Fr Ed's Place

Words from Fr Ed (From February 26th, 2012 Bulletin)

2012-02-22T06:26:00.000-08:00

…new wine is poured into new wineskins
Jesus said elsewhere, “Behold, I make all things new.” He came to restore us to His likeness, to reconnect us to the Father of all. Our physical creator is also the One who redeems our spiritual nature. This happens through prayer, penance and good works. Our Lenten journey invites us to a deeper walk with Our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the savior of all and can show us the way.
We may not know how we can grow in the spiritual life. Jesus does. He calls His disciples to renewal and fasting in today’s Gospel. Fasting responds to His apparent absence. Jesus says, “…the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day.” When we have Jesus we have everything. When we experience this fulfillment of all desires, it doesn’t matter whether we eat or fast. As the Psalm goes, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”
Lent is a time of renewal, when we assess our spiritual life and make real effort to improve our relationship with Christ, our neighbors and ourselves. The three common forms of penance are fasting, prayer and almsgiving. Have you made any resolutions in these areas? It is good to make one in each area. They are perfect ways to restore our wineskins to be ready for the new wine of Jesus Christ.

Parish Mission
One great way to start your Lent is to attend our Parish Mission this week with Brian Casey. He is a lay evangelist who left all to follow Jesus in this mission of sharing the Good News. He will offer us several messages a day in both a morning session and an evening one. Come be refreshed by the grace of Christ in His Word to you.

Lenten Collatio
“Collatio (coh lah' tsee oh) is a Latin word for a shared meal to which everyone contributes and in which we all share.” (http://www.worship.ca/docs/vis_06.html) It is also the name given to a style of prayer and sharing of the Scriptures. It involves choosing a passage, especially from the life of Christ in the Gospels. The Sunday Lectionary is perfect for this exercise. One also is better prepared for Sunday Mass when the readings have been reflected on in this way.

The atmosphere should be prayerful. This is not a Bible study. We are trying to let the Word inebriate our souls. The passage is read once, slowly. All are invited to share a word or a phrase that struck them our stood out. After this, the passage is read again. Now the listener is invited to share an image or analogy that relates to the passage. Take your time with this. It might not be so easy. No one has to share. Then the passage is read for a third time. Now we consider and share what this reading means to me today. How will it affect my life? How must I respond to the truths that I heard? The Word does not return to the Lord void. After sharing, it is good to take a moment of quiet and share silently with the Lord some word of thanks. Close with an Our Father.

I repeat here these questions:
(1)    What word or phrase stood out for me?
(2)    What image or analogy comes to mind as I hear this?
(3)    What does this Word mean for me today?

I am encouraging all groups that meet in the parish during the Lenten Season to use this as an opening prayer. Try not to rush. The business of the parish can wait. In fact, sharing our faith with one another in the Collatio is important business. Thanks for taking time with Jesus and one another during this Lenten Season. (Drawn in part from John Veltri, SJ, Directed Retreat Goes to Parish: A Manual About the Use of the Directed Retreat in a Parish Setting, http://www.jesuits.ca/orientations/bob/retreat.htm).

Words from Fr Ed (From February 19th, 2012 Bulletin)

2012-02-15T07:45:00.000-08:00

“…that you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth.” - Mk 2:10

Jesus’ Authority
Jesus came with authority, the power to do things, especially to forgive sins. Notice that his main intention in relation to this paralytic is not to heal his body, but rather his soul. This is reminiscent of St. Jean Vianney, the great confessor who spent upwards of 12-15 hours a day in the confessional, and was known to encourage people to not come to his parish for healing of the body. Many occurred there in Ars, but Vianney would credit St. Philomena and tell people to go to other parishes for healing of the body. He considered the sacrament of reconciliation, the confession of one’s sins and reception of absolution, as the great gift that he could offer people.

As we begin our Lenten season in a few days, consider coming to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Every time you receive this sacrament you start your life anew, your will is strengthened and your mind is purified. Do not neglect this encounter with the authority of Christ, passed on to the apostles when, “…He breathed on them, and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgive; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.' ” (John 20:22-23) At times too, there is a healing of the body, given the close relationship between the soul and the body. When the soul is healed, the body is liberated from the oppression of guilt and anxiety.

There are several opportunities throughout the week here at St. Stephen. Scheduled confessions are on Friday morning from 7:30am before Mass and then at 9am after Mass until all are heard. Usually Fr. Yu is able to join me for these so lines decrease quickly. We also have confessions on Saturday from 3pm until 4pm. Feel free to schedule confessions as well, especially if it has been awhile and you may have questions to discuss. It is a joy for priests to hear confessions. Do not feel like you are bothering them if you catch them outside of confession times. Usually we can make time so that God may be glorified and His children may know the freedom that forgiveness brings.

Lenten Mission with Brian Casey

Our parish mission is coming next week when Brian Casey of Good News Ministries of Seattle will be with us for the weekend Masses, Sunday evening, and then two sessions a day Monday through Wednesday. Do not be deceived by his meek and mild photo. I’ve known Brian for many years since I worked at Holy Rosary in West Seattle where he is a parishioner. He is so calm normally that I didn’t expect the passion and inspiration that flows through him when he is teaching on the faith. I hope you can make some quality time for your family to come and hear him speak. Be prepared to improve your life and your relationship with Christ. God desires it so let it happen!

Deacon Harold Burkes-Sivers for 40 Days Kick-Off Tuesday
Get a jump start on your Lenten transformation with Deacon Harold Burkes-Sivers from Portland. You may have heard him preach nationally on EWTN. Hold on to your pew, because I know he is going to try to move you out of it! Our faith is called into action. Our profession of faith at Baptism asks, “Do you believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth?” If God is our maker, what right do we have to extinguish life? We have the extraordinary privilege to participate in procreating new human persons, precious in God’s sight. When this is unplanned, what is needed is courage and love. Our 40 Days Vigil for Life prays for this kind of love. Please come and kick off this campaign of prayer and love for women and children in unplanned pregnancies. Come pray for a change of heart on the part of fathers, friends, abortion clinic personnel and our legislators. God can change hearts.

No Drive-Thru for Ashes
I fielded a phone call one Ash Wednesday where the caller was asking when ashes would be distributed. I said “During Mass”. He said he knew that, but wanted to know exactly when during the Mass they would be distributed. At the moment I told him to come to the whole Mass and he would find out, but in my sarcastic mind the retort came, “Just come to the drive-thru window anytime and we will give you your ashes.” I don’t know this person’s mind or motive, but I hope he wasn’t skimping on the time it takes to build a relationship with God. In parenting theory, I’ve heard that ,“love = time”. We must spend time with one another to convey love. Same with God. He knows our hearts, but do we?

Words from Fr Ed (From February 12th, 2012 Bulletin)

2012-02-08T11:11:00.000-08:00

"…do everything for the glory of God."
- 1 Cor 10:31

St. Paul calls his readers to make the glory of God their focus and goal. What is God’s glory? St. Irenaeus says that "The glory of God is a man (or woman) come fully alive." God is glorified as we become fully human, which testifies to His goodness, His design, His power, and His guidance. It is God that gets the credit for any good that we might do. Even Jesus said, "Why do you call me good? God alone is good."

This may sound strange from Jesus’ lips, but He is either testing his listener, or speaking from His humanity, or perhaps both. He may be testing to see why his listener called him ‘good’. Is it because he believes that Jesus is God? Or is Jesus leading him to that conclusion? Jesus often, or shall I say always, teaches through questions. (Like the Socratic method).

Jesus may simply be speaking as a human being. We can see him speak from both His Divinity at times, as well as His humanity. In this case He refers to God as if God were a separate being, someone other than Himself. Our faith tells us otherwise, as do Jesus’ own words when He says things like, "The Father and I are One", or "Before Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, I AM." But we see His humanity throughout the Gospels when we read of His hunger, stress, sadness, and joy. These are human emotions and states that indicate that Jesus was no mirage, but fully human in every aspect except sin.

As we become more fully human, we also are ‘divinized’, we become more integrated with the Godhead, our souls and bodies being animated by a Divine Principle. The word for soul in Latin is ‘anima’, from which we get the word ‘animation’. Our souls animate our bodies, but what animates our souls? Is it not God Himself? God calls us to return to worship and to praise him if we, as baptized Christians, replace this Principle with another god (i.e. money, pleasure, power, control, anger, etc.). God is the One who motivates us. Let us adore the One who is within, Who loves us into being, Who desires our happiness.
Deacon Harold Burkes-Sivers

Deacon Harold will be with us February 21, Mardi Gras, to kick off our 40 Days campaign of prayer and vigil to protect the unborn. He is a nationally recognized evangelist and preacher who comes to us from Portland, Oregon. Please join us for Mass, refreshments and a rousing exhortation to protect human life. You can learn more about Deacon Burkes-Sivers at

www.dynamicdeacon.com.

Boycotting Starbucks

Sad to say, but Starbucks has joined Microsoft, Group Health, Nike, Google and other companies in supporting homosexual ‘marriage’ in Washington State. Whatever rights one may desire for significant friendships is one thing. All of us desire love and companionship. But marriage involves an exchange of body and soul. As Jesus said, quoting Genesis, "…a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh." (Gen 2:24) To distort this is contrary to nature and destructive to the human body.

I’ve written to Starbucks expressing my dismay. I used to enjoy their coffee. Many of you have graciously supported my habit with generous gift cards. I will have to turn them down in the future. Now I join other Christians around the country in refusing to support a company that violates both natural and Divine Law. If you would like to write to Starbucks, you can do so at: Starbucks Customer Relations, PO Box 3717, Seattle, WA 98124-3717.

"…policies which undermine the family threaten human dignity and the future of humanity itself." - Pope Benedict

Words from Fr Ed (From February 5th, 2012 Bulletin)

2012-02-01T09:04:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Confirmation Team+Thanks to our confirmation team that sacrifices their time and talent to prepare the youth for confirmation, the third sacrament of Initiation. A Christian is not fully initiated into the Catholic Church until they have received the precious gift of Confirmation. In the ceremony on Saturday evening, February 4th, Archbishop Sartain prays over each candidate, anointing them with Chrism oil, saying, “Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

While the candidate may already be using the gifts of the Holy Spirit, this Sacrament seals these gifts of Wisdom, Understanding, Fortitude, Piety, Counsel, Fear of the Lord, and Knowledge. Bless the Lord for such powerful gifts. Unfortunately, these can often lay fallow until a crisis in one’s life where there is a particular turning towards God for assistance. He wants us to use these gifts all the time. Do we not need Wisdom to make it through the day?

Let’s pray for all the youth who have completed their course of confirmation and stand ready to witness to Christ in a brand new way. Let us pray for their Courage. There will also be some adults confirmed who have humbly realized the need for this great gift. What beautiful signs of God’s grace. I thank their team as well for taking the care and time to fulfill God’s word among us. John the Baptist said of Jesus, “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” May our whole parish community here at St. Stephen be filled with the Holy Spirit, even as St. Stephen the Martyr was.

Pray for Honduras Teams
While a few of our parishioners will already have returned from their Medical Mission with the St. Charles Borromeo group from Tacoma, several more will arrive in Honduras on Saturday the 4th, and several others the following week. They will be working primarily with Pedro Attala Home for children in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras. Their day consists of prayer, time with the children, and laboring to renovate the facilities there. May Our Lady of Suyapa, the patroness of Honduras, bless and guide these missionaries of God’s love.

Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted

Our readings take us from the depths of Job’s misery (Remember that my life is like the wind; I shall not see happiness again), to the radical recovery of Peter’s mother-in-law (He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them.) What can we take from this? I think in the first place, when we are in misery of some kind, not to panic. Yes, we must first accept that misery is truly occurring. Too often we live in denial of the pain of a difficult situation. We rebel against it, seeking to medicate the pain through false cures.

No, we must accept that what is is. God has allowed it for some great reason. While He does not positively will sin, He does will our freedom and gives us all the tools necessary to use it wisely. We don’t always do that. We also live in a world of other free human beings who don’t always use their freedom correctly and are capable of sinning against us. God can allow this if He knows that a greater good can come out of it. While we may not see this, nor understand it, faith tells us that this is so. Even while blind to the answer, resignation and acceptance of what is, is the first step of healing.
He “heals the brokenhearted”. Jesus meets us in the depths of our misery. Like Simon Peter’s mother-in-law, He visits us on our sick-bed and reaches out a hand, a hand to the heart. He says, “Son, daughter, give me your heart.” If we are willing, He can heal any injury that we or another have caused us. This means we have to be a patient patient. Many times I have visited a person in the hospital who is eager to leave and is waiting for the doctor to give them release. They have to be patient.

There is a saying, “All good things come to those who wait.” May I qualify this by adding, “…even those things that we need to do while waiting, that may better dispose us for the Divine Physician’s visit.” Yes, He is coming. Allow Him to come and be with you. Jesus’ presence is healing. If you cannot visit the Blessed Sacrament reserved here in our chapel for your benefit, ask Him to come, to lift you up, to give strength to your bones and life to your limbs.

Words from Fr Ed (From January 29th, 2012 Bulletin)

2012-01-25T10:52:00.000-08:00

"I should like you to be free of anxieties...

St. Paul here refers to the advantage of celibacy as opposed to marriage and its responsibilities. This is an objective advantage of celibacy, in that, normally, if one practices the faith, it is easier to focus on God alone if one is celibate. That is an objective standard, not a subjective one. In the reality of personal discernment of vocation, one has to seek a subjective calling that transcends objective norms that might not fit you personally. Say what?

While priesthood and religious life are wonderful goods in and of themselves, not everyone is cut out for it. Even Jesus says that only those who can accept it should choose such a lifestyle. Some seem uniquely called to marriage. This means that if one is called to marriage then that is exactly where they will find their greatest holiness and glorify God accordingly. One of the great pro-life warriors in our nation, Joe Scheidler, shared with me his own story of coming up to one week before his deaconate ordination, where one makes a promise of perpetual celibacy, and realizing that this was not for him. He left seminary and married a wonderful woman Anne and had many children, becoming the preminent pro-life activist in the country. He had no doubt that God was calling him to marriage.

Marriage glorifies God if it is lived well. This takes a mutual self-giving on both parts. As the Pastoral Constitution on the Church states, "By their intimate union of persons and of actions they give mutual help and service to each other, experience the meaning of their unity, and gain an ever deeper understanding of it day by day…True married love is caught up into God’s love; it is guided and enriched by the redeeming power of Christ and the saving action of the Church, in order that the partners may be effectively led to God and receive help and strength in the sublime responsibility of parenthood."

I know this is difficult to live. So is celibacy. I have over 5000 ‘spouses’. (Try getting along with all of them!) I find it a miracle that there is so much communion amongst us. It is a great gift of God. It is His Holy Spirit and the bond we share in the Eucharist which makes it as easy as it is. This unifying power of Christ is promised to spouses if they are open to it. I recommend a little prayer from the prayer of Christ the High Priest who said, "Father…that they may be one, even as we are one." (John 17:11) Spouses can change this to, "Father, make us one (you and your spouse), even as you are one with the Son and the Holy Spirit." What a beautiful communion that can develop from this simple prayer. I pray it for all of our married couples now, even as I write this…

Contact Senator Joe Fain

Our local state senator has a key vote to protect the sanctity of marriage in our state. To claim that same-sex unions are equivalent to heterosexual marriage is outrageous and will effectively undermine the good of our society. Please contact our local state senator to respectively express your opinion.

Call your legislators through the legislative hotline at　1-800-562-6000.
Here is the link to email your legislators: http://www.fpiw.org/marriage/email-your-legislator.html

Schedule a personal visit with your legislators to discuss marriage. Call ahead to do so. You can find their office number at:

http://www.leg.wa.gov/pages/home.aspx and clicking "find your district."

Book recommendation: Searching for and Maintaining Peace:

By Father Jacques Philippe

This little treatise is another gem from the author of Interior Freedom. In it he maintains that, "The more our soul is peaceful and tranquil, the more God is reflected in it, the more His image expresses itself in us, the more His grace acts through us." Philippe uses several scriptures to validate his position, like, "By waiting and by calm you shall be saved; in quiet and in trust your strength lies…" (Isaiah 30:15) He includes the counsel of Dom Scupoli, who wrote the classic, Unseen Warfare (or Spiritual Combat), "The devil does his utmost to banish peace from one’s heart, because he knows that God abides in peace and it is in peace that He accomplishes great things."

There is a powerful temptation in times of trial that Philippe would like to unmask for us, namely, "…the temptation to believe that, in the situation which is ours (personal, family, etc.), we lack something essential and that because of this, our progress, and the possibility of blossoming spiritually, is denied us." In other words, the trial has obscured the light of faith which tells us that "All things turn to good for those who believe." (Rom 8:28) This also destroys our peace, the peace that is essential for us to benefit from the current trial. God is present and as Philippe advises, "It is not the exterior circumstances that must change; it is above all our hearts that must change." May God bless all of us with great peace of heart and mind in our trials.

Words from Fr Ed (From January 22nd, 2012 Bulletin)

2012-01-18T08:58:00.000-08:00

"The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe the gospel"

- Mark 1:15

The truth is not far from us. Jesussays that ‘the kingdom…is at hand.’ It is near, it is accessible, but we haveto ‘repent’. Repentance is a change of mind, heart, and actions. First, we mustrealize the need to change. Often, in counseling situations, the question comesup, "Does this person realize their need for help?" Whatever the problem is, ashumans we tend to accompany our sin and imperfection with pride. The nature ofpride blinds us to the reality of our responsibility and the presence of prideitself. Pride is like Satan, whose first task, according to C.S. Lewis, is toget their victim to not believe in the existence of Satan! Clever.

God’s kingdom, which is within us, isalways attempting to break through our defenses and conquer our hearts andminds for Jesus. We do not have to do much except allow what the power of Goddesires. I love the second antiphon in the Office of Readings for Tuesday, WeekII: "Surrender to God, and He will do everything for you." Let us pray for thisgrace to surrender to the action of the Holy Spirit who is informing us of thetruth of God’s ways. He is present, He is willing, and He is good.

Gay ‘Marriage’?

As I said in my homily this pastweekend, our State Governor Gregoire has thrown her office behind the passageof a ‘same-sex marriage’ bill to be introduced as early as this past week. Itwill have tragic consequences on our society if passed. The distinction betweenman and woman goes back to Adam and Eve. Their complementarity and inclinationtowards one another were built in and part of natural law. The beauty andgoodness of God, even His own Trinitarian reality of personal love, is seen inthis created attraction. The rejection of gender is a rejection of God’s wisdom.

In addition, the first command tohumanity, in the form of Adam and Eve, is to "go forth and multiply’. We canread in the design of our anatomies the perfection of God written into humanityand the ability to procreate. What a privilege God has given us, to participatein the very act of creation itself. While God provides the soul, husband andwife provide the necessary physical ingredients that unite to form the body ofa human person. How extraordinary and how sacred. To obliterate this gift fromGod is to take us deeper into a godless society removed from common sense andnature. Without nature as a foundation, truth becomes whatever anyone wishes itto be, and mankind becomes very cruel.

Please join me in writing to yourstate legislators to encourage them to protect the definition of marriage asone man and one woman. You can find their emails and other info through theseheadings

• Readthe Meaning of Marriage Talking Points (providedby Gerri)

• Callyour legislators through the legislative hotline at 1-800-562-6000.

• Email all your legislators about marriage, then share the email widget with yourfriends on Facebook.

• Schedulea personal visit with your legislators to discuss marriage. Call ahead to doso. You can find their office number by clicking here andclicking "find your district."

See additional ideas.Iincluded here: the beginning of the Washington State Bishops:Marriage and the Common Good - A statement on legislation to redefine marriage...

Legislation has been introduced in Washington State tochange the current law defining marriage. The present law states: "marriage isa civil contract between a male and a female..." This same law also prohibitsmarriage to close-blood relations, a clear indication that the definition ofmarriage is related to bringing children into the world and the continuation ofthe human race. The legislation to redefine marriage, therefore, is not in thepublic interest.Marriage is certainly about the public recognition of arelationship between a man and a woman which carries certain rights and responsibilitiesfor the two adults. But, it is much more. Marriage in faith and societaltraditions is acknowledged as the foundation of civilization. It has long beenrecognized that the stability of society depends on the stability of familylife in which a man and a woman conceive and nurture new life. In this way,civil recognition of marriage has sought to bestow on countless generations ofchildren the incomparable benefit of a loving mother and father committed toone another in a lifelong union.

Additionally, by defining marriage both in terms of the relationship between a man and a woman and its important role of guaranteeing the succession of generations, the state is recognizing the irreplaceable contribution that married couples make to society. Married couples who bring children into the world make particular sacrifices and take on unique risks and obligations for the good of society. For this reason the state has long understood that it has a compelling interest in recognizing and supporting these mothers and fathers through a distinct category of laws. Were the definition of marriage to change, there would be no special laws to support and recognize the irreplaceable contribution that these married couples make to society and to the common good by bringing to life the next generation.

Upholding the present definition of marriage does not depend on anyone’s religious beliefs. Washington State’s present law defining marriage as "a civil contract between a male and a female" is grounded not in faith, but in reason and the experience of society. It recognizes the value of marriage as a bond of personal relationships, but also in terms of the unique and irreplaceable potential of a man and woman to conceive and nurture new life, thus contributing to the continuation of the human race. A change in legislation would mean that the state would no longer recognize the unique sacrifices and contributions made by these couples, thereby adding to the forces already undermining family life today.

For these reasons, we the Catholic Bishops of Washington State call on the citizens of this state to maintain the legal definition of marriage. We ask all to join in praying with us for married couples and families and to do everything possible to support them. We urge you to contact your own state senator and your two state representatives to request that they defend the current legal definition of marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

Words from Fr Ed (From January 15th, 2012 Bulletin)

2012-01-11T14:32:00.000-08:00

Rabbi, where are you staying?
- John 1:38
One has to believe that John the Evangelist had a sense of humor in writing this simple request of Andrew and another of the Baptist’s disciples. It is a far reach from the mystical theology that he begins his gospel with: as we read on Christmas Day, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1) By the end of the chapter he is getting to the radical collision between the Divine and the trembling human.

Andrew and company hardly knew what to do with Jesus. I’m sure they had their hands full with trying to follow the extreme, outside the margins John the Baptist. Now he is pointing to this ‘Lamb of God’ whose sandals, the Baptist confesses, he is unworthy to untie. Mercy. Even as they begin to literally follow Jesus down the path He was on, perhaps at what they thought was a comfortable distance, Jesus initiates the dialogue by asking, “What do you seek?”

They weren’t prepared. One thinks Jesus was probing for something more esoteric like “Truth”, “Justice”, “Righteousness”, or “The Kingdom”. No, they could only come up with something that kept some buffer between them and the Most High, “Rabbi, where are you staying?” One could imagine other questions with as little significance like, “What kind of bread do you prefer?”, or “What is your favorite wood to use when making cabinets?” Andrew and his friend were ready to follow, but on their own terms. Little did they know…

Jesus invites each of us to “Come and see”, come and see where He operates at His best. This entails a literal following of Christ, using our bodies to get up and follow Him somewhere. Paul gives us some clue in the second reading to the consequence of placing our bodies at the service of God. “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? But whoever is joined to the Lord becomes one Spirit with him.” Joining our bodies to the Lord makes our spirits follow because we are a composite of soul and body. One depends on the other. We don’t just follow Christ spiritually. We follow Him body and soul. That’s why Jesus can draw Andrew and company in by simply inviting them to bodily come and see where he stays.

