Is Rejoicing OK?

“Do not rejoice when your enemies fall, and when they stumble, do not let your heart exult, lest the Lord see it, be displeased with you, and withdraw his wrath from your enemies. Do not be provoked at evildoers.” -Proverbs 24:17-19

When big-name conservative Christian leader died recently, there were many people to celebrated his death. They had been raised in environments where his influence permeated. His name, to them, was associated with traumatic childhoods, harmful teachings, hate, cruelty, and tyranny. When people think of evil Christians, they often think of the communities influenced by him. Knowing he could no longer actively spread his harmful ideas was a moment of relief, of celebration. I get it.

As millions wait another evil man’s death, I know that day will be of mixed emotions. We are not supposed to speak ill of the dead. But can we not celebrate when there’s a bit less evil in the world? Will one man’s death change the cruel culture? No. It’s not a victory, really. But it will feel like relief.

Prayer and Responsibility

Well, school shooting season is open. I hate how numb I am to it. I hate that we recite the same words, the same accusations, the same prayers over and over. It’s only different for the new community that has to deal with the loss and trauma. We grieve for them, knowing how easily it could be us.

I can’t imagine the terror of seeing that alert from my children’s school, or of hiding under office furniture texting last messages, or of rushing to a gathering point praying for good news, knowing someone is getting bad.

Those of us removed from the incident offer our prayers, because what else can we do? The problem comes when no one does anything except offers prayers.

Offering thoughts, prayers, consolation is good. Empathy is good. However, those who have power also have a responsibility to respond. The police investigate the crime scene. The medics and hospitals care for the injured. The funeral homes arrange funerals. Because it has to be done, and that’s their job. But when we look to politicians to react with policy changes, we’re told to not make it political, to just pray. But their job isn’t to pray; it’s to set policy, to create laws to make the community safe.

St. Hilarion

St. Hilarion, also called Thavata of Gaza, was born in Palestine in 291 to pagan parents. He grew up speaking both Greek and Aramaic. He was sent to Alexandria for school, where he learned of the hermit St. Anthony of Egypt. Hilarion converted to Christianity and went out and studied asceticism under Anthony. Hilarion found Anthony’s popularity too much to bear, as visitors came to him often, seeking healing. Hilarion moved to the wilderness of Palestine to live as a hermit.

He did go to Jerusalem on one occasion to venerate the holy sites; he spent most of his life in the Gazan wilderness. In 308 he built a hermitage where he lived in solitude for 22 years. He reported to have struggled with lustful desires and fought the temptation by mortification, fasting, and labor. Around 330, a woman sought him out for healing. After that, his popularity as a hermit healer grew. He is said to have healed, drove out demons, prophesied, and performed miracles.

As there were no monasteries in the region at the time, Hilarion gained followers who sought him out for spiritual instruction. One follower, Epiphanius, went on to establish monasticism in Cyprus. At some point between 337 and 356, Hilarion established a monastery in Gaza. After the death of St. Anthony of Egypt, Hilarion went out to his place in Egypt in order to escape the crowds that had gathered around him (much like they had with Anthony years earlier).

When the pagan Julian became emperor, Hilarion, because of his popularity, faced imprisonment. He fled to Sicily then Cyprus, where he was taken in by Epiphanius. He died in 371. His feast day is Oct. 21.

Remembering Palestinian Christians

When the bombing of Gaza began almost two years ago, some 700 of the small Christian community in Gaza sought shelter in Holy Family Church in Gaza City. The Christian population of Gaza has been reduced to just about 1,700, of which a couple hundred are Catholic (most are Orthodox). Christians have lived in Palestine since the beginning of Christianity. Holy Family Church is named such because it is located where tradition says the Holy Family rested on their way to and return from Egypt.

Travel to Bethlehem or Jerusalem for holy days is out of the question. Catholic Relief Services has been working to get resources to the church. Pope Francis used to call the pastor every night, closely following the safety and morale of the occupants staying within the church walls.

While the church has been able to offer shelter, some supplies, and community, safety is not guaranteed. On Dec. 16, 2023, a residence in the church compound which houses individuals with disabilities was hit by tank fire; the building’s generator, solar panels, and water tanks were damaged. Two women in the courtyard were fatally shot; seven more were injured. On July 17 this year, the compound was hit again, with three dying and 12 injured from the attack. The Christian population in Gaza has roughly halved since the beginning of the war.

It is terrible seeing any groups suffering in such a way, especially such a small minority that has persisted there for centuries, through various empires and cultural changes. They have not forgotten their faith.

Pope Leo XIV called for a day of prayer and fasting on Aug. 22, the feast of the Queenship of Mary, for peace and justice, especially in the Holy Land and Ukraine. As wars rage on, we who are safe tend to normalize it, let it fade into the background. But people continue to struggle, living in daily danger, facing starvation and violence. We cannot forget them.

Monday Motivation: Things Jesus Didn't Say

 

In Their Distress They Cry Out

Several detainees at the detention camp in the Everglades have gone on hunger strike. There are allegations of medical neglect, verbal abuse, and substandard food conditions in the camp. Now entering its third week, the hunger strike is protesting the conditions of the camp. DHS denies that a hunger strike is underway. Since lawyers and oversight groups are not allowed in, it is difficult to confirm or deny for sure.

