On the Feast of the Immaculate Conception

Eph 1:3-6, 11-12

Brothers and sisters:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in Christ
with every spiritual blessing in the heavens,
as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world,
to be holy and without blemish before him.
In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ,
in accord with the favor of his will,
for the praise of the glory of his grace
that he granted us in the beloved.

In him we were also chosen,
destined in accord with the purpose of the One
who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will,
so that we might exist for the praise of his glory,
we who first hoped in Christ.

Advent: an Invitation to Slow Down, Be Still, and Pay Attention

Today I have been waiting for news from an old friend who expected to give birth today... I had performed her wedding to her husband, Tom and baptized their first baby, Ciaran. She went into labor this afternoon!

For me, the fact that Deirdre is giving birth today helps me to focus my thoughts on Advent, this season of spiritual preparation for Christmas. While it is my favorite liturgical season, these four weeks of expectation, with themes of God's promises, of the call to awaken and be watchful, of focus on the role of ordinary people called to play extraordinary roles in the history of salvation, it also is such an incongruous time as well. Incongruous because the circumstances of our lives and of the commercial holiday season seem to militate against the core themes and meaning of Christmas. I don't know about you, but it is hard to settle down into those deep things, the mystery and meaning of it all, when we are rushing headlong into the stress and anxiety of exams, of upcoming holidays, of sometimes stressful times with family... Do you know what I am talking about?

This is why I love Lessons and Carols, because it opens up a window for us to breath in some of that mystery, to help draw us into the mood and meaning of this season. To gather as Christians have gathered for hundreds, even thousands of years to sing ancient hymns and recall this story.

The fact that Deirdre is giving birth today somehow brings this season into perspective... that what we prepare to celebrate is new life, new hope, even the future itself. And I think about the way that Deirdre and her husband, Tom have been preparing themselves... how Deirdre became not just a physical vessel for this new life to take shape over these nine months, but how their relationship, their love, and their openness to the future was also a spiritual vessel in which this baby is being born today.

Maybe that physical and spiritual preparation to give birth and welcome new life is a good analogy for what each of us is invited to do in Advent. And maybe it would help to get specific.

A few weeks ago when I was talking to Deirdre on the phone, she was sharing how in these last few weeks, feeling really heavy and uncomfortable, she was sometimes not have energy to do much more than slow down, become still, and pay attention to what was going on within her. Slowing down, becoming still, and paying attention.

I imagine that Mary of Nazareth did the same, and that at times when she did slow down, become still, and paid attention, what she became aware of was the life of God within her, the tiny movements and kicking feet and elbows, the heartbeat of Christ within her.

I've come to believe that this is what Advent is about for me... an invitation to slow down despite the fact that the rest of the world seems to speed up these next four weeks. An invitation to become still, like the stillness of snow falling in dark empty streets, stillness and silence that is somehow anything but empty. An invitation to pay attention, because in that stillness there is a fullness that is nothing less than the presence of the Divine One, the Christ, within me.

I know, it might seem some more familiar, maybe even safer to give into our nostalgia and to focus on a quaint little creche scene where the baby Jesus rests a hay-filled manger surrounded by warm golden light. And we can worship him, and maybe pause a moment to consider the awesome mystery of the Incarnation because it happened so very long ago, in fairy tale time, in way off distant place.

But much less safe, and maybe even terrifying and wonderful, like the birth of a child, there is the one we are called to bear into the world, the real living Christ, who desires to be borne into the consciousness of our minds and hearts so that we grow into his own image through the lives we live in this world.

Slowing down, becoming still, paying attention... to the Christ who waits to be borne within each of us.

And incidentally, as I checked my email just now, greetings and peace to baby Eamonn Ignatius Ryan, welcome to the human race!

A few thoughts on the Apocalypse... and Advent

That's an understated title, isn't it? You may be wondering what I'm doing focusing on the Apocalypse today, especially in the holiday season... I mean, Thanksgiving couldn't have been that traumatic, right? Right, I actually had a really good Thanksgiving with my family, not to mention a rather tasty turkey (I discovered brining!).

I am thinking of the Apocalypse for a few reasons. First, have you noticed some of the hysteria these days in anticipation of the end of the Mayan calendar in 2012? Consider Roland Emmerich's widely panned movie, the film adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's bleak post apocalyptic novel, The Road , not to mention the threatening prophecies that Jesus utters in the last few chapters of Luke's gospel prior to his crucifixion in Jerusalem-- (the readings of the past week's liturgy)it's all a bit foreboding to say the least. A month or so ago, I had to take a taxi cab in NYC (talk about feeling like it was going to be the end of the world!) and when the driver saw that I was a priest, he became very serious and asked if I believed all the things written in the book of Revelation. It seems that there is something of the end-time anxiety in the air these days... and in fact, perhaps reassuringly, this has been the case at turning points throughout human history.

As a matter of human nature, individually and collectively, it easy to become overwhelmed by what appears to be the bad news... violence, poverty, hunger, the deterioration of civility let alone virtue. While there may be more than a proportional number of constructive, altruistic, and compassionate acts performed on a daily basis to offset the destructive ones, these will rarely grab the headlines. Thus, we will rarely have the benefit of such stories to inspire and edify us... indeed, we have to go out of our ways to hear and pass along such good news. Unless we have a natural, buoyant optimism, or perhaps more importantly, a deep store of faith, it is natural that we become preoccupied with the things that we fear... and thus we search for meaning and some compass for our uncharted lives in the unfolding of history. We long for someone or something to save us personally and collectively.

If I am not mistaken, this is the source of what we might call the apocalyptic imagination, the hope for all this deterioration and decline to be stopped and reversed by a Divine act that punishes evil doers and rewards the just. Implicitly, the apocalyptic imagination relies on dualistic, either/or thinking to create clarity and certainty out of very complex and ambiguous realities. While there is some evidence to suggest that Jesus himself employed some of these images, and there is a rich biblical tradition of such images in the apocalyptic literature of the scriptures I am going to suggest that we be very careful, discerning even, in what we do with such images.

It is true that the power of apocalyptic metaphors, for people of faith at least, is not that they inspire fear and trembling, but rather, that they reaffirm a profound confidence in God's providence, wisdom, and judgment. In essence, they affirm that as dark as things become, and however much we are suffering in the short term due to our acts of integrity and compassion, that God has the future in God's own Divine safekeeping. Thus, we persevere in faith, hope, and love despite the adversity we experience... we hold fast and stay steady in unsteady times. This is a very, very important and valuable message, and one worth respecting.

At the same time, in much of the apocalyptic clamor, whether in the popular media or in the sometimes reprehensible fear mongering in pulpits, there is not so much a call to faith and conversion as there is to infantalizing dependence on demagogic preachers and to a condemning judgment of others. This is simply not the work of the Holy Spirit. And what's more, it is subverting precisely the kind of transformation, personal and collective, that the apocalyptic literature is meant to inspire.

It is no accident that as the ordinary time of the church year comes to a close, we recall Jesus' final journey to Jerusalem prior to his death, and come face to face with predictions of cataclysm that reflect our deepest fears and concerns for the future. On this threshold of Advent, the season of spiritual preparation for the celebration of Christmas, the urgency and foreboding of the apocalyptic literature are not meant to scare us straight so much as inspire us to hold fast in faith that God is a God of Love, that our desire to grow more free from fear, from attachments, and from disorder within our hearts are all a response to that Love.

As we begin the Advent journey again this year, let us do so carrying the flame of faith with us, be steadfast in doing good despite the ways of the world, and stay awake to every opportunity to grow into Christ's own image and likeness, that this Christmas is as much a celebration of Christ's renewing birth within our own consciousness in the present as it is a recollection of God's becoming human long ago.

Link to my old blog, Katabasis

For many postings on the theme of thanksgiving and gratitude, consider searching my blog from the past year, katabasis- going downunder.

http://katabasis-downunder.blogspot.com/

Servant Leadership

I know that it's Thanksgiving and you might expect me to be writing about the importance of gratitude and appreciation-- fair enough! But I have written on these themes many times in earlier blogs and you can find them by doing a search with those key words, especially from my previous blog, Katabasis. As I mentioned earlier this week, I just want to offer a thought or two on the theme of Servant Leadership, the form of leadership that Jesus embodied, and which has been imitated by countless women and men since then.

