Here's a plethora of monkish stories that I've used before and like very much - enjoy! :-)
Two Monks
There was once two monks travelling together, a young novice and an elder Master. As they came to the edge of a huge river, they noticed a young woman at the edge of the river who could not cross over. Without hesitation, the older monk lifted her up on his shoulders and carried her across the raging river. When they came to the other edge of the river he put her down and the two monks went on their way. After a few hours of travelling in silence, the young monk couldn’t contain himself any longer. “Why did you pick up that woman?”, he asked the older monk. “You know that our rules strictly forbid us from touching women. And here I thought you were one of the wisest and holiest persons at the monastery!” The older monk replied, “I carried the woman and set her down at the edge of the river. You, my dear friend, are still carrying her around in your heart.”
Two Other Monks
A young monk was pondering the mysteries of life one day, and he thought of a question he couldn’t answer. He ran to his Master and asked, “Master, why is it that some people are faith-filled and not others?” So the Master said, “Let me tell you a story. Once upon a time there was a dog chasing a rabbit. As he chased and chased he barked and barked, making quite a commotion. After a while, his barking attracted other dogs, and soon other dogs, until there were dozens of dogs chasing this one rabbit. Mind you, the other dogs didn’t know what they were doing – they had only been attracted by the barking of the first dog. So these dogs chased the rabbit up hills and down streets, through villages and streams. And one by one the dogs started getting tired, until there was only the first dog, alone again, chasing the rabbit.
The young monk stood silent for a respectful amount of time, then said, “I don’t get it!”
The Master answered, “The other dogs had no idea why they were running. Only the first dog knew they were chasing a rabbit. Similarly, we must get a glimpse of God before we can dedicate our lives to God and others. Without that first vision – that first taste – we too tire easily, because we do not know what we are striving for.”
Many Monks
There was once a famous monastery where people from all over the world came to study. One day, the eldest monk asked a question of the gathered students. “How can one tell when the night is over and the light is starting to shine forth?”
“Is it when you can look at a distance and tell the difference between your house and your neighbor’s house?”, answered one pupil. “No,” replied the Master, “that is not the answer.”
“Well, is it when you can look at a distance and tell the difference between your dog and a neighbor’s dog?”, answered another student. “No,” replied the Master, “that is not the answer either.”
“Then it must be when you look at a distance and can tell the difference between and apple and an orange hanging on two adjoining trees,” replied a third disciple. “No,” replied the Master, “you have still not grasped the answer.”
“Then tell us, please,” they all pleaded.
“When you can look at another persons face – any person – and see your brother or your sister, then and only then is the light coming that will banish the darkness.”
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
12.22.2005
Nudity & The Gospel
So I've been away (mea culpa), and I've done a bit of reading on nudity and Church teaching (not a lot, but a little), and as far as I can tell there's no official Church teaching on the subject (and by official I mean something that's come out of a Pope or Church council or is embedded in the Catechism of the Catholic Church).
I have found that there appears to be an active presence of committed Christians, both Catholic and non, who are also participants in the nude lifestyle, either on a full or part-time basis. On those web sites that were pro-nudity (for want of a better word) I found many references to the sacramentality of the body, the goodness of the body, the original creation of the body in the buff, etc. On sites that were anti-nudity (again, for want of a better word) I found arguments ranging from our fallen nature (as good as nudity is we have a hard time separating nudity from lust) to more practical concerns (where do I keep my keys and wallet?).
I remember reading an article where a reporter did a story on nude resorts. She said that once she got over the shock of having to go semi-nude, it seemed like the most normal thing in the world to see other people walking around naked. She mentioned that everyone seemed well adjusted and at ease with each other, and no one was staring or acting inappropriately. She was especially impressed with teens, who, for lack of designer clothing and other fashion accroutments (is this a word?), did not have the high levels of fashion-consciousness and accompanying social jousting that seems so prevalent in much of society. With everyone wearing basically the same thing (nothing), there was no way to flaunt social or economic status.
(Which, incidentally, is one of the reasons most Catholic schools and many private and public schools mandate school uniforms - it's a way of leveling the playing field between the economically viable and the economically challenged.) :-)
In short? I don't know. The Catholic church teaches that for something to be morally sinful you have to look at the action itself, the intentions behind the action, and the circumstances surrounding the action. Here there is no lewdness or lust, just a desire to live in a natural a state as possible (intent is clear); they are not walking around naked in public places where it is illegal (circumstances are clear); they are living nude as God may have originally intended us to be, which can be problematic for many people as in our culture nudity is usually equated with sexual actions & sexual intercourse (action itself is murky).
So again, I'm not sure where I would put this on a moral continuum . . . . certainly not as a mortal (serious) sin, but maybe not fully clear either.
Any comments or thoughts would be appreciated! :-)
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
I have found that there appears to be an active presence of committed Christians, both Catholic and non, who are also participants in the nude lifestyle, either on a full or part-time basis. On those web sites that were pro-nudity (for want of a better word) I found many references to the sacramentality of the body, the goodness of the body, the original creation of the body in the buff, etc. On sites that were anti-nudity (again, for want of a better word) I found arguments ranging from our fallen nature (as good as nudity is we have a hard time separating nudity from lust) to more practical concerns (where do I keep my keys and wallet?).
I remember reading an article where a reporter did a story on nude resorts. She said that once she got over the shock of having to go semi-nude, it seemed like the most normal thing in the world to see other people walking around naked. She mentioned that everyone seemed well adjusted and at ease with each other, and no one was staring or acting inappropriately. She was especially impressed with teens, who, for lack of designer clothing and other fashion accroutments (is this a word?), did not have the high levels of fashion-consciousness and accompanying social jousting that seems so prevalent in much of society. With everyone wearing basically the same thing (nothing), there was no way to flaunt social or economic status.
(Which, incidentally, is one of the reasons most Catholic schools and many private and public schools mandate school uniforms - it's a way of leveling the playing field between the economically viable and the economically challenged.) :-)
In short? I don't know. The Catholic church teaches that for something to be morally sinful you have to look at the action itself, the intentions behind the action, and the circumstances surrounding the action. Here there is no lewdness or lust, just a desire to live in a natural a state as possible (intent is clear); they are not walking around naked in public places where it is illegal (circumstances are clear); they are living nude as God may have originally intended us to be, which can be problematic for many people as in our culture nudity is usually equated with sexual actions & sexual intercourse (action itself is murky).
So again, I'm not sure where I would put this on a moral continuum . . . . certainly not as a mortal (serious) sin, but maybe not fully clear either.
Any comments or thoughts would be appreciated! :-)
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
12.07.2005
Nudism
What do you think about nudism / what does your church/denomination teach about nudism? I'm curious. :-)
I'll do some research on the Catholic church and let you know what we teach, as well as my own thoughts on the subject.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
I'll do some research on the Catholic church and let you know what we teach, as well as my own thoughts on the subject.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
11.29.2005
Advent Prayer
Double Post - here's an Advent prayer I liked:
Advent Prayer - Henri J.M. Nouwen
Lord Jesus,
Master of both the light and the darkness,
send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas.
We who have so much to do seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day.
We who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us.
We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of your kingdom.
We whose hearts are heavy seek the joy of your presence.
We are your people, walking in darkness, yet seeking the light.
To you we say, "Come Lord Jesus!"
Amen.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
Advent Prayer - Henri J.M. Nouwen
Lord Jesus,
Master of both the light and the darkness,
send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas.
We who have so much to do seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day.
We who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us.
We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of your kingdom.
We whose hearts are heavy seek the joy of your presence.
We are your people, walking in darkness, yet seeking the light.
To you we say, "Come Lord Jesus!"
Amen.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
The Immaculate Conception
The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, "Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you." - Matthew Ch. 1
During this blessed season of Advent we celebrate one of our church’s Marian feasts: The Immaculate Conception (December 8). As a Church, we affirm two central teachings with this dogma:
1. We affirm that Jesus was truly human and truly divine. Inasmuch as he was fully human, he needed a human mother, and he needed to born as any other child has ever been born. However, inasmuch as he was fully divine, he needed a vessel of surpassing purity and holiness. Hence the need to have a mother who was in some way protected from original sin and all of its harmful effects.
2. Flowing from that teaching, since Jesus, in all of his humanity and divinity, needed a sanctified place from which to be born, we also affirm that Mary, from the first moment of her conception, was spared the effects of original sin. Hence the word “immaculate”, which literally means “without stain.”
Mary is called “full of grace”, then, precisely because she never lost that sanctifying grace that our sins rob us of. Since she was free of original sin, then, she was in a state of sanctifying grace from her conception to her death.
Our Catechism says the following:
490. To become the mother of the Savior, Mary "was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role". The angel Gabriel at the moment of the annunciation salutes her as "full of grace". In fact, in order for Mary to be able to give the free assent of her faith to the announcement of her vocation, it was necessary that she be wholly borne by God's grace.
491. Through the centuries the Church has become ever more aware that Mary, "full of grace" through God, was redeemed from the moment of her conception. That is what the dogma of the Immaculate Conception confesses, as Pope Pius IX proclaimed in 1844:
"The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin." (Pius IX, Ineffabilis Deus, 1854.)
When we celebrate this great feast day, then, we are celebrating Mary’s willingness to serve, Jesus’ full humanity and divinity, and we are celebrating God’s saving grace, which had prepared Mary from before she was born to be the Mother of His Son.
This Advent, then, let us pray that by drawing closer to Mary and by entering more fully into the Mystery of the Immaculate Conception we may be drawn closer to Jesus, her Son, and to the Father who willed his birth.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
During this blessed season of Advent we celebrate one of our church’s Marian feasts: The Immaculate Conception (December 8). As a Church, we affirm two central teachings with this dogma:
1. We affirm that Jesus was truly human and truly divine. Inasmuch as he was fully human, he needed a human mother, and he needed to born as any other child has ever been born. However, inasmuch as he was fully divine, he needed a vessel of surpassing purity and holiness. Hence the need to have a mother who was in some way protected from original sin and all of its harmful effects.
2. Flowing from that teaching, since Jesus, in all of his humanity and divinity, needed a sanctified place from which to be born, we also affirm that Mary, from the first moment of her conception, was spared the effects of original sin. Hence the word “immaculate”, which literally means “without stain.”
Mary is called “full of grace”, then, precisely because she never lost that sanctifying grace that our sins rob us of. Since she was free of original sin, then, she was in a state of sanctifying grace from her conception to her death.
Our Catechism says the following:
490. To become the mother of the Savior, Mary "was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role". The angel Gabriel at the moment of the annunciation salutes her as "full of grace". In fact, in order for Mary to be able to give the free assent of her faith to the announcement of her vocation, it was necessary that she be wholly borne by God's grace.
491. Through the centuries the Church has become ever more aware that Mary, "full of grace" through God, was redeemed from the moment of her conception. That is what the dogma of the Immaculate Conception confesses, as Pope Pius IX proclaimed in 1844:
"The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin." (Pius IX, Ineffabilis Deus, 1854.)
When we celebrate this great feast day, then, we are celebrating Mary’s willingness to serve, Jesus’ full humanity and divinity, and we are celebrating God’s saving grace, which had prepared Mary from before she was born to be the Mother of His Son.
This Advent, then, let us pray that by drawing closer to Mary and by entering more fully into the Mystery of the Immaculate Conception we may be drawn closer to Jesus, her Son, and to the Father who willed his birth.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
11.27.2005
I wrote a haiku! :-)
We spent Thanksgiving with my sister up in Austin. While there we visited a Children's Museum in downtown Austin. They had an exhibit on Japanese culture (which focused on Hokkaido, Japan, which was cool because that's where my brother lived for several years before moving to Hawaii) which included several haikus. I had haikus on the mind, and on the way back from Austin I wrote this one: I'm quite proud :-)
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
leaves slowly browning
falling petal shower storm
fall approaches
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
A Time of Expectation
Another cannabilized post that I wrote for our school newsletter - I thought it appropriate as today we enter into the liturgical season of Advent.
Brothers and sisters: You know the time; it is the hour for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed; the night is nearly over; daylight is on its way. Let us then throw off the works of darkness, and ready ourselves for the light. (Romans 13:11-12; Second Reading for the 1st Sunday of Advent)
Every year, our church gives us a wonderful gift several weeks before Christmas: Advent (the word means “it is coming” or “the promise is near”). It is a time of preparation for us: a time to get ready, to prepare the way, to make a space. It is a time to prepare ourselves for the coming of the light - the birth of Yeshua ben Joseph, Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus the Christ.
Advent is also a time of listening, of watching, and of waiting. We look to the changing seasons to let us know that time keeps moving forward. We listen to the readings at our Sunday celebrations and we know that the time is almost near. We wait in expectation for the central time in human history, when God broke through into creation in a very tangible, touchable, sacramental way.
And it is a joyful expectation, a time to get ready for one of our great Christian holy days of celebration. We wait in joy - awesome, wonderful joy - as parents wait for the birth of a child, as flowers wait for the coming of the dawn, as children wait for dessert after a meal – we wait and we wonder in deep down, soul and body filling joy.
But above all, and especially in our times of war and unrest, we wait in hope for the coming of our brother and our savior, the Prince of Peace. We wait for a time when everyone - lion and lamb, American and Iraqi, Catholic and Protestant, wealthy and poor, cool and uncool, parent and teenager, teacher and student - will sit together at a common table and share a meal together. We wait for the coming of our Lord, who is Hope incarnate, and who gives us the hope that tomorrow will always be better then today.
One of the ways our church helps us to prepare is with the traditional symbol of the advent wreath. The wreath is filled with symbols and meaning: the circle of evergreen boughs reminds us that God is everlasting, with no beginning and no end, and with a love for us that never dies. The four candles symbolize almost 4,000 years of waiting for our Messiah to be born, and the light from the candles symbolizes the light of Christ, burning brightly in the darkness. The purple candles remind us that, like Lent, Advent is a time of preparation and waiting. The third candle (the pink one) symbolizes that our time of waiting is almost over, and that the celebration is about to begin. The middle white candle, which traditionally is put there on Christmas Eve and lit on Christmas day, symbolizes the birth of a vulnerable, trusting, loving little boy who changed the course of history.
Our church also encourages us to spend more time in prayer during Advent. We can make some time to pray alone - just after rising or before going to bed are two excellent times for us to pause and spend even a few unrushed moments with our God. Before mealtimes, we can take a minute to silently (if alone), or vocally give thanks to God for the blessing of a nourishing meal. Making time for a leisurely trip to Mass on Saturday evening or Sunday morning would be a prayerful change of pace for many of us. Reading even small portions of Scripture would be prayerful. And spending time together as a family in prayer would be an excellent way to prepare for Christmas, as would celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation together.
In whatever ways you decide to celebrate, my prayers are with you and your family as we prepare together for the arrival of our greatest gift ever – the gift of light and love that burned so brightly in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago, and that continues to be born in our hearts and in our lives each Christmas.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
Brothers and sisters: You know the time; it is the hour for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed; the night is nearly over; daylight is on its way. Let us then throw off the works of darkness, and ready ourselves for the light. (Romans 13:11-12; Second Reading for the 1st Sunday of Advent)
Every year, our church gives us a wonderful gift several weeks before Christmas: Advent (the word means “it is coming” or “the promise is near”). It is a time of preparation for us: a time to get ready, to prepare the way, to make a space. It is a time to prepare ourselves for the coming of the light - the birth of Yeshua ben Joseph, Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus the Christ.
