A Blessed and Merry Christmas to each and every one of my blog readers.
May you find time to just be with family and enjoy their presence and
the amazing present of Jesus Christ that God gave to us.
Monday, December 24, 2012
Thursday, December 13, 2012
3rd semester is wrapping up
This week, I have completed an oral final and two papers. I have one more written final on Friday morning and then the semester is over and I get to rest and recharge in Maine for three weeks before starting up again in early January. I probably will not be blogging over the break unless something really exciting happens.
I have a couple of papal documents that I want to read (triggered by my moral theology class), some liturgy documents, a DVD course on great artwork, several science fiction books, in addition to my usual daily Mass and prayer time. I brought too much to do, but you know what they say about "idle minds and hands".
It is hard to believe that with the completion of one more semester, I'll be halfway complete to my degree in Divinity and, God willing, my ordination to the priesthood.
I have a couple of papal documents that I want to read (triggered by my moral theology class), some liturgy documents, a DVD course on great artwork, several science fiction books, in addition to my usual daily Mass and prayer time. I brought too much to do, but you know what they say about "idle minds and hands".
It is hard to believe that with the completion of one more semester, I'll be halfway complete to my degree in Divinity and, God willing, my ordination to the priesthood.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
From the Proslogion by Saint Anselm, Bishop (1033-1109)
I made an error a few days ago. I should have read the 2nd reading for the Feast of St Ambrose, but I read the regular second reading instead. O Happy Fault. It spoke to me. In particular the sections in bold below spoke loudly. I had to stop and reread them 3 or 4 times. Of course, the last paragraph in italics is often known as St. Anselm's prayer.
Insignificant man, escape from your everyday business for a short while, hide for a moment from your restless thoughts. Break off from your cares and troubles and be less concerned about your tasks and labors. Make a little time for God and rest a while in him.
Enter into your mind’s inner chamber. Shut out everything but God and
whatever helps you to seek him; and when you have shut the door, look
for him. Speak now to God and say with your whole heart: I seek your face; your face, Lord, I desire.
Lord, my God, teach my heart where and how to seek you, where and how to find you. Lord, if you are not here where shall I look for you in your absence? Yet if you are everywhere, why do I not see you when you are present? But surely you dwell in “light inaccessible.” And where is light inaccessible? How shall I approach light inaccessible? Or who will lead me and bring me into it that I may see you there? And then, by what signs and under what forms shall I seek you? I have never seen you, Lord my God; I do not know your face.
Lord most high, what shall this exile do, so far from you? What shall your servant do, tormented by love of you and cast so far from your face? He yearns to see you, and your face is too far from him. He desires to approach you, and your dwelling is unapproachable. he longs to find you, and does not know your dwelling place. He strives to look for you, and does not know your face.
Lord, you are my God and you are my Lord, and I have never seen you. You have made me and remade me, and you have given me all the good things I possess and still I do not know you. I was made in order to see you, and I have not yet done that for which I was made.
Lord, how long will it be? How long, Lord, will you forget us? How long will you turn your face away from us? When will you look upon us and hear us? When will you enlighten our eyes and show us your face? When will you give yourself back to us?
Look upon us, Lord, hear us and enlighten us, show us your very self. Restore yourself to us that it may go well with us whose life is so evil without you. Take pity on our efforts and our striving toward you, for we have no strength apart form you.
Teach me to seek you, and when I seek you show yourself to me, for I cannot seek you unless you teach me, nor can I find you unless you show yourself to me. Let me seek you in desiring you and desire you in seeking you, find you in loving you and love you in finding you.
Insignificant man, escape from your everyday business for a short while, hide for a moment from your restless thoughts. Break off from your cares and troubles and be less concerned about your tasks and labors. Make a little time for God and rest a while in him.
Lord, my God, teach my heart where and how to seek you, where and how to find you. Lord, if you are not here where shall I look for you in your absence? Yet if you are everywhere, why do I not see you when you are present? But surely you dwell in “light inaccessible.” And where is light inaccessible? How shall I approach light inaccessible? Or who will lead me and bring me into it that I may see you there? And then, by what signs and under what forms shall I seek you? I have never seen you, Lord my God; I do not know your face.
Lord most high, what shall this exile do, so far from you? What shall your servant do, tormented by love of you and cast so far from your face? He yearns to see you, and your face is too far from him. He desires to approach you, and your dwelling is unapproachable. he longs to find you, and does not know your dwelling place. He strives to look for you, and does not know your face.
