Sunday, January 25, 2015

Gospel for Today: 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time

THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (B)

"Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Mk 1:17).  Jesus uses the metaphor of fishing to describe Andrew and Simon's new task of spreading the gospel.  Instead of catching fish, they would be "catching souls" for Christ.  For most of us, our only experience with fishing is sport fishing.  This sort of fishing is a hobby, something done on a weekend when we have no other obligations. It usually involves a cooler full of cold beverages, a lawn chair, and a lot of sitting and waiting.  Like fishing, evangelizing requires patience.  When you are working to spread the good news of Christ, you won't necessarily make a catch on your first, second, or even third cast.  You may have to wait quite a while before someone "takes the bait" as it were.  And as in fishing, it can be detrimental to get too excited and attempt to reel in a fish that is just nibbling at the bait.  You might scare the fish away.  

But evangelization cannot be just a hobby for us.  We must note that there is a sense of urgency about the evangelical work Christ charges the Apostles to undertake.  "This is the time of fulfillment," Jesus tells them, "the Kingdom of God is at hand."  St. Paul warns us in the second reading today that this world is passing away.  And truly, for any of us this hour could be our last to come to know Christ.  The urgency of the gospel comes through more in the metaphor when we consider what sort of fishing Andrew and Simon partook in.  They fished for a living.  This was no hobby; it was their profession.   

When your livelihood depends on catching fish, you have a different attitude about it.  It is not a relaxing endeavor, but hard labor.  Andrew and Simon fished with nets. These were large, heavy nets that had to be cast out into the water by hand.  They were weighted with stones so they would sink, trapping any fish in the water beneath them, and then pulled by hand back to the shore.  It was constant, hard, physical work that left one exhausted at the end of the day.  This is the work that Jesus told Andrew and Simon they would now be doing for men.  Successful fishermen cast broad nets, which meant you never knew just what you might bring in.  Evangelizing works best that way, too.  You have to cast a broad net, because you never know which soul is ripe to hear the good news of Christ.

When your life depends on catching fish, sometimes you have to think outside the box.  Very near campus, there is a spot on the Tuckaseegee where you can see a low line of stones forming a "V" shape that spans the entire river.  This is what remains of an ancient Cherokee fishing weir.  If the Cherokee did not catch fish, they didn't eat.  So they didn't mess around.  They built this V-shaped dam with a small opening at the tip of the V, across which they would string a net.  The fish were thus channeled through the narrow gap and into the net, where the fishermen would collect them.  Is there a lesson here for evangelizing?  The Cherokee figured out how to change the very environment of the river to catch more fish.  Sometimes to evangelize we need to also change our environment to create an atmosphere more conducive to the gospel.  

Think about this: as a Christian, is the environment of your life any different than the non-Christian?  Do you conduct yourself in the same manner?  Do you watch the same movies and TV shows?  Do you listen to the same music and read the same books?  Do you go to the same parties?  Do you spend your time the same way as the rest of the world?  If the answer to all of the above is "yes," then it is fair to ask what difference Christ has made in your life.  If the non-Christian cannot see any difference in you, then why should they be asked to change?

When you work as a "fisher of men," you yourself become the bait. You are the example people see of a Christian.  Are you a good example?  Are you someone people see and say, "I want what that person has?"  These are challenging questions; and indeed being an evangelist - being a Christian - is challenging work.  Many recoil at the idea of evangelization today.  We associate it with strangers knocking at our doors, interrupting our dinners.  We associate it with angry street preachers standing in the center of campus and yelling for us to repent or go to hell.  We are told that it is impolite to discuss religion.  But all of these negative examples show us a false way of evangelizing.  

In the gospel last week (Jn 1:35-42), when Andrew finds Jesus, it says, "he first found his own brother Simon and told him, 'we have found the Messiah'... then he brought him to Jesus."  That is evangelization.  Something wonderful happened to Andrew and the first thing he wanted to do was to share the news with those he cared about.  The word gospel means "good news," and there is nothing scary about sharing good news.  The question is, is the gospel good news for you?  Has it positively impacted your life?  If the answer is yes, then evangelization will come naturally.  If the answer is no, then perhaps we are putting the cart before the horse.  Perhaps we need evangelizing ourselves.

