Seven

This number occurs frequently in Scripture, and in such connections as lead to the supposition that it has some typical meaning. On the seventh day God rested, and hallowed it (Gen. 2:2, 3). The division of time into weeks of seven days each accounts for many instances of the occurrence of this number. This number has been called the symbol of perfection, and also the symbol of rest.

"Jacob's seven years' service to Laban; Pharaoh's seven fat oxen and seven lean ones; the seven branches of the golden candlestick; the seven trumpets and the seven priests who sounded them; the seven days' siege of Jericho; the seven churches, seven spirits, seven stars, seven seals, seven vials, and many others, sufficiently prove the importance of this sacred number" (see Lev. 25:4; 1 Sam. 2:5; Ps. 12:6; 79:12; Prov. 26:16; Isa. 4:1; Matt. 18:21, 22; Luke 17:4).

The feast of Passover (Ex. 12:15, 16), the feast of Weeks (Deut. 16:9), of Tabernacles (13:15), and the Jubilee (Lev. 25:8), were all ordered by seven.

Seven is the number of sacrifice (2 Chr. 29:21; Job 42:8), of purification and consecration (Lev. 42:6, 17; 8:11, 33; 14:9, 51), of forgiveness (Matt. 18:21, 22; Luke 17:4), of reward (Deut. 28:7; 1 Sam. 2:5), and of punishment (Lev. 26:21, 24, 28; Deut. 28:25). It is used for any round number in such passages as Job 5:19; Prov. 26:16, 25; Isa. 4:1; Matt. 12:45. It is used also to mean
"abundantly" (Gen. 4:15, 24; Lev. 26:24; Ps. 79:12).

First Message of Pope Benedict XVI

"Grace and peace in abundance to all of you! In my soul there are two contrasting sentiments in these hours. On the one hand, a sense of inadequacy and human turmoil for the responsibility entrusted to me yesterday as the Successor of the Apostle Peter in this See of Rome, with regard to the Universal Church. On the other hand I sense within me profound gratitude to God Who — as the liturgy makes us sing — does not abandon His flock, but leads it throughout time, under the guidance of those whom He has chosen as vicars of His Son, and made pastors.

"Dear Ones, this intimate recognition for a gift of divine mercy prevails in my heart in spite of everything. I consider this a grace obtained for me by my venerated predecessor, John Paul II. It seems I can feel his strong hand squeezing mine; I seem to see his smiling eyes and listen to his words, addressed to me especially at this moment: 'Do not be afraid!' "The death of the Holy Father John Paul II, and the days which followed, were for the Church and for the entire world an extraordinary time of grace. The great pain for his death and the void that it left in all of us were tempered by the action of the Risen Christ, which showed itself during long days in the choral wave of faith, love and spiritual solidarity, culminating in his solemn funeral. "We can say it: the funeral of John Paul II was a truly extraordinary experience in which was perceived in some way the power of God Who, through His Church, wishes to form a great family of all peoples, through the unifying force of Truth and Love. In the hour of death, conformed to his Master and Lord, John Paul II crowned his long and fruitful pontificate, confirming the Christian people in faith, gathering them around him and making the entire human family feel more united. "How can one not feel sustained by this witness? How can one not feel the encouragement that comes from this event of grace?

"Surprising every prevision I had, Divine Providence, through the will of the venerable Cardinal Fathers, called me to succeed this great Pope. I have been thinking in these hours about what happened in the region of Cesarea of Phillippi two thousand years ago: I seem to hear the words of Peter: 'You are Christ, the Son of the living God,' and the solemn affirmation of the Lord: 'You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church ... I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven'. "You are Christ! You are Peter! It seems I am reliving this very Gospel scene; I, the Successor of Peter, repeat with trepidation the anxious words of the fisherman from Galilee and I listen again with intimate emotion to the reassuring promise of the divine Master. If the weight of the responsibility that now lies on my poor shoulders is enormous, the divine power on which I can count is surely immeasurable: 'You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church'. Electing me as the Bishop of Rome, the Lord wanted me as his Vicar, he wished me to be the 'rock' upon which everyone may rest with confidence. I ask him to make up for the poverty of my strength, that I may be a courageous and faithful pastor of His flock, always docile to the inspirations of His Spirit. "I undertake this special ministry, the 'Petrine' ministry at the service of the Universal Church, with humble abandon to the hands of the Providence of God. And it is to Christ in the first place that I renew my total and trustworthy adhesion: 'In Te, Domine, speravi; non confundar in aeternum!' "To you, Lord Cardinals, with a grateful soul for the trust shown me, I ask you to sustain me with prayer and with constant, active and wise collaboration. I also ask my brothers in the episcopacy to be close to me in prayer and counsel so that I may truly be the 'Servus servorum Dei' (Servant of the servants of God). As Peter and the other Apostles were, through the will of the Lord, one apostolic college, in the same way the Successor of Peter and the Bishops, successors of the Apostles — and the Council forcefully repeated this — must be closely united among themselves. This collegial communion, even in the diversity of roles and functions of the Supreme Pontiff and the bishops, is at the service of the Church and the unity of faith, from which depend in a notable measure the effectiveness of the evangelizing action of the contemporary world. Thus, this path, upon which my venerated predecessors went forward, I too intend to follow, concerned solely with proclaiming to the world the living presence of Christ.

"Before my eyes is, in particular, the witness of Pope John Paul II. He leaves us a Church that is more courageous, freer, younger. A Church that, according to his teaching and example, looks with serenity to the past and is not afraid of the future. With the Great Jubilee the Church was introduced into the new millennium carrying in her hands the Gospel, applied to the world through the authoritative re-reading of Vatican Council II. Pope John Paul II justly indicated the Council as a 'compass' with which to orient ourselves in the vast ocean of the third millennium. Also in his spiritual testament he noted: ' I am convinced that for a very long time the new generations will draw upon the riches that this council of the 20th century gave us'. "I too, as I start in the service that is proper to the Successor of Peter, wish to affirm with force my decided will to pursue the commitment to enact Vatican Council II, in the wake of my predecessors and in faithful continuity with the millennia-old tradition of the Church. Precisely this year is the 40th anniversary of the conclusion of this conciliar assembly (December 8, 1965). With the passing of time, the conciliar documents have not lost their timeliness; their teachings have shown themselves to be especially pertinent to the new exigencies of the Church and the present globalized society.

"In a very significant way, my pontificate starts as the Church is living the special year dedicated to the Eucharist. How can I not see in this providential coincidence an element that must mark the ministry to which I have been called? The Eucharist, the heart of Christian life and the source of the evangelizing mission of the Church, cannot but be the permanent center and the source of the petrine service entrusted to me. "The Eucharist makes the Risen Christ constantly present, Christ Who continues to give Himself to us, calling us to participate in the banquet of His Body and His Blood. From this full communion with Him comes every other element of the life of the Church, in the first place the communion among the faithful, the commitment to proclaim and give witness to the Gospel, the ardor of charity towards all, especially towards the poor and the smallest. "In this year, therefore, the Solemnity of Corpus Christi must be celebrated in a particularly special way. The Eucharist will be at the center, in August, of World Youth Day in Cologne and, in October, of the ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops which will take place on the theme "The Eucharist, Source and Summit of the Life and Mission of the Church.' I ask everyone to intensify in coming months love and devotion to the Eucharistic Jesus and to express in a courageous and clear way the real presence of the Lord, above all through the solemnity and the correctness of the celebrations. "I ask this in a special way of priests, about whom I am thinking in this moment with great affection. The priestly ministry was born in the Cenacle, together with the Eucharist, as my venerated predecessor John Paul II underlined so many times. 'The priestly life must have in a special way a 'Eucharistic form', he wrote in his last Letter for Holy Thursday. The devout daily celebration of Holy Mass, the center of the life and mission of every priest, contributes to this end.

"Nourished and sustained by the Eucharist, Catholics cannot but feel stimulated to tend towards that full unity for which Christ hoped in the Cenacle. Peter's Successor knows that he must take on this supreme desire of the Divine Master in a particularly special way. To him, indeed, has been entrusted the duty of strengthening his brethren. "Thus, in full awareness and at the beginning of his ministry in the Church of Rome that Peter bathed with his blood, the current Successor assumes as his primary commitment that of working tirelessly towards the reconstitution of the full and visible unity of all Christ's followers. This is his ambition, this is his compelling duty. He is aware that to do so, expressions of good feelings are not enough. Concrete gestures are required to penetrate souls and move consciences, encouraging everyone to that interior conversion which is the basis for all progress on the road of ecumenism. "Theological dialogue is necessary. A profound examination of the historical reasons behind past choices is also indispensable. But even more urgent is that 'purification of memory,' which was so often evoked by John Paul II, and which alone can dispose souls to welcome the full truth of Christ. It is before Him, supreme Judge of all living things, that each of us must stand, in the awareness that one day we must explain to Him what we did and what we did not do for the great good that is the full and visible unity of all His disciples. "The current Successor of Peter feels himself to be personally implicated in this question and is disposed to do all in his power to promote the fundamental cause of ecumenism. In the wake of his predecessors, he is fully determined to cultivate any initiative that may seem appropriate to promote contact and agreement with representatives from the various Churches and ecclesial communities. Indeed, on this occasion too, he sends them his most cordial greetings in Christ, the one Lord of all.

