Fr. JC Maximilian

On the Worthy Reception of Christ in Holy Communion (Part 3)
by
Fr. John C. Garrett

This will be the final segment of my summary of the document, “Happy are Those Who Are Called to His Supper”: On Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist, published last November by the U.S. Bishops’ Conference. The first part focused on what the Church teaches about the Eucharist, and the second part focused on who may and may not receive Holy Communion. In this part will summarize the Bishops’ main purpose of the document.

HOW CAN WE PREPARE TO RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION MORE WORTHILY?
As has already been noted, the Mass is not a private devotion; it is not simply a private encounter between Jesus and the individual. “In a mystical manner, the whole Church is present in every celebration of the Mass, including the angels and the martyrs and saints of all ages” (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper”: On Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist, November 14, 2006). While the Mass is a communal act of worship, the benefit that each individual receives from the Mass depends on the way they approach the sacrament. The Bishops point out that there are two, interrelated ways by which we can foster worthy reception of Holy Communion: remote preparation and proximate preparation.

Remote Preparation
Remote preparation has to do with how we live our Christian faith every day. Some of the practices that the Bishops recommend by way of remote preparation includes:

• Regular Prayer and Scripture Reading: The Holy Spirit works through both of these to foster within us a love for Jesus and a desire to do God’s will in our lives. The Bishops especially recommend the Liturgy of the Hours, sometimes known as the Breviary. This is the official prayer of the Church, a means of sanctifying the entire day, that is required of priests and religious, but very beneficial for all the Faithful. I would also recommend prayerfully reading the Scriptures for the next Sunday.

• Faithful and Loving Fulfillment of the Duties and Responsibilities of our state of Life: The Second Vatican Council reaffirmed the ancient teaching of the Church concerning the Universal Call to Holiness. Whether we are single, married, professed religious or ordained; whether we are young or old, a student or worker, we are all called to live out our baptismal consecration. “It is by faithfully living out in our daily lives the call of the Gospel to love God and our neighbor – especially the poor and vulnerable – that we grow in charity, and so draw closer to Jesus and to one another” (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper”: On Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist, November 14, 2006).

• Daily repentance of sin and regular participation in the Sacrament of Penance: Sin weakens our communion with God and with one another. We are called to daily repentance and regular celebration of the Sacrament of Penance in order to overcome the damage caused by our sins. A daily examination of conscience and act of contrition, say before going to bed, can guide our repentance and foster a life of holiness. If our examination of conscience reveals that we have committed mortal sin, we must confess it in the Sacrament of Penance with true sorrow and a firm purpose of amendment before receiving Holy Communion.

Proximate Preparation
Proximate preparation has to do with how we prepare ourselves to come and participate in the Mass itself. The Bishops recommend the following:

• Prayerful Recollection: Prior to coming to Mass we should prayerfully recollect ourselves. We should allow ourselves enough time to arrive at the church several minutes early, not rushing in “just in time” for Mass, so that we can prepare our hearts and minds for the liturgy. We should maintain a reverent silence as we enter the church, so to ensure a peacefulness within ourselves and others as we get ready for Mass to begin. We should do our best to eliminate all distractions so that we can focus more fully on the great mystery of the Eucharistic celebration we are about to participate. In Latin, the Opening Prayer at Mass is called the Collect. Just as a priest has an intention for each Mass he celebrates, all those participating in the Mass should form an intention – ideally from the needs that they have become aware of in their daily activities – for the Mass, as a spiritual sacrifice, which the priest then “collects” and offers to our Heavenly Father in the Opening Prayer.

• The Eucharistic Fast: We are required to refrain from food and drink (except for water and medication) for at least one hour prior to receiving Holy Communion. “This fast demonstrates reverence and respect for the Body and Blood of Christ that we are going to receive. It also teaches us to hunger for Jesus in Holy Communion” (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper”: On Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist, November 14, 2006).

• Appropriate Attire: We should want to give God our best. As Christians we should dress in a modest manner. How we dress should reflect our reverence for God and manifest our respect for the dignity of the liturgy and one another.