Hunger strikes as a form of nonviolent protest goes back to pre-Christian Ireland. A protester would fast, sitting by the doorstep of the offender. This often shamed the offender and led them to reconciliation. A similar practice happened in India (if this was brought over from British imperialism, I’m not sure). It seems to have been prevalent enough that the British banned the practice in India in 1861.

Hunger strikes have taken place as political protests for various causes as well. Suffragists in the early 20th century in the UK and US went on hunger strikes while imprisoned. Many suffered from brutal force-feedings. Gandhi and other members of the Indian independence movement engaged in several hunger strikes protesting British occupation in India. Irish republican prisoners went on hunger strikes throughout the 20th century, protesting the British occupation in Ireland/Northern Ireland. Several men died while striking, going without food for more than 60 days. Probably the most famous of these was Bobby Sands, who died after 66 days during the 1981 hunger strike, in which paramilitary prisoners were protesting to be classified as political prisoners. In the later half of the 20th century, several Cuban dissidents engaged in hunger strikes to protest censorship and oppression in Cuba.

Like a Snow-capped Summer

Today is the commemoration of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, or St. Mary Major. Ever since I first learned about it about nine years ago, I have wanted to see it, and on my recent pilgrimage to Rome, I finally did. It is one of four papal basilicas in Rome.

Santa Maria Maggiore is regarded as the first Marian sanctuary in the Western world. Its location on one of the seven hills of Rome, as well as its dedication date and its nickname of “Our Lady of the Snows,” is tied to a legend of its founding.

According to legend, there was a wealthy, pious couple in the fifth century who were childless. In 352, they decided they would give their wealth to St. Mary; they prayed to her, asking for a sign of how to do so. In the peak of the Italian summer, on the morning of Aug. 5, snow fell on Esquiline Hill. Both the couple and the pope were woken by visions that night to go to the hill, where they discovered the unusual snowfall. Taking it as their sign, the couple declared they would fund a church dedicated to Mary on that spot. The pope outlined the basilica in the snow. It was officially dedicated on Aug. 5, 431, shortly following the Council of Ephesus, at which proclaimed Mary as the Mother of God.

Monday Motivation: the Importance of Patience

"Hence the importance of patience in the New Testament, which becomes the basic constituent of Christianity, more central even than humility: the power to wait, to persevere, to hold out, to endure to the end, not to transcend one's own limitations, not to force issues by playing the hero or the titan, but to practice the virtue that lies beyond heroism, the meekness of the Lamb which is led." -Hans Urs von Balthasar

The Political Pulpit

There’s so many changes happening today and it’s hard to keep track of them all and so many of them are so important and will affect our lives and our country significantly. One of those changes says the IRS recently repealed the 1954 Johnson Amendment rule that said nonprofits could not endorse a specific political candidate without losing tax exempt status. So now churches can endorse candidates. Of course, church leaders have always guided members on how to vote some more vertically than others, usually by discussing the morality of specific issues. But now they can openly endorse candidates, and direct their parishioners to vote for them. This can also lead to PACs funneling money to churches to get an endorsement. Political organizations can now funnel donations through churches, bankrolling candidates with zero accountability, and get a tax deduction for it. It will turn some churches into political centers, diluting the actual mission of the church.

Fortunately, the USCCB came out with a statement saying that Catholic churches will continue to not endorse specific candidates, but rather put out voting guides, stating “The Church seeks to help Catholics form their conscience in the Gospel so they might discern which candidates and policies would advance the common good. The Catholic Church maintains its stance of not endorsing or opposing political candidates.” However, there will be pastors who will take money and tell their congregations who to vote for. Votes will be bought, and even worse, they will be bought through the pulpit.

Struggling in Sinai

St. Catherine’s Monastery sits at the foot of Mount Sinai. It was founded in the 6th century by Byzantine Emperor Justinian and is the oldest operating Christian monastery in the world. It was built on what is believed to be the site where God appeared to Moses in the Burning Bush. The monastery also contains the well where it is believed that Moses met his wife Zipporah (and still serves as the monastery’s main source of water).

The name St. Catherine refers to Catherine of Alexandria the 4th century martyr whose relics are at the monastery. The full name of the monastery is the Sacred Autonomous Royal Monastery of St. Catherine of the Holy and God-Trodden Mount Sinai. It is one of the most sacred sites of scripture, and throughout the land passing through various political changes (Egyptian, Roman, Ottoman, British, Israeli, etc), the monks of St. Catherine’s have always been there, praying and maintaining the site.

The monks are known for their ancient icons and for the world’s oldest continuously operating library, which includes the Codex Sinaiticus, a 4th-century Greek Bible, and the Syriac Sinaiticus, the oldest copy of the Gospels in Syriac.

In the 7th century, the Islamic prophet Muhammad granted the monastery a charter, known as the Ashtiname (or Testament) of Muhammad, guaranteeing protection to its inhabitants. According to monastery tradition, Muhammad frequented the site and had a great relationship and deep discussions with the Sinai monks.

Monday Motivation: It Will Be Quiet Someday

It's been a busy month, and I haven't written much, although there has been lots of mulling. I am hoping to get lots of my thoughts from my pilgrimage to Rome organized soon. 

But also, there's just a lot going on in the country and the world. A lot of not great things. A lot of noisy, stressful, chaos. So much happening at once. So much confusion and uncertainty. So much chatter and noise. 