"In this moment, I go back in my memory to the unforgettable experience we all underwent with the death and the funeral of the lamented John Paul II. Around his mortal remains, lying on the bare earth, leaders of nations gathered, with people from all social classes and especially the young, in an unforgettable embrace of affection and admiration. The entire world looked to him with trust. To many it seemed as if that intense participation, amplified to the confines of the planet by the social communications media, was like a choral request for help addressed to the Pope by modern humanity which, wracked by fear and uncertainty, questions itself about the future. "The Church today must revive within herself an awareness of the task to present the world again with the voice of the One Who said: 'I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.' In undertaking his ministry, the new Pope knows that his task is to bring the light of Christ to shine before the men and women of today: not his own light but that of Christ. "With this awareness, I address myself to everyone, even to those who follow other religions or who are simply seeking an answer to the fundamental questions of life and have not yet found it. I address everyone with simplicity and affection, to assure them that the Church wants to continue to build an open and sincere dialogue with them, in a search for the true good of mankind and of society. "From God I invoke unity and peace for the human family and declare the willingness of all Catholics to cooperate for true social development, one that respects the dignity of all human beings. "I will make every effort and dedicate myself to pursuing the promising dialogue that my predecessors began with various civilizations, because it is mutual understanding that gives rise to conditions for a better future for everyone. "I am particularly thinking of young people. To them, the privileged interlocutors of John Paul II, I send an affectionate embrace in the hope, God willing, of meeting them at Cologne on the occasion of the next World Youth Day. With you, dear young people, I will continue to maintain a dialogue, listening to your expectations in an attempt to help you meet ever more profoundly the living, ever young, Christ.

"'Mane nobiscum, Domine!' Stay with us Lord! This invocation, which forms the dominant theme of John Paul II's Apostolic Letter for the Year of the Eucharist, is the prayer that comes spontaneously from my heart as I turn to begin the ministry to which Christ has called me. Like Peter, I too renew to Him my unconditional promise of faithfulness. He alone I intend to serve as I dedicate myself totally to the service of His Church. "In support of this promise, I invoke the maternal intercession of Mary Most Holy, in whose hands I place the present and the future of my person and of the Church. May the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the saints, also intercede. "With these sentiments I impart to you venerated brother cardinals, to those participating in this ritual, and to all those following to us by television and radio, a special and affectionate blessing."

The Devil and the Nazarene

by James B. Reuter, S.J.
The Philippine Star 04/23/2005

My good friends keep sending me words of wisdom, which they have found helpful. One of my very good friends is Johnny Mercado, whom I have known at close range for more than fifty years – first as a young religious writer, with stars in his eyes, reporting for the Catholic Sentinel; then through the stormy days of martial law, when he was persecuted and imprisoned; and finally through the long years when he was a powerful journalist for the United Nations, based in Bangkok and in the United States. He sent me this, because it appealed very strongly to him:

The Resume of Jesus Christ

Address: Ephesians 1:20

Phone: Romans 10:13

Website: The Bible

Key Words: Christ, Lord, Saviour, Jesus

Hello! My name is Jesus – The Christ. Many call me "Lord" I have sent you my resume because I am seeking the top management position in your heart.

Please consider my accomplishments, as set forth in my resume.

Qualifications:

I founded the earth and established the heavens. (See Pro-verbs 3:19)

I formed man from the dust of the ground. (See Genesis 2:7)

I breathed into man the breath of life. (See Genesis 2:7)

I redeemed man from the curse of the law. (See Galatians 3:13)

The blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant come upon your life through me. (See Galatians 3:14)

Occupational Background:

I have only had one employer. (See Luke 2:49)

I have never been tardy, absent, disobedient, slothful or disrespectful. My employer has nothing but rave reviews for me.

(See Matthew 3:15-17)

Skills. Work Experience:

Some of my skills and work experience include: empowering the poor to be poor no more, healing the broken hearted, setting captives free, healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind, and setting at liberty them that are bruised. (See Luke 4:18)

I am a wonderful counselor (See Isaiah 9:16)

People who listen to me shall dwell safely and shall not fear evil. (See Proverbs 1:33)

Most importantly, I have the authority, ability and power to cleanse you of your sins. (See I John 1:7-9)

Educational Background:

I encompass the entire breadth and length of knowledge, wisdom and understanding. (See Proverbs 2:6)

In me are hidden all of the reassures of wisdom and knowledge. (See Colossians 2:3)

My word is so powerful; it has been described as being a lamp unto your feet and a lamp unto your path. (See Psalms 119:105)

I can even tell you all the secrets of your heart. (See Psalms 44:21)

Major Accomplishments:

I was an active participant in the greatest Summit Meeting of all times. (See Genesis 1:26)

I laid down my life so that you may live. (See II Corinthians 5:15)

I defeated the archenemy of God and mankind and made a show of them openly. (See Collosians 2:15)

I have miraculously fed the poor, healed the sick, and raised the dead!

There are many more major accomplishments, too many to mention here. You can read them on my website, which is located at: www dot – the BIBLE. You do not need an Internet connection or computer to access my website.

References:

Believers and followers worldwide will testify to my divine healings, salvation, deliverance, miracles, restoration and supernatural guidance.

In Summation:

Now that you have read my resume, I am confident that I am the only candidate uniquely qualified to fill this vital position in your heart. In summation, I will properly direct your paths. (See Proverbs 3:5-6) and I will lead you into everlasting life. (See John 6:47) When can I start? Time is of the essence. (See Hebrews 3:15) Please send this resume to everyone you know. You never know who may have an opening! Thank you for your help.

And may God bless you!

Another good friend who sends me things is Sister Emma Garol. She is a beautiful young nun, a Daughter of Saint Paul, who worked in my office for some time because the apostolate of the Daughters of Saint Paul is media. One woman, who had dealings with Sister Emma in my office, said: "She is the most beautiful nun, and the most pleasant person that I have ever known." She is now based in Australia, where she went through a bitter bout with cancer, and survived. She sent me this, because it appealed very strongly to her:

THE DEVIL’S BEATITUDES

Blessed are those who are too tired, too busy, too distracted to spend an hour once a week with their fellow Christians in Church – they are my workers.

Blessed are those Christians who want to be asked and expect to be thanked – I can use them.

Blessed are the touchy, with a bit of luck they may stop going to Church – they are my missionaries.

Blessed are those who are very religious but get on everyone’s nerves – they are mine forever.

Blessed are the trouble makers – they shall be called my children.

Blessed are those who have no time to pray – they are easy prey for me.

Blessed are the gossipers – for they are my secret agents.

Blessed are those who are critical of Church leadership – for they shall inherit a place with me, in my fate.

Blessed are the complainers – I am all ears for them.

Blessed are you when you read this and think it is about other people and not yourself – I’ve got you!

The great truth about Johnny Mercado’s "Resume of Christ Our Lord" is that God is really reaching out to us, constantly searching for the lost lamb.

And the great truth about Sister Emma’s "Beatitudes of Satan" is that you really have to work at loving God by loving people. The sounds of love don’t just happen. You have to make them!

* * *

Did Jesus really make Peter Pope?

Did Jesus really make Peter Pope?
By Fr William Saunders

A Protestant friend of mine and I recently had a debate over whether Jesus actually made St. Peter the first pope. Although I cited Matthew 16, my friend had some other interpretation of it. What is a good answer to this question?

In Catholic tradition, the foundation for the office of the pope is indeed found primarily in Matthew 16:13-20. Here, Jesus asked the question, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" The Apostles responded, "Some say John the Baptizer, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." Our Lord then turned to them and point-blank asked them, "And you, who do you say that I am?"

St. Peter, still officially known as Simon, replied, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Our Lord recognized that this answer was grace-motivated: "No mere man has revealed this to you, but My heavenly Father."

Because of this response, our Lord said to St. Peter, "You are 'Rock,' and on this rock I will build My Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." The name change itself from Simon to Peter indicates the Apostle being called to a special role of leadership; recall how Abram's name was changed to Abraham, or Jacob's to Israel, or Saul's to Paul, when each of them was called to assume a special role of leadership among God's people.

The word "rock" also has special significance. On one hand, to be called "rock" was a Semitic expression designating the solid foundation upon which a community would be built. For instance, Abraham was considered "rock" because he was the father of the Jewish people (and we refer to him as our father in faith) and the one with whom the covenant was first made.

On the other hand, no one except God was called specifically "rock," nor was it ever used as a proper name except for God. To give the name "rock" to St. Peter indicates that our Lord entrusted to him a special authority. Some antipapal parties try to play linguistic games with the original Greek Gospel text, where the masculine-gender word "petros," meaning a small, moveable rock, refers to St. Peter while the feminine-gender word "petra," meaning a massive, immoveable rock, refers to the foundation of the Church. However, in the original Aramaic language, which is what Jesus spoke and which is believed to be the original language of St. Matthew's Gospel, the word "Kepha," meaning rock, would be used in both places without gender distinction or difference in meaning. The gender problem arises when translating from Aramaic to Greek and using the proper form to modify the masculine word "Peter" or feminine word "Church."