Mass and March for Life
One of the most powerful works on behalf of the sanctity of life is occurring tomorrow, January 17th, beginning with a Mass for Life at the St. Martin’s Pavilion in Lacey at 9:30am. Archbishop Sartain will preside. Following the Mass, Fr Ed and friends will hike from St. Martin’s, time-permitting, to the capitol steps for the March for Life at noon. Since it is a five-mile walk, we may need to drive half-way to make the March on time. Details will be given on site after the Mass. The March itself is an important witness to our legislators of the value and sacredness of life. If the right to life is not respected, all other rights become moot.

A Few Good Men
Terrific Tuesdays is in need of a few good men to provide hospitality for our suppers. Terrific Tuesday Meals is an evangelical ministry that began in June 2010 and has been going strong ever since. Each Tuesday we feed over 100 guests with the help of volunteers from St. Stephen, First Evangelical Presbyterian Church, and New Beginnings Christian Fellowship. St. Stephen the Martyr is the host site for these meals every other month and we would like to increase our male involvement from the parish during our host months. The majority of our homeless are men, who, in addition to a nutritious meal, benefit from the fellowship offered at Terrific Tuesdays. We encourage Table Hosts to sit with our guests at the meal. In addition to fellowship, we would like to increase an authoritative presence on our Church grounds. This is an opportunity to walk the talk and follow Christ's words: 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.' ~ Matthew 25:31. If you would be interested in helping out with Terrific Tuesday Meals please contact us at ttmeals.ststephen@gmail.com. Thank you for your support.

Words from Fr Ed (From January 8th, 2012 Bulletin)

2012-01-04T15:39:00.000-08:00

Epiphany

When the king of heaven was born, the heavens knew that he was God because they immediately sent forth a star; the sea knew him because it allowed him to walk upon it; the earth knew him because it trembled when he died; the sun knew him because it hid the rays of its light.

St Gregory the Great

What has been revealed to us through this Christmas Season? We have one more day left as our Season ends Monday, January 10th with the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord. What graces have you received? Our Gospel last week speaks of Mary at the manger keeping "…all of these things, reflecting on them in her heart." (Luke 2:19) When did you feel most alive during the past few weeks? This can tell us how the Holy Spirit is moving in our lives.

Even as I write this I can think of a grace I received in the last few minutes. There is a short Internet piece that a friend shared that I found inspiring. I write this on the Optional Memorial of the Holy Name of Jesus, a new feast here in the United States, but celebrated for centuries in Italy. This tender clip culminates in the most powerful, healing name one could hear or say.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sghwe4TYY18

To the City and the World

Every year on Christmas Day the Pope gives an address that summarizes his intentions for both the City of Rome, of which he is the Bishop, as well as the world, for which he is Pope, the Patriarch of all the Churches. In it he usually focuses especially on those situations in the world where there is great suffering. Here is the tail end of this year’s Urbi et Orbi Message. The full text can be found at:

www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=12780.

Dear brothers and sisters in Rome and throughout the world, on this Christmas 2011, let us then turn to the Child of Bethlehem, to the Son of the Virgin Mary, and say: "Come to save us!" Let us repeat these words in spiritual union with the many people who experience particularly difficult situations; let us speak out for those who have no voice.Together let us ask God’s help for the peoples of the Horn of Africa, who suffer from hunger and food shortages, aggravated at times by a persistent state of insecurity. May the international community not fail to offer assistance to the many displaced persons coming from that region and whose dignity has been sorely tried.May the Lord grant comfort to the peoples of South-East Asia, particularly Thailand and the Philippines, who are still enduring grave hardships as a result of the recent floods.
May the Lord come to the aid of our world torn by so many conflicts which even today stain the earth with blood. May the Prince of Peace grant peace and stability to that Land where he chose to come into the world, and encourage the resumption of dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians. May he bring an end to the violence in Syria, where so much blood has already been shed. May he foster full reconciliation and stability in Iraq and Afghanistan. May he grant renewed vigour to all elements of society in the countries of North Africa and the Middle East as they strive to advance the common good.May the birth of the Saviour support the prospects of dialogue and cooperation in Myanmar, in the pursuit of shared solutions. May the Nativity of the Redeemer ensure political stability to the countries of the Great Lakes Region of Africa, and assist the people of South Sudan in their commitment to safeguarding the rights of all citizensDear Brothers and Sisters, let us turn our gaze anew to the grotto of Bethlehem. The Child whom we contemplate is our salvation! He has brought to the world a universal message of reconciliation and peace. Let us open our hearts to him; let us receive him into our lives. Once more let us say to him, with joy and confidence: "Veni ad salvandum nos!"(Come to save us!)

- Pope Benedict XVI

THANK YOU!!!

Thanks to all who gave me presents and cards for Christmas. I'm always humbled by people's generosity. If I'm not able to get a thank you to you personally, please accept my gratitude for all you do for me and the parish. May you have the happiest year yet in 2012.

- Yours in Christ, Fr Ed

Words from Fr Ed (From December 25th, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-12-20T09:20:00.000-08:00

“Let us go then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.”
One shepherd to another, Luke 2:15

Blessed and Merry Christmas to all! It is a beautiful time to be together to worship our New-born King. Has He taken root in your heart this season yet? The holidays can be so stressful, given the traffic, shopping and festivities. It is easy to lose our peace in the midst of so much activity. Guerric of Igny writes:
If in the depths of your soul you were to keep a quiet silence, the all-powerful Word would follow from the Father’s throne secretly into you. Happy then is the person who has so fled the world’s tumult, who has so withdrawn into the solitude and secrecy of interior peace, that he can hear not only the Voice of the Word, but the Word himself: not John but Jesus.

“Quiet silence”, “Sacred Silence”, “Silent Night”, the words seem easy to sing, consoling to consider, but when can they happen? I’m reminded of a riddle from the movie, Life is Beautiful: “If you say my name, I disappear.” Of course “Silence”, once said, is no longer present. Even in writing about it, I delay finding it. We need silence, we need inactivity, we need, like the Blessed Virgin, for the Holy Spirit to overshadow us in a moment of silence and awe.
I recommend breathing to start. Last week I wrote about the Jesus Prayer. Breathing in the Sacred and Powerful Name of Jesus is one of the best ways to bring silence and peace to the soul. Mere contact with His Name is enough for the soul to be quieted, like a lamb that at once feels safe in its Shepherd’s arms. Let Him draw you near to His Heart, a Heart full of goodness and love for you. Writing about it makes me want to stop and take that five minutes of the Jesus Prayer right now…I invite you to do the same….

Lord Jesus Christ, (Son of God and Son of Mary), have mercy on me, a sinner.

…five minutes is not enough. I am at least ready for a nap! I hope you can take quality time for prayer during this Christmas Season. Remember as Catholics we have a whole Season to celebrate that lasts 15 days this year. That is one reason why we are closing our offices from Dec 25th through Jan 2nd. Not only does our Pastoral Team (staff) need a rest, but I think it is important for all of us as Christians to take real extended Sabbath at various times during the year. The Christmas Octave (8 days of Christmas) is a perfect time to start. I encourage all to take time with family and friends; time for prayer; time for rest. Emmanuel, God with us, will be with you.

From all of our Pastoral Team and the Parish Community of St. Stephen the Martyr, have a Blessed Christmas Season.

Incarnation
by Stephen Wentworth Arndt, Ph.D.

In a thistle-thick field, The sun-baked clay with its break-spade soil
Had a summer-seared yield, And the drought-sky-flouted dry ground foiled all of Israel's trouble and toil.

But the Caretaker saw And tilled that wilderness field with priests
And their ground-breaking law, As the prophets' cry thinned high sin-weeds,
And the kings did their battle with beasts. Then the Husbandman sowed
Pure virgin earth, and the germ took root. When the gracious rain flowed
On the love-lit plot, it shot out shoots, And it budded forth, bearing its fruit.

Now the fruit of our womb Is blest grain bread and a vine grape wine
From the Passover room; O incarnate Lord, O Christ divine, Make the fruits of your flesh and blood mine!

Words from Fr Ed (From December 18th, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-12-14T11:20:00.000-08:00

“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.”

As we live this last week of Advent, let us ask that this Christmas bring a new receptivity to Jesus’ presence in our lives. Our Advent and Christmas liturgies are not meant to be mere external reminders of an historical event. They are meant to be a real entrance into God’s active covenant with His people. This again is not a reality out there, in all the members of the Church outside of myself, it is a personal participation in the Incarnation of God made flesh. May our final preparation for Christmas make room for the Christ Child within us, in our relationships and in the way we use the great gift of time.

Del Verbo Divino
The Virgin,
weighed with the Word of God
Comes down the road;
If only you'll shelter her.- St. John of the Cross

Receptivity is one of the most important attributes of Christian growth. If we are full of ourselves, complacent in our spiritual state, there is not much room for God. Since God is perfect love, in relation with Him, we naturally realize our deficiencies. Love, it is said, conforms itself to its Beloved. If we love God, then we will want to be like Him. Are we receptive to this during the week before Christmas? Can we slow down enough to love? Our Lady gives us the supreme example of receptivity. She was ready, open and welcoming to the Word of God, Jesus the Christ.

Annunciation: The Words of the Angel
You are no closer to God than any of us;
We all live far and wide.
But it’s wonderful how your hands
Have been sanctified.
They don’t find a match in other women’s,
So brilliant from beneath their sleeves:
I am the day, I am the dew,
But you are tree.
I am rather tired now, my journey was long,
Forgive that I forgot
That he, who sat in gilded garb
Like a ray of light,
Sends news to you, you quiet one
(this room here startled me).
Look: I am the beginning one,
But you are tree.
I spread my wings apart
And became oddly broad;
Now your little house is flooded
With my coat.
And still, you are so all alone
As neer before, me you hardly see;
Because I am just breath in woods,
But you are tree.
Perhaps it will come about soon
And you will grasp it as if in a dream.
Blessings to you, my soul perceives
You are ready and ripe to receive.
You are a great and lofty gate
And about to open up.
You are my song’s most beloved ear.
I feel there disappears and seeps
Into you my word.
That’s how I came and completed
Your dream among a thousand and one.
And with blinding eyes God looked at me…
But you are tree.

- Rainer Maria Rilke (from Magnificat Missalette)

Words from Fr Ed (From December 11th, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-12-12T06:28:00.000-08:00

Pray without ceasing - 1 Thess. 5:17

This is the whole verse in Thessalonians. Our readings focus on an increased urgency for the sanctification of each one of us. The Gospel of John repeats some of what we heard from Mark last week, and yet it is expanded and elaborates on who exactly this John is and how he is related to the Christ who is imminent. Isaiah writes of the Spirit anointing one who will bring Good News to the poor and to heal the brokenhearted. Paul prays that "…the God of peace make you perfectly holy…" The message is, I think, start today, start now.

One of the most important aspects of holiness is prayer. We must pray in order to become holy. It is like breathing for the body. We need spiritual oxygen to transform our souls in right-thinking and right-practice (Orthodoxy and orthopraxis). St. Paul writes to the Philippians "have this mind within you" and then goes on to describe the humble mind of Christ. Prayer is a vehicle whereby God plants His thoughts within us.

Advent for Christians is also the peak season for retail commerce. Parties and festivities and plays and shopping all add up to make it one of the busiest times of the year as well. This can crush the spirit of prayer. We need to breathe the silence and sweetness of the season. Preparation in nature often happens in secret and solitude. So it is in the Spirit, we need time alone to think, meditate and pray. I encourage you to take time this Advent to prepare the way of the Lord in your hearts. I offer the simple Jesus Prayer, something one can even say at the Mall!

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Breathe in on the first part "Lord Jesus Christ", letting the name of Jesus inebriate your soul. Breathe out on the second part, letting go of all sin, all worry. If one took 5 minutes a day for this prayer, I believe it could transform our world. Will you join me today in doing this every day before Christmas? Let us pray for one another, that our faithful God will continue to accomplish His work within us.

Giving Opportunity in Bethlehem

We were not able to have Khaled Jaraysa here this fall with his Bethlehem crafts, but one can still help in the middle east by supporting the Children of Peace. I, with other pilgrims from St. Stephens, were able to visit the Children of Peace project in Beit Seor, or better known from the Bible, the Shepherd’s Field, where the angels announced the birth of Christ. They provide funding for the Holy Child Program which serves 33 children and their families traumatized by the strife in the area.

They recently lost their free lunch program which was providing much needed nutrition. It is documented that children in this region are known to be deficient in vitamin A, B12, and iron, resulting in vision problems, anemia, and other health-related issues. It takes only $1.50 a day to provide a hot lunch for a child in the program. Can you provide for a day of lunches for the school? That would be $49.50. Could you provide for one child for a month? That would be $45. How simple, yet such a difference.

See the Children of Peace website for more information. You can use their website for donations.

www.ChildrenOfPeaceFoundation.org

Their first goal is to raise $4000 by December 31st. Children of Peace is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to supporting programs that serve traumatized children and their families regardless of race, religion or cultural background.

Words from Fr Ed (From December4th, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-11-30T09:37:00.000-08:00

“Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight His paths”
So much of our part in the spiritual life is about preparation. It is our ‘Yes’ to grace that opens the door to God’s action in our life. He sends something called prevenient grace, the grace that comes before a grace. Or as St. Thérèse loved to say, “All is grace.” The Scripture also says, “It is by your light that we see your light.” We are dependent on God’s grace to receive more grace, more life from our God who is love.
The time of Advent is meant as a preparation for the Incarnation of the Christ. Of course He has already come, so what does it mean today in 2011? Last week our readings pointed to Jesus’ Second Coming, the Parousia, at the end of time. He says, “Watch” four times it that Gospel. There is something more proximate, however, that we ought to consider. He comes again each Sunday when we attend Mass. Have we prepared by reading the readings, and as I suggested in last week’s column, to read the new texts of the Mass?

This would be a beautiful practice for Advent: Take Sunday’s readings, but read them each day as a meditation. It may be best to choose just one of the readings (Old Testament, Psalm, New Testament, or Gospel). Putting Sunday at the middle of the week, we can prepare for Sunday Mass by reading the passage of our choice Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Then to follow up, to put the Word into action, read it again Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. I believe it will come alive in a brand new way. Don’t forget to speak to the Lord about what you are reading, and a great dialogue of love will take place.

Oldest Parishioner Dies Fraser MacDonell died a week ago at the age of 101 years old. We had thought he had just turned 100 this summer, but after checking his birth certificate, his grandchildren found that he was born in 1910, in Canada. I believe that would have made him our oldest parishioner. (Jay Hyatt’s father is turning 101 shortly). If you know of someone older, please let me know. Fraser was a parishioner for many years with his wife, who preceded him in death by a few years. He used to come to Saturday evening Mass, sitting on the choir side. His grandsons drove him once they had wrestled his driver’s license away from him.

He worked in real estate, including doing assessments for houses purchased by the government when I-5 was built. He met Richard Nixon and other dignitaries during his lifetime. Fraser was wounded in the stomach by machine gun fire during WWII while serving in the Philippines. He survived an auto accident, where after the crash, the steering wheel remained firmly in his hands, but had broken off from the column! (He was a strong man.) He was related by marriage to Simon Fraser (1776-1862), explorer and fur trader of Canadian fame, who married into the MacDonell clan. Born in 1910, Fraser was not far removed from them and gained the explorer’s name. May God bless Fraser’s soul and all the souls of the faithful departed. Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.

A Prayer for Advent
O Lord, our early fathers in the faith waited for you as for the dawn. You will come at the end of time, when it pleases you, and when all will be in readiness for the last judgment. What have you still to give me, and what will be my eternal destiny? …
You will give me pardon and also perseverance, that sublime gift which is hidden like a pearl beneath the bitterness of death and is the seal of liberation for your elect. I wait for it, I should prepare myself better for it and live in this blessed anticipation.

My God, on account of your definite coming, suppress in me the sin which hinders your work, destroy all that impedes it, triumph over every weakness and come, at the hour you choose, like a long-desired master.

Words from Fr Ed (From November 27th 2011 Bulletin)

2011-11-30T09:32:00.000-08:00

…what I say to you I say to all: Watch.
Our new liturgical year, along with the New Roman Missal translation, has arrived. We have been watching and preparing for this for over a year. The process of translating the texts has taken over 10 years. It is a great opportunity to reexamine our disposition towards the Mass and our preparedness for the graces God has for each one of us at every Mass we attend.

Normally, I would say that the best way to prepare for Sunday Mass is to read the readings beforehand. That is probably still the case, but this year, as we implement the New Roman Missal, perhaps it would be good to spend time reading the new translations, prayers and texts of the Mass. Even the opening greeting deserves meditation, as the assembly response changes from “And also with you” to “And with your spirit”.

Do we come to Mass with the intention of blessing one another? Do we recognize the Divine character, the Divine Spirit at work in the Mass? Do we recognize the Spirit of Christ present in the priest, the assembly, the Scriptures, and especially Holy Communion? Edward Sri writes on this new response:

By responding, "And with your spirit," we acknowledge the Spirit's activity through the priest during the sacred Liturgy. We are referring to the "spirit" of the priest, the very core of his being, where he has been ordained to offer the sacrifice of the Mass. Indeed, we are acknowledging that since God works through the priest who is offering the Mass, ultimately it is

Jesus Christ who is the head of the community gathered for the Liturgy, and it is his Spirit who is the primary actor in the Liturgy, regardless who the particular priest celebrating Mass may be.
May we come to know the Holy Spirit, gift of the Father and His Son, at work in the Mass, the Holy Liturgy of our God.

Ecclesiastes 9:9+
I wanted to include the full account of Travis Wood and his encounter with Scripture and the Spirit we believe inspired it:

Here is an account of what happened days after my brother-in-law, David Strong, and nephew, Bridger Strong, were killed in a horrible car accident.

I had barely opened a Bible in the last 20 plus years. Although I am a Christian, I haven't been one in the practice I need to be. I woke early in the morning at the hotel we were staying at a day after we buried both bodies. As I awoke, I immediately had names of Books from the Bible running through my head. It felt as if someone was communicating with me. (I felt silly. I thought maybe I was trying to contrive something after the horrible accident.) Finally, a book settled in my mind - Ecclesiastes; then a chapter presented itself - chapter 9. Things then became a little fuzzy, and verse 12 came to mind, but it was not as clear.

I was curious at this point and opened the drawer next to me from the night stand. I pulled out the Bible and wanted to check the verse out. I searched the Bible and couldn't find the book in the Bible. I just decided that Ecclesiastes must not even be a book in the Bible, and that I'd contrived the entire thing to somehow make myself feel better. I went back to bed.

I awoke again around 8 a.m. and couldn't stop thinking about "The Message" I had received. My wife was in the bathroom getting ready for the day, and I yelled into her to see if Ecclesiastes was a book in the Bible. She responded with a chuckle and some concern that I wasn't sure if it was a Book in the Bible. She told me that of course it was a Book in the Bible and told me the correct pronunciation. Consequently, I went back to the Bible and searched for it.

After several minutes I located the Book in the Bible and went to chapter 9, verse 12. Chapter 9, verse 12 read: Moreover, man does not know his time; etc. I thought, ‘Wow, how fitting. David was just 45 years old and Bridger was just 9 years old."

Later that day, we arrived at my sister's home. I couldn't wait to tell her the odd thing that had happened that morning. After explaining to her what happened, but not really knowing the entire verse, Parrish (my sister) was intrigued and wanted to read the entire verse. She walked me over to David's Bible. I'd never been in her house or seen David's Bible in my life. The string David used to mark his Bible had a spot marked in the Bible - Ecclesiastes, Chapter 9. He had several rows of verse underlined, however, not verse 12. One row was underlined twice. It was verse 9 and read, "Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given to you under the sun."

We were both amazed that, "The Message", I received was the exact same spot that David had marked and last read in his Bible. What are the odds? Well, they were 100% that day. It impacted us on several levels. It reinforced our belief in the Holy Spirit; comforted us; and gave both of us several messages to what this really meant. As I tell this story to others, I realize that this story has had different meanings to them as well. Sometimes, you can chalk things up to the coincidences of life. For me, this was more than a coincidence. It was a Message from the Lord that has multiple meanings in Parrish's life, my life, and the lives of the others who hear it. - Travis Wood

Words from Fr Ed (From November 20th, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-11-16T12:30:00.000-08:00

…you did it to me.
We conclude our liturgical year today with the Solemnity of Christ the King. It might seem strange that the Church would choose this Gospel of Christ’s radical identification with the poor, the prisoner, and the stranger. Wouldn’t we expect something more glorious, more triumphant? Wouldn’t we recognize his kingship better in a different package? Who is this starving, naked, imprisoned king?

The Bible quotes God saying, “Your ways are not my ways, your understanding is not my understanding.” We can, in dealing with God, expect the unexpected. His Kingship, while supreme, is not like any other kingship. It is bound to exhibit values that far transcend earthly kings and leaders that we have experienced in the past. His Kingship is based on values that last forever.

No matter what our level of faith in God, He asks us to respond to that faith with love. True faith lives itself out in good works that care for our neighbor’s well being. We cannot, by calling ourselves Catholic Christian believers, remain an island unto ourselves. Charity must be born in us, and like the Blessed Virgin in generosity, be given to the world. Otherwise, it dies within us, and we will be counted among the
goats.

Changes in the Liturgy Next Week!
Next weekend, November 26 and 27, we begin to use the new English translation of the Roman Missal. We have been using the same translation for practically 40 years, so it is a significant event in our lives as English-speaking Catholics. We plan to have cards in the pews detailing the specific changes this weekend (November 19 and 20). For the congregational responses, there aren’t many major changes in
my opinion. If you can change “And also with you” to “And with your spirit”, you already have three of the 12 parts that are changing. We’ve already been singing several of the new translations, including the Gloria, the Sanctus (Holy), and the Mystery of Faith (Memorial Acclamation). That leaves only six new parts for you to learn, and one of them is simply adding the word “O” to our Gospel dialogue after the
Priest or Deacon says, “A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John”. You will now say, “Glory to You, O Lord.”

Though these changes may be simple, they are profound in their ability to form us as Christians. As I said a few weeks ago in this column, ‘lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi’, which means, how we pray ,affects how we believe, which, in turn, affects how we live. While it may be a little unsettling to have to change our words, I believe that these new words will help us grow closer to the God we are worshiping.
It is also an opportunity to realize that how we pray is also affected by our disposition and attitude when we pray. May all of us be prepared with open hearts and minds to receive God’s constant gift of love, especially through our Holy Liturgy.

It’s About Time
Time has many names such as the name given for the time planet earth circles the sun, another by a single rotation. There are many more names for shorter periods of time; we have also given time numbers. Although we cannot see or feel time, we have learned how to measure it. There are many types of time - a good time; a bad time; a short time; and a long time. We have a daytime, and we have a nighttime. We have free time, and we have jail time. We are given time, and it is taken away. Sometimes we are short of time, other times, we have time to waste. We have a time to laugh; we have a time to cry. We have a time to live and a time to die. When time has no importance, we call it anytime. We have much knowledge about old times and present times, but we know very little about time that has yet to arrive. Through it all, time still passes on at its own speed, unhampered by humans. Remember, when we are born, we are given a
number in time, and whether it be a long time or a short time, make the best of it. - Harry Gores, parishioner

Words from Fr Ed (From November 13th, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-11-09T12:21:00.000-08:00

“Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

These are the words we hope to hear when we must give an account for how we have governed our lives. Have we invested in the things of God? Have we sought first the kingdom? The parable of the talents gives us an analogy of the final judgment as we approach the end of the liturgical year. We must give an account some day. Why not start today?