I want hope. I want quiet. I want time to take a breath. And I have to hope that that time will come, that this period of chaos is just temporary, and we'll come through and be able to rest.

With These Words

Today is the 1,700th anniversary of the opening of the first Council of Nicaea, the first ecumenical council. Emperor Constantine had recently converted to Christianity. While he was forcing his subjects to convert, there was a surge of conversions and a surge of differing theologies. Constantine wanted unity in the empire; he didn’t particularly care about the doctrinal matters, only that heresies not break out into violent factions that he would have to deal with.

More than 300 bishops from all over the Roman Empire gathered in Nicaea, in what is now Turkey. Several important matters were discussed, but one of the most lasting was the Nicene Creed, the statement of belief that outlined the basic tenets of Christianity.

It is amazing to think that this creed has been continually proclaimed for more than a millennium. Reciting it every Sunday, one can forget its profoundness. They are bold statements, ones people have fought over, died over, found solace and salvation in.

The International Theological Commission released a document for this anniversary, going in depth on the meaning of the creed. In its opening, the document states: “This has remained in Christian consciousness mainly through the Creed, that Symbol which gathers, defines and proclaims faith in salvation in Jesus Christ and in the One God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Nicene Symbol professes the good news of the integral salvation of human beings from God himself in Jesus Christ. 1,700 years later, we are celebrating this event above all with a doxology, a praise of the glory of God, since this glory has been manifested in the priceless treasure of faith expressed by the Symbol: the infinite beauty of the God who saves us, the immense mercy of Jesus Christ our Saviour, the generosity of the redemption offered to every human being in the Holy Spirit.”

Monday Motivation: Role of the Pope

 “Many expect from the Pope dramatic gestures, strong and decisive interventions. But the Pope believes he must follow no other path than that of trust in Jesus Christ, who cares for His Church more than anyone else. It is He who will calm the storm. How many times has the Master said: ‘Have faith in God. You believe in God, believe also in me!’ The Pope will be the first to carry out this command of the Lord, and to abandon himself—without anxiety or inappropriate worry—to the mysterious working of Jesus’ invisible yet certain assistance to His Church. This is not a sterile or passive waiting; it is a vigilant waiting in prayer. This is the condition Jesus Himself chose for us, so that He may act fully. Even the Pope needs to be helped by prayer.”—Pope Paul VI

Habemus Papam!

Cardinal Robert Prevost has become Pope Leo XIV. When his name was first announced, I was sure I had heard it wrong; I recognized the name but thought, “that’s an American; that can’t be right.” But it was—an American pope. I never would have thought an American would be chosen, either because American Catholicism doesn’t reflect Catholicism in the rest of the world, or because the cardinals would want to temper American dominant influence in the world. However, the cardinals have decided on an American (with strong ties in Peru), and I hope that he proves to be a wonderful leader.

Of course, I know almost nothing else about him beyond a wiki research; I tried to avoid the “most pope-able” articles and speculation. From first impressions, he seems to be very much in the line of Francis. He served for many years in Peru and has a strong affinity for reaching out to the marginalized. He has also worked in the curia and therefore is a familiar face in Rome and probably has good administrative skills in dealing with running the Vatican.

He was born in Chicago in 1955. (His two older brothers have noted that theirs was a White Sox family.) He is of French, Creole, Italian and Spanish descent. His father was a school superintendent, and his mother was a librarian. As a young man he joined the Augustinian order. He served for many years as a missionary and then bishop in Peru. Most recently, he has served as the prefect for the Dicastery of Bishops.

Taking the name Leo indicates that he, like the last Pope Leo, is concerned with the rights of workers and human dignity as well as being a witness to the faith in the face of modernity. 

He speaks several languages. During his first speech and blessing yesterday, he spoke in Italian, Spanish, and Latin. At his first Mass as pope this morning, he gave his opening remarks in English and his homily in Italian.

In his homily, he said, “In a particular way, God has called me by your election to succeed the Prince of the Apostles, and has entrusted this treasure to me so that, with his help, I may be its faithful administrator (cf. 1 Cor 4:2) for the sake of the entire mystical Body of the Church. He has done so in order that she may be ever more fully a city set on a hill (cf. Rev 21:10), an ark of salvation sailing through the waters of history and a beacon that illumines the dark nights of this world. And this, not so much through the magnificence of her structures or the grandeur of her buildings – like the monuments among which we find ourselves – but rather through the holiness of her members. For we are the people whom God has chosen as his own, so that we may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called us out of darkness into his marvellous light (cf. 1 Pet 2:9).”

Salve, Papa Leonem!

Awaiting a Pope (part 2)

Once the College of Cardinals has successfully elected a new pope, the pope-elect is asked if he assents to the election. He is free to say no and turn down the role, at which point, elections must continue. But usually, if a cardinal who will not accept starts getting votes, he will make his intentions known beforehand. If the pope-elect is not already a bishop, at this point he will be ordained (if a layman were selected, he would have to be ordained deacon, priest, and bishop). Each of the cardinals

Since 533, popes have taken regnal names different from their birth names. The pope-elect will declare his new name at this point. He then enters the Room of Tears, a small red room beside the chapel. He has a few moments to collect himself and change into pontifical robes. Up until John Paul I, new popes were crowned with the triregnum, the triple tiara, in a papal coronation. The last four popes have opted instead for a simpler inauguration ceremony.

