Loving God and Others, Despite Distractions and Noise

[The following is a guest post from Beth O'Neill, parishioner at Catholic Church of the Incarnation and a Minister to the Sick.]

How do we serve God in a world with so much noise and so many distractions?  Life makes so many demands.  There is always somewhere to be or someone who needs us.  Most people, like me, are spread too thin.  The noise and distractions only make this worse, because they allow us to find excuses not to be present with God.  If you step away from all the noise and distractions that surround us, you will find that the one who loves us the most is there waiting for us to trust in Him.  God is there to take care of everything for us.  But, we have to be willing to let ourselves be loved by Him.  We must find ways to be present with God, to invest time in our friendship with Christ, and to follow Him.  How do we do that?

Allow me to provide a couple of examples from my own life.  Both examples are possible because I travel quite a bit for my career.  On many days, I am not able to go to daily Mass as I would like.  Yet, I desire deeply to invest in my friendship with Jesus, and my commitment to Him, in a tangible way.  In a particular way, I have felt called to pray for the physical and spiritual healing of souls.

With spiritual direction and encouragement from a pastor, I began serving in the Ministry to the Sick.  Each time I carry the Eucharist to a sick person, I imagine that I bring Jesus’ heart into their homes, hospitals, and nursing, hospice, and rehab facilities.  Further, I imagine that each person I visit is Jesus.  He lives in the hearts of each one of us.  I need to visit Jesus, and the people who wait need a visit from the Lord, too.  They receive healing, and I do as well.  I am always encouraged by the deep faith and love of Christ that I encounter during these visits.  It never fails that I feel Christ’s promise welling up in my heart: “Whenever two or three are gathered in my Name, there I am in their midst.” (Matt. 18:20).

Another amazing way that I am free to serve Christ and love my neighbor is my intercessory prayer for the people around me in airplanes, hotels, or even football stadiums.  I pray that Jesus will place me where He needs me most, next to the people who need prayers.  Since I am often on an airplane or in a hotel, I pray for everyone around me, wherever that may lead.  I offer prayers for their intentions, for their conversion, for the graces they need most in this life, for their illnesses, addictions, forgiveness of sins, and for their families.  I try not to complicate things, and I try to see that He has placed me exactly where I need to be.  I simply try to make God more present by my prayers, words, or actions.

These may seem like small works and acts of faith, and they may not involve much time or physical effort.  However, they bring me closer to Christ.  Very often, I am humbled by those whom I visit and I often pray that I can love Him and love my neighbor more.  It never fails: I find that in serving Jesus and others, He is there serving and consoling me.  It is in these moments when I pray, “Jesus, please hide me in your wounds.”  When I relate to my Lord in this way, it is simple to find ways to serve and share my faith with others.  My heart becomes bigger and He fills what would otherwise be empty.  My life is transformed forever because of this service that I offer to my Lord and my fellow neighbors!

All of this sounds simple, but it isn’t.  It takes daily effort to fulfill my commitment and sustain my relationship with Christ.  Although I fail from time to time, I only seek to live out the mission of love commanded by Christ and His Church.  I desire to bring His light into the world.  Without His grace and guidance to sustain my effort, I find myself weak and lost.

The gifts that I receive by practicing my faith in this way are abundant.  Being able to love God and serve Him through my neighbor is an amazing freedom.  I am so thankful for the freedom that I have to practice my faith openly and authentically as a member of the Holy Catholic Church.  Yet that freedom will be lost if Americans, like you and me, take it for granted.  I encourage all to pray, fast, and act to protect religious freedom so that we all are able to receive from Christ’s love and pass on that love to others.

So, let us step away from all the noise and distractions that surround us by investing time in our friendship with Jesus.  Let us seek to remain united with Jesus in all things.  Let us make Him visible to those we meet, and let us rely on His comfort and protection.  Let us love Him and allow ourselves to be loved by Him.  Nothing else will bring us happiness, and nothing else will bring peace into this world.

His plan is grander than we can comprehend, but it’s also very simple.  Nike’s slogan says “Just do it.”  If God had one for us, I believe it would be “Just Love.”  Just love Him and love your neighbor.  When you do, you will find simple ways to serve Jesus and share your faith with others. Jesus, hide us in your wounds so that you can be bigger in our lives.

Hospitality: Light for the World

[The following is a guest post by Philip Erstine, parishioner at Catholic Church of the Incarnation, chairman of the Parish Social Ministry Advisory Commission, and coordinator of the parish welcoming ministry.]