There are many who consider themselves Christians who still need evangelizing.  Perhaps you are one of these.  There are those who believe in Christ, and yet have not allowed Christ to change their lives.  This is a stumbling block; for how can we ask others to do what we have not done ourselves?  Christ tells Andrew and Simon, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men."  There are two parts to that sentence, and we cannot do the latter if we have not done the former.  We need to follow after Christ.  The gospel tells us that Andrew and Simon "abandoned their nets and followed Him."  They left their old lives behind and were willing to do whatever Christ commanded of them.  They were willing to change.  

If that sounds radical, that's because it is.  But that is what we are being asked to do.  For most of us, that does not necessarily mean giving up your job, your family, your course of study, and devoting yourself entirely to life as a missionary, or as a monastic.  (Though for some it may).  For most of us it may mean a more minor change, but a change nonetheless.  Andrew and Simon were fishermen by trade, and Christ made them fishers of men.  Perhaps Christ is asking you to take what you are already doing (or studying for) and to do that for Him.  The world needs more biologists for Christ, police officers for Christ, lawyers for Christ, politicians for Christ, journalists for Christ, and so on.  

The point is to be willing to follow where Christs leads.  If you are able to do that, then you become not only a fisher of men, but the bait and the net as well.  Your whole life becomes a testimony to the gospel, the good news of Christ.  You will be like a shining beacon in a storm tossed sea, bringing light and refuge to all those around you.  As St. Catherine of Sienna aptly put it, "Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire."

--
WCU Catholic Campus Ministry
Matthew Newsome, MTh, campus minister
  
(828)293-9374  |   POB 2766, Cullowhee NC 28723

Davidson CCM/ bulletin for week of Jan 19

<![if !vml]><![endif]>Today is the feast of St. Agnes
She was a martyr during the Diocletian persecution (early 300s), aged only 12 or 13. She was denounced as a Christian by her rejected suitors (!), having chosen to dedicate her virginity to Christ. (For an interesting reflection on this, see the FAQ below.) She’s the patroness of Christian virtue withstanding political and social oppression (among other things). Fun fact: on her feast day each year, two lambs raised in a Trappist monastery near Rome are brought to the Vatican and blessed (Lat: agnus = lamb). They will be shorn on Holy Thursday and their wool used to make the pallia (a stole-like garment) that are given by the pope to new archbishops.

I hope your semester is off to a good start. There are a variety of opportunities available for you to grow in your faith, many of which demand only an hour of your time! If you’re looking for a fun reason to get off campus, check out Give Your Heart Away.~ Karen


GIVE YOUR HEART AWAY REGISTRATION ENDS THIS WEEK!
This is our annual diocesan college weekend of service and Catholic Social Teaching. We will gather at the Catholic Conference Center in Hickory on February 13-15 for fellowship, service at local agencies, theological reflection on service, and learning about Catholic Social Teaching. Service sites include a nursing home, a residence for adults with mental and intellectual challenges, trail maintenance at the Center, a thrift store, and more. Cost is $50 (see conference grant above!), though money should not keep you from attending. Register at the diocesan campus ministry website by January 23rd: http://www.catholiconcampus.com/gyha. Contact me if you have questions.

ALTERNATIVE SPRING BREAK: RESPOND NOW
The diocese is offering an alternative spring break for Catholic college students to the Philadelphia area, working in various church-sponsored ministries and visiting a variety of religious orders—as well as having some spring break fun. You must contact me by FRIDAY if you are interested in going.




FAQs…                                  A reflection on St. Agnes and her virginity…

As mentioned above, Agnes was quite young when she was martyred, and it says something about Roman culture at the time that she was already being pestered by suitors at age 12. She was said to be quite beautiful, but also very devout and not interested in marrying, stubbornly maintaining her conviction that she had consecrated her virginity to her true spouse, Jesus Christ. Her suitors were outraged and denounced her. The local magistrate did his best to change her mind and make her offer incense to the Roman gods, but she refused. He then sent her off to a brothel to become a prostitute, but no one there would touch her. She was finally beheaded. She has been a very popular saint and appears in the list of saints in the first Eucharistic Prayer the priest sometimes uses at mass.

