relationship with God

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Not alone

On a physical level, it seems that we are born into this world with nothing and leave it just the same. But that outlook does not take into account our relationships and experiences. We are not only just individual persons with our own experiences, but also a family, a community, a society of interactions.

I recently caught a portion of a video in which the commentator said he believed in individualism. He felt sacrifices for the larger community was foolishness and that all our experiences were at an individual level. While I initially skipped past the video, I was bothered by it. I don’t know if the author has any religious affiliation, however, I don’t see how a person could believe in God and also think that, basically, the world was all about himself. I then wondered if he was married, as surely that construct would be the antithesis of individualism. If he is married, perhaps it is an illustration of how much society is devaluing marriage. When I start to ponder something that agitates me, I know the only way I can put it to rest is to confront it with what I believe.

A person is created through the relational acts of his/her parents and with the blessing of God infusing a soul into the conceived embryo. Our beginning is not that we just pop into existence, but that our existence is a result of actions. Our first experience, not that we are aware or understand, is that of being in the womb, where our mother nourishes us for the time of our gestation. We live and grow within the relationship of our mother’s care. From the very first moments of our lives, we have an impact on others and they also have an impact on us. While our physical dependence is on our mother, the family to which we are born into is also impacted by our existence, since pregnancy does affect many aspects of the mother’s life. Some expectant mothers may have extra energy, while others require more rest. Some have crazy cravings for peculiar food combinations, while others struggle to keep food down. All of these changes have an impact on her family, unbeknownst to the child developing inside her. 

Our dependency does not stop once we are born, as it will take many years for a child to mature and be able to care for his/her self. At an individual level, our experiences during our growing years will be unique for each person and will shape us into the person we eventually become. But it’s not just physical growth that we experience, but also mental, emotional, societal, and spiritual growth as well. We observe the world around us and make decisions based on what experiences we have. From an individual perspective, we do make choices of how we react and behave, but often it is prompted by the actions of others around us. If someone makes a joke, we laugh. If someone is sad and cries, we may cry with them or offer a shoulder for them to cry on. If we have good news to share with others, we want them to celebrate and be happy with us. Even after we reach the point of being able to care for ourselves, our family and community are hugely impactful in our lives. No matter how independent we are, or think we are, we always rely on God’s grace and blessing to keep us in this world.

Sacrifice could be a whole blog topic itself. However, the context of the comment about it being foolish caused me to feel rather indignant. We make sacrifices to live at a very basic level. We need to work in order to have a home, food, transportation, and so forth. We give up our time to earn money; that’s one aspect of sacrifice. Perhaps because we decide how the earned money is spent, it may not be seen as a sacrifice by those believing in individualism. Another sacrifice is being part of a family, we give up our time to spend with them, help them, and celebrate with them. Love is a sacrifice; sometimes it’s easy and doesn’t seem like any effort and other times it can feel painful. If believing that sacrifice for others is foolish, what does that do to the person’s community? Do they walk away from their family and change friends frequently to avoid foolish actions? I suspect that those subscribing to individualism probably choose some sacrifices willingly, but may use their philosophy to avoid others. 

Our lives are a tapestry of experiences with others. Even if we choose to spend time alone, our relationships and memories will continue to influence us in these moments. If we are shunned by all, we still will not be alone. God will remember us, since “upon the palms of my hands I have engraved you.” (Isaiah 49:16)

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Ripple effect

Death interrupts life. While that may seem like a very obvious statement, I don’t mean it for the person who died. I mean it for those still living on earth. A death causes a ripple effect beyond the person who passed.

Recently my sister’s mother-in-law passed away. While she was older and in fading health, the end still seemed like a surprise. Since my sister and her husband dated through most of high school and all of college,  our families shared several gatherings before their wedding and a few after, before they moved out of the area. While there are many perspectives on the impact of her death, let me share it from my perspective. The smallest ripple, meaning the least impacted, was actually on my eldest sister. Because she had met her at several family gatherings, my eldest sister took the time out of her day to attend the funeral Mass. As there was no one else from our family in the area, when I heard she attended, I was humbled by her kind act of paying her respects, almost as the representative of our extended family for those who could not attend. 