The Bishops then go through the different parts of the Mass and explains how we can all be active and conscious participants in each part. I would like to call attention to how we approach the altar. “We are to approach the altar for Holy Communion with reverence, love, and awe as part of the Eucharistic procession of the faithful. This includes making a reverent bow of the head just before receiving Holy Communion, which expresses both our individual and communal adoration of Jesus in the Eucharist as well as acknowledgment of our belief in the Real Presence of Christ in Holy Communion” (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper”: On Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist, November 14, 2006). Jesus gives Himself to us as a gift, and gifts are received, not taken. It is not appropriate to take the Host from the priest, deacon or Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. One may receive Communion on the tongue, or in the hand. To reverently receive in the hands one should place one hand under the other, chest high, to form a throne for the Lord (it goes without saying that our hands should be clean).

After receiving Holy Communion there should be a period of reverent silence to allow us to express our love and thanks to Jesus for His mercy and kindness. We should also ask our reception of Holy Communion become fruitful so that we can give glory to God in our lives, and witness to God’s goodness to the ends of the earth.

In Appendix B the Bishops address whether Catholics can receive Holy Communion in other Christian Churches and Ecclesial Communities. Of course Catholics, if they are properly disposed, may receive Holy Communion during any Eucharistic liturgy celebrated by a Church in full communion with the Pope. That would mean any Catholic church of the Roman rite or any of the Eastern rites.

If a Catholic, for a serious and legitimate reason, is unable to attend a Catholic Mass, and is able to avoid the danger of error and indifferentism, they may receive the Eucharist in those Churches that have valid sacraments. Practically this means that if there is a true spiritual necessity (not simply a desire) and a Catholic cannot make it to a Catholic Mass (either Roman rite or one of the Eastern rites), then can receive Holy Communion in the Orthodox Churches, the Assyrian Church of the East, and the Polish National Church. However, the Bishops also instruct the Catholic Faithful to respect the disciplines of these other Churches which may restrict the reception of Holy Communion to their own members only (so while there are circumstances when the Catholic Church permits its members to receive Communion in these non-Catholic Churches, those Churches may not allow Catholics to receive Communion).

Finally, in the United States is might not be uncommon for a Catholic to be invited to participate in common worship with other Christian ecclesial communities (that means Protestants). Such opportunities can be effective means of promoting Christian unity, which is the expressed desire of Christ. When guests in Protestant worship services, Catholics are encouraged to join in the shared responses and the singing of hymns. However, it is NOT permitted for Catholics to receive communion in these ecclesial communities. “Because the celebration of the Eucharist on the Lord’s Day is of essential importance to Catholics, moreover, if participation in a non-Catholic service were to occur on a Sunday, it is important for Catholics to remember that the obligation to participate in a Catholic Mass still remains” (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper”: On Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist, November 14, 2006).

Here is part two. You are getting it even before it appears in the bulletin.

On the Worthy Reception of Christ in Holy Communion (Part 2)
by
Fr. John C. Garrett

In the first part of this article, summarizing the document, “Happy are Those Who Are Called to His Supper”: On Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist, published last November by the US Bishops, we reviewed the Church’s basic teaching on what the Eucharist is, and want it means to receive Holy Communion. In this part of the article we will look at the next two questions that the Bishops address in the document.

WHO MAY RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION?
The celebration of the Eucharist expresses our communion with Jesus Christ first formed through our baptism. Our baptism also makes us members of His Mystical Body, the Church, under the apostolic authority of the Pope and the bishops. Typically, only members of the Catholic Church may receive Holy Communion at Mass (this includes not only Roman Catholics, but also members of the Eastern Catholic Churches). There are some exceptions to this principle, which the Bishops explain in Appendix A of the document. That appendix first notes that there is still a close communion between the Catholic Church and the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches, the Assyrian Church of the East, and the Polish National Catholic Church, even though those Churches do not share fully communion with the Catholic Church (most notably they do not recognize the Pope as the Vicar of Christ). Members of these sister Churches, if they are properly disposed (e.g., in a state of Grace), may receive Holy Communion if they request it on their own. Other baptized Christians (e.g., Baptists, Episcopalians, Methodists) may receive Holy Communion if they are in the danger of death (or if they are in a situation of grave necessity as determined by the diocesan bishop or the episcopal conference; these baptized Christians cannot make this determination on their own). However, the proper Church authority must see if four conditions are present, in addition to the baptized Christian being in the danger of death. These conditions are: (1) the person is unable to approach one of their own ministers; (2) the person has asked for the sacrament on their own (no one else may ask them if they want to receive it); (3) the person manifests Catholic faith in the Eucharist, namely that they believe that the Eucharist is really the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ; and (4) they are properly disposed to receive Holy Communion.