Advent is also a time of listening, of watching, and of waiting. We look to the changing seasons to let us know that time keeps moving forward. We listen to the readings at our Sunday celebrations and we know that the time is almost near. We wait in expectation for the central time in human history, when God broke through into creation in a very tangible, touchable, sacramental way.
And it is a joyful expectation, a time to get ready for one of our great Christian holy days of celebration. We wait in joy - awesome, wonderful joy - as parents wait for the birth of a child, as flowers wait for the coming of the dawn, as children wait for dessert after a meal – we wait and we wonder in deep down, soul and body filling joy.
But above all, and especially in our times of war and unrest, we wait in hope for the coming of our brother and our savior, the Prince of Peace. We wait for a time when everyone - lion and lamb, American and Iraqi, Catholic and Protestant, wealthy and poor, cool and uncool, parent and teenager, teacher and student - will sit together at a common table and share a meal together. We wait for the coming of our Lord, who is Hope incarnate, and who gives us the hope that tomorrow will always be better then today.
One of the ways our church helps us to prepare is with the traditional symbol of the advent wreath. The wreath is filled with symbols and meaning: the circle of evergreen boughs reminds us that God is everlasting, with no beginning and no end, and with a love for us that never dies. The four candles symbolize almost 4,000 years of waiting for our Messiah to be born, and the light from the candles symbolizes the light of Christ, burning brightly in the darkness. The purple candles remind us that, like Lent, Advent is a time of preparation and waiting. The third candle (the pink one) symbolizes that our time of waiting is almost over, and that the celebration is about to begin. The middle white candle, which traditionally is put there on Christmas Eve and lit on Christmas day, symbolizes the birth of a vulnerable, trusting, loving little boy who changed the course of history.
Our church also encourages us to spend more time in prayer during Advent. We can make some time to pray alone - just after rising or before going to bed are two excellent times for us to pause and spend even a few unrushed moments with our God. Before mealtimes, we can take a minute to silently (if alone), or vocally give thanks to God for the blessing of a nourishing meal. Making time for a leisurely trip to Mass on Saturday evening or Sunday morning would be a prayerful change of pace for many of us. Reading even small portions of Scripture would be prayerful. And spending time together as a family in prayer would be an excellent way to prepare for Christmas, as would celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation together.
In whatever ways you decide to celebrate, my prayers are with you and your family as we prepare together for the arrival of our greatest gift ever – the gift of light and love that burned so brightly in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago, and that continues to be born in our hearts and in our lives each Christmas.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
11.22.2005
Christ the King
This past Sunday we celebrated the feast of Christ the King in the Catholic church. This is a reflection I wrote for our school newsletter about this feast day:
I myself will look after and tend my sheep.
I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered when it was cloudy and dark.
I myself will pasture my sheep;
I myself will give them rest, says the Lord GOD.
The lost I will seek out,
the strayed I will bring back,
the injured I will bind up,
the sick I will heal.
- Ezekiel 34
Kings have traditionally had several main responsibilities. Among them a few stand out:
protect his people
treat everyone fairly
allow no injustice
promote peace between rulers
promote honor, justice & piety
However, when most people think of a king, they think of wealth, power and prestige. Imagine for a second that you could be king (or queen!) for a day.
(Pause here and think . . . )
Now, time for a pop quiz—did you focus on:
A) promoting world peace and social justice for all,
B) being able to order people around
C) being able to spend money like there was no tomorrow
D) being one of the most well known people on the planet (or at least in your immediate area)
Chances are that most of us immediately jumped to E) all of the above except for letter A. However, in the readings for Christ the King Sunday (Nov. 20) we are reminded that Jesus is a King unlike any other. In fact, all of the imagery used in the readings for that day centers on seeing Jesus as the Good Shepherd. Instead of being the kind of king that lets people know how special and wonderful and powerful he is, Jesus spends his time being the “A” king of king, one that puts his people first and does everything in his power to protect, to love and to serve.
As the Christ, the Anointed One of God, Jesus of course wields ultimate cosmic power—he was there from the creation of the world, he is the one true foundation for all of reality, and he is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords . . . but he did not, as St. Paul tells us, see godly power as something to be grasped and used/abused. Rather, he emptied himself, taking on the form of a servant, and lived out most of his live in faithful obscurity.
His kingdom belongs not necessarily to the rich, the wealthy or the popular, but to those that live out their lives as true kings and queens: those who treat others fairly and justly, those who serve others, those who promote peace, those who protect the innocent, and those who promote faithfulness/piety. Jesus reminds us that in our day to day lives we are to live in imitation of him, and that in imitating him we become more fully his body here on earth.
The Gospel passage for the day reminds us, too, that on the last day, when the universe prepares for judgment, our actions will be of paramount importance. Our actions toward our fellow servants—men and women of Christian faith, good will, or no faith at all—will be what ranks us among the kings most trusted servants or among his most lax followers. The Good Shepherd will finally, for one last time, call his faithful sheep home to himself.
As we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King this year, let us remember that our King, instead of being a tyrannical ruler or a maniacal dictator, is a fiercely loving protector who will search us out when we have wandered away, who will feed us and protect us, and who will heal our weary souls. May we—as God’s holy nation and royal priesthood—also do the same to those we love and who love us in return.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
11.21.2005
A Cornucopia of Thanksgiving
November, and especially Thanksgiving Day, are times when we traditionally pause and give God thanks for all the good things in our lives.
- I’d like to offer a challenge to give thanks for other things in your lives this year:
Give thanks for people who cut you off while you’re driving, especially if you’re driving in the construction zone of the expressway. - Give thanks for people who make you uncomfortable by asking for something, whether that thing is your time, your talents, or your treasure.
- Give thanks for times when you are embarrassed, or imperfect, or when you make mistakes.
- Give thanks for times when you are in an argument with a loved one, are sure you’re in the right, and then come to realize that you were actually in the wrong.
- Give thanks for times when you would like to buy or do something, but are unable to.
- Give thanks for those times when you do not feel like praying or going to Church, but you do so anyway.
- Give thanks when physical illness forces you to stay home, stay in bed, or go to the doctor.
Why give thanks for these situations? Because they help us practice patience, generosity, humility, love, forgiveness, kindness, temperance, perseverance, and prayer. They help us practice some of the cardinal virtues (prudence, justice, temperance, fortitude) and some of the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit.
So many times we forget that everything in our lives can teach us, mold us, and lead us further into the mystery of Jesus’ life, passion, death and resurrection. This thanksgiving, let us stretch our definition of “giving thanks” to include every part of our lives.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
Patience is a Virtue
So it seems I've committed the cardinal sin of blogging - no updates with nary a word as to why (is "nary" a real word?)
I've been busy, and that's true, but I think my innate introversion expresses itself in disconnection sometimes - I need space, both physical and metaphysical, and even a blogging community drains my energy.
So I'm dropping this brief note down and hoping it gets read, and I will update before leaving for my Thanksgiving vacation on Wednesday morning. It may not be the most theologically cutting edge post I've ever written, but it'll be something (even if I have to cannibalize it from my school newsletter articles!). :-)
I might even update later on today! :-)
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
I've been busy, and that's true, but I think my innate introversion expresses itself in disconnection sometimes - I need space, both physical and metaphysical, and even a blogging community drains my energy.
So I'm dropping this brief note down and hoping it gets read, and I will update before leaving for my Thanksgiving vacation on Wednesday morning. It may not be the most theologically cutting edge post I've ever written, but it'll be something (even if I have to cannibalize it from my school newsletter articles!). :-)
I might even update later on today! :-)
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
10.19.2005
Credit Stuff
So I've been out having my mini-dark night of the soul and now it sorta feels like the night is giving way to the pre-dawn light. In the meantime, many thanks for your patience and continued perseverance as I gather my thoughts for a real post. Also in the meantime, some good websites that may help your credit and/or sanity:
Get a free annual credit report from all three credit reporting agencies here: www.annualcreditreport.com.
Choose to opt out (forever if you'd like!) from prescreened junk mail here: www.optoutprescreen.com.
And if you haven't already done so, register your phone numbers on the FTC's Do Not Call list here: www.donotcall.gov.
Enjoy! :-)
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
Get a free annual credit report from all three credit reporting agencies here: www.annualcreditreport.com.
Choose to opt out (forever if you'd like!) from prescreened junk mail here: www.optoutprescreen.com.
And if you haven't already done so, register your phone numbers on the FTC's Do Not Call list here: www.donotcall.gov.
Enjoy! :-)
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
10.02.2005
Dark Night of the Soul
So I received a gentle prompt from kc, on my previous post, so here comes a more personal post then I may have posted before:
I received a request from a parish in my area to do a confirmation retreat for them.
[Theological note - feel free to skip: Confirmation is one of the sacraments Catholics celebrate - it is the continuation & fulfillment of Baptism and it "confirms" a person's choice to live a Catholic-Christian life. Along with baptism and Eucharist it serves as one of the sacraments of initiation into the Catholic faith. In other words, you're not quite fully Catholic [and that's not quite fully accurate but it'll serve for the purposes of this post] until you've celebrated these three sacraments. In my diocese Confirmation is celebrated usually in a person's sophomore year in high school.]
I've done several confirmation retreats over the course of the last several years. I tend to focus on similar areas: the connection between baptism and confirmation; the responsibility to know about your faith (orthodoxy); the responsibility to practice your faith (orthopraxis); the importance of a regular prayer life, regular time with Scripture, and regular service to others; community building (via games, icebreakers, challenge-course like activities, etc.); and times of prayer, introspection and reflection, either in small groups, alone, or as a large group. I've done confirmation retreats that lasted four hours and some that have lasted a weekend.
Here is an edited reproduction of what I wrote back:
(-- Begin email reproduction --)
Even more than that, though, I'm not sure if I feel up to doing youth retreats anymore . . . I'm not sure why, but the last several ones I've done I haven't felt as if I'm up to the task. Let me explain - I think technically I'm up to it - I have the knowledge, I have the skills, I've got some good tricks up my sleeve . . . but I don't know if I have the passion to do them that I once did. Even more then that, though, I don't know if I have the zeal to do them anymore . . . I sometimes feel that my practice of Catholicism has lost it's soul, like I'm only going through the motions . . . like I *know* what to do, but that's where it ends- I only do it because I know how to, but not because I really want to.
The other part of it is that I want more time @ home . . . the more I feel adrift in my faith at times, the more I want to stay @ home, spend time with my family, read, work in the yard, etc. I feel like I need to be more grounded in my life (my home life, my domestic parish) and in my Christianity (both in my own knowledge and in my practice of my prayer life/spirituality) so that I can be more grounded in my faith, if that makes sense.
Please keep me in your prayers as I traverse this mini-dark night of my soul.
(-- End email reproduction --)
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
I received a request from a parish in my area to do a confirmation retreat for them.
[Theological note - feel free to skip: Confirmation is one of the sacraments Catholics celebrate - it is the continuation & fulfillment of Baptism and it "confirms" a person's choice to live a Catholic-Christian life. Along with baptism and Eucharist it serves as one of the sacraments of initiation into the Catholic faith. In other words, you're not quite fully Catholic [and that's not quite fully accurate but it'll serve for the purposes of this post] until you've celebrated these three sacraments. In my diocese Confirmation is celebrated usually in a person's sophomore year in high school.]
I've done several confirmation retreats over the course of the last several years. I tend to focus on similar areas: the connection between baptism and confirmation; the responsibility to know about your faith (orthodoxy); the responsibility to practice your faith (orthopraxis); the importance of a regular prayer life, regular time with Scripture, and regular service to others; community building (via games, icebreakers, challenge-course like activities, etc.); and times of prayer, introspection and reflection, either in small groups, alone, or as a large group. I've done confirmation retreats that lasted four hours and some that have lasted a weekend.
Here is an edited reproduction of what I wrote back:
(-- Begin email reproduction --)
Even more than that, though, I'm not sure if I feel up to doing youth retreats anymore . . . I'm not sure why, but the last several ones I've done I haven't felt as if I'm up to the task. Let me explain - I think technically I'm up to it - I have the knowledge, I have the skills, I've got some good tricks up my sleeve . . . but I don't know if I have the passion to do them that I once did. Even more then that, though, I don't know if I have the zeal to do them anymore . . . I sometimes feel that my practice of Catholicism has lost it's soul, like I'm only going through the motions . . . like I *know* what to do, but that's where it ends- I only do it because I know how to, but not because I really want to.
The other part of it is that I want more time @ home . . . the more I feel adrift in my faith at times, the more I want to stay @ home, spend time with my family, read, work in the yard, etc. I feel like I need to be more grounded in my life (my home life, my domestic parish) and in my Christianity (both in my own knowledge and in my practice of my prayer life/spirituality) so that I can be more grounded in my faith, if that makes sense.
Please keep me in your prayers as I traverse this mini-dark night of my soul.
(-- End email reproduction --)
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
9.21.2005
Heretical Musings :-)
I found some notes I had jotted down in my planner - they're not fully developed, but I'd thought I'd post them up and see what happens! :-)
We were created in imperfection so that we could realize that we must make the journey home (to wholeness, to heaven) together - if we were perfect we wouldn't need other people, and Christianity is (or should be) a communal faith.
Also, if God had created us "perfect" then we would be gods as well, not humans - God alone is perfect . . . that means that necessarily - ontologically - we must not be perfect . . . it distinguishes us from God.
Maybe "imperfection" is not the right word . . . maybe that word is more indicative of a longing, a yearning for something beyond us, something that completes us . . . we are not created complete (perfect) because we will be complete at our re-birth in heaven.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
We were created in imperfection so that we could realize that we must make the journey home (to wholeness, to heaven) together - if we were perfect we wouldn't need other people, and Christianity is (or should be) a communal faith.
Also, if God had created us "perfect" then we would be gods as well, not humans - God alone is perfect . . . that means that necessarily - ontologically - we must not be perfect . . . it distinguishes us from God.
Maybe "imperfection" is not the right word . . . maybe that word is more indicative of a longing, a yearning for something beyond us, something that completes us . . . we are not created complete (perfect) because we will be complete at our re-birth in heaven.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
9.18.2005
A Child Died . . .
We had a memorial Mass and rosary for a 3rd grade child that died this morning (he was a student at my school and in the same grade as my son). He had been struggling with cancer for several years now. When my dad died several years ago I found a book with quotes about death and dying. I collected my favorites and now share them with people when they experience a loss. Here they are:
It’s OK to scream at God. He can take it.
-Earl Grollman
Cancer is not God’s will.
The death of a child is not God’s will.
Deaths from automobile accidents are not God’s will.
The only God worth believing in does not cause tragedies
but lovingly comes into the anguish with us.
-Madeline L’Engle
For I know the plans I have for you;
plans to comfort you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future.
