"Lord, teach us how to pray..." (Lk 11:1)

After observing the depth, the faithfulness and the fruitfulness of Jesus' prayer, the disciples couldn't help but ask: How can we pray like you, Lord (so we can be more like you)?

Jesus does not get into practical strategies--e.g., posture or breathing techniques or meditation mantras--but he gets really real.  His answer is that we need to enter into his prayer, into his lived relationship with the Father, through his Holy Spirit.

The Lord's Prayer is a summary of the Gospel because it draws us into the mystery of Our Father's personal quest for an intimate relationship with each of his created sons and daughters.  In and through his un-created Son, by the power of his proceeding Spirit, the Father seeks to draw each of us into intimacy with the Blessed Trinity's eternal exchange of Love.

But we are practical people with many day-to-day concerns--not unlike the first disciples (!)--and so we want to know what this lesson on prayer means for us right now.  Here are seven suggestions, following the seven petitions of the Lord's Prayer:

• (Re)Claim and (Re)Frame our lives in terms of relationship with our eternal Father. When we pray that the Father's name be holy, "we are immersed in the innermost mystery of his Godhead and the drama of the salvation of our humanity" (CCC, n. 2801).  Because the Father is perfect and holy, Jesus wants us to let his image and likeness shine through our lives.
  
• Walk in the presence of the Father, who IS in heaven and who IS close to us wherever we are. This is what it means to ask that his Kingdom come; this is why Jesus proclaimed that "The kingdom of God is at hand" (Mk 1:15). Heaven contains the earth as the soul contains the body.
  
•  Will the Will of the Father, in matters great and small. Holiness looks like something--conforming my will the the Will of the Father.  And it looks like Someone--Jesus--who lived 30 years of ordinary life and 3 years of extraordinary ministry simply willing the Father's Will, moment-to-moment.
  
• Eat and drink giving thanks to the Father (particularly at his eucharistic table)! To resist the myth of our own self-sufficiency and our own self-made-ness, perhaps there is no better place to start than looking at every drop and morsel we consume as signs of affection from the Father: "all good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights" (Jas 1:17).
  
• Forgive with the prodigal and gratuitous love of the Father. We must redirect those who have hurt us, so that they stop their bad behavior and so that relationships might be restored.  But this requires that we remember how much we have already been forgiven: "Merciful and gracious is the LORD, slow to anger, abounding in kindness" (Ps 103:8).
  
• Cast out temptations in the name of Jesus, the Father's beloved. The father of lies will not rest until he has drawn us from the embrace of our heavenly Father. Temptations are guaranteed until the end of time, but we resist their control when we name them and dismiss them by invoking Jesus' authoritative name and example, "Get away, Satan" (Mt 4:10).
  
• Trust that it pleases the Father to deliver us from every evil: Even before Jesus put evil to death on the Cross, he invited his followers to walk as he walked, with utter assurance in this promise: "Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom" (Lk 12:32).

In sum, Jesus teaches us how to pray by inviting us into his own prayer, into his inner life. We simply need to live from this mystery "in a vital and personal relationship with the living and true God"; after all, as the Catechism succinctly notes, "This relationship is prayer" (CCC, n. 2558).

Convocation + Conversation => Conversion

An opening riddle: What might Orlando in July and a breath of fresh air have in common?

Acceptable answers: The 2017 Convocation of Catholic Leaders--or--the Holy Spirit blowing through the battered--but not broken--body of the Church :)

The experience seemed like: one part national "world youth day," with a powerful presence of young adults, and many others exhibiting a renewed young-at-heart status; one part pilgrimage, with 3500 amazing companions from across the country; one part incredible retreat, with heavenly liturgies and dynamic nightly devotions; and one part "killer" conference, with star-studded keynote addresses, witness talks and panel discussions.