"The gates of hell" is also an interesting Semitic expression. The heaviest forces were positioned at gates; so this expression captures the greatest warmaking power of a nation. Here this expression refers to the powers opposed to what our Lord is establishing-the Church. (A similar expression is used in reference to our Lord in Acts 2:24: "God freed Him from the bitter pangs of hell, however, and raised Him up again, for it was impossible that death should keep its hold on Him.") Jesus associated St. Peter and his office so closely with Himself that He became a visible force protecting the Church and keeping back the power of hell.

Second, Jesus says, "I will entrust to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven." In the Old Testament, the "number two" person in the Kingdom literally held the keys. In Isaiah 22: 19-22 we find a reference to Eliakim, the master of the palace of King Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:17ff) and keeper of the keys. As a sign of his position, the one who held the keys represented the king, acted with his authority and had to act in accord with the king's mind. Therefore, St. Peter and each of his successors represent our Lord on this earth as His Vicar and lead the faithful flock of the Church to the Kingdom of Heaven.

Finally, Jesus says, "Whatever you declare bound on earth shall be bound in heaven; whatever you declare loosed on earth shall be loosed in heaven." This is rabbinic terminology. A rabbi could bind, declaring an act forbidden or excommunicating a person for serious sin; or a rabbi could loose, declaring an act permissible or reconciling an excommunicated sinner to the community.

Here, Christ entrusted a special authority to St. Peter to preserve, interpret and teach His truth. In all, this understanding of Matthew 16 was unchallenged until the Protestant leaders wanted to legitimize their rejection of papal authority and the office of the pope. Even the Orthodox Churches recognize the pope as the successor of St. Peter; however, they do not honor his binding jurisdiction over the whole Church but grant him a position of "first among equals."

St. Peter's role in the New Testament further substantiates the Catholic belief concerning the papacy and what Jesus said in Matthew 16. St. Peter held a preeminent position among the Apostles. He is always listed first (Mt. 10:14; Mk. 3:16-19; Lk. 6:14-1 5; Acts 1:13) and is sometimes the only one mentioned (Lk. 9:32). He speaks for the Apostles (Mt. 18:21; Mk. 8:28; Lk. 12:41; Jn. 6:69).

When our Lord selects a group of three for some special event, such as the Transfiguration, St. Peter is in the first position. Our Lord chose to teach from St. Peter's boat. At Pentecost St. Peter preached to the crowds and told of the mission of the Church (Acts 2;14-40). He performed the first miraculous healing (Acts 3:6-7). SL Peter also received the revelation that the Gentiles were to be baptized (Acts 10:9-48) and sided with St. Paul against the need for circumcision (Acts 15). At the end of his life, St. Peter was crucified, but in his humility asked to be crucified upside down.

As Catholics, we believe that the authority given to St. Peter did not end with his life but was handed on to his successors. The earliest writings attest to this belief. St. Irenaeus in his Adversus Haereses described how the Church at Rome was founded by St. Peter and St. Paul and traced the handing on of the office of St. Peter through Linus, Cletus (also called Anacletus), and so on, through 12 successors to his own present day, Pope Eleutherius. Tertullian in De Praescriptione Haereticorum asserted the same point as did Origen in his Commentaries on John, St. Cyprian of Carthage in his The Unity of the Catholic Church and many others.

Granted, the expression of papal authority becomes magnified after the legalization of Christianity and especially after the fall of the Roman Empire and the ensuing political chaos. Nevertheless, our Church boasts of an unbroken line of legitimate successors of St. Peter who stand in the stead of Christ We must always remember that one of the official titles of the pope, first taken by Pope Gregory the Great is "Servant of the Servants of God."

As we think of this answer, may we be mindful of our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, and pray for his intentions.

Fr. Saunders is president of the Notre Dame Institute and associate pastor of Queen of Apostles Parish, both in Alexandria.

This article appeared in the October 20, 1994 issue of The Arlington Catholic Herald.





Source:
http://www.catholic-pages.com/pope/peter.asp

We Have a Pope !

We Have a Pope! Benedict XVI
(an Excerpt)
by Matthew Bunson

Introduction
The idea for this book was first conceived several years ago during a conversation with Greg Erlandson, president and publisher of Our Sunday Visitor. We were discussing the flurry of activities that was likely to surround the passing of Pope John Paul II and the election of his successor. While aware even then of the magnitude of John Paul II — no one was prepared for the depth of emotion, the spiritual power, and the sheer historical significance of his funeral — we both realized clearly the amount of interest there would be in the next pope to be chosen to follow in the footsteps of John Paul the Great.

It occurred to Greg that a biography, published immediately after the election of the new pope, might go some way in introducing Our Sunday Visitor's readers to our new pope.
From the start, we were determined that such a biography should not be merely a project crashed through the editorial process and rushed out into print to be number one. There will be several such books published over the next weeks and months. Nor is this book expected to be a final definitive biography of the new Vicar of Christ. Such a work must by its nature be the fruit of long reflection and undertaken after the shape and scope of the new pontificate can be assessed adequately. The very length of this book would preclude such ambitions and be impossible owing to its chief aim.

This book is intended to offer a first gentle introduction to the new Vicar of Christ, Successor to Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, and the Servant of the Servants of God. What we hope with this present volume is to provide readers with a sketch of sorts of the amazing events of the last weeks: the passing of Pope John Paul II as an eloquent icon of suffering conformed profoundly to Christ; the largest and most memorable funeral in Catholic history; the quiet but portentous days after John Paul's interment in St. Peter's Basilica, the ancient tradition of the conclave; and the triumphant declaration of the white smoke, the ringing of the bells, and Cardinal Medina Estevez's declaration, "Habemus papam!" From there, attention will be paid to the life of Joseph Ratzinger who is now our shepherd as Pope Benedict XVI. Throughout, readers will find excerpts from his brilliant writings and accounts of the events that shaped his life.


The last chapter of this book is devoted to assessing the challenges, crises, and opportunities confronting Pope Benedict XVI, with an eye toward forecasting what he might do in dealing with them. We do not know what kind of a pope he will be or what he has in store for all of us who still mourn the passing of our beloved Karol Wojtyla.

And so a new pontificate commences, the 265th in the 2,000 year history of the Church. Papal history gives us little to go on for direction in anticipating what the next years will bring. Pope Benedict XVI is a pontiff aware acutely of the place of John Paul II the Great — who is likely to be declared in the future John Paul II the Great, Doctor of the Church, and perhaps even a saint. The burdens of the papacy are heavy indeed, and the Shoes of the Fisherman are difficult to fill for any one pope. Pope Benedict XVI begins his pontificate with a double challenge. Not only has he been asked to succeed to the Holy See and so inherit the challenges of his 264 predecessors, he is a new pope following one of history's transcendent figures.
In assuming his place as successor to John Paul II and also to Saint Peter and all of the popes between them, Joseph Ratzinger — as Benedict XVI — offers a chance to see the faith alive within the context of continuity and consolidation: Continuity in the decision of the College of Cardinals to provide certitude to the continuation of John Paul's own grand vision for the Church in a new millennium and consolidation in advancing further that vision in dialogue with a deeply troubled and conflicted world.

There is no question that Joseph Ratzinger was the best known, most famous, and most influential member of the College of Cardinals. He was the most towering figure entering a conclave since 1939 when Eugenio Pacelli entered as Secretary of State and Cardinal Camerlengo, along with a sparkling reputation for his diplomatic and intellectual gifts. Joseph Ratzinger emerged from the conclave in 2005 as Supreme Pontiff for many of the same reasons that Pacelli walked out of his in 1939 as Pope Pius XII. In its collective wisdom, guided by the Holy Spirit, the Sacred College concluded in four ballots over two days that he was ideally suited to carry forward the legacy of John Paul II in continuity and consolidation while remaining firmly and eloquently faithful to his own gifts and his authentic commitment to the Catholic faith.

The challenges he faces are daunting, but Benedict XVI has long been preparing for this moment. He did not choose to be pope. Indeed, he did not even wish to remain in the positions of power he had been given by the man he succeeds. Then Cardinal Ratzinger tried to leave as prefect of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith in the early 1990's. But John Paul II, his friend and pope, asked him to remain a laborer in the vineyard. And so he remained. Now, at the age of 78, the oldest pontiff in nearly three centuries at the time of his election (older even than Blessed John XXIII at the time of his election in 1958), Joseph Ratzinger has one more task to accomplish. He must undertake one more labor in the vineyard. This time he has been asked by his fellow Cardinals. More importantly, he has been asked by the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit who called him to serve as a priest, who set him aside to be a bishop and a cardinal, and who has guided every step of his life as a follower of Christ.

While his pontificate may prove long or short, great or transitional, Pope Benedict XVI has been chosen for this role by his fellow Cardinals. Above all, he has been chosen by the Holy Spirit. That truth alone should bring hope and confidence.

The Priceless Legacy of the Polish Pope

The priceless legacy of the 'Polish Pope'
April 17, 2005
By John J. Carroll, S.J.
Inquirer News Service

SPEAKING to the crowd gathered in St. Peter's Square to greet the new pope, on Oct. 16, 1978, John Paul II said that if Divine Providence had willed that a Pole be elected to the Chair of Peter at that point in history, it seemed to mean that the Polish Church had something to contribute to the Church as a whole.