The protodeacon of the College of Cardinals then appears on the balcony of St. Peter’s and declares “Habemus Papam! (We have a pope!)” and announces the cardinal’s given name followed by his new papal name. The new pope then emerges on the balcony and is greeted as pope for the first time.

The most recent popes have addressed the crowd at this time, giving a short speech and setting the tone for their papacy. The new pope then gives his first Urbi et Orbi blessing. Urbi et Orbi means "to the City [of Rome] and the World, and is a special papal blessing usually given at Christmas and Easter.

I, with the rest of the world, am excited to see who the new pope will be, what name he will take, and what his mission will be in guiding the Church through this current climate. I pray for a man dedicated to being a true pontiff, bridge-builder, one who is clear on theology and on the Church’s mission of drawing all to Christ through mercy, love, and hope. I also hope that I will be able to see this new pope at a papal audience when I am in Rome next month.

Awaiting a Pope (part 1)

Wednesday begins the conclave, one of the most interesting mechanisms of the Church. Conclave comes from the Latin “cum clave” meanings “with the key,” as the cardinals are locked in the Sistine Chapel, no one going in or out while they deliberate over and pray for a new pope.

The papal conclave is the oldest method of electing a head of state still in use in the present day. While it has certainly changed over time, the idea of the conclave is actually rooted in scripture, when the apostles got together and selected a new apostle, Matthias, to replace Judas. In early Christianity, bishops were often chosen by election of the clergy of that diocese.

In 1059, the College of Cardinals was designated as the electing body of the Bishop of Rome. In 1274 Pope Gregory X established the present system of the papal conclave in his papal bull Ubi periculum. It instructed that the cardinals be isolated in order to stem outside influences and to bring about speedier decisions (it had taken over three years for Gregory X to be elected). Subsequent popes didn’t enforce this rule, however, until Pope Boniface VIII made it canon law in 1298.

The conclave, compared to a normal election, shut off the cardinals from the outside world. This is intended to keep their minds on the spiritual task at hand and not the administrative or social obligations they otherwise have. The cardinals live together, dine together, and can only leave the conclave on account of illness.

The original provisions by Pope Gregory X included that cardinals were forbidden to engage in politics, bribery, or deal-making (unlikely to be enforced) and that if a pope is not been elected after three days, the cardinals are permitted only one dish at their meals; after eight days only bread, wine and water (I’m pretty sure this isn’t in the rules now, but if it is, it explains why the past few elections have been so swift).

But By Their Fruits

Yesterday, the Religious Liberty Commission was established. You’ll have to forgive me for being distrusting of such a commission. While the current administration is demolishing programs that care for the poor and the environment, that make our food and bridges safer, that keep the country running, they somehow are ok spending money on this.

The stated purpose the commission is to provide a report on “the foundations of religious liberty in America, strategies to increase awareness of and celebrate America’s peaceful religious pluralism, current threats to religious liberty, and strategies to preserve and enhance protections for future generations.”

These are the same people who tried to block Muslims from entering the country, the same people who had pastors arrested just last week for praying in the Capitol rotunda. They follow a man who said he has never asked for forgiveness. I don’t believe they actually care about God, much less religious liberty, the freedom to practice one’s faith. They only care about using religious language to sugar-coat their political goals. They only want a performative faith that can sway the masses. They want to establish a state religion that is Christian in name and adornments only. Those pesky things like forgiveness, loving thy neighbor, and the beatitudes not needed. 

“They say separation between church and state … I said, ‘All right, let’s forget about that for one time,’” he said yesterday. Their motives are clear. They have made it known that the Constitution does not matter to them; free speech and due process and voting rights just get in the way. To them freedom of religion means private Christian schools should get federal funding, megachurches should endorse candidates, and history should be rewritten to make us think it’s always been that way.

Jesus warned against such people: “All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi’ (Matthew 23:5-6).

Monday Motivation: Christian Communication

"Christian communication – but I would also say communication in general – should be steeped in gentleness and closeness, like the talk of companions on the road. This was the method of the greatest communicator of all time, Jesus of Nazareth, who, as he walked alongside the two disciples of Emmaus, spoke with them and made their hearts burn within them as he interpreted events in the light of the Scriptures.

"I dream of a communication capable of making us fellow travelers, walking alongside our brothers and sisters and encouraging them to hope in these troubled times. A communication capable of speaking to the heart, arousing not passionate reactions of defensiveness and anger, but attitudes of openness and friendship. A communication capable of focusing on beauty and hope even in the midst of apparently desperate situations, and generating commitment, empathy and concern for others. A communication that can help us in 'recognizing the dignity of each human being, and in working together to care for our common home' (Dilexit Nos, 217)." - Pope Francis, 59th World Day of Social Communications, Jan. 24, 2025

Requiescat in pace, Papa Franciscus

Pope Francis passed away this morning. Although he had been very sick recently, spending more than six weeks in the hospital, he had seemed to be recovering, so I was surprised to learn of his passing. He seems to have saved the last of his energy to spend as much of Holy Week as possible with his people. He visited the prison in Rome on Holy Thursday, where he traditionally washed the feet of prisoners. He visited St. Peter’s Basilica and the Basilica of Mary Major. He spoke to the crowd at St. Peter’s yesterday, Easter Sunday, delivering his Urbi et Orbi message before riding through the square in the popemobile. It was amazing seeing him suddenly so active, but I worried he was overdoing it. No, he knew exactly what he was doing.