SHOULD WE EVER REFRAIN FROM RECEIVING HOLY COMMUNION?
Ordinarily, all members of the Catholic Church, who have reached the appropriate age of reason, are free to receive Holy Communion. “We should strive to receive Holy Communion regularly, gratefully, and worthily” (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper”: On Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist, November 14, 2006). However, both Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI have commented that the reception of Holy Communion should be a deliberate, conscious action. That means that just mere attendance at Mass does not mean that we should automatically receive Holy Communion. Rather, we should make an examination of our conscience to make sure that we are in a state of Grace before receiving the Eucharist. Please note, we are called to examine our own conscience; we should be very cautious when making judgments about whether or not someone else should receive Holy Communion. The Bishops then discuss some of the situations in which, after examining our conscience, we should refrain from partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ.

Lack of Sanctifying Grace
“Mortal sin constitutes a rejection of communion with God and destroys the life of grace within us” (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper”: On Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist, November 14, 2006). Thus, a person in a state of mortal sin is not to receive Holy Communion which is the very sign of our communion with God and the Church. Let’s review the basic conditions for an action or thought to be a mortal sin. First it must involve grave matter. It would not be possible to list all the things that are grave matter, but violations of the Ten Commandments, and other serious violations of the law of love of God and of neighbor certainly would be. Secondly, the grave matter must be performed with full knowledge and complete consent of the will. When we are in a state of mortal sin we continue to be members of the body of Christ and the Catholic Church, however, through our mortal sin we have become lifeless or dead members. Since our mortal sin has separated us from God and from our brothers and sisters in Christ, we have forfeited our right to receive the Eucharist. “Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord” (1 Cor. 11:27). Of course our loving God does not wish us to remain in a state of mortal sin, and in His loving mercy He has given us the sacrament of Penance. If we repent and confess our sins to a priest, who then acts in persona Christi and gives absolution, then we are restored to a state of sanctifying grace. Again, a complete list of thoughts or actions that would constitute grave matter is not possible, the Bishops do list a few that might be more common in our culture:

• Believing or honoring someone or something as divine other than God

• Invoking God as a witness as we swear a false oath

• Missing Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation without a serious reason

• Serious disobedience against proper authority; such as our parents and civil officials

• Committing murder, including abortion and euthanasia; deliberately hating another; sexual, physical and verbal abuse of another

• Engaging in sexual activity outside the bond of a valid marriage

• Stealing in a gravely injurious way, such as robbery, fraud, or immoral business practices

• Slandering the good name of another

• Producing, distributing or indulging in pornography

Lack of Adherence to Church Teaching
“As Catholics we believe what the Church authoritatively teaches on matters of faith and morals, for to hear the voice of the Church, on matters of faith and morals, is to hear the voice of Christ himself” (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper”: On Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist, November 14, 2006). We cannot give selective assent to the Church’s teaching because that deprives us of her life-giving message, and endangers our communion with her. While there can be situations of honest doubt and confusion, in order to receive Holy Communion while in such a situation, we must be striving, prayerfully and honestly, to understand the truth of the Church’s teaching so as resolve our doubt and confusion. “If a Catholic in his or her personal or professional life were knowingly and obstinately to reject the defined doctrines of the Church, or knowingly and obstinately to repudiate her definitive teaching on moral issues, however, he or she would seriously diminish his or her communion with the Church. Reception of Holy Communion in such a situation would not accord with the nature of the Eucharistic celebration, so that he or she should refrain” (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper”: On Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist, November 14, 2006).

Giving Public Scandal
Scandal means more than just causing other people to be upset or shocked by what one does. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church defines it, “Scandal is an attitude or behavior which leads another to do evil. The person who gives scandal becomes his neighbor’s tempter” (CCC #2284). A person who is publicly known to have rejected definitive Church teaching or to have committed serious sin and is not yet reconciled with the Church, should refrain from receiving Holy Communion not only because of their own sinful action, but because to do so is likely to cause scandal for others.