Reflecting on those words, I recalled conversations with a Polish priest-student in Rome who, before coming for studies, had been secretary to the "other" cardinal in Poland, Karol Wojtyla, the future John Paul II. He was the "other cardinal" because he was overshadowed by his senior, the formidable Stefan Cardinal Wyszynski, who had suffered imprisonment under the communist regime and was seen as a hero by the Polish people for his uncompromising defense of the Church and opposition to the communist state.

The Polish student told me that, in his country, the individual bishops had no more autonomy relative to Cardinal Wyszynski than had the communist commissars relative to the Communist Party leadership. Two disciplined monoliths, the communist state and the Catholic Church, confronted each other, and neither had room for internal dissent. Cardinal Wojtyla sometimes disagreed with the policies of Wyszynski but always deferred to the latter, never allowing their disagreements to become public and resisting every effort on the part of the state to create divisions between them.

This image of loyalty to a superior was reinforced by a photograph showing the future John Paul II kneeling beside the papal chair on which his predecessor, John Paul I, was seated, and embracing the latter in a mighty bear-hug as he pledged his fidelity.

This suggests to me that when Karol Wojtyla found himself seated in that same papal chair less than two months later, it was with a sense that he had paid his dues in terms of loyalty to superiors, and that he now had the right to expect the same loyalty from others.

In the ensuing months, as I read the new pope's Sunday homilies and more formal addresses, it struck me that he saw Christianity as threatened by two powerful enemies. One of these-militant atheism-he had known at first hand. The other was more subtle but, perhaps, even more dangerous-militant secularism, the notion that one can live a good and productive life, can develop one's talents and serve one's neighbor without any reference to God; or indeed that concern with the things of God can be an obstacle to full commitment to the human and earthly task.

If the first of these two enemies had its fortresses in Eastern Europe, in China and in Cuba, the second had its bases in Western Europe and North America, from which it was spreading like a contagion to Latin America and the developing world.

The strategy which John Paul II developed to confront these double threats owed much, I suspect, to his Polish experience, and not only to the experience of discipline and loyalty to the institution. He had been trained as an intellectual, had taught philosophy, written philosophical works, and had been a member of a group of Catholic philosophers who used the writings of the young Karl Marx, particularly his respect for human freedom, to criticize the Polish Communist Party. A powerful, creative thinker, he was able to throw new light on Catholic social teaching, centering it more solidly on the dignity of the human person and bringing it to bear on issues such as the rights of labor and the Cold War. He was a master in the use of the media, and knew well how to appeal over the heads of society's "leaders" to the ordinary people, the youth in particular.

Meeting him face to face, one had the feeling that John Paul's eyes were boring into one, calling out the best in him or her in terms of faith, courage, commitment, love. He was not afraid to make heroic demands on the individual. In his philosophical writings, he emphasized human freedom, holding that by one's free acts in response to the call of truth, the human being in a sense creates oneself as a person. He had little sympathy for ideas that would diminish human freedom and pass responsibility for one's actions to psychological conditioning, social forces, or "sinful structures."

Similarly, he called for discipline in the Church as it confronts the challenges of today, and had little sympathy for dissent, or, perhaps, even for dialogue, within the Church. Historians will debate whether this element of his strategy was well chosen or reflected too much his Polish experience. It would seem that the discipline demanded and the centralization of decision-making during his pontificate run counter to the collegiality of the bishops emphasized in Vatican II, whereby they are to share in the governing of the Church, and to the role of the laity as emphasized in the same council. Many feel that his strategy has led to polarization rather than unity in the Church.

Perhaps, the conclave which will elect the successor to John Paul II, or his successor, might reflect on the three "social virtues" discussed by the same Karol Wojtyla in his philosophical work "The Acting Person." They are, first of all, solidarity by which one affirms his or her belonging to a society. Second is opposition when one is excluded from full participation in the society to which he or she belongs, as were Catholics in Poland under the communists; in such circumstances, opposition was an affirmation of belonging more than retreating into a ghetto or emigrating abroad. Third is dialogue, whereby such problems are worked out and the common good is more adequately attained.

St Paul and St. Therese

Dear St Paul of Tarsus and St Therese of Lisieux,

Thank you for lately knocking at my door. I can not measure the joy you bring.

Praise be our Lord God.

JOHN PAUL II AND HIS CHRISTIAN PERSONALISM

JOHN PAUL II AND HIS CHRISTIAN PERSONALISM
by Fr. Joel O. Jason, SThL


Experts are agreed that one of the most unique contributions of John Paul II to the world is his "Christian personalism". It is a way of looking at humanity and appreciating his beauty only in the light of the man-God, Jesus Christ. It is a way of looking at the human person from the perspective of man as imago dei, "image of God" - a creature who has a natural capacity to know the truth, and whose true beauty and goodness unfolds in the discovery and embracing of that truth. This was the main thesis of his very first encyclical letter, Redemptor Hominis (The Redeemer of Man) which came out March 4, 1979. Premised on the Christian conviction of Jesus as both true God and true man, understanding of the truth about God must lead us to Christ. Likewise, understanding the truth about man should likewise lead us to Christ. For 26 years, he has courageously taught this truth. For this truth he has suffered.

While the sea of humanity gathered at St. Peter's for his funeral clamored "santo subito" (sainthood now), and the multitudes all over the world now call him "Il Grande" (the great), some view John Paul II as 'naive' and his papacy "a great disappointment" for his stand on feminist concerns, contraception and human freedom among others. But what did John Paul really teach on these issues?

JOHN PAUL II AND GENUINE FREEDOM
Reflecting on the biblical imagery prohibiting partaking of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, "You are free to eat from any of the trees ... except the tree of knowledge of good and bad. (Gen 2:16-17), John Paul teaches in Veritatis Splendor (The Splendor of Truth) that it is not because God does not want us to know what is good and what is bad. Rather it is the biblical way of telling us that it is not for man to decide what is good and what is bad. To decide what is good and what is bad is God's alone. That was temptation of the serpent, "the moment you eat you shall be like God ..." (Gen 3:5). Eve, and later Adam fell into that temptation. And so began the entry of sin in history.

Goodness is based on the truth and truth is objective. Man does not and cannot invent the truth. Man only discovers the truth and must cling to that true as revealed in Scriptures (Divine Law), and in rational reflection on human nature (natural law). In that truth, we become free. Sir Isaac Newton did not invent but merely discovered the law of gravity, a law that is objective, a law that we obey, a law that makes us truly free.

Counterfeit freedom is the power to do what I like, regardless of its consequence on myself and others. Genuine freedom is the power to choose what I ought, to do the good. Counterfeit freedom is based on personal likes and dislikes. Genuine freedom is founded on the truth. To illustrate, false freedom tells me to beat the law of the red light. In the process, I harm or kill myself and others. Genuine freedom prompts me to embrace that law and to choose to stop. Then I become more free, because it keeps me alive and others as well.

John Paul II sees the pro-choice philosophy as founded on the same serpentine seduction. I choose abortion because this is what I like, regardless of what that choice will mean for the rights of another living person, regardless of the truth of the existence of another person over whose life I have no sovereignty. Counterfeit freedom is actually license - the power to do what I like. (Wonder why people issued wit a driver's license behave the way they do in the streets? Maybe it's time to call it driver's freedom). And license is a sin specifically condemned in Scriptures " ... from within people ... come evil thoughts ... licentiousness, envy, blasphemy..."(Mark 7:21-22). Freedom cannot be achieved apart from law. With insightful distinction, John Paul propose that genuine fredom is not anomy (a-without, nomos-law) or the absence of law. Genuine freedom is actually autonomy (autos-self;nomos-law) or the integration of the law within one's self. More precisely, in the Christian's point of view, genuine freedom is a participated theonomy (theos - God; nomos-law), i.e., a participation in God's law

JOHN PAUL II AND GENUINE FEMINISM
A necessary consequence of John Paul's teaching on genuine freedom is the affirmation that men and women will experience the true fulfillment in discovering and remaining in the truth of who they really are. John Paul II proposes that the true liberation of the sexes happens in the discovery of who humanity really is. And that means a re-affirmation and re-appreciation of the truth about their singularity, uniqueness and complementarity, not necessarily uniformity. In Mulieris Dignitatem (The Dignity of Women) John Paul II warns against the seduction that deceives women into thinking that it is only outside of marriage, maternity and the family that they can find fulfillment.

On the question of ordination of women, John Paul, nor the Church has never nor will teach that women are "unfit" for ordination. Could this be the reason why John Paul has always described the priesthood as a vocation and not a profession? A gift and not a claim? In fact, it has been the consistent teaching of the Church that no one is "fit" for
ordination. If it were so, the Virgin Mary, "blessed among women", and in fact among all creation, would have been the most worthy candidate. In the course of His Galilean ministry, Jesus definitely gave women their inherent dignity despite the bias against women of His age. Always actingagainst unjust discriminatory practices, calling her as head of the apostles would have been the clincher. But for some reason, Jesus did not confer it on Mary nor on the other women who stood by Him when all the men ran away. While there may not be any solid theological reason that would prevent women from being ordained, and while women ordination may come to be in the future of the Church, what is sure at the moment is that mindful of what Jesus, the apostles and their late successors did, the Church does what she does, from the motive of apostolic fidelity, not discrimination.