He was born Jorge Bergoglio in Buenos Aires on Dec. 17, 1936. After recovering from a severe illness as a teenager (that left his lungs weakened), he joined the Jesuits in 1958. He was ordained a priest in 1969. He served as a novice director and a professor of theology. From 1973-1979 he served as the superior of the Jesuits in Argentina.

After his time as provincial superior he taught at the Facultades de Filosofía y Teología de San Miguel, the Jesuit seminary in Buenos Aires. After six years, he was asked to step down, as he did not reflect the modern trend of emphasizing social justice over direct pastoral work. He was known for being orthodox in his beliefs, and he rejected liberation theology, which was huge in Central and South America at the time. Because of this, he clashed with his Jesuit superiors. 

In 1992 he became an auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires. Jesuit authorities asked him to not live in Jesuit residences due do ongoing disagreements. Though he did not formally part from the Jesuits, from that point on, he focused on his role in the archdiocese. In 1998, he became the archbishop of Buenos Aires. As archbishop, he reformed a lot of the archdiocese and worked to increase the Church’s presence in the poorest neighborhoods. He was even known as “the slum bishop.” He lived in a small apartment and took public transport.

Ministry of Presence

On reflecting on the Passion, my mind was brought to those who stayed through the very end. When the frenzy of the crowd and the spectacle of the violence waned, when the disciples scattered, when the sun began to dip, there were the handful of people who stayed: his mother Mary, Mary the wife of Clopas, Mary Magdalene, John, Joseph of Arimathea, perhaps a few others. A far cry from the hundreds jubilantly welcoming him into the city on Palm Sunday.

Staying at the foot of the cross is often depicted as a sign of great faith, deep devotion withstanding any hardship. But this year, I saw their staying at the cross not as a sign of faith but an act of love. Jesus was suffering, and there was nothing any of them could do. But could be there. When he made the effort to lift his head and look out, with sweat and blood stinging his eyes, he could see familiar faces looking back at him with love. 

There is so much suffering that cannot be alleviated. When the sticky black cloud burrows in, or the body weakens, or disasters descend, sometimes the only thing anyone can do is be present. It feels so simple and, often, so useless. But it can make a big difference. Just sitting with someone as they struggle so they can know they aren't forgotten or abandoned can ease the burden. It's hard when you want to fix something and can't, want to find the right words but can't. Sometimes it would be easier to step away then to stay and feel so useless. But staying is a useful act. Let the suffering express their pain, hold them, pray for them, offer words of comfort if possible. The ministry of presence can be hard because it feels like doing nothing when you most want to. 

I'm sure those at the foot of the cross wanting to save Jesus from the crucifixion; they wanted to clean his wounds or offer him water or strike the men who struck him. But they couldn't. All they could do was stay as close as they could, witness his suffering, endure it with him. It didn't change the amount of physical pain. But surely it comforted him some to know that he was loved, that his suffering was recognized, that not all turned away. 

It's hard to be present when someone is suffering and it feels like there is nothing you can do. It is hard to be the one suffering and feeling like a burden to those you love. Suffering is, well, suffering. And sometimes there is no solution; we just have to endure it and see it through. And in those times, the ministry of presence is the only balm someone can offer. It is a great service. It is faithful devotion. It is love in action.

May we all have someone there in our moments of suffering. May we never be abandoned. 

The Anointed

During Holy Week, every diocese celebrates the Chrism Mass, in which the bishop blesses and consecrates the sacred oils used in sacraments throughout the year.

The use of holy oil goes back before Christianity. In ancient Israel, priests and kings were anointed with oil in order to be set apart. Oil was also used to bless holy objects. This oil was a mix of myrrh, cinnamon, cassia, olive oil, and possibly calamus. “A smell pleasing to the Lord” indeed.

Olive oil was an important product to the Israelites; it was used not only in sacred ceremonies, but in everyday uses: it was a way to clean bodies, treat wounds, and fuel lamps. Olive oil was associated with health, knowledge, wealth, and joy. In religious settings, it represented the blessings of God.

Jacob anoints a stone pillar, marking the place of his vision of the ladder to heaven as a sacred place. Moses is given instructions for mixing holy oil for anointing. Samuel anointed David, marking him as the appointed future king of Israel.

At Jesus’ birth, the wise men bring myrrh and frankincense, resins used in incense and oils. After Jesus’ death, the women bring oil and spices to prepare his body.

In Christianity, anointing is offered to all, not just priests and kings. In fact, Christ means “anointed one,” so anointing is right at the heart of Christianity. We are all God’s children, and we are all called to be set apart from the world of stink and decay.

Monday Motivation: The Mercy of Holy Week

"Holy Week challenges us to step outside ourselves so as to attend to the needs of others: those who long for a sympathetic ear, those in need of comfort or help. We should not simply remain in our own secure world, that of the ninety-nine sheep who never strayed from the fold, but we should go out, with Christ, in search of the one lost sheep, however far it may have wandered." -Pope Francis

"What Our Lord did say on the cross was to forgive. Forgive your Pilates, who are too weak to defend your justice. Forgive your Herods, who are too sensual to perceive your spirituality. Forgive your Judases, who think worth is to be measured in terms of silver." -Bishop Fulton Sheen 

 

St. Avitus of Vienne

Alcimus Ecdicius Avitus was born in Vienne, Gaul around 450. His father was the bishop of Vienne. At the time, episcopal honors were usually handed down through the family like noble titles. Around 490, Avitus was ordained the bishop of Vienne.