Mahatma Gandhi was a disciplined man. He rose at 3:30am for prayerful reading, then at 4:30 went for a one-hour walk. His day proceeded from one discipline to another until finally, before he retired he would take account of his finan-cial transactions that day; what he had taken in and what he had spent. He required this of every organization that he was in charge of. He noted in his autobiography, “The Story of My Experiments with Truth”, that he never knew anyone who practiced this habit of daily financial accountability who was in debt.

Perhaps we can apply this to the spiritual life. Do we take account of our exchange with God today; what we have given and what we have received? If we are honest we will see how abundantly we have received. It can make our small contributions and anxieties seem paltry and insignificant. And yet we have a responsibility for little things. As our Gospel says, “Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities.”

One of the earthly realities that we all face is financial responsibility. Sure, it would be easier to return to Eden and lounge in the garden for all eternity. But the garden is closed to us since the fall of Adam and Eve. Now we can only reenter through the wounds of Christ. He restores our lost innocence and brings an interior freedom that helps put creature concerns in order. Through Christ we are now asked to consider what we are called to give to our parish over the coming year.

I look forward to the challenge of pushing myself beyond where I may have been before, exercising those muscles of faith and trust in God. Of course, I don’t have natural children that depend on me. Families must be prudent and prayerfully ask the Lord what is possible given your financial demands. As our Old Testament reading said last week, ask for wisdom, for “…she is readily perceived by those who love her, and found by those who seek her.” I thank you for taking time to ask the Lord what you can give to His work through St. Stephen the Martyr Church. He will reward you accordingly.

“Courageous” Movie Review, Pt. II
Be ready to take a remarkable journey into the lives of five men and their families. It is an incredible tapestry of God’s hand connecting them all in extraordinary circumstances. If you want to hear profanity, view sex, or see violence, stay home.

What you will see and experience is a story of beautiful miracles unfolding amidst a raw aching tragedy that becomes the catalyst for God’s grace and love to pour over all involved. Deep sadness and grief soon find company with many unexpected outcomes - redemption of choices made in the past; forgiveness that has taken a lifetime; trust and integrity upheld; accountability to oneself; and sadly, even betrayal all come together in this powerful fraternity of brotherhood. As many tears flowed from me, I was happy to experience well-timed and clever humor that is sprinkled throughout this rich opus.

“Courageous" made me think of a recent homily- God’s loving invitation to us, “Are you all in?” This is a MUST SEE movie. To all wise and spirit filled women, young and old alike, take heart. The movie does focus on this unique brotherhood, but the role of each female character plays a crucial part in the symphony that plays out. Evangelization of our faith must begin in our own homes. “Courageous” is God’s sweet invitation to examine, sharpen and embrace what we each call family, with Jesus Christ as the glorious centerpiece of it all.
Gift yourself and your family. Make time to experience “Courageous”.

Why do Catholics pray to Mary?
Episode Four of Fr. Barron’s Catholicism Series will focus on the Blessed Virgin. Her role and prominence in the Catholic Church is a challenge for some. We consider her a blessing and as the Holy Spirit put on the lips of Mary herself, “All generations will call me blessed.” For good reason, not so much because of her physical motherhood of Christ, but because her heart and mind were in total communion with Him and in service of His mission. Please come and witness the rich teaching of the Church on the Mother of God. Alternate showings will occur on Wednesdays during the day. Please see the bulletin and narthex advertising for more details.

Reasons for the Changes in the Liturgy
Unity and continuity – that our sacrifice today may be an extension of the ancient foundations of our faith – has continued to be of utmost importance to the Church. The unity of Christians was a primary concern of Pope John Paul II and also of Pope Benedict XVI. While we don’t all worship in one language as we did prior to Vatican II, we continually strive for the language we do use to faithfully echo the prayers our ancestors passed on as a foundation of the Mass. The Vatican’s instruction on the translation of the liturgy states, “Certain expressions that belong to the heritage of the whole or of a great part of the ancient Church... are to be respected by a translation that is as literal as possible.” In previous translations, some of our expressions did not accurately represent the meaning of the Latin. The new English translation of the Roman Missal aims to recover that meaning – to unite more closely the words we use during the celebration of the liturgy with those that are, and have been, spoken in faith throughout all the world. Thus, we can envision one glorious and universal chorus, offering a united prayer to God our almighty Father.

Words from Fr Ed (From November 6th, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-11-02T12:41:00.000-07:00

…the wise (virgins) brought flasks of oil with their lamps.

Flasks of oil were critical for these virgins to make it into the wedding, a symbol of the heavenly banquet. St. Augustine speaks of charity as the oil that endures forever. We can compare the lamps to the light of faith, but ‘faith alone’ is insufficient for salvation. As St. James says, “…faith without works is dead.” (James 2:26) We must act on the faith that we profess. We must take the love of God, poured into our hearts through the Eucharist, and invest in real works of charity during the week. This is what these prudent virgins have done. They planned ahead for the banquet. We too must plan ahead by being alert today to the opportunity to love.

New Roman Missal
On the First Sunday of Advent, November 27th, we will be using the new translation of the Roman Missal. This is the third edition since the mandate of Vatican II (1962 – 1965) to renew the liturgy. As we explained last week, the core beliefs and substance of the Mass will not change. The new translation, however, has changed some of the language in order to be more faithful to the universal Latin translation. Typically, these changes are much closer to the Scriptures connected to the Mass. They also are closer to the Spanish, Italian, and French translations that have always been closer to the Latin. This should help foster a greater sense of unity in the Church.

There is a Latin phrase, lex orandi, lex credendi, which translate to “How we pray is how we believe”. This means that the structure, which includes the language, of our prayer is formative. How we pray affects the formation of our faith. St. Paul put this truth as “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” When we worship, we are immersed in the Words of God as we attempt to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. The truth of lex orandi, lex credendi is sometimes expanded to include lex vivendi, "how we live". How we pray affects how we believe; how we believe affects how we live. Therefore, completing the equation, how we pray affects how we live. The new translation is meant to bring our lives into a greater conformity with the Word of God.

As our New Testament reading said this past week, “And for this reason we too give thanks to God unceasingly, that, in receiving the word of God from hearing us, you received not a human word but, as it truly is, the word of God, which is now at work in you who believe.” (1 Thess 2) I’m grateful for all the ways that God is powerfully at work here at St. Stephens. Receiving this new translation will increase the life of grace within us. I hope to take quality time during the Mass itself in order to more deeply explain why we do certain things during the Mass and why the changes make good sense. Please join me in praying for a successful implementation of the New Roman Missal.

“Courageous”
Here is a parishioner’s experience of the movie “Courageous”, which I recommend especially to men, but here is a woman’s perspective. This is a brief summary of Beth’s comments. If possible, I’ll include the full review next week:

"I received a powerful call last weekend. A “wake up” call that is. The movie is called “Courageous”. This is a MUST SEE movie. To all wise and spirit filled women, young and old alike…take heart.
Evangelization of our faith must begin in our own homes. “Courageous” is God’s sweet invitation to examine… sharpen… and embrace what we each call family, with Jesus Christ as the glorious centerpiece of it all.

Gift yourself and your family. Make time to experience “Courageous”. Take a hanky (or two!), and if this movie does not move your heart and mind… the buttered popcorn is on me.” ~ Beth Motola

Words from Fr Ed (From October 30th, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-10-26T14:47:00.000-07:00

…whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

     Humility runs contrary to our current culture of self-aggrandizement. “American Idol” is just one expression of the media-driven climate that pervades our daily life. This is not to say that I have anything against a talent show. We even had a young man from our local community make it high into the competition recently. He has an extraordinary voice and deserved to be there. He also has a great story that shows God’s blessing on his life. But the word “Idol” betrays a danger that exists in today’s world. Do we idolize people for their talents or social status?

     We must work against the pride apparent in our society and even in our Church. Pride has no place here. St. Benedict writes about the need for humility in his Rule:

The first degree of humility is obedience without delay. This is the virtue of those who hold nothing dearer to them than Christ; who, because of the holy service they have professed, and the fear of hell, and the glory of life everlasting, as soon as anything has been ordered by the Superior, receive it as a divine command and cannot suffer any delay in executing it. Of these the Lord says, "As soon as he heard, he obeyed Me" (Ps. 17[18]:45). And again to teachers He says, "He who hears you, hears Me" (Luke 10:16).

Remember Philippians 2, “He humbled Himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.” Let us pursue this great virtue of humility. It conquers all sin.
Part III – Archbishop Sartain’s Homily at the Red Mass in Washington, D.C.

     Try as I might to wrap my mind and heart around the image that Jesus presents in the gospel passage we have just heard, I am always utterly astounded and speechless when I picture it:

Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them (Luke 12:37).

     The Lord Jesus, having left us “in charge” until his return, will himself return – but still a servant, ever a servant, with perfect love and unimaginable humility – and will serve us at table. It could not be otherwise for the One who “came to serve” and to “give his life as a ransom.” Likewise, it cannot be otherwise for us who are his disciples. St. Augustine writes,

...the Christ who is preached throughout the world is not Christ adorned with an earthly crown, nor Christ rich in earthly treasures, but Christ crucified... Thus, at length, the pride of this world was convinced that, even among the things of this world, there is nothing more powerful than the humility of God (see Epistle 232:5, 6).

     In the end, it is in our relationship with the Lord that we find the spiritual health that reveals and makes possible true balance, true integrity. We are speaking here not of a formula, and certainly not of self-improvement: we are speaking instead of lives lived in God, for others. It is God who created us who makes us complete, and it is a life lived in humble union with the servant-Savior that literally does the most good.

     A sound soul in a sound body makes for a balanced life, a life of integrity. And such sound, integrally healthy lives given to public service lift up and transform society. And consciously committed lives of discipleship reveal the living, saving presence of the humble Savior who gives himself as food to those who are his own. It is his love, his sacrifice which sets the standard for every life of humble service – and thus it is a living relationship with him that integrates our lives and makes them truly healthy. That is what we call holiness.

     My sisters and brothers, we who are here this day know that it is from God that we come and toward God that we are headed. Each of us, according to the calling given us, has been put “in charge” of the Lord’s vineyard. The vineyard is his, we are his, and those we serve are his. And we pray that we will be humble servants like him, who seek to do only his good. It is that for which we were made – and it is that for which we are sent into the world. Amen.

Movie Recommendation: “Courageous”
www.courageousthemovie.com

     I was privileged to join a parishioner and his son this last week in watching the movie, “Courageous”, which is about four policemen grappling with their roles as fathers and men. It was powerfully presented and quite convicting for someone in the role as father. I couldn’t help but want all men to see this movie, including all priests and seminarians training to be spiritual fathers. The movie calls us men to take responsibility for protecting and serving the women and children around us. It calls men to hold other men accountable to one another for this vocation. I hope you can attend a showing. I viewed it at the Landing in Renton. May God bless all fathers with a renewed vision for their role and the courage to carry it out.

Words from Fr Ed (From October 23rd, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-10-19T11:36:00.000-07:00

…with all your heart

       “Dishes?!”, Cardinal George exclaimed, “I’m not talking about dishes!” The Cardinal of Chicago was meeting with some of my classmates at seminary and had broached the topic of manual labor. He told the group that he was thinking that it might be good for them to be doing some manual labor around the seminary grounds. At this suggestion one classmate said, “But Cardinal George, we do dishes once a month in the refectory.” The Cardinal’s head snapped in the seminarian’s direction, with his great Roman nose protruding and bald head shining, like an eagle ready to pounce.

        “Dishes?!” he shouted, angry at such a puny offering. “I’m talking about chopping wood and working up a sweat.” The seminarian caught the fullness of the cardinal’s rebuke. Cardinal George wanted men to be giving more of themselves, even the strength of their bodies. The command we hear from Jesus in today’s gospel speaks of the fullness of love we owe to God, that is, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” While Matthew doesn’t include ‘strength’ in this quote, Mark and Luke do. It’s part of our offering to God. We are body and soul, and owe God everything.

       This past week’s gospel asks us to render unto God what is God’s. Shouldn’t we offer Him everything? The notion that 5% belongs to God as we tithe our finances can obscure the reality that everything comes from Him and a full Christian life offers everything back. Not that He doesn’t want us to spend money on ourselves; but if our whole self is offered to God, then even what we spend on ourselves will more likely be spent for His glory, and not our own. To love God with all of our heart would mean giving over all areas of life that ought to belong to Him. Are we doing something more worthwhile with our lives than offering just the minimum?

Red Mass, Part II (of III): Archbishop Sartain’s Homily for Members of the Supreme Court

       …The Desert Father Poemen said, “Do not give your heart to that which does not satisfy your heart.”
       St. Paul recognized that Christian freedom is not only freedom “from” the constraints of sin but freedom “for” positive striving for fulfillment in Christ, a natural and critical outgrowth of faith and one’s desire to live life to the full, peacefully and integrally.

       He also knew that at the heart of the Gospel is a mandate which both draws challengingly on the deepest resources of human freedom and opens up for the individual and for society the most complete fulfillment possible: and that is the spirit of loving self-giving, made manifest in acts – in lives – of total sacrifice.

       As human persons we are not fully alive – even if we follow a balanced, healthy lifestyle and nourish ourselves with all that is good and beautiful in culture – unless we live for something beyond ourselves, unless we give ourselves to Someone beyond ourselves. It was that spirit, that stance, in Solomon which caught God’s eye:

Because you have not asked for a long life for yourself, nor for riches, nor for the life of your enemies, but for understanding so that you may know what is right – I do as you requested. I give you a heart so wise and understanding that there has never been anyone like you up to now, and after you there will come no one to equal you (1 Kings 3:11-12).

       Solomon desired to use his gifts for others – literally for the good of his people, who were, after all, God’s people – and thus for the purpose for which God gives every one of his gifts. It is love which makes the using of one’s gifts perfect; it is love which makes the gift of oneself beautiful in the eyes of God; it is love which best manifests the presence of God in our personal and public lives. This love is not just altruism. Rather, it is conscious participation in the sacrificial love of Christ, which the Christian disciple realizes he or she is called to communicate and proclaim – in everything.

       It is impossible to overstate the importance of the perfection and integration which self-forgetfulness, generosity, and humility bring to a Christian’s life of service. Why? Because these virtues manifest our desire not just to do well, but to do the good and to deliberately manifest in our lives the One Who Is Good. We can barely grasp the extraordinary depth of God’s humility, the infinity of his love, and the mind-boggling truth that he has invited us to share in his very life and in his care for his people.

For the full account of the Red Mass see: http://whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com/2011/10/at-dc-red-mass-call-to-do-good.html

Words from Fr. Ed (from October 16th, 2011 bulletin)

2011-10-12T12:03:00.000-07:00

“…give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”

     This classic phrase of Jesus calls us to consider what belongs to Caesar and what belongs to God. Caesar represents the secular, temporal world which is fading away. God is the world that lasts forever. We do have a responsibility towards the temporal world, to shape it according to God’s kingdom. This is done, however, with one foot in heaven so to speak.

     I suppose I had heard it said before, that when getting on or off a boat, one should have at least one good handhold on the boat or the dock, and never be caught in between. I learned the hard way when fishing with a friend. He was pulling into a dock and I was preparing to jump to it. As we approached a boat in front of us, he shifted the engine into reverse rather than neutral. The abrupt change of direction threw me straight off the bow into the boat and water in front of us. So much for pride!

     We have a secure place from which we can hang on to God. It’s called a ‘state of grace’. Through prayer, the sacraments, and a life of charity, we are assured of the grace from God to lead a life that arrives at heaven. What a great gift, but not to be taken for granted. Especially as our secular world chooses values contrary to the Gospel, we must ‘swim upstream’ like our northwest salmon, making real decisions in favor of the ways of God. This takes grace. It takes daily prayer and a conscious effort to grow in our relationship of love with God and neighbor. This life of grace is in fact what sanctifies the world. Let us continue on this path of holiness with Christ at our head, leading us home to the Father.

Red Mass

     Every year in Washington, D.C., before another session of the Supreme Court, a ‘Red’ Mass is offered, invoking the Holy Spirit. This year the guest homilist was none other than our own Archbishop Sartain. I include Part I of his homily as a sample of one way we can sanctify our world:
     When I bought my first pair of Asics running shoes many years ago, I noticed a familiar Latin maxim on the box – “Anima sana in corpore sano” – and soon realized much to my amazement that the name “Asics” is in fact an acronym for that very maxim. It is a variation on “Mens sana in corpore sano,” usually translated, “A sound mind in a sound body.”

     The Roman poet and satirist Juvenalis (55-127 A.D.) is usually credited with the saying, and his point is a good one. People of every age have championed the value of a healthy body, even if notions of health and beauty have varied greatly through the centuries. The body/mind connection is a reminder that we are whole persons, that one aspect of living directly affects the others. Physical, intellectual, and psychological health go hand-in-hand. We live more serenely, think more clearly and work more energetically when we take care of our bodies – when we literally put our Asics to use.

     It is interesting that Asics chose “anima” over “mens” for its corporate slogan, because while “mens” usually referred to the mind in its intellectual aspects, “anima” referred to the more encompassing “vital principal” of life, the “breath of life,” one’s “heart,” and one’s overall sense of well-being. In fact, “anima” is the word used for “soul” in the Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible, in Church writings and in the liturgy.

     Juvenalis was not a Christian, but his famous maxim certainly lends itself to an essential Christian application: “A sound soul in a sound body.” We do well to remember that there is something deep within, something all-encompassing and literally life-giving, the very life-principle that makes the body human, which begs for attention, discipline and nourishment: our soul.

     Juvenalis was just a kid as St. Paul was drawing near his martyr’s death, but Paul was keenly aware of the influence of comparable writers and thinkers in Greco-Roman culture. They shaped in part the environment into which the Lord sent him to preach the gospel, and it was critical to his mission to be familiar with them. Paul was a master of observation when it came to culture, law, language, philosophy – and yes, athletics – and put to work his highly-honed skills when framing the proclamation of the Christian message.

     He borrowed from Stoic thought to exhort the Christian community in the Roman colony of Philippi to live a life of integrity:

“...whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philppians 4:8).

     A sound, healthy soul will be truly nourished only by the good and the beautiful, the noble and the pure. A Christian cannot live a life of integrity or peace when wittingly or unwittingly stuffing oneself with or indifferently absorbing the superficial and the fleeting. Moreover, one cannot hope to be healthy or to do well in one area of life when the rest of life is malnourished. The Desert Father Poemen said, “Do not give your heart to that which does not satisfy your heart.”

Words from Fr. Ed (from October 9th, 2011)

2011-10-05T12:35:00.000-07:00

“The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come.”

     If you are reading this you are probably going to Mass every Sunday. “The feast is ready”, you have been invited, and you have said ‘Yes’ to Our Lord. This ‘Yes’ that you have said by being committed to Sunday Mass is no small thing. Jesus said in the Gospel of John, “I am the living bread come down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” (Jn 6:51) Receiving Jesus every week is no less than eternal life.

     “The week”, if we look at the creation story, is see a symbol of all creation. We read in the first few chapters of Genesis that God prepared a creation for humanity. Within the gift of humanity, we see man and woman. We even see the aspect of rest, Sabbath, where God, resting from His works calls to humanity to rest in Him. He is our rest, and this, not just once per week, but for all eternity.

     Holy Communion, the Body and Blood of Christ, is rest for our souls. As I quoted Augustine last week, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” Why? Because “God is love” and we were made for love. Does not human love give us some tremendous sense of rest, of peace, even exhilaration? When we love we achieve the purpose of our existence. In a sense, we have arrived at our goal. There is at least a subconscious sense of ultimate accomplishment.

     One thing I love about manual labor, such as gardening, is that we can see the result of our work. Spiritual work as a priest can be less tangible or concrete in a physical sense. But the spiritual work that we are all called to is more permanent than any gardening. In fact, it is a return to the Garden of Paradise, or even better, an entry into the New Paradise of the New Jerusalem. We are elevated by the Redemption wrought in Christ Jesus. That’s why we can sing at the Easter Vigil, “O happy fault of Adam…”

     This Sunday, let yourself rest in Him. Be at peace. You have received Jesus, the summit of all our desires, the healing for all our wounds, the satisfaction for all our sins.

Saturday, October 15th: Feast of St. Teresa of Avila

     I cannot help but comment on this mother of mine, St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582). We just celebrated the Feast of St. Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897), otherwise known as the Little Flower. Thus we call St. Teresa the ‘Great Teresa’ to distinguish between these two Discalced Carmelites. St. Teresa was the foundress of the great renewal of the Carmelite Order, which began in 1214 on Mt. Carmel in Israel by crusaders who wanted to remain in the Holy Land and lead lives of prayer. They were hermits gathered around a common chapel.

     When these brothers migrated to Europe, they soon lost their eremitical (related to hermits) roots. Gathering in larger monasteries of both men and women, they began to mitigate, soften, the primitive rule of life for hermits that they had originally inherited. St. Teresa felt the impulse to return to a more austere form of life with greater solitude and silence included in their day, so she founded new and smaller Carmelite monasteries of women, and with the help of St. John of the Cross, friaries of priests and brothers.

     St. Teresa was primarily a woman of prayer. Her writings on the mystical life have earned her the title, “Doctor of the Church”, one of only three women given that designation along with St. Catherine of Sienna and St. Therese of Lisieux. Her works are priceless to read, beginning with the Way of Perfection, a treatise on the evolution of her first monastery along with a commentary on the Our Father. I include the passage that I use the most when teaching Christian meditation, of which she was a master:

Let us now return to our vocal prayer, so that we may learn to pray in such a way that, without our understanding how, God may give us everything at once: if we do this, as I have said, we shall pray as we ought. As you know, the first things must be examination of conscience, confession of sin and the signing of yourself with the Cross. Then, daughter, as you are alone, you must look for a companion— and who could be a better Companion than the very Master Who taught you the prayer that you are about to say? Imagine that this Lord Himself is at your side and see how lovingly and how humbly He is teaching you— and, believe me, you should stay with so good a Friend for as long as you can before you leave Him. If you become accustomed to having Him at your side, and if He sees that you love Him to be there and are always trying to please Him, you will never be able, as we put it, to send Him away, nor will He ever fail you. He will help you in all your trials and you will have Him everywhere. Do you think it is a small thing to have such a Friend as that beside you? (Chapter 26, found at http://www.ccel.org/ccel/teresa/way.i.xxxii.html)

I close with this beautiful poem of St. Teresa:

Nada te Turbe
(Let Nothing Disturb You)

Let nothing disturb you,
nothing frighten you,
all things are passing;
God never changes.
Patience wins all things;
whoever has God lacks nothing;
God alone suffices.

Words from Fr Ed (From October 2nd, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-09-28T12:44:00.000-07:00

The Stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone…

     Jesus, the Son of God, was rejected by the religious authorities of His day. The one who could best build the faith of God’s people was considered an imposter and killed for His claim to be “I AM”, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The chief priests and elders couldn’t fathom a God who is three persons, a community of love; nor could they believe the Son in this Trinity would visit them at that time.

     We, too, can fall short in our faith that God is truly with us and for us. Our lives can be encumbered by beliefs about our world and ourselves that are not true. We can be bombarded by messages throughout the day that do not reflect the truth of God’s love for us, or of His goodness. As Catholics we must work against this tendency with real commitment to the truth and intentional immersion in it each day.

     The Scriptures are a crucial source of truth to keep us growing closer to God. The Word of God orients us and reorients us in the right direction. One of the skills I learned in Boy Scouts was how to use a map and compass to find a particular location. They would have field trials and contests where our team had to find certain clues and landmarks using a compass and a map.