As part of the 2014 Fortnight for Freedom, I offer this reflection on the ways that a parish’s ministry of hospitality is founded upon religious freedom.

Every person has the right to seek, choose, and express religion freely because every person has inherent dignity.  Those who choose Christianity receive the noble duty to greet and serve others in love, because those others are made in the image and likeness of the eternal God.  This is not an optional suggestion, it is a requirement of discipleship in Christ.

This obligation is placed upon us at Baptism, and it is anchored in the Scriptures and the Church’s constant teaching over centuries.  Each Christian is to live as Jesus commands: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).  In order to do this, each Christian also receives tools (called charisms) that empower him or her to be a channel of God’s love in the world.  Christian hospitality is one such gift, and it very often helps open a person’s heart to hear the Gospel.  Greeting someone joyfully may seem quite simple, but it carries great Christian significance.

Hospitality is an important demonstration of the faith we profess, at the personal level and at the parish level.  At Catholic Church of the Incarnation, our hospitality ministry greets all parishioners and guests as they enter our church at every Sunday Mass.  A simple smile and a “hello” from a minister help our brothers and sisters feel welcome.  Further, a heart-felt greeting encourages them to clear their minds of the world’s secular influence and focus as they begin preparing to worship God.  Greeters, and I among them, believe that this is one of the most powerful things that we can give to seekers.

This was proved to me in a powerful way several years ago.  I was a fallen-away Catholic who had not attended Mass in thirty years.  I had been isolated, but I was hopeful of reconciliation with the Church.  Needless to say, I was a little nervous because I didn’t know how I might be received.  Thankfully, the good folks at the parish had chosen to exercise their own human dignity and religious freedom to greet me in faith, hope, joy, and compassionate enthusiasm.  I owe them my deepest gratitude because they helped me come out of isolation and come home to the one, true Church.  They helped me to meet Christ again.

The witness that I saw inspired me to grow in charity and spread that charity to others.  To love is to serve, and so I serve the parish in various ways, especially through the hospitality ministry.  I love my neighbors as brothers and sisters in Christ by greeting them at the doors of the church before Mass.  For a single adult, I may be the face of a loving parish community to her.  For the young family struggling to get their kids to Mass, I might be able to bring them hope of establishing a family bond during worship.  I am always glad to extend my hand in love and compassion, and I am always blessed to have hands extended in return.  In them, I see the light of Christ and I want it to burn more brightly.

Hospitality, then, is an expression of who we are and what we believe.  Yet, that expression is in danger in the present day.  In general, our culture doesn’t care much to seek or amplify the light of Christ.  More specifically, government bodies, laws, and executive orders are encroaching upon our freedom to greet and serve our fellow humans and Christians.  We must remember, though, that groups and government entities cannot suppress our call from Christ.  No earthly bonds may constrain us in our efforts.

So, we must pray, fast, and act to protect religious freedom.  Most importantly, we must live in such a way that the light of Christ shines before all men and women.  Let us begin by greeting them with a warm smile and a kind word.

To Overcome Isolation: The Parish Respect Life Ministry

[The following is a guest post by Traci Porzel, parishioner at Catholic Church of the Incarnation and  coordinator of the parish's Respect Life Committee.]

Two years ago, as I began to grow in my faith and develop a deeper prayer life, I discerned the call to serve in the parish’s Respect Life Committee.  Questions and issues related to the respect of human life have always held a special place in my heart and in my prayers.  Nonetheless, it was not an easy thing to discern or decide.  My family and I have only been in our parish for a few short years, and I am a mother to three children under the age of five.  With so little time, energy, and ministry leadership experience, I didn’t feel ready or able to lead anything.

God had different plans, however, and He led me to reflect on a quote by Edmund Burke: “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”  I began to ask myself, “If not me, then who?”  I knew that it was not enough to hold my faith and my passion for the protection of life quietly at home.  It became much clearer to me that Catholics are called to live out the faith through works of mercy in the world (see James 2).  God led me to accept the call to serve in a tangible way, not just through private piety.

Once I committed, there was another obstacle.  Because of my passion, I was tempted to try to boil the ocean, so to speak.  Yet, because of my limited resources, I would not be able to do all that I wanted or intended.  So I had to make prayer the foundation of my engagement in this ministry.  The Respect Life Committee continually prays that the Holy Spirit and our Blessed Mother guide our efforts, focusing them where they desire.