Here is an excerpt from Robert Ellsberg’s entry on St. Agnes in his book All Saints: Daily Reflections on Saints, Prophets, and Witnesses for Our Time.
<![if !supportLists]>·         <![endif]>“In the past, [St. Agnes’] memory undoubtedly served a tendency to idealize the virgin state. This was reinforced by the appellation ‘virgin,’ attached by the church to Agnes and other unmarried women saints. There is no corresponding word to recognize married women saints (except widow), nor is there any corresponding interest in the marital—or sexual—status of male saints. (We know, for instance, that St. Augustine was no virgin.)”
<![if !supportLists]>·         <![endif]>“In the story of Agnes, however, the opposition is not between sex and virginity. The conflict is between a young woman’s power in Christ to determine her own identity versus a patriarchal culture’s claim to identify her in terms of her sexuality. According to the view shared by her ‘suitors’ and the state, if she would not be one man’s wife, she might as well be everyman’s whore. Failing these options, she might as well be dead….The God she worshiped sets an altogether different value on her body, her identity, and her human worth. Espoused to God, she was beyond the power of any man to ‘have his way with her.’ ‘Virgin’ in this case is another way of saying Free Woman.”


___________________

Karen Soos
Associate Chaplain and Catholic Campus Minister
Davidson College
Campus Box 7196
Davidson NC 28035
704. 894. 2423

Sunday, January 18, 2015

Gospel For Today: 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

SECOND SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (B)

G. K. Chesterton once said, "Christianity has not been tried and found wanting.  Rather, it has been found difficult and not tried."  Someone else just as wise, I am sure, noted that a big part of being a Christian is just showing up.  Today's readings are all about "showing up," answering God's call, listening to His voice, and being willing to follow where He leads.  

I want to begin our reflection on today's readings by first looking at a different scene from the gospels.  Elsewhere (Mt 19:16-17), a rich man asks Jesus, "What good deed must I do to have eternal life?"  Jesus responds to him with another question.  "Why do you ask me about what is good?  One there is who is good."  Jesus is referring to God, the source of all goodness (Lk 18:19).  Jesus goes on to tell the rich man that he must first obey God's commandments, and finally sell everything he owns to enter the kingdom of heaven.  

We may read that gospel story and wonder why Jesus first gives the "smart-alecky" answer before He gives the "real" answer.  Obviously the real answer to the rich man's question is the one Jesus gives second - obey the commandments, sell your possessions, etc. - right?  Jesus was just trying to make a point about God being all-good with His first comment.

I suggest that if we read that passage in that way, we have it backwards.  Jesus was not a smart-alec.  He said exactly what He meant.  The rich man asked Jesus what good deed must I do to gain eternal life, and Jesus essentially tells him that there is no good he can do.  For there is only One who is good, and that is God.  All goodness comes from God, therefore if you or I want to do good, we must participate in God's goodness (hence the second part of Jesus' answer, to obey the commandments).  

There is an ancient heresy called Pelagianism, named after the fourth century British monk, Pelagius, who first espoused it.  His heresy was the denial of original sin.  Pelagius believed that the sin of Adam and Eve only set a bad example for the rest of humankind to follow.  We are not born into sin, according to the Pelagian view, and so it is theoretically possible (though very difficult) to live a sinless life.  Were this heresy true, it would mean that we could essentially "save ourselves" by living virtuously.  After all, if we never fall into sin, then we wouldn't need a Christ to save us.

Heroic saints such as St. Augustine argued vehemently against Pelagius, whose heresy was officially condemned by the Church.  But traces of it live on to this day among Christians who believe that the way to make it into heaven is simply to be good.  They are looking to themselves, rather than to Christ, as the source of their salvation.

What does any of this have to do with today's readings?  When we recognize that God is the source of all goodness, all truth, and all beauty, we can begin to understand that the work of our salvation can only be accomplished by God and not by our own hands.  Our job is to cooperate with God and allow Him to do His work in us.  Our job is to "show up."  