In Jesus' time and in our own, a prevailing notion of leadership is that it is about power and authority, often exercised over others for the achievement of some goal. Even dictionaries describe authority, the right to do the work of leadership, in terms of command, control, power, sway, rule, supremacy, domination, dominion, strength, & might. While some of these nouns are neutral in their own right, or may have a positive value in the right context, I would describe them as characteristics of an egocentric model of authority. By contrast, Robert Greenleaf describes leadership in terms of moral authority. He writes in Servant Leadership(1977),

A new moral authority is emerging which holds that the authority deserving one's allegiance is that which is freely and knowingly granted by the led to the leader in response to and in proportion to the clearly evident stature of the leader. Those who choose to follow this principle will not casually accept the authority of existing institutions. Rather, they will freely respond only to individual who are chosen as leaders because they are proven and trusted as servants. To the extent that this principle prevails in the future, the only truly viable institutions will be those that are predominantly servant led.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thinking Back on Christ the King: Servant Leadership

Very briefly as this has been a very long day already... Yesterday, the Church celebrated the feast of Christ the King, and I intend to reflect on the theme of Servant Leadership as the week goes on. I think of this week as a kind of liminal or transitional space between the end of Ordinary Time and the beginning of Advent this upcoming Sunday. By servant leadership, I am referring to a notion developed by Robert Greenleaf in his book by the same title: that the essence of leadership is about a deeply principled service of one's followers

The theme of servant leadership as a way of thinking about Christ's kingship and our own is both inspiring and challenging to me.

Leading Change

I wasn't thinking of these reflections on Integrity under Duress and Leadership for Change as a series, but it just so happens that the Gospel for today is the scene in Luke where Jesus upsets the applecart in the Temple by driving the merchants out. For those of us who tend to reduce the Son of God to a nice guy from Nazareth, a gentle wisdom teacher and healer, this depiction of Jesus' anger and vehement, if not violent action is a bit jarring. What was going on that Jesus was moved to take a whip up and drive people and their profits out of the temple?

We know from historical research that the Temple was at the heart of the economy in Jerusalem, whereby the practices of slaughtering and sacrificing animals as ritual offerings consumed huge resources and was burdensome to observant Jews, especially the poor. There was also a Temple tax that helped to support the priests, scribes, and other functionaries. Within the Temple, there was a large precinct where people bought and sold livestock and birds for their ritual offerings, and which was no doubt a very lively place within the Temple boundaries. The Temple itself was a huge and very grand complex, awe inspiring for its grandeur and opulence.

Given what we know, it must have grieved Jesus to witness all this when his deepest desire was to bring Israel into right relationship with the Father, to restore and deepen his people's intimate relationship and dependence on the One. When three years of itinerant ministry, teaching and healing huge crowds, failed to bring about the revolutionary/evolutionary change that he was leading them toward, it seems that he went up to Jerusalem one last time for Passover with some intention to turn the heat up a notch. There is some conjecture that his dramatic action in the Temple was an event staged to bring the conflict with the religious and political authorities out into the open. While many have portrayed Jesus as a passive victim of the Roman and High Priestly officials plot to safeguard their control in Israel, this may be only a part of the puzzle.

All this to say that leading change can, at times, involve dramatic action, confrontation, and creative conflict to unfreeze the status quo and to provoke people into action.

Gospel
Lk 19:45-48

Jesus entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out
those who were selling things, saying to them,
“It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer,
but you have made it a den of thieves.”
And every day he was teaching in the temple area.
The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile,
were seeking to put him to death,
but they could find no way to accomplish their purpose because all the people were hanging on his words.

Integrity Under Duress #2

As a person attempting to exercise leadership, this issue of integrity even adverse conditions is so important to me. If you think about it, leadership often entails mobilizing resources and people to make changes, move in a new direction, or do a new thing. What happens when you try to effect change? You guessed it, resistance. Think about the last time someone tried to change your mind, or get you to do what they wanted you to do. Isn't it sometimes the case that even if you know the change would be beneficial, you resist it anyway? Think about the last time that your doctor said you should lose a few pounds, or stop eating high cholestrol foods, or sugar. You know what I'm talking about. These is this natural tendency in living systems to seek and maintain a sort of homeostasis, so it is not too far a stretch to see how it is not only our bodies that tend toward the status quo. It is also the way we maintain habits of mind, routines of behavior.

When leaders try to effect change, it would be naive to think that even the most reasonable and potentially beneficial changes will not be met with resistance, even hostility. So, leaders have to learn how to read resistance as a form of communication, not as a personal attack. Rather, underneath, people might be saying, "we're afraid," "this is hard," "I'm worried that something precious will be lost if we change," etc. In a sense, leaders need to have a sort of resiliency to criticism and hostility, remembering that its not personal-- that anyone trying to rock the boat will get the same reaction.

Leaders need to develop the ability to hold steady, maintaining their integrity even under duress, and balancing the pressure they place on others with an authentic communication of care. If this sounds resonant with you, you might be interested in the books of Ron Heifetz from the Kennedy School of Government, in particular, Leadership on the Line.

Integrity under Duress

The commemoration of the El Salvadoran martyrs yesterday, especially the reminder of the way the Jesuits and their colleagues continued their work for social justice on behalf of the poor in the face of death threats, inspired me to think about the meaning of integrity. While some might think of integrity as sort of consistency between one's intentions and values and the way that that person manifests those intentions and values in action, I think there is more to it than that. It is one thing to be able to be a virtuous, upstanding, and skillful person under the best conditions, and another to be virtuous, upstanding, and skillful when the conditions don't support that kind of character at all.

I think of the way the Jesuits at the UCA in El Salvador were not supermen, but rather very human, humble men, committed to living with and serving the poor. It was not their own courage or heroism that sustained them in the face of danger, but rather a sense of purpose and commitment to something/someone beyond themselves. They lived to be in solidarity with the poor and to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus in such a way that this proclamation was not in word only. The Jesuits believed that in order for poor people to believe in a good and loving God, they themselves had to express their faith in action that promoted justice and ended exploitation and violence. Their stance was a vivid confrontation with the powers the be, and the worldly values that under-gird unjust orders.

It is easy, and maybe a bit vain, to live in the comfort of my current surroundings and imagine that I would have been as steadfast and unwavering in my commitment at they were, but I wonder.

In our first reading from the mass of the day, Eleazar demonstrates the kind of integrity under duress that confronts the values of his enemies and inspires and encourages all those of his own community.


2 Maccabbees 6:18-31

Eleazar, one of the foremost scribes,
a man of advanced age and noble appearance,
was being forced to open his mouth to eat pork.
But preferring a glorious death to a life of defilement,
he spat out the meat,
and went forward of his own accord to the instrument of torture,
as people ought to do who have the courage to reject the food
which it is unlawful to taste even for love of life.
Those in charge of that unlawful ritual meal took the man aside privately,
because of their long acquaintance with him,
and urged him to bring meat of his own providing,
such as he could legitimately eat,
and to pretend to be eating some of the meat of the sacrifice
prescribed by the king;
in this way he would escape the death penalty,
and be treated kindly because of their old friendship with him.
But Eleazar made up his mind in a noble manner,
worthy of his years, the dignity of his advanced age,
the merited distinction of his gray hair,
and of the admirable life he had lived from childhood;
and so he declared that above all
he would be loyal to the holy laws given by God.

He told them to send him at once
to the abode of the dead, explaining:
“At our age it would be unbecoming to make such a pretense;
many young people would think the ninety-year-old Eleazar
had gone over to an alien religion.
Should I thus pretend for the sake of a brief moment of life,
they would be led astray by me,
while I would bring shame and dishonor on my old age.
Even if, for the time being, I avoid the punishment of men,
I shall never, whether alive or dead,
escape the hands of the Almighty.
Therefore, by manfully giving up my life now,
I will prove myself worthy of my old age,
and I will leave to the young a noble example
of how to die willingly and generously
for the revered and holy laws.”

Eleazar spoke thus,
and went immediately to the instrument of torture.
Those who shortly before had been kindly disposed,
now became hostile toward him because what he had said
seemed to them utter madness.
When he was about to die under the blows,
he groaned and said:
“The Lord in his holy knowledge knows full well that,
although I could have escaped death,
I am not only enduring terrible pain in my body from this scourging,
but also suffering it with joy in my soul
because of my devotion to him.”
This is how he died,
leaving in his death a model of courage
and an unforgettable example of virtue
not only for the young but for the whole nation.

20th Anniversary of the Assassination of the Six Jesuits and their friends at the UCA in El Salvador

Remembering the Martyrs of the Universidad Centroamericana, José Simeón Cañas, El Salvador

Grewen Hall at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York
Monday November 16 2009, 5-6 p.m.
A vigil will be held at dusk in solidarity with the Society of Jesus and the UCA-JSC, to mark the 20th anniversary of the massacre in El Salvador and to commemorate all who give their lives in the long struggle for justice. All are welcome: Public invited.
Click here for directions to campus or go to this web page: http://www.lemoyne.edu/VISITLEMOYNE/tabid/473/Default.aspx

Sponsored by the Le Moyne College Center for Peace and Global Studies, in cooperation with Campus Ministry, the Office of Communications, the Le Moyne College Jesuit Community, Office of Mission and Identity, President's Office, and the Sanzone Center for Catholic Studies and Theological Reflection. In addition, a Mass of Remembrance will be held Sunday, November 15, 2009 at 7 p.m. in the Chapel of Madonna dell Strada, Panasci Family Chapel, Le Moyne College campus, Syracuse, New York. For more information, please call 315.445.4558.