-God (Jeremiah 29:11)
The conventional explanation,
that God sends us the burden
because he knows that we are strong enough to handle it,
has it all wrong.
Fate, not God, sends us the anguish.
When we try to deal with it, we find out that we are not strong.
We are weak; we get tired, we get angry, we get overwhelmed.
We begin to wonder how we will ever make it through all the years.
But when we reach the limits of our own strength and courage,
something unexpected happens.
We find reinforcement coming from a source outside of ourselves.
And in the knowledge that we are not alone,
that God is on our side, we manage to go on.
- Harold S. Kushner, When Bad Things Happen to Good People
Then what has been the reason for all of this?” Freddie continued to question. “Why were we here at all if we only have to fall and die?”
Daniel answered in his matter-of-fact way, “It’s been about the sun and the moon. It’s been about happy times together. It’s been about the shade and the old people and the children. It’s been about colors in Fall. It’s been about seasons. Isn’t that enough?”
That afternoon, in the golden sunlight of dusk, Daniel let go. He fell effortlessly. He seemed to smile peacefully as he fell. “Good-bye for now Freddie,” he said.
-Leo Buscaglia, The Fall of Freddie the Leaf
I have seen death too often to believe in death.
It is not an ending—but a withdrawal,
as one who finishes a long journey,
stills the motor, turns off the lights, steps from his car
and walks up the path to the home that awaits him.
-Don Blanding
Death is nothing at all—
I have only slipped away into the next room.
I am I, and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other, that we still are.
Call me by my old familiar name,
Speak to me in the easy way you always used.
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word that it always was.
Life means all that it ever meant.
There is absolutely unbroken continuity . . .
Why should I be out mind because I am out of sight?
I am waiting for you—for an interval—somewhere near,
Just around the corner. All is well.
-Henry Scott Holland
But when God sent you to me
He never said that you were mine,
That I could keep you always—
Only borrowed for a time.
Now he’s called you home,
I’m sad and I shed tears.
Yet I’m glad he loaned you to me
And we had these many years.
-Edna T. Burch, Missing You
God is closest to those with broken hearts.
-Jewish saying
“You will not always hurt like this.”
These words are true.
If they do not reach your heart today,
Do not reject them:
Keep them in your mind.
One morning, not tomorrow perhaps,
But the day after tomorrow,
Or the month after next month . . .
One morning the dawn will wake you
With the inconceivable surprise:
Your grief will have lost one small moment of its force.
Be ready for the time when you can feel for yourself
That these words are true:
“You will not always hurt like this.”
-Sascha, “True Words”
If you can’t pray as you want to, Pray as you can.
God knows what you mean.
-Vance Havner
Lean on Me, child, and cry—I know your heart is broken. I called your loved one home today, he is with Me. Look to Me, child, and trust. I am acquainted with grief. Hold on to Me, child. I know the searing of your soul, and I will ease your pain. Keep your eyes on Me, child. I will not abandon you. Be comforted, My child. Your loved one is rejoicing in My presence. Someday, My child, you will be with Me, and see your loved one again, where you will know no tears, death or loneliness. I love you, dear child, and know your hurt . . . So lean on me and cry.
-Donna Leonard, “Compassionate Christ”
I am the Resurrection and the life. If anyone believes in me, even though he dies, he will live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.
-Jesus (John 11:26)
I pray for the child who died, and for is family - please remember them in your prayers.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.
And let perpetual light shine upon him.
May he rest in peace.
Amen.
May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God,
rest in peace.
Amen.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
It’s OK to scream at God. He can take it.
-Earl Grollman
Cancer is not God’s will.
The death of a child is not God’s will.
Deaths from automobile accidents are not God’s will.
The only God worth believing in does not cause tragedies
but lovingly comes into the anguish with us.
-Madeline L’Engle
For I know the plans I have for you;
plans to comfort you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future.
-God (Jeremiah 29:11)
The conventional explanation,
that God sends us the burden
because he knows that we are strong enough to handle it,
has it all wrong.
Fate, not God, sends us the anguish.
When we try to deal with it, we find out that we are not strong.
We are weak; we get tired, we get angry, we get overwhelmed.
We begin to wonder how we will ever make it through all the years.
But when we reach the limits of our own strength and courage,
something unexpected happens.
We find reinforcement coming from a source outside of ourselves.
And in the knowledge that we are not alone,
that God is on our side, we manage to go on.
- Harold S. Kushner, When Bad Things Happen to Good People
Then what has been the reason for all of this?” Freddie continued to question. “Why were we here at all if we only have to fall and die?”
Daniel answered in his matter-of-fact way, “It’s been about the sun and the moon. It’s been about happy times together. It’s been about the shade and the old people and the children. It’s been about colors in Fall. It’s been about seasons. Isn’t that enough?”
That afternoon, in the golden sunlight of dusk, Daniel let go. He fell effortlessly. He seemed to smile peacefully as he fell. “Good-bye for now Freddie,” he said.
-Leo Buscaglia, The Fall of Freddie the Leaf
I have seen death too often to believe in death.
It is not an ending—but a withdrawal,
as one who finishes a long journey,
stills the motor, turns off the lights, steps from his car
and walks up the path to the home that awaits him.
-Don Blanding
Death is nothing at all—
I have only slipped away into the next room.
I am I, and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other, that we still are.
Call me by my old familiar name,
Speak to me in the easy way you always used.
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word that it always was.
Life means all that it ever meant.
There is absolutely unbroken continuity . . .
Why should I be out mind because I am out of sight?
I am waiting for you—for an interval—somewhere near,
Just around the corner. All is well.
-Henry Scott Holland
But when God sent you to me
He never said that you were mine,
That I could keep you always—
Only borrowed for a time.
Now he’s called you home,
I’m sad and I shed tears.
Yet I’m glad he loaned you to me
And we had these many years.
-Edna T. Burch, Missing You
God is closest to those with broken hearts.
-Jewish saying
“You will not always hurt like this.”
These words are true.
If they do not reach your heart today,
Do not reject them:
Keep them in your mind.
One morning, not tomorrow perhaps,
But the day after tomorrow,
Or the month after next month . . .
One morning the dawn will wake you
With the inconceivable surprise:
Your grief will have lost one small moment of its force.
Be ready for the time when you can feel for yourself
That these words are true:
“You will not always hurt like this.”
-Sascha, “True Words”
If you can’t pray as you want to, Pray as you can.
God knows what you mean.
-Vance Havner
Lean on Me, child, and cry—I know your heart is broken. I called your loved one home today, he is with Me. Look to Me, child, and trust. I am acquainted with grief. Hold on to Me, child. I know the searing of your soul, and I will ease your pain. Keep your eyes on Me, child. I will not abandon you. Be comforted, My child. Your loved one is rejoicing in My presence. Someday, My child, you will be with Me, and see your loved one again, where you will know no tears, death or loneliness. I love you, dear child, and know your hurt . . . So lean on me and cry.
-Donna Leonard, “Compassionate Christ”
I am the Resurrection and the life. If anyone believes in me, even though he dies, he will live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.
-Jesus (John 11:26)
I pray for the child who died, and for is family - please remember them in your prayers.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.
And let perpetual light shine upon him.
May he rest in peace.
Amen.
May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God,
rest in peace.
Amen.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
9.14.2005
One Spirit
So I've become an affiliate for One Spirit, a book club that I belong to. If you'd like (no pressure here!), check it out - I've been with 'em for several years and have bought many a book from them. If you like - join! I guarantee you'll find some interesting books with 'em. :-)
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
9.11.2005
And My Primary Vocation Is . . .
I’m reading a book called Sacrament of Sexuality: The Spirituality and Psychology of Sex by Morton and Barbara Kelsey. I found the following quote in a chapter discussing Sexuality, Love & Celibacy – I thought it a particularly insightful quote, so I thought I’d pass it on to all – enjoy! :-)
We believe that once two people are in committed relationship and have children that their Christian priorities need to shift. If children are sacrificed for outsiders, something is wrong with one’s Christian priorities. We have tried to listen to God in the depth of our prayer and quiet, and we have come to the conclusion that we genuinely lose certain freedoms when we are married and have children. We become part of an integral unit and community when we are married and if we fail in obligations to this unity, we can damage ourselves, our children and the community.
I remember once, when working for the diocese, being in a particularly long staff meeting. We were, as a diocesan pastoral staff, being brought to task for taking time off from our work during the week. We brought up the point that, for many of us, our work involved evenings and weekends in addition to our normal 8-5, Monday to Friday work days. The comment a vowed religious made was that it was part and parcel of our particular work/ministry and that we should learn to live with it. I disagreed. :-)
I believed then, and I believe now, that my primary ministry is to my family, then to my job. If I fail as a husband and a father, then it does not matter how good a job I am doing, how many classes I teach, how many deep theological discussions I have, how many conferences I coordinate, etc. I have failed in my primary vocation as a married man with a wife and a child if I put my job, even my religious job, before them.
I’m not always great at this – I can be a workaholic, and I know this about myself. But I pray daily for the grace to be able to distinguish when I must take off my “campus minister” hat and put on the more important “dad” and “hubby” hat.
Please pray for me as I struggle daily with this discernment of my primary vocation.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
We believe that once two people are in committed relationship and have children that their Christian priorities need to shift. If children are sacrificed for outsiders, something is wrong with one’s Christian priorities. We have tried to listen to God in the depth of our prayer and quiet, and we have come to the conclusion that we genuinely lose certain freedoms when we are married and have children. We become part of an integral unit and community when we are married and if we fail in obligations to this unity, we can damage ourselves, our children and the community.
I remember once, when working for the diocese, being in a particularly long staff meeting. We were, as a diocesan pastoral staff, being brought to task for taking time off from our work during the week. We brought up the point that, for many of us, our work involved evenings and weekends in addition to our normal 8-5, Monday to Friday work days. The comment a vowed religious made was that it was part and parcel of our particular work/ministry and that we should learn to live with it. I disagreed. :-)
I believed then, and I believe now, that my primary ministry is to my family, then to my job. If I fail as a husband and a father, then it does not matter how good a job I am doing, how many classes I teach, how many deep theological discussions I have, how many conferences I coordinate, etc. I have failed in my primary vocation as a married man with a wife and a child if I put my job, even my religious job, before them.
I’m not always great at this – I can be a workaholic, and I know this about myself. But I pray daily for the grace to be able to distinguish when I must take off my “campus minister” hat and put on the more important “dad” and “hubby” hat.
Please pray for me as I struggle daily with this discernment of my primary vocation.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
The Price of Gas
I lieu of regular posting (still way too busy!), I found this article on the price of gas that I thought was interesting - enjoy! :-)
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
9.08.2005
September - The Seven Sorrows of Mary
And now for something completely devotional :-) (Another post adapted from our school newsletter)
On September 15th we will celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows (she is the patroness of the school where I work). Devotion to her sorrows has traditionally been promoted during this month.
The practice of meditating on the Seven Sorrows of Mary began in the 13th century. It was started by a group of men who came to be known as the Order of the Friar Servants of Mary (Servites), an officially recognized religious Order in the Catholic Church. There are almost 5,000 members in the order today, and they still promote devotion to the Seven Sorrows.
In this devotion, reflection is given on seven moments in the life of Mary. There is a chaplet (like a mini-rosary) that is prayed in conjunction with the meditations on the seven sorrows.
This month, spend some time remembering how much Mary gave of herself. In doing so, we will take up the Servite mandate of prayer, unity, service and devotion to Our Lady. The Chaplet below will give you a path of meditation that will draw us closer to Jesus by being drawn closer to Mary.
Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows of Mary
1. Begin the Chaplet with the Sign of the Cross.
2. State your intentions for the chaplet.
3. Since the chaplet is penitential in character, an Act of Contrition is prayed.
4. Announce the First Sorrow (see list below).
5. Pray one Our Father.
6. Pray seven Hail Mary’s while meditating on the Sorrow.
7. Repeat steps 4 - 6 until all seven Sorrows have been reflected upon.
8. Three Hail Mary’s are prayed in honor of the tears Mary shed.
9. One Our Father is prayed.
10. The closing prayer is recited (see below).
First Sorrow: The Presentation/The Prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2:22-35)
Second Sorrow: The Flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-21)
Third Sorrow: The Child Jesus Lost in the Temple (Luke 2:41-50)
Fourth Sorrow: Mary Meets Jesus Carrying His Cross (Luke 23:26-32)
Fifth Sorrow: The Crucifixion/Mary at the Foot of the Cross (John 19:18, 25-30)
Sixth Sorrow: Mary Receives the Body of Jesus Taken Down from the Cross (Psalm 130; John 19:31-34, 38)
Seventh Sorrow: Jesus is Laid in the Tomb (Luke 23:50-56, John 19:38-42)
Closing Prayer
Leader: Pray for us, most sorrowful Virgin
Response: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let Us Pray:
Lord Jesus, we now implore, both for the present and for the hour of our death, the intercession of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, Your Mother, whose Holy Soul was pierced during Your Passion by a sword of grief. Grant us this favor, O Savior of the world, Who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
On September 15th we will celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows (she is the patroness of the school where I work). Devotion to her sorrows has traditionally been promoted during this month.
The practice of meditating on the Seven Sorrows of Mary began in the 13th century. It was started by a group of men who came to be known as the Order of the Friar Servants of Mary (Servites), an officially recognized religious Order in the Catholic Church. There are almost 5,000 members in the order today, and they still promote devotion to the Seven Sorrows.
In this devotion, reflection is given on seven moments in the life of Mary. There is a chaplet (like a mini-rosary) that is prayed in conjunction with the meditations on the seven sorrows.
This month, spend some time remembering how much Mary gave of herself. In doing so, we will take up the Servite mandate of prayer, unity, service and devotion to Our Lady. The Chaplet below will give you a path of meditation that will draw us closer to Jesus by being drawn closer to Mary.
Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows of Mary
1. Begin the Chaplet with the Sign of the Cross.
2. State your intentions for the chaplet.
3. Since the chaplet is penitential in character, an Act of Contrition is prayed.
4. Announce the First Sorrow (see list below).
5. Pray one Our Father.
6. Pray seven Hail Mary’s while meditating on the Sorrow.
7. Repeat steps 4 - 6 until all seven Sorrows have been reflected upon.
8. Three Hail Mary’s are prayed in honor of the tears Mary shed.
9. One Our Father is prayed.
10. The closing prayer is recited (see below).
First Sorrow: The Presentation/The Prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2:22-35)
Second Sorrow: The Flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-21)
Third Sorrow: The Child Jesus Lost in the Temple (Luke 2:41-50)
Fourth Sorrow: Mary Meets Jesus Carrying His Cross (Luke 23:26-32)
Fifth Sorrow: The Crucifixion/Mary at the Foot of the Cross (John 19:18, 25-30)
Sixth Sorrow: Mary Receives the Body of Jesus Taken Down from the Cross (Psalm 130; John 19:31-34, 38)
Seventh Sorrow: Jesus is Laid in the Tomb (Luke 23:50-56, John 19:38-42)
Closing Prayer
Leader: Pray for us, most sorrowful Virgin
Response: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let Us Pray:
Lord Jesus, we now implore, both for the present and for the hour of our death, the intercession of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, Your Mother, whose Holy Soul was pierced during Your Passion by a sword of grief. Grant us this favor, O Savior of the world, Who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
9.01.2005
Silence, Serenity & Stillness
I've been busy :-) So I apologize in advance for my lack of regular posts - the beginning of the school year is usually full of way too many things to do. That thought sparked this mini-article for our school newsletter - I share it here with all of y'all as well.