A person, who after examining their conscience, appropriately decides that they should refrain from receiving Holy Communion for whatever reason, nevertheless should participate in the celebration of Mass. “In hearing the Word of God and responding to it through acclamations, singing, and prayerful silence they can allow that Word to work within them. At Communion time they can express in their hearts the desire to unite themselves to the Lord in the reception of his sacred Body and Blood” (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper”: On Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist, November 14, 2006).

I know it has been awhile since I published a post, and even though it is a “priest preach” weekend coming up, we will be showing the Bishop’s Annual Appeal video so I have been bumped from preaching again. Instead I thought I would post an article I wrote for the bulletin (originally because they needed something to fill space). It is a summary of the USCCB’s recent document on the worthy reception of Holy Communion. I have the first two parts written, so here is part one.

On the Worthy Reception of Christ in Holy Communion (Part 1)
by
Fr. John C. Garrett

At their meeting in November 2006, the Catholic Bishops of the United States issued a document entitled, “Happy are Those Who Are Called to His Supper”: On Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist. This series of bulletin articles will summarize the main points of this important and beautiful teaching which our Shepherds have given us on the very heart of our Catholic Faith. For those who are interested in reading the full document, it is available online at http://www.usccb.org/chronological.shtml (as well as the other two documents which the Bishops issued at that meeting, and that I hope to provide summaries of in the future).

The Bishops first reminds us that the center of the life of the Church is the celebration of the Mass. The Second Vatican Council described the Mass as the “source and summit” of all the activities of the Church. The Eucharistic Prayer, in which Christ’s sacrifice is both recalled and made present and we give thanks and praise to God, is at the very heart of the Mass. At the Mass we receive Jesus, first as the Word of God through the readings, and then sacramentally when we eat and drink His Body and Blood. The reception of Holy Communion is the consummation of the Mass. Due to our sinfulness, none of us are worthy to receive such a wondrous gift as the Eucharist. That is why, right before receiving Holy Communion the priest elevates the consecrated host and says, “This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Happy are those who are called to his supper,” and all present echo the words of the Roman centurion who said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed” (Mt 8:8). Despite our sinfulness, in His great love Jesus comes to us in the Eucharist to give us a share in His divine life.

The Bishops then presents a series of questions and answers that re-affirms the Church’s teachings concerning the Eucharist and the reception of Holy Communion.

WHAT DO WE BELIEVE ABOUT HOLY COMMUNION?
Fundamentally the Eucharist IS the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. It is not a symbol of Jesus, nor is it merely a sign of our fellowship. We believe that when the priest recalls the words and actions of Jesus at the Last Supper and consecrates the bread and wine, by the power of the Holy Spirit the bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ. Traditionally the Church has used the word “transubstantiation” to describe this change that takes place. “The substance (what something is) of bread and wine is totally changed into the substance of Christ’s Body and Blood. While the appearances of bread and wine remains, the Risen Lord Jesus is actually present, and so it is he who is actually received in Holy Communion – Body and Blood, soul and divinity” (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper”: On Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist, November 14, 2006).

The reception of Christ in the Eucharist is called “Holy Communion” because through it we come into communion with Him who is All-Holy. We are united to the Risen Christ and share in His divine life. Through Christ’s dwelling within us we are also united to God the Father, in the Holy Spirit.

WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BEING UNITED TO CHRIST IN HOLY COMMUNION?
“The principle fruit of receiving the Eucharist in Holy Communion is an intimate union with Christ Jesus” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd ed., #1391). Three significant elements are encompassed by this union with Christ in Holy Communion.

Participation in the One Sacrifice of Christ
Jesus established the everlasting covenant by lovingly offering His own life on the crose as a holy sacrifice to the Father for our sins. He is the spotless “Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn 1:29). This sacrifice of Jesus is made fully present in the Eucharist, and we join ourselves to this one holy sacrifice of Christ by taking part in the liturgy of the Eucharist. “The Risen Lord Jesus comes to dwell personally within us, and so we share in his life and friendship. He gives himself completely and entirely to us, and we are called to give ourselves completely and entirely to him” (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper”: On Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist, November 14, 2006). Receiving Holy Communion fortifies us against sin, heals our weaknesses, and empowers us to live holy lives of sacrificial love for one another.