A bit of a bigger ripple was experienced by my Mom and me. With the funeral being in Pennsylvania, my sister and her husband had to travel up the day before and I was asked to stay with my Mom, both as a companion and for safety considerations. Since she recently had a short stay in the hospital, it was a prudent request. Given the distance between my house and my sister’s, I had to call on a friend from my parish to feed and take care of Vera while I was away. While normally I would ask my nephew, since it was his grandmother who had passed, he, too, was away for the funeral. In this instance, not only was my mother and I affected, but also my friend, who didn’t know the deceased at all. 

The biggest ripple of all is to her family members. As the mother of 16 children, there are certainly many descendants who felt her loss. My niece calculated 95 direct descendants, which includes the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. It’s practically a small village! While her passing put their lives on hold as they said their farewells, it didn’t stop with just the funeral services. It’s the communication of her death to all the necessary organizations, as well as to those outside of the immediate family. It’s sorting through whatever possessions she left behind and determining what should be done with them. Beyond that, however, is the inability to ever truly visit with her again, to speak with her and receive a response. Yes, there are plenty of pictures of her smiling, but it’s only a reminder of a memory. There will be no more memories made with her. Each member of the family will grieve in their own way, figuring out what coping mechanism works best for them. But the rest of their earthly life is changed without her presence. Her death will ripple through them while they continue their journey on earth. Sometimes it will be a warm reminder of her, while other times will bring tears of missing her.

Our Catholic faith requires us to believe in the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. We have hope that she and her family will be reunited one day, along with her husband who had passed many years before her. Death may have a ripple effect on earth, but the salvation of Jesus Christ overshadows the temporary inconveniences and grievances. He calms the waves brought on by death and when we lean on Him in times of distress over a lost loved one, we can receive a taste of the peace that will be ours on the other side of this life.

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Welcoming what’s next

January seems like a time for new beginnings. We seem eager to make resolutions to eat healthier, exercise more, spend time with family, and pray more consistently. But are we really open to what’s next?

As human beings, we exist in a realm of time. We mark the passage of it and make plans for what will come. From seconds to hours, days to centuries, no amount of time is too small or too big for us to track, or at least we try to do so. Yet, we really don’t have any control over time. We can’t slow it down or make it go faster. Neither can we control what happens at any point in time. We can make the most perfect plan, and circumstances outside of our control render a whole timetable… useless. No matter how many times this happens to us, we keep making plans. Perhaps this is a reflection of the deep-seeded hope we all have as children of God. We don’t know what will happen next, so we broadly choose to be hopeful and optimistic. There may be circumstances when this is difficult, like when dealing with a health crisis. However, our Catholic faith encourages us during these difficult moments — even when facing the possibility of death — that not only is God with us, but that the end of earthly life is not the end of our existence. 

At the start of the year, time has so much potential and promise. We may have a long-awaited trip that suddenly seems imminent. Perhaps there is a new job or a new home that we’re preparing for. There is a sense of excitement about what’s to come. Usually, though, these are all plans that we have made. We are ready and looking forward to them. But what about all the things that happen that are unexpected? Are we looking forward to them? Are we ready to welcome surprises in our lives? For some, the answer is an easy yes, no matter if it seems to be a positive change or an unpleasant challenge. Many will have some level of struggle, depending on the unanticipated result. 

Since we are still in the Christmas season, the example of the Holy Family is one to keep in mind throughout the year, especially when we do face the unforeseen. Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem may have been planned by God, but wasn’t expected when Mary and Joseph were initially betrothed. Another curve ball was thrown their way when the angel in Joseph’s dream told him to flee to Egypt. Neither event was easy for them and we will never really appreciate the strength of faith it took for them to participate in God’s salvific will. In our modern day of convenience, any interruption to ease is made into a catastrophe. We’re so accustomed to having things mostly go our way, that we struggle to imagine that the unexpected could result in something positive or will bring about a greater good than our initial expectation.