The fruit of silence is prayer
the fruit of prayer is faith
the fruit of faith is love
the fruit of love is service
the fruit of service is peace.
- Blessed Mother Theresa of Calcutta
Stillness is the greatest revelation.
- Taoist Proverb
Be still and know that I am God.
- Psalm 46:10
This month we celebrate the memorial of Blessed Mother Theresa of Calcutta. One of her quotes, featured above, is a favorite of mine. I like it because it begins in silence and ends in peace, while in between we find prayer, faith, love, and service - many of the Christian virtues we are called to incarnate into our lives and into our world.
However, it reminds me that, as Christian virtues go, silence isn’t a popular one, especially here in outgoing, extroverted, energetic America. But in terms of Scripture, we’re told that Jesus sometimes preached through his silence: when approached by an angry mob demanding that an adulterous woman be stoned, be met their anger and hypocrisy with silence; when questioned by those in authority near the end of his life, he responded with dignified silence; and upon performing miracles and healings, he sometimes asked those who were healed to stay silent regarding his power.
It’s hard to be silent in our culture - TV’s inundate us with news, weather, movies, and gossip; radios flood us with music and commentary every morning, afternoon and evening; coworkers, family members, friends, and acquaintances chat with us; and sometimes our own minds won’t stop a never-ending barrage of thoughts and emotions.
Silence, in our age, has become a precious commodity.
Stillness, too, is hard to come by. We are constantly on the move. Students tell me that there are days when they don’t get home until 9:00 pm or later. There are places to go, people to see, things to buy, friends to visit, and lots and lots of exciting, adventurous, fun things to do. But sit still? It’s regarded as wasteful . . . lazy . . . somehow un-Christian . . .
When again, Scripture reminds us that God wants us to be still and listen for his Voice, his Presence. Jesus spent hours, days, weeks, months alone in prayer, in contemplation, in re-creation. No one can accuse him of slacking off! In our culture, though, rest and relaxation don’t “count” unless we’ve left the house, driven a considerable distance, spent a considerable amount of money, or gone through considerable training to be able to engage in our re-creation.
My challenge to everyone (including myself!) is to do the following (consider it your spiritual “to do” list):
· Do less
· Listen more
· Sit still and waste time together
· Be alone for a while
· Drink lots of water and get plenty of sleep
I think you’ll find that if you do, and if you model this behavior for your family, you’ll be less stressed, more energetic, more focused on your blessings, and more able to listen to the roaring whisper that is God’s presence in your marriage, your family, your work, and your self.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo De La Rosa III
Campus Minister
The fruit of silence is prayer
the fruit of prayer is faith
the fruit of faith is love
the fruit of love is service
the fruit of service is peace.
- Blessed Mother Theresa of Calcutta
Stillness is the greatest revelation.
- Taoist Proverb
Be still and know that I am God.
- Psalm 46:10
This month we celebrate the memorial of Blessed Mother Theresa of Calcutta. One of her quotes, featured above, is a favorite of mine. I like it because it begins in silence and ends in peace, while in between we find prayer, faith, love, and service - many of the Christian virtues we are called to incarnate into our lives and into our world.
However, it reminds me that, as Christian virtues go, silence isn’t a popular one, especially here in outgoing, extroverted, energetic America. But in terms of Scripture, we’re told that Jesus sometimes preached through his silence: when approached by an angry mob demanding that an adulterous woman be stoned, be met their anger and hypocrisy with silence; when questioned by those in authority near the end of his life, he responded with dignified silence; and upon performing miracles and healings, he sometimes asked those who were healed to stay silent regarding his power.
It’s hard to be silent in our culture - TV’s inundate us with news, weather, movies, and gossip; radios flood us with music and commentary every morning, afternoon and evening; coworkers, family members, friends, and acquaintances chat with us; and sometimes our own minds won’t stop a never-ending barrage of thoughts and emotions.
Silence, in our age, has become a precious commodity.
Stillness, too, is hard to come by. We are constantly on the move. Students tell me that there are days when they don’t get home until 9:00 pm or later. There are places to go, people to see, things to buy, friends to visit, and lots and lots of exciting, adventurous, fun things to do. But sit still? It’s regarded as wasteful . . . lazy . . . somehow un-Christian . . .
When again, Scripture reminds us that God wants us to be still and listen for his Voice, his Presence. Jesus spent hours, days, weeks, months alone in prayer, in contemplation, in re-creation. No one can accuse him of slacking off! In our culture, though, rest and relaxation don’t “count” unless we’ve left the house, driven a considerable distance, spent a considerable amount of money, or gone through considerable training to be able to engage in our re-creation.
My challenge to everyone (including myself!) is to do the following (consider it your spiritual “to do” list):
· Do less
· Listen more
· Sit still and waste time together
· Be alone for a while
· Drink lots of water and get plenty of sleep
I think you’ll find that if you do, and if you model this behavior for your family, you’ll be less stressed, more energetic, more focused on your blessings, and more able to listen to the roaring whisper that is God’s presence in your marriage, your family, your work, and your self.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo De La Rosa III
Campus Minister
8.21.2005
Preaching the Gospel of Water
So I've read three books on water in the last week: two are by Masaru Emoto (The Hidden Messages in Water and The True Power of Water), and one by F. Batmanghelidj, M.D. (Water: for Health, for Healing, for Life). And I've got some interesting things to share (I'll get back to soteriology later!).
First off, Mr. Emoto's work
Masaru Emoto (He was one of the people interviewed for the movie What The Bleep Do We Know - which was quite interesting and not really a movie . . . sort of a movi-mentary) takes pictures of water crystals that form when Petri dishes full of water are frozen. The pictures are taken with/through an electron microscope. In a nutshell, Masaru shows that when water is talked to nicely, shown beautiful pictures, immersed in beautiful music, or surrounded by written kind words, the crystals form beautifully and well. When water is talked badly too, immersed in very loud, obnoxious music, shown pictures of devastated land, or surrounded by written unkind words, the crystals do not form, or if they form they are deformed, incomplete, or very non-symmetrical. Furthermore, he thinks that it's not so much the words and music, but the thoughts and feelings that are projected onto the water that make the difference. He also shows that modern ubiquitous electronic devices (TV's, cell phone, microwaves, computers, etc.) have the same effect on water as negative thoughts/emotions: they render it incapable of producing crystals. Finally, he shows that chemicals added to water to clean it (such as in cities) also drastically reduce water's ability to form the beautiful ice crystals, but that water from natural sources (waterfalls, rivers, lakes, etc.) that have not been inundated with chemicals or sewage readily forms ice crystals.
He postulates that our thoughts & emotions resonate on particular frequencies, and that those frequencies can be transmitted to water - the water then responds to what we are projecting. I thought it was interesting that quantum string theory postulates that the basic building blocks of all matter are not atoms, but submicroscopic "strings" that are constantly vibrating - these strings form the backdrop of reality. If Masaru's research is correct, this may be an interesting way that quantum theory and metaphysics/spirituality will blend together.
It's interesting to note that one of the case studies he talks about is where a Buddhist priest said a cleansing prayer over a reservoir. Water samples were taken both before and after the prayer: before the prayer water crystals would not form, but after the prayer some of the most beautiful crystals he'd ever seen had formed.
In short, I've begun praying over the water that I drink. :-) And I'd like to think that when I pray for another person, either physically present or far away, I am influencing them both on a spiritual plane and a physical one.
Then onto F. Barmanghelidj
He postulates that many diseases and disorders suffered by people come from a lack of water - a condition of chronic dehydration that most people live with. He traces many common ailments (heartburn, fatigue, stress, headaches, lower back pain, constipation, etc.) and even major diseases (cancer, autoimmune cases, diabetes, osteoporosis, etc.) back to a lack of water flowing through the body and retained by the body. I've searched around on the internet and found sites that are both pro and against his approach to medicine . . .I think he may have something to say.
First off, he states that by the time we "feel" thirsty our bodies have already entered a mild stage of dehydration - I had heard this before: if we wait until thirst settles in to drink a glass of water our bodies already need that water there. He further states that as we age we start to lose the ability to distinguish water thirst - and that many people mistake water thirst for hunger pains and then eat more to try and quench their thirst.
He recommends drinking at least 8 ounces of water upon rising (I would add: after brushing your teeth!), 8 ounces about 30 minutes before you eat, and at least 8 ounces about an hour and a half after you eat. That works out to at least seven 8-ounce servings of water a day. He recommends cutting out all drinks with caffeine (because it is a diuretic which causes the body to lose more water then is put in), and increasing the intake of salt as the intake of water is increased (to help promote healthy water retention where needed in the body).
I like his ideas, and they're well-presented - a lay reader like me can follow along pretty well. :-)
Finally, my results
My family and I have increased our water intake. My son was taking medicine for allergies and activity-induced asthma. He's since begun drinking at least three 8-ounce servings of purified water a day. He has not taken his singular, and he has not had the sniffles or dry cough at all since we began the regimen (he had these even when taking his medication).
My wife (who had been diagnosed with asthma, allergies and chronic fatigue syndrome) has not had to use either of her inhalers at all since we started drinking more water, and she shows increased energy and vigor (though she's also doing yoga & Pilates). I've noticed that I am far less hungry then I've been and am eating less (he asserts that most people overeat because they mistake thirst for hunger), and that the irritations in my throat & nose (I've also been diagnosed with allergies) have gone away. I have also taken the habit of praying for and blessing my water (which will probably elicit strange looks if I'm ever caught doing it in public!)
Does it work for everything? I'm not sure. Has it worked for the minor (and not-so-minor) ailments my family is experiencing? Pretty darn well. Would I recommend any of the books? Undoubtedly - read them for yourselves and make up your own minds. :-)
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
First off, Mr. Emoto's work
Masaru Emoto (He was one of the people interviewed for the movie What The Bleep Do We Know - which was quite interesting and not really a movie . . . sort of a movi-mentary) takes pictures of water crystals that form when Petri dishes full of water are frozen. The pictures are taken with/through an electron microscope. In a nutshell, Masaru shows that when water is talked to nicely, shown beautiful pictures, immersed in beautiful music, or surrounded by written kind words, the crystals form beautifully and well. When water is talked badly too, immersed in very loud, obnoxious music, shown pictures of devastated land, or surrounded by written unkind words, the crystals do not form, or if they form they are deformed, incomplete, or very non-symmetrical. Furthermore, he thinks that it's not so much the words and music, but the thoughts and feelings that are projected onto the water that make the difference. He also shows that modern ubiquitous electronic devices (TV's, cell phone, microwaves, computers, etc.) have the same effect on water as negative thoughts/emotions: they render it incapable of producing crystals. Finally, he shows that chemicals added to water to clean it (such as in cities) also drastically reduce water's ability to form the beautiful ice crystals, but that water from natural sources (waterfalls, rivers, lakes, etc.) that have not been inundated with chemicals or sewage readily forms ice crystals.
He postulates that our thoughts & emotions resonate on particular frequencies, and that those frequencies can be transmitted to water - the water then responds to what we are projecting. I thought it was interesting that quantum string theory postulates that the basic building blocks of all matter are not atoms, but submicroscopic "strings" that are constantly vibrating - these strings form the backdrop of reality. If Masaru's research is correct, this may be an interesting way that quantum theory and metaphysics/spirituality will blend together.
It's interesting to note that one of the case studies he talks about is where a Buddhist priest said a cleansing prayer over a reservoir. Water samples were taken both before and after the prayer: before the prayer water crystals would not form, but after the prayer some of the most beautiful crystals he'd ever seen had formed.
In short, I've begun praying over the water that I drink. :-) And I'd like to think that when I pray for another person, either physically present or far away, I am influencing them both on a spiritual plane and a physical one.
Then onto F. Barmanghelidj
He postulates that many diseases and disorders suffered by people come from a lack of water - a condition of chronic dehydration that most people live with. He traces many common ailments (heartburn, fatigue, stress, headaches, lower back pain, constipation, etc.) and even major diseases (cancer, autoimmune cases, diabetes, osteoporosis, etc.) back to a lack of water flowing through the body and retained by the body. I've searched around on the internet and found sites that are both pro and against his approach to medicine . . .I think he may have something to say.
First off, he states that by the time we "feel" thirsty our bodies have already entered a mild stage of dehydration - I had heard this before: if we wait until thirst settles in to drink a glass of water our bodies already need that water there. He further states that as we age we start to lose the ability to distinguish water thirst - and that many people mistake water thirst for hunger pains and then eat more to try and quench their thirst.
He recommends drinking at least 8 ounces of water upon rising (I would add: after brushing your teeth!), 8 ounces about 30 minutes before you eat, and at least 8 ounces about an hour and a half after you eat. That works out to at least seven 8-ounce servings of water a day. He recommends cutting out all drinks with caffeine (because it is a diuretic which causes the body to lose more water then is put in), and increasing the intake of salt as the intake of water is increased (to help promote healthy water retention where needed in the body).
I like his ideas, and they're well-presented - a lay reader like me can follow along pretty well. :-)
Finally, my results
My family and I have increased our water intake. My son was taking medicine for allergies and activity-induced asthma. He's since begun drinking at least three 8-ounce servings of purified water a day. He has not taken his singular, and he has not had the sniffles or dry cough at all since we began the regimen (he had these even when taking his medication).
My wife (who had been diagnosed with asthma, allergies and chronic fatigue syndrome) has not had to use either of her inhalers at all since we started drinking more water, and she shows increased energy and vigor (though she's also doing yoga & Pilates). I've noticed that I am far less hungry then I've been and am eating less (he asserts that most people overeat because they mistake thirst for hunger), and that the irritations in my throat & nose (I've also been diagnosed with allergies) have gone away. I have also taken the habit of praying for and blessing my water (which will probably elicit strange looks if I'm ever caught doing it in public!)
Does it work for everything? I'm not sure. Has it worked for the minor (and not-so-minor) ailments my family is experiencing? Pretty darn well. Would I recommend any of the books? Undoubtedly - read them for yourselves and make up your own minds. :-)
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
8.16.2005
Double Post Cause I was Tagged :-)
So the more important post is below this one - read it first then come back up here - I'll wait . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ok, so you're back - Iggy tagged me, so here I go:
List ten songs that you are currently digging. It does not matter what genre they are from, whether they have words, or even if they are no good, but they must be songs you are really enjoying right now. Post these instructions, the artists, and the ten songs in your blog. Then tag five other people to see what they are listening to.