Intellectuals for Justice
St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus, approached Pope Paul III and asked him to send the Jesuits to “wherever in the world the need is greatest.” The Jesuits understand that the greatest need is always among the poor. This transnational brotherhood is known for analytical brilliance, verbal prowess, and courage. They know that to educate the poor is the single most important action one can choose, in order to create a more just world. For speaking out against the abuse of power, Jesuits have been exiled and murdered. In the middle of the night on November 16, 1989, members of the Salvadoran army killed six Jesuits associated with the Universidad Centroamericana, their housekeeper, and her fifteen-year old daughter in a house in San Salvador during. Please join us in remembering the martyrs of UCA-JSC. For more information: http://www.lemoyne.edu/JESUITHERITAGE/tabid/482/Default.aspx.

Wisdom and Her Inspiration...

It is hard to deny that wisdom is a rare virtue... just think of a few people, family, friends, or public figures who would qualify as wise. And perhaps we should define terms first, right? What is wisdom in your eyes?

In the Old Testament Scriptures, there is a whole body of writing known as the Wisdom literature. It includes Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Psalms, Job, and the Wisdom of Solomon. In this literature, Wisdom is often personified in the figure of Lady Wisdom, a divine figure who originated with God, yet is also distinct and associated with Creation. What follows is a lovely, poetic description of Lady Wisdom and her attributes... may we all be inspired by her, that we grow not only in knowledge, but also insight, intuition, equanimity, sagacity, skillfulness, and compassion.

Wis 7:22b–8:1

In Wisdom is a spirit
intelligent, holy, unique,
Manifold, subtle, agile,
clear, unstained, certain,
Not baneful, loving the good, keen,
unhampered, beneficent, kindly,
Firm, secure, tranquil,
all-powerful, all-seeing,
And pervading all spirits,
though they be intelligent, pure and very subtle.
For Wisdom is mobile beyond all motion,
and she penetrates and pervades all things by reason of her purity.
For she is an aura of the might of God
and a pure effusion of the glory of the Almighty;
therefore nought that is sullied enters into her.
For she is the refulgence of eternal light,
the spotless mirror of the power of God,
the image of his goodness.
And she, who is one, can do all things,
and renews everything while herself perduring;
And passing into holy souls from age to age,
she produces friends of God and prophets.
For there is nought God loves, be it not one who dwells with Wisdom.
For she is fairer than the sun
and surpasses every constellation of the stars.
Compared to light, she takes precedence;
for that, indeed, night supplants,
but wickedness prevails not over Wisdom.

Indeed, she reaches from end to end mightily
and governs all things well.

Veteran's Day and the Prospect of Peace

I am reminded today of my brothers and sisters around the world who over the ages have been enlisted by their governments into acts of both aggression and of defense, and of the terrible bloodshed and cost of war on all sides. The scope and scale of war even now in the early 21st Century is still staggering, even after the two World Wars when national leaders swore that armed conflict was no longer seen as a viable, let alone morally justifiable means of guaranteeing freedom, land, rights...

Knowing so many remarkable men and women who have answered a call to the service and defense of their countries, and appreciative of their courage and commitment to their nations, I at the same time pray for an end to war, an end to the arms race and the military industrial complex that drives us into aggression for the sake of its own profits.

In the Gospel for the day today, Jesus shares foreboding words of prophecy regarding the impeding doom of Jerusalem, which was overtaken by Rome at the end of the First Century A.D. Jesus is not condemning Jerusalem so much as commenting on the blindness and collective egotism that leads to war. His question is just as salient to us today: Do we know what makes for peace?

Lk 19:41-44

As Jesus drew near Jerusalem,
he saw the city and wept over it, saying,
“If this day you only knew what makes for peace–
but now it is hidden from your eyes.
For the days are coming upon you
when your enemies will raise a palisade against you;
they will encircle you and hem you in on all sides.
They will smash you to the ground and your children within you,
and they will not leave one stone upon another within you
because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”

Indifference, Entitlement, & Gratitude

In the gospel passage that follows, it might seem like Jesus is a bit harsh to his apostles, apparently reprimanding them for expecting thanks or reward for their discipleship and service. I believe that the essence of what he is teaching them is that if we desire to be happy in the work we do, we need to be motivated from within rather than without. By this I mean, we find joy when we act/serve/labor with inner purpose, passion, and commitment... and a sort of indifference to whether our service is recognized or rewarded by others. If by contrast, we act/serve/labor motivated by desire for praise, recognition or reward, or even more problematically, if we live with a sense of expectancy and entitlement, we set ourselves up for disappointment. The paradox of course is that for as helpful as it is to act/serve/labor with a sort of indifferent freedom from the need for recognition, it is at the same time a real virtue to be able to express gratitude and praise of others. Does this make sense?

Lk 17:7-10

Jesus said to the Apostles:
“Who among you would say to your servant
who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field,
‘Come here immediately and take your place at table’?
Would he not rather say to him,
‘Prepare something for me to eat.
Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink.
You may eat and drink when I am finished’?
Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded?
So should it be with you.
When you have done all you have been commanded, say,
‘We are unprofitable servants;
we have done what we were obliged to do.’”

True Foundations

Today the Church celebrates the feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome. The Basilica of St. John Lateran is the cathedral of Rome. This is not St. Peter's, but it is the Pope's cathedral. Also called the Church of Holy Savior or the Church of St. John Baptist, it was the baptism church of ancient Rome. It was built in the time of Constantine and was consecrated by Pope Sylvester in 324. This feast became a universal celebration in honor of the basilica called "the mother and mistress of all churches of Rome and the world" (omnium urbis et orbis ecclesiarum mater et caput) as a sign of love for and union with the See of Peter.

I found this feast a bit of a challenge when I settled into prayer this morning until I read the second reading from today's mass. I felt inspired to focus on the theme of foundations... the foundation of the Church on Jesus' life, words, and the witness of his followers, as well as the question of my foundation. What is it that I stake my life on? What do I know that I know that I know? What is it that I have learned through my own personal experience, such that even if the most well informed authority in the world were to challenge me, I could stand my ground and hold steady in a grounded conviction of my own truth. In a sense, I am wondering how Truth with a capital "T" makes room for the truth of individual experience...

1 Cor 3:9c-11, 16-17

Brothers and sisters:
You are God’s building.
According to the grace of God given to me,
like a wise master builder I laid a foundation,
and another is building upon it.
But each one must be careful how he builds upon it,
for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there,
namely, Jesus Christ.

Do you not know that you are the temple of God,
and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
If anyone destroys God’s temple,
God will destroy that person;
for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.

Litany for the Feast of All the Saints and Blessed of the Society of Jesus

P.S. Today is the International Day of the promotion of vocations to the Jesuits. So please add this special intention to your prayer if you would, that God inspire good and talented young men to consider offering their lives in the service of others through the Society of Jesus.

Litany for the Feast of All the Saints and Blessed of the Society of Jesus

Friends, today is the feast of all the Saints and Blessed of the Society of Jesus. It's quite a cast and crew, I must say. None of were perfect, of course, but fully human with foibles, faults, and failings. At the same time, they were remarkable in the way that their lives manifested Christ's life in a distinct and active way in the circumstances of their own lives, especially in and through their loving service of others. Perhaps you might join me in praying that their inspiration and witness might invigorate our faith and commitment to laboring with Christ for the good of all.

Lord, have mercy, Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy, Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy, Lord, have mercy.

Christ, hear us, Christ, graciously hear us.
God, our Father in heaven, Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the World, Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Mother of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Pray for us.
Holy Mary, Mother and Queen of our Society, Pray for us.
Holy Virgin of Montserrat, Pray for us.
Our Lady of the Way, Pray for us.

Holy Father Ignatius, Pray for us.
St. Francis Xavier, first companion and missionary, Pray for us.
St. Francis Borgia, model of renunciation, Pray for us.
St. Stanislaus Kostka, model and patron of novices, Pray for us.
Sts. Edmund Campion, Robert Southwell and companions,
martyrs of Christ in England, Pray for us.
St. Aloysius Gonzaga and St. John Berchmans,
models and patrons of our scholastics, Pray for us.
Sts. Paul Miki, James Kisai and John Soan de Goto, martyrs of Christ in Japan, Pray for us.
St. Peter Canisius and St. Robert Bellarmine, doctors of the church, Pray for us.
St. John Ogilvie, martyr of Christ in Scotland, Pray for us.
Sts. Bernardine Realino, John Francis Regis and Francis Jerome,
missioners to people in town and country, Pray for us.
St. Alphonsus Rodriguez, model and patron of our brothers, Pray for us.
Sts. Melchior Grodziecki and Stephen Pongrácz, martyrs of Christ in Košice, Pray for us.
Sts. Roch Gonzalez, Alphonsus Rodriguez and John del Castillo,
martyrs of Christ in Paraguay, Pray for us.
Sts. John de Brébeuf, Isaac Jogues and companions,
martyrs of Christ in North America, Pray for us
St. Peter Claver, defender of the slaves in South America, Pray for us.
St. Andrew Bobola, martyr of Christ in Poland, Pray for us.
St. John de Brito, martyr of Christ in India, Pray for us.
St. Claude La Columbière, faithful friend and apostle of the Sacred Heart, Pray for us.
St. Joseph Pignatelli, hallowed link of the old and the restored Society, Pray for us.
Sts. Leo Mangin and companions, martyrs of Christ in China, Pray for us.
St. Joseph Rubio, apostle of Madrid, Pray for us.