While it’s good for us to make plans for 2025, perhaps one of the improvements we can practice is to be open to the unexpected. Practice does not mean that we will respond immediately with gladness at every unplanned situation that occurs, nor should we. It means we will reflect on our responses and strive to have a peace-filled approach to future ones, remembering God is with us and allowing Him to bring the best possible outcome regardless of circumstances. And if the surprise is truly unwelcomed, it’s okay to ask God to help us through it. He may not remove the obstacle from our life experience, but He will assist us as we navigate through it. 

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Doors are open

Welcome to 2025, the year of being pilgrims of hope! This is a special opportunity for all Catholics to commit to improving their spiritual life by participating in the jubilee year.

Although Pope Francis announced the intention of a jubilee year way back in 2022, the official proclamation was through a papal bull — that is an edict by the pope — on the feast of the Ascension, May 9, 2024 along with the theme: Pilgrims of Hope. A jubilee year is a year set aside for the faith; it is a holy year. The roots of the jubilee lay in Leviticus, “You shall treat this fiftieth year as sacred. You shall proclaim liberty in the land for all its inhabitants.” (Lev 25:10) The first recorded jubilee year was 1300, although there is speculation/assumption that previous jubilee years were held but documentation has not survived for it. Subsequent popes called for various jubilee years and the formula, including the option to proclaim a holy year every 25 years instead of 50, developed over the centuries.

While Catholics are called to deepen their faith in the yearly celebrations of Advent through Christmas and Lent through Easter, the focus is often on preparing for the holy day locally at the parish. A holy year encourages each Catholic to go beyond their daily lives, to step out in faith and become a pilgrim to the Vatican. Special doors of the basilica are opened and pilgrims enter through these doors as a sign and symbol of a renewed faith and reconciliation with God. For those who are unable to travel to Rome, dioceses and specific shrines throughout the world designate special doors for the same purpose. A holy year is meant for Catholics to identify where they need to grow in their faith, especially in conjunction with the jubilee theme, to practice charitable outreach, and for reconciliation. 

The liberty proclaimed in Leviticus translates to liberty from temporal consequences of sin for a Catholic who participates in the requirements of a jubilee year. This year’s decree calls for pilgrimage, pious visits to sacred places, and works of mercy and penance. These activities should be conducted after a person has been “purified through the sacrament of penance, refreshed by Holy Communion, and pray for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff.” The activities and requirements of a holy year invite us all to reflect on our lives and use the opportunity of the sacrament of penance to come closer to God and experience His mercy. God does not want to punish us for our sins, but in His justice He allows for us to turn away from Him and to indulge in our desires. When we seek reconciliation, we acknowledge the actions we’ve taken against God’s will and ask for both His forgiveness and help to avoid sin in the future. Thus, when we have celebrated both sacraments of penance and Eucharist, we are more open to the opportunities of the jubilee year and the graces it brings.

Pilgrims of Hope, the theme for this Holy Year, is a reminder that we are to be the light of Christ to the world. We need to take the time to have a relationship with Him, which is encouraged through going on a pilgrimage and piously visiting sacred places. These locations can remind us through their symbolism of how God loves and provides for us. By traveling to a holy place outside of our normal routine, we illustrate the importance of our faith in our lives and that we want a deeper relationship with the Lord. After soaking up and being rejuvenated by the spiritual, we will be able to look for opportunities to reach out within our community to practice the corporeal and spiritual works of mercy. While many may already participate in charitable acts, a holy year calls us to go deeper, to seek out new opportunities to bring the hope we have received in the strengthening of our faith. 

The website for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has a page dedicated to information for the jubilee year. It includes a prayer for the holy year, a special hymn, and information on the shrines in the United States that Catholics can make a pilgrimage to satisfy a jubilee requirement. As the year progresses, dioceses and parishes may offer jubilee events. Our responsibility is to pay attention, be aware of these, and consider if God may be calling us to participate in these events.

The Church is giving us a special opportunity this year of 2025. How will you respond to the call to be a Pilgrim of Hope? 

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Preparing for a Savior

In our fallen world, we all need a savior, and that’s what Jesus is. But how do we prepare for being saved?