     I think it’s a fair analogy to call the Bible our map. It shows the general truth about where things are, the reality of how life is and how to negotiate it, where the pitfalls are, and what goals we might want to achieve. If one watches the needle on a compass, it’s fascinating to see it be directed by an invisible magnetic force coming from the North Pole. We also carry within us an inner compass, the Holy Spirit, who, along with the gift of reason, is orientated towards the truth.

     We were made for God. If I may repeat dear Augustine’s timeless truth here, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” He goes on to write:

Late have I loved Thee, O Beauty so ancient and so new; late have I loved Thee! For behold Thou wert within me, and I outside; and I sought Thee outside and in my unloveliness fell upon those lovely things that Thou hast made. Thou wert with me and I was not with Thee. I was kept from Thee by those things, yet had they not been in Thee, they would not have been at all. Thou didst call and cry to me and break open my deafness: and Thou didst send forth Thy beams and shone upon me and chased away my blindness: Thou didst breathe fragrance upon me, and I drew in my breath and do now pant for Thee: I tasted Thee, and now hunger and thirst for Thee: Thou didst touch me, and I have burned for Thy peace. (Confessions, Book Ten, xxvii)

God is within us. He is our cornerstone and provides the compass that directs us to build our lives on Him. Remember the psalm, “If the Lord does not build the house, in vain does the builder labor.” Let us build on Jesus, the cornerstone of our lives.

St. Augustine’s Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy.
Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy.
Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy.
Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy.
Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy.
Amen.

Words from Fr Ed (From September 25th, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-09-21T13:55:00.000-07:00

Which of the two did the Father’s will?

Jesus tells us that we must do the Father’s will if we are to be saved. “Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Mt 7:21) It is imperative that we find out what that will of the Father is for us. This involves knowing the Father.
How do we best get to know this Father whom we cannot see? Jesus is the answer. He said, “Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father.” (John 14:21) But how do we see Jesus? The Church has given us several sources for the truth about Jesus Christ, including the Scriptures, Tradition and the Magisterium. All of these entail formal revelation. There is also an informal revelation that occurs when we observe the creation around us or our own human nature. All, when evaluated with reason, point to the existence of our loving God.

Just before sitting down to write this, my friend Larry, the owner of the ranch where I am vacationing, showed me the honey trays that he just brought in from his bee boxes. Extraordinary, the beauty of the honey combs that the bees have developed. Perfectly formed and patterned six-sided wax receptacles are laden with liquid honey which the bees then seal over for storage. I remarked to Larry that these were proof of God’s existence. We can see too, from the order in the hive that He is a loving God, taking care of even the needs of bees.

Like these bees, there is an order to our lives if we are willing to accept it. And that is precisely the key, we have free will. The bees cooperate with God by natural instinct. They aren’t sitting around wondering whether they should build six-sided containers or five. No, they simply do what is written into their nature by our orderly and loving God. Our lives tend to be less orderly, depending on our openness to God. I don’t mean to say that this necessitates external order in our lives, though often it is a fruit of interior order. This interior order comes from submitting our will to God’s.

Again, this brings us back around to the question of determining what God’s will is for us, moment to moment. Our vocations give us a lot of clues in the duties and responsibilities that govern our lives. His general will for married people is to raise a family, training children in the faith, supplying the material goods necessary for life. This would mean working in some way that fits our skills and desires. To be more specific, to do a good job of this means being honest and efficient, maintaining competency in one’s field. But we can still be more specific.

Through the day we have a myriad of decisions to make. To know God’s will on each of them is difficult, but we can begin by asking. Jesus said, “Ask, and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door shall be opened to you.” (Mt 7:7) We need to take Jesus’ promise seriously and realize its veracity. The way to find out if it is true is to ask with an open heart to know God’s will, and be prepared to hear the answer. He will inform you in one way or another. That may include the difficult trial of not receiving extraordinary explicit signs of His will, but rather growing in faith, which is more important than specific knowledge of a task to be performed.

You may be discouraged by past failures to do God’s will, or you mope about how better your life could be if you had taken a different course. Never mind, listen to the Gospel this Sunday about the two sons. One refused the father’s will initially, but then “changed his mind”. We can change our mind too, taking on the mind of Christ, and become, even in an instant, full of God’s glory and grace.

African Mission Presentation on Sunday, October 2 (at 9:45 AM, between the two morning Masses)
St. Stephen’s has had a significant connection to Uganda through the Masaka Children’s Fund started by one of our very own parish-ioners, Emily Bourgeois. This project provides for orphaned children. A video presentation of the December 2010 mission trip to Uganda and Kenya, which included Masaka in their itinerary, will be shown Sunday between Masses. Also included will be info about the mission trip next August! Do you feel drawn to help the children of Africa? For more info, contact Diane Cooper (425-652-1445 or imdcooper@comcast.net).

Jesus asked, “Which of the two sons did the father’s will?”
Sometimes we hear the Gospel, and it sounds harsh. Jesus compares the minimal response to those that would allow great sinners greater access to heaven than persons who think of themselves righteous. However when digging deeper into the reading and the intent of Jesus we find that on the contrary Jesus is seeking a greater commitment from his followers, a more engaged Christian lifestyle that is not just words but also true action. To learn what this might look like, RCIA is designed to bring persons into the Catholic Church, and unpacking the deeper meaning of the Gospels is an integral part of the process. If you would like to share in this process, please contact Cynde Bosshart (253-631-1940 x104 or cyndebosshart@gmail.com).

Words from Fr Ed (From September 18th, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-09-18T13:10:00.000-07:00

…to me life is Christ…

Philippians 1:21

St. Paul is one who experienced a total eclipse of Christ taking over his life. Jesus is all he could see. As Paul says elsewhere, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” (Gal 2:20) This is the goal of Christian life. It runs con-trary to the excess of self-affirmation current in our culture. Self-esteem can be important, but not to the exclusion of the real work of God in the soul. I believe John the Baptist probably had a healthy sense of self-esteem, yet he would say, “I must decrease and He must increase.” Same in our soul, Christ must increase, and we must decrease.

The first place we carry out this transformation whereby Christ takes over our souls is in the Holy Mass. This does not mean that He steals our will and intellect making us like robots. No, He actually elevates them to a place of true freedom where we, with faith and reason together, freely give ourselves over to the beautiful gift of love that God has for us. We see this docility in all the saints, but even in Jesus Himself as He surrenders Himself in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus still had free will when He said, “If it be Thy will Father, take this cup from me. But nevertheless, Thy will be done.”

This same Jesus waits to give Himself completely to us in a surrender like the one He gave to the Father. Of course, He gave Himself over to death, according to the Father’s will, so that we might be able to receive His sacrifice, even His Body and Blood. When we receive the Holy Eucharist, we receive His self-giving love, His sacrificial love, and we become givers like Him. We can even say that He is giving Himself to others through us along with our own personal sacrifice of self. This is the joy of beatitude, to be poor of spirit, freely becoming Christ for others. Life becomes Christ and the fullness of His life, death and resurrection lives within us.

9/11 Follow-up:

There were several beautiful stories available on the internet related to 9/11 including these:

The story of “14 Cows for America” at: http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/10/remembering-911-an-unexpected-gift-    to-america/; as well as the story of Cheryl McGuinness that I used in my homily at:     www.cbn.com/700club/guests/bios/cheryl_mcguinness_090904.aspx

Let us pray for peace.

What is Catholic Christianity?
“Are you envious because I am generous?” In our society, fairness is often valued higher than generosity. How fair is it in this gospel for the landowner to compensate equally those who work less than those who labored all day? When we come to God, his favorable response to us is not measured on when we come to him but only that we finally do. All are welcome. This kind of gospel message which might seem obscure in our daily lives is typical food for thought and discussion at RCIA. If you are a non-Catholic who wonders about our Church’s teaching, come and find out what the Catholic Church has to offer. Contact cyndebosshart@gmail.com or 253-631-1940 x104 for details.

September 23rd, Memorial of St. Padre Pio

A Prayer for Trust and Confidence in God's Mercy by St. Pio of Pietrelcina

O Lord, we ask for a boundless confidence
and trust in Your divine mercy,and the courage to accept
the crosses and sufferings
which bring immense goodness
to our souls and that of Your Church.
Help us to love You
with a pure and contrite heart,
and to humble ourselves beneath Your cross,
as we climb the mountain of holiness,
carrying our cross that leads to heavenly glory.
May we receive You
with great faith and love in Holy Communion,
and allow You to act in us as You desire
for your greater glory.
O Jesus, most adorable Heart
and eternal fountain of Divine Love,
may our prayer find favor before
the Divine Majesty of Your heavenly Father.

(From www.padrepiodevotions.org/pioprayers.asp)

Words from Fr Ed (From September 11th Bulletin)

2011-09-07T15:22:00.000-07:00

…how often must I forgive?

- Mt 18:21

      Our Lord calls us through today’s Gospel to ‘forgive from the heart’. How appropriate given the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Forgiveness does not always come easy, especially where there may be no repentance or sorrow on behalf of the perpetrator. Like all significant tragedies, most of us can remember exactly where we were when the news became known on 9/11/2001. I was in my first week of seminary in Chicago. That morning, I was passing seminarians in the door-way to our dorm building on my way to an 8:30 AM class (CST). As they rushed in, they said that the World Trade Center had been hit by a plane. They were pushing past, anxious to see a television set with news. At first, it sounded like an accident. I proceeded to class asking others what they knew. The gravity of the situation was written on our wise professor’s face. The tall priest, a pillar of spirituality, was shaken. His face foretold a truth that we have since experienced; the world was entering a new level of crisis.

      I almost wrote that the world would be ‘forever changed’, presumably for the worst. But, I don’t believe that any tragedy necessarily changes things forever for the worse. Yes, there is loss, but we have a God who can heal. And yes, there has been an increase of conflict in the world. But, do we necessarily have to be a part of it? Jesus calls Christians to a higher standard than violence and revenge. The bottom line of Jesus’ message is one of mercy. We hear that today as Jesus admonishes Peter to forgive ‘seventy-seven times.’ And this is not sim-ply a perfunctory act of the intellect. Jesus says that we must forgive our brother from the heart. This means real love.

      From what I know of fundamentalist Islam, we’re not going to agree on many important aspects of religion, culture or politics. But, do I love the jihadist despite our radical disagreement? Do I desire his or her good? This is Aquinas’ definition of love, “to will the good of another”. We just heard St. Paul say that the fulfillment of the Law is to ‘love our neighbor’. He does not say whether that is a Christian neighbor, or Jewish, or Muslim, or atheist. Our duty as Christians is to love regardless of another’s different belief, even about what we hold most sacred. If what we hold most sacred, the Eucharistic Presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ, has had its intended effect, then we will have the grace to forgive, to love, and bring healing to our broken world.

Save Us, Savior of the World

     We began singing the Memorial Acclamation this past week from the New Translation of the Roman Missal. Thanks to Marijean Heutmaker, John Burton, and all the musicians who helped implement this change. We’ll continue to integrate a few of the sung responses before the First Sunday of Advent (Nov 27th), when all the changes become the norm for Mass. Please take time to read the bulletin inserts that explain the theological thinking and linguistics behind the new texts. I include here a short quote from the new Archbishop of Los Angeles, Jose H. Gomez, who writes about the "wonderful gift" the Revised Missal will be for the Church:

        Implementing this new translation means much more than simply memorizing new prayers. I really believe this new translation offers us a special moment of grace.

        It is a fact of life that anything we do over and over again can become routine, something we just do without paying too much attention.

       But we can never let the Mass become routine for us. We need to love the Eucharist! We need to live the holy Mass! Our Christian life, our whole life, must be centered in the Eucharist.

        That is why this new translation is such a wonderful gift. It gives us the opportunity for a new Eucharistic catechesis. It gives us the chance to reflect more deeply on the meaning of our worship - on what we do when we celebrate the Eucharist, and why.

Words from Fr Ed (From Sept 4th, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-08-31T10:39:00.000-07:00

“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

- Mt 18:20

Christ Connection and Correction
Most of our passage from the gospel this weekend focuses on fraternal correction, how to correct one another in charity and truth, which can be very difficult to practice. The passage closes however with a more familiar verse about where ‘two or three are gathered’. The truth of Christ’s presence in the midst of Christians sheds light on his instruction about how to correct one another. Our reality as Christians is that we are bonded by truth and that truth is Christ Himself. This runs contrary to the prevailing culture, which says that ‘truth’ is relative, that is, it changes from person to person.

This relativism is totally contrary to reason, that gift by which we discern what is true and what is false. If I say, for example, that ‘God exists’. Another might say, ‘He may for you, but not for me.’ Well, I trust the person believes this and is being honest, but either God does exist as we believe or He doesn’t. There can’t be two different objective alternatives to this question. Either our faith is accurate or a complete sham.

This truth applies to relations between persons as well. Either something is charitable or it is not. Either something is just or it is not. Discerning these things is not always easy, but Christ gives us excellent guidelines for doing this. There is a collective wisdom in judging things and behavior. Many of these principles have been clarified by Catholic moral and ethical teaching. Other situations require a hands-on discernment by the Body of Christ.

Preserving the truth between us takes great charity and humility on everyone’s part. It stretches us like the cross Jesus asks us to carry and even be crucified on. This is no small work; it is the great work of Christ. We must take great care in our relationships with one another to pursue the truth without judgment and with determination. The health of this Body of Christ depends on each member doing his or her part. Realizing that none of us is perfect, we need to have compassion on and patience with one another. When we do this, Christ is present.

Words from Fr Ed (From August 28th, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-08-24T09:14:00.000-07:00

Pope Benedict Asks Young People to Love the Church!

I wanted to pass on to you parts of Pope Benedict’s homily to more than one million youth gathered last weekend in Madrid, Spain. The Holy Father said,

Dear Young People,

In this celebration of the Eucharist we have reached the high point of this World Youth Day. Seeing you here, gathered in such great numbers from all parts of the world, fills my heart with joy. I think of the special love with which Jesus is looking upon you. Yes, the Lord loves you and calls you his friends (cf. Jn 15:15). He goes out to meet you and he wants to accompany you on your journey, to open the door to a life of fulfillment and to give you a share in his own closeness to the Father. For our part, we have come to know the immensity of his love and we want to respond generously to his love by sharing with others the joy we have received…

Dear young people, today Christ is asking you the same question which he asked the Apostles: “Who do you say that I am?” Respond to him with generosity and courage, as befits young hearts like your own. Say to him: “Jesus, I know that you are the Son of God, who have given your life for me. I want to follow you faithfully and to be led by your word. You know me and you love me. I place my trust in you and I put my whole life into your hands. I want you to be the power that strengthens me and the joy which never leaves me”.

Jesus responds to Peter’s confession by speaking of the Church: “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church”. What do these words mean? Jesus builds the Church on the rock of the faith of Peter, who confesses that Christ is God.

The Church, then, is not simply a human institution, like any other. Rather, she is closely joined to God. Christ himself speaks of her as “his” Church. Christ cannot be separated from the Church any more than the head can be separated from the body (cf. 1 Cor 12:12). The Church does not draw her life from herself, but from the Lord.

Dear young friends, … Make Christ, the Son of God, the centre of your life. But let me also remind you that following Jesus in faith means walking at his side in the communion of the Church. We cannot follow Jesus on our own. Anyone who would be tempted to do so “on his own”, or to approach the life of faith with that kind of individualism so prevalent today, will risk never truly encountering Jesus, or will end up following a counterfeit Jesus.

Having faith means drawing support from the faith of your brothers and sisters, even as your own faith serves as a support for the faith of others. I ask you, dear friends, to love the Church which brought you to birth in the faith, which helped you to grow in the knowledge of Christ and which led you to discover the beauty of his love. Growing in friendship with Christ necessarily means recognizing the importance of joyful participation in the life of your parishes, communities and movements, as well as the celebration of Sunday Mass, frequent reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and the cultivation of personal prayer and meditation on God’s word. Friendship with Jesus will also lead you to bear witness to the faith wherever you are, even when it meets with rejection or indifference. We cannot encounter Christ and not want to make him known to others. So do not keep Christ to yourselves! Share with others the joy of your faith. The world needs the witness of your faith, it surely needs God. I think that the presence here of so many young people, coming from all over the world, is a wonderful proof of the fruitfulness of Christ’s command to the Church: “Go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel to the whole creation” (Mk 16:15). You too have been given the extraordinary task of being disciples and missionaries of Christ in other lands and countries filled with young people who are looking for something greater and, because their heart tells them that more authentic values do exist, they do not let themselves be seduced by the empty promises of a lifestyle which has no room for God.

Dear young people, I pray for you with heartfelt affection. I commend all of you to the Virgin Mary and I ask her to accompany you always by her maternal intercession and to teach you how to remain faithful to God’s word. I ask you to pray for the Pope, so that, as the Successor of Peter, he may always confirm his brothers and sisters in the faith. May all of us in the Church, pastors and faithful alike, draw closer to the Lord each day. May we grow in holiness of life and be effective witnesses to the truth that Jesus Christ is indeed the Son of God, the Savior of all mankind and the living source of our hope. Amen.

- Benedict XVI at the beginning of the Eucharistic Celebration, Cuatro

Words from Fr Ed (From August 21, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-08-17T08:46:00.000-07:00

Who do you say I am?

Jesus asks the ultimate question of his Apostles in our Gospel today. It is a question that reverberates throughout history and confronts every human soul with the fact of our faith or lack thereof. What do we believe about Jesus Christ? It is the most critical aspect of our lives. This is not to make anyone panic for lack of faith. Of the twelve Apostles only one, Peter, was able to annunciate his belief that Jesus was truly “the Christ, the Son of the living God.” We perhaps, like the other Apostles, might be hesitant or not sure of what we believe. Jesus did not reject them, nor does he reject us.

Peter’s faith and proclamation made him Jesus’ rock upon which he would build His Church. It is this Church that has handed on the faith through the centuries. Like the first California winegrowers who brought quality grapevines from Europe, the Church continues to produce the same pure faith in souls that receive it. Like good wine, it can even grow richer with age. We cling to this vine and ask God to enrich us as heirs to a promise made to Peter: that while our faith will be tested, “the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.”

Faith Prevails

I’ve finished two books lately on the incredible story of the missionaries and Japanese Christians around Nagasaki. The first book I finished was, “Bells of Nagasaki”, the testimony of Dr. Taguchi Nagai, a Catholic doctor who was in Nagasaki when the U.S. dropped the atomic bomb there. It speaks both of the horrific destruction of human life that took place, along with Nagai’s ability to forgive and even see God’s providence in guiding the bomb over the Catholic Cathedral in his village of Urakami, the primary community of Christians in Japan. As he said in his funeral address for 8000 Catholics who died in the bombing:

…the American pilots did not aim at Urakami. It was the providence of God that carried the bomb to that destination.

Is there not a profound relationship between the destruction of Nagasaki and the end of the war? Nagasaki, the only holy place in all Japan- was it not chosen as a victim, a pure lamb, to be slaughtered and burned on the altar of sacrifice to expiate the sins committed by humanity in the Second World War?

St. Paul said in Romans, “We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.” (Rom 8:28)

A second book just finished is, “The Twenty-Six Martyrs of Nagasaki” by Diego Yuuki, S.J. This is the story of the ancestors of the Japanese Catholics first evangelized by St. Francis Xavier, but then facing a terrible persecution from 1597 until the mid 19th Century. (St. Francis Xavier landed in Japan on August 15th of1549, the Feast of the Assumption, the day I’m writing this article!) These martyrs are celebrated as St. Paul Miki and Companions. Included in the 26 were both Franciscans and Jesuits along with some lay associates. Fray Pedro (Peter) Bautista proclaims the faith that motivated the apostles, “I firmly believe that to die for Christ is God’s greatest gift, and I hope that He will not take this great good from us. O, how happy we are to have come to Japan if we receive this blessing! What a wonderful way to begin the year!” (p.30)

A 14yr old, Thomas Kozaki, was martyred along with the religious. His faith matched their experience. In a letter to his parents he writes,

Although you need the priests, if you are deeply sorry for your sins, and have much devotion at the hour of your death, and if you remember and acknowledge the many blessings of Jesus Christ, then you will be saved. And bear in mind that everyone in this world has to come to an end, and so strive so that you will not lose the happiness of heaven. Whatever men may impose on you, try to have patience and show much charity for everyone. (p.55)

Prophetic words, as soon Japan would be without priests for 250 years. But the Catholic Christians would continue to baptize and pray to the living God.

Considered the best preacher in Japan, brother Paul Miki used every chance he could to draw others to Christ. From his cross (the 26 were crucified), he proclaims:

I am not from the Philippines (where some foreign missionaries were from), I am a Japanese, and a Jesuit Brother. I have not committed any crime, but die only for having preached the religion of Our Lord Jesus Christ. I greatly rejoice to die for this cause; for me this is a great blessing that the Lord grants me. I am at the hour when you may believe that I won’t lie to you, and I guarantee and affirm that there is no other way to salvation except by the Christian path. (p.77)

We are challenged by such faith and courage to listen to Jesus’ question once more, “Who do you say that I am?”

Come to the Rock of Faith
If our faith is growing, the answer to Jesus’ question, “Who do you say that I am?” will be slightly different each time because as we grow in our knowledge and relationship with God, the deepening effect will color our response. Eventually, we get to the point when God is so vast and yet so personal we can hardly find words for a heart so full of love. Our vocabulary is too puny, our words too vague to adequately describe who our wondrous God is to us. Would you like to explore a deeper experience of God? If you are already Catholic but would like to learn with others wishing to join the Catholic Church, contact cyndebosshart@gmail.com or 253-631-1940, x104 for more information. Our next RCIA Information Night is next Thursday, September 1 at 7:00 PM in the Outreach Annex.

Words from Fr Ed (From August 14th, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-08-10T08:22:00.000-07:00

“Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David!” - Mt 15:22

Here, in this simple plea of the Canaanite woman, is a prayer that we should all be familiar with. It is one of the sources of the ‘Jesus Prayer’, “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner.” This is a recipe for successful prayer, knowledge of self and knowledge of God. The one who can admit his or her need is more than half way home. Faith tells us who can solve our need. When we cry out to Jesus, He comes. In fact, He is already there; otherwise we would not have the grace to cry out.

To know and admit our need should not make us feel ashamed in front of others. We are all weak sinners. We might feel shame in relation to God, but this should not discourage us from seeking Him. Jesus wants to free us from shame. It is destructive and debilitating. He is all-merciful and does not desire that we shrink back in some false humility. Often I hear, “I am too unworthy” to do this or that. “Yes” I say, “and so am I. We are all unworthy. That’s why we say in the Mass, ‘Lord, I am unworthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.’”

‘Unworthy’ is not a problem for God. Stubborn refusal to accept His mercy is, however, a serious problem. It can even lead to final obstinacy, which some have said is the ‘sin against the Holy Spirit’. This means that one does not recognize that Jesus has the power to forgive any sin, which is at the same time a failure to recognize and accept His Divinity. St. Therese said that even if she had committed the most grievous sin, she would not hesitate to run and jump into the Father’s lap. Let us pray for that grace to always run to His mercy without hesitation.

Rectory Update

The Interim Priests Residence has seen some changes with Fr. Reynaldo Yu moving in. He would be considered “Priest in Residence,” meaning that his assignment is elsewhere though he resides at St. Stephen’s. While Fr. Yu has been substituting around the Archdiocese, he has helped out in many ways here at St. Stephen’s as well. Cliff Macaraeg, our summer seminarian, was also residing here until this past week. Cliff is off to World Youth Day in Spain, which begins on August 16. With other priest guests coming and going, I moved the chapel out of the fourth bedroom and into the dining room. Thank you, Jesus, for being flexible!