In 499, the Franks and Burgundians were at war. Vienne was taken by the Burgundians. Avitus was able to meet with both Gundobad of the Burgundians and Clovis of the Franks. Avitus seems to have had a skill for negotiating, because he also oversaw a conference between Catholic and Arian bishops at that time. Gundobad, being in the region, witnessed the bishops’ conference. Avitus and the Catholic bishops won over Gundobad and his son, Sigismund, who converted. Clovis also converted to Christianity. Avitus was known for working hard to unify fractions of the Church—Arian and Catholic, Eastern and Western.

Avitus was also a skilled writer. He wrote numerous letters and poems. His rhetoric was studied in schools in Gaul in the 4th and 5th centuries, and he is considered to be one of the influences on Milton. His letters provide rich source material for Merovingian history, including the accounts of the Burgundian and Frankish kings’ conversions.

St. Avitus died sometime between 517 and 519. His feast day is Feb. 5.

Annunciation

"Annunciation" by John Donne

That All, which always is all everywhere,
Which cannot sin, and yet all sins must bear,
Which cannot die, yet cannot choose but die,
Lo, faithful virgin, yields Himself to lie
In prison, in thy womb; and though He there
Can take no sin, nor thou give, yet He will wear,
Taken from thence, flesh, which death's force may try.
Ere by the spheres time was created, thou
Wast in His mind, who is thy Son and Brother;
Whom thou conceivst, conceived; yea thou art now
Thy Maker's maker, and thy Father's mother;
Thou hast light in dark, and shutst in little room,
Immensity cloistered in thy dear womb.
Salvation to all that will is nigh;

500: The Anabaptists

Introduction to 500 series

As Zwingli was bringing about radical reformation in Zurich, there was a group of reformers who believed he was not going far or fast enough.

Conrad Grebel had been a student at the Grossmünster. He then attended the University of Basel, University of Vienna, and University of Paris, though he never finished a degree. However, much like Zwingli, he was introduced to the humanist ideas of the day.

Felix Manz’s father was a canon at the Grossmünster. In 1521, he and Grebel met while both attending studies at the church led by Zwingli. The study group studied Greek, the Latin Bible, the Hebrew Old Testament and the Greek New Testament. Zwingli believed strongly in comparing translations of the Bible to original texts to derive true interpretation. 

When the city council debated abolishing the Mass and icons in 1523, the decision was to slowly fade out the practices rather than an outright rejection. They believed outright banning them would bring violent resistance, but that allowing Zwingli's ideas to flourish would naturally lead to the people rejecting Church practices. For the young radicals, this decision did not go far enough, nor such the civil city council be making religious decisions. The council was trying to appease the most people possible and avoid violent outbursts, but the radicals who had up until now followed Zwingli, felt that any appeasement was not following God. Fifteen men left Zwingli’s study group at that time and began their own study group.

More Than a Few Good Men

Today is the feast of St. Joseph, spouse of Mary, foster father of Jesus, protector of the Church, terror of demons. My devotion to St. Joseph has grown over the years. He’s such a role model of good masculinity—supportive, loving, steady, strong without being overbearing. I love how he's often shown carrying the child Jesus, an active and attentive father. 

Toxic masculinity is present in so many arenas these days. I’m not going to try to analyze what led us here. But there is a large, loud culture that praises bullying, distains women, and places value in material conquests. It baffles me that so many find the leaders and influencers of this movement appealing. Their over-charged, steroid-fueled bravado looks like weak posturing to me.

Men who are actually strong and comfortable with themselves have no need to study how to be a “real man” or publicly proclaim their own masculinity. Joseph never said a word in the Bible. He doesn’t need to.

500: An Affair of Sausages

Introduction to 500 series

At this point, Zwingli’s preachings, though deviating from Church teachings, have not aroused too much condemnation. The Church, in dealing with Luther, is reluctant to make statements against a priest pushing the boundaries, hoping that they can contain him rather than creating outrage and fracturing.

However, during Lent of 1522, Zwingli and about a dozen parishioners consciously broke the fasting rules. They distributed two smoked sausages. Zwingli preached the following Sundays that rules on food and fasting were not derived from the Bible and therefore to break the rules of fasting were not sins. This became known as the Affair of Sausages and is marked the start of the Reformation in Switzerland.

The Diocese of Constance felt that it had to react to Zwingli's blatant disregard of Church teachings. A delegation was sent to Zurich. In May, the bishop admonished Zwingli, the participating parishioners, and the city council. In turn, in July, Zwingli and some others petitioned the bishop to abolish the requirement of celibacy for clergy. The petition was printed in German and distributed to the public. It became known throughout the city that Zwingli had already secretly gotten married. The bishop responded, telling the Zurich government to maintain ecclesiastical order over their city.