Of course, the preferred terminology was "convocation"--as in, "a coming together." It was an assembly led by scores of Bishops and their respective delegations. It was a gathering of people who represented the entire body of the Church, whose authentic unity in diversity was on full display.

The operative word throughout the event was "conversation," and the intention was clearly to engage as many diverse voices as possible--and to spark ongoing conversations at the dioceses and parishes throughout the U.S.  The call to ongoing personal and ecclesial conversion was clear throughout. Even though the preparation materials described all of the participants as "protagonists," it seemed that the delegates were even more like actors on the stage of a divinely inspired drama--with the promised Advocate leading the way.

In addition to calling forth delegations from around the country, the Bishops led by contributing reflections, facilitating the panel discussions, and listening to the joys and concerns of all present. Four great themes from Pope Francis' The Joy of the Gospel framed the conversation in the plenary sessions:

1. Charting the Landscape and Mission Field: As the Greek root of the word indicates, this current time of "crisis" is a transition between what is passing away and what is coming next; it is, therefore, a kairos moment--an opportune time for the Lord's ongoing activity to unfold (H. Ospino). It is time for the Church to again be poor and be for the poor, per the charge of Holy Father Francis.
   
   
2. The Radical Call to Missionary Discipleship: Rooted in evangelical discernment of the signs of the times, we must declare ourselves to be in a permanent state of mission (Pope Francis). In addition, we must understand that the goal or end of evangelization is to address poverty in all its forms, by fostering the habits of divine intimacy, authentic friendship and spiritual multiplication (C. Martin).
   
   
3. Going to the Peripheries: Where there is great suffering, Jesus is already there; the only question is whether or not we will be there with Him (C. Anderson). We must see and go out to meet all those on margins--whether these be economic, cultural, geographic, generational, or existential peripheries.
   
   
4. Spirit-filled Evangelizers Equipped for Excellence: Poured out upon all the baptized, the Holy Spirit both dwells within and inspires all those who evangelize (Bishop Malone). Boldness and fearlessness must mark this new age of missionary outreach, and bearing fruit will require a commitment to accountability (P. Lencioni). Bishop Barron's capstone address address spoke to not only three great threats (a mythological divide between faith and reason which he called "scientism"; a culture of indifference or a "whatever" mentality; and a culture of self-invention), but also three great opportunities (linked to the True and the Good and the Beautiful).

Although the phrase "new Pentecost" might seem either too dramatic or too trite for such an event, this intentional re-framing of the Church in the U.S. in terms of missionary discipleship was clearly essential for this moment in history. Outreach to suffering souls must be a primary focus in this post-Christian transition of culture, if a more fully human culture is going to have the chance to emerge.

The Convocation of Catholic Leaders seemed to be a moment when the bruised body of the Church, after having endured an extended coronary attack, received the supernatural defibrillator it needed.  Along with these words from Pope Francis, let's pray for the ongoing pastoral and missionary conversion which must follow:

"I hope that all communities will devote the necessary effort
to advancing along the path of a pastoral and missionary conversion
which cannot leave things as they presently are.
'Mere administration' can no longer be enough.
Throughout the world, let us be "permanently in a state of mission'." (EG, n. 25)

Come, Holy Spirit!
DDS

P.S. For a short sample of the Convocation, check out Discipleship at the Center of Convocation: 3-minute video clip from CNS.

P.P.S. For a full sampling of plenary sessions, Masses and devotions, follow this link to the USCCB's Convocation 2017 Video on Demand.

Jesus and Gender: Resources for Inquiring Catholics

"Christ and the Rich Young Ruler," by Heinrich Hofmann

During these confusing and disorienting times, Jesus the Teacher continues to speak regarding urgent questions about gender and the nature of the human person.