Another related point. A recent letter to a major daily also criticized John Paul for canonizing saint, a modern-day woman who choose that should complications arise, her child be allowed to live instead of her. It was not specific but she must be referring to Gianna Beretta Molla who was beatified by Pope John Paul II on April 24, 1994, during the international Year of the Family. The letter asked, "What signal did it send? That it was alright to die and leave other children behind?". No. The signal it sends is "Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child in her womb?" (Isaiah 49:15). The woman who was canonized not because one life is better than the other. She was canonized because the signal her life sends is "No greater love a man can have than to lay his life for a friend."(John 15:13) John Paul canonized that modern-day woman because motherhood is the first school where we learn these values. And some misguided feminist philosophies are robbing motherhood of its nobility.

Another developing trend nowadays is women who want children but not a husband nor marriage. Thus, the proliferation of in vitro(in a petri dish) fertility clinics and womb-for-hire practices. Ironically, this feminist mentality all the more objectifies the women hired as surrogates. They are only as good as their womb. Sadly, the children too are objectified. John Paul in Familaris Consortio reminds us that children are gifts of the marital covenant. They are not properties we can have at our whim. As gifts, the first inherent right children deserve is to be nurtured in the context of a family and the paternal and maternal presence it provides.

Truly, it is unfortunate that there are single parent families. We do not fault these single parents for they are not necessarily to be blamed. But to subject children purposely into such situation by our whims would be grossly irresponsible and selfish on the part of us adults.

John Paul also taught eloquently about the human body and the respect it command. His "theology of the body" is the core of his teachings on sexual responsibility, purity and chastity. We hear it often said, "If you have it, flaunt it." For John Paul II, some things are hidden to keep private not because it's ugly. On the contrary, some things are kept private because they are beautiful, too beautiful in fact as to be sacred. This is why couples celebrate the marital act not in parks but in the privacy of their rooms. This is why we feel violated when others invade our "inner sanctums", the things/persons we hold sacred. Following John Paul's line of thought, the malice of pornography is not because it reveals too much. On the contrary, it reveals too little of the human person. It arrests the person's beauty only to his/her sexual attractiveness. It reduces the human body to a commodity and an object of pleasure.

The true liberation of women lies in the discovery of profound truth, something commonly ignored by the times we live in.

A recent editorial also blamed John Paul II's teaching on contraception as the reason for the poverty in the world. Such a statement betrays a gross misunderstanding of the issue. Some clarifications are in order. John Paul, nor the Church has never taught that couples should have as many children as they could. Couple are only to raise children that they could reasonably look after and provide for. The Church does not even teach that each act of marital intercourse should result in a child because it does not. The natural periods of female infertility points to this. What the Church teaches is that each act of marital intercourse should remain open to the possibility of parenthood. This openness couples manifest when they do not resort to acts or methods (contraception) that have as its intent that no life shall be conceived from this intercourse. Contraception is morally unacceptable not because it is artificial, but because it is contraceptive -- i.e., it actually destroys and prevents life from being conceived. Likewise, natural family planning (NFP) is morally acceptable not because it is not "artificial", but because it is not contraceptive. In NFP, couples simply tune in to the natural fertility/infertility cycles of the woman, the way God intended her to be. It is simply sex in its most natural beauty, with its natural period of fertility and infertility, the way God intended it to be. Some accuse this teaching as a "physicalist strand of the Eternal Law of God in the order of procreation." I beg to disagree. What is physicalist is to believe that man and woman is powerless before his physical/sexual urges. NFP tells us otherwise. We control our reproductive lies by reason, not by season.

Obviously, this requires discipline and dialogue from couples. Herein lies the beauty of NFP. Responsible parenthood becomes a shared responsibility. Dialogue is promoted and the husband is taught to treat the wife vice versa, not as a passive property, but as a partner. In NFP, the woman is truly respected because we do not dump her body with harmful and potentially fatal chemicals to control her fertility. In NFP, we do not surrender to chemicals something that is properly the realm of personal responsibility and human discipline.

Now the Cardinals are preparing for the conclave to choose the next Pope. Speculations of whether the next Pope should be "traditional" or "liberal" abound. Papal biographer George Weigel, when asked how Paul II will be remembered by history answered succinctly. "He is the Great Christian witness". When the Cardinals gather in a conclave on the 18th of April, traditional or liberal will not be the agenda. What they will ask the Holy Spirit for is a man of witness - a witness to the truth about God, love and humanity. Veni Creator Spiritus ! (Come, Creator Spirit!)

About the author :
Fr Joel A. Jason is a diocesan priest of the Archdiocese of Manila. He is presently assigned as spiritual director of San Carlos Seminary in Guadalupe, Makati. He is also professor of Moral Theology, Sexuality and Bioethics and heads the Ministry for Family and Life of the Archdiocese of Manila.

Address: San Carlos Seminary, EDSA Guadalupe, Makati City

Prayer to St Therese

St. Therese, beloved friend, you promised to spend your heaven doing good upon earth. We come before you in our need.

We believe that you listen to us and approach God for and with us. You are love in the heart of the Church.

You are love in the heart of God. Please accept these petitions, hopes, needs, and dreams I list below. Please present them to our Loving Father so that God may do what is best for us, for our loved ones, and for the fulfillment of God's Kingdom.

Continue your shower of roses in our lives. We ask you, dear friend, with the bold confidence and loving surrender you taught us.

We make this prayerful petition in the name of Jesus and through the power of His Spirit.

The Good Shepherd

The good shepherd John 10:11-18

JESUS said, "I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know Mine and Mine know Me, just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I will lay down My life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear My voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd. This is why the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down on My own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from My Father."

The WORD

Other sheep – The plateaus of Israel offer abundant pasture, and sheep and goats are the chief support of the pastoral peoples. In the Bible, allusions to sheep and to sheep raising abound. The care of sheep is a rich source of theological imagery. The sheep must be protected from the wild beasts, inclement weather, and thieves (Gn 31:39-40). They are kept inside an enclosure or sheepfold (Greek auls). Sometimes, the sheepfold is jointly used by a number of shepherds for a plurality of flocks, guarded by an attendant through the night. In the morning, each shepherd calls forth his own flock.

The sheepfold, especially if it is a permanent one and enclosed by stone walls, is entered through the gate. It is through the gate that the shepherd comes in and the sheep go out when they are led to pasture.

In John, the sheepfold represents the gathering of Jesus’ disciples and of later believers. In His discourse on the "Good Shepherd," Jesus says that aside from His followers He has "other sheep that do not belong to this fold," which He will also call (10:16). This group possibly refers to the Jews not yet belonging to the Johannine community and "outsiders" like the Samaritans and the Gentiles. These are the "dispersed children of God" (Jn 11:52) for whom Jesus will also give His life. When Jesus returns to the glory of the Father, the disciples will preach the gospel to them and welcome them to their community, the sheepfold of Jesus.

SOURCE:
"365 Days with the Lord,"
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MYSTERIES OF LIGHT

MYSTERIES OF LIGHT
Rev. John Phalen, CSC

The Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, in his Apostolic Letter, Rosarium Virginis Mariae, encourages us to pray the new Mysteries of Light to contemplate the face of Christ with Mary accompanying us. “It is during the years of his public ministry that the mystery of Christ is most evidently a mystery of light: ‘While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.’” (JN 8:12) RVMp9

GOD’S LOVE FOR US
Let us pray that Christ will give us a deeper understanding of God’s love for us through the five Mysteries of Light.

I. THE BAPTISM IN THE JORDAN
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17

Christ descended into the waters of the Jordan River, the innocent one who became “sin” for our sake (2 Cor. 5:21). The heavens opened wide and the voice of the Father proclaimed him the beloved Son. Our prayer time, too, is an opportunity to rejoice that we are beloved of God, that “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him (sees his light) might not perish, but might have eternal life.” (JN 3:16) The Spirit descended on him to invest him with his mission.

Loving God, help me to realize that the mission vested in me by virtue of my baptism is based upon your tremendous love for me.

II. CHRIST’S SELF-MANIFESTATION AT THE WEDDING OF CANA
"Women, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come." His mother said to the servers, "Do whatever he tells you." (Jn 2:1-12)

“His mother said to the servers, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’” John 2:5

In the finding of the child, Jesus, in the Temple, he had to be about the work of his Father, while his mother was upset that he could have done such a thing as to go missing. Now at Cana it is the mother of Jesus who prepares the way for his self- manifestation as the Christ. “Do whatever he tells you.” she says confidently to the servers, implying that the hour of his self-manifestation had come.

What love was felt by Son and mother for the bride and groom. This was the first of many signs which revealed Christ’s glory.

Loving God, teach me that there is no need or disappointment I may experience which does not stir you to compassion.

III. THE PROCLAMATION OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD
"This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." (Mk 1:15)

“But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth, he said to the paralytic, ‘I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home.’” Mark 2:10, 11


What greater sign of God’s loving mercy than the testimony of forgiveness of sins freely given? The people were scandalized that Christ would forgive sins, and yet amazed when he cured a paralytic, having first forgiven him. The forgiveness combined with the healing are signs of the true identity of the merciful Christ (cf. Mark 2:3-13).

Oh God, you are so loving that you grant me forgiveness of my sins through the sacramental reconciliation offered by your Church. What a grace and blessing! May I never be too proud to seek conversion. Help me see in Christ the revelation of your Kingdom of mercy and light.