Ashes and Graphite

I was recently re-watching one of my favorite series in which historians live for a year replicating a certain era as best as possible. The particular season I was watching was Victorian Farm. In the first episode they are setting up house, including opening up the large fireplace in the kitchen and installing a coal-powered range. After the new range was in place, the first thing they did was rub black graphite all over it.

I admit, I had never given much thought to why old stoves were black. The 100-year-old iron stove itself was newly restored. As the blacking process started, it didn't seem to make sense; to me, it was just rubbing grime on a clean, new stove. But the graphite serves an important role. It prevents the iron from rusting. It preserves one of the most important items in the home, insuring it will last a long time. Also, it gives the range a shiny polish to it.

I was thinking of blacking stoves this morning as people received their ashes. It look likes we’re rubbing dirt on our faces. Some find the public display a form of performative piety. But the ashes are meant to call us to humility—you are mortal; repent and believe.

Appearing Husks

From today's readings:

"When a sieve is shaken, the husks appear;
so do one’s faults when one speaks.
As the test of what the potter molds is in the furnace,
so in tribulation is the test of the just.
The fruit of a tree shows the care it has had;
so too does one’s speech disclose the bent of one’s mind.
Praise no one before he speaks,
for it is then that people are tested." - Sirach 27:4-7

Like so many, I was horrified and embarrassed by the weak, bullying behavior against Ukrainian President Zelenskyy during his visit to the White House this week. A man came on behalf of his people who are suffering from an unprovoked invasion. He was willing to negotiate for aid and support, even offering up the country's mineral rights. Instead, the men in the room mocked him, yelled at him, and demanded he kowtow to the invader. They taught they looked strong, but they just looked like schoolyard bullies, unable to regulate their emotions or conduct diplomacy. 

Love Your Enemies? Ugh, OK

Like many Southern towns, there’s a road in my city where you pass several churches in just a few blocks, one after the other. I was driving down this road the other day when I noticed that each church had the same banner: “Love Your Neighbor.” Then I started noticing the banner in front of churches all over town. It turns out that about 30 churches collaborate every year on the weekend following Valentine’s Day to preach on love of neighbor. I love seeing ecumenical efforts like this.

Of course, the liturgical readings also lend to this effort. That particular weekend was the Beatitudes, and this past weekend was about loving your enemies.

What a hard reading but necessary reading in the current climate. There is so much hurt and anger. But the truth is that we can’t let the times and circumstances change us. We are called to love.

What does love of enemies look like? It does not mean tolerating injustice. But it can mean swallowing our pride, holding back reactionary words, carrying heavy burdens. Those who curse or injure us are children of God, and even if they can’t see that, we should. God loves them, so we should love them, even when their actions are wrong and harmful. Every individual in front of us should be treated with compassion, and yes, forgiveness.

Monday Motivation: Presidents' Day

 From George Washington:

"A good moral character is the first essential in a man...It is therefore highly important that you should endeavor not only to be learned but virtuous. "

" Truth will ultimately prevail where pains is taken to bring it to light."

"Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire, called conscience."

From Abraham Lincoln:

"I am responsible … to the American people, to the Christian world, to History, and on my final account to God."

"I planted myself upon the truth, and the truth only, so far as I knew it, or could be brought to know it."

"With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds."

500: Reformation Swiss-style

I originally did my 500 series in 2017 on the lead up to the 500th anniversary of Luther's 95 theses, considered the beginning of Protestantism. I didn't continue it, as the stories grow convoluted as different branches of faith arise in different areas with overlapping timelines. However, this year is the 500th anniversary of Anabaptism, a movement which many of my ancestors followed. So I will continue the series a bit on the lead up to the radical "re-baptizers." 

Ulrich Zwingli was born in 1484 in Switzerland into a family of farmers. At age ten, he was sent to school in Basel, then three years later went to Bern. He studied under the Dominicans, and it’s possible he became a novice. However, he did not join the Dominicans and instead went to the University of Vienna and the University of Basel. He was ordained a priest in 1506.

He served as a pastor in Glarus, a city whose soldiers served as mercenaries all over Europe. Zwingli served as a chaplain for several campaigns in Italy against the French. However, after the Battle of Marignano in 1515, the city began to side more strongly with the French (against the Papal States).

Zwingli, loyal to the pope, left to Einsiedeln monastery for two years, retreating from politics. He grew convinced that mercenary service was immoral, and he furthered his theological studies. He began corresponding with humanists, and even met with Erasmus twice. During this time, his theology evolved. He grew strongly convinced that doctrine must be backed up by scripture (rather than scripture, tradition, and Church documents). In December 1518 a post opened up at the Grossmünster in Zurich; his positions on humanist reform and opposition to the French/Italian politics were welcomed in Zurich, and he became the priest at the Grossmünster. (Note that this is about 14 months after Luther in Germany has posted his theses.)

House of Protection

With the new laws allowing immigration officers to enter schools and churches, the concept of sanctuary has been on my mind. Sacred spaces have offered protection for millennia. There was an understanding that even a fugitive had the right to worship unimpeded. Greek and Roman temples offered this protection, and the early Christian churches did the same. In Rome, by law, a criminal claiming sanctuary in a sacred space could not be harmed, removed, or arrested. This gave the person and the authorities time to calm down and make rational decisions as well as gave the person claiming sanctuary permission to pray or repent. Further, it protected the church from being the site of violent clashes between authorities and criminals.