The Spirit has led us to engage in 40 Days for Life as a primary event for this ministry.  40 Days for Life is a bi-annual worldwide campaign of prayer and fasting to end abortion.  Each spring and fall, at the largest local abortion clinic (and at home), people pray, fast, and minister to women and children who are in crisis pregnancies.  For those, like me, who engage in this ministry season after season, it is always inspiring when we hear uplifting stories in which the mother had a change of heart and saved the life of her child.  It is also extremely powerful when women who are recovering from abortions express regret for their choice, and begin to pray with the 40 Days campaign for other women and babies.

Each woman has a unique situation that has brought her to consider abortion, but there are some common threads in every story.  Many women have little or no support from family or community.  Having a baby probably seems impossible because no one tells the women that choosing life is a reasonable option.  They become isolated.  The presence of people who pray for and support these women demonstrates that there is another choice, the choice of life.  Some women can and will choose to walk in a different direction (literally away from the clinic doors), when they see that someone will support them and listen to their stories.  Therefore, this ministry seeks to end isolation as much as anything else.  When people feel loved and in community, they don’t choose abortion.

The 40 Days for Life prayer vigil also serves the broader community.  We pray for the employees of the clinics.  If the employees desire to leave that industry, there are related ministries that assist them.  We help the local crisis pregnancy centers with their resource needs, and we always refer women to them who would otherwise choose abortion.  We serve people who pass by on the streets by raising awareness and answering questions about abortion with good, accurate information.  Finally, we serve others in the pro-life community.  We share time and resources, and we encourage each other with stories of hope.  Because, without hope and in isolation, people can easily become discouraged and give up on this ministry.

The 40 Days for Life ministry has transformed the pro-life movement, especially in the United States.  In a culture that is very argumentative and divisive (especially in the media news outlets), pro-life activities and presentations can be grossly misunderstood.  However, this ministry answers the Church’s call to break down barriers, to forget distractions of finger-pointing, and serve the women and children of our society who are really hurting.  This ministry involves people praying, not protesting.  It paints a picture of life, not death.  It is coordinated by people who truly love others and seek to engage them instead of being judgmental or hateful.  This movement focuses on reducing the demand for abortion by offering love and support to women in difficult situations so that they do not mistakenly believe their only option is to kill their unborn child.

Without a doubt, this ministry is founded on religious freedom, the freedom that every human being has to seek, know, love, and serve God.  This freedom is not limited to worship inside a sanctuary, but it includes the freedom to speak in public about things of faith; to pray in public with people of similar beliefs; to act in a way that exhibits the faith we hold in our hearts, including the Respect Life ministry and the 40 Days for Life vigil.  In our own age, it is becoming more difficult to minister without restriction.  Violations of religious freedom will make it more difficult to provide hope to women entering abortion clinics, and it will prevent us from sharing Christ’s love as our Lord requires of His disciples.

The Narrow Gate

[The following is a guest post by George Boggs, a parishioner at Catholic Church of the Incarnation.]

In the autumn of 1972, the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department arrested and charged me with several counts for the possession and sale of controlled substances. I was a university graduate student and drug dealer. Needless to say, my arrest was one of the low points of my life. But not the lowest. 

I spent several days in the county jail. The jail was on the third floor of the County Court building. My cellmate was an accused murderer. I recall looking out the window one afternoon at a cold, rainy, West Virginia fall day. I watched the people below going about their business, bundled against the cold and wet, hunched over and scurrying, while I was dry and warm. And I wished more than anything else that I could be out there with them, cold, wet, and in that miserable weather. That was one of the low points of my life. But not the lowest.

After my grandmother mortgaged her home to secure my bond of $30,000 (in 1972 dollars) and I was released from jail, I faced an elderly judge. He leaned forward from his bench, pointed his finger at me, and said: “Young man, I disapprove of the dispensing of illegal drugs in my county. If you come before me for sentencing on these charges, I intend to see you put away for the maximum penalty under the law.” The maximum sentence was 30 years. Moreover, at that time, the West Virginia State Penitentiary in Moundsville was notorious as one of the most violent prisons in America. The gate to that penitentiary was wide and easy to enter, but it locked behind you. If I had survived my incarceration (many did not in that institution) and served a full sentence, I would have been 53 years old when I walked out that gate. That was the lowest point of my life.

Ultimately, two long years later, through the grace of a loving God (Whom I did not acknowledge at the time), felony charges were dropped and I spent a year on probation after pleading to a misdemeanor. I swore to myself that under no circumstances would I ever set foot in another jail or prison. I swore to myself to commit suicide instead. I would never walk through that gate again.