IV. THE TRANSFIGURATION

“While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white.” Luke 9:29

Those who are close to God in prayer have something different about their appearance. There is an aura about them, much like what is depicted as a luminous halo. The fact is, real deep prayer changes us and makes us more loving, more like the Christ. In this mystery we contemplate the Christ, transfigured and beaming, shining in splendor and holiness. The voice of the Father speaks once again and commands the apostles to listen to His chosen Son.

Loving God, help me to remember those mountain-top experiences of grace and favor in which your presence was so obvious to me. May the luminous memory of them motivate me to listen to your word even when I am uninspired.

V. THE INSTITUTION OF THE EUCHARIST
Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father.
“He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end.” John 13:1b

Jesus, at the last supper, gave himself to his apostles as bread and wine transformed, and as service in the washing of their feet. He revealed himself not only as master and teacher, but as the Christ as he encouraged them to imitate him by washing each other’s feet.

Real love manifests itself in service. Help us, oh God to know how to reach out to others and aid them. I am confident that such washing of the feet will help me realize how great is your love for all your sons and daughters. May we imitate Christ in service, for we are the Body of Christ.

JOHN PAUL II, THE GREAT

Why we should call him Pope John Paul the Great
By Gerald Korson, Editor


"Ah, man's own weight, the proper weight of man!" exclaims the title character in the authorized English translation of Karol Wojtyla's ponderous three-act play, "The Jeweler's Shop." His jeweler's scales, he explains, "have this peculiarity that they weigh not the metal, but man's entire being and fate."

Taken in the singular, the concept is expressed also in the philosopher's query, "What is the measure of a man?" Put yet another way, how do we take stock and evaluate the life, character and contributions of an individual person?

In the case of the playwright Pope John Paul II, it seems a daunting task to take a comprehensive measure of his "proper weight." In paying tribute to a man whose sense of service to the Church and humanity led him to reach out to the world like no pontiff before him, many possible recollections, stories, anecdotes and listings of achievements could be developed without fully capturing the essence of the fingerprint his pontificate leaves behind.

Even an encyclopedic treatment would prove insufficient to exhaust the mine of golden memories buried deep within the hearts of so many whose lives he touched. As a far less voluminous effort, this two-section issue of Our Sunday Visitor likewise can offer little more than a mere summary of Pope John Paul II's life, his mission and his 26-plus-year reign as visible head of the Catholic Church.

We open with a biographical study written by OSV's Washington correspondent, Russell Shaw, whose nearly 50 years in Catholic journalism and membership on a key Vatican commission have afforded him an insider's appreciation of the papacy.

Afterward we examine Pope John Paul's impact on the various regions of the world, from the United States to Oceania to the conflict- ridden Holy Land.

Finally, we take a topical approach to understanding his pontificate by surveying his contribution to our understanding of such concerns as life issues, the Eucharist, family life, ecumenism, the dignity of labor and Marian devotion.

Next week, we will publish a second tribute edition to Pope John Paul II, this time exploring his personal impact on so many -- Catholic and non-Catholic, famous and ordinary -- who were touched in a special way by his words and actions.

One may speculate whether historians in the next century will remember this pontiff as "Pope John Paul the Great." Truth be told, however, their failure to do so would not negate his many significant accomplishments, as surely as their approval is not requisite to validate them. No reasonable person can dispute his profound influence on the Church and the world, or his tremendous contribution to the development of Catholic thought through his deep personalist approach to philosophy as expressed in his vast writings and teachings.

Click here for the remainder of the editorial.
<http://www.osv.com/periodicals/show-article.asp?pid=1099>

Theology and Life, Bible Reading

Theology and Life
by Fr. Andres Arboleda, SSP

When they go to Mass, they already are familiar with the Word of God in the liturgical celebrations and have their own reflections on them. In this case, the Bible truly becomes a table where one finds nourishment for his soul. Familiar way. Then, of course, we have the familiar way of reading the Bible.

This means that one begins reading the Bible following the books as they are arranged in the printed copies of this wonderful Book. One begins reading from the first pages containing the Book of Genesis, the story of creation, and goes on to end with the last pages of the Book of Revelation, the prophecy of the end of time. This could be a highly recommendable project for one who wants to get to know the Bible itself. It is enough that one gives himself something like fifteen minutes every day to dedicate in reading the Bible, perhaps before going to sleep or waking up early in the morning. The practice of reading the Bible, so most spiritual fathers tell us, is already prayer in itself. Reading the Bible, in fact, one gets in touch with God who speaks.

The Bible is God’s love letter to man. One who daily gets in touch with God’s letter gets in touch with God daily. He may not be aware of it but the very act of getting in touch with God has very beneficial effects on one’s spiritual life. Of course, this familiar way has its own difficulties and problems. Reading the Bible from page one to the last page can become tedious, too, more so when one is not familiar with the literary forms of the passages he reads or is not familiar with the historical background. These difficulties, however, can easily be overcome if one’s copy of the Bible includes notes and commentaries. Most printed Bibles have these notes and commentaries prepared by Bible scholars. Personally, I find these notes most helpful. One alternative to reading the Gospel in this manner is to follow the groupings or classifications with which the Bible has been arranged. In fact, most printed copies of the Bible, starting from the Latin Vulgate, are divided into sections just as a library is divided into sections. A look at the table of contents of the New American Bible, for example, will show us that the Bible is divided into two principal sections: The Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament includes the following divisions: the Pentateuch, the historical books, the wisdom books, the prophetic books.

The New Testament includes the Gospels, the New Testament Letters and the Catholic letters. One could focus reading only on any of these groupings at a time. This makes reading usually more enjoyable because one is prepared to face the literary style of what he reads, from narrative to poetry, to anecdotes and maxims, to prophecy and admonitions, etc. In the long run, what counts is that one becomes familiar with what the Bible contains, especially all those that regard to one’s relationship with God and neighbor. Scholarly way. Of course, there is the highly specialized manner of reading the Bible. In fact, it is no longer just reading but studying the Bible. This is done by all so-called Bible scholars and those who are meant to share their knowledge with people, like theology professors, priests, preachers, etc. Certainly, biblical scholarship is not limited only to scholars and priests. I know of lay persons who go out of their way, attend courses even at their own expense, study languages, etc., in order to be able to read the Bible in a scholarly manner.

Principally, the aim of reading the Bible in the scholarly manner is to discover what the original writers really wanted to say when they wrote those passages contained in the Bible. In the past, this approach was not much welcomed. In fact, in the past the Bible was taken more as a book containing dogmatic propositions and laws. This led to what we call fundamentalism, which means the literal interpretation of the Bible. Indeed, this made the Bible most vulnerable to different interpretations, which, in fact, led to the establishment of sects. Most sects consider themselves Christian because they base their teachings on the Bible. However, hardly would anyone point out that the interpretation of those passages close to these people might be but personal interpretations.

The Church has defended itself against this possibility by establishing that the Church alone, because of the ministry Christ has granted to the Apostles — (Mt 16:19):
“I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” – is infallible in interpreting the Bible. Bible scholarship, however, has become more scientific in this regard. It has become what they call interdisciplinary. Bible scholarship in fact now covers practically all areas of human knowledge that has to do with knowing what the authors of the Bible wanted to say.

This includes studies of the original languages in which the Bible books were written: Aramaic, Hebrew, Greek and Latin. These languages of course are no longer current. Then Bible scholarship also includes such areas of knowledge like philology or the study of words and their meanings, archeology (the study of the traces of past civilization), literature, history, geography, sociology, etc., etc.

It is very rare that a Bible scholar would be familiar with all those branches of human knowledge related to the Bible. This is why we have Bible scholars who are highly specialized only in some sectors of the Bible. Certainly, these contribute to the general knowledge of God’s Word. Unless one wants to specialize in these sectors, the scholarly approach to the Bible is certainly not for everyone.

As a whole, one can approach the Bible in any way he wants. Or else, he could combine for example his reading with the texts used in the liturgy. He could also make the daily reading his personal devotion. There are also those who make use of the Bible to find answers to their questions. All these are possibilities. What is important is that, in the end, one gets in touch with the Word of God, nourishes from it, and thereby become mature in the practice of the love of God and neighbor.

The Road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35)

Two friends—people who had known Jesus, who had walked with Him, talked with Him, and eaten meals with Him every day for three years didn’t recognize Him even on a long walk down a dusty road. Have you ever wondered about that? I have. How could that possibly be?

The reality is: the disciples were looking at a man who happened to be traveling along the same road they were. They did not see Jesus because they did not expect to see Jesus.

How many times on our walks through life do we not see Jesus? How many times do we talk with a co-worker or a parent or a child or a friend or even someone we have never met before and fail to recognize that this person holds a precious piece of Our Lord and Savior within them? And because we don’t recognize Jesus in them, we treat them not as we would treat Jesus, but as just our friend, or just our co-worker, or just our child.

It must make Jesus terribly sad that for all our flowery words and pious presumptions, we still do not recognize Him in each other.

Moreover, consider this: Is it possible that in religious settings, we look at one another, and instead of seeing Jesus, we see only the other person’s religion, their label? And because we don’t see Jesus, we say, "You are so obviously not spiritual—look, you stand when we are kneeling, or you use crucifixes instead of picturing the risen Lord, or you pray to statues and icons instead of to the living God, or you don’t have our label, and so, obviously God is not going to let you into His kingdom."