The influx of residents makes a review of the Joint Oversight Committee’s Recommendations a topic for future discussion. I hope to share more fully in a future column their recommendations, which included waiting on building a new rectory as the recent recession took hold. The instability of the economy continues to make building a serious challenge. Fortunately, our parish has been healthy financially and has decreased our debt to below $700,000. In the meantime, the Interim Priests Residence continues to be a huge blessing for me and the other clerics who have benefited from being so close to the Church. Thank you for your generosity in providing such a wonderful dwelling.

The New Roman Missal Translation is Coming

As you may have read, there is a new translation of our Mass texts that will be implemented on the First Sunday of Advent this year (November 27, 2011). It will involve several changes, some simple and easy, some a little more challenging. There will be updates appearing in the bulletin that will describe these in detail. We are also free to begin some of the sung parts on September 1, including the Gloria, the Sanctus (Holy, Holy), and the Memorial Acclamation. Please take time to study these changes (see website below). And beginning in the fall, we will take time during the Mass to learn these together.

Change can be difficult, but we continue to be an organic, living Church, which changes over time, but remains true to Herself. I love the analogy of our Sequoia tree north of the Outreach Annex. It continues to grow, to change, to put out new needles, branches, and bark, but we would say it is the same tree that it was yesterday or last year. The changes in the Mass will stretch us individually and as a community; our unity of heart and mind may be tested, but I believe that together we can grow in understanding the beauty and power of the Mass as we study more closely the language we use to praise Our Lord. (Changes to the people’s parts can be viewed at http://old.usccb.org/romanmissal/samples-people.shtml).

Words from Fr Ed (From August 7th, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-08-03T06:32:00.000-07:00

“Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” - Matthew 14:27

Jesus’ words to the disciples on the Sea of Galilee, “Take courage…”, ought to encourage us as well. Identifying the voice of Christ as our primary inspiration is vital to our spiritual life as Catholics. It is really His voice and God’s grace that help us persevere in our faith. The grace of God acts like gravity in the earth’s core, holding us close to where we belong.

Someone said to me just yesterday, “I don’t know where I belong.” OK, then let gravity, spiritual gravity that is, have its effect. The truth is, as Jesus says, “No one can come to me unless the Father draws him…” (Jn 6:44) But Paul also says that God, “…wills all to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.” (1 Tim 2:4) This ‘draw’ then is available to everyone.

St. Thomas Aquinas writes in his Summa Theologica (see www.newadvent.org) that all are ordered towards happiness as their last end. (Summa, Pt. I-II, Q1, Art 7) We believe as Christians that God’s will is our greatest instrument of our happiness, which would be our sanctification. All our actions ought to seek to conform with this great truth so that we can fearlessly follow Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Mystery of Love Award Goes to a New Documentary on the Porn Industry

The documentary film, Out of Darkness, won the Mystery of Love Award at the 2011 John Paul II International Film Festival in Miami. I was impressed and moved by the trailer, which shows the tragedy of the porn industry. Sadly, many are trapped in various aspects of this criminal behavior. There will be a screening of this film at World Youth Day in Spain on August 17. You can see the promotional at http://anteroompictures.com/.

World Youth Day is Coming

World Youth Day is from August 16-21. You can follow it closely at http://www.madrid11.com/en or http://usccb.org/wyd/.

Commandments for Husbands and Fathers (continued)

IX. Pray that each one of your children may answer the call to the vocation that Almighty God has chosen for him or her from all eternity. … Ask each child, “What do you think God is calling you to be?” Help them to discern their states-in-life, whether it be singlehood, the married state or consecrated religious life. Have this discussion often with your children, especially after they reach the age of 15. [In fact, many know their vocation much earlier, even by 6th grade. The basic truth regardless, is that all have a vocation of some kind and need parental support in finding it. EW]

X. Ensure the frequenting of the Sacraments by your family members. The Sacrament of Confession should be partaken of at least monthly and the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist should be partaken of at least weekly. You must make sure that your family’s sense of sin is never dulled. Take your family to Sunday Mass precisely as a family. …Foster among your family members a great love of the Holy Eucharist. Tithe regularly and devotedly. Do everything in your power … to truly make Sunday the Lord’s Day and a day of family togetherness; that is, a day of prayer, relaxation and recreation. Again, this calls for creativity, imagination and frequent planning in advance. Seek input from your wife and older children in this regard. Remember, any good and wholesome recreation is really a “re-creation” of both body and soul. - Fr. Wade Menezes, Inspired by and adapted from Superabundant Family Love by Fr. Bill McCarthy, MSA

Invite Someone to Walk on Water

In the gospel when Peter began to walk on the water, he was able "until he saw how strong the wind was and he became frightened." How often do we allow circumstances dictate our response rather than faith?! With God, everything is possible; with faith, everything is reasonable though our humanness would argue differently. What kind of faith would you like to have- the faith that defies logic or one dependent on the logical? Jesus calls us to "step out" of the security of the boat and risk answering his call. The result is growth beyond our imagining and we too can believe, like Peter who said, "Truly you are the Son of God." RCIA explores this kind of faith. Join us on Thursday, September 1 at 7:00 PM to find out more. Contact cyndebosshart@gmail.com for more information.

Words from Fr Ed (From July 31st, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-07-27T11:36:00.000-07:00

Five Loaves and Two Fish

"Five loaves and two fish are all we have here. John 6:9

When we look to our own resources for a solution we are bound to come up short, unless that is, we are with Jesus and include Him in the consideration. What did Jesus say to the disciples, who were at a loss as to how to solve this very practical problem of hunger? He said, “Bring them here to me.” So much, if not everything, can be solved in this simple answer. Bring your problems, bring your family, and bring your friends to Jesus. He can take it from there.

Cardinal Nguyen Van Thuan wrote a series of meditations for youth entitled “Five Loaves and Two Fish”. I include a few of his favorite quotes here:

[Five loaves and two fish], these are nothing, but it is all I have. Jesus will do the rest. (3)

(From Monsignor John Walsh) “I am not going to wait. I will live each present moment, filling it to the brim with love.”

(From St Maximilian Kolbe) “Everything, absolutely, with no conditions.”

(From Mother Teresa of Calcutta) “The important thing is not how many actions we perform, but the intensity of love that we put into each action.”

...I must live each day, each moment as if it were the last one of my life. (10)

Only one moment exists for you in all its beauty and that is the present moment (cf. Mt 6:34; Jas 4:13-15). Live it completely in the love of God. If your life is built up like a large crystal from millions of such moments, it will be a wonderfully beautiful life. Can’t you see how easy it could be? (10)

Cardinal Nguyen, after 13 years in Communist prisons in Vietnam, was exiled to Rome where he served John Paul II as head of Peace and Justice efforts. (1928-2002) May his prayers help us to live our faith more fully.

Commandments for Husbands and Fathers, cont.

Commandments I-VI appeared in previous bulletins.

VII. Consecrate Your Home to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Set-up a “prayer corner” within the home, in the room where the family most gathers. In this room should be an “altar-table”. On this table, place a Bible, a good condensed version of the Lives of the Saints, and a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. On or around this table, also place images (statues, pictures, or icons) of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The daily family Rosary is a powerful prayer. If your children are still small, pray only a decade of the Rosary and/or vary it daily with the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. A wonderful, fixed time for daily family prayer and spiritual reading (say, a total of just 15 to 20 minutes) is good immediately after supper each evening. Included here could be the Readings from the Mass of the day; purchase a daily Roman missal for this. ...You are called to be a true leader. A child will remember well into his adult life these early family practices of the Faith. They will never be forgotten. A father must be the first Christian witness to his wife and children. This is both a duty and a responsibility. Also, be sure to foster the use of sacramentals among your family members. Sacramentals are “sacred signs which bear a certain re-semblance to the Sacraments, and by means of which, spiritual effects are signified and obtained through the prayers of the Church” (Catechism, glossary). Examples of sacramentals include: the Sign of the Cross, holy water, enrollment in the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, religious medals, blessings, pilgrimages, processions, the Stations of the Cross, sacred art, rosaries, and the veneration of relics. While sacramentals do differ from the seven Sacraments, they are still very important in the life of a Catholic Christian. Also, promote visits to the Blessed Sacrament with your family members...

VIII. Do not let sports or outside activities become more important to you or to your children than Christ and family. Sports have become a false god in America today - especially on Sundays - and we tend to overemphasize them. Spend fun time at home. Do things together as a family. This calls for creativity, imagination, and frequent planning in advance. Seek suggestions from your wife and older children in this regard.

[The sacredness of Sunday Mass should be inviolate. As soon as you give your children the example that Mass is optional, they will follow this. It’s not true, Mass weekly and on Holy Days of Obligation is essential for our life as Christians. Exceptions exist for essential work such as police, fire, and medicine; for a summer camping trip more than a half hour into the wilderness; or for illness. Even summer vacations should be planned with Sunday Mass in mind, and every effort should be made to find a church. A good reference for Mass locations and times is: www.masstimes.org. Fr. Ed]

“Commandments” to be continued...

Words from Fr Ed (From July 24th, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-07-20T11:59:00.000-07:00

Pearl of Great Price

What would you pay for this treasure that we call our faith? Jesus teaches us that it is priceless - beyond compare, and worth everything we could possibly give. Not easy? Perhaps not at first, but when we realize what the treasure is in comparison with this world’s passing goods and pleasures, we become willing, even eager. The apostle James, Patron of our Archdiocese, whose Feast is Monday, July 25th, was asked by Jesus if he and his brother John would be willing to “drink the cup that I am going to drink?” James and John did not hesitate; they said “We can.” (Matthew 20:22) James backed up his boldness by becoming the first apostle to be martyred. (Acts 12:1-3a) May we, through the intercession of Saint James, purchase this beautiful pearl for ourselves, by thinking, speaking, and acting in ways that show our love for God and our neighbor.

Bits & Pieces

Gabriel Project: We have been fortunate to have five angels working with five moms already in our Gabriel Project. One of these moms has already given birth! Praise God we were able to be with her and support her together with volunteers from St. John the Baptist in Covington. If you would like to join this priceless ministry, please contact Cecilia Foster at gpststephens@live.com.

Father Brian: As of this writing (7/18/11), Father Brian is doing well and hopefully coming home this week after a successful surgery. Please keep him in your prayers as he recovers.

Priest Time: I am always trying to devise new ways to organize my time and our community so that our time together would be best spent. Sorry for any delay in your getting to see me or speak to me. A few things may help. 1) Pray for vocations! 2) Support our Strength Finders movement so that you can use your gifts to the fullest. The laity can do much of what a priest does if they are using their Baptismal gifts to the fullest. Imagine Brother Andre (St. André Bessette), not a priest, going through the Quebec countryside healing the sick and consoling the sorrowful and instructing souls in the truths of God. He was not a priest. So many of our saints were not priests. 3) I welcome your ideas on how I can effectively use my time to be more present and available to our community.

Commandments for Husbands and Fathers:
1) Get close to Jesus.
2) Prioritize: Jesus, wife, children, work
3) Realize that you are a priest in your home.
4) Protect your children by knowing how their school environment and curriculum affects them in mind, body and spirit.
5) Pray with your wife regularly.
6) Spend quality time with each child. Treat each child in a unique and personal way. The power of a father’s affirming love is tremendously overwhelming and something truly wonderful. Children need it. They require it for their full and proper development. Let each child share his or her ideas, feelings, fears and problems with you. Do everything in your power to ensure that your child can always approach you in any matter. Be sure to share periodically with your wife your insights concerning each child. Discipline with firmness and love (again, your model here is that of the wise and prudent King who rules over the inhabitants of his kingdom with a firm, but great love; and not of the master who rules over his slaves). [from Fr. Wade Menesis] I say that a child looks to their father for strength and guidance. It is a strength ruled by gentleness and compassion however, not a Rambo-kind of machismo. Fathers can give a child a sense that there is structure and order in the universe, and that they are consistently and unconditionally loved and cared for. [EW]

And from John Paul II: Love for his wife as mother of their children, and love for the children themselves, are for the man the natural way of understanding and fulfilling his own fatherhood. Above all, where social and cultural conditions so easily encourage a father to be less concerned with his family or at any rate less involved in the work of education, efforts must be made to restore socially the conviction that the place and task of the father in and for the family is of unique and irreplaceable importance. (72) As experience teaches, the absence of a father causes psychological and moral imbalance and notable difficulties in family relationships, as does, in contrary circumstances, the oppressive presence of a father, especially where there still prevails the phenomenon of "machismo," or a wrong superiority of male prerogatives which humiliates women and inhibits the development of healthy family relationships.

In revealing and in reliving on earth the very fatherhood of God, (73) a man is called upon to ensure the harmonious and united development of all the members of the family: he will perform this task by exercising generous responsibility for the life conceived under the heart of the mother, by a more solicitous commitment to education, a task he shares with his wife, (74) by work which is never a cause of division in the family but promotes its unity and stability, and by means of the witness he gives of an adult Christian life which effectively introduces the children into the living experience of Christ and the Church. Familiaris Consortio 25, Pope John Paul II

Words from Fr Ed (From July 17th, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-07-13T11:50:00.000-07:00

“Let them grow together until harvest.” Mt 13:30

“Why?” is often the question when something evil happens in our world. It is perhaps the most difficult question to grapple with in life. Why is there evil, why suffering, if God is so good? Our parable today speaks of an enemy sowing weeds among the wheat. The farmer allows the weeds to grow, which will test the wheat. If we want to be fruitful, vigorous plants in the Lord’s garden, we have to face the reality of evil in the world. It exists.

This past week I’ve been laid up with a bad back and other minor illnesses. I hate being sick. But there is a surrender that is necessary when we are sick. We have to trust God more than ever. We cannot do for ourselves what we would like to do. Our ambitions are stymied. We may even have to say, “I need help”. My independent nature rebels against this vulnerable place, yet fighting it only makes things worse.

William C. Martin shares this reflection:
How would you pastor if you could not speak?
How would you love the parish if you were immobilized in bed?
If you can answer these questions, you know the truth of your calling.
If you can do these things, you will overcome all obstacles.

From: The Art of Pastoring: Contemplative Reflections by William C. Martin (Vital Faith Resources, 2001).
Easy to advise others on the power of prayer when one isn’t suffering. Harder to be on the field than to be an armchair quarterback.

But real suffering lends itself to real prayer. The psalmist cries:

Save me, God, for the waters have reached my neck. I have sunk into the mire of the deep, where there is no foothold. I have gone down to the watery depths; the flood overwhelms me. I am weary with crying out; my throat is parched. My eyes have failed, looking for my God. (Psalm 69: 2-4)

During the day, if you wonder why you are suffering this particular trial, consider the words of Fr. Walter Ciszek:

To predict what God’s will is going to be, to rationalize about what his will must be, is at once a work of human folly and yet the subtlest of all temptations. The plain and simple truth is that his will is what he actually wills to send us each day, in the way of circumstances, places, people, and problems. The trick is to learn to see that – not just in theory, or not just occasionally in a flash of insight granted by God’s grace, but every day. Each of us has no need to wonder about what God’s will must be for us; his will for us is clearly revealed in every situation of every day, if only we could learn to view all things as he sees them and sends them to us (He Leadeth Me, p. 39).

Summer Seminarian
Cliff Macaraeg, Pre-Theology II

Below is a short autobiography of Cliff, our summer seminarian. It is a great privilege to have Cliff with us, sharing his enthusiasm for the faith. May God bless his stay with us and his vocation.

My parents emigrated from the Philippines and lived first in Yakima, then moved to Seattle. My family - mom (Josefina), dad (Oscar), and older brother (Cyril) - currently live in West Seattle. I was born on October 11, 1987, in Seattle’s Group Health Hospital. I have lived my whole life in Seattle, having attended Holy Family Parochial School in White Center, Kennedy Catholic High School in Burien, and the University of Washington. I just finished my first year of Pre-Theology at St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park, CA, in the Bay Area. My journey begins with my family. My parents raised Cyril and me at Holy Family Parish. We would pray during meals, have family rosaries, and attend mass together on Sundays. My mom would also take me to daily mass when I was too young to go to school. In the 4th grade, I joined the altar servers and continue to serve to this day. A huge influence on my life is Fr. Philip Bloom. He is an intelligent and holy priest and role model. I enjoy reading, cooking, hiking, biking, gardening, sleeping, and fishing. My favorite saints are St. Jude, St. Thomas Aquinas, and St. Joseph. Thank you everyone at St. Stephen the Martyr for being so hospitable, welcoming, and kind during my stay this summer!

Words From Fr Ed (From July 10th, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-07-06T12:19:00.000-07:00

“But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears, because they hear.”

There was an expression in Illinois that went like this, “knee high by the fourth of July”. It referred to the height of the corn. If it was less than ‘knee high’ then the farmers were worried about the condition of their crop. With good soil, good seed, and good weather, corn flourishes in Illinois. Our Gospel today speaks of a sower sowing seed into various conditions of the soul. What conditions are you giving to God for His word to grow in your life?

Are you regularly sowing His word in to your heart? Are your ears blessed by what they hear? Are you vigilantly weeding out those vices, the cares and riches that can choke the life of Christ in your soul? Do you spend an appropriate amount of time in prayer every day, enriching your mind with the truth of God’s love? All these can help us to become the soil that receives God’s word and bears abundant fruit. Consider using your summer to prepare for an extraordinary harvest. How about 10 minutes of prayer every day? What about 10 minutes of study every day? 10+10 would tend to radically transform us as the Body of Christ.

Harvest
The Lord asks us to pray for harvesters, to be sent into a ripe harvest. Would you be willing to share your faith with others? RCIA is a great opportunity to both increase one’s faith and understanding while helping others to become Catholic. Please consider being a sponsor this coming year of RCIA. The harvest is ripe. Remember, RCIA is not just for the unbaptized! Contact Cynde Bosshart (253-631-1940 x104 or cyndebosshart@gmail.com) for details.

Pallium
For a good photo of our Archbishop’s investiture in the pallium by Pope Benedict along with our Pope’s homily for the occasion, see the June 29th entry at: http://whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com/.

Commandments for Husbands and Fathers, cont.
I. Develop your relationship with Jesus
II. Get your priorities in order: Jesus, wife, children, work, etc.
III. Take priestly responsibility in your home
IV. Monitor what your children are being taught in school.
V. Pray with your wife regularly. Try to keep a simple, but sincere spiritual journal and share it with her, even if your entries are just short, inspirational sentences. Trust the Lord to guide, purify and sanctify your relationship with your wife. She is the “heart” of the home. Reverence her as such. Love her with the same love and affection Christ has for His Church. Remember that your sons will grow up to relate to women in a way they saw you relate to your wife. Similarly, your daughters will learn from their father what to expect from men in a relationship. Share with your wife her burdens, her sorrows, and her joys. Ask the Lord for the strength to love her with the same love and purity with which He loves His Bride, the Church. (from Fr. Wade Menesis at: www.fathersofmercy.com/our_apostolates/missionaries/menezes).

[From Fr. Ed: What a gift from God, to have a prayer partner. This is a great treasury for married couples that is rarely opened. The Proverbs speak of a ‘worthy wife… [whose] husband, entrusting his heart to her, has an unfailing prize.” (Prov. 31:10-11) Prayer helps to build this trust and spiritual intimacy. It is ultimately this intimacy that lasts forever. Jesus said, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage…” While there is no marriage between individuals love remains. St. Catherine of Sienna said that souls in heaven “…know a special kind of sharing with those whom they loved most closely with a special love in the world, a love through which they grew in grace and virtue….in everlasting life they have not lost that love; no, they still love and share with each other even more closely and fully…” (Dialogues 41) I encourage couples that I marry to pray daily together. Even if you are in bed and ready for sleep, reach over and hold hands and say a prayer together thanking God for each other and all the graces God has given you that day.

One other resource I can recommend is E5 Men at: www.e5men.org/. It is in Ephesians 5 that Paul admonishes husbands to love their wives. One of the programs of E5 is for husbands to fast on the first Wednesday of the month, praying for their wives’ well-being. Imagine the power in that sacrifice of love.]

Book Recommendation
I just finished a little treasure, Five Loaves and Two Fish by Francis Xavier Cardinal Nguyen. It is a short collection of meditations on his 13-year imprisonment in Vietnam. He writes of how his faith was both challenged and sustained. He shares his experience of Phu Khanh Prison Camp in 1976:
"My morale was at its lowest. I was almost in despair. In the darkness of my cell, cut off from my diocese, from God’s people, from any human contact, I could not do a thing for anyone; I could not even talk to anyone; I felt completely useless. I prayed, but God did not seem to hear. Then all of a sudden I saw, as if in a vision, Christ on the cross, crucified and dying. He was completely helpless…certainly worse off than me in my prison cell. Then I heard a voice-was it His voice? – saying: ‘At this precise moment on the cross, I redeemed all the sins of the world."
Francis Cardinal Nguyen, pray for us.

Words From Fr bEd (From July 3rd, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-06-29T12:23:00.000-07:00

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” Mt.11:28

If we wanted to narrow down to three words the most important instruction of the Gospel, we could easily choose these three, “Come to me….” Everything else that we need to know and do flows from this simple response to Jesus’ invitation. Consider these words and how we might respond, because it is a constant invitation to our souls. Jesus desires us to turn to Him for all of our needs.

When we hear these words addressed to us, what do we imagine? It is an important meditation. I invite you to take a few minutes to consider this. Even a few seconds can begin to give us the ‘rest’ that Jesus speaks of. Why? Because Jesus is our sufficiency. When we have Him we have everything that we need.

Remember the story of Jesus walking on the water past the disciples? (Jn 6:16-21) Verse 21 reads “They wanted to take him into the boat, but the boat immediately arrived at the shore to which they were heading.” The disciples’ desire to be with Jesus was enough to also bring about their earthly desires.

There is something similar in Matthew 6. Jesus is speaking of the kingdom and its sufficiency. “Seek first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things (food, clothing, drink) will be given you besides.” (Mt 6:33) It is in seeking Him, placing Jesus first, that all our other priorities are fulfilled according to God‘s perfect plan.

You might be experiencing some doubt about this principle as you read this. I believe it is something you have to try in order to realize the truth of it. God is ready to fulfill His part of this equation, this relational covenant. But we have a part. This is crucial to a loving relationship with God. Somehow in our ‘entitlement’ culture, we come to think that God owes us everything and that we have nothing to do but receive.

Now there is a truth in that. We are called to receive. But that includes words like; “Come to me”. God gives us also the grace to come, if we are willing. We must engage our will in the process and lift our foot, open our eyes, pick up the Bible, bend the knee, start the car, or whatever action is necessary to cooperate with what we understand to mean ‘Come’.

“Everything is grace”, St. Therese liked to say. We depend on God’s life-giving grace for everything, including our little efforts to cooperate with God. But these efforts are not ‘nothing’. They are an expression of our will, our intention and our love. ‘Coming’ to Jesus is the absolute best thing we can possibly do for ourselves. Give it a try and you will not be disappointed.

Commandments for Husbands and Fathers, cont.

To review what I printed earlier, the first two commandments repeat what I have said above:

1) Develop an intimate, personal relationship with Jesus

2) Get your priorities in order: Jesus first, your wife second, your children third… [Sorry ladies, but if your husband idolizes you to the detriment of his faith, you will end up a sorry loser. Spouses cannot fill a God-sized hole in our lives. Trying to do so is a constant source of frustration and disappointment. EW]

3) Realize you are a priest, a spiritual leader in the home. Here’s a new one: Make sure you know what your children are being taught at school regarding morals and values. All teachers teach “in your place” as you and your wife are the primary educators of your children. If objectionable subjects or materials are being taught in the classroom, you must stand strong. "The place and task of the father in and for the family is of unique and irreplaceable importance. In revealing and in reliving on earth the very fatherhood of God, a man is called upon to ensure the harmonious and united development of all the members of the family.” - John Paul II [Regardless of whether a school is secular or Catholic, parents must be vigilant about the content of their child’s formation. All teachers impart some moral viewpoint to your children. It is inevitable. Are your children’s teachers forming your children in real virtue?]