More than 30 years later, in 2005, my wife and I joined a Christian church following a significant conversion experience.  I was persuaded by friends to attend a retreat called the Walk to Emmaus, which is modeled on the Catholic Cursillo movement. This retreat experience led me to a follow-up gathering, which featured a witness speaker for Kairos Prison Ministry. Kairos Prison Ministry brings the Cursillo model to the incarcerated. I listened to the speaker and was impressed by a man who would voluntarily walk through the gate of West Tennessee State Prison, carrying nothing but the love of God and some chocolate chip cookies as an agape gift. I spoke with him following his talk and told him of my admiration for his devotion. I woke up the next morning and realized I had volunteered for what is called a Kairos “Inside Team”. I was alarmed about what I had done. I recalled my promise to myself.  But the faith formation I received from my Cursillo retreat and the love of Christ gave me strength. I found myself walking back through that gate after 30 years, but this time with a different focus and a different purpose. 

God’s work with me, however, was not finished when He led me back to the prison. My Cursillo formation led me to a prayer style called lectio divina (a Benedictine Scripture study practice). After meditating on John 6:53-54, I began the journey toward full communion with the Catholic Church.  Becoming Catholic was, by far, the most significant life changing event I have ever experienced; I realized, as my wife Babetta so perfectly described it, that “I was born Catholic, I just didn’t know it”.

Today, I assist prison inmates in two primary ways.  When needed, I teach RCIA classes on behalf of the Catholic chaplain at the Memphis Federal Correctional Institute, and I also work with the inmates to develop their mathematical skills so they can pass the GED before their release. I have witnessed the first Communion for any number of the incarcerated, and helped many pass the feared math section of the GED exam. If they are Catholic, I help them connect with Catholic parishes before their release.  None of this ever would have happened for me and for those inmates without the spiritual formation derived from Catholic Cursillo. 

There is another element to this story that must be borne in mind. Without the freedom to exercise our Christian faith in the public square, Kairos (nor any prison ministry) will not be entering any prison, anywhere. Believe me, there is significant activist opposition to faith-based programs in prisons despite the hunger of the incarcerated for Christ. Yet we are informed by none other than Christ Himself that “whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Matt 25:40). The Church teaches that we, the laity, must do these things to exercise our faith.

During this Fortnight for Freedom, we must pray, speak out, and stand in solidarity for the freedom to exercise our faith for the least among us, whether they are hungry, homeless, sick, naked, or in prison. The gate is narrow, and the road is hard, but we must not be deterred. It is our road. It is The Way. 

Archbishop Chaput put it bluntly: “If lay people don’t love their Catholic faith enough to struggle for it in the public square, nothing the bishops do will finally matter.”  Please join me and Catholic Church of the Incarnation in this prayerful struggle for a liberty that we hold dear.

Freedom to Act as the People of God

For two weeks, from June 21 to July 4, the Catholic Church in the United States is observing a Fortnight for Freedom to pray and fast and learn and act so that religious freedom is protected in this nation.  Such observances have been called for in recent years, as the federal government and various state governments have undermined basic human freedoms and attempted to redefine religious bodies (corporately and for individuals who seek to engage in those bodies).  This cannot continue, and so we call upon Divine assistance to guide us rightly through this tumultuous scenario.

During this year's fortnight observance, two Sunday solemnities take place.  It may seem as though the lectionary readings for the Solemnities of Corpus Christi and Sts. Peter and Paul don't share obvious themes.  When one pays close attention, however, there are overt and subtle connections to the travails currently in front of American Catholics and, indeed, all people of good will.  The word of God is calling us to remember His deeds and the responses of our forebears, precisely so that we can act as His chosen people and navigate these dire straits.

In the Gospel passage for the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul (this coming Sunday, June 29), the Prince of the Apostles issues a bold statement of faith in Christ, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Mt. 16:16).  Jesus responds to this confession with a proclamation that transforms Simon's very existence: his name is changed to Peter (cf. Mt. 16:18).  Perhaps, though, the most shocking revelation is yet to come.  The Lord promises protection against "the gates of the netherworld" ("powers of death" in another translation) for this newly-established Church.

Realize what is happening in this exchange between Peter and the Messiah.  Based on the confession of faith, Christ's followers will be pursued by the powers of death that wish to destroy them.  Those who study the history of the early Church, or the history of the Church in twentieth-century Europe, realize just how close the gates of the netherworld have come to closing around the Church and preventing her future existence and mission.  The same very well may happen to Christian disciples all over the world in the present day.  To profess that Jesus is Lord, and that He is the Son of the Living God will certainly not be popular, and the powers of death and hell may confront us, too.  The only way to secure our protection is to stand with the Church, who is staunchly defending religious freedom in the United States today.