Communion with One Another
Reception of Holy Communion is NOT a private devotion. Rather it is an integral part of our worship as a faith community. As Pope Benedict XVI has explained, “Union with Christ is also union with all those to whom he gives himself. I cannot possess Christ just for myself; I can belong to him only in union with all those who have become, or who will become, his own. Communion draws me out of myself towards him, and thus also towards unity with all Christians. We become ‘one body,’ completely joined in a single existence. Love of God and love of neighbor are now truly united: God incarnate draws us all to himself” (Pope Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter God is Love (Deus Caritas Est), #14).

Holy Communion is a foretaste of heaven, where all of God’s children will together become one with our Lord Jesus Christ in the love of the Holy Spirit. This foretaste should inspire us to work for a deeper realization of communion among all men and women on earth. Pope John Paul II described this attitude as “solidarity” which he defined as “a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good; that is to say to the good of all and of each individual, because we are all really responsible for all” (Pope John Paul II, Encyclical Letter On Social Concern (Sollicitudo Rei Socialis), #38).

Sharing in Jesus’ Resurrection and Divinity
Since in Holy Communion we are nourished on Jesus’ own risen life and so become a new creation in him, reception of the Eucharist anticipates and is a pledge of our own bodily resurrection, “when we will share fully in the heavenly banquet of everlasting life” (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper”: On Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist, November 14, 2006). As Jesus tells us, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. . . . [For] whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him” (Jn 6:54, 56).

Since receiving Holy Communion is able to have such a profound effect on us, if we receive it worthily, the Church encourages all the faithful to partake of it frequently. “It is clear that the frequent or daily reception of the Blessed Eucharist increases union with Christ, nourishes the spiritual life more abundantly, strengthens the soul in virtue, and gives the communicant a stronger pledge of eternal happiness” (Sacred Congregation of Rites, Instruction on the Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery (Eucharisticum Mysterium), #37).

In the next article in this series I will summarize the next two questions in the document, “Who may receive Holy Communion?” and “Should we ever refrain from receiving Holy Communion?”

Today we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord. Do we really understand what that word, “epiphany,” means? Simply put, an epiphany is an appearance, and today we recall the appearance of the infant Jesus to the three Magi, or “Wise Men.” The Magi were most likely astrologers from Persia, or modern day Iran, and by following the star, they were fulfilling the prophesy of Balaam, the holy man that the Israelites encountered during the Exodus, who said, “A star shall advance from Jacob, and a staff shall rise from Israel” (Numbers 24:17).

When God selected Israel to be His Chosen People, He was calling them to an important mission. As we heard in today’s first reading, from the Prophet Isaiah, “darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the people” (Isaiah 60:2), when people are separated from the Glory of the Lord. It was through the Chosen People, Israel, that God was going to reveal His magnificent Glory. The mission of the Chosen People was not just to keep that light of God’s Glory to themselves, but as Isaiah goes on to say, “Nations shall walk by your light” (Isaiah 60:3).

Jesus, who is “one in being” or “consubstantial” with the Father, is the ultimate manifestation of God’s glorious Light. The Magi who come to do Him homage are symbolic of the fact that the salvation and redemption that Jesus offers is for all people, not just the Israelites. It is through Jesus that the response to today’s Psalm is fulfilled, “Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.”

God’s Kingdom, which is the Church, extends through all time and space. Empires and nations will come and go, but the Church endures. Have you noticed in history that tyrants and totalitarian governments hate the Catholic Church so much. They want total control over people’s lives, and the Catholic Church stands as a constant reminder that they do not and cannot have total control over human destiny – only God can. And so, as Herod tried to do with Jesus, the eternal High King, they try to stamp out His Bride, the Church, His eternal kingdom.

Just look at history. Roman emperors persecuted the Church, as did the barbarian tribes of northern Europe. Medieval Islamic Caliphs, French Revolutionaries, Nazis, and communists have all tried to suppress the Catholic Church and take over the throne that only Christ Jesus can occupy, but the Church continues to survive, grow and spread.