More commandments to follow. See www.fathersofmercy.com for more information.

Words from Fr Ed (From June 26th, 2011 Bulletin

2011-06-22T06:43:00.000-07:00

Corpus Christi
The Body and Blood of Christ
…unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood,
you have no life in you… - Jn 6:53

No wonder we require Catholics to attend Mass each week. Is there a week of your life where you don’t want “life in you”? This is the bread of angels, full of eternal life and imparting it to us who receive it. You know the saying, “You are what you eat.” How true when we think of the Eucharist. But have we become what we receive?

“Love begets love.” It is the movement of Love, enfleshed in the Body of Christ that we receive in Holy Communion, to give birth to Love within us. This is a guaranteed intention on the part of Christ. He cannot but be Himself. “God is love.” But He does not force Himself. When we receive Him into our mouths, do we receive Him as well into our hearts and minds? Are our wills and intellects ready to receive all that He has for us? Remember this glorious truth, “Body, blood, soul and divinity.” All are present in the Blessed Sacrament.

When we receive Christ in Holy Communion we also receive His Soul and Divinity. Every time! We do not receive 1% one week and another 1% the next week. We receive all of Him every time. He gives Himself fully, without reserve, out of love for each one of us personally. And yet He does not coerce or force Himself where He is not welcome. I see some in Communion line who are distracted, careless, even making a show of boredom. How cold and indifferent to the saving Presence of God.

Of course Jesus says, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” But what can we do to improve people’s awareness of Jesus’ Real Presence in the Eucharist? One sure way is to prepare yourself and your family for Mass. The best way to do this is to read the readings beforehand, even the morning or time before the Mass you normally attend. Or perhaps at the dinner table the night before. Is that too difficult? Children learn from their parents, especially through their example.

A second way to become more conscious of Jesus’ Presence in the Eucharist is to visit the tabernacle (located in the Chapel) before and/or after the Mass. I know it is in an obscure location, which we plan to change soon. The Church documents on the liturgy say that the Tabernacle should be located in a place “prominent to the assembly”. How many of you have visited our tabernacle where the True Presence of Christ resides constantly? This is not to say that He does not reside in you or elsewhere. He does. But the Tabernacle, where we reserve the Eucharist for the sake of Viaticum, regular Communion to shut-ins, and private prayer, is the preeminent place on earth where we can always find Jesus. The thought and erroneous teaching that the Tabernacle somehow distracts from the Mass or Jesus’ Presence within the individual believer has led many astray, and is proven false by the lives and experience of the Saints. How Blessed Mother Teresa loved to spend time with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. She considered the daily time of Adoration the greatest gift her community could possibly receive.

I can say with confidence that those who spend time with the Blessed Sacrament become aware of His Real Presence there and are inspired by it. Drawing close to the fire we are warmed. Some told St. Teresa of Avila that they would have been very faithful in following Christ if they had but lived during His time. She disagrees, saying that one would treat Christ during His life on earth the very same way we now treat the Blessed Sacrament here present in all the Churches around the world. As St. Francis prayed, “We adore you O Christ and we praise you, here and in all the churches around the world.”

Words from Fr Ed (From June 19th, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-06-15T07:44:00.000-07:00

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you. - 2 Cor 13:13

This Greeting, which is one option we use at the beginning of Mass, is one of the more explicit Trinitarian references in Scripture. It reveals the unity of the three persons of the Godhead in Christian life. The Trinity is a mystery, however, one that we will not fully apprehend in this life. It takes faith to believe in the Trinity without understanding. There is a story of St. Augustine walking on the beach. He was pondering the Holy Trinity when he saw a boy running back and forth to the water with a bucket, trying to fill a little hole he had dug in the sand. The water kept overflowing the hole and running back to the sea. Augustine remarked, “What are you trying to do?” The boy responded, “I’m trying to put the sea into this hole.” Augustine rejoined, “Why that’s impossible.” The boy wisely said, “So is trying to cram all the truths of the Trinity into your head.”

The Trinity, as defined in the Catholic Encyclopedia, is in the absolute class of “supernatural mysteries…. An absolute mystery is a truth whose existence or possibility could not be discovered by a creature, and whose essence (inner substantial being) can be expressed by the finite mind only in terms of analogy, e.g., the Trinity.” May the Lord grant us faith to believe, to trust, and to hope in the living God.

Happy Father’s Day

Steve Wood, a Catholic Men’s Spiritual Leader, has a theory that if we are to renew society we must renew the Church; to renew the Church we must renew the family; and to renew the family we must renew the husband and father. In my experience this is generally true. Yes, it is a generalization, but often women seem to gravitate towards faith and a relationship with God more readily than men. Call it male pride, but that is just a guestimate. So what can we do to renew men in their roles as husbands and fathers? Fr. Wade Menezes, CPM gives these ten ‘commandments’ that can improve your life and effectiveness as a man.

Ten Commandments of a Husband and Father

“Take courage and be a man. Keep the mandate of the Lord, your God, following His ways and observing His statutes, commands, ordinances and decrees,that you may succeed in whatever you do.” - 1 Kings 2:2-3

I. Develop an intimate, personal relationship with Jesus, allowing Him to forgive you of your past, to talk to you, to heal you and to guide you. Then, trust the Holy Spirit in all things. Trust Him to provide everything you need, including financial help.

II. Get your priorities in order: Jesus first, your wife second, your children third, your work fourth, etc. Develop a weekly schedule, blocking out quality time for the Lord, your wife, each child and the family as a whole. A husband’s most important time during any given day is the first five minutes when he gets home from work and the love and attention he shows his wife and children at that time. Remember that your human fatherhood is rooted in the Divine Fatherhood of Almighty God. (cf. Eph 3:14-15; cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2214)

III. Realize that you are [called to be a priest in your] home. It is your primary responsibility to oversee the TV and its influence, the Internet and its influence, as well as the books and magazines that enter into your home. You must stand firmly against all evil influences, asking constantly for God’s strength and guidance to lead your family in loving a pure, holy and non-violent lifestyle. Esto vir! (Be a man!) A father fosters moral virtue within his home first and foremost by example. Get into the habit of blessing your children – both alone and with your wife – before they go to sleep at night or before they leave the house in the morning. [A professor at my seminary once said that the best example of a priest he had known was his own father, because of the way in which he led the famihttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifly in prayer and virtue. This does not mean that a wife does not also exercise her ‘priesthood of all believers’. Saint Edith Stein, the great German feminist, says that the woman is the heart of the home. In light of the truth that so many women do lead their homes in faith, men must not abdicate their own spiritual responsibility because of this. Often children look to the father for affirmation of their mother’s good example. If they do not find it, or even find negation or mockery, then this licenses the children to dismiss the faith as irrelevant. EW]

I will continue with these commandments next week. For more information in the meantime, see the Fathers of Mercy web site at: http://www.fathersofmercy.com/our_apostolates/missionaries/menezes/ten_commandments_fathers.pdf

Words From Fr Ed (From June 12th, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-06-08T13:54:00.000-07:00

Pentecost
…He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” - Jn 20:22

Jesus’ breath reminds us of the ‘ruah’ of God, when God “…blew into [Adam’s] nostrils the breath of life, and so man became a living being.” (Gen 2:7) The word ‘ruah’ in Hebrew also means ‘spirit’. Jesus breathed His Spirit into the apostles, giving them the power to forgive sins. (v.23) With this breath He was also preparing them for the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. In the Acts of the Apostles we read, “...tongues as of fire…parted and came to rest on each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.” (Acts 2:3-4)

See how evangelical the Holy Spirit is. The presence of the Holy Spirit brings an immediate sharing of the experience. Remember how Elizabeth gushed with honor for Our Lady and Our Lord when John “leaped in her womb” at the approaching presence of Jesus. The Scripture says that Elizabeth was “filled with the Holy Spirit.” This experience is not something one can contain. The abundance of God overflows the mind and heart of us mere creatures. This overflow is not wasted however; it overflows in the direction of other people. Our second reading from Corinthians speaks of the “spiritual gifts” of the Holy Spirit, which are given to each individual “for some benefit”.

Most of us have not experienced this dramatic kind of infilling of the Holy Spirit that occurred at Pentecost. In the history of the Church it’s actually somewhat rare, but not unheard of. In fact, the saints often had extraordinary charismatic gifts of healing, prophecy, and knowledge. More recently we have a charismatic movement in the Church that began in 1967 when 25 faculty and students at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh held a weekend retreat. They experienced similar phenomena as the disciples in the upper room. It soon spread to Notre Dame and Michigan State campuses. (Read more at http://www.ccr.org.uk/duquesne.htm)

While we might pray to have such an experience, the normal route for Catholics is faithful reception of the sacraments during our lives along with obeying our consciences. If our consciences are properly formed they will prompt us to seek the Holy Spirit who leads us “into all truth”. We also should seek to receive and use those charismatic gifts that most help the Body of Christ. If you are like me, you might not feel too excited about a gift that might seem a little odd to others. But who are we to refuse to be looked at as a “fool for Christ”? We should be open to whatever God desires, even these extraordinary gifts mentioned in the Bible.

St. Paul puts all this in perspective for us under the form of the theological virtue of love. While giving important guidance for maintaining unity and order in the community (1 Cor 12 and 14) he places the heart of the Gospel message in Chapter 13. Here Paul writes, “If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.” He places love above all charismatic gifts. As St. Ambrose would teach, ”Charity is the form of all the virtues.” (Summa II, II, q.23) St. Thomas Aquinas expounds on the meaning of this truth:

In morals the form of an act is taken chiefly from the end. The reason of this is that the principal of moral acts is the will, whose object and form, so to speak, are the end. Now the form of an act always follows from a form of the agent. Consequently, in morals, that which gives an act its order to the end, must needs give the act its form. Now it is evident, in accordance with what has been said (7), that it is charity which directs the acts of all other virtues to the last end, and which, consequently, also gives the form to all other acts of virtue: and it is precisely in this sense that charity is called the form of the virtues, for these are called virtues in relation to ‘informed’ acts. (Summa II, II, 23)

That’s easy for him to say! As I understand it, this means that love (that is, God), is the end, or goal, or true purpose for our existence. Jesus said that he is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. All our actions should direct us toward this end. Otherwise, where are our actions taking us? If I plan a trip to Spokane, driving to Portland is delaying that end. The straightest, quickest route is due east. We should head east as well, directing our thoughts to the Risen Lord, now Ascended into heaven, ready to direct all our thoughts, words, and deeds toward the will of our heavenly Father. Our hope to do this lies in God our Savior, “…and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” (Rom 5:5)

Words From Fr Ed (From June 5th, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-06-01T08:39:00.000-07:00

And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age. - Mt 28:20

He is with us, now in a risen form, but with us. Emmanuel, as we learn at Christmas, means “God with us.” It is a name given to Jesus that He promises to fulfill in our lives no matter what we are going through. He also promises “another Advocate” to be with us, namely, the Holy Spirit. We pray for this gift during this coming week in preparation for Pentecost. While the formal novena began on Friday, June 3rd, it is never too late to start. As I printed in last week’s bulletin, I reprint the novena prayer here, for your convenience and the good of our parish:

Come Holy Spirit
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.

V. Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created.

R. And You shall renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray. O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

What if we were to truly pray and fast for nine days as a parish? We’ll be including this prayer at all the Masses during this novena. But could you pray in addition to this for the sanctification of our parish? ‘To be holy’; this should be the goal of every Catholic. This does not mean to be so occupied with heavenly things that one is ‘no earthly good’. No, to be holy makes one more human, just as Jesus was ‘fully human’.

We need the Holy Spirit for this transformation to happen. That is the promise of Our Lord if we keep His commandments. Is there some way to keep His commandments this week in a brand new way? Or is there some practice that you had in the past that would be helpful to return to as a sacrifice for our parish? We have the opportunity to be a little heaven on earth here at St. Stephen the Martyr. All the necessary ingredients, supplied by God, can be found in a parish, but we need to cooperate with God.

Sometimes I think that adding just ten minutes a day of some worthy prayer, scripture reading, or charitable act is enough to make one a saint. Consider it; what if every Catholic studied their faith for ten minutes a day? That’s one billion Catholics. Our world would be revolutionized with peace and justice and the word of truth. Let it rain down from the heavens, even as it arises from the earth. Imagine what God actually desires from humanity beginning with each one of us individually. I believe He desires that His goodness reign upon earth, so that all may know His love. Please pray with me these coming days for a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon our parish and our world.

Seminarian Cliff Macaraeg
Please welcome Cliff Macaraeg, a seminarian of the Archdiocese of Seattle who just finished his first year of Pre-Theology. This means he has been studying Philosophy and some other foundations for Theology. He is from nearby Holy Family in White Center and brings a wonderful love for apologetics (defending and explaining our faith). Hopefully you will have a chance to meet him and learn more about his vocation and journey. Please pray for him as well, as he spends his summer with us. It is a privilege to host him and a sign of confidence from the Archdiocese that we are a welcoming parish and good soil for forming future priests.

Praying for Bin Laden?
A parish in the south was in an uproar over whether or not to pray for the repose of the soul of Osama Bin Laden. The simple legal answer is that one is neither obligated to nor restricted from praying for him. My own preference is to pray for all souls, regardless of their actions in this life. That is not to say anyone deserves heaven or doesn’t deserve hell. I include here a statement from the Holy See Press Office:

Osama Bin Laden, as is known, claimed responsibility for grave acts that spread division and hate among the peoples, manipulating religion to that end. A Christian never takes pleasure from the fact of a man’s death, but sees it as an opportunity to reflect on each person’s responsibility, before God and humanity; and to hope and commit oneself to seeing that no event becomes another occasion to disseminate hate, but rather to foster peace.

Let us pray for the Holy Spirit to come and spread the fire of God’s love throughout humanity.

Words From Fr Ed (From May 29th, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-05-25T12:14:00.000-07:00

I will not leave you orphans…

There are orphans all over the world, deprived of parents through war, disease, poverty and natural calamities. One estimate is that there are 143 million orphans in the world. That’s an overwhelming number and yet God promises to not leave us orphans. Why such discrepancy between this promise and the harsh reality of our world? In three letters, sin.

Sin keeps us from realizing this promise for others and ourselves. Where there is sin these crimes against humanity cut children off from their parents. At times it is the parents themselves who are sinning through addiction or abuse. At other times they are victims of violence, hunger and disease that they have no control over.

John Paul II spoke of ‘structures of sin’ in his encyclical Sollicitudo rei socialis (On Social Concern; see: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/encyclicals/index.htm) in order to address rampant social evils created by the two extremes of atheistic communism and liberal capitalism. Personal sin leads to social sin, which is “the true nature of the evil which faces us with respect to the development of peoples: it is a question of a moral evil, the fruit of many sins which lead to "structures of sin." To diagnose the evil in this way is to identify precisely, on the level of human conduct, the path to be followed in order to overcome it.” (37)

The path to overcome it is by following Jesus the Way. Jesus begins the gospel for today by saying, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows him.” (Jn 14:15-17a) The gift of the Holy Spirit is conditional and can be lost or never attained due to not keeping Jesus’ commandments. And what are His commandments?

Jesus speaks in the plural here, but we can begin with the commandment that He describes as a “new” commandment, unique in its import, given His sacrifice. He said, “…love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” (Jn 13:34) Notice this huge ‘As’ that Jesus qualifies this commandment with. If He had only said, “Love one another” we might interpret it subjectively as meaning be nice to one another, polite, observing social decorum. But this “As” calls us to a radical self-giving, even self-sacrifice, for the sake of others, even others we don’t like, even others who are at least temporarily enemies!

This kind of love is impossible without God’s help. That’s why love of God and love of neighbor fit so well together. We need God to love our neighbor; we need to love our neighbor in order for our love for God to be authentic. We cannot approach God without a proper love for neighbor. Why? Because God loves them. As I said, He even loves our enemies. Not because they are enemies, nor because of any evil they might have done to us. He loves them because they are made in His image. Perhaps they have obscured His likeness because of sin, but that’s precisely why He came to save us, not because we were good.

This radical love of neighbor is necessary for the gift of the Holy Spirit that Jesus promises us. Pentecost is coming soon on June 12th. Are we ready to receive the Holy Spirit in a brand new way? Of course every reception of the Holy Eucharist is likewise an infusion of the Holy Spirit who is forever united with the Son. But are we receiving the Eucharist and our attendance at Mass with this in mind? The Lord desires us to be fully united with Him so that our “joy may be complete” (Jn 15:11). These coming weeks are a wonderful opportunity to receive this joy if you haven’t already.

To prepare for Pentecost the disciples gathered in prayer together with Mary “…in one place together.” Jesus had asked them not to depart from Jerusalem until they received the “promise of the Father”, the baptism “with the Holy Spirit”. (Acts 1:4-5, 14; 2:1) This was the first novena, nine days from the Ascension to the Feast of Pentecost. We too can prepare in a similar way. I’m printing here a prayer to the Holy Spirit that I would like to invite the whole parish to pray these nine days, beginning on Friday, June 2nd and ending on Saturday, June 11th. One can also add fasting or other sacrifices for this intention, that we as Catholic believers here at St. Stephen’s, would be fully baptized in the Holy Spirit, open to all the gifts that God has for us and living in the love of neighbor by which “all will know that you are my disciples.” (Jn 13:35)
Come Holy Spirithttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.
V. Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created.
R. And You shall renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray.
O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly
wise and ever enjoy His consolations. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Please recite the prayer above for nine days for the intention that our parish be sanctified, made holy according to God’s good will. Other novena prayers can be found at: http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/pentecost/seven.htm

Words From Fr Ed (From May 22nd, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-05-18T11:42:00.000-07:00

Jesus the Way
“Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.”

Do you ever wonder which way to turn? Philip is baffled by Jesus’ claim on the night before His death that the disciples know the way to where He is going. Philip does not realize that he already knows the way. The way is a person, the person of Jesus Christ. If we have seen Jesus, we have seen the Father. Too often the presence of Jesus is right under our noses, so to speak.

I’m reminded of one of our pilgrims to Assisi who became distraught not being able to find the departure gate at SeaTac. She could see A2 and A4, but began to panic when she couldn’t find A3, the gate for the flight to Philadelphia, the first leg of our trip. After a few futile trips up and down the terminal she discovered that A3 was right in front of security, the closest gate to where we came past security. It was too close for her to see it.

Jesus is similar at times, too close for us to see. Our intellects can be dull, not looking for Jesus in the right places. We have to foster an appreciation for what may seem invisible to us today. Notice a blind person’s sense of hearing. They can appreciate every sound because they have to rely on their hearing. It is possible for sighted persons to develop a similar aptitude, but it takes practice. Last week I referred to Brother Lawrence’s “Practice of the Presence of God.” He made a conscious effort to seek God’s presence in his daily life. I want to return to this worthwhile quote and practice:

“The holiest and most necessary practice in the spiritual life is that of the presence of God. It consists in taking delight in and becoming accustomed to his divine company, speaking humbly and conversing lovingly with him all the time, at every moment, without rule or measure; especially in times of temptation, suffering, aridity, weariness, even infidelity and sin.”

Another passage from Scripture that we heard during Lent was, “bring with you words” when you come into the presence of the Lord for the sake of repentance. The Lord loves to hear from us. For His own sake? No, for ours. When we speak to the Lord a conduit is opened to our heart. The more heartfelt the words the more open the conduit. The Lord can then make sense to us of His commandments and ways. Otherwise we are lost and confused.

If our hearts are open then we can more easily see the Lord in our day to day activity. Is He in your prayer time? Yes. Is He in your relationships? Yes. Is He in your workplace? Yes. Is He in your hobbies? Yes. Is He in your Church? Yes. But are we present to all these circumstances? There is a spiritual form of contraception that exists today where people are afraid to enter fully into relationships both with God and neighbor. We are present physically but not spiritually. We hold back and thereby prevent ourselves from seeing the Lord.

It is similar to a lesson a friend gave me in downhill skiing. She was a skilled racer so I could only trust what she was saying was true, but her advice was that one needed to lean downhill in order to control your skis. That was the opposite of what I wanted to do. In my fear of falling I wanted to lean back, but this only accelerated the skis uncontrollably. As I took that risk of leaning forward down what seemed like a precipice I found that she was right and it was delightful.

When we ‘lean forward’ in the spiritual life we may feel frightened or vulnerable. Will I be disappointed? Will God deprive me of things or people I love? Will I be called a fool? As we lean with love into the God of love we find love, infinite love. As St. John of the Cross said, “Where there is no love, put love, and you will find love.” God is there. That is the one thing we can really count on.

Words From Fr Ed (From May 15th, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-05-11T11:57:00.000-07:00

…the sheep hear his voice… - Jn 10:3

Have you heard the voice of Jesus lately? Yes, He does speak to us in various ways, and we can hear Him if we are listening. Not that we can control how we hear Him, but with the help of the Holy Spirit, the voice and direction of God can be known in the depths of our souls. This is not necessarily the booming voice that came down to Charlton Heston in the Ten Commandments with lightning as an accompaniment. It is typically much closer to the “…tiny whispering sound….” that we read of in 1 Kings. (19:12) Elijah expected Him in the wind, the earthquake and the fire, but the Lord was in none of those. God’s voice is different.

Hearing God’s voice involves, most importantly, the willingness to hear. That may seem like stating the obvious, but too often we enter into prayer with a mind preoccupied with worries and willfulness. There is no room at the inn so to speak. Jesus may knock, but the television in our head is too loud to notice the unobtrusive visitor. Such are our souls when they are filled with commotion and clutter. We must first prepare ourselves by laying down our own agenda and open ourselves to the possibility of anything. As the angel said to Mary, “…nothing will be impossible for God.” (Lk 1:37)

Prepared for ‘anything’ you say? But I have my family, my work, and my hobbies; does God want to take them from me? Not likely. These occupations, and in the case of family, vocation, are part of God’s way of sanctifying us. We will find Him there if we are willing. But, are we open to doing family different from the way we did it yesterday? Too often we can end up in relational ruts that bind us to mediocrity or even sin. What would you change if you could? Remember the Serenity Prayer?

Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.

Courage is necessary to ‘change the things I can’, courage which comes from God. That does not mean blasting people like a bull in a china shop or Rambo getting into a bar fight. When we have not spoken our dreams and desires for some time they can take on an intensity that overwhelms the people around us when we finally explode. Wisdom is also necessary here so that our desire to improve our lives is communicated in a loving way that can at least be respected if not embraced. Turning to God for this courage and wisdom is the best place to start. God knows exactly how He wants to transform your life. It is to Him that we must turn to receive the grace necessary for any good that is about to occur.

In God’s presence, which is always available to us through a conscious act of faith, we become all that we are meant to be. Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection speaks of this in his Practice of the Presence of God. “The holiest and most necessary practice in the spiritual life is that of the presence of God. It consists in taking delight in and becoming accustomed to his divine company, speaking humbly and conversing lovingly with him all the time, at every moment, without rule or measure; especially in times of temptation, suffering, aridity, weariness, even infidelity and sin.”