Lord, you are my God and you are my Lord, and I have never seen you. You have made me and remade me, and you have given me all the good things I possess and still I do not know you. I was made in order to see you, and I have not yet done that for which I was made.
Lord, how long will it be? How long, Lord, will you forget us? How long will you turn your face away from us? When will you look upon us and hear us? When will you enlighten our eyes and show us your face? When will you give yourself back to us?
Look upon us, Lord, hear us and enlighten us, show us your very self. Restore yourself to us that it may go well with us whose life is so evil without you. Take pity on our efforts and our striving toward you, for we have no strength apart form you.
Teach me to seek you, and when I seek you show yourself to me, for I cannot seek you unless you teach me, nor can I find you unless you show yourself to me. Let me seek you in desiring you and desire you in seeking you, find you in loving you and love you in finding you.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
December 6th
8:00 this morning
The chapel at the Seminary participated in its usual Thursday morning Mass. Nothing different than usual except that I was the reader (lector) today. It was not planned that way, it was just that way on the schedule.
Today's Mass was said for the third anniversary of the death of Carmen Lowe. She was mentioned in the opening and in the prayers of the faithful. I felt a twinge both times. I still miss her, but it is getting easier to bear.
Rest in Peace Carmen. Keep those heavenly choirs in tempo and in tune.
The chapel at the Seminary participated in its usual Thursday morning Mass. Nothing different than usual except that I was the reader (lector) today. It was not planned that way, it was just that way on the schedule.
Today's Mass was said for the third anniversary of the death of Carmen Lowe. She was mentioned in the opening and in the prayers of the faithful. I felt a twinge both times. I still miss her, but it is getting easier to bear.
Rest in Peace Carmen. Keep those heavenly choirs in tempo and in tune.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Patron Saints
Last year, my spiritual director asked me if I had a special relationship with any saint. I did not. But I did not forget his question and did think about it. He also told me that you don't find a patron saint, they find you.
In a quiet moment last month, it became clear to me that a saint was trying to get my attention. I let the thoughts come together, did some research on him and believe that he is a good model for me.
He was married but never fathered any children of his own.
As a priest, I will be spiritual father to many who are not my own.
He worked with his hands, was a laborer, tradesman and a carpenter.
I love to get my hands dirty on a good woodworking project.
He is noted for being in the bible, but never saying a word in the bible.
I've been called terse and taciturn many times.
A book about him says, "His silent life speaks volumes about love, obedience, integrity and the value of good work".
If I can live up to those ideals, I'd be a very happy camper.
St Joseph, you cared for Mary and Jesus, will you be my spiritual father as well?
In a quiet moment last month, it became clear to me that a saint was trying to get my attention. I let the thoughts come together, did some research on him and believe that he is a good model for me.
He was married but never fathered any children of his own.
As a priest, I will be spiritual father to many who are not my own.
He worked with his hands, was a laborer, tradesman and a carpenter.
I love to get my hands dirty on a good woodworking project.
He is noted for being in the bible, but never saying a word in the bible.
I've been called terse and taciturn many times.
A book about him says, "His silent life speaks volumes about love, obedience, integrity and the value of good work".
If I can live up to those ideals, I'd be a very happy camper.
St Joseph, you cared for Mary and Jesus, will you be my spiritual father as well?
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
I am weak
The Office of Readings for October 25 had a portion of a letter from St.
Augustine as its focus. As I read it, I had a glimmer of understanding
about something that has been bothering me.
I had to look up the reference, I am not a bible scholar. It was from 2 Corinthians 12:6-9.
He showed that he himself shared this uncertainty. Did he know what it was right to pray for when he was given a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan to bruise him, so that he might not be puffed up by the greatness of what was revealed to him? Three times he asked the Lord to take it away from him, which showed that he did not know what he should ask for in prayer. At last, he heard the Lord’s answer, explaining why the prayer of so great a man was not granted, and why it was not expedient for it to be granted: My grace is sufficient for you, for power shines forth more perfectly in weakness.
In the kind of affliction, then, which can bring either good or ill, we do not know what it is right to pray for; yet, because it is difficult, troublesome and against the grain for us, weak as we are, we do what every human would do, we pray that it may be taken away from us. We owe, however, at least this much in our duty to God: if he does not take it away, we must not imagine that we are being forgotten by him but because of our loving endurance of evil, must await greater blessings in its place. In this way, power shines forth more perfectly in weakness. These words are written to prevent us from having too great an opinion of ourselves if our prayer is granted, when we are impatient in asking for something that it would be better not to receive; and to prevent us from being dejected, and distrustful of God’s mercy toward us, if our prayer is not granted, when we ask for something that would bring us greater affliction, or completely ruin us through the corrupting influence of prosperity. In these cases we do not know what is right to ask for in prayer.