So here's my list:
1. Matchbox 20 - 3 Am (acoustic version)
2. 3 Doors Down - Kryptonite
3. Puddle of Mudd - Control
4. Smash Mouth - I'm a Believer
5. Linkin Park - Faint
6. Counting Crows - Mr. Jones
7. Randy Garibay - Barbacoa Blues
8. Wynton Marsalis - J Mood
9. Casting Crowns - Here I Go Again
10. The Killers - Mr. Brightside
11. Thousand Foot Krutch - Every Single Song from both CD's I own :-)
As for tagging other people . . . let's see . . . I'll tag Neal, KC, Pecheur, JadedCM, and Justin, and Gabe, and Matt and Adam and Corry and Pat and Jody and I think that'll do because I went tagging crazy - it's the first full weeek of school with kids (us teachers started last week) and I need to destress :-) so please look kindly away as I spiral out of control with my tagging :-)
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
Ok, so you're back - Iggy tagged me, so here I go:
List ten songs that you are currently digging. It does not matter what genre they are from, whether they have words, or even if they are no good, but they must be songs you are really enjoying right now. Post these instructions, the artists, and the ten songs in your blog. Then tag five other people to see what they are listening to.
So here's my list:
1. Matchbox 20 - 3 Am (acoustic version)
2. 3 Doors Down - Kryptonite
3. Puddle of Mudd - Control
4. Smash Mouth - I'm a Believer
5. Linkin Park - Faint
6. Counting Crows - Mr. Jones
7. Randy Garibay - Barbacoa Blues
8. Wynton Marsalis - J Mood
9. Casting Crowns - Here I Go Again
10. The Killers - Mr. Brightside
11. Thousand Foot Krutch - Every Single Song from both CD's I own :-)
As for tagging other people . . . let's see . . . I'll tag Neal, KC, Pecheur, JadedCM, and Justin, and Gabe, and Matt and Adam and Corry and Pat and Jody and I think that'll do because I went tagging crazy - it's the first full weeek of school with kids (us teachers started last week) and I need to destress :-) so please look kindly away as I spiral out of control with my tagging :-)
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
Salvation Part III
More of a question then a post, this is what started me thinking about salvation outside of Jesus.
Think back to the time when Jesus walked the earth. He never traveled a significant distance from where he was born and grew up. Once he started his earthly ministry he touched the lives of hundreds of people, but certainly not the whole world. Once he resurrected and ascended his apostles started to preach the good news, but they certainly didn't make it out to the whole world.
This means that while Jesus was alive there were people who never met him and never talked to him. When his apostles started preaching there were hundreds of thousands of people who never heard them preach, never had a chance to encounter Jesus as way, truth and life. Through no fault of their own countless millions died before Jesus was born, many more died while he was alive, and many more died in the time after his death. Currently we have the gospel being preached in many corners of the world, but we haven't reached every single living human being, so there are still some people who have never heard of the holy man from Nazareth.
What about them?
Is heaven / salvation / life in the world to come / entry into the great feast /etc. closed to them forever?
I'd like to hear how this dilemma has been resolved in the lives of individuals who read my blog - this is the crux of where my exploration of salvation began, and it is still the crucible where my thoughts are being refined.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
Think back to the time when Jesus walked the earth. He never traveled a significant distance from where he was born and grew up. Once he started his earthly ministry he touched the lives of hundreds of people, but certainly not the whole world. Once he resurrected and ascended his apostles started to preach the good news, but they certainly didn't make it out to the whole world.
This means that while Jesus was alive there were people who never met him and never talked to him. When his apostles started preaching there were hundreds of thousands of people who never heard them preach, never had a chance to encounter Jesus as way, truth and life. Through no fault of their own countless millions died before Jesus was born, many more died while he was alive, and many more died in the time after his death. Currently we have the gospel being preached in many corners of the world, but we haven't reached every single living human being, so there are still some people who have never heard of the holy man from Nazareth.
What about them?
Is heaven / salvation / life in the world to come / entry into the great feast /etc. closed to them forever?
I'd like to hear how this dilemma has been resolved in the lives of individuals who read my blog - this is the crux of where my exploration of salvation began, and it is still the crucible where my thoughts are being refined.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
8.07.2005
I will die . . .
On Saturday, November 9, 2058. This according to the Death Clock. I expect to see everyone at my funeral, and I expect for you to say nice things about me. (Just some random silliness as I sat down to blog and realized I wasn't in the mood because I was tired from painting and cleaning our house this weekend!) :-)
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
8.01.2005
Salvation Remixed
Further thoughts on salvation (you may also want to read KC's postings on the subject) based on ruminations on two (2) Scripture passages:
1. Mark 2:1-12
Here we've got a story about a paralyzed man, someone who couldn't move at all . . . Jesus is teaching/preaching out of a house, and it's so packed that there's hardly room to breathe, let alone move. Some friends of the paralyzed man have brought him to Jesus, fully believing that they can be healed. But they can't get it. No matter what they try to do, they are denied entrance. The people in and around the house tell them that there is no more room, that they should've gotten there earlier, that they can come back when Jesus is done, etc., etc., and etc.
The paralyzed man and his friends could've left . . . but they didn't. The normal way to enter the house was through the front door . . . they thought of a different way.
I can almost imagine the indignation and criticism they would have received, both from the owners of the house and from the gathered crowd, as they joyfully commenced to tear open a hole in the roof of the house. But they didn't care - they kept going, until the hole was large enough for them to lower their paralyzed friend through the roof.
And Jesus? He didn't yell at them, he didn't chastise them, he didn't order them to act like everyone else was acting . . . he healed the paralyzed man. I can imagine he lost quite a few followers that day, and for good reason - he had acted in a way contrary to how everyone else thought a good, religious, pious Jewish messiah should act.
I think, like I mentioned before, that Jesus will get some of that same response at the end of time - some people will look at other people and start to tell them why they shouldn't be there, why they should be at the back of the line, or why they should be in another line altogether (one moving toward a place with no air conditioning, if you know what I mean! [yes, I stole that phrase from Whose Line Is It Anyway? - I love the show!]). Jesus will watch as the lines shift, those who are sure of their entrance into heaven moving to the front, those not so sure anymore moving to the back . . . and then Jesus will smile, call to those in the back, and have them come forward, entering heaven not in the usual way, but through an entrance large enough to accommodate the love of our Lord and Savior who redeemed all people.
Those that lived lives not-quite-measuring-up-to what a respectable Christian life will enter heaven first . . . . . . . I think Jesus said a few things about the first being last somewhere in the gospels. :-)
2) Luke 15
Three of my favorite parables, all having to do with something lost turning into something found: a shepherd finding a lost sheep, a woman finding a lost coin, and a father finding a lost son. All three of them speak to me of salvation, of the way that God endlessly pursues us and tries to seduce us into a living & loving relationship with the Divine.
In the first two stories, the sheep and the coin have only one action: to get lost. Simple. Direct. To the Point. No way they can mess that up! The people, on the other hand, have the much harder part: finding the lost thing (they're always in the last place you look!).
The last story, however, has more action . . . more drama. We've got two sons and a father . . . the younger sons wants his share of the inheritance . . . tantamount to going up to his dad and saying: "why aren't you dead yet? I want the money, the stuff I'm supposed to get when you die . . . hurry up already!"
The father hands it over, the son liquidates it all, takes the money, and head for Las Vegas, intent on having fun forever. Forever turns out to be shorter then he expected, and he has to take odd jobs, jobs that no respectable Jewish boy would ever take . . . til one day he decides that working for his dad might be a bit better then his current living conditions. He goes back, and this is where the story gets interesting.
His dad, we're told, has been on the lookout for him every single day. When he spots his son, he runs (something no self-respecting Jewish father of the time would ever do in public) to his son, stops him in mid-confession, and commences to throw the wildest party since God created the universe.
I'm sure he got criticized: what are you trying to do . . . spoil him? You mean you didn't even lecture him? Didn't gloat? You didn't reprimand him? You aren't going to make him pay back the money he wasted? You approve of what he did and how he lived? And on and on and on.
Even his own other son didn't want to be part of the celebration . . . to quote the NAB, he said: "Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf."
Again, I sometimes think that Christians will give God the same response: we followed the commandments, we lived out the beatitudes, we attended Church, we confessed Jesus as Lord, we read Hugo's blog daily, we did all the works of mercy, we prayed daily, we read the Bible and they didn't!
And I think God will answer the same way one Jewish dad answered his son in a story: "My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found." In other words, we were already blessed our whole lives long to live and move and have our being in God's presence - to fully acknowledge the wonderful and terrible presence of God's own Spirit in our lives, transforming us - moment by moment - into the image of his Son. We've already been given a foretaste of heaven . . . who are we to deny it to others just because they were not fortunate enough to experience that foretaste here on earth?
Would that we always remember that each and every one of us has been and is currently the lost son . . . and that God is continually looking out for us, whether we make our confession at 1, 10, 100 years of age . . . or .00000001 seconds before we die.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
1. Mark 2:1-12
Here we've got a story about a paralyzed man, someone who couldn't move at all . . . Jesus is teaching/preaching out of a house, and it's so packed that there's hardly room to breathe, let alone move. Some friends of the paralyzed man have brought him to Jesus, fully believing that they can be healed. But they can't get it. No matter what they try to do, they are denied entrance. The people in and around the house tell them that there is no more room, that they should've gotten there earlier, that they can come back when Jesus is done, etc., etc., and etc.
The paralyzed man and his friends could've left . . . but they didn't. The normal way to enter the house was through the front door . . . they thought of a different way.
I can almost imagine the indignation and criticism they would have received, both from the owners of the house and from the gathered crowd, as they joyfully commenced to tear open a hole in the roof of the house. But they didn't care - they kept going, until the hole was large enough for them to lower their paralyzed friend through the roof.
And Jesus? He didn't yell at them, he didn't chastise them, he didn't order them to act like everyone else was acting . . . he healed the paralyzed man. I can imagine he lost quite a few followers that day, and for good reason - he had acted in a way contrary to how everyone else thought a good, religious, pious Jewish messiah should act.
I think, like I mentioned before, that Jesus will get some of that same response at the end of time - some people will look at other people and start to tell them why they shouldn't be there, why they should be at the back of the line, or why they should be in another line altogether (one moving toward a place with no air conditioning, if you know what I mean! [yes, I stole that phrase from Whose Line Is It Anyway? - I love the show!]). Jesus will watch as the lines shift, those who are sure of their entrance into heaven moving to the front, those not so sure anymore moving to the back . . . and then Jesus will smile, call to those in the back, and have them come forward, entering heaven not in the usual way, but through an entrance large enough to accommodate the love of our Lord and Savior who redeemed all people.
Those that lived lives not-quite-measuring-up-to what a respectable Christian life will enter heaven first . . . . . . . I think Jesus said a few things about the first being last somewhere in the gospels. :-)
2) Luke 15
Three of my favorite parables, all having to do with something lost turning into something found: a shepherd finding a lost sheep, a woman finding a lost coin, and a father finding a lost son. All three of them speak to me of salvation, of the way that God endlessly pursues us and tries to seduce us into a living & loving relationship with the Divine.
In the first two stories, the sheep and the coin have only one action: to get lost. Simple. Direct. To the Point. No way they can mess that up! The people, on the other hand, have the much harder part: finding the lost thing (they're always in the last place you look!).
The last story, however, has more action . . . more drama. We've got two sons and a father . . . the younger sons wants his share of the inheritance . . . tantamount to going up to his dad and saying: "why aren't you dead yet? I want the money, the stuff I'm supposed to get when you die . . . hurry up already!"
The father hands it over, the son liquidates it all, takes the money, and head for Las Vegas, intent on having fun forever. Forever turns out to be shorter then he expected, and he has to take odd jobs, jobs that no respectable Jewish boy would ever take . . . til one day he decides that working for his dad might be a bit better then his current living conditions. He goes back, and this is where the story gets interesting.
His dad, we're told, has been on the lookout for him every single day. When he spots his son, he runs (something no self-respecting Jewish father of the time would ever do in public) to his son, stops him in mid-confession, and commences to throw the wildest party since God created the universe.
I'm sure he got criticized: what are you trying to do . . . spoil him? You mean you didn't even lecture him? Didn't gloat? You didn't reprimand him? You aren't going to make him pay back the money he wasted? You approve of what he did and how he lived? And on and on and on.
Even his own other son didn't want to be part of the celebration . . . to quote the NAB, he said: "Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf."
Again, I sometimes think that Christians will give God the same response: we followed the commandments, we lived out the beatitudes, we attended Church, we confessed Jesus as Lord, we read Hugo's blog daily, we did all the works of mercy, we prayed daily, we read the Bible and they didn't!
And I think God will answer the same way one Jewish dad answered his son in a story: "My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found." In other words, we were already blessed our whole lives long to live and move and have our being in God's presence - to fully acknowledge the wonderful and terrible presence of God's own Spirit in our lives, transforming us - moment by moment - into the image of his Son. We've already been given a foretaste of heaven . . . who are we to deny it to others just because they were not fortunate enough to experience that foretaste here on earth?
Would that we always remember that each and every one of us has been and is currently the lost son . . . and that God is continually looking out for us, whether we make our confession at 1, 10, 100 years of age . . . or .00000001 seconds before we die.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
7.26.2005
Salvation and World Religions
Ok, so here we go . . . I'm on an email discussion list (where I'm the only Catholic - pray for me!), and right now we're talking about salvation through Jesus. I have some thoughts on that, but I want to start from a slightly different angle.
In Catholicism, participation in the sacramental life of the church is a normative way of achieving salvation. The only way to participate in the sacramental life of the church is through baptism, the "first" sacrament. The normal way that baptism is received by an individual is through a baptismal ceremony that takes place during Mass. The priest will pour or sprinkle water on your forehead (or dunk you three times under water, according to parish/diocesan custom and age), and baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
And poof! - you're a new member of the church (whether you're 1, 10 or 100).
However, the church recognizes that there may be times when being baptized by a priest is an impossibility. At numerous times and in numerous places priest have been in short supply or outlawed, and baptism by a priest is nigh impossible. In circumstances where it's a life or death situation, any baptized person can validly baptize another . . . any - doesn't even have to be Catholic! :-)
So if a busload of pregnant Catholic women is stranded in the desert aboard a bus that's about to be hit by a meteor, and they all give birth at the same time, and there's no priest to baptize them, any of them can validly perform a baptism on all of the new babies. And if they're too tired (for some weird reason) to perform the baptism, then the Lutheran bus driver or the Methodist husband could also perform the baptism as well. And there would be no need to have the babies "rebaptized" in a Catholic church because they would have already received the sacrament of baptism.
But it gets better. If you're studying to become a Catholic, and sincerely want to be baptized into the Catholic church, but you die before you get baptized, you're considered baptized by desire. Remember our bus? If there's a fellow sleeping in the corner, and he's a catechumenate (someone studying to become Catholic - don't you love fancy words?!), and he's on his way to be baptized in his home town, and he dies when the meteor hits, he's still considered to be validly baptized - a fully practicing member of the Catholic faith - he's already 7/12th of the way to heaven because of his baptism by desire.