All you Saints of the Society of Jesus Pray for us.

Blessed Peter Faber, first companion and apostle of the Spiritual Exercises, Pray for us.
Bl. Ignatius de Azevedo and companions, martyred while sailing for Brazil, Pray for us.
Bl. Thomas Woodhouse, Ralph Ashley and companions,
martyrs of Christ in England, Pray for us.
Bl. Rudolph Acquaviva, Francis Aranha and companions,
martyrs of Christ in India, Pray for us.
Bl. James Salès and William Saultemouche, martyrs of the Eucharist in France, Pray for us.
Bl. Joseph de Anchieta, apostle of Brazil, Pray for us.
Bl. Charles Spinola, Sebastian Kimura and companions,
martyrs of Christ in Japan Pray for us.
Bl. Dominic Collins, martyr of Christ in Ireland, Pray for us.
Bl. Diego Luis de San Vitores, martyr of Christ in Micronesia, Pray for us.
Bl. Julian Maunoir and Anthony Baldinucci, zealous preachers of God=s Word, Pray for us.
Bl. James Bonnaud and companions, martyrs of Christ in France, Pray for us.
Bl. James Berthieu, martyr of Christ in Madagascar, Pray for us.
Bl. John Beyzym, servant of Lepers in Madagascar, Pray for us.
Bl. Miguel Pro, martyr of Christ in Mexico, Pray for us.
Bl. Francis Garate, humble doorkeeper who found God in all things, Pray for us.
Bl. Rupert Mayer, apostle of Munich and fearless witness of truth, Pray for us.
Bl. Alberto Hurtado, agent of social change in Chile, Pray for us.
Bl. Tomás Sitjar Fortiá and companions, martyrs of Christ in Valencia Pray for us.

All you Blessed of the Society of Jesus, Pray for us.

Fathers and Brothers, Scholastics and Novices of the Society
who have preceded us in the service of the Lord, Pray for us.

Let us pray:

Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
though we are sinners, you have called us to be his companions
and to engage in the crucial struggle of our time, the struggle for faith, justice and love.
Bring to completion in us the work you began in Ignatius and so many of his followers.
Place us with your Son, as you placed them,
and take us under the banner of the Cross to serve him alone and his Church.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Love is the Fulfillment of the Law

When the Dali Lama is asked to explain Tibetan Buddhism, his simple and elegant response is that his religion is kindness.

In the passage from Romans, we are reminded that the essence of Christianity is love. While it is easy to lose sight of this in the culture debates between ideologically conservative or liberal believers, or in view of hypocrisy, scandal, or abuse, it is as important as ever to remind ourselves and others that there is no imperative more important, no action more needed in the world today, than to be people who love.

Reading 1
Rom 13:8-10

Brothers and sisters:
Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another;
for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
The commandments, You shall not commit adultery;
you shall not kill;
you shall not steal;
you shall not covet,
and whatever other commandment there may be,
are summed up in this saying, namely,
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Love does no evil to the neighbor;
hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.

The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls)

Reading 1
Wis 3:1-9

The souls of the just are in the hand of God,
and no torment shall touch them.
They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead;
and their passing away was thought an affliction
and their going forth from us, utter destruction.
But they are in peace.
For if before men, indeed, they be punished,
yet is their hope full of immortality;
chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed,
because God tried them
and found them worthy of himself.
As gold in the furnace, he proved them,
and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself.
In the time of their visitation they shall shine,
and shall dart about as sparks through stubble;
they shall judge nations and rule over peoples,
and the Lord shall be their King forever.
Those who trust in him shall understand truth,
and the faithful shall abide with him in love:
because grace and mercy are with his holy ones,
and his care is with his elect.

Sayings of St. Ignatius of Loyola

"Charity and kindness unwedded to truth are not charity and kindness, but deceit and vanity."

Playing the Prophet

In today's Gospel, of all people, the religious authorities are trying to convince Jesus to take to the hills in order to protect himself from King Herod, a petty tyrant who is colluding with the Roman occupation. Jesus doesn't mince words, calling Herod a fox, and then going on to reflect out loud about the risks he faces as he takes up the role of the prophet calling for conversion.

A few thoughts... when we describe Jesus as a prophet, it is not to say so much that he his prognosticating about the future, but rather, that he is speaking in God's name about the need for people to turn away from the way of the world and back to faithfulness to God's ways. This means more specifically that he is calling them to liberation from an enslaved pursuit of riches, honors, and pride, back into a wholesome love of God, self, and neighbor. In that call, he is taking up the prophetic mantle as so many before him had, speaking up on behalf of the widow, the orphan, the marginalized...

And so, the question comes around to each of us as to how circumstances in our lives call us to play the prophet as well?


Gospel
Lk 13:31-35

Some Pharisees came to Jesus and said,
“Go away, leave this area because Herod wants to kill you.”
He replied, “Go and tell that fox,
‘Behold, I cast out demons and I perform healings today and tomorrow,
and on the third day I accomplish my purpose.
Yet I must continue on my way today, tomorrow, and the following day,
for it is impossible that a prophet should die
outside of Jerusalem.’

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you,
how many times I yearned to gather your children together
as a hen gathers her brood under her wings,
but you were unwilling!
Behold, your house will be abandoned.
But I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say,
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”

Saints Simon and Jude, and the importance of diversity on teams

Today is the feast of Saints Simon and Jude. As is the case with many of the disciples, we just don't know all that much about these men. Jude is so named by Luke and Acts. Matthew and Mark call him Thaddeus. He is not mentioned elsewhere in the Gospels, except, of course, where all the apostles are mentioned. Scholars hold that he is not the author of the Letter of Jude. Actually, Jude had the same name as Judas Iscariot. Evidently because of the disgrace of that name, it was shortened to "Jude" in English.

Simon is mentioned on all four lists of the apostles. On two of them he is called "the Zealot." The Zealots were a Jewish sect that represented an extreme of Jewish nationalism. For them, the messianic promise of the Old Testament meant that the Jews were to be a free and independent nation. God alone was their king, and any payment of taxes to the Romans—the very domination of the Romans—was a blasphemy against God. No doubt some of the Zealots were the spiritual heirs of the Maccabees, carrying on their ideals of religion and independence. But many were the counterparts of modern terrorists. They raided and killed, attacking both foreigners and "collaborating" Jews. They were chiefly responsible for the rebellion against Rome which ended in the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.

From my perspective doing leadership development and team-building, what is so amazing is the diversity of the team that Jesus gathers to help him advance his purpose, the Kingdom of God. In addition to people like Simon, the Zealot, he also chooses Matthew, the tax collector-- a man who the zealots would have despised for his collusion with the Roman occupation. Further, Jesus chooses James and John, who have the nickname, "the sons of thunder." We can only guess why, but I would imagine that they were somewhat impetuous, maybe a bit boisterous. And then there is Simon Peter, a most unlikely foundation stone for the future church.

In all this, Jesus opts for diversity of personality and background, and seems to choose people more for their growth potential than for their professional competence, their intellectual brilliance, or expertise. In fact, from the numerous accounts in the Gospels, these men often acted like a bunch of competitive adolescents, each in their own way torn between the way of the world and the WAY that Jesus was modeling them: a way of humble, self-abnegating service.

So, if you happen to find yourself on a diverse and seemingly motley team, perhaps it is an opportunity to see that your way may not be the only way, and that God indeed can work wonders through the most unlikely people.


Gospel
Lk 6:12-16

Jesus went up to the mountain to pray,
and he spent the night in prayer to God.
When day came, he called his disciples to himself,
and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles:
Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew,
James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew,
Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus,
Simon who was called a Zealot,
and Judas the son of James,
and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God?

When we hear the expression, "the purpose driven life," I wonder what it stirs up for people? Perhaps it connotes a sense of living from the inside out, rather than being a victim of circumstances, or of constantly being in a reactive rather than proactive posture. It might suggest that a person is capable of setting their own agenda, articulating their own self-formulated values, or of someone who is self-possessed rather than being subject to the whims of the world.

When it comes to Jesus, it is fairly safe to say that he was a purpose driven person, and that the purpose he served was that of proclaiming and revealing the Kingdom of God. At the same time, even though the Kingdom seems to have been his animating purpose, when he describes it to others, he always explains it by use of analogy. What do you think he means?


Gospel
Lk 13:18-21

Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like?
To what can I compare it?
It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden.
When it was fully grown, it became a large bush
and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.”

Again he said, “To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God?
It is like yeast that a woman took
and mixed in with three measures of wheat flour
until the whole batch of dough was leavened.”

Woman Unbent

The gospel today strikes me as a powerful contrast with the Church's patriarchal position on the role of women. Jesus defies religious conventions by healing on the Sabbath, and beyond this, it is hard not to see the symbolic meaning of this gesture as he heals the bent woman.

