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     One of the various charisms in the Church is the speaking and praying in tongues. Some extreme charismatics hold the position that one is not really united in the Spirit unless he or she possesses the gift of tongues. Some Christians who had this gift b elievers that they were holier than those who did not. This issue was leading to serious disunity and confusion among the Corinthians. St. Paul writes: “Let all things be done for edification. If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three . . .; and let one interpret. But if there is no one to interpret, let each one of them keep silence in Church and speak to himself and so to God. For God is not a God of confusion, but of peace.” (1Cor 14: 26-28, 33)

     It is not the gift of tongues that makes one a “super Christian.” If this is a gift for the building up of the Church, which all the charisms  of the Holy Spirit are to be, then it is to remain a private matter between the person and God if there is no one to interpret for the Church what is being said. When a person receives the gift of tongues, it is for the glory of God, not the person. Of all the charisms of the Church, this appears to be the most mysterious. Therefore, it is also the one that needs to be clearly discerned. For Paul, every believer possesses different gifts from the Holy Spirit. May we be grateful for these gifts and humbly use them to glorify God and build up the Church.

     What kind of world are we living in? Some want to shape their world with their own imagination , according to their liking. They create philosophies and spiritualities to help people to leave this world and live in their own little personal world, which they can control ad manipulate to their own purposes. These wish to live an enlightened life, and for many of them, this means a self-centered life.

     St. Paul knows that this type of thinking is dangerous for the Colossians. They could easily be swayed through a charismatic person, philospher or ritual which is not of Christ, but appeals to them because it offers eay solutions to difficult problems. Paul writes to them: “See to it that no one makes a prey of you by philoophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ.” (Col 2:8)

     Any type of thought that tempts us to forget, neglect or replace Jesus Christ with someone or something else is a dangerous threat to our salvation. If we are Christians, we do not look to the elements of this world to foretell the future, instead we look to Christ who is our past, present and future. If we are Christians, we do not put our faith in abstract theories of philosophy or even science, but we instead recall that the Word became Flesh and dwelt among us, Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Son of God. If we are Christians, we do not look for self-fulfillment through the acquisition of pleasure or possessions. Instead, we look to the cross and the Father’s boundless generosity to the human race, which invites from us a response of faith.

    People are often drawn to the new ideas or simplstic answers to find meaning in this world. Paul warns the Thessalonians and us that if the answer does not include Jesus Christ, crucified and risen from the dead, then it is no answer at all.

     Christians are a people of action. While they know that this world is a passing one and that Christ will one day return in glory, that does not give them an excuse to do nothing and just wait for Jesus to come. St. Paul reminds the Thessalonians of this in his Second Letter: “For even when we were with you we gave you this command: If one will not work, let him not eat. For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies not doing any work. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work in quietness and earn their own living. (2Thess 3:10-12)

     It seems to St. Paul that awaiting the return of the Lord does not give Christians the excuse to be lazy. They need to provide for themselves as well as the needs of others. They need to be mindful of the fact that while they await the coming of Christ,  they must work and serve people in the world. They are to serve one another actively while they await Christ’s return. This work is both spiritual and corporal. It involves being in this world and getting ready for the world to come. This is the kind of work that occupies their minds with the things of God and their bodies with providing with their own material needs and those of others, especially the poor.

     Idleness can lead to boredom and boredom can lead to mischief and maybe even sin. Paul wishes to remind the Thessalonians that the goal is not simply to wait around for Christ to come, but rather to share him with others in the world right now, so that when he comes, he will see us hard at work, being the leaven of the Kingdom in the world.

    Yesterday we welcomed five men into seminary formation. Three are from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati: Chris Conlon, Chris Patterson and Joel Sackenheim. They are all starting their first year in Pre-theology. Their program to ordination will last seven years. Two men are from the Diocese of  Toledo: Nathan Bockrath and Jeremy Miller. They are starting their first year of the five year program. Please pray for these men as they get ready to start their studies. They have much to learn and relfect upon and discern.

    There are also three new priest members of the faculty this year. Two have returned from Rome where they were undergoing advanced theological studies. Fr. Earl Fenandes is the Academic dean of the Seminary and teacher of moral theology. Fr. Anthony Brausch is a philosophy teacher in the Pre-theology program and a member of the formation team. The third new faculty member is Fr. Mike Davis, who is on loan to us from the Archdiocese of Miami, Florida. For the next couple of years he will have to deal with winter snow and ice rather than hurricanes and such. He is the spiritual director of the Seminary and also the Director of Liturgy. He is not really a stranger to this area, since he originally hails from Hamilton Ohio, a graduate of Badin High School. I know that they will leave their own important marks on the Seminary. It is always good to get some new blood in the place.

      The rest of the crew arrives Wednesday and classes officially start next Monday, on the Feast of the Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Please pray for all priests and seminarians and support Sacred Heart Radio.