After the fall of Rome, Christian states still practiced sanctuary. It was seen as distasteful to bring weapons or secular authority into the sacred space of a church. Fugitives claiming sanctuary were often expected to convert (if not Christian), repent, or work to negotiate a peaceful resolution (such as exile without pursuit).

Over time, the practiced became less common, particularly after wealthy men abused the system, finding way to stay in sanctuary for long periods of time to avoid punishment rather than using it for immediate safety. In 1623, England outlawed the practice.

Most European countries didn’t have actual laws around sanctuary; it was just an understood practice that to enter a church in order to arrest someone was a violation of the sacred space.

Similarly, the U.S. held an unofficial practice of sanctuary—at times more respected than others. Churches protected escaping slaves in the nineteenth century and draft dodgers in the twentieth century.

Empathy is not a sin

What an exhausting few weeks.

The rapid-fire cruelly of those in control has been overwhelming for many who are paying attention. And inauguration day itself was not immune from it.

The National Cathedral is Episcopalian, but it also serves as the closest to a national church that the country has. It hosts interfaith prayer service and state funerals. Before election day, the theme of the service was set: “for all Americans, for the well-being of our nation, for our democracy.” Readings and songs revolved around themes of compassion and togetherness, including a reading from Deut. 10:17-21, on taking care of orphans and widows and all those in need.

The cathedral’s bishop, Bishop Mariann Budde, gave a sermon focused on unity, as one would expect. And boy, did some people hate it.

And what was so wrong about her words? She asked for mercy for those who are scared and marginalized. She didn’t say to condone their actions. She merely asked for those in power to remember the powerless, to have some empathy and compassion.

In response, right-wingers called for her to be defrocked, deported, and accused her of “the sin of empathy.” The vicious backlash to her sermon was striking—and also proved her point. There is no compassion being shown. Those in power are not expressing Christian virtues. And if they want to sit in her church for a prayer service to appear Christian, then she has every right—I’d say an obligation—to try to impress on them some Christianity.

If people are offended by a sermon on unity and compassion, I don’t think the problem is the sermon.

Monday Motivation: MLK Day

Some of the quotes by Martin Luther King, Jr. inscribed on the MLK Memorial:

"We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."

"I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant."

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly."

"We must concentrate not merely on the negative expulsion of war, but the positive affirmation of peace."

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

St. Agostina Pietrantoni

Livia Pietrantoni was born March 27, 1864 to a poor family of farmers in Italy. At a young age, she did manual labor for road construction and harvested olives. In 1886 she travelled to Rome with an uncle who was a priest in hopes of joining a religious order. Her first inquiry with the Sisters of Divine Charity was declined, but she was later accepted. Upon joining the congregation, she adopted the name Agostina.

As a sister, she worked as a nurse in the Santo Spirito Hospital. She worked on the tuberculosis ward, ultimately contracted the disease herself. She recovered and continued to work with the tuberculosis patients. On one occasion, she confiscated a knife from a patient named Giuseppe Romanelli, who in turn attacked and beat her. She reassured her sisters that she could continue to work. When his mother would visit him, Sister Agostina made a point of welcoming her.

Romanelli was eventually expelled from the hospital for harassing the women who worked in the hospital laundry. After being expelled, he continued to harass Sister Agostina. He sent her obscenities and death threats. On Nov. 12, 1894 her sisters, worried for safety, requested she take time off, but Sister Agostina refused to quit and continued her work. Romanelli entered the hospital and attacked her the next morning, stabbing her to death. As she lay dying of her wounds, she forgave her killer.

St. Agostina Pietrantoni is a patron saint for nurses, abuse victims, and against poverty. Her feast day is Nov. 13.

Monday Motivation: Change the World

"What we would like to do is change the world—make it a little simpler for people to feed, clothe, and shelter themselves as God intended them to do. And, by fighting for better conditions, by crying out unceasingly for the rights of the workers, the poor, of the destitute—the rights of the worthy and the unworthy poor, in other words—we can, to a certain extent, change the world; we can work for the oasis, the little cell of joy and peace in a harried world. We can throw our pebble in the pond and be confident that its ever widening circle will reach around the world. We repeat, there is nothing we can do but love, and, dear God, please enlarge our hearts to love each other, to love our neighbor, to love our enemy as our friend.” ― Dorothy Day

Pilgrims of Hope

The magi are fascinating figures; gentiles, seeing signs in the sky, who travel a long way to worship a poor baby. They are mysterious—in their origin and knowledge. They bring gifts that don’t make sense at first. They are given directions by Herod, which they don’t heed, leaving them to escape away by another path, mysteriously.

Epiphany reminds us that from His birth, some recognized the greatness, the divinity, of Jesus. They had sudden revelation—be it from angels in the field or stars in the sky. They saw the truth and heeded the signs.

As the Church celebrated the Jubilee Year with the theme “pilgrims of hope,” the magi represent pilgrimage well. They have heard a call, and they travel great distance in order to find God. The magi recognized Herod’s evil motives and rejected them. Similarly, we must spurn evil and remain focused on our journey. The magi’s pilgrimage must have seemed foolish to some—vague information, long and expensive travel, entering a land and culture different from one’s own. Yet the magi were filled with hope and purpose. They trusted that they were being led to something magnificent.

Monday Motivation: The Work of Christmas