Gospel
Lk 13:10-17

Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath.
And a woman was there who for eighteen years
had been crippled by a spirit;
she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect.
When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said,
“Woman, you are set free of your infirmity.”
He laid his hands on her,
and she at once stood up straight and glorified God.
But the leader of the synagogue,
indignant that Jesus had cured on the sabbath,
said to the crowd in reply,
“There are six days when work should be done.
Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day.”
The Lord said to him in reply, “Hypocrites!
Does not each one of you on the sabbath
untie his ox or his ass from the manger
and lead it out for watering?
This daughter of Abraham,
whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now,
ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day
from this bondage?”
When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated;
and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.


Irene Zimmerman, OFM writes a lovely and powerful poem inspired by this liberating and healing encounter:

Woman Un-Bent

That Sabbath day as always
she went to the synagogue
and took the place assigned her
right behind the grill where,
the elders had concurred,
she would block no one's view,
she would lean her heavy head,
and (though this was not said)
she'd give a good example to those who stood behind her.

That day, intent as always
on the Word (for eighteen years
she'd listened thus), she heard
Authority when Jesus spoke.

Though long stripped
of forwardness,
she came forward, nonetheless,
when Jesus summoned her.

"Woman, you are free
of your infirmity," he said.

The leader of the synagogue
worked himself into a sweat
as he tried to bend the Sabbath
and the woman back in place.

But she stood up straight and let
God's glory touch her face.

Sayings of St. Ignatius of Loyola

"The one who sets about making others better is wasting his/her time unless that person begins with his/herself."

A new way of seeing...

I've been reflecting the whole day on the Gospel from today's liturgy...


Gospel
Mk 10:46-52

As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd,
Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus,
sat by the roadside begging.
On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth,
he began to cry out and say,
"Jesus, son of David, have pity on me."
And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent.
But he kept calling out all the more,
"Son of David, have pity on me."
Jesus stopped and said, "Call him."
So they called the blind man, saying to him,
"Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you."
He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.
Jesus said to him in reply, "What do you want me to do for you?"
The blind man replied to him, "Master, I want to see."
Jesus told him, "Go your way; your faith has saved you."
Immediately he received his sight
and followed him on the way.

------

As with every Gospel passage, there are so many ways to interpret a given passage, and when we pray over a certain text, there is often a way that our current lived reality affects what we see and how we see it. This morning, I was meditating on the theme of sight... What is it that I need to see more clearly? Where are my blind-spots? Do I feel the same irrepressible desire to be healed and to follow Jesus? Do I have to faith that the blind man had?

In truth, my prayer foundered a bit in abstraction. Focused on myself, these questions didn't get much traction or yield much insight. But later in the day, I was driving back from an art exhibit downtown and saw a man by the side of the road, holding a sign saying that he was homeless and needed help. Hmmm... I could not help but make the association with Bartimaeus sitting on the curb calling for help.

Now, you might be thinking that because I made that connection, or simply because I have an empathetic concern as a Christian, or as a fellow human being, that I pulled over and went to this man's aid. But instead, I passed him, rationalizing that if I did stop to give the man money, that he would use it for drugs or alcohol. And indeed, for all the years I lived in New York City, I always made a point to offer people food, not cash, even if it meant that I spent much more than I would have if I had given a handout. It was a sort of principle I held on to, and as a result, many people declined the offer because they seemed uninterested in food. Others took me up on it and at times, this led to ongoing relationship with homeless men and women, such that we knew each others' names and basic story lines, and occasionally we shared a meal together.

But today, I realized that principle was based on an assumption about people and their motivations. It was based on a sort of cynical blanket judgment, that while it might have applied in certain situations, was by no means universally accurate. Assumptions have a way of affecting what and how we see... and today, I had my blinders taken off (at least that particular set!). Maybe principles work in a general way by definition, but if I am not mistaken, Jesus decided on a case by case basis how he would respond to each person... because he truly saw each person. I hope I might do the same.

Sayings from St. Ignatius of Loyola

"To the just man even the strokes of adverse fortune are of profit: while hurting they advantage him, like a dew of precious stones depriving the vine of its leaves to bestow on it a better treasure"

Sayings from Ignatius of Loyola

"Let your first rule of action be to trust God as if success depended entirely on yourself and not on him; but use all your efforts as if God alone did everything, and yourself nothing."

What does it mean to awaken?

In the Gospel from today's mass, Jesus tells the disciples to stay awake:

Gospel
Lk 12:35-38

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Gird your loins and light your lamps
and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding,
ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.
Blessed are those servants
whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.
Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself,
have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.
And should he come in the second or third watch
and find them prepared in this way,
blessed are those servants.”

We might ask ourselves what he means? It seems to go without saying that Jesus is talking about more than being literally awake. He does not expect us to become insomniacs, but rather, to be awake and aware to his presence in all the ways that he becomes manifest to us, in particular, in the person who is poor, hungry, lonely, grieving, imprisoned, marginalized, etc. While we might have the sensitivity to perceive Jesus' presence in the other on a good day, the difficulty is when we are figuratively "asleep"-- consumed with our own agendas, in an impatient rush, fragmented by our anxieties. It takes practice to be be awake and pay attention despite all these tendencies, and this is how practices like the Ignatian Examen of Consciousness can be a help. By paying attention to our experience and reflecting on our day, we can gradually become more reflective IN ACTION... less prone to getting caught asleep.

IGNATIAN EXAMEN OF CONSCIOUSNESS

In this brief prayer period, I have an opportunity to take stock of my experience in relation to my relationships and my work. I am looking for signs of God’s presence, and a sense of where I need to focus some attention for the sake of my personal growth and my greater responsiveness to those in need. In order to do this, I set aside 15 minutes once or twice a day for this reflective prayer.

Grace to pray for: I seek to have the grace of praising God for the things I am grateful for, and I ask God for freedom from any fears and attachments that are obstacles to my growth in love and availability to others.

First, I spend some time quietly coming into awareness of God’s presence with me. I do this by becoming aware of the sensations in my body, of my breathing, and of the feelings I have at this moment. God is here with me and I continue with a humble confidence in God’s loving care for me.

Lights: What are the “lights” of my experience for which I feel gratitude to God? Where have I experienced consolation… growth in faith, hope, and love? Where was I charged up with energy, excitement, and life? When did I feel the quiet but unmistakable peace and joy of being in harmony with God? Is there someone who has helped me to experience Christ today? Am I aware of embodying the Spirit of Christ through my being, knowing, and doing?

Pray for the wisdom of the Holy Spirit: I know that God calls me into the fullness of life. In the light of God’s love for me, I can become more aware of my shadows and the ways that I might continue to grow in freedom from fear. I notice these shadows without judgment, but only that I might grow in self-knowledge and in compassion for others.

Shadows: Where have I experienced desolation, a sense of diminished faith, hope, or love? Where have I experienced discouragement or a sense of paralyzing sadness? Have there been times when I felt out of step with Jesus, in disharmony with God? Have there been times when I have felt resistance to serving the people who present their needs to me? Where have I experienced emotions like ingratitude, envy, or a tendency to judge? Am I aware of habits or patterns that call for transformation through some personal attention and the work of grace?

Resolution: Where do I need to grow in grace? What can I do, practically speaking, to cooperate with God in this area of growth?

Conclusion: Spend a few moments conversing with Jesus as you would a close friend, sharing your experience of the prayer time. Be careful to listen to his response before closing with the Our Father.

Adapted from the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola by David McCallum, S.J.

The North American Martyrs and Jesus' Teaching Against Greed

Today, October 19th, the Church in the U.S. celebrates the witness and sacrifice offered by Jesuits and their companions in their mission to the Hurons and neighboring tribes in the North East of what would become the U.S. and Canada.

From Wikipedia:

The North American Martyrs, also known as the Canadian Martyrs, were eight Jesuit missionaries from Sainte-Marie among the Hurons, who were martyred in the 17th century in Canada and Upstate New York. The Martyrs are St. Jean de Brébeuf (1649),[1] St. Noël Chabanel (1649),[2] St. Antoine Daniel (1648),[3] St. Charles Garnier (1649),[2] St. René Goupil (1642),[4] St. Isaac Jogues (1646),[5] St. Jean de Lalande (1646),[6] and St. Gabriel Lalemant (1649).[1]

The readings for today turn our attention to Jesus' teaching about the dangers of greed:


Gospel
Lk 12:13-21

Someone in the crowd said to Jesus,
“Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.”
He replied to him,
“Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?”
Then he said to the crowd,
“Take care to guard against all greed,
for though one may be rich,
one’s life does not consist of possessions.”

Then he told them a parable.
“There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest.
He asked himself, ‘What shall I do,
for I do not have space to store my harvest?’
And he said, ‘This is what I shall do:
I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones.
There I shall store all my grain and other goods
and I shall say to myself, “Now as for you,
you have so many good things stored up for many years,
rest, eat, drink, be merry!”’
But God said to him,
‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you;
and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’
Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself
but is not rich in what matters to God.”