     The Second Letter to the Corinthians has been called by some the Gospel of Suffering and Comfort. Paul knew that one of God’s gifts to his people is comfort and healing. He knew this from the Prophet Isaiah, who speaks of this in chapter 40. He also knows this through his relationship with Jesus Christ. For that reason, a basic duty for each Christian is to offer comfort to the sorrowful and suffering. But whose comfort do we offer, ours or God’s?

     Paul writes to the Corinthians “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2Cor 1:3-4)

     Paul teaches that the comfort and consolation he gives is the same that he had received from Jesus. In effect, we become instruments of God’s comfort and consolation in the world. When a Christian comforts the sick, the grieving, and the despondent, he gives something that is not his own. He offers hope, companionship and solidarity with Jesus Christ.

    When we are in a situation where we have the privilege to offer consolation and comfort, let us pray that we use the power that he gives us to heal souls, not from our own authority, but by the authority of Jesus Christ, who teaches us to generously give the very peace and comfort that we need for ourselves.

Please pray for all priests and seminarians and support Sacred Heart Radio.

     What is to be our true focus in this world, God or ourselves? The answer to the person with faith seems simple in theory, but is a little more difficult in practice. For many of us, the focus is on ourselves. The culture tells us to take care of ourselves first. All that others deserve are our leftovers. Self-satisfaction and self-fulfillment are the true goals for many people.

     St. Paul presents things differently in the Letter to the Romans: “None of us lives for himself and none of us dies to himself. If we live, we live to the Lord and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.” (Rom 14:7-8)

     These words from St. Paul remind us that we will only find true joy in our lives if we are focused on the Lord Jesus Christ. We are to live as Christians by being focused on the needs of others and not just sharing from our surplus, but from our own needs. Because all things were created by the Word, we can come to truly know ourselves only by entrusting ourselves to the Word made flesh. By becoming imitators of Christ, we can learn that life is not about self-satisfaction, but self-sacrifice. We can also discover that self-fulfillment for the Christian can only be self-emptying love.

     St. Paul looked to the Lord to know how to live his own life. May we look to the Lord every day, so that we can learn how to live our own lives.

PLease pray for all priests and seminarians and support Sacred Heart Radio.

     Many of you who are in the SHR database should soon be receiving the Newsletter. It is very colorful and has lots of information, especially about the Cardinal Foley dinner and the TLM on the Feast of the Sacred Heart which drew around 450 people.

    I suggested that we need to offer the listeners a concrete way to help them pray for the radio station as well as help them with their own spiritual lives. So, we came up with the SHR Prayer League and the SHR Prayer Kit.

    Members who ask for the prayer kit are asked to say the SHR prayer and one decade of the rosary every day for the spiritual and financial needs of Sacred Heart Radio. The kit contains the following items:

    a. A Blessed Sacred Heart Radio rosary in red, yellow, white and black with a medal of the Sacred Heart attached. The purpose of this rosary is to help people say their “decade a day” and to help them meditate on Jesus’ life. These bead and cord rosaries are VERY STURDY.

     b. A Sacred Heart Radio prayer card. This is a prayer card, generously provided by the ladies at the CATHOLIC PEDDLER, which specifically asks God’s blessings on the radio station.

     c. A Sacred Heart badge. This is a sacramental that you can keep in your wallet or purse or car visor to remind you of God’s love for you in his Sacred Heart. It can also serve as an evangelization if other people notice it.

     d. Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel. Pope Leo XIII recommended that we recite this prayer every day, to help us in our spiritual battles. It would serve as a good reminder for the SHR radio listener that God is always present through his angels to help them overcome temptations.

     e. The Memorare. This prayer of petition to the Blessed virgin Mary reminds the SHR listener that the Mother of God is our spiritual mother who is there to help us in times of need. Some people, including the late Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, swear by the “911 Prayer” which consists of the Memorare said nine consecutive times to Mary’s quick intercession.

   It is hoped that this prayer kit will help people to be more focused in their daily prayers. It will help their own personal spiritual lives to grow, and also help the growth of Sacred Heart Radio.

    We currently have about 230 prayer kits ready to go, with more coming soon. You can either call the Radio Station at 731-7740, or soon there will be a spot to click on at the website www.sacredheartradio.com

     Many people seem to think that religious devotion is something out of date. They could not be more wrong. Some think that they need to “reinvent” devotion and ritual through nifty things like a “blessing and washing of hands.” It is sort of like those “innovators” who got rid of the foot washing on Holy Thursday, and replaced it with hand-washing, not realizing that Pontius Pilate washed his hands to symbolize he was not responsible for the death of Jesus, which is something we cannot claim as Catholics. It takes more than a washing of hands to cleanse us of his death; its takes Baptism. I guess the “Purel” people might be behind this and they may want to turn hand sanitizers into a “sacramental.”