The habit of consciously speaking to God throughout the day leads to a conscious awareness of His Presence and His will for you, even in details that may seem insignificant. Are we willing to surrender our wills to this extent? Are we willing to give up the egotism of doing it ‘our way’? I helped at a funeral once where the family insisted on playing Frank Sinatra’s “I Did It My Way” as a postlude. Lord, have mercy. That’s about the last thing you want to be proclaiming as you near St. Peter’s gate. As God says to us through Scripture, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways….” (Isaiah 55:8) Come with words to the Lord and be prepared for an answer that may surprise you.

Words From Fr Ed (From May 8th, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-05-04T10:12:00.000-07:00

“What things?” - Luke 24:19

The resurrection appearance of Jesus to the disciples of Emmaus is a symbol of Christian conversion that is always worth revisiting. It is also, in a liturgical sense, a symbol of the Mass. Jesus comes alongside the distraught disciples and shares the word of God with them. Then they, encouraged by His presence have Him break bread with them. It is there that they finally recognize who they have been walking with. We too find Jesus in the breaking of the bread. Have we heard His voice and felt His touch? Can we say with the disciples of Emmaus, “Were not our hearts burning within us…?”

These disciples, led by Jesus, model for us the Examen, a daily practice that helps us see where God has been present in our day. Jesus begins the process by asking the disciples what has been happening in Jerusalem over the past few days, as if He didn’t know. He asks in this regard, “What things [have been happening]?” This kind of reflection is essential to growth in the spiritual life. St. Ignatius, in speaking of the Examen, told his companions that this reflecting back on the day’s spiritual activity was more important than any other prayer. The Examen consisted of gratitude for God’s gifts, the request for grace, a searching for signs of God’s presence in our day, an act of sorrow where we failed to respond to this presence, and finally, a resolution of some kind for improvement the next day.

When we think of what things have been happening over the past few weeks, Holy Week and Easter Week, there are incredible graces that have occurred. Each day really deserves attention. While there are graces each day, Holy Thursday stood out for me during Holy Week with the foot washing and chapel of reposition. This year we experimented with including the narthex as part of our reposition environment so that more people could experience it. While the placement of the altar seemed a little challenging, to be looking out into the narthex while praying, I was impressed with the overall peace present in the chapel and narthex combined. ‘Our God is a God of peace.’

Easter Week had its own blessings with each day a Solemnity and the Novena of Mercy. The resurrection appearances challenge us to grow in faith. God’s power is apparent and we need to find ways to allow it to take over our lives. The Easter Octave culminated with Mercy Sunday, which included First Communion at the morning Masses, the beatification of John Paul II in Rome, and the beginning of the month of May with the crowning of the Blessed Virgin at our grotto. Astonishing graces for us as a parish! So many people helped make this an experience that could leave one’s heart burning with joy and gladness. This is just the beginning of the Easter season. May Jesus lead us deeper into the mystery of His risen love.

Happy Mother’s Day

We can apply this same reflection to recalling memories of experiences of our mothers with love. It doesn’t matter whether your mother is living or deceased, for immortal souls exist forever. What things do you remember about your mother? Was she kind, tender, and self-sacrificing? What are you grateful for in relation to your mother? What grace would you ask for her? If she is deceased, offer prayers, especially a Mass. Where did you see God present in her life? What would you apologize for? At least begin with the act in your heart, acknowledging some failure to love, and honor your mother as God commands. What resolution can you make: a phone call, a prayer, a word of thanks? I close with a little praise of mothers written by a Hungarian Cardinal, Joseph Mindszenty, which reads:

The Most Important Person on earth is a mother.
She cannot claim the honor of having built Notre Dame Cathedral.
She need not.
She has built something more magnificent than any cathedral-
a dwelling for an immortal soul, the tiny perfection of her baby's body…
The angels have not been blessed with such a grace.
They cannot share in God's creative miracle to bring new saints to Heaven.
Only a human mother can.
Mothers are closer to God the Creator than any other creature;
God joins forces with mothers in performing this act of creation…
What on God's good earth is more glorious than this:
to be a mother?

Words From Fr Ed (From May 1st, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-04-27T07:42:00.000-07:00

Mercy Sunday

Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained. -Jn 20:23

John Paul II declared during his homily at the Canonization of St. Faustina on April 30, 2000, that the Second Sunday of Easter would now be known as Divine Mercy Sunday. (www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/homilies/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_20000430_faustina_en.html). This year we celebrate this Feast, on May 1st, in an extraordinary way because we have First Communion being received by some of our children. In addition, John Paul II, who died on Mercy Sunday in 2005, is being beatified in Rome on the same day. What an amazing convergence of graces! How can we make sense of it? A recent rendition of Amazing Grace includes the expression ‘grace like rain’. Grace, like our northwest rain, is pouring out upon us. What are we to do? The answer is simple: receive.

John Paul was inspired by the revelations given by Christ to a Polish nun named Faustina, who said to her, “Humanity will not find peace until it turns trustfully to divine mercy." (Diary, p. 132). How true that is, and how true to our Gospel, which we read this Sunday. Twice Our Lord says, “Peace be with you,” before breathing on the apostles saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Imagine that for a second. We just witnessed at the Chrism Mass the Archbishop breathing on the holy oils as part of the blessing ritual. Here Christ is not breathing on an object, but on persons. Remember God breathing life into the nostrils of man at the beginning of creation, making him ‘a living being’? Sin, however, destroys a much more vital life within the soul and mercy is the cure.

We continue this week with our novena of mercy, which Our Lord gave to St. Faustina, inviting her to offer different categories of peoples to His Infinite mercy. Jesus encouraged going to confession during this time of mercy:

When you approach the confessional, know this, that I Myself am waiting there for you. I am only hidden by the priest, but I Myself act in your soul. Here the misery of the soul meets the God of mercy. Make your confession before Me. The person of the priest is, for Me, only a screen. Never analyze what sort of a priest it is that I am making use of; open your soul in confession as you would to Me, and I will fill it with My light. ...Tell sinners that I am always waiting for them, that I listen intently to the beating of their heart…when will it beat for me? (from the Diary entry 1602, 1725, 1728)

There is also a plenary indulgence for all who confess their sins, receive Holy Communion and pray for our Holy Father’s intentions. (See www.mercysunday.com for more information.)

First Communion

Whoever eats my body and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. - Jn 6:56

Congratulations to our students who are receiving Jesus in Holy Communion for the first time. This is the ‘new and everlasting covenant’ between God and all humanity. No more lambs, nor more messengers; God Himself has come to save us as He plants His law more deeply into our hearts through the gift of the Eucharist. Each child who receives Him becomes a tabernacle of the Most High. These children continue to be dependent on good parenting, which includes perhaps a more important communion, their second one. When will it be?

All of us should consider why the Church insists on Sunday worship in relation to the Eucharist. If this is the Bread of Life, is there a week of your life when you don’t want to have eternal life within you? The week is described in Genesis as a model for human life when God rests on the seventh day. We ought to dedicate one day a week to pure rest in this awesome God from which flows all the goodness we can ever experience in life. Parents of First Communicants, please come back next week for the sake of your child and for your own sake. Your life eternal depends on it. While His mercy is infinite, as this Sunday suggests, we need to cooperate with the graces He gives us.

Blessed John Paul II

Our recent pope is on the fast track to sainthood. You can see the beatification at www.ewtn.com beginning at 11:30pm Saturday, April 30th. John Paul wrote a few words on his death bed to be read on Mercy Sunday, the day he entered heaven:
As a gift to humanity, which sometimes seems bewildered and overwhelmed by the power of evil, selfishness, and fear, the Risen Lord offers His love that pardons, reconciles, and reopens hearts to love. It is love that converts hearts and gives peace. How much the world needs to understand and accept Divine Mercy! Lord, who reveal the Father’s love by Your Death and Resurrection, we believe in You and confidently repeat to You… Jesus, I trust in You, have mercy upon us and upon the whole world. Amen.

Words from Fr Ed (From April 24th, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-04-20T07:51:00.000-07:00

EASTER

Speak, Mary, declaring
What you saw, wayfaring.
“The tomb of Christ, who is living,
The glory of Jesus’ resurrection;
Bright angels attesting,
The shroud and napkin resting;
Yes, Christ my hope is arisen;
To Galilee he goes before you.”

No, not for Jerusalem only! This power and life will spread to Galilee and beyond, even all the way to Renton! People often ask about this small detail, both in Scripture and the Easter Sequence which I quote above. Mary Magdalene, apostoli apostolis (the apostle to the apostles), was given the errand by an angel in the Gospel of Matthew, to begin the sharing of the Resurrection, the transmission of truth.

The peculiar thing that people tend to notice is that the angel infers that the apostles will find him in Galilee, yet Luke clearly places the Ascension at Bethany near Jerusalem. The angel in Matthew says, “…then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him.’” Matthew goes on to say that the eleven went to Galilee, “...to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.” (v.28:16) Jesus gives them the great commission to evangelize the whole world “…baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (v.19-20) Then Matthew leaves out one detail, the Ascension.

These details seem to contradict themselves in the four Gospels, but we do see an essential element that all capture: Jesus is sending them forth from Jerusalem. The trauma of the crucifixion could easily have paralyzed the new-born Church if it weren’t for this outward movement of Jesus in the Resurrection narratives. As good physical therapists suggest in recovering health, whatever one does, move! This has a personal message as well as a corporate one; that this Gospel which has benefited me is not for me alone and I have a responsibility to go out of myself in sharing it with others.

Has the love of God ignited this fundamental Christian attitude in your soul? It is an important reflection on the extent to which one has received the Gospel message and the reality of Christ’s resurrected presence into our lives. The Latin phrase nemo dat quod non habet (you can’t give what you ain’t got*) is an appropriate principle here. It is a fair test as to whether we will follow Christ after all we have seen this Holy Week.

*Kentucky translation

Words from Fr Ed (From April 17th, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-04-13T08:02:00.000-07:00

Rejoice heartily, O daughter Zion, shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king shall come to you; a just savior is he, meek,
and riding on an ass, on a colt, the foal of an ass. - Zechariah 9:9

Our Holy Week begins in the narthex with the Gospel of Matthew and a scene prophesied by Zechariah (or ‘deutero-Zechariah’) around 520 BC. What kind of king is this, who rides on a humble donkey? Something different is about to occur. Our Pope, Benedict XVI, writes of this in his new book, “Jesus of Nazareth (Part II), Holy Week: From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection”:

He is a king who destroys the weapons of war, a king of peace and a king of simplicity, a king of the poor. …through this anchoring of the text in Zechariah 9:9, a “Zealot” exegesis of the kingdom is excluded: Jesus is not building on violence; he is not instigating a military revolt against Rome. His power is of another kind: it is in God’s poverty, God’s peace, that he identifies the only power that can redeem. (pp. 4, 5)

Benedict goes on to describe the throng of pilgrims that Jesus had joined ever since Jericho, where he had healed Bartimaeus. The song “Blessed is he who enters in the name of the Lord!” was part of the ‘pilgrim liturgy’. For those who have made a pilgrimage before, often there are traditional songs, prayers, and readings that accompany one, either on the bus or on the grounds of the pilgrimage site. These pilgrims coming for Passover had their own rituals too, including the blessing as they arrived at the temple, “We bless you from the house of the Lord.” (Psalm 118) I’m reminded of the wonder and awe of seeing St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, on a recent pilgrimage. There is a thrill to be at the heart of our Catholic faith and all that is related to the witness of the apostles.

Our professor Pope, always the teacher, takes advantage of this text to condemn violent sectarianism:

The cruel consequences of religiously motivated violence are only too evident to us all. Violence does not build up the kingdom of God, the kingdom of humanity. On the contrary, it is a favorite instrument of the Antichrist, however idealistic its religious motivation may be. It serves, not humanity, but inhumanity. ...No; violent revolution, killing others in God’s name, was not his [Jesus’] way. (15)

Where is this donkey, this ‘animal of the poor’, leading Jesus? It is leading Him to His Passion, to His great kenosis, His self-giving, to create a ‘house of prayer for all peoples’. Benedict writes of the ascent to Jerusalem, literally from below sea level in Galilee to now 2500 feet above, and its purpose:

The ultimate goal of Jesus’ “ascent” is his self-offering on the Cross, which supplants the old sacrifices; it is the ascent that the Letter to the Hebrews describes as going up, not to a sanctuary made by human hands, but to heaven itself, into the presence of God (9:24). This ascent into God’s presence leads via the Cross- it is the ascent toward “loving to the end” (cf.Jn13:1), which is the real mountain of God. (2)

Our liturgies this coming Holy Week draw us into the reality of Jesus’ experience of His last week of human life. If you were living in Jerusalem 2000 years ago would you take time to be with Jesus? If He invited you to join Him at the Last Supper, would you take the time to be with Him and the apostles? If you knew He was being driven and beaten, along SE 192nd St. and would be crucified on St. Stephen’s property, would you come to console Him, to pray for Him, to be with Him in His hour? Would you go to the tomb with Mary of Magdala with spices and perfume to anoint His Body? He has invited you to join Him in this Holy Week 2011. May it be the best week of your life.

“Will you not watch one hour with me?”

Words from Fr Ed (From April 10th, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-04-06T09:30:00.000-07:00

Musings of a Dessert Father

I can’t pretend to call myself a desert father. They are holy and ascetical in the practice of mortification. I’m more of a dessert father; I have trouble passing a good donut. But holiness is not out of reach for us who are weak. In fact, recognition of weakness is a requisite for an honest relationship with God. So there is a good place to begin. Are you weak (and can admit it)? Then there is hope.

As I write this, I’m still in the high desert at Marymount Hermitage. It’s a stunning vista here of melting snow in forested mountains and rolling sagebrush. The clouds and rain are visible for twenty miles distant as spring begins to make itself known here in Mesa, Idaho. Delicate buttercups begin to show themselves after a long winter’s hibernation. Robins begin to declare an end to it, ready or not. Geese fly every which way confused by the indecisiveness of the weather. We had snow yesterday.

Silence, nature and prayer begin to have their effect on me. I found myself weeping over a simple statement by Antonio Rosmini this morning, “I, who understand, feel, and I, who feel, understand.” Right now, I’m trying to understand what was so moving about this little truth, but maybe it’s not a little truth at all. Maybe it’s a big truth about humanity. The quote is actually Denis Cleary commenting on Rosmini’s writings on the human person, and what makes each of us unique (from Antonio Rosmini: Introduction to His Life and Teaching). Blessed Rosmini (beatified in 2005) was trying to respond to modern philosophies that either erred on the side of ‘all we know is feeling’ (that which our senses detect), or oppositely that ‘all we know is thought’ (that which we sense is unreliable). Rosmini unites them in describing a human person as that place where the two, thinking and feeling, are united.

In solitude one can begin to experience and appreciate little statements, or dried sagebrush, or inquisitive magpies with greater clarity and magnitude. By application, this speaks too of the magnificence of one human being, breathing, sensing, feeling, thinking and desiring. You are unique. There has never been a ‘you’ or an ‘I’ like this one, ever until now, and never will be another. You are unique. Dare I say it again? The preciousness of a human person, made in the image of God, is extraordinary. This is why we must respect and reverence each and every one of us, regardless of opinions or persuasions or even goodness or wickedness. Each human person is unique.

I have the day off again except for Mass, which is hardly a chore. We had planned to look at The Spiritual Doctrine of Elizabeth of the Trinity together, but that will wait until Friday when I hope to be feeling better. My nose had started to run as I got to the airport Monday morning and my head filled with congestion. I was whining about this internally on Tuesday, with a tremendous headache to go with it. Why come out here and be sick? Is this some cruel sport from God? Doesn’t He know better? Where is His sense of timing? I could be making so much progress in the spiritual life if I was healthy, I thought. In sharing these profound thoughts with the most High, I received no direct answer. My head was spinning anyway from this cold, or flu, or whatever. I could hear nothing but my own snuffling.

Then, as if already planned, I picked up Abandonment to Divine Providence from the Hermitage library. I had read it before and remembered its refreshingly simple premises about surrendering oneself in the present moment. I was desiring a God who could reach into my weakness and suffering and sickness and bring some value to this moment which seemed less than ideal. Here is what de Caussade had to say:

In reality, holiness consists of one thing only, complete loyalty to God’s will.

Perfection is neither more nor less than the soul’s faithful co-operation with God.

Our only satisfaction must be to live in the present moment as if there were nothing to expect beyond it.

You are seeking for secret ways of belonging to God, but there is only one: making use of whatever he offers you.

God truly helps us however much we may feel we have lost his support.

The more God takes from the abandoned soul, the more is he really giving it…the more he strips us of natural things, the more he showers us with supernatural gifts.

There’s more of course; I can only recommend reading this one. I continue to pray for the parish as I write this. I look forward to being with you soon and will be when you are reading this. As I finish this article, my head has cleared and the geese seem more sure of themselves.

From the desert,
Fr Ed

Words from Fr Ed (From April 3rd, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-03-30T10:48:00.000-07:00

The Dessert Father

Did you ever have a hard time remembering the difference in spelling between ‘desert’ (a very dry place) and ‘dessert’ (a scrumptious thing to eat)? More importantly, we need to know the difference in meaning for our Lenten journey. Is our journey in the ‘dessert’, our wayward passions, or the ‘desert’, real mortification of the physical and spiritual senses? It is easy to miss this opportunity where collectively, the Church considers a renewal of the meaning or our Baptism and what it is to be immersed in Christ. Immersion in Christ, the Word made flesh, entails a transformation of our relationship to the created world because through His life, death and resurrection, Jesus has connected us with the Divine Holy Trinity, uncreated God who exists outside of time and space.

As I write this I am packing to go on retreat to Marymount Hermitage (see http://www.marymount-hermitage.org/ for information and a few pictures). I’ll be leaving before you read this article (March 28th) and returning this week (April 6th). I hope to experience the word of the Lord through Hosea which is on the Marymount website, “I will lead her into the desert and speak to her heart.” (Hosea 2:16) While this word in scripture is first meant for Israel, it also applies to each one of us. God desires to speak tenderly to us. For that purpose we all need some solitude in our lives. As Jesus said to his disciples, “Come aside awhile to a deserted place and rest.” (Mark 6:30-31)

One of my favorite books is a collection called The Sayings of the Desert Fathers (Cistercian Studies 59). It in are some great gems like:

A certain brother went to Abbot Moses in Scete, and asked him for a good word. And the elder said to him: Go, sit in your cell, and your cell will teach you everything.

Abbot Macarius said: If, wishing to correct another, you are moved to anger, you gratify your own passion. Do not lose yourself in order to save another.

A monk ran into a party of handmaids of the Lord on a certain journey. Seeing them he left the road and gave them a wide berth. But the Abbess said to him: If you were a perfect monk, you would not even have looked close enough to see that we were women.

Prayer, patience, and purity, virtues that we all need. No need to go to the desert to obtain them, but solitude of some kind can be very helpful, if not essential. Lock yourself in the bathroom if necessary. We all need a little space at times to think with the mind of Christ and give God a chance to inform us. May this Lenten Season continue to give us opportunities for refreshment of soul in solitude and silence.

Class on Iconography by Deacon Joseph and Carolyn Garner

Instead of my normal Catechism Class on Wednesday evening, April 6th, Deacon Joseph Kaiser of the Melkite Rite will do a presentation on the theology and spirituality of Iconography. Carolyn Garner will also be present to answer questions on her own experience of writing our new Crucifixion Icon in the chapel. All are welcome. Mass is at 6:30pm, followed by snacks in the narthex and class in the chapel at 7:30pm. Please come and learn more about the beautiful prayer tradition of Eastern Christians.

In My Prayers

Your intentions remain in my prayers. Out of sight does not mean out of mind. Please keep me in yours. Hope to see you April 6th for Mass, fellowship, and wisdom.

"In silence and quiet the devout soul advances in virtue and learns the hidden truths of Scripture." - Imitation of Christ

Words from Fr Ed (From March 27th, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-03-23T12:29:00.001-07:00

Gabriel Project Begins!
After much preparation the Gabriel Project is up and running here at St. Stephen's and around the Archdiocese. You can see our new sign on SE 192nd St inviting women in crisis pregnancies to call the toll-free line, 1-888-926-ANGEL. Once they call, they will be linked with an ‘angel’, a volunteer who comes alongside the woman in distress as a mentor and support. The angel will help the woman with encouragement and resources, both material and spiritual. This angel represents the whole parish, who in turn support the woman and the angel, as stated in the Gabriel Project Manual:
The parish community responds with love by providing spiritual, emotional, and material support to help meet those needs. Through prayer and action the parish community assures Mom that she has their love and the love of Christ.
If a Mom has been abandoned by family or her child’s father,
the parish community can lovingly help her overcome her sense of loss and loneliness.

As Christians our attitude needs to be one of mercy. This does not deny the reality that often our own behavior is the cause of chaos in our lives. But the bottom line for each one of us is God’s Infinite Mercy. He has forgiven all of us. Without His grace and mercy we would not be at St. Stephen's living in His Presence. See how Christ meets the woman at the well in this weekend’s Gospel. He begins by break-ing through a cultural barrier when He asks her for a drink. (John 4:7) She is shocked because “Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans”. (v. 9) Jews would consider it a defilement to use the same cup or ladle as a Samaritan. Samaritans were considered unclean traitors who had soiled their Jewish blood by intermarrying with the gentiles of the local area.

By inviting women in distressing pregnancies to seek our support, we too are crossing barriers, either economically, intellectually, emotionally, or spiritually. A woman experiencing a pregnancy that is unplanned and even unwanted is often trapped by fear and shame. It takes great courage to admit one’s need to another, even a stranger. But the desperation that would drive a woman to abort her child is also a measure of what little it may take to save her from this seeming dilemma.

I was recently at the Cedar River abortion mill (I can’t call it a medical clinic) in downtown Renton. A man who had dropped off his wife at the place was approached by one of our praying parishioners, who finding him willing to talk called me over to his van. He was a Christian and willing to encourage his wife to keep the child. I offered him lunch, saying that the abortionist would surely be here tomorrow, but today I would like to buy his wife and him some lunch, and to talk about their situation. He called her on his cell phone and she soon came out of the mill, willing to talk with us. We sat down at Pizza Hut and found out what was driving her to make this choice.

This woman quickly identified that they needed marriage counseling, not an abortion. We gave them several resources and I have since learned that they kept the child. In telling this story, another parishioner remarked, “So for the price of a pizza, a life was saved.” Too true. A small sacrifice of time and effort with enormous, life-changing, earth-shattering results. The price of a child. What is it?

I want to thank Cecilia Foster and all those parishioners who have helped get Gabriel off the ground here at St. Stephen's. It is also blossoming elsewhere - Sequim, Bremerton, Shoreline, Tacoma, and Everett to name a few - as a wonderful sign of God’s providence. Angels and phone intake operators are still needed, along with other forms of support. The promise first made by a priest and his parishioners in Houston, Texas which began Gabriel Project several years ago can be ours:

We, the members of this church community, see in the birth of each baby a fresh expression of God's unfailing love. For the love of God and each and every one of His children, we offer immediate and practical help to any woman faced with a crisis preganancy.

This principle does not stop with the unborn, nor their mothers, but really ought to leaven all of our relationships, so that all who encounter members of St. Stephen's encounter Christ Himself. This is His mission and ours. I hope you will join me in welcoming Gabriel Project to our parish along with all who seek assistance here.

For more information on Gabriel, you can see the Archdiocesan Website at: www.seattlearchdiocese.org/CFF/CST/Gabriel.aspx or contact our parish coordinator, Cecilia Foster, at GPStStephens@live.com.