One of my favorite saints, whose birthday just happens to be this Monday, January 8, is St. Maximilian Kolbe. He is just one example of the unconquerability of our Faith. St. Maximilian was a Franciscan priest who was imprisoned in a concentration camp by the Nazis during the Second World War. His “crime” was speaking about the love of Jesus, and His eternal kingdom. The horrors of the concentration camp could not conquer his Christian spirit. He secretly celebrated Mass on crowded bunk beds, and he heard confessions walking through the mud on his way to slavish labor. His greatest witness to Christ’s love, His Light in the midst of horrible darkness, was when St. Maximilian offered to substitute for a married man who had been condemned, with others, to be starved to death. For fifteen days in the starvation bunker St. Maximilian encouraged the other men by getting them to pray and sing hymns.

Of course St. Maximilian Kolbe is just one example of heroic witnessing to the Kingdom of God. Each one of us should be like a star: a bright and constant witness to Christ’s love, a gentle but clear and attractive invitation to the everlasting Kingdom of God. We are all called, through our baptism, to encourage others to raise their eyes beyond this passing world. We are citizens of Christ’s Kingdom, and in this world we are His ambassadors.

So many people are seeking fulfillment where they cannot get it – in their own little kingdoms of money, power, and pleasure. They place their hopes, their happiness, in the shifting sands of undependable human affections and relationships, only to see them disappear like a puff of smoke.

If we do not show them a higher and eternal kingdom, one that will infuse all those hopes and relationships and activities with a meaning that never grows old but only grows better, who will? Vast tracts that were once Christian, like northern Africa, have been lost to Islam. Most Europeans, who identify themselves as Christian, no longer pray or go to church. Christ is often excluded from the public square, the marketplace and the workplace.

You may have heard the phrase “New Evangelization.” Do you want to know what that means? Just look at the example of our last two Popes. John Paul II would kiss the ground the first time he visited a country, and then he would give speeches about the history of that land, especially its Christian history. Pope Benedict XVI, on his recent trip to Turkey, repeatedly talked about the long history of Christianity in that now mostly Muslim country. The New Evangelization is focusing on renewing the memory of one’s Christian roots, especially when they have been forgotten or ignored. All of us must re-claim our Christian spiritual traditions, starting with frequent celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and weekly participation in Mass. It is from the sacraments that we are nourished so that we can shine with the light of Christ.

Our example, our words, our actions should reflect Christ. Where can you be more like Christ? Which relationship, which habit, which activity in your life needs to be enhanced right now, so you can be more like Him? You know, and the Holy Spirit knows. Ask Him now, during this Mass, when you receive Holy Communion, ask Him to show you what project of home improvement for your soul you should take up, and ask Him to give you the courage to do it. I know that my “soul improvement” list is pretty full. How is yours?

We should be billboards for Jesus’ Kingdom. Each of us should be like that star that guided the Magi to Jesus – more people than we realize, people who live right beside us, are searching, and if we let our lives shine in Christ, we will give them true joy.

The Diocese of Trenton experienced a sudden shock today. We have a House of Formation for men who are actively discerning a vocation to the priesthood. The men who stay there are usually either preparing to enter the seminary in the near future, or may be taking a break from the seminary. I spent a year there as a deacon. It is located at the first Catholic parish in the state of New Jersey, Sacred Heart.

This afternoon I got a message that one of the seminarians at the House of Formation died. That’s was it; no name or circumstances. I was able to get a hold of the administrative assistant for the Vocations Office and got more details.

The seminarian’s name was Edward Bulger. I am not sure how old he was, but I would say in his 30s or 40s. I only met him a couple of times, so did not know him well, but he was planning on entering the seminary in the Fall. Apparently he had an asthma attack while sleeping, and died from it. Needless to say the folks at the House of Formation are in shock. Someone so young, who was looking to do God’s work.

My mother is very involved with Serra International, the wonderful folks who support vocations with tons of prayers, was so shocked. All she could say was, “The devil is really attacking the Church.” Of course she does not mean that in a movie “Damien” way. She is just recognizing that there are spiritual forces that are actively trying to stop the spread of the Gospel. Tune in tomorrow for my Epiphany homily which addresses this somewhat.