Before all the holiday festivities start, we take the time of Advent to prepare. As we approach the second Sunday in Advent, we are reminded of Jesus’ immediate forerunner, John, the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, who called people to repentance through baptism. John was not baptizing to forgive the people’s sins, only a sacrament instituted by Jesus would be able to do that. The baptism John provided was a sign, a symbol, an acknowledgement that a person was taking accountability for the sins they committed. They were being baptized to turn a page in their book of life not to fall back into the same sins they had been committing. The waters of baptism were like a rebirth, a new starting point, and a new way to live. 

Like the people in the surrounding area of Jerusalem, we too are especially called in Advent to acknowledge our sins. Only instead of being submerged in water, we humbly seek God’s forgiveness in the sacrament of reconciliation. In order to be saved, we need to identify what is keeping us from a close relationship with God. While God loves us at every moment of our lives, that does not mean He wants us to continue our sinful ways. When we choose our will over God’s will, we turn away from Him and prohibit His grace from having its fullest effect. When we see another, do we see the reflection of the Divine Image within or do we pass judgment based on looks and actions? Having a relationship with God is not only about loving Him and His will for us, but also those who He has placed in our path each day. 

I don’t want to be saved, I need to be saved. We may be able to bumble our way through life with a mediocre relationship with God, and if that’s all there was, that may be acceptable. But our lives do not end with the completion of our earthly life, our souls live on. If we want to be in the presence of God for all eternity, just wanting to be saved is not enough. We should consider our savior as  equivalent to air to those choking or nourishment to those starving. We raise our hands and cry out from the depth of our souls to be rescued. Advent preparation is our time to stop what we are doing, turn to God, and seek His forgiveness and assistance. Like a person who needs to be rescued, we don’t continue in our daily routine, but interrupt it and focus on who and where our help is coming from. 

In order for Jesus to be our Savior, we need to desire to change our sinful habits, take responsibility for our sins, and sincerely commit to improve our behavior. While celebrating the sacrament of reconciliation is an important part of our preparation, equally important is taking extra time for God; by praying, reading the scriptures, and meditating on His words and blessings. By seeing Jesus in all the people we meet and offering to God all that we do each day, we will spread God’s love throughout the Advent season.

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Heavenly mansion

We have just over a week left of this liturgical year and the readings are focused on the end of time. While the physical world may be tethered to time and space, our soul will continue to live in eternity. How we see eternal life in heaven may be more strongly influenced but what we rank as important.

In John’s Gospel during the Last Supper, Jesus says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.” (Jn 14:1-3) At one point, instead of using the word dwelling place, it was translated as mansion. In the English language, there are so many different words one could use when describing a place where one lives, but a dwelling place does not ring very cozy vibes or a sense of belonging. Why isn’t the word home used in the translation? A quick look in Merriam-Webster for the definition of dwell and the definitions solidify the use of this word: 1 – to remain, 2 – to live/exist, 3 – to keep the attention directed. 

Heaven is a place where, provided that we cooperated with God’s will for our life, we will remain forever with God. It is also a place where our immortal souls will continue living until the end of time when they will be reunited with our bodies, so that both soul and body will be living in heaven. And most fundamentally, heaven is the place where we will be in the presence of God, with all our attention on Him. Heaven is, literally, a place to dwell with God, in the fullest possible meaning of the word. 

After this exploration, why does seeing, and perhaps thinking about a heavenly mansion give a little thrill of wonder and excitement at the possibility, unlike the reference of a dwelling place? Is it in the preparation; that God is making it special just for us? Is it about being rewarded for the hardships we endure? If we just suffer through whatever issue is plaguing us, that will make our place in heaven bigger or grander? Or do we think that everyone will receive their own 5 million square foot mini palace? If God sits on a throne, why can’t we have a mini palace? 

As I was thinking about this post, instead of countless sprawling mansions, I pictured something that would have been used in monasteries and abbeys, where you would have a central church and communal gathering space, encircled by a small courtyard that itself would be surrounded by the individual cells of the religious community members living there. As God is infinite, those cells or rooms can be stacked vertically into infinity and everyone has a front-row seat to God’s presence, each from the place that is their own. We will never truly know until we get there, but I like the image. 