Jesus reveals not only who God is, but also who the human person is--why we are here, and where we are going. Like the rich young man pictured above, we too can approach the Lord and have the experience which Mark's Gospel describes so beautifully: "Jesus, looking at him, loved him" (Mk 10:21). We might even see the following resources as a sign of how the Lord's voice continues to echo today, "come, follow me":

1. Foundational Sources and Documents

National Catholic Bioethics Center:
Brief Statement on Transgenderism
FAQ on Gender Identity Disorder and "Sex Change" Operations

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops:
"Gender Theory"/"Gender Ideology"--Select Teaching Resources
Committee Chairmen Applaud the Repeal of “Dear Colleague Letter on Transgender Students”

Courage Apostolate: Selected Quotations from Documents of the Popes and Members of the Roman Curia on the Subject of "Gender Theory"

2. Pope Francis’ Teachings and Related Reflections

Laudato Si’, On human ecology and acceptance of our bodies as God’s gift (n. 155)

Amoris Laetitia: On gender ideology (n. 56), and On same-sex unions (n. 251)

Catholic.org: Pope Francis speaks out to explain his stance on transgenderism

Aleteia: Pope Francis--Gender theory is a threat to society

3. Additional Statements, Articles and Websites

American College of Pediatricians: Gender Identity Issues in Children and Adolescents  
 

Catholic News Agency: The need for a Catholic ministry to transgendered persons 

The Federalist: Research finds parents should question their kids' gender dysphoria before it's too late

Public Discourse: Transgenderism--A Pathogenic Meme

4. Support for Families

The Courage Apostolate: https://couragerc.org

Find a Catholic Therapist: http://www.catholictherapists.com/find-a-therapist

The Institute for Healthy Families: http://www.instituteforhealthyfamilies.org/

ChildHealing.com: Homosexuality and Hope

5. Related Films & Videos

Desire of the Everlasting Hills

The Third Way: Homosexuality and the Catholic Church

Fr. Mike Schmitz on Bruce Jenner and the transgender question

Jason Evert, On effectively reaching out to people who identify as transgender 

6. A Meta-Analysis of Biological, Psychological and Social Science Research

New Atlantis article by Dr. Lawrence S. Mayer and Dr. Paul R. McHugh:
Sexuality and Gender--Findings from the Biological, Psychological, and Social Sciences

Moving from Accedintal Gardener to Soil Specialist

"The Sower" by Vincent van Gogh

"...But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit,
a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold." (Mt 13:8)

Real gardeners may cringe at this confession, but for the past couple of years I've been randomly jamming plants into my designated space at my sister-in-law's community garden. 

With no real idea of what I'm doing--other than digging up the plot, watering along the way, and trying to keep up with the weeds--I go through the growing season with a hidden hope that something will bear fruit. One year the tomatoes went crazy; another year it was the cucumbers. Lately it's been the weeds!

I often wonder about the metaphor of this experience in relation to the journey of Christian discipleship: Am I being accidental or intentional in my effort to bear fruit for the Lord? Am I putting in the necessary work to ensure that my soul resembles the rich soil which the Sower is looking for? Do I have a plan for identifying and uprooting the weeds which threaten from different directions?

Perhaps most importantly, am I willing to serve as a co-worker with the Sower, who continues his work for the salvation of souls? Risen and Present, Jesus Christ roams through the garden of his creation, liberally scattering seeds of the Kingdom of Heaven in the hopes that they produce a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Here and now.

But he needs our help, or at least our invitation to let him help us. Jesus forces no one to embrace and cultivate Eternal Life, and he will even help us work the soil of our souls--if only we ask. The Lord knows that no one wants to live a fruitless existence, but he waits for us to ask for help in unearthing the rocks and pulling the thorns and breaking up those well-trodden paths that stifle the growth of the Kingdom.

The Sower longs for co-workers who are willing to embrace this apprenticeship. The Lord will provide for the growth, as long as we show up each day with a plan to say "Yes" to our labor in the vineyard.

With a hoe full of humility and enough faith to fertilize our respective mission fields, we can become soil specialists who will help cultivate an eternal produce--for the greater glory of God.