But wait - there's more! (I remind myself of a late night TV commercial trying to sell you <>) If you're even thinking about joining the church (you haven't even started taking classes yet!) and you die protecting the faith, or you die practicing the faith, then you're considered baptized by blood - your martyrdom becomes the gateway to your (admittedly extremely brief) sacramental life. Back on the bus, an agnostic young lady who's been reading my (pre-quiz) blog and who was thinking of calling up a priest to set up classes selflessly sacrifices herself when rabid jackelopes enter the bus, throwing herself in harm way so that the herd of demonic critters eats her instead of the new babies - she's had a valid baptism by blood. (One of the reasons that so many saints are martyrs is because the church has for centuries recognized that dying for your faith pretty much means you get an all-access backstage pass once you hit the afterlife!)
So the sense I get is that the Catholic church, far from trying to narrowly define who gets into heaven, is actually trying to show that the doors are thrown pretty wide open - God is waiting with open arms, and God, it seems, has set things up for us to get in . . . because for some weird reason he loves us and wants us with him for all of eternity! :-)
On a quick note before I change topics: I think that one of the things that this sacramental stance implies is that you don't have to be Catholic to enter heaven (I know - all of you just took a sigh of relief!) - since the church recognizes all Trinitarian baptism as valid, you're pretty much good to go!
Having said that, let's go on to my stance regarding salvation for people who aren't Christian (of any denomination). . .
I have heard it said, and there are many Scripture quotes supporting this, that if you don't confess that Jesus is Lord and Savior you don't get saved - period - no ifs, ands, or buts. But I have a problem with this stance. Part of it is my Catholic faith - as you can see from everything else I wrote, we're trying hard to get everyone in. :-) Part of it, I know, is my own personality - I tend to err on the side of gentleness, mercy, compassion, forgiveness, etc. The last part of it, though, is where I jump back to Scripture - Matthew 25:31-46.
Here, Jesus tells the story about the sheep and the goats . . . the sheep are out feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting those who are sick and in prison, welcoming strangers, etc. . . . and Jesus says that they're blessed by his Father and that they will inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world. Now, these people are pretty confused . . . Jesus says that they did this for him. So they speak up (never being ones to just quietly follow along) - when did we do this, they demand? And he says "whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me." And the people are pretty shocked . . . "you mean, that guy on the subway . . . the pregnant high school kid I helped out . . . my crabby aunt who was in the hospital . . . the gang member who was hurt . . . my ex-wife . . . that guy who never blogged very much" and on and on and on . . . every single good deed, every single helpful, kind and compassionate act - that brought about their salvation . . . nowhere does Jesus say "those who called on my name for salvation - single file line here . . . everyone else . . . sucks to be you!" (I'm roughly paraphrasing, of course) :-)
I believe that God saves through Jesus Christ . . . I wouldn't call myself a Catholic Christian if I didn't believe that. But I also believe that the Paschal Mystery (Jesus' incarnation, birth, life, passion, death, resurrection and ascension) redeemed the cosmos - every atom, every person, every planet, every solar system, every dimension - everything . . . and that salvation is available to everyone because of that, through their own faith, and not just because a person happens to belong to the right club (Christian one).
One last thought: I also like the parable in Matthew 20:1-16, in conjunction with Matthew 25 . . . This parable talks about a landowner who needs workers in his vineyards. He goes out at 6 AM, finds some unemployed people, and agrees to pay them a day's wages for their work. At 9 AM, realizing they'll never finish in time, he goes and gets some more people to work. He does the same at noon, at 3 PM, and then at 5 PM. When quitting time comes around at 6 PM, he tells people to line up to receive payment, those who came in at 5 PM at the front of the line, the rest in chronological order. The last batch of people are paid a full day’s wage . . . you can imagine how happy they were (I sometimes wish my principal would follow this Scriptural example!). Everyone else gets a bit excited - they're expecting more. By the time the last batch of people gets there, everyone is angry - everyone got paid the exact same thing. So they complain - what the *&#($ is going on? We worked our assets off all day, and these bums who only worked an hour get the same pay we did?!?!? (Sorry for the rough language!)
The point of the parable is telling: My friend, the landowner says, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?
I think God may have that problem with many Christians on the day we enter heaven - we'll look around, see the pagans, the heretics, the agnostics, the atheists, the lost, the broken, the not-so-faithful, the twice-a-year Christians, the abortionists, the Muslims, the Hindus, the rock and roll guys, the promiscuous, the greedy, and on and on and on and on . . . and we'll complain: God, we followed all the rules, we stayed within the lines, we fasted and we read and we prayed and we tithed and we called on Jesus and we went to Church and we held hands with people we really didn't like . . . why are all these other people here?
And God'll answer: I don't understand . . . you're in heaven . . . with me . . . for all eternity, for ever and ever and ever . . . that’s not enough? Can't I be generous, compassionate, loving, forgiving, merciful . . . do you really think my love is limited? You have your reward . . . please don't be envious because I am generous.
That’s the God that I believe in, that’s the faith that I proclaim, and that’s my hope for the salvation of the world. My prayer is that we’ll all see each other at that great, final banqueting feast in the awe-some and awe-filled presence of God.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
In Catholicism, participation in the sacramental life of the church is a normative way of achieving salvation. The only way to participate in the sacramental life of the church is through baptism, the "first" sacrament. The normal way that baptism is received by an individual is through a baptismal ceremony that takes place during Mass. The priest will pour or sprinkle water on your forehead (or dunk you three times under water, according to parish/diocesan custom and age), and baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
And poof! - you're a new member of the church (whether you're 1, 10 or 100).
However, the church recognizes that there may be times when being baptized by a priest is an impossibility. At numerous times and in numerous places priest have been in short supply or outlawed, and baptism by a priest is nigh impossible. In circumstances where it's a life or death situation, any baptized person can validly baptize another . . . any - doesn't even have to be Catholic! :-)
So if a busload of pregnant Catholic women is stranded in the desert aboard a bus that's about to be hit by a meteor, and they all give birth at the same time, and there's no priest to baptize them, any of them can validly perform a baptism on all of the new babies. And if they're too tired (for some weird reason) to perform the baptism, then the Lutheran bus driver or the Methodist husband could also perform the baptism as well. And there would be no need to have the babies "rebaptized" in a Catholic church because they would have already received the sacrament of baptism.
But it gets better. If you're studying to become a Catholic, and sincerely want to be baptized into the Catholic church, but you die before you get baptized, you're considered baptized by desire. Remember our bus? If there's a fellow sleeping in the corner, and he's a catechumenate (someone studying to become Catholic - don't you love fancy words?!), and he's on his way to be baptized in his home town, and he dies when the meteor hits, he's still considered to be validly baptized - a fully practicing member of the Catholic faith - he's already 7/12th of the way to heaven because of his baptism by desire.
But wait - there's more! (I remind myself of a late night TV commercial trying to sell you <
So the sense I get is that the Catholic church, far from trying to narrowly define who gets into heaven, is actually trying to show that the doors are thrown pretty wide open - God is waiting with open arms, and God, it seems, has set things up for us to get in . . . because for some weird reason he loves us and wants us with him for all of eternity! :-)
On a quick note before I change topics: I think that one of the things that this sacramental stance implies is that you don't have to be Catholic to enter heaven (I know - all of you just took a sigh of relief!) - since the church recognizes all Trinitarian baptism as valid, you're pretty much good to go!
Having said that, let's go on to my stance regarding salvation for people who aren't Christian (of any denomination). . .
I have heard it said, and there are many Scripture quotes supporting this, that if you don't confess that Jesus is Lord and Savior you don't get saved - period - no ifs, ands, or buts. But I have a problem with this stance. Part of it is my Catholic faith - as you can see from everything else I wrote, we're trying hard to get everyone in. :-) Part of it, I know, is my own personality - I tend to err on the side of gentleness, mercy, compassion, forgiveness, etc. The last part of it, though, is where I jump back to Scripture - Matthew 25:31-46.
Here, Jesus tells the story about the sheep and the goats . . . the sheep are out feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting those who are sick and in prison, welcoming strangers, etc. . . . and Jesus says that they're blessed by his Father and that they will inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world. Now, these people are pretty confused . . . Jesus says that they did this for him. So they speak up (never being ones to just quietly follow along) - when did we do this, they demand? And he says "whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me." And the people are pretty shocked . . . "you mean, that guy on the subway . . . the pregnant high school kid I helped out . . . my crabby aunt who was in the hospital . . . the gang member who was hurt . . . my ex-wife . . . that guy who never blogged very much" and on and on and on . . . every single good deed, every single helpful, kind and compassionate act - that brought about their salvation . . . nowhere does Jesus say "those who called on my name for salvation - single file line here . . . everyone else . . . sucks to be you!" (I'm roughly paraphrasing, of course) :-)
I believe that God saves through Jesus Christ . . . I wouldn't call myself a Catholic Christian if I didn't believe that. But I also believe that the Paschal Mystery (Jesus' incarnation, birth, life, passion, death, resurrection and ascension) redeemed the cosmos - every atom, every person, every planet, every solar system, every dimension - everything . . . and that salvation is available to everyone because of that, through their own faith, and not just because a person happens to belong to the right club (Christian one).
One last thought: I also like the parable in Matthew 20:1-16, in conjunction with Matthew 25 . . . This parable talks about a landowner who needs workers in his vineyards. He goes out at 6 AM, finds some unemployed people, and agrees to pay them a day's wages for their work. At 9 AM, realizing they'll never finish in time, he goes and gets some more people to work. He does the same at noon, at 3 PM, and then at 5 PM. When quitting time comes around at 6 PM, he tells people to line up to receive payment, those who came in at 5 PM at the front of the line, the rest in chronological order. The last batch of people are paid a full day’s wage . . . you can imagine how happy they were (I sometimes wish my principal would follow this Scriptural example!). Everyone else gets a bit excited - they're expecting more. By the time the last batch of people gets there, everyone is angry - everyone got paid the exact same thing. So they complain - what the *&#($ is going on? We worked our assets off all day, and these bums who only worked an hour get the same pay we did?!?!? (Sorry for the rough language!)
The point of the parable is telling: My friend, the landowner says, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?
I think God may have that problem with many Christians on the day we enter heaven - we'll look around, see the pagans, the heretics, the agnostics, the atheists, the lost, the broken, the not-so-faithful, the twice-a-year Christians, the abortionists, the Muslims, the Hindus, the rock and roll guys, the promiscuous, the greedy, and on and on and on and on . . . and we'll complain: God, we followed all the rules, we stayed within the lines, we fasted and we read and we prayed and we tithed and we called on Jesus and we went to Church and we held hands with people we really didn't like . . . why are all these other people here?
And God'll answer: I don't understand . . . you're in heaven . . . with me . . . for all eternity, for ever and ever and ever . . . that’s not enough? Can't I be generous, compassionate, loving, forgiving, merciful . . . do you really think my love is limited? You have your reward . . . please don't be envious because I am generous.
That’s the God that I believe in, that’s the faith that I proclaim, and that’s my hope for the salvation of the world. My prayer is that we’ll all see each other at that great, final banqueting feast in the awe-some and awe-filled presence of God.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
7.24.2005
I'm A Sacrament :-)
I took yet another quiz (culled from another blog), this one based off of Avery Dulles' Models of the Church. I tried pasting in my results but they looked atrocious (and I didn't feel like messing with the HTML), so I'm cutting and pasting straight from the website:
You scored as Sacrament model.
Your model of the church is Sacrament. The church is the effective sign of the revelation that is the person of Jesus Christ. Christians are transformed by Christ and then become a beacon of Christ wherever they go. This model has a remarkable capacity for integrating other models of the church.
I studied this in college, took a course while working with the Diocese, and I've re-read Dulles' book as well, and I resonate with the sacramental model - it was and continues to be my favorite model.
My next two models were Mystical Communion (78%) and Servant (72%), both of which I remember liking as well (but not as much as the sacramental model).
What can I say? I'm Catholic through and through! But more then that, I like seeing the church (each and every one of us an individual and all of us corporately) as a living sign and an efficacious symbol of the presence of God in our midst. It reminds me that we are called to be light for the world, salt for the earth, and leaven for the bread; that we are to light our candles instead of cursing the darkness; that we are called to herald the inbreaking of the reign of God to all the corners of the world.
Silly me - almost forgot: the quiz can be taken here. Enjoy! :-)
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
You scored as Sacrament model.
Your model of the church is Sacrament. The church is the effective sign of the revelation that is the person of Jesus Christ. Christians are transformed by Christ and then become a beacon of Christ wherever they go. This model has a remarkable capacity for integrating other models of the church.
I studied this in college, took a course while working with the Diocese, and I've re-read Dulles' book as well, and I resonate with the sacramental model - it was and continues to be my favorite model.
My next two models were Mystical Communion (78%) and Servant (72%), both of which I remember liking as well (but not as much as the sacramental model).
What can I say? I'm Catholic through and through! But more then that, I like seeing the church (each and every one of us an individual and all of us corporately) as a living sign and an efficacious symbol of the presence of God in our midst. It reminds me that we are called to be light for the world, salt for the earth, and leaven for the bread; that we are to light our candles instead of cursing the darkness; that we are called to herald the inbreaking of the reign of God to all the corners of the world.
Silly me - almost forgot: the quiz can be taken here. Enjoy! :-)
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
7.22.2005
PETA
Interesting read - thought I'd post it since I had posted earlier about eating animals:
The following story is from This is True dated 17 July 2005. It isCopyright 2005 Randy Cassingham, all rights reserved, and reprinted herewithpermission:
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
The following story is from This is True dated 17 July 2005. It isCopyright 2005 Randy Cassingham, all rights reserved, and reprinted herewithpermission:
"Ethical" Defined
After more than 100 dead dogs were dumped in a trash dumpster overfour weeks, police in Ahoskie, N.C., kept an eye on the trash receptaclebehind a supermarket. Sure enough, a van drove up and officers watchedthe occupants throw in heavy plastic bags. They detained the two peoplein the van and found 18 dead dogs in plastic bags in the dumpster,including puppies; 13 more dead dogs were still in the van. Police saythe van is registered to the headquarters of People for the EthicalTreatment of Animals, and the two occupants, Andrew B. Cook, 24, andAdria Joy Hinkle, 27, identified themselves as PETA employees. An autopsyperformed on one of the dogs found it was healthy before it was killed.Police say PETA has been picking up the animals -- alive -- from NorthCarolina animal shelters, promising to find them good homes. Cook andHinkle have been charged with 62 felony counts of animal cruelty. Inresponse to the arrests PETA President Ingrid Newkirk said it's againstthe group's policy for employees to dump animals in the trash, but "thatfor some animals in North Carolina, there is no kinder option thaneuthanasia." (Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald) ...Oops, my mistake: that's"Playing God" Defined.