Perhaps as we close out the liturgical year and prepare to enter the Advent season, we think of our current home as a dwelling place, where God remains, lives with us each day, and is our primary focus for all that we do. If we begin to live this heavenly attitude now, it won’t matter if it is a shack or a castle, but as long as we belong in God’s presence, it will be all that we need for eternity.

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Known and named

A name is more than just a label or an identifier. Not only is it necessary in the secular world, but also in the spiritual realm.

Awhile ago, I was watching an old episode of Cesar Millan’s The Dog Whisperer in which he made a comment to the person he was assisting something to the effect of: dogs do not have names in the pack, they use the energy they present to identify themself to the pack members. While I’m not sure if that’s true across all other species outside of humans, it is certainly true that humans do have some sort of naming mechanism, which differs by culture, region, and time period. We learn to respond to our name at a very young age and it is reinforced as people repeatedly address us using that name. A name is also how we catalog what we know about a particular person, as we associate the information we know either first hand or have gathered from other sources. If we don’t know someone, it’s because we’ve either never met them or have never learned about them. Our name serves as our label when others are using us as a reference point. While the name Jesus may be spelled or pronounced differently in other languages, using that name in English, especially if we use one of His titles with it, like Christ or Messiah, we all know about whom is being spoken.

Most children are given a name either at their birth or shortly thereafter which becomes their identity on earth. While we are all members of God’s family since He created us, it is through the sacrament of baptism that we are called, by name, to have a special relationship with God. We are claimed to be members that will participate as the body of Jesus on earth, seeking to do His will. Through baptism, the doors of grace are opened wider and are more accessible to us. Most times our legal name we are given at birth is also the name given at baptism. While it is no longer a requirement that a child/person being baptized have the name of a saint or virtue, naming a child after a saint is a way not only to honor the work God has done through that saint, but also to have that saint be an intercessor for that person throughout their life. The same holds true for those who take a different name for the sacrament of confirmation.

Just like in the first book of Samuel, the Lord calls out to us by name (1 Sam 3:10). It may not be audibly heard as in Samuel’s case, but He is always seeking a closer relationship with us. In the book of Revelations, it says that those faithful to God, will receive a new name known only between the person and God. (Rev 2:17) This practice of receiving a new name is found throughout the Bible: Abram became Abraham, Jacob became Israel, and Simon became Peter. It continues for those in religious life who may take or augment their name to include a saint or a title or attribute of Mary or Jesus. The first thing upon being chosen as pope is the question of how they will be addressed. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, “To live in heaven is ‘to be with Christ.’ The elect live ‘in Christ,’ but they retain, or rather find, their true identity, their own name.” (CCC 1025) This statement from the CCC has plenty to ponder. Our infinite God will name us and provide us a truly unique identity. For those of us who have met other people with our same name, the thought of God creating a name just for us for all eternity is a rather thrilling prospect. God is so creative, and my brain is so limited, I can’t really fathom what kind of a name God would use for me. He’s not limited to naming me for my physical characteristics like being short or having a loud voice. Since He can see my soul and my true intentions for every action I take, would He use a name to describe me from that perspective? Or are there other spiritual characteristics that I may not be tuned into, since I’m still living in a physical world? It’s yet another reason to seek a relationship with God now, in order to rejoice in the name He bestows upon our arrival in heaven.

Names matter. They are the way we interact within our world and with each other. They are also how we interact with God and those who have preceded us and how we will interact with those who come after us.   

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Community of faith

This past weekend my parish, Our Lady of Lourdes, celebrated its 80th anniversary. And this occasion reminded me of the importance of a faith community and participating within it. Each month this year we have been provided an opportunity to partly prepare for and partly to celebrate this magnificent achievement.  

The parish has sponsored monthly spiritual and social outreach options. Whether it was supporting the food pantry by bringing the ingredients for a spaghetti dinner for those less fortunate or consecrating ourselves to Eucharistic Adoration, each one focused our attention on the role the parish plays in the lives of both the parishioners as well as the surrounding community. 

Even though Adoration is usually offered weekly, by taking the time to study it and make a commitment to participating, it elevated it from just another item on the calendar to a joy-filled need. Adoration is a time of peace in a chaotic world. It’s a time when we can turn our troubles over to Jesus and be filled with His presence. It’s a time when the only thing required of me is just me — not what I can do for another, not my intellect, not my compassion — just the person God created me to be at that moment. It was weekly adoration that drew me to this parish, and one that continues to keep my faith grounded in the roller coaster of challenges that life tosses my way.