Please understand, what I speak of is not the Protestant heresy of sola fide ("faith alone"), which in many ways is the polar opposite error of Pelagianism.  The heresy of salvation by faith alone as espoused by Martin Luther teaches that our good works are irrelevant to our salvation.  If we have faith in Christ, it does not matter what we do or fail to do; Christ will save us regardless.  This idea runs counter to the scriptures, where we find, among other things, Christ judging us at the end of time according to our deeds of charity (Mt 25:31-46).

The good we do in this life matters.  In fact, you could go so far as to say that we were made to do good.  Just as the purpose of our minds is to know the truth, and the purpose of our hearts is to love the beautiful, the purpose of our will is to do the good.  But where do we find the source of all that is true, beautiful and good?  Only in God.  Therefore for our minds, hearts and wills to be properly aligned and capable of achieving their end, they must be oriented toward God.  

That brings us back to our theme of showing up.  When Goodness, Truth and Beauty call, step one is to answer.  So Samuel in today's first reading, (1 Sm 3:3b-10, 19), even though he "was not familiar with the Lord" yet, heard His call in the night and replied, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening."  In today's gospel reading (Jn 1:35-42), John the Baptist points Jesus out to his followers and tells them, "Behold, the Lamb of God."  Andrew and John heed the call and seek to stay with Jesus.  Andrew then brings his brother Simon to Jesus.  The gospel tells us, "they stayed with Him."  They showed up.  

This is the beginning of learning to do good.  This is the beginning of faith.  This is the beginning of eternal life.  Be willing and ready to answer God's call.  Allow yourself to be drawn to His goodness as a moth is to the flame.  Desire, like the apostles in today's gospel, to be in His presence.  Allow God to transform you into His disciple.  Allow Him to transform you into a saint.

C. S. Lewis points out in The Great Divorce that ultimately one of two things will happen to us.  Either we say to God, "Thy will be done," and we allow Him to form us into saints fit for heaven; or He will say to us, "Thy will be done," and He allows us to have our own way, which leads to hell.  Only God's will is good, therefore our wills must be aligned to His in order for them to seek good.  Otherwise our will is for evil.

Therefore let us choose that first path.  God is calling you today and every day.  Let us be willing to answer that call, today and every day, with the psalmist, "Here am I, Lord; I come to do Your will." 

--
WCU Catholic Campus Ministry
Matthew Newsome, MTh, campus minister
  
(828)293-9374  |   POB 2766, Cullowhee NC 28723

Davidson CCM bulletin week of Jan 12

When the song of the angel is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When shepherds are back with their flocks,
The work of Christmas begins:
                To find the lost, to heal the broken,
                To feed the hungry, to release the prisoners,
                To rebuild the nations, to bring peace among all,
                To make music in the heart.
                                ~Howard Thurman


GIVE YOUR HEART AWAY REGISTRATION IS OPEN
This is our annual diocesan college weekend of service and Catholic Social Teaching. We will gather at the Catholic Conference Center in Hickory on February 13-15 for fellowship, service at local agencies, theological reflection on service, and learning about Catholic Social Teaching. Service sites include a nursing home, a residence for adults with mental and intellectual challenges, trail maintenance at the Center, a thrift store, and more. Cost is $50 (see conference grant above!), though money should not keep you from attending. Register at the diocesan campus ministry website by January 23rd: http://www.catholiconcampus.com/gyha. Contact me if you have questions.



___________________

Karen Soos
Associate Chaplain and Catholic Campus Minister
Davidson College
Campus Box 7196
Davidson NC 28035
704. 894. 2423

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Gospel for Today: Baptism of the Lord

THE FEAST OF THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD (B)


Today we celebrate the feast of the Baptism of the Lord in the River Jordan.  Today is also the final day of the Christmas season.  That fact may come as a surprise for many people who have long ago taken down their tree, packed away their stockings, and put away their manger scenes.  Christmas was last month!  We are in a new year now!  But the Church continues to celebrate the joy of Christmas long after Dec. 25.  The feast of Christ's Nativity only begins the celebration for us.  For the Church, the Christmas season includes not only Christmas Day itself but incorporates other important feasts including Epiphany and today's feast of the Baptism of the Lord.  