"Whoever has ears out to hear." (Mt 13:9)

Killing the Death Penalty

Now, as from the beginning, Jesus Christ calls his followers to be fearless victims of state-sponsored persecution, rather than complicit perpetrators in deadly structures of sin.

To use the threat of death is a ploy of the powerful, not of those who are meek and humble of heart. To throw convicted criminals to the proverbial lion is the work of empire-makers, not of Kingdom builders.

Jesus shocks his disciples--both yesterday and today--with a radical teaching to turn the other cheek when someone strikes you (Mt 5:39). Even more compelling than this teaching on non-violence may be Innocent Victim's command to Peter as he was being arrested: "Put your sword back into its sheath, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword" (Mt 26:52).

Even those who've done violence to others--from Moses and Saul to Alessandro Serenelli and beyond--should have an opportunity to encounter Divine Mercy. Cycles of violence can only be broken by Christian non-violence, that is, by a divine justice which transcends base desires for revenge. Otherwise, "righteous" vengeance will continue as a justification for further violence in perpetuity, and many will indeed perish by the same sword they have taken up.

Of course, the Catechism of the Catholic Church begins its teaching on this topic by stating that "the traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty, if this is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor" (n. 2267).  But in a passage prophetically revised by St. John Paul II, the Catechism effectively closes the door on the death penalty in the 21st century with these two subsequent sentences:

"If, however, non-lethal means are sufficient to defend and protect people's safety from the aggressor, authority will limit itself to such means, as these are more in keeping with the concrete conditions of the common good and more in conformity with the dignity of the human person. Today, in fact, as a consequence of the possibilities which the stat has for effectively preventing crime, by rendering one who has committed an offense incapable of doing harm--without definitively taking away from him the possibility of redeeming himself--the cases in which the execution of the offender is an absolute necessity 'are very rare, if not practically non-existent'" (CCC, n. 2267).

From Jesus' personal witness, through the testimony of both Scripture and the living Tradition of the Church--including Catholic Social Teaching on the Death Penalty--the demise of the death penalty has officially arrived.  It's obituary simply needs to be written, since the ongoing rationalization of such state-sponsored killing weakens the Christian resistance to other forms of brutality, such as legalized abortion and euthanasia.

To help the crucified and risen King kill death once again: Take the National Pledge to End the Death Penalty.

www.usccb.org/

What does authentic Independence look like?

clipartbest.com

As we reflect on independence this again year, perhaps it is time to ask what it really means for Christians in the 21st century.  Is independence just the freedom from external coercion, or the ability to choose whatever I want, whenever I want it?

Self-seeking comes naturally,
and Jesus reminds us of its natural results:
"Whoever finds his life will lose it..." (Mt 10:39a). 

Christian freedom involves a new way of living out our lives. It is the recognition that our very existence is itself a gift--one which is meant to be received with gratitude and then given away.  It is the acknowledgment that new life in Christ has been freely poured out upon us, and so we should freely pour it forth in return.

Self-giving comes supernaturally,
and Jesus reminds us of its supernatural results:
"Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it" (Mt 10:39b).

Christian freedom is a liberation from fear, since the Lord promises to be with us always.  It is a exodus from slavery to self, since the Lord guarantees the grace to live as beloved children of God. It is a defeat of deadly sins, since the Lord commits himself to silencing all the storms which threaten to swamp our souls.

Christ-centered living enables us to choose the good,
to know the true and to bask in the beautiful. 

It requires recognition of our interdependence with others and all of creation, just as it demands the humility to acknowledge our dependence on the One who continues to create, redeem and sanctify us.

True freedom comes shaped like a cross because it requires that we will what's best for the other. True freedom is always a pouring out of love, since it embraces Jesus' own commitment of putting God and others before self..

Let's pray that this Independence Day provides a new opportunity for Christians around the country to love God and neighbor self-sacrificially, to the greater glory of God!