Therefore, if something happens that we did not pray for, we must have no doubt at all that what God wants is more expedient than what we wanted ourselves. Our great Mediator gave us an example of this. After he had said: Father, if it is possible, let this cup be taken away from me, he immediately added, Yet not what I will, but what you will, Father, so transforming the human will that was his through his taking a human nature. As a consequence, and rightly so, through the obedience of one man the many are made righteous.
I had to look up the reference, I am not a bible scholar. It was from 2 Corinthians 12:6-9.
- "...but about myself I will not boast, except about my weaknesses. Although if I should wish to
boast, I would not be foolish, for I would be telling the truth. But I
refrain, so that no one may think more of me than what he sees in me or
hears from me because of the abundance of the revelations. Therefore, that I might not become too elated, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to beat me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me, but he said to me,
"My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in
weakness." I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order
that the power of Christ may dwell with me."
I am weak. Some of you know that I have some issues with balance and vertigo. It is not constant, but enough to remark upon. My doctors have eliminated about everything they can think of, so I live with it. I take over the counter medication for it when it gets really bad.
I am weak. I have Type II diabetes. I control it with diet, exercise, insulin and other medications. This is a progressive disease that always gets worse. So far, I am lucky with no serious complications.
I am weak. My weakness allows me to relate to others with weakness. My weakness makes me a better seminarian and, I pray, a better priest in the future.
The bold sections below spoke to me...
I am weak. I have Type II diabetes. I control it with diet, exercise, insulin and other medications. This is a progressive disease that always gets worse. So far, I am lucky with no serious complications.
I am weak. My weakness allows me to relate to others with weakness. My weakness makes me a better seminarian and, I pray, a better priest in the future.
The bold sections below spoke to me...
Second reading
From a letter to Proba by Saint Augustine, bishop
We do not know what it is right to pray for
You may still want to ask why the Apostle said: We do not know what it is right to pray for, because, surely, we cannot believe that either he or those to whom he wrote did not know the Lord’s Prayer.From a letter to Proba by Saint Augustine, bishop
We do not know what it is right to pray for
He showed that he himself shared this uncertainty. Did he know what it was right to pray for when he was given a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan to bruise him, so that he might not be puffed up by the greatness of what was revealed to him? Three times he asked the Lord to take it away from him, which showed that he did not know what he should ask for in prayer. At last, he heard the Lord’s answer, explaining why the prayer of so great a man was not granted, and why it was not expedient for it to be granted: My grace is sufficient for you, for power shines forth more perfectly in weakness.
In the kind of affliction, then, which can bring either good or ill, we do not know what it is right to pray for; yet, because it is difficult, troublesome and against the grain for us, weak as we are, we do what every human would do, we pray that it may be taken away from us. We owe, however, at least this much in our duty to God: if he does not take it away, we must not imagine that we are being forgotten by him but because of our loving endurance of evil, must await greater blessings in its place. In this way, power shines forth more perfectly in weakness. These words are written to prevent us from having too great an opinion of ourselves if our prayer is granted, when we are impatient in asking for something that it would be better not to receive; and to prevent us from being dejected, and distrustful of God’s mercy toward us, if our prayer is not granted, when we ask for something that would bring us greater affliction, or completely ruin us through the corrupting influence of prosperity. In these cases we do not know what is right to ask for in prayer.
Therefore, if something happens that we did not pray for, we must have no doubt at all that what God wants is more expedient than what we wanted ourselves. Our great Mediator gave us an example of this. After he had said: Father, if it is possible, let this cup be taken away from me, he immediately added, Yet not what I will, but what you will, Father, so transforming the human will that was his through his taking a human nature. As a consequence, and rightly so, through the obedience of one man the many are made righteous.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Ministry of Reader
Step 1 - Ministry of Acolyte - 12/07/2011 - Complete
Step 2 - Ministry of Reader - 10/31/2012 - Complete
Step 3 - Transitional Deacon - January 2015 (maybe June 2014) (God willing)
Step 4 - Priest - June 2015 (God willing)
That's my classmate Mark on the left, me in the middle, Aidan on the right.
Ken, the Master of Ceremonies, is standing behind us.
On the far left, is Bishop Hartmayer from Savannah, GA doing the installation.
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