Why might this be?  Associating Epiphany with Christmas makes sense.  After all, the magi's visit is still part of the infancy narratives in the gospels.  It naturally flows from the story of Christ's birth.  But the Baptism of the Lord?  Christ's baptism by John the Baptist took place about thirty years after His birth.  Christ was a grown man at the time.  His baptism marked the beginning of His public ministry.  What does that have to do with Christmas?

In last week's reflection on the Epiphany we talked about the word manifestation.  In a way,the whole Christmas season is about Christ manifesting Himself to the world.  His manifestation was foreshadowed throughout the Old Testament.  The readings of the Advent season, especially from Isaiah, show glimpses of the coming of the Messiah who will save His people and bring us life and light.  Christ's manifestation in the flesh begins with the Annunciation, with Gabriel announcing to Mary that she will bear the Son of God, Jesus, God-with-us (Lk 1:31-35).

Already within His mother's womb, Christ had been made manifest to a few; to His mother, Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth and John the Baptist, who himself leaped in his mother's womb when the unborn Jesus was near him (Lk 1:44).  But with His birth on that first Christmas, Christ was made manifest on a larger scale.  Now God's presence among us was made known to the shepherds as the angels announced, "to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (Lk 2:11).

In all these ways Christ was becoming more and more manifest to the world that He made, and which He came to redeem.  As I mentioned last week, the word epiphany means "manifestation," and so at Epiphany we celebrate Christ made manifest to the magi, wise sages from the east.  This is the start of Christ's manifestation to the gentiles, showing us that His mission of mercy, reconciliation and love is not only for Israel, but for the entire world.

And now the Christmas season ends with the celebration of the Baptism of the Lord.  Today we see the beginning of Christ's public ministry, heralded by the descent of the Holy Spirit and the Father's own voice proclaiming, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased" (Mk 1:11).  Jesus Christ is proclaimed by the Father Himself to be the Son of God, Emanuel, God-with-us.  With this very public proclamation we find confirmation of everything that the angels and prophets have been saying about this Jesus.  Truly, He is the Son of God.

While this moment may conclude the manifestation of Christ liturgically in the Christmas season, it is only the beginning of the manifestation of Christ on earth.  Christ would continue to manifest Himself in His preaching, His miracles, and ultimately in His suffering, death and resurrection and final ascent into Heaven.  But His manifestation does not end with these events, either.  His manifestation continues on today in the Church.  The Church is the Body of Christ, and through the Church Jesus continues to be made present in the world.  

We see this especially in the sacraments, of which the Church is minister. Christ's glory as the Son of God was made manifest at His baptism and so too is He made manifest to us through our baptistms into His life, death, and resurrection.  Christ is made manifest to us in the Eucharist, when we receive His Body and Blood.  Christ is made manifest to us in the sacrament of Reconciliation wherein His forgiveness and mercy are made present.  He is made manifest to us in each of the Sacraments presented through the Church.

But Christ is also made manifest in the world in the individual members of the Church.  This means you and I, clergy and laity.  Each of us has the potential to make Christ manifest in the world.  Indeed, it is the sacred duty of all the baptized to make Christ manifest to others.  "Through Baptism the Christian is sacramentally assimilated to Jesus, who in His own baptism anticipates His death and resurrection.  The Christian must enter into this mystery of humble self-abasement and repentance, go down into the water with Jesus in order to rise with Him, be reborn of water and the Spirit so as to become the Father's beloved son in the Son and walk in the newness of life" (Catechism of the Catholic Church 537).

This is the mission of the baptized Christian: to continue the manifestation of Christ in your life, to live in the Spirit, so that you can reflect the love of the Father to the world.  Let us keep this evangelical mission in mind as we begin a new semester, and throughout our lives.  And allow me to take this final opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas!

Pax Christi,
Matt

--
WCU Catholic Campus Ministry
Matthew Newsome, MTh, campus minister
  
(828)293-9374  |   POB 2766, Cullowhee NC 28723

Saturday, January 3, 2015

Gospel For Today - Epiphany

SOLEMNITY OF THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD

The following was originally written for Epiphany 2014.