Jesus: the ideal "holding environment"

Today's gospel passage is jammed with a variety of Jesus' teachings. These were probably a collection of distinct sayings, each of which situated in a unique context with a particular audience. The overall feel of Jesus' tone is a balancing act of challenge and comfort, a balance that I think is ideal for both keeping us on our toes and at the same time, supporting us through trials. It leads me to think of how I often meet people who claim to have a very close relationship with Jesus, telling me that he is always offering them consolation and healing... sacred balm to soothe them. I must admit, this has not been my personal experience. Don't get me wrong, Jesus does provide strength, comfort, and encouragement when I turn to him in prayer and listen carefully, but not all the time. Sometimes, I find Jesus gently but firmly instigating me, poking my pride, trying to soften my ego and open me up further to loving and being loved. I wonder if it is possible to have a healthy, adult relationship with Jesus unless we are open to both dynamics in our prayer- consolation and challenge?

Years ago, D.W. Winnicott coined the term, the "holding environment" to describe the ideal context in which infants and small children grow. It entailed having a "good enough mother," who nurtures her baby, but not so much so that the child doesn't have to learn to negotiate his/her impulses and eventually develop a distinct sense of self. Developmentalists like Piaget and Kegan pick up on this notion and extend it to the way that adults will continue to grow and mature as long as there is a good balance of developmental supports and challenges in life... which leads me back to Jesus.

In a profound sense, our relationship with Jesus can serve as a sort of ultimate holding environment, so long as we are open to being both supported and challenged by his witness, his teaching, and his Divine Presence.

Luke 12:1-7

At that time:
So many people were crowding together
that they were trampling one another underfoot.
Jesus began to speak, first to his disciples,
“Beware of the leaven–that is, the hypocrisy–of the Pharisees.

“There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed,
nor secret that will not be known.
Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness
will be heard in the light,
and what you have whispered behind closed doors
will be proclaimed on the housetops.
I tell you, my friends,
do not be afraid of those who kill the body
but after that can do no more.
I shall show you whom to fear.
Be afraid of the one who after killing
has the power to cast into Gehenna;
yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one.
Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins?
Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God.
Even the hairs of your head have all been counted.
Do not be afraid.
You are worth more than many sparrows.”

Theresa of Avila and Blog Action Day

Today in the Church we remember St. Theresa of Avila, the great 16th century Spanish mystic, reformer, and founder of the Discalced Carmelites. It is also "Blog Action Day," when 7000 of us bloggers around the world are drawing attention to issues of climate change. How, you may wonder, might these two issues be connected? A very good question...

Theresa was not the most likely mystic, entering the convent because of the comfortable life it would afford her. Religious life at that time was rather lax and indulgent. But almost against her will, Theresa began to experience rather intense visions and physical sensations in her prayer-- experiences of God prompting her to simplify and purify her life and eventually to reform the Carmelite order through the embrace of an austere and deeply contemplative way of life. Eventually, John of the Cross, another 16th Century Spanish mystic follows in her footsteps.

While there is tremendous debate about climate change-- it is hard to argue with the idea that excessive materialism and over-consumption do have a destructive effect on both the planet and on our quality of life. When we take a step back and pay attention to our experience, it is the simple things of life that are most satisfying: time with people we love, the pleasure of nature, the experience of beauty, expressing ourselves creatively, putting ourselves in the service of causes and commitments bigger than ourselves. Perhaps Theresa's inspiration to reform her life and the life of her order through the embrace of greater simplicity could lead us to greater happiness, and support the well-being of the planet?

If you are interested in some of the major efforts regarding climate change or the debates going on, consider checking the out the U.N. site for the climate change conference coming up:

http://en.cop15.dk/

Getting Going Again...

Well it's nice to be back, if only briefly! This past week, I was in Boulder Colorado giving a retreat with three friends, Fr. Richard Rohr OFM, Sr. Terri Monroe RSCJ, and Rollie Stanich from Integral Spirituality-- the title of our retreat was "New Wineskins: A Contemporary Pilgrimage Toward the Future of Christianity." What, you may be wondering, are we talking about?

Our intention was to bring together the concepts and principles of Ken Wilber's Integral Theory, the insights and practices of contemplative Christianity, and notions of the emerging church. Richard Rohr is  well known voice for a progressive Catholicism, rooted deeply in the Scriptures and inspired by the vision of Vatican II. His focus on the retreat was the importance of a non-dual way of seeing and making meaning of the world-- a way of knowing that grows out of contemplative experiences of prayer and self-transcending ways of living. My contribution was in introducing and guiding people in the practice of methods of Ignatian prayer, and in a form of spiritual exercise that is known as "shadow work," wherein we identify and re-integrate aspects of ourselves that have been split off over time.

Of course, all of these aspects of the retreat would take a long time to explain... longer than I have today. But I wanted to at least drop a line and get back into the habit of writing on a daily basis.

Away for a week...

Hello friends,

Will be away at Boulder Integral giving a retreat with friends Richard Rohr, OFM, Sr. Terri Monroe, RSCJ, and Rollie Stanich this week. Please keep us in your prayers! If I manage to find to blog, I will be surprised.

Blessings and peace,
David

Living in the Present Moment: Abandonment to Divine Providence #4

This past weekend I had the pleasure of many deep and nourishing conversations. One of these chats over a meal of Chinese seafood centered on the topic at hand: the value of living in the present moment. One of the friends expressed concern that the current popularity of the notion of living in the now misses the essential quality of being in a conscious relationship with the Divine. He suggested that the difference between meditation in the style of Zen, for instance, does not pay attention to the Other, and thus is not really prayer.

There may be some truth to this, though I welcome any Zen practitioners to weigh in. While it is my understanding and experience that such meditative practices do not pay attention to the Divine other, I must admit, there are many types of theistic prayer that seem to forget that their is a Personal reality on the other end of the line, so to speak... that God is always more than we imagine.

It is also my experience that when open and attentive to the moment, a profound sense of Presence becomes manifest. This happened this weekend as I was driving. I began by listening to the radio, but losing stations in the mountains, I shut the radio off and continued in silence. As I paid attention to the moment-- the rain falling, the road unfolding before me, the sound of the wind, the colors of the trees-- I found a stillness open up inside me that was anything but empty. It felt indeed like a presence had become manifest, like the presence of an old friend. And the effect of this presence was a spontaneous feeling of gratitude, peacefulness, and desire to express this, which I did outloud in the form of prayer.

So, perhaps living fully attentive to the moment is in some ways and for some people a dimension of prayer, and opening up to the transcendence that is in, through, and beyond all things. This reminds me of a poem by Denise Levertov.

Everything That Acts Is Actual

From the tawny light
from the rainy nights
from the imagination finding
itself and more than itself
alone and more than alone
at the bottom of the well where the moon lives,
can you pull me

into December? a lowland
of space, perception of space
towering of shadows of clouds blown upon
clouds over
          new ground, new made
under heavy December footsteps? the only
way to live?

The flawed moon
acts on the truth, and makes
an autumn of tentative
silences.
You lived, but somewhere else,
your presence touched others, ring upon ring,
and changed. Did you think
I would not change?

          The black moon
turns away, its work done. A tenderness,
unspoken autumn.
We are faithful
only to the imagination. What the
imagination
          seizes
as beauty must be truth. What holds you
to what you see of me is
that grasp alone.

Denise Levertov

Living in the Now: Abandonent to Divine Providence #3

Today is the feast of Therese of Lisieux, the "little flower." As a cloistered Carmelite, her spirituality and her personal disposition fostered an instinct for living in the moment, for doing one thing well, and for appreciating how each creature in creation has its own unique part to play-- however humble. She was wrote once, "The splendor of the rose and the whitness of the lily do not rob the little violet of it’s scent nor the daisy of its simple charm. If every tiny flower wanted to be a rose, spring would lose its loveliness.”

Have we discovered the inner peace, passion, and groundedness that come from finding our own unique voice in the big scheme of things?  Just as living in the present moment demands letting go of the past and surrendering control over the future, it also involves letting go of our grandiosity and/or our excessive modesty. By this I mean, am I able to accept the task or duty that the present moment is presenting to me, no matter how great or small that task may be? It may be as simple as pushing my chair in after I have finished eating, or as great as surrendering my life on behalf of another. More likely, it is somewhere in between. Therese' insight is that simple things done with great love, thoughtfulness, and self-forgetfulness are a path to holiness.


Could it be so simple? Yes!

Living in the Now: Abandonent to Divine Providence #2

Apropos of the challenge of living in the present moment, I was recently at a college event where former Senator George McGovern, the '72 Presidential candidate, was describing a devastating event in his own life-- the night when police came to his door and told him the tragic news that his daughter had been found frozen to death after a bout of drinking. McGovern had been talking about Abraham Lincoln, the topic of his latest book, and about Lincoln's life-long struggle with depression. He had then made the connection to seeing his daughter's struggle with depression, then alcohol, and about the terrible circumstances of her death. I don't think his remarks were scripted, but rather that somehow he felt moved to trust the audience with his vulnerability in that moment. It was very powerful... hearing this influential and well known public figure, now in his late eighties, speaking from that place... I don't think that there was a dry eye in the whole crowd, except for a man sitting nearby.