Thus, we spend so much time questioning each other's commitment to Jesus and so much time fighting over man-made rules and laws that we forget about those people who are lost and hurting. We forget to do God's real work—ministering to those who are hungry for His word and His truths to come into their lives. Instead, having been seduced by Satan to believe that God's kingdom is some kind of exclusive club, we spend our time fighting with each other about who is going to get in and completely fail to see that the world is going to hell around us.

However, we have the choice to open our eyes and commit ourselves to do God’s work here on earth. Rather than judging, we can reach out to the lost souls—not by telling them about God's love, but by showing them how great God’s love is. Witnessing by how we live and how we treat one another, so that they look to us and say, "I want to be like them. I want what they have." And then maybe God's grace will touch their hearts and make them ask, "How do I get it? What do they have that I don't?"

But living this way hinges on whether or not we see Jesus in every single person we happen to walk down a path with in our day-to-day lives. When we look at another person, do we see someone who is worthy of Christ’s message? Someone whom God loves beyond measure? Do we see Jesus Himself—lost, hurting, and alone? Or do we see just another person.

I tell you truly, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me. —Matthew 25:45

Think about the inherent admonition in these words. Our goal should be to treat others not as we want to be treated but as we would treat Jesus Himself. That is God's real work. We are commissioned to spend our time ministering to God’s children—rather than trying to improve our status in His eyes or to impress one another.

By opening our eyes to Jesus’ presence in the those around us, we will come to see His spirit manifesting in our own lives. And thus we can say as the disciples did at the conclusion to the Emmaus story,

“Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road . . .”—Luke 24:32

Open your eyes. This opportunity is with you right now. Don’t waste this chance to get to know the Jesus who is in your midst at this very moment.

by Staci Stallings
source: http://www.stacistallings.com/thoughtsontheroadtoemmaus.htm

ROAD TO DAMASCUS : The Conversion of Paul (Saul)

The scene of St. Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus has been retold many times and is symbolical of the many conversions which have been effected by the grace of the Holy Spirit from that day until the present. The following excerpt adheres closely to the well-known account in the Book of Acts and is by a famous writer who himself entered the Church by the same road (1893-1952)*

Saul set out on the road to Damascus with death in his heart. He could not know that he was about to keep a rendezvous with Life itself.

To Saul's mind "Pharisaism or Jesus" was the sole issue. And Saul the Pharisee went out to battle the upstart Church with a sword in his hand, and a troop of cavalry and foot soldiers at his command to pursue the Christians who had fled Jerusalem.

The military unit was the gift of Caiphas, high priest of the Jerusalem Temple. In Saul, Caiphas had recognized the perfect instrument to wipe out Christianity: a resolute man, well-educated, seething with zeal. Caiphas had given him a packet of official letters, waxed and imprinted with the seal of the high priest, and addressed to all the synagogues to the north.

Saul meant to scour the land as far north as the great desert. He promised Caiphas he would bring back, bound and captive, every Christian that he found.

But for many days and nights he rode without finding a single follower of Jesus, without excitement of any kind until he was drawing near to Damascus. From his white horse Saul could see the well-tended green gardens lying all around the ancient city and the two rivers whose embrace made this plain a lovely place of rich harvest. Even under the heel of Rome, as Damascus now was, being governed by an ethnarch called Aretas, a local king set up by the Roman Emperor, the people looked happy.

Saul, covered with dust, his throat dry, was anticipating the good dinner and the sweet night's repose he knew he could expect at the principal inn under the roofed bazaar of the "Street That Is Called Straight."

The border of the town was not more than half a mile away when Saul suddenly swayed in his saddle.

Everything he could see and hear and feel all around him underwent a change. There was a chill wind blowing at him, a blinding light shining on him from the heavens, and the roar of great waters in his ears.

Saul clutched at the reins but his palsied hands could not hold them. He pushed with his heels against the stirrups, but his ankles quaked and all power had gone out of his legs. With a great gasp he realized he had no strength to help himself. He fell to the ground and lay there helpless.

Then the roaring sound ceased and he heard a Voice assuring but compassionate:

"Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute Me?"

Groaning, not daring to lift his face from the earth, Saul replied:

"Lord, who are you?"

And the answer came in winning tones:

"I am Jesus, whom you persecute. It is hard for you to kick against the goad.'

There could be no answer to that. Saul knew what the words meant, especially in relation to himself. A goad was a long stick about nine feet in length, sharpened at one end for poking at cattle. And the cattle could not kick against it, for the herdsman was nine feet away. Saul felt very much as helpless now. He sensed, dimly, that that same futile rebellion had been at the root of his emotional storms in the weeks since Stephen's death.

Trembling and astonished, Saul faltered the question that spelled his immediate, instantaneous surrender:

"Lord, what will You have me to do?"

The voice of the Lord replied to the man lying face down in the dust:

"Arise and go into the city and there it shall be told you what you must do."

And the Voice seemed to pale away in the wind.

Saul raised his head, drew himself up to a sitting position, and shook himself. His soldiers stood, amazed and troubled, in a great circle. They, too, had heard the Voice; and yet they had seen no man speak except Saul, their captain. They stood in silence that was like a spell. Then two of them took Saul by the armpits and raised him to his feet. But Saul's groping hands, as they made to let go of him, told them a shocking truth.

Saul was blind!

Saul never doubted he had actually seen Jesus. Years later, in the first letter he wrote to the Corinthians, he would rehearse the familiar history of Christ's death, burial, and Resurrection. He would remind the people of Corinth that the risen Christ had appeared to Peter and the rest of the twelve, that He had been seen by more than five hundred disciples at once, many of whom were still alive when that letter was being written. And then he added, with fervent humility and thanksgiving:

"And last of all, He was seen also by me, as by one born out of due time.

"For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle' because I persecuted the Church of God.

"But by the grace of God, I am what I am; and His grace in me hath not been void, but I have laboured more abundantly than all they: yet not I, but the grace of God with me."

Skeptics still scoff at this encounter. Nearly two thousand years away from evidence, with no testimony for their own theories, they dismiss Saul's conversion as an epileptic fit. The line of years from then to now quakes with countless epileptics, not one of whom has written a single letter that affected the world, nor converted peoples, nor captured the imagination of posterity. Only Saul did that; Saul, of whom no fit was reported before Damascus or since. No skeptic can dispute the complete change in life of Saul, or what suffering he endured for it.

In that one blinding, falling moment Saul became another man. The hunter of Christians, the heresy detective became in one instant full of yearning to be a Christian.

He had seen God. And trembling before that glory, stripped naked of his intellectual pretenses, he had cried out in the hope and fear of all believers:

"Lord, what would You have me to do?"

Saul let his soldiers lead him slowly toward the open gate of Damascus. Strangely, he felt no humiliation in being blind, helpless in the hands of underlings.

He was going into the city, as the Lord had commanded him, to wait to be told what next he must do. To him nothing else mattered.

For three days, Saul was a problem in the house of a Christian who bore the unfortunate name of Judas.

The infamous reputation of the betrayer of Jesus had been such that this second Judas, this good man, has not fared well in the memories of the faithful. Yet he deserves to be remembered with hosannas.

His act was of sublime charity. He knew that Saul was the Christians' worst enemy. He also knew that Saul had met with some sudden accident outside the city gate. Judas was not so gullible as to hope that kindness would appease Saul; mercy in the eyes of the anti-Christians was a weakness. Judas had nothing to expect and much to fear when he opened the door of his house, behind the Street That Is Called Straight, and allowed the weakened Saul to be laid in his own bed.

For three days and three nights the soldiers of Saul stood guard over Judas' house while their captain lay in bed.

"Saul talks to himself," they said to one another. "He is a very sick man."

But none of the advice or the weird prescriptions of Damascus doctors were of help. Saul was blind. He ate nothing and he drank nothing. His lips moved, and he whispered softly.

One man in Damascus knew what Saul was trying to say. His name was Ananias and he is not to be confused with the liar of the same name. Here was a new part of Christian history with a new Judas and a new Ananias, accidentally serving as symbols of a better future.

To this second and admirable Ananias the Lord spoke directly, in a vision:

"Ananias!"

And not unlike devout men of the Old Testament, Ananias replied:

"Behold, I am here, Lord!"

And the Voice continued:

"Arise! And go into the Street That Is Called Straight! And seek in the house of Judas, one named Saul of Tarsus!" A name to ignite panic in any Christian heart, Saul of Tarsus!

"For behold--he prays!"

Ananias had been instructed in the mercy and forgiveness of God. He knew that God will forgive trespasses only as we forgive them who trespass against us. But Saul was a living terror, "breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord."

And even while Ananias was cowering in the presence of such fearful instructions, a kind of vision came at the same time, halfway across the city, to the distracted mind of blinded and helpless Saul. He saw someone entering the bedroom of Judas' house, a stranger who laid pale and trembling hands over Saul's eyes.

At the instant of that vision, Ananias was already pale and trembling.

"Lord," he protested, overwhelmed with his terror, "I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And right here in Damascus he has authority from the chief priests of the Temple to bind everybody who dares to invoke Your Name."