While the heart of any parish is the spiritual nurturing it provides, the soul of the parish is its ability to bring the light of Christ to all members of the community. Supporting others through the various organizations of the parish allows us to mirror the generosity of God’s blessings upon us. Blood drives, the food pantry, and the clothing closet are just a few ways that we help individuals with the basic necessities for life. From the beginning with the Apostles and throughout the two millennium the Church has been in existence, each family in each parish, in each diocese, contributes to the neighbors that surround them. The parable of the Good Samaritan is illustrated daily in many different ways in locations all over the world.

During the main celebration, this combination of spiritual and social was also key. A solemn Mass was not only the spiritual ingredient, but the reminder of why the parish started in the first place: to meet the needs of the then rural community that had sprung up in the outskirts of Richmond. After the Mass, the social reception included opportunities to walk down memory lane of various historic documents, and to reach out to the homebound parishioners by writing notecards to extend them into the celebration. Being relatively new to the parish, it reminded me of the various parishes that I participated in and how, in another 50 years, my picture in a parish directory may be viewed as the typical style of that decade. I didn’t know most of the people in the photos that I saw, but there was still a sense of family when I viewed them. Their participation in the parish at that moment allowed it to live and flourish so that I can be a member now. And my participation in both the spiritual and social events continues the parish’s, and the Church’s, mission to spread the Gospel, both in Word and worship.

If we love God and want a relationship with Him, then we must also love our neighbor and share the blessings God has given us to them. Each parish provides unique opportunities to work both within, as well as, outside of our comfort zone to strengthen our relationship with God and lend our hand to others in friendship and service. If we want to be a part of a strong and vibrant parish, it is up to us to participate and to seek God’s guidance in how we can best contribute to our spiritual family and the surrounding neighborhood family.

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The need for laws

Why do we need laws? It’s a simple question, but until recently, I never really gave a thought as to  why. Last week one of the daily Mass readings was from Paul’s letter to the Galatians. The scripture that has stuck in my head is: “Against such there is no law.” (Gal 5:23)’

The thought as to what laws are needed can only be seen in contrast to what does not need a law. Paul’s comment regards the fruit of the Spirit. You don’t need to set a limit to love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, or generosity. You can’t have too much faithfulness, gentleness, or self-control. If one’s perspective of law is a guideline, then something like “Love your neighbor” may sound like a law. However, you also may end up asking the same question as the law scholar in Luke’s Gospel who posed to Jesus this question, “Who is my neighbor?” (Lk 10:29) If we look to the law as defining what actions we can and cannot do, we will also look for ways to bend the restrictions to our benefit and desire. But if we appreciate that God loves us despite our flaws and generously loves all others in the same way, then there are no limits as to who we love and everyone is our neighbor — even the crankiest, grumpiest, angriest person who crosses our path.

Eighty percent of the Ten Commandments contain “you shall not…” in the English translation. This indicates that while we have the ability to do these things, we need to refrain from them, thus limiting our capabilities. This is what the law does, it identifies a limit or line that should not be crossed in word or action. While there are numerous laws to govern all different aspects of life, let’s focus on just the Ten Commandments, since they were the first given by God to man. 

A major theme of these commands is that they affect relationships: both with God as well as with other people. God imposes relationship limits, not because He is a narcissist, but because He wants us to have the most fruitful relationship with Him. By setting our sights on God as the only god, by being respectful of Him and His creation, and by giving Him proper worship, we not only receive blessings in this life, but will be able to spend eternity with Him. These laws were given when the Israelites could trace their lineage to one of Jaob’s sons. A neighbor was a fellow kinsman as well. However, if we take our Baptism seriously, we recognize that everyone is a child of God, created in His likeness and image. We are all family and everyone is a neighbor. The second portion of the commands, fourth through tenth identify how we should act within these familial ties. 