He was shifting his attention between some balance sheets on his lap and his blackberry, which he held surreptitiously at his side. It is hard to say why he was there, and indeed, it was his own business what he was doing. But I couldn't help but feel that he had missed out on something so significant, a moment of profound connection between McGovern and his audience, the several hundred of us gathered there for his talk. Indeed, the man looked up at the pause in the talk... when McGovern seemed to choked up to continue and took 20 seconds or so to compose himself, but hearing nothing, the man looked around and returned to the work on his lap.

Why do I mention this? I have been where that man was that night... my attention fragmented by multi-tasking. I have missed poignant and key moments as well, when someone was telling a very personal story and making themselves vulnerable, yet my attention was leaning backward into something that had happened earlier in the day, or was pre-occupied with some future event. Or maybe I was impatient to be someplace else, so not entirely present in the moment. I think you probably know what I am talking about... multitasking, fragmented attention, lack of presence.

In today's Gospel, Jesus seems to be speaking indirectly about how life in the Kingdom demands that we live without attachments, that we snap to attention in the moment by letting bygones be bygones and surrendering the future in trust-- discerning carefully what God's will is for us here, now.

Lk 9:57-62

As Jesus and his disciples were proceeding
on their journey, someone said to him,
 “I will follow you wherever you go.”
Jesus answered him,
“Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests,
but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.”
And to another he said, “Follow me.”
But he replied, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.”
But he answered him, “Let the dead bury their dead.
But you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God.”
And another said, “I will follow you, Lord,
but first let me say farewell to my family at home.”
Jesus answered him, “No one who sets a hand to the plow
and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God.”


Living in the moment, fully present-- awake, aware, attentive... in some profound way, this is what is required of us to live in the Kingdom of God. And it requires that we practice "uni-tasking"-- doing one thing well at a time. It requires slowing down our minds from their tendency to race ahead in anxiety or to dwell in an unhelpful way on what has already happened. It requires a willingness to be fully present with undivided attention of mind and heart, so that we are available to the person or people at hand.

Living in the Now: Abandonment to Divine Providence

Many of you may have heard of the contemporary speaker and writer, Eckhart Tolle? He wrote a phenomenally popular book, The Power of Now, and then just recently a follow-up entitled, A New Earth. Tolle's subject is the nature of the self, and he proposes that the way to all the things we truly desire in life is to stop the insanity of our ego-- that we might gradually wake up to a new, more free and loving way of being. While initially a little skeptical, I have come to appreciate his ideas and his very simple way of expressing himself. And I have begun to recognize traces of his thought in many spiritual writers from a number of traditions, many of them going back several thousand years. Of course, this should not be so surprising... throughout history, ordinary human beings have been experiencing insight and enlightenment, waking up to the true nature of the authentic self.

One of those forebearers is an 18th century French Jesuit by the name of Jean Pierre de Caussade, who wrote a classic little book of spirituality called, Abandonment to Divine Providence. In it, he introduces the perennially wise notion of living fully in the moment... not dwelling in the past, nor fretting about the future. He called the experience of living fully in the now the "sacrament of the present moment," wherein we meet the Divine and are presented with an opportunity to cooperate in the unfolding will of God.

Since this job of mine is about as engaging and absorbing as you might imagine, and I need to be reminded to take a breath and return to the moment, trusting fully in God's presence even in the midst of action... I am going to spend the foreseeable future sharing excerpts from this classic little text and offering brief commentary. How does that work for you?

Peace be upon you this moment and always...

Stopping the Insanity...

No doubt you have noticed as I have how our society seems to be in the grip of an anxious, fearful, and rather paranoid phase in history. And if you're like me, you're feeling a bit suspicious that this is all for someone else's benefit... the media outlets who thrive on sensationalism, the military defense contractors who profit from war, the pharmaceutical industry who peddles anti-anxiety pills and anti-depressants, politicians who rattle the saber occasionally to stir up support for anti-immigration policies... you get the idea of course.


By contrast, in the Gospel for today's Sunday mass, Jesus teaches the disciples to get past their oppositional and fearful thinking... thinking rooted in their own need to be special, to feel important, to be the "in-crowd," and instead of paranoia or judgment, to see others in a positive light-- giving the benefit of the doubt. Imagine how different things would be if we give strangers the benefit of a bias that sees people as good, that appreciates how people are generally doing the best they can, that we are all more similar than different, and that in the end, all people want to be happy.


Gospel
Mk 9:38-43

At that time, John said to Jesus,
"Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name,
and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us."
Jesus replied, "Do not prevent him.
There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name
who can at the same time speak ill of me.
For whoever is not against us is for us.
Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink
because you belong to Christ,
amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.

I've been remiss...

Greetings and peace!

My apologies for not staying as current as I would like with the blog this week. I am beginning a new job that is completely engaging my time, energy, and creativity so that I haven't had much left for these reflections this week. As you may have seen from previous posts, my interests professionally and pastorally involve the intersections of adult learning & development/spiritual maturation/ & leadership.

In these past two blogs, I've been considering the nature of the true self, that deep down sense that we are precious and beloved in the eyes of the Divine, though we are imperfect and will never be perfect. It strikes me that this is not easy for people to really accept. If we come to the world with a dualistic operating system (the tendency toward either/or, "black and white" thinking), we have a hard time believing that we could be lovable without being perfect. Or we may accept it as an idea, but still struggle with accepting it in our hearts. To accept that I can be simultaneously a sinner and be loved without conditions might feel like a contradiction.

Now, we've all been there... either/or thinking is a natural part of our growing up, especially in adolescence. If we have an especially strong tendency in that way of perceiving and making sense of the world (like Holden Caufield in the Catcher in the Rye-- intolerable of "phoniness") we will probably tend to be hard on ourselves and fairly judgmental of others. But if that dualistic operating system doesn't get upgraded, we can stay that way all our lives. This is very problematic in such a complex world where the black and white ways of seeing tend to miss all the gray areas, oversimplifying life into easy categories and cliches.

But if the conditions are right, if we have the right balance of supports and challenges in our experience and a decent amount of courage, openness, and faith, we can evolve from the dualistic operating system to the dialectical (both/and) way of seeing the world and making meaning. This will mean that we can appreciate the gray areas, live with ambiguity, and even come to cherish paradox. If I am not mistake, love plays a key role in helping is evolve along these lines... being loved despite and even including our imperfections. Such love gives us hope, not so much for perfection, but a kind of integrity and wholeness that includes and transcends our limitations, foibles, and failings.

Cheers, and have a great Friday!

The True Self

Illustration by Michael Leunig

The true self... for some of us, this might seem like a strange concept, as if we could be anybody other than simply who we are. It might seem strange to hear me speak of masks, or of the notion of inauthenticity. For such people, I'd guess that you might be one of those rare "people without guile," as Jesus referred to Nathaniel. My dad was such a person... what you saw was what you got, and vice versa for that matter.

But I don't think that describes the majority of us. Most of us had experiences early on where we didn't feel sufficiently "well held," and as a result, developed ways and means of taking care of ourselves-- of getting the resources we needed to feel safe, secure, etc. Speaking from personal experience, I grew up in an environment where I was very much loved, yet despite that love, I was not quite convinced of my mom and dad's ability to take care of me. Some fear or doubt crept in from I know not where. Perhaps when we talk about original sin, one way of understanding it is that gap between reality and our perceptions, where fear and insecurity filter what we experience and lead us to doubt the value of our true self.

Do you know what I am talking about?

So, what is this true self? I believe that nature of the true self was revealed to us through Jesus' experience at his baptism in the river Jordan. There, Jesus had a powerful experience of his belovedness-- such that it was as if a dove had descended down upon him, sending waves of the Father's affection for him with each flap of its wings. And Jesus in turn shares repeatedly how we have a share in that belovedness. This is our true nature, just as it was Jesus' own... beloved and precious in God's eyes, children.

But unlike Jesus, most of us forget that true nature, mistaking other messages for the one that God revealed to Jesus that day at the Jordan.

More to follow... have a great week!

Wisdom and the Way of the Divine

In today's readings for the Sunday Mass, the second reading is from the letter of James. Scholars speculate that the author of James may have been the one referred to as "the brother of the Lord," one of the pillars of the Christian community in Jerusalem, and very likely, the first bishop of that community in Jerusalem. The style of his letter is in the line of the Jewish Wisdom literature (Proverbs, Sirach, Wisdom of Solomon, etc.) in that he urges his community to "right conduct" and ethical living. From my perspective, the Wisdom literature generally challenges what we would think of as the ego driven way of life and instead suggests living harmoniously with the will of the Divine.