There was a moment's silence, and then the Lord spoke with a firmness of command not to be mistaken:

"Ananias!"

"Lord?"

"Go your way. For this man is to Me a vessel of election, to carry My Name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him what great things he must suffer for My Name's sake."

There could be no reply except instant obedience.

A minute later, Ananias set off down the narrow and deserted paths of early morning, to look for Saul in the house of Judas.

The sun was not yet up, and the room was dim as the messenger of Christ stood by the bed and spoke to the tossing, blinded man of Tarsus:

"Brother Saul."

The hands of Ananias, pale and trembling, touched the eyelids of the stricken man.

"Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus has sent me."

A sound like a groan came from the lips of Saul, weighted with profound and grateful relief, as if he had waited in anguish for this call.

"The Lord Jesus has sent me," Ananias repeated; "He that appeared to you in the way as you came; that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost."

To see again. Oh, yes, please, merciful Lord! And to be filled with the Holy Ghost! The Holy Ghost that I had sworn to drive from the hearts of men in the name of God and the Sanhedrin.

"And immediately there fell from his eyes, as it were, scales, and he received his sight. And rising up, he was baptized."

Saul baptized! Now, there was a tale the Christians back in Judaea would find it hard to believe. By the grapevine that passed from Damascus to Joppa, from Nazareth and Capemaum even to Jericho, and through Galilee into Samaria and wherever the Christians were hiding in the underground, the word would go out that Saul, the persecutor, had been stricken blind near the western gate of Damascus; had seen the Lord Jesus and heard His Voice, had been healed of his blindness by a Syrian Christian, and that now he was himself a Christian.

Who could be expected to believe a wild story like that?

Yet it was literally true. Barely able to stand in the weakness of joints and waist and thighs that was the aftermath of his fall, Saul nevertheless held himself stubbornly erect and suffered Ananias to pour the water over him in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Saul could see the room filled with sunrise; the bed, the chairs, the table, and the sweating candle; he could see the face of his new friends, Judas and Ananias.

In that moment Saul became truly, irrevocably, a new man. He was born again.

And he chose to mark that hour of transformation by shedding the Hebrew name Saul, by which all men knew him. He chose instead to be known by the name he had seldom used, his official name as a Roman citizen.

Instead of Saul, the man of Tarsus would from that day of baptism till the end of time be known as Paul.

Selection from *A Treasury of Catholic Reading* ed. John Chapin (New York: Farrar, Straus & Cudahy, 1957).

Source: http://www.cin.org/saints/roaddama.html


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PAUL'S EXPERIENCE ON THE DAMASCUS ROAD

When we discuss the fact that we “hear God,” we are considering that which God communicates fundamentally about the plan of salvation, and how we can obey it.

Of course, God does “speak” through his creation (Ps. 19:1; Rom. 1:20). But this general revelation of God does not specify how we can be saved from our sins. It is by specific revelation that God communicates to us his redemptive purpose.

Let’s consider the question above by making several biblical observations.

1. How does a person learn about Paul’s experience on the Damascus road? We all learn about it from Acts, chapters 9,22,26. Isn’t it interesting that one would appeal to the Scriptures to demonstrate that we “hear from God” without the Scriptures?
2. Paul’s encounter with the Lord qualified him to be an apostle (Acts 1:22; 1 Cor. 15:8). The testimony of the apostles is in the New Testament, and when we read what inspired apostles wrote, we can understand the gospel of Christ (Eph. 1:1; 3:4).
3. Paul saw the risen Lord on the road to Damascus. The resurrection is conclusive proof that Jesus was, and is, the Son of God. Consider this singular point about this event. Can we believe in the resurrection based upon the testimony of Scripture alone, or must the Lord appear to us personally to “prove” that he was raised from the dead? John 20:30-31 states that the reading of Christ’s miracles can produce faith.

   Paul’s experience on the Damascus road was a unique demonstration of the resurrection of Jesus. Paul realized that Jesus was the promised Messiah and that he was raised from the dead. He was God’s “chosen vessel” to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, before kings, and to the children of Israel (Acts 9:15). His conversion is a testimony to the authenticity of Christianity.

4. Even though Paul saw the risen Lord, the Lord did not directly communicate to Paul what he needed to do in order to be saved. Christ told him to go into the city, and it would be told to him what he must do (Acts 9:6). When Ananias came to Paul, he told him, “Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). Although Paul saw Christ on the road to Damascus, he was still lost three days later, needing to have his sins washed away. The vision, therefore, was limited in purpose.

   Paul’s experience does not prove that God speaks directly to you and me. In fact, his conversion proves the proposition that God speaks through human agency for the salvation of men and women — through the inspired scriptures and the preaching of their message. The Lord communicated the gospel requirements for Paul’s own salvation through Ananias.

5. Paul taught that Scripture is given by the inspiration of God, that it is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness, so that we may be “complete, furnished completely unto every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17, ASV). The written word of God contains all that we need in order to be faithful servants of God.

   God’s word is no ordinary book. It is powerful when spoken and read. It is the revelation that God gave, authenticated, and now providentially preserves, so that men and women can learn the need and means of salvation. It is powerful (Heb. 4:12)! When we read it (Eph. 3:4), we will understand better God’s great plan of salvation.

6. Paul’s experience proves that he saw Jesus, the risen Savior. That is what it proves. It is interesting that Paul never appealed to his Damascus road vision to demonstrate that God speaks directly to people, apart from the Word. With consistency, the apostle refers to the word of Christ as the means by which faith is developed (Rom. 10:17; Eph. 6:17).

When the Lord appeared to Paul on the road to Damascus, he obviously had a special purpose. It was, indeed, a unique situation. Paul’s experience on the Damascus road does show us several things. It is one of the post-resurrection appearances, being the only reasonable explanation for the conversion of such a hostile persecutor of Christianity. Likewise, it was Paul’s qualification to be an apostle.

The conversion of Paul also demonstrates that the preaching of the word is God’s chosen method for the communication of the gospel of salvation (1 Cor. 1:21). If you are waiting for a “Damascus road experience,” open your New Testament and listen to the risen Lord. There it will be told to you what you need to do.

On Divine Providence

On Divine Providence
(Breaking Signs by Cirilo F. Bautista)

Five years after it was brought down by a storm, the guava tree in my back garden continues to flourish. Last summer, it yielded enough sweet fruits to fill up two big baskets, not counting those which the bats carried away in their nightly raid. From a fallen, pathetic skeleton to an upright, luxuriant tree - only the mysterious working of divine providence can explain it. What else can explain the branches that sprout all over the bottle, the dark green leaves catching the rays of the early morning sun, or the small white flower buds on the first stage of fruition? I marvel at this simple manifestation of God's magic and thank him for honoring my tree with it. G.K. Chesterton wrote that the wonderful thing about miracles is that they happen. Natural wonders will continue. Gerard Manley Hopkins tells us in "God's Grandeur", because "the Holy Ghost over the bent world broods with warm breasts and with ah, bright wings." Nature does things on the grand scale, as befits its noble and elevated position in the hierarchy of creation. It is "never spent" for God, in His limitless splendor and inexhaustible goodness, replenishes it constantly.


In effect, the guava tree blooms again because of the cycle of growth inherent in the being of things. But it is not automatic and inevitable, it needs divine sanction of conferment to operate. The early peoples of the earth recognized this and acknowledged the supremacy and capability of a mystical element in their natural environment. Their worship of nature was not a naive theological expression but an affirmation of their communal weakness and insufficiency. They were humbled upon feeling their proper place in this scheme of things. Now we know the same thing and are equally humbled.

That is why my anxiety over the guava was not focused on its ability to survive, but on whether my hope for it to survive was worthy of divine grant. I was anxious on the metaphysical level, and hardly knew it. Everything has its place in the universe. Thomas Gray says in "Ode to a Distant Prospect of Eton College", but he would prefer that the revelation of their prospected spots be postponed, to avoid human sadness:

"All are men, Condemn'd alike to groan; The tender for another's pain, the' unfeeling for his own. Yet, ah! why should they know their fate, Since sorrow never comes too late, And happiness to swiftly flies?"

Many will agree with him, but what he says of course, is simply wishful thinking, for destiny is implacable. The simple, uncomplicated way of life has its attractions, but remains an ideal. Gray's plea for the preservation of utter simplicity in life -- "Where ignorance is bliss, 'Tis folly to be wise" - violates the rule of natural progression. He wants time to be frozen at a point where innocence and rusticity dominate, but life, alas, moves onward, things happen on the natural and human levels. There is no more paradise on earth.


Unlike Gray, I have nothing against wisdom. It can be situated profitably beside the starkest innocence to benefit the individuals for, rightly used, it can have a tempering effect on the rigidity of attitudes. Above all, I trust in the Divine Plan because - because I know nothing about it. Its mysteriousness does not distress me, though. On the contrary, it inspires me to envision only grace and beneficence flowing from it into the stream of the human condition. It cannot be anything but good, since God does not abandon His creatures after bringing them into this world. He sees to their safe passage into the next.

Again, even for that, I have no proof. I have only the feeling that the whole of creation was premised on the goodness of its Creator, or else it should have disintegrated long ago. The Divine Plan, then, must be just and fulfilling, though. I know nothing about it. It is as concerned with the destinies of human souls as with nurturing the branches of a once fallen guava tree.