To stand firm in the face of difficult opposition is not something new to God's people only after Christ came to earth.  Moreover, it is not always something that comes from outside of us.  In the first reading for the Solemnity of Corpus Christ (which we heard this past Sunday), God speaks through Moses to remind His people of why they experienced affliction.  A simple reason was provided: Israel had become prideful and they forgot what the Lord had done for them (cf. Dt. 8:15).  Thus, God allowed them to be afflicted by hunger and thirst in the desert, "so as to test you...and find out whether or not it was your intention to keep his commandments" (Dt. 8:2-3).

See, forgetfulness of God's place and our own lower place, which happens because of pride, inflicts tests and curses upon all of God's people.  Since Christ's Ascension, it is the Church that speaks forth God's commandments.  Let us listen to Her direction, never becoming arrogant and bringing tests and curses upon good people.  Instead, let us stand for truth and goodness by proclaiming that contraception is evil; that marriage is a life-long covenant between one man and one woman; and that our performance of the works of mercy proceeds from our faith in Jesus Christ, not in some faceless bureaucracy or a political agenda.

St. Peter was one who sought only to proclaim truth (see Acts 5:27-29), and this is exactly why he found himself imprisoned.  Which tale is recounted in the first reading at Mass this coming Sunday.  King Herod executes one of the apostles, and then finds that the crowd is pleased when he takes Peter into custody for his apostolic preaching.  Peter's freedom is won only by the grace of God and the fervent prayer of Christians, thereby averting evil intentions.

In our own day, this scenario resonates deeply.  The branches of government, the secular media, and society-at-large all repress any effort to speak truth in the name of Christ.  Bishops are persecuted and even assaulted; faithful Catholics are questioned and ridiculed for espousing the doctrine and moral precepts of the Church; companies face crushing fines for refusing to provide access to abortion-inducing drugs or accept a redefinition of marriage; and Catholic agencies that perform works of mercy are being forced to close their doors.  Yes, the modern world seems much like King Herod, staunchly resolved to keep quiet and hidden the voice and light of Christ in the world.

The words that St. Paul writes to Timothy apply in this situation.  This coming Sunday, the faithful will hear the Apostle to the Gentiles exhort his spiritual son, "The Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it" (2 Tm 4:17).  In the face of many, many trials (even actual legal trials for "disturbances of the peace") and persecutions, it was Paul's relationship with Christ and the Church that sustained him.  He even acknowledges that God's grace rescued him from the "lion's mouth" of evil threats and deeds; and which brought him homeward toward "his heavenly Kingdom" (2 Tm 4:17-18).

Catholic Christians, and anyone else who desires to protect freedom of religion in America today, must emulate St. Paul's attitudes and actions.  Early in the same reading quoted above, the missionary writes that he is "already being poured out like a libation" (2 Tm 4:6).  He recognizes that his efficacy in mission and ministry has happened, not by reserving his energies, but by expending his time and talent in the service of the Gospel.  He reminds the reader that he has made a gift of self until the last days of his life.  This is the only way that he can make the claim, "I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith" (2 Tm 4:7).  Never forget that our Catholic faith beckons us to make a life-long self-gift to others who need and desire to encounter Christ.  We will never be able to claim victory in the race of life, along with Paul, without the freedom to commit the works of mercy from a Christian foundation.  So, we must fight, speak, and endure until such freedoms are secure.

The Responsorial Psalm for Peter and Paul's solemnity provides a fitting conclusion.  "When the poor one called out, the LORD heard, and from all his distress he saved him," writes the Psalmist.  "The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them," he continues (Ps. 34:7-8).  Christians and non-Christians alike across the country are crying out for the Lord to send His angels to deliver us from the distress of violations of human liberty.  Let us continue to pray that He will heed our prayers.  Remember, however, that the only reason for God's deliverance is so that we might "bless the LORD at all times," "together extol his name," and "look to him that you may be radiant with joy" (Ps. 34:2,4,6).  It seems clear that God will see fit to relieve us of this burden only if our hearts have been turned to Him, if we seek to praise Him with our whole being, and if we commit to serving our fellow man out of love for Him.  Let us then take up the 2014 Fortnight for Freedom theme, "Freedom to Serve," by committing to bring God's love to others via acts of charity!