Here is the passage from today's reading:

James 3:16-4:3


"Beloved:
Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist,
there is disorder and every foul practice.
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure,
then peaceable, gentle, compliant,
full of mercy and good fruits,
without inconstancy or insincerity.
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace
for those who cultivate peace.
Where do the wars
and where do the conflicts among you come from?
Is it not from your passions
that make war within your members?
You covet but do not possess.
You kill and envy but you cannot obtain;
you fight and wage war.
You do not possess because you do not ask.
You ask but do not receive,
because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions."

The reading seems so straight forward, a bit like the above cartoon of the CEO at his desk. Would that it was so easy to put our ego under a glass and get on about our business without being selfish, vain, arrogant, envious... etc! If you're wondering what I am referring to when I use the expression "ego," I am thinking of it in both a psychological and a spiritual way. From a psychological perspective, the ego is the way that our sense of self is organized and presented to the world. Included in the organization is the need for survival, belonging, self-expression, our sense of identity gleaned from ethnicity, race, nation, religion, role, etc. It is difficult to imagine how we would get through any given day without our ego intact and fully functioning... it is our sense of "I" and "me."

At the same time, from a spiritual perspective, our sense of self is often based on a distorted or illusory perception of who we are. Often due to experiences in our early childhoods, and very often as a result of our life in society, we pick up messages about who we are, and whether we are good enough, beautiful enough, lovable enough, athletic enough... and these affect at a very deep level our sense of our identity and worth in the eyes of others. These distorted perceptions of ourselves often lead us to feel bad about ourselves in some deep way that we can barely articulate, or that we are somehow better than others because of some trait we were recognized for early on. Essentially, this distorted sense of ourselves leads us to have a kind of false conception or picture of ourselves-- for instance, the CEO who thinks he is the master of the universe and above the law. Or the woman who continues to put herself down because her sisters always got more attention than she did, even though she may have achieved more "success" in the world.

I will probably spend a few days or more reflecting on this topic because it is at the heart of the spiritual life... but in a nutshell, I believe that God is always inviting us beyond the false self that we cling to, and to discover at the core of our being our true identity. More to follow!

Let me know if this is working for you because you're pretty quiet out there, and sometimes I need a little encouragement.

Wise and Skillful Means of Serving Change: Polarity Management

These days, one of the issues that I've been confronting in the process of trying to support a change process in an organization is that of managing polarities. Even if you don't recognize the terms, you probably recognize the experience. For example, people start to talk about the value of introducing new thinking and innovation, yet others resist and complain that "if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it," and why not just do things like we always have. Some will raise the importance of striving for excellence, and others will complain that this will create an atmosphere of unhealthy competition and lead to a loss of community. Or there there are those who debate about whether limited resources should be devoted to personnel or invested in facilities. And there are umpteen other examples of these kinds of polar tensions: quality/quantity; large/small; product/process, etc. You know what I am talking about?

I recognize that, at times, limited resources or mutually exclusive possibilities mean a "zero sum game" that requires making either/or decisions. However, so many issues in organizations these days involve complex and inter-dependent realities that defy either/or thinking. They can only be resolved by taking an approach that identifies apparently conflicting values and integrates them, holding them in a "both/and" manner.

Michael Kruse, vice-chair of the of the General Assembly Mission Council of the Presbyterian Church (USA) refers to a book called, Polarity Management: Identifying and Managing Unsolvable Problems, by Dr. Barry Johnson. In Kruse' blog from 2005, he writes: "His thesis is that a great many (not all) of the issues we define as problems to be solved are actually polarities to be managed. To illustrate the point, ask your self a question. Which is more important to breathing; inhaling or exhaling? The question is absurd because breathing is the oscillation between these two polar activities.

Johnson uses the idea of matrix with four boxes. The boxes in the left column are one pole and the boxes in the right column are the other pole. The boxes on the top row are the positive aspects of the two poles and the bottom row are the negative aspects.

 

With the breathing analogy, call “inhaling” Pole 1 and “exhaling” Pole 2. The positive side of inhaling is that the body receives oxygen (Quadrant A). However, if we stop there, carbon dioxide builds up and we die (Quadrant B). This pushes us to the positive aspect of exhaling which is that we expel the carbon dioxide (Quadrant C). However, if we stop there, we will be deprived of oxygen and die (Quadrant D). This pushes back to Quadrant A, and the cycle repeats it self.




The idea is that this same dynamic applies to many polarities in human relationships. For example, take a church board that is divided between those who want a rigidly scheduled and tightly controlled church and those who want a spontaneous, adaptive, and free flowing style of ministry. Call Pole 1 “Planned” and Pole 2 “Free-Flow.”

Quadrant A -  The positive side of a planned environment is that everyone knows their responsibility. Lines of accountability are clear. People know what to expect and how to plan. Resources can be effectively and efficiently marshaled for a given task.

Quadrant B – Life together becomes stale. Activities are done by rote. Creativity is stifled. Opportunities are missed because the focus is on keeping the “machine” running. New people with new gifts and passions have no way to plug in.

Quadrant C – The move is toward the free-form. The possibility of new dreams and visions is embraced. New opportunities are identified and pursued. Creativity is unleashed. People begin to find new ways to minister they had never thought of before.

Quadrant D – Eventually chaos ensues. Overlapping activities happen while other concerns drop through the cracks. Creativity is stifled because there is no way to effectively engage the community. Opportunities are missed because there is insufficient structure to mobilize people to action. This pushes the group to Quadrant A and the whole thing starts over.

The fact is that in most polarities, most of us tend to lean toward one pole or the other. We tend to be overly (if not exclusively) focused on the positive aspects of our preference and the negative aspects of the polar opposite. Throw together people leaning toward opposite poles and what too often happens is a power struggles to make one pole or the other prevail. The irony is that should either one win, they will likely kill the organization; just like valuing inhaling over exhaling.

Tremendous breakthroughs can occur when everyone comes to see the polarity for what it is. Understanding begins when I can openly acknowledge the potential downside to my polar preference and express appreciation for the positive aspects of what the polar opposite brings. That lessens the defensive stance of my polar counterpart to do the same, hopefully allowing us to appreciate each others contribution to a healthy polarity.

Johnson uses the human function of breathing. The Apostle Paul used the analogy of “the body” to illustrate his perspective on how the various gifts should function in the church. The body is a myriad of managed polarities like breathing. As the body of Christ, we need to learn better how to breathe."

Thank you, Michael Kruse!

Getting on Jesus' Wavelength... a critical stance toward "the givens"

Recognizing the way that Jesus' way of seeing, knowing, and doing is counter cultural is really just the beginning... Jesus' relationship to the religious and political authorities, and the prevailing cultural conditions and conventions of his time is often depicted as critical of "the givens," those taken for granted assumptions that we live and breath without seeing... like fish in water.

Some examples... the Jewish people of Jesus' time had very strict rules about observing the Sabbath, so that even minor kinds of labor were forbidden. But one Sabbath when Jesus and his disciples are walking through the grain fields, they are hungry and eat handfuls of the raw grains. When challenged, Jesus turns the authorities' logic around and tells that that the Sabbath was made for humanity, not humanity for the Sabbath. From their perspective, he is messing around with one of the most sacred prohibitions in their law. But Jesus puts the practical before the ideological or dogmatic. He is being reflective and critical of "the givens."

In other instances, the disciples are criticized for not fasting, or performing ritual purifications, and Jesus responds to the authorities that they are more concerned with the external observance of these customs, but have no regard for the interior conversion that God calls them to. He is pointing out their hypocrisy, and undermining the authority that these "givens" have in their lives.

In an example from today's scripture reading, the author of Luke's Gospel describes how a sinful woman crashes a dinner where Jesus is laying at table, as was the custom. Moved to tears by her encounter with him, she weeps so copiously that she bends down to dry Jesus' feet with her hair and to anoint them with oil. This kind of contact between an unmarried man and woman was so strictly forbidden that the offending parties could be stoned to death... but again, Jesus defies the conventions in the interest of making this a teachable moment about forgiveness, love, and faith. In being reflective and critical of "the givens," he is able to do something new... in that moment, to reveal a glimpse of the new creation.

In each of these cases, people seem to observe these customs because someone tells them to or because everyone else does so. And how often do we do the same... perpetuating customs and conventions that might have had some value or sigificance grounded in the experience of an individual or community, but now, we do them out of routine or an unreflective and uncritical habit. No doubt, if asked why, we will not hesitate to invent a reason, but if we're honest about it, we just don't know. While this is certainly the case with some of our religious habits and customs, there are other "givens" that are perhaps even more problematic, let alone destructive.

Just today while shopping for plants for my room, I overheard a clerk saying to someone: "be patriotic-- keep shopping!" For some reason, I thought that way of thinking passed with the last presidential administration, but the idea continues, no matter the fact that uncritical consumerism is bad for individuals, nations, and the planet. These idea linking consumerism and patriotism has a life of its own-- like a bad cliche. And this is just one example! Let's pay attention, why don't we, to the ideas, conventions and customs that we take for granted and perpetuate without having good reason or cause. Make sense?