mine is a physical therapist. He mostly treats people who have sustained injuries - often sporting injuries – assisting them in their recovery. He recommends to his patients various physical exercises that they usually have to do every day to aid the recovery of the affected part of their body. By being faithful to these exercises his patients are usually able to experience, if not full recovery, then enough to help them live their lives as close to normal as possible. They have to be faithful to the exercises however. He insists on this. Sometimes the exercises stretch over a period of months – and in some cases they must continue for life. When people want to recover they follow his recommendations and willingly accept the effort and discipline involved. To maintain a good level of physical health we all recognize the need for effort and discipline – ensuring that we eat properly and exercise properly. This is obvious and good.
These bodies of ours, that we look after so well, will last more or less (for those on this side of the world) about 80 years. Then it goes into the ground and rots away or it goes up in smoke.
We Catholics believe that we are not just physical bodies. We also believe we have a soul. We further believe that this soul lives for eternity – it never dies.
To have healthy souls we need to exercise them too. It’s logical, isn’t it? Healthy souls mean that we can more easily resist temptations to sin – that we have the strength to give up habits that are not right or good – that we find it easier to forgive those who have wronged us – that we have greater motivation and desire to stay close to God.
As you read this you can think about how much you exercise your soul. Sunday Eucharist is very important – but just think how fit our bodies would be if we only fed them or exercised them for one hour each week! Obviously more “spiritual exercise” is needed. I hope to use this Chaplain’s Corner to suggest some practical ways to get the spiritual exercise we all need. “My yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:30). Watch this space!