Another aspect of the commands is the understated damage the actions would cause if a person would break the law. Killing another would be to assume God’s power to end another’s life — the life given to the person by God. While stealing may not immediately end a person’s life, it could hinder their ability to live or make a living, depending on what was stolen. Coveting another’s goods is like mentally stealing from that person; while it may not physically injure the other, it disrupts the relationship you have with that person. Likewise to either commit adultery or to covet another’s spouse is to damage the relationship between all families involved, including all persons within the families.  

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “Law is a rule of conduct enacted by competent authority for the sake of the common good.” (CCC 1951) God is very much a competent authority and He blessed us with the Ten Commandments that allows us to understand the consequences of our actions in the relationship we have with Him as well as others. If we live our lives by reflecting the example of God, not only will we reap the fruits of the Spirit, but we will not need to focus on the law, since the limits imposed will never be anything we could entertain. With God as our role model, our lives will naturally obey the Commandments, allowing us to enjoy our family and neighbors here on earth, and our heavenly family when we pass onwards. 

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Blessings in science

One of the biggest myths of the modern era is that religion is contrary to science. I, however, think that God has allowed man to peek inside the design of the universe in small snippets. This has resulted in gifts  that have become commonplace to the point that we take them for granted.

For those who believe in a God who created the universe, the study of the natural world is made possible by a good God who has brought order to chaos. A scientific theory is a proposal of an observed pattern within the natural world that can be measured with consistency and accuracy. Throughout the centuries there have been numerous people whose faith in God did not hinder their work in the sciences. My knowledge of the intersection of science and religion include such figures as: 

  • Copernicus, a Polish canon and astronomer, who was the first to propose the planets revolved around the sun.
  • Fr. Lemaître, a Belgian priest, astronomer, and cosmologist, who formulated the modern big-bang theory.
  • Mendel, an Austrian monk whose study of plants became the basis of genes and the study of genetics.

While these three in particular had occupations within the Church, there are many others of the laity who have also participated in the various sciences. For the month of October, the Magnificat is featuring saints who were involved in the sciences and have included St. Anthony Zaccaria, St. Gianna Molla, St. Hildegard of Bingen, and St. Eligius, just to name a few. 

In almost a parallel way to spiritual truths, the study of the various sciences has slowly revealed the truth of the world we live in. The history of salvation began with creation itself, and while the fruition of our spiritual relationship with God was completed with Jesus’ work, we are still discovering aspects of His life and work that were not previously considered. While there was some basic understanding in mathematics, astronomy, and medicine in the ancient world, it was with the founding of the university system, often through the sponsorship of the church, that the sciences really made great strides in discoveries. Just like in the spiritual life, knowledge in the sciences can only be understood and furthered when you have solid building blocks in place. The first microscope that documented scientific findings was back in the early 1600s. However amazing those were to their time, they could never have imagined that the cells they were seeing were made up of even tinier, individual units that are known as atoms. And perhaps in another century or so, there will be a discovery of even tinier units that make up the parts of the atom. 

With the current negative buzz around processed food, plastics, and other manufacturing processes that could place the planet in jeopardy, it can be hard to appreciate the gifts that science has enabled in the world. Last week, however, I had the time to ponder the marvels of science and technological advancement as I sat in a chair with eyes tightly closed and started to pray Hail Marys to calm myself during the first of two root canals. Just mentioning the word root canal brings a shutter to most, even to those who have never experienced it! Perhaps I was lucky to get a good endodontist. Maybe it was the anatomy of that tooth. And maybe it was all just a blessing from God. The end result was a painless procedure that allows me to keep my tooth. And the technology of today allows the precise diagnosis of which teeth needed it. I went into the consultation thinking it was going to be a certain tooth; in reality I needed the ones on either side of that one! A century ago I probably would have had my teeth pulled, perhaps even all of them. Maybe I wouldn’t have survived as long as I have because of the various dental procedures I’ve had throughout my life. That sobering thought prompts me to put the results of the second one in the hands of God to be as equally successful as the first.

The various fields of science can save, extend, and enhance our lives when ethically pursued. While various names are credited with the discovery, it is ultimately God who deserves the praise and glory, as He created it all. And like in the spiritual realm, God enjoys working with the various scientists to bring His light to life.