The word "epiphany" means "manifestation."  So what does the word "manifest" mean?  Manifest means "to make known."  Today we celebrate the great solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, considered to be the apex of the Christmas season.  In what way today is the Lord made known?

One would think that the manifestation of the Lord would be considered His birth, which we celebrated on Dec. 25.  This is the day when we celebrate His arrival on the human scene, when we welcome Emmanuel, God-with-us, into our midst.  Did that not complete the great incarnational event that began when the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would conceive a son by the Holy Spirit?

In a way yes, but in a way no.  While at the Nativity we celebrate the birth of Christ and His arrival to the Jewish people, that is by no means the whole story.  For while it is true that Christ, the Messiah, came to the Jews, He did not come only for the Jews.  In our first reading today from Isaiah, the prophet says, "Rise up in splendor Jerusalem, your light has come!"  But he continues, "Raise your eyes and look about; they all gather and come to you."  Our psalm today proclaims, "all kings shall pay him homage, all nations shall serve him."  And our second reading from Ephesians tells us that "the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise of Christ Jesus."  

This is what is unique about our Catholic faith - that it is catholic.  "Catholic" comes from the Greek meaning "of the whole."  It is usually translated as "universal." We call it the universal Church not only because she teaches universal truths, but that those truths and  the salvation they proclaim are meant for all peoples, of all lands, of all times.  There is not a single nation, tribe, clan, family or individual whom Christ did not come to redeem.  While Christ is the fulfillment of all that God promised to His chosen people, He is also the extension of that covenant to the whole world.  

The event we celebrate today with the arrival of the magi to pay homage and adore the infant Christ is the manifestation - the epiphany - of Jesus' universal kingship.  Who were the magi?  The Bible is silent as to their names, but tradition gives them as Casper (Gaspar), Melchior and Balthasar.  The magi were eastern sages.  They were not Jews and there is no reason to believe that they were familiar with Jewish prophecy or scripture.  So why would they care about the birth of a baby boy to a young woman in a backwater Jewish province of no real political significance?

The magi were the priestly caste from Persia.  We sometimes refer to them as the "wise men" and that is important.  For even though there is no reason to believe they were exposed to Jewish traditions or prophecy they did seek out wisdom.  In their tradition, in the east, they sought wisdom from the stars.  And something they saw in the stars at that time told them that a great king had been born in Bethlehem.  And not just any king, but a universal king, such that even though He was born among Jews, these Persian sages felt compelled to make the long and dangerous journey to pay Him homage.  

Through the method of learning they looked to for truth and guidance - watching and reading the stars - they came to know the truth of Christ's kingship.  They responded to that truth in the only way that seemed appropriate to them.  They desired to worship and adore the Lord.  The magi are considered to be the first fruits of the Gentiles and the beginning of the Christian faith, bringing in their wake the whole mass of earth's people who would come to worship the Lord Jesus Christ.  They were not looking for a Messiah.  They did not know the prophecies of Isaiah.  But they were seeking the truth.

Like them, we today need to seek out truth.  Our minds were made for this task.  The Second Vatican Council affirms that God comes to those "who seek God with a sincere heart" (Lumen Gentium 16).  Even in non-Christian religions, we recognize "shadows and images" of God, elements of "goodness and truth" that are "a preparation for the Gospel" (CCC 843).  

These elements of truth can also be found in the physical sciences, where the open mind can discover signs pointing to the transcendent creator of this magnificent universe.  They can be found in the study  of history, where can be discovered accounts of the creator-God born among the Jewish people in Israel and working miracles, including His own Resurrection.  They can also be found in the lived experiences and examples of those around us who have allowed Christ to enter their lives and forever change them.

When we discover the truth, whoever we are and however it comes to us, there is only one proper response.  We need to do what the magi did.  We need to realize that in the light of this Truth, nothing can ever be the same.  We need to stop what we are doing - leaving behind our old lives if need be - and seek Him out.  A King has been born.  Come, let us worship.





--
WCU Catholic Campus Ministry
Matthew Newsome, MTh, campus minister
  
(828)293-9374  |   POB 2766, Cullowhee NC 28723