In his author's notes section, Cassingham had more to say about thisstory:
The more I learn about PETA, the less I think ofthem. The story of them killing animals isn't even unusual. According toPETA's own filings, in 2004 PETA killed 86.3 percent of theanimals entrusted to its care -- a number that's rising, not falling.Meanwhile, the SPCA in PETA's home town (Norfolk, Va.) was able to findloving homes for 73 percent of the animals put in its care. A shortage offunds? Nope: last year PETA took in $29 million in tax-exempt donations.It simply has other priorities for the funds, like funding terrorism(yes, really). But don't take my word for it: I got my figures fromhttp://www.PETAkillsAnimals.com-- and they have copies of PETA's state and federal filings to back itup. The bottom line: if you donate money to PETA because you think theycare for and about animals, you need to think some more. PETA literallyyells and screams about how others "kill animals" but this is howthey operate? Pathetic.
And you know what I wonder? PETA's official count of animalsthey kill is 86.3 percent. But if they're going around picking upanimals, killing them while they drive around and not even giving them achance to be adopted, and then destroying the evidence by dumpingthe bodies in the trash, are those deaths being reported? Myguess: no. While 86.3 percent is awful, the actual number is probablymuch, much higher. How dare they lecture anyoneabout the "ethical" treatment of animals!
(This is True is a weekly column featuringweird-but-true newsstories from around the world, and has been published since 1994. Clickthe link for info about free subscriptions.)
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
7.18.2005
I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up!
I've fallen into that most dreaded of blogging trap: no real posts, just endless quizzes! So here are three more I took: insights into my personality that no one has ever seen before . . . :-)
| Your Blogging Type is Pensive and Philosophical |
 |
 |
| You Are 31 Years Old |
Blessings & Peace,Hugo
7.10.2005
I'm also A Book Snob :-)
You speak eloquently and have seemingly read every
book ever published. You are a fountain of
endless (sometimes useless) knowledge, and
never fail to impress at a party.
What people love: You can answer almost any
question people ask, and have thus been
nicknamed Jeeves.
What people hate: You constantly correct their
grammar and insult their paperbacks.
What Kind of Elitist Are You?
brought to you byQuizilla
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
7.07.2005
Books
KC tagged me with this, so here we go!
1. How many books have I owned?
Way too many . . . i quickly counted the books in our library (our spare bedroom!) and in other places around the house, and we've got around 400 books. However, that doesn't count the many, many books we bought/acquired then either sold or gave away. We've probably gotten rid of another 200 books or so.
2. What was the last book you bought?
Hmmm . . . last book I acquired (free sample sent to me) was The New Catholic Answer Bible (about 2 weeks ago). The last book I actually paid money for was a collection of C.S. Lewis' Narnia books (for my wife, as a b-day gift).
3. What was the last book you read?
Last book I finished reading (just yesterday - I actually read it in less than two days cuz it's light reading) was lost boy lost girl (a horror/mystery type book). I'm still currently reading 8 Weeks to Optimum Health by Dr. Andrew Weil, The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey, The Birth of Christianity by Dominic Crossan, Inner Christianity by Richard Smoley, Christ In A Post-Christian World by Pamela Young, and The Sacred Way by Tony Jones.
4. What are FIVE books that have meant a lot to you.
Hmmm . . . that's a really hard question . . . so let's see . . . I'm gonna cheat and put a few more than five (and I'll limit myself - I could keep adding to this list!) :-)
A) The Bible: I started reading it my sophomore year in High School and read through most of it before I graduated High School. I actually started on one of those small, red Gideon Bible New Testaments, then moved on to a full NAB Bible. Haven't looked back since :-)
B) Care of the Soul / The Soul's Religion by Thomas Moore: I really like his approach to soul/spirit, and his alchemical approach of not trying to "fix" all of life's problems and bad moods
C) One River, Many Wells by Matthew Fox: see my comment below (D); I like this book because it ties in strands from disparate religions and tries to show the interconnectedness of faith where some strive to see only differences
D) Hyperspace by Michio Kaku: My introduction to the wonderful world of cosmology and theoretical physics - I devoured the book and then went out and bought more on the topic
E) The World's Religions by Houston Smith: I've loved world religions since I started my own spiritual path my sophomore year in HS, and Smith's treatment of them - very respectful, very loving, putting each religion's best foot forward - only deepened my love for them.
F) Catholicism by Richard McBrien: My first college religion textbook - I loved the way McBrien made everything fit together, the way he gave historical as well as theological reasons for the hows and whys of Catholicism - it helped shaped my own historical approach to my faith
G) By Way of the Heart by Wilkie Au: Another college textbook, this one on holistic spirituality - I still find myself using stories and examples from that text in my own teaching today
H) The Introvert Advantage by Marti Olsen Laney: On the Myers-Briggs/Kiersey-Bates temperament sorters I usually come out slightly introverted - I really liked this book because it helped me get a handle on my own introversion as well as the flaming introversion of my wife - highly recommended reading for anyone!
5. Tag five people who haven't played yet
Ummm . . . I don't stray too far into the blogosphere - I think the people I might tag have already been tagged - if not, I'll tag later! :-)
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
1. How many books have I owned?
Way too many . . . i quickly counted the books in our library (our spare bedroom!) and in other places around the house, and we've got around 400 books. However, that doesn't count the many, many books we bought/acquired then either sold or gave away. We've probably gotten rid of another 200 books or so.
2. What was the last book you bought?
Hmmm . . . last book I acquired (free sample sent to me) was The New Catholic Answer Bible (about 2 weeks ago). The last book I actually paid money for was a collection of C.S. Lewis' Narnia books (for my wife, as a b-day gift).
3. What was the last book you read?
Last book I finished reading (just yesterday - I actually read it in less than two days cuz it's light reading) was lost boy lost girl (a horror/mystery type book). I'm still currently reading 8 Weeks to Optimum Health by Dr. Andrew Weil, The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey, The Birth of Christianity by Dominic Crossan, Inner Christianity by Richard Smoley, Christ In A Post-Christian World by Pamela Young, and The Sacred Way by Tony Jones.
4. What are FIVE books that have meant a lot to you.
Hmmm . . . that's a really hard question . . . so let's see . . . I'm gonna cheat and put a few more than five (and I'll limit myself - I could keep adding to this list!) :-)
A) The Bible: I started reading it my sophomore year in High School and read through most of it before I graduated High School. I actually started on one of those small, red Gideon Bible New Testaments, then moved on to a full NAB Bible. Haven't looked back since :-)
B) Care of the Soul / The Soul's Religion by Thomas Moore: I really like his approach to soul/spirit, and his alchemical approach of not trying to "fix" all of life's problems and bad moods
C) One River, Many Wells by Matthew Fox: see my comment below (D); I like this book because it ties in strands from disparate religions and tries to show the interconnectedness of faith where some strive to see only differences
D) Hyperspace by Michio Kaku: My introduction to the wonderful world of cosmology and theoretical physics - I devoured the book and then went out and bought more on the topic
E) The World's Religions by Houston Smith: I've loved world religions since I started my own spiritual path my sophomore year in HS, and Smith's treatment of them - very respectful, very loving, putting each religion's best foot forward - only deepened my love for them.
F) Catholicism by Richard McBrien: My first college religion textbook - I loved the way McBrien made everything fit together, the way he gave historical as well as theological reasons for the hows and whys of Catholicism - it helped shaped my own historical approach to my faith
G) By Way of the Heart by Wilkie Au: Another college textbook, this one on holistic spirituality - I still find myself using stories and examples from that text in my own teaching today
H) The Introvert Advantage by Marti Olsen Laney: On the Myers-Briggs/Kiersey-Bates temperament sorters I usually come out slightly introverted - I really liked this book because it helped me get a handle on my own introversion as well as the flaming introversion of my wife - highly recommended reading for anyone!
5. Tag five people who haven't played yet
Ummm . . . I don't stray too far into the blogosphere - I think the people I might tag have already been tagged - if not, I'll tag later! :-)
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
7.05.2005
What D&D Character Are You?
So unless you play/have played the role playing game Dungeons and Dragons this won't make any sense :-)
I took two quizzes here: http://www.angelfire.com/dragon/terragf/
This is what I came up with:
I'm a human true neutral Sorcerer
My stats are:
S 8
D 11
C 8
I 15
W 13
C 12
Human was a no brainer, wizard was a very close second to sorcerer (and considering my stats that's what I should go for!), and Neutral Good was a very close second (by only 2 points!) to True neutral. Enjoy! :-)
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
I took two quizzes here: http://www.angelfire.com/dragon/terragf/
This is what I came up with:
I'm a human true neutral Sorcerer
My stats are:
S 8
D 11
C 8
I 15
W 13
C 12
Human was a no brainer, wizard was a very close second to sorcerer (and considering my stats that's what I should go for!), and Neutral Good was a very close second (by only 2 points!) to True neutral. Enjoy! :-)
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
American Gods
I finished reading a book last week called American Gods by Neil Gaiman [I may have misspelled his last name and I'm too lazy to look it up :-)]. The premise of the book is that when every immigrant came over to America they brought their own faith - their own gods - with them. These gods (aspects of the god that was worshipped in the old country) then took up habitation in this new world. As their followers dwindled, they still stuck around - they could not leave this country.
In current days they're still around, but have very little power because a new breed of gods has taken over the American conscious. The book revolves around the old gods trying to rally forces to take on the new gods that Americans worship. One of the most powerful new gods that Americans worship is Media. There's a brief interchange between Odin and Media in the book that I really liked - Odin laments that hardly anyone offers sacrifices to him anymore - hence his loss of power. Media says that people sacrifice to it all the time; when asked what they sacrifice, she quips "Time, mostly."
I thought it was an insightful commentary. Looking at how much time and money we Americans spend on entertainment (buying and watching TV, buying and going to the movies, buying and listening to music, etc.), we do seem to be worshipping media to a great extent. I've noticed it with my family . . . if nothing interrupts my 8 year old son he can happily play Gamecube and watch TV all day long. My wife can sit and read Harry Potter stories on the internet for the same amount of time, and I can read and watch movies as well. If we don't help police each other, we can literally sacrifice our while day to various forms of media.
Here's praying that we offer sacrifice where sacrifice is due, and not let any of the new gods (sports, media, the internet . . . I can't remember any of the other ones off hand) take over the rightful rule of our hearts, minds and souls.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
In current days they're still around, but have very little power because a new breed of gods has taken over the American conscious. The book revolves around the old gods trying to rally forces to take on the new gods that Americans worship. One of the most powerful new gods that Americans worship is Media. There's a brief interchange between Odin and Media in the book that I really liked - Odin laments that hardly anyone offers sacrifices to him anymore - hence his loss of power. Media says that people sacrifice to it all the time; when asked what they sacrifice, she quips "Time, mostly."
I thought it was an insightful commentary. Looking at how much time and money we Americans spend on entertainment (buying and watching TV, buying and going to the movies, buying and listening to music, etc.), we do seem to be worshipping media to a great extent. I've noticed it with my family . . . if nothing interrupts my 8 year old son he can happily play Gamecube and watch TV all day long. My wife can sit and read Harry Potter stories on the internet for the same amount of time, and I can read and watch movies as well. If we don't help police each other, we can literally sacrifice our while day to various forms of media.
Here's praying that we offer sacrifice where sacrifice is due, and not let any of the new gods (sports, media, the internet . . . I can't remember any of the other ones off hand) take over the rightful rule of our hearts, minds and souls.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
6.28.2005
Where Am I?
Sorry no posts - it's summer . . . you'd think I'd have more time, wouldn't ya? :-)
Real life has a way of pushing blogging life aside . . . my son is under the weather, my lawn needs major rejuvenation (I dread to see my water bill - as a friend of mine put it "you've decided to bring your lawn back to life *during the summer*?!?!?), and we're ripping up carpet in our home . . . fun, fun , fun! :-)
My wife's b-day is coming up next week, and for this weekend most of my siblings are coming down . . . BBQ time again! There's got to be something primal about working with fire . . . I find any excuse possible to get out there and grill. :-)
I'm reading two books I really like right now (another reason blogging has taken back stage for a bit): The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey and The Birth of Christianity by John Dominic Crossan - I really like both of 'em - the former book is an easier read than the latter (Crossan packing lots of stuff into each paragraph!), but they're both giving me stuff to think about. I'll distill some of what I've read and am thinking into a post before this weekend.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
Real life has a way of pushing blogging life aside . . . my son is under the weather, my lawn needs major rejuvenation (I dread to see my water bill - as a friend of mine put it "you've decided to bring your lawn back to life *during the summer*?!?!?), and we're ripping up carpet in our home . . . fun, fun , fun! :-)
My wife's b-day is coming up next week, and for this weekend most of my siblings are coming down . . . BBQ time again! There's got to be something primal about working with fire . . . I find any excuse possible to get out there and grill. :-)
I'm reading two books I really like right now (another reason blogging has taken back stage for a bit): The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey and The Birth of Christianity by John Dominic Crossan - I really like both of 'em - the former book is an easier read than the latter (Crossan packing lots of stuff into each paragraph!), but they're both giving me stuff to think about. I'll distill some of what I've read and am thinking into a post before this weekend.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
6.15.2005
I'm Catholic! :-)
I took a Theological Worldview quiz and, contrary to what my other quiz results have been (here and here) , I am actually 86% Catholic! :-) See for yourself:
Edit: The HTML isn't coming out right for some reason . . . the links along the bottom are kinda screwy, and the pix (of cardinals celebrating Mass) doesn't show . . . oh well - I can always ask my wife tomorrow how to fix it. :-)
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
You scored as Roman Catholic . You are Roman Catholic. Church tradition and ecclesial authority are hugely important, and the most important part of worship for you is Mass. As the Mother of God, Mary is important in your theology, and as the communion of saints includes the living and the dead, you can also ask the saints to intercede for you.
What's your theological worldview? created with QuizFarm.com |
Edit: The HTML isn't coming out right for some reason . . . the links along the bottom are kinda screwy, and the pix (of cardinals celebrating Mass) doesn't show . . . oh well - I can always ask my wife tomorrow how to fix it. :-)
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
We are Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
Another cannabilized post (I always feel the need to tell y'all this - I feel dishonest if I don't put the disclaimer that I wrote this to an email list and am now posting here!) :-)
The context: a statement made by another listmember: I don't know how God can even stand us (or something similar). My response, and some more thoughts, follow:
I think here too the Catholic Church is different in our approach to humanity. God created us - each and every single one of us . . . filled us with his very breath/Spirit . . . calls us temples of the Spirit . . affirms that we are made, male and female, in his very image . . . reminds us that we are the body of his son with Jesus as our head . . . loves us so much that our names, our very selves, are carved in the palm of his hand . . . tells us that nothing will ever seperate us from the love he has for us in Christ Jesus . . . reminds us that he constantly searches for us among the lost, constantly calls to us to enter into a relationship with him . . . loves us so much that suffering and dying were done for us even without us asking for anything . . . (all Scriptural quotations, BTW, just too lazy to look them all up and cite - but they are some of my favorite verses) :-) God loves us, plain and simple . . . God wants the best for us (for I know the plans I have for you, plans for goodness not for woe . . .") . . . I think we do God a grave disservice when we picture him as holding his nose when he looks at us :-)
---End Original Post---
I remember reading that Calvin (maybe - I could be wrong) wrote that people were like a pile of dog poo. It snowed over the dog poo, making it look beautiful, but underneath it was still dog poo. Taking a sacramental worldview (the stuff of creation can be a vehicle for God to break into our lives), we affirm that creation is basically good, not radically corrupt as Calvanism (I hope I got that right!) and other forms of Christianity tend to affirm. While we have been marred / broken / set apart as a bone that needs to be mended, we are still, at our core, good / complete / holy / sacred beings.