Please pray for the repose of Ed’s soul. Also pray for his family and many friends. In the shock and grief the devil often tries to sow the seeds of despair and hopelessness. Our Faith assures us that Jesus is in our midst, particularly in a time like this. Like when He went to Martha and Mary after the death of Lazarus, Jesus weeps with us in our grief while all the time promising us that He is the Resurrection and the Life, and if we believe in Him we will live with Him in paradise.

Pray for vocations! Christ Jesus Victor!

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. Mary’s divine motherhood is the very basis of all her other privileges. It seems so simple and obvious for us to call Mary the Mother of God, but that was not always the case. What is the significance of this solemnity, and why do we celebrate it on the last day of the Octave of Christmas?

The question that our Blessed Lord asked His Apostles, “Who do you say that I am?,” was and was not settled with St. Peter’s answer, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Of course St. Peter’s response is absolutely correct, but is one in which the Church continues to explore the fullest meaning of. In the early Church there was often much controversy over just who Jesus was and is. There were those who over-emphasized His Divinity while denying His humanity. For them Jesus was just God, masquerading in a human being outfit, but not really one of us. For others they over-emphasized Jesus’ humanity while denying His Divinity. Some even thought that Jesus was neither Divine nor human, but rather something in between. The Council of Ephesus, in the year 431 officially settled the matter when the Church affirmed that Jesus is a Divine Person with two natures, human and divine. They approached this affirmation is a very surprising way – that proclaimed the Blessed Virgin Mary the “Theotokos” or “God-Bearer.”

See one of the controversies attached to the controversy over who Jesus is was whether Mary could be called the Mother of God. Some argued that Mary was only the mother of the human Jesus, not the Divine Christ. That sounds rather strange to us today, and we are not alone. St. Cyril of Alexandria, who attended the Council of Ephesus, wrote in a letter, “I am exceedingly astounded that there could be anyone who has any doubt as to whether the Blessed Virgin should be called the Mother of God. If Our Lord Jesus Christ is God, why should the Blessed Virgin, who gave him birth, not be called the Mother of God? That is the faith that Our Lord’s disciples transmitted to us, even though they did not use this exact expression” (St. Cyril of Alexandria, Letter 1, 27:30). Pope John Paul II, in his encyclical Mother of the Redeemer (Redemptoris Mater) described the dogma of the divine motherhood of Mary as a seal upon the dogma of the Incarnation, in which the Divine Word truly assumes human nature into the unity of His Divine Person.

That the Blessed Virgin Mary was central to affirming a truth about Jesus really should not be surprising. Mary is always leading people to her Son. Her last recorded words in the Gospels, spoken at the wedding at Cana to the waiters she had brought to Jesus when they ran out of wine, were “do whatever He tells you.”

“Through His Incarnation, Christ has united Himself in a certain way to the human condition and to every person in particular. Because of her divine maternity, Mary is also intimately caught up in her Son’s union with the whole of humanity. She is our spiritual mother in the order of grace. Like any true mother, Mary carries in her heart the situation of each of her children” (Sacerdos: Homilies, Cycle C, December-January, “Mary, Mother of God,” p. 21). Mary, in leading us to her Son Jesus, points us to the way of living the life of supernatural virtue. We learn from Mary how to believe in God’s word, to hope in His promise, and how to love God completely. This is what true devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary consists of – not merely pious feelings and gestures, rather in imitating her virtues, particularly her faith, hope, charity, humility, and obedience.

So as we continue to marvel at and ponder the significance of the Birth of Jesus in our lives, let us pray that beautiful antiphon of the Blessed Virgin Mary that is so fitting for this season, the Alma Redemptoris Mater:

Loving Mother of the Redeemer
Gate of Heaven, Star of the Sea.
Assist your people who have fallen yet strive to rise again.
To the wonderment of nature you bore your Creator,
yet remained a virgin after as before.
You who received Gabriel’s joyful greeting,
have pity on us poor sinners.
V. You gave birth without loss of your virginity:
R. Intercede for us, O holy Mother of God.