     It is clear from everything we believe that the Celebration of the Mass is the most important action for the Catholic. It is the “source and summit.” Mass, however, usually lasts between 45 minutes to an hour. How are we supposed to be mindful of God for the other 23 hours? The answer to this is religious devotion. To use an analogy of a sandwich, (I am writing this after lunch)  devotion is like the bread while the Mass is the meat. Devotion serves a two-fold purpose: to prolong the sacramental mysteries that we have just celebrated, and to prepare us to celebrate them when we return to Church.

    The practice of devotion to the Mother of God and the Saints, or to the Reserved Holy Eucharist, or to some aspect of Christ’s life serves to keep God present in our hearts and minds over the course of the day. Religious devotion has been an important part of the spiritual life since the beginning of the Church. It is how we are, as St. Paul says, to “pray always.”

    Religious devotion also helps us to focus more clearly on the reception of the Holy Eucharist. Several parishes, to cut down on the chatter before Mass so that people can actually pray, have begun the recitation of the Rosary about 30 minutes or so before Mass. Many who come early have commented that the prayer before Mass has actually helped them to be more spiritually present to readings and the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

     One of the most difficult things busy people face daily is how do I stay focused on Christ? How can I attach my heart to Christ’s heart throughout the course of the day? The answer is religious devotion. It may be a simple prayer or a decade of the rosary or a quiet reflection on a short Gospel passage. In any case, we are making sure that we have sufficient spiritual life support to get through the challenges of the day.

      I recommend that we take the example of our parents and grandparents. The majority of them had their prayer book, in which they kept their little prayer cards and petitions. I think it is safe to say that Many Catholics today do not so this. If we want to improve our prayer life and rally live a life of devotion, these books would definitely help.

    If any of you have a specific prayer book you find helpful, please do not hesitate to add it to the comments.

     I usually cause enough trouble in the theological realm to avoid the political one, but this latest but of idiocy needs to be stopped. I saw a tape of Nancy Pelosi yesterday from Meet the Press in which she said that the Catholic Church has been questioning the abortion issue for 50 years, and then went on to imply that since St. Augustine did not know when the infusion of the soul occurred into the child, that he would be for abortion up to the time of the infusion of the soul.

     Whenever the US Bishops hear someone say something about immigration or healthcare or the death penalty that they don’t like, they do not hesitate to speak out. To my knowledge, no one has spoken out yet to condemn her statements on abortion. It is just hanging out there, the statements of an “arm chair theologian” whose knowledge probably comes from a cocktail with one of her friends, most probably a member of the clergy who thinks it is better to be accepted at the “adults table” than to tell these people the truth and to help them recognize the danger their salvation is at risk.

     It seems to me that many people find it more comfortable defining themselves by their political party rather than their religious faith. They also want to align themselves with people in power. One of the things that has always weakened the authority of the Church for some is that priests and bishops, like everyone else, want to be liked and accepted. We also like to be around powerful people and have influential friends. We don’t want to be seen as “backward or fanatical.” In order to accomplish these things, we face the temptation to sell out our principles and if neccesary our religious faith (in the name of theological nuancing) in order to be accepted with the relevant and powerful and famous . I have seen many interviews of celebrities and politicians who hold divergent views on the Catholic faith and claim that these are acceptable because their priest, who is a “personal friend,” tells them it is okay. Others try to coyly avoid the issues so that they don’t have to take a stand.

     I guess that for clergy, the number one temptation today is the temptation to be popular and be seen as relevant. As this political season continues to heat up, I am sure that there will be many other candidates for the Pontius Pilate award (Those who sacrifice the truth for popularity or expediency). If we give up the truth, we give up Jesus Christ. And if we give up Jesus Christ, we have given up everything.

     St. Paul knows that human beings frequently struggle with things. We struggle between who we are and who we want to be. We struggle between what we really need and what we desire. We struggle between the right thing and the easy thing to do. Paul gives the Ephesians important advice in the spiritual life when he writes “we are not contending between flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers . . . against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Eph 6:12)

     Our real enemies are not the ones we can see, but rather the ones we cannot see. In other words, are true enemies are spiritual realities. Paul echoes words that will be said by Jesus himself in the Gospels, “Do not fear those who can destroy the body, but those who can destroy the body and the soul.” (Mt 10:28)

     These spiritual realities camouflage themselves as good things that can become traps. People may say flattering things about us, but pretty soon we do things not because they are good, but because we receive flattery. We take pleasure in legitimate things, but soon that is the only thing we are thinking about. We can let our anger get out of control and cease to see good things, but only the bad. C.S. Lewis describes these principalities and powers that Paul speaks of in his spiritual classic, The Screwtape Letters.

      It is clear to St, Paul that the devil has largely given up the frontal attack in favor of one that is more deceptive. He prefers to work on our spiritual attitudes and weaknesses discreetly, slowly bending our souls to his will. May the Lord help us to be vigilant to the presence of these daily spiritual attacks on our souls. May we daily invoke St. Michael the Archangel to help us overcome the powers that seek to destroy us.

Please pray for all priests and seminarians and support Sacred Heart Radio