Just a quick note as I get ready to go to bed . . . enjoy! :-)
And a quick question: what Scripture passages do y'all like that affirm God's loving care for us? Let me know!
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
The context: a statement made by another listmember: I don't know how God can even stand us (or something similar). My response, and some more thoughts, follow:
I think here too the Catholic Church is different in our approach to humanity. God created us - each and every single one of us . . . filled us with his very breath/Spirit . . . calls us temples of the Spirit . . affirms that we are made, male and female, in his very image . . . reminds us that we are the body of his son with Jesus as our head . . . loves us so much that our names, our very selves, are carved in the palm of his hand . . . tells us that nothing will ever seperate us from the love he has for us in Christ Jesus . . . reminds us that he constantly searches for us among the lost, constantly calls to us to enter into a relationship with him . . . loves us so much that suffering and dying were done for us even without us asking for anything . . . (all Scriptural quotations, BTW, just too lazy to look them all up and cite - but they are some of my favorite verses) :-) God loves us, plain and simple . . . God wants the best for us (for I know the plans I have for you, plans for goodness not for woe . . .") . . . I think we do God a grave disservice when we picture him as holding his nose when he looks at us :-)
---End Original Post---
I remember reading that Calvin (maybe - I could be wrong) wrote that people were like a pile of dog poo. It snowed over the dog poo, making it look beautiful, but underneath it was still dog poo. Taking a sacramental worldview (the stuff of creation can be a vehicle for God to break into our lives), we affirm that creation is basically good, not radically corrupt as Calvanism (I hope I got that right!) and other forms of Christianity tend to affirm. While we have been marred / broken / set apart as a bone that needs to be mended, we are still, at our core, good / complete / holy / sacred beings.
Just a quick note as I get ready to go to bed . . . enjoy! :-)
And a quick question: what Scripture passages do y'all like that affirm God's loving care for us? Let me know!
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
6.09.2005
Yoda Once Again
I took another online quiz, this time to see what Revenge of the Sith character I was . . . and once again I'm Yoda . . . :-) The Force is indeed strong with me :-)
Which Revenge of the Sith Character are you?
created with QuizFarm.com
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
 |
Which Revenge of the Sith Character are you?
created with QuizFarm.com
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
6.08.2005
The Catholic Priesthood
Yet another cannibalized post from the email list I'm on - I was asked about priestly celibacy. :-)
Priestly celibacy is one of those things where I don't even try to argue from Scripture :-) Many Catholics will, and our official theology throws in a few Scripture verses to support it, but the honest truth about it is that it's church policy, a rule. If Pope Benedict wanted to (which I highly doubt!) he could send out an encyclical tomorrow that basically said "OK guys - no more celibacy - have fun!"
So let me walk you through a brief history (sorry!) of priestly celibacy.
At first there were no priests the way we understand them now - as far as we can tell we had small communities of believers who met in each others' homes to celebrate an agape meal in addition to their regular Jewish practices.
When the faith spread to non-Jews some elements of Jewish religion were kept, but the centerpiece became the agape meal, celebrated in remembrance (anamnesis) of Jesus.
When Christianity became the official religion of the Empire, house communities became impractical - you couldn't fit 300 people in most homes. :-) So communities started gathering in public places for worship. Once this started to happen, more and more people started having a select few be the ones to lead worship - "professional worship leaders" so to speak.
We still had a leadership structure - a bishop was in charge of large areas of Christians, overseeing them and being the chief teacher for the area. We also had deacons, who were ordered for service in particular areas/ministries (widows, the hungry, etc). But ministers followed the normal course of life - which was to get married.
However, once Christianity became "mainstream" some Christians felt that the faith was "watered down." There were no longer many martyrs, there was no longer very much danger associated with being a follower of the Way. Many people became Christian for purely political or monetary reasons. So some people moved to the solitary desert (emulating one aspect of Jesus' life) and lived a life of prayer, meditation, study, silence, and celibacy (imitating another aspect of Jesus' life).
Many Christians, after hearing of the solitary pursuit of perfection these Desert Fathers and Mothers were practicing, went to them to receive spiritual guidance. They became benchmarks of orthodoxy and arbiters in theological disputes.
Eventually, many of these desert fathers and mothers attracted their own communities; people came to live lives that were simple, prayerful and totally God-focused. From the ranks of these followers we started pulling priests, deacons, and bishops. They brought with them the ideal of a life of service, prayer and study. But they also brought a penchant for celibacy - giving up sexual intercourse and marriage, not because they were evil, but because they were sacrificed for a higher good: total dedication and abandonment to the will of God and the service of His people.
Once we had celibate bishops, then we started to have celibate Popes, and that's when the real trouble started! :-) As early as 400 AD we have bishops recommending that priests and deacons and bishops be celibate. Not a rule, law or commandment, just an observation that without family one can be totally dedicated to the service of the Christian community. It wasn't until around the year 1000 that celibacy became more accepted, and it was shortly afterwards that it became the rule for priests. Even then, it was still ignored by many :-)
During the middle ages it became more of a problem - if priests or bishops were married, when they died the church that they were serving at became the property of their offspring - this caused the loss of much church stuff, as well as much fighting among the less-then-holy offspring of some of the priests and bishops.
In an effort to stop the buying and selling of Church property, the Church got tough in it's enforcement of celibacy. There was a period of time (not a good time) when priests who were still married in defiance of Church law had their families taken from them. (We're not perfect, and this is one of those low points in my church that I wish had never happened). After a while, celibacy became the accepted norm, though I'm sure for a while after there were still priests who had lovers or secret semi-wives - stories of country priests with maids whose children looked remarkably like the priest circulated for years. :-)
Nowadays, most theologically astute Catholics see it for what it is: a discipline imposed on clergy by our Church. Having said that, though, there are some arguments for priestly celibacy:
1) In our day and age it is a radical statement that we are not here solely for sexual pleasure. In America and Europe especially there is a tendency to see sexual intercourse as the be all and end all of life. Priestly (and religious) celibacy argues that while it is a great good, it is not an *ultimate* good.
2) It does let our priests serve 24/7 if needed - without a family to support they can spend more time out and about, which they do. Most priests have three Masses a day to celebrate (early morning, early evening, and then funerals, baptisms, prayer services, masses for special intentions, etc.); sick calls / hospital calls / prayer calls to answer; the parish itself to run; etc. They give so much of their time to the church that very little would be left over for family. [I know that Protestant ministers have much of the same things to do - as a campus minister I find my time crunched as well - however, I do think that many families of ministers suffer in silence - even though a pastor is doing the work of God, if it's at the expense of family time or family neglect, we're missing the point. In my previous position (working under the Bishop doing youth minister) I was working two nights a week and two weekends a month, plus making several extended and shorter trips a year for business - my family time was almost nonexistent! - so I have great respect but also misgivings for those ministers who are married and must live a life of service to their church.]
3) It offers a witness of sacrifice (close to #1 above); that is, it is a living, tangible witness to the sacrifice Jesus made.
4) Many priests do have a calling for a celibate lifestyle.
However, as many Catholics point out, not everyone has that calling (to be celibate). And as a Church we struggle with that. It may be that at some point in the next 2,000 years the rule will change - we are losing priests here in America, but gaining them (I read of a 237% boost in priests coming from Third World nations) in other places - we'll have to wait and see :-)
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
6.01.2005
Confession Part II
More thoughts on the sacrament of reconcilliation (penance/confession), also culled from a post I made to a mailing list I belong to - the questions I'm replying to are in red . . .
1. Can an individual have his sins forgiven without going to a priest?
hmmm . . . easy/tricky question. The Church still affirms that confessing to God is needed and necessary, an integral part of a person's spiritual life. For example, many people devlop the habit of talking to God about the day's events, particularly asking for forgiveness for any transgressions made that day. However, in order for full reconciliation to take place, the Church does teach that sacramental forgiveness, celebrated with a priest, is still fundamentally important. That is the one way that the penitent (sinner) is reconciled with the community (remember the history lesson from my earlier email) and with God. God's forgiveness is a given, though - an attitude that God has towards us. That is why the language of the sacrament talks about "celebrating" - in the sacrament of confession we celebrate the forgiveness that God has already extended to his children. We just believe that an assurance of forgiveness is given with the celebration of the sacrament - it is a sacramental moment, a moment where God's presence is tangible in the celebration of the mystery.
2. Does the priest have the ability from God to grant forgiveness, or what exactly is "absolution"?
Prayer of Absolution
God, the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of His Son
has reconciled the world to Himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us
for the forgiveness of sins;
Through the ministry of the Church may God give you pardon and peace,
and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Absolution is part of the ritual of the sacrament. It is part of the five movements of the sacrament: Confession, Prayer/Scripture/Counseling, Contrition, Absolution, Penance.
1. Confession: The colloquial terms used for the whole sacrament, it forms the first movement of the celebration of the sacrament. (Technically, though, there is a prior movement - examining our conscience - before we go to confession we spend time in prayer, silence, solitude, interior examination - we prepare ourselves to enter into the celebration of the mystery of forgiveness by preparing our mind, heart and soul to confess our sins.) We enter into the confessional and either sit with the priest or site behind a screen and tell the priest our sins, our failings, our faults, etc.
2. Prayer/Scripture/Counseling: After we have talked the priest may share a Scripture reading with us about God's mercy, healing, love and forgiveness. He may pray for us or with us (depending on the relationship between the priest and penitent, this may involve laying on of hands or anointing with oil, or it may be more formal). He may also talk to us about what we have confessed (one of the major boons of going to the same confessor is that a relationship is developed - they are able to make connections between current confessions and prior confessions - they are also able to more fully challenge to grow past bad habits that we have formed). The priest may also ask us questions about our confession, either for clarification or to probe areas where they feel we may not be fully honest.
3. Contrition: The penitent prays a prayer of contrition either spontaneously or through a memorized prayer (there are several versions of this prayer that school children learn). The prayer expresses sorrow for our sins, a firm amendment to avoid the sins we have confessed, a love of God, and a desire to enter heaven.
4. Absolution: The priest prays for the penitent using the prayer you have quoted above. The prayer is a prayer of Christ - the priest is speaking through their sacramental office - the forgiveness offered is offered in and through the church which is offered in and through Christ (remember another earlier post where I talked about the sacramental worldview of the Church - God-->Christ-->Church-->individual members of the body of Christ).
5. Penance: In order to outwardly show the inward conversion of heart, the penitent is given prayers or actions to say/do after the celebration of the sacrament. Most of the time it takes the form of prayers to say, Scripture passages to read, or a meeting with another person who we have offended and not reconciled with yet. Again, the form of the sacrament echoes and mirrors the form of the sacrament as it developed in the early church, with the modification that the priest is now standing in for the community to hear our confessions.
In other words, yes, we Catholics see the absolution given by the priest as being given by God, only transmitted through the office of the priest (not necessarily the priest himself). It is God himself who forgives the sins - however, as we are people of flesh and blood, we believe that sacrament ally (through the people and things of this world) we are offered the forgiveness in a tangible way so that we can appreciate the invisible reality that is happening (the cleansing of our souls, bodies, hearts and minds and their reorientation to God by his mercy and forgiveness).
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
1. Can an individual have his sins forgiven without going to a priest?
hmmm . . . easy/tricky question. The Church still affirms that confessing to God is needed and necessary, an integral part of a person's spiritual life. For example, many people devlop the habit of talking to God about the day's events, particularly asking for forgiveness for any transgressions made that day. However, in order for full reconciliation to take place, the Church does teach that sacramental forgiveness, celebrated with a priest, is still fundamentally important. That is the one way that the penitent (sinner) is reconciled with the community (remember the history lesson from my earlier email) and with God. God's forgiveness is a given, though - an attitude that God has towards us. That is why the language of the sacrament talks about "celebrating" - in the sacrament of confession we celebrate the forgiveness that God has already extended to his children. We just believe that an assurance of forgiveness is given with the celebration of the sacrament - it is a sacramental moment, a moment where God's presence is tangible in the celebration of the mystery.
2. Does the priest have the ability from God to grant forgiveness, or what exactly is "absolution"?
Prayer of Absolution
God, the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of His Son
has reconciled the world to Himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us
for the forgiveness of sins;
Through the ministry of the Church may God give you pardon and peace,
and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Absolution is part of the ritual of the sacrament. It is part of the five movements of the sacrament: Confession, Prayer/Scripture/Counseling, Contrition, Absolution, Penance.
1. Confession: The colloquial terms used for the whole sacrament, it forms the first movement of the celebration of the sacrament. (Technically, though, there is a prior movement - examining our conscience - before we go to confession we spend time in prayer, silence, solitude, interior examination - we prepare ourselves to enter into the celebration of the mystery of forgiveness by preparing our mind, heart and soul to confess our sins.) We enter into the confessional and either sit with the priest or site behind a screen and tell the priest our sins, our failings, our faults, etc.
2. Prayer/Scripture/Counseling: After we have talked the priest may share a Scripture reading with us about God's mercy, healing, love and forgiveness. He may pray for us or with us (depending on the relationship between the priest and penitent, this may involve laying on of hands or anointing with oil, or it may be more formal). He may also talk to us about what we have confessed (one of the major boons of going to the same confessor is that a relationship is developed - they are able to make connections between current confessions and prior confessions - they are also able to more fully challenge to grow past bad habits that we have formed). The priest may also ask us questions about our confession, either for clarification or to probe areas where they feel we may not be fully honest.
3. Contrition: The penitent prays a prayer of contrition either spontaneously or through a memorized prayer (there are several versions of this prayer that school children learn). The prayer expresses sorrow for our sins, a firm amendment to avoid the sins we have confessed, a love of God, and a desire to enter heaven.
4. Absolution: The priest prays for the penitent using the prayer you have quoted above. The prayer is a prayer of Christ - the priest is speaking through their sacramental office - the forgiveness offered is offered in and through the church which is offered in and through Christ (remember another earlier post where I talked about the sacramental worldview of the Church - God-->Christ-->Church-->individual members of the body of Christ).
5. Penance: In order to outwardly show the inward conversion of heart, the penitent is given prayers or actions to say/do after the celebration of the sacrament. Most of the time it takes the form of prayers to say, Scripture passages to read, or a meeting with another person who we have offended and not reconciled with yet. Again, the form of the sacrament echoes and mirrors the form of the sacrament as it developed in the early church, with the modification that the priest is now standing in for the community to hear our confessions.
In other words, yes, we Catholics see the absolution given by the priest as being given by God, only transmitted through the office of the priest (not necessarily the priest himself). It is God himself who forgives the sins - however, as we are people of flesh and blood, we believe that sacrament ally (through the people and things of this world) we are offered the forgiveness in a tangible way so that we can appreciate the invisible reality that is happening (the cleansing of our souls, bodies, hearts and minds and their reorientation to God by his mercy and forgiveness).
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
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