Words from Fr Ed (From Mrch 20th, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-03-16T12:57:00.000-07:00

Transfigured
It is good to begin a project with the end in mind. In Greek this is called the telos, from which we get the word telescope. There is a branch of philosophy that deals with the end or goal of things called teleology. Jesus gives the apostles in today’s gospel a vision of things to come as well as establishing a credibility for things about to occur. The Transfiguration shows Moses and Elijah, who represent the Law and the Prophets, conversing with Jesus. For Jews this would indicate the Divine origin of Jesus and His work. It also gives us a goal to strive for, to commune with Jesus.

Peter did not want to leave. When we taste a spiritual high of some kind it is hard to return to the valley, even where Jesus announces His impending suffering and death. No, we prefer heaven and the glory of God. But this valley that we live in is a necessary preparation for heaven. Without the suffering of this present life we would not share in His glory. St. Paul said that is only to the extent that we suffer with Him that we will be glorified with Him. St. Rose of Lima said that if we knew the value of suffering we would be begging God for more.
The Father’s voice instructs us, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” “Listen to him” - have we taken such time so as to hear Jesus’ voice? It can be difficult with so many demands and voices in our heads, so much media to compete with the
voice of God in our minds and hearts. But it is essential that we stop and listen. The Scripture says, “Be still and know that I am God.” What peace we would know if we did that. Lent is the time to listen, listen and obey, just like Jesus, just like the apostles.

Sistine Chapel
Technology can now take us into the Sistine Chapel for a beautiful tour of the images painted by Michelangelo. It is also less crowded. If you do happen to get to Rome, the best way to see the Chapel is to arrive at the Vatican Museum before the doors open (they normally
open at 8:30am I believe). Then, once the doors open do not wait for a tour, do not follow the self-guided tour. Look for signs indicating where to find the Sistine Chapel. Go straight there and you will have 30 minutes practically to yourself before the guided tours enter. At that point guards will begin pushing people through like cattle. Take your time with this virtual tour of the Sistine Chapel at www.vatican.va/various/cappelle/sistina_vr/index.html.

Icon of the Crucifixion
We have a new icon of the crucifixion written by Caroline Garner, one of our bi-ritual parishioners (Byzantine and Latin Rites). Caroline attends both here at St. Stephen's, as well as St. John Chrysostom parish in Seattle, and she brings this beautiful tradition of iconography with her. The word ‘icon’ means window, as in a window into heaven. An icon is intended to draw the viewer into prayerful communion with the mystery that is depicted. A good explanation of the icon exists at www.melkite.org/Mediation1.html. Here is a short excerpt explaining icons from an Orthodox perspective:

In the fullness of time, God put on flesh; He made himself a man. Now, not only had we seen
God in the flesh, but we had seen His face. Now there was a certain obligation to makean icon of God in the flesh as a means of education and veneration. The failure to depict Him in images
suggested that He had not become man. One cannot separate God from Jesus Christ; it is
impossible to create an icon of Christ without, at the same time, making God present.

To paint an icon of Christ, and deny the presence of God in the icon of Christ is the denial of the Divine Economy; hence, the denial of our salvation. But what is not being depicted is God's nature. Only the humanity of Christ. "Being indepictable in thy Divine nature, O Master, Thou didst deign to be depicted when, in these last days, Thou becamest Incarnate..." [Third Sticheron of the Great Vespers for the Sunday of Orthodoxy] "While depicting Thy Divine likeness in icons, O Christ, we openly proclaim Thy Nativity..." [Kathisma of Matins, Sunday of Orthodoxy] "He who seeth Me, seeth Him that sent Me" [Jn.12:45] said the Lord. Elsewhere Christ said to Philip: "Have I been so long with you, and yet thou hast not known Me, Philip? He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, show us the Father?" [Jn.14:9]. The Church has taught Her people that, in the icon of Christ, we also "see" God the Father. Christ is the very image or Icon of the Father; so where One is present so is the Other. (see: www.traditionaliconography.com/theology.asp).

You can find the new icon either in the chapel or main church during Lent, after which we will be mounting it in the chapel.

Words from Fr Ed (From March 13th, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-03-15T09:01:00.000-07:00

Washington State Redefining Marriage and Family
This coming week legislators in Washington State are attempting to broaden the definitions of family and marriage
to open the door to paid, same-sex, surrogate parenting. At the same time, there is an attempt to recognize same-sex
‘marriages’ (‘marriage’ is a misnomer) that are legalized in other states, as domestic partnerships here in Washington
State. There are many problems with this legislation, beginning with a faulty anthropology. “In the beginning, when God
created the heavens and the earth…God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female
he created them.”

As Scripture, Tradition and most recently John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body” teach us, we are created with a ‘nuptial’ (marital) meaning in our bodies. We are born, created, for marriage. Only God’s will calls to something different, as in celibacy. This is so fundamental to the identity of humanity that it appears as the very first words of scripture in reference to humankind (Gen 1:26-28). His
first command to humanity relates to the complementarity of men and women that includes pro-creativity, “Be fertile and multiply…” Finding ourselves in Christ requires a relationship of some kind to the opposite sex.

Notice too, how God speaks of Himself in the plural, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” (v. 26) We believe God to be a plurality of persons in a relation of love with one another, even, as some theologians have said, the Holy Spirit being the love between the Father and the Son. John writes that “God is love” (1 John 4:16). Love requires at least two persons. Human persons, created in the
image and likeness of God, are called to participate in this love. While love certainly occurs outside marriage, the primary sacramental symbol of Trinitarian love is found in the relation between husband and wife.

Jesus reiterates this truth in His teaching about divorce: “But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother [and be joined to his wife], and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” (Mark 10:6-9) To undermine, tamper with, and reject this natural union from the beginning of time will lead to grave personal and social decay. St. Paul speaks in Romans about people ‘who suppress the truth by their wickedness’ (Rom 1:18) and ‘God handed them over to degrading passions. Their females
exchanged natural relations for unnatural, and the males likewise gave up natural relations with females and burned with lust for one another.’ (v.26)

No one can deny the basic human need for love and friendship. Sexuality itself is a need that only God’s grace can transcend with the virtue of chastity. Chastity governs and guides our sexuality according to the form of love. Love of any kind is sacrificial, placing another’s good as an ultimate priority. Because of concupiscence, it is all too easy for heterosexuals and homosexuals alike to use another for one’s own pleasure, even inside of marriage. As we say in Theology of the Body language, ‘Love gives, lust takes.’ Those feeling a ‘same-sex’ attraction
(as well as heterosexual singles) are called to a heroic chastity like those of us who are called to celibacy. It is not easy at times, but like Peter walking on water, ‘all things are possible with God.’ Nor can a heterosexual person judge themselves better than a homosexualoriented person. In their efforts to be chaste, they may gain more merit and grace than the heterosexual who neglects their faith.

The desire to reproduce and parent children is also inherent in all of us. One cannot blame the homosexual person for this desire; it goes back to Adam and Eve. This is not a right however, whereby we can manipulate nature in such a way that separates the unitive and procreative aspects of marriage. Homosexual couples buying wombs for rent (sorry for the crudeness, but the reality is crude) degrades the
dignity of the woman, who normally has the great gift to participate in the most intimate way in the creation of new life. John Paul II describes the womb as another tabernacle, where God and humanity meet in the miracle of life. Washington State is in the precarious position of succumbing to vocal lobbies that would make drastic shifts in the common understanding of marriage, family, and parenting.

Please see www.protectmarriagewa.blogspot.com for more information. Contact your Senator and ask him to vote against the Senate version of House Bill 1267 if it comes to a vote. St. Stephen's is in District 47 with Joe Fain as our State Senator. 1-800-562-6000 is the Legislative Hotline. There is also a public hearing in Olympia on Tuesday, March 15 at 1:30PM, Government Operations, Tribal Relations &
Elections Committee, Senate Hearing Room 2 /John A. Cherberg Bldg.

“As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live.” - John Paul II (to be beatified May 1st!)

Words from Fr Ed (From March 6th, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-03-07T07:48:00.000-08:00

The Will of God…Fiat voluntas tua

Our Gospel today (Matt 7:21-27) reminds us of the ‘one thing necessary’, the unum necessarium that we also find in Luke 10:42. Matthew shares with us this truth in a slightly different context, with Jesus addressing the discrepancy between doing great things, even in Jesus’ name, and the actual desire of God. This points to a few important principles for Christian living.

One principle that we can note is how blind we can be to the motive of our own actions. Even while we are do something ‘good’, like prophesy, or exorcism, or ‘mighty deeds’, it can be an act of our own choosing, our own willfulness, done for reasons that we aren’t even aware of. As I write this article, I’ve just returned from Honduras with several groups from St. Stephen's. This Gospel is a good check on the euphoria of doing something ‘good’. Who could argue that helping orphans is not God’s will? There are few things clearer in the scriptures than the call to help ‘widows and orphans’. St. James writes, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” (James 1:27)

Still there can be a loving that meets my own need to ‘be loving’. Thomas Merton said something to the effect that the last stage of the spiritual life was to let go of ‘loving’. Now this does not mean to stop loving, but we ought to love others ultimately for God’s sake. Let’s look at Luke 10:42 for a moment to see how this plays out in a common situation. In the story of Mary and Martha where Martha is ‘burdened with much serving’, she asks Our Lord to make her sister help her. Jesus protects Mary’s seeming inactivity by saying that she had actually “chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.” This protection has been extended throughout the centuries by the Church’s Canon Laws which regulate contemplative life with great esteem.

This seeming inactivity on Mary’s part, sitting “beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak,” is genuine activity. Listening is a concrete act. Unfortunately in our busy culture listening can become a lost art. We can too easily become addicted to speaking. Remember the Proverb, “Where there is much talk, there is much sin.” (Proverbs 10:19) And who else is better to listen to than Our Lord Himself. It is from Him that we receive our mission. It is from Him that we receive the healing necessary to truly love selflessly. It is from Him that we learn how to remain connected to heaven and draw others into that union.

Making listening a priority however does not excuse the listener from activity. The Lord makes real requests during prayer time that obligate one to true charity. Our love of neighbor must grow apace with our love for God. In fact, love of neighbor is considered a crucial indicator of authentic prayer by the great master, St. Teresa of Avila. But the listener recognizes their Master’s voice, the voice of the Good Shepherd leading his ewes with care. If we want our ‘mighty deeds’ to come from God and obtain true merit for ourselves, then they have to be ordered by the Holy Spirit. As our Gospel says, “only the one who does the will of [Jesus'] Father in heaven” “will enter the kingdom of heaven.”

How do we find this will of the Father? Only through a personal relationship obtained by prayer, study and obedience to conscience. While that is not always easy, Jesus has promised, “Seek and you shall find.” Seeking His will is essential for the Christian, both as an act of obedient love and also for salvation itself. Are we doing His will today? To begin with, seeking His will is doing His will. St. Teresa of Avila used to pray 50 times a day, “What is your will, Lord?” In this will, resides infinite love. St. Alphonsus De Liguori writes in his Uniformity with
God’s Will (http://www.ccel.org/ccel/alphonsus/uniformity.iii.html),

Perfection is founded entirely on the love of God: “Charity is the bond of perfection (Col. 3:14)” and perfect love of God means the complete union of our will with God’s: “The principal effect of love is so to unite the wills of those who love each other as to make them will the same things" (St. Denis Areop). It follows then, that the more one unites his will with the divine will, the greater will be his love of God. Mortification, meditation, receiving Holy Communion, acts of fraternal charity are all certainly pleasing to God-but only when they are in accordance with his will.

We should not be caught unawares on the last day if we practice real prayer, where God can inform us of our iniquities and our weaknesses and lead us accordingly into verdant pastures. Then our works flow from the Charity of charities and are pleasing to God.

Words from Fr Ed (From February 20th 2011 Bulletin)

2011-02-16T10:42:00.000-08:00

Good Friday Blood Drive
The Blood Drive on Good Friday has been moved up earlier into the First Week of Lent this year to Saturday, Mar 12. There will also be other opportunities to give blood later in the year on June 11, Sept 24, and Dec 3. The reason it is being moved is threefold, beginning with the theological and liturgical. Good Friday is the one day of the year when we don’t say Mass, because the Church desires that we focus on the original and historical sacrifice of Jesus Christ. All our Masses, all our works, any good that occurs on earth throughout history owes it’s efficacy to this one act of love on the part of the Son of God made man. It’s important to give our full attention to this fact of grace, that without Him loving us first, we would not have the inspiration nor the strength to consider giving of ourselves.

A second reason that the Good Friday Blood Drive concerned me was that the Church gives us two fast days a year, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. But when one gives blood one shouldn’t fast. It’s actually dangerous and I’ve had at least one parishioner appear quite distressed because she was fainting after giving blood yet wanted to be faithful to the fast. I gave her dispensation
from the fast, but I believe she still felt conflicted. It seemed unfortunate that one had to choose between an act of charity and a rarely required act of penance. Eliminating 50% of the required penance during the Church year does not seem prudent to me. If we had 50 days of penance and eliminated one of them I would be less concerned.

The third reason is related. Giving one’s blood can be tiring and cause a lack of energy. This takes away from the liturgy and any
devotions that one might choose to do. Joining fasting to prayer is also one thing that Jesus recommended for special intentions. The Church needs our sacrifices, joined to Christ’s One, Holy, and Supreme Sacrifice.

All this is not meant to diminish the great sacrifice of giving one’s blood so that another might live. It is a great gift. There are few acts of love that can better resemble Our Saviors’ sacrifice. There is no need however to put ourselves in such a quandary if we could do both, so I explored the possibility of moving the Blood Drive to Holy Thursday or the previous Friday. Neither was possible on those days so they plan to come earlier in the Lenten Season on March 12, from 10AM-4PM. In the future, we will try to host it more closely to Good Friday. Thank you to all who have generously given their blood in the past. I hope this change does not inconvenience your giving, but rather enhances your love and generosity.

Honduras Mission Asks Prayers
By the time this bulletin is distributed (Feb 19/20) one team will be returning late Saturday night (Feb 19) and two others will have landed (Feb 18 & 19). I will be arriving on Feb 18th and would like to ask your prayers for ourselves and all the children that we will be serving. Lorie Vanderwalker served on the Medical Mission in early February. Our current teams include:

Renovation Team #1
Pat Flanigan
Debbie Dullenty
Tracy Morgan
David Winans
Steve Allen
Lise Masselotte

Prayer Team
Fr. Ed
Rebekah Cargill
Grace Daniel
Christina DeGoede
Trish Warfel
Dee Ho
Vyvyan Du
Mario Baron
George Baron
Ed Hopfner

Renovation Team #2
Pat Flanigan
Debbie Dullenty
Beth Motola
Emily Warfel
Dan Shonka
Anne Danaher
Mike Dullenty

Thank you to all who have been so supportive of our missions. People are blessed because of St. Stephen’s generosity and I pray that God abundantly bless you with every grace that you need. We are able to provide clothing, furnishings, bedding, books, Bibles, Catechisms, and rosaries, along with a lot of love. I know the children would want to give you all a big hug for what you have done. Muchas gracias por todos.

Words from Fr Ed (From February 13, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-02-09T13:42:00.000-08:00

Jesus’ Upgrade

But I say to you…
We hear several commandments from Jesus this weekend that push Christian morality beyond the righteousness
“…of the scribes and Pharisees.” He takes the traditional commandment, such as, “Thou shall not kill,” and expands its
meaning to include anger and harsh words. Jesus says, “…whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.” Is it
that serious? What is so wrong about calling someone a fool if they might even deserve it? Here is the basic reason,
“God is love.”

God’s correction of a person is done with gentleness and encouragement. When we call someone a fool, either to their face or behind their back, we’re identifying their whole being with some action that we disapprove of. As foolish as someone’s actions may be in our judgment, imprisoning them in a condemning notion of themselves is not how God sees things. As Christians, we must strive to see things as God sees them. St. Paul says, “Put on the mind of Christ.” Jesus came to save, not to condemn.

Jesus goes further to speak about lust of the eye and adultery in the heart. To ponder or entertain a thought against our vocation, and another’s, draws the soul into a grave form of selfishness. Marriage is about giving. Like Jesus, partners in marriage lay down their lives for
one another in self-giving. Adultery typically begins with a look, proceeds to the mind, and then justifies this form of theft with various lies.

It might be especially tempting for men these days as our eyes are bombarded with lustful images in the media and on the internet. BEWARE! Pornography is addictive and produced by people without a conscience who are supported by demons. They are experts at drawing one in by degrees until one is trapped. It can destroy a marriage. What sadness I see when this steals a man’s affection for his wife. As Proverbs says,

And have joy of the wife of your youth, your lovely hind, your graceful doe. Her love will invigorate you always, through her love you will flourish continually. When you lie down she will watch over you, and when you wake, she will share your concerns; wherever you turn, she will guide you. (5:18-22)

There is hope for one caught in this snare. The principles of AA are used successfully here. I give the first six steps and a website where
you can learn more:
1) We admitted we were powerless over our problems and behaviors—that our lives had become unmanageable.
2) Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3) Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4) Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5) Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6) Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

See http://www.r-a.org/H-Steps.htm for more information. One must face this with brutal honesty, seeking the genuine help that one needs. God comes to our assistance if we but simply ask.

Our Lady of the Inexhaustible Cup
This icon is credited as having healed many of addiction. We ask Our Lady to free all from addiction to pornography
and other diseases of mind & body. She is a powerful intercessor and can give the help that we need. Here is one
part of the Akathist (Prayer Service) to Our Lady:
O all-merciful Mother of our Lord and God, Jesus Christ, hear our prayer, and deliver us from all ills,
physical and emotional, and especially your servant(s) (name(s)), who suffer(s) from this disease, so that
he (she, they) may not perish, but might be saved and thus would sing to God:
ALLELUIA! ALLELUIA! ALLELUIA!

For the whole story see:www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/resources/services/akathist_inexhaustible_cup.htm

Prayers Requested:
Orphanage Renovation Team #1 is already in Honduras, please keep them in your prayers. Teams #2, as well as the Prayer Team, are headed out later this week; please pray for them as well. I will be in Honduras from Feb 18 – 26.

ARCHBISHOP IS COMING!
St. Stephens has been chosen as the site for the Deanery Mass for our new Archbishop Sartain, on February 18th at 7pm. It is a great honor that I didn’t want to delay, simply because of my absence. All parishes in South King County are coming. Please come and welcome our new Archbishop. See flyer for more info.

Words from Fr Ed (From Feb. 6, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-02-02T08:02:00.000-08:00

Salty Souls
“…it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house.” - Mt 5:15
Our Lord gives two important aspects of discipleship in the Gospel this weekend, namely, the need to care for
one’s self and secondly, the acceptance of the public and evangelical nature of our religion. Jesus speaks first of salt
losing its taste or saltiness. We are, in His words, “the salt of the earth”. Like the seasoning, we are to bring a certain
flavor to the world. We ought to affect it in a positive way.

Fortunately, we do many works at St. Stephen’s that have a positive effect on our community at large, both in the spiritual as well as
the material arenas. From Grief Support to Terrific Tuesdays, there are over 80 ministries in our parish that address a gamut of possible
needs. But the Gospel is not just for the community, it is also for each of us personally. A community is also simply a collection of individuals.
If individuals are failing in some area, eventually it affects the whole.

So how are these Gospel verses calling us to care for our ‘saltiness’? Are we personally a positive flavoring of Christ for those
around us and how do we nourish this characteristic? One, saltiness comes from genuine prayer. Honesty is the best policy. Are we being
honest with God, both through formal, structured prayer, and spontaneous dialogue with Our Maker? Funny, even as I am writing this I realized
that I hadn’t prayed beforehand. So I’ve stopped now to pray.

Everything ought to begin with prayer. Do you pray before your work day? Do you pray before family time? Do you pray before an
important decision? Often I can find myself fretting about something until I realize that I’m not praying about it. As soon as I turn to prayer, the
anxiety disappears. Remember St. Paul’s admonition, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving,
make your needs known to God. Then (and only then) the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and
minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:6-7)

One beautiful thing we can become aware of during these prayers, is that God desires to be much more than a Divine Quartermaster,
dishing out solutions to our requests. He desires a friendship with each and every one of us. Isn’t that worth discovering? Prayer about
daily things, work, relationships, finances, temptations, can easily lead us into recollection about an even greater good. God wants to give us
God, permanently, forever, in love and happiness. That is worth every moment.

When we know God’s goodness through experience, we become quite salty with the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. Then others
are affected by our presence, our words, and our deeds. They can see the light of Christ shining through us. They taste its warmth and healing
power. We have this not only as a gift, but also as a responsibility. If we have received freely, we must give freely. A gift truly received is
also given, knowing that God promises the greatest gift for us each week in the Eucharist and on into Eternity.

I’ll let this suffice for now to cover both aspects of discipleship, but we also have a great celebration this week on Monday night that
proclaims and empowers 70 youths and adults with the strengthening of the Holy Spirit. Confirmation imparts a power to use the gifts of the
Holy Spirit and to share one’s faith. Please join me in praying for all these candidates, that they might receive the Holy Spirit with humble and
open hearts. Here is a little prayer that will help them:

Come, Holy Spirit
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and enkindle in them the fire of Thy love.
V. Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created.
R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray. O God, Who didst instruct the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant us in the same Spirit to be truly wise, and
ever to rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Words from Fr Ed (From Jan 30, 2011 Bulletin)

2011-01-26T08:54:00.000-08:00

Blessed…

Our Gospel today points to the realities that cause
happiness. It is strange for us to consider poverty
and persecution as things we would call ‘blessed’,
but the Lord knows us through and through, knowing
especially that we need faith in the face of difficulties.
Trials beset all of us. They are a necessary,
though painful reality of the human condition. We
are forced, however, when tried by challenging circumstances in our
lives, to turn to God in a new and more profound way.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit…” This first beatitude is a gateway for
the others because it gives the basic disposition necessary for openness
to God. Our greatest poverty is a spiritual one. St. Francis and Bl. Teresa
of Calcutta lived with practically nothing, yet had great happiness because
their spirits were open to God. I’ve met millionaires who were
lonely, sad and restless. How do we find this poverty of spirit that gives
life?

“The truth will set you free.” To be honest with one’s self and with
God brings a great liberation. Honesty admits my inadequacies. St.
Thérèse of Lisieux considered “…that the best thing that God could have
done in her soul was ‘to have shown her her smallness, her powerlessness.’
” This truth cries out to God who is all-sufficient for every need. If
we call on the name of Jesus in these crucial moments, He reminds us
that “all things are possible with God.” This truth allows us to be poor
and unafraid, knowing that Jesus will not leave us orphans, He will be
with us, blessing us and preparing us for eternal happiness.

Protection
Christian life includes spiritual warfare with the enemies of our salvation.
St. Patrick wrote a beautiful prayer called the “Breastplate of St. Patrick”,
found in several forms, one of which I include here:

I bind unto myself today
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.

I bind this day to me for ever.
By power of faith, Christ's incarnation;
His baptism in the Jordan river;
His death on Cross for my salvation;
His bursting from the spicèd tomb;
His riding up the heavenly way;
His coming at the day of doom;
I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself the power
Of the great love of the cherubim;
The sweet 'well done' in judgment hour,
The service of the seraphim,
Confessors' faith, Apostles' word,
The Patriarchs' prayers, the Prophets' scrolls,
All good deeds done unto the Lord,
And purity of virgin souls.

I bind unto myself today
The virtues of the starlit heaven,
The glorious sun's life-giving ray,
The whiteness of the moon at even,
The flashing of the lightning free,
The whirling wind's tempestuous shocks,
The stable earth, the deep salt sea,
Around the old eternal rocks.

I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward,
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.

Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile men that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In every place and in all hours,
Against their fierce hostility,
I bind to me these holy powers.

Against all Satan's spells and wiles,
Against false words of heresy,
Against the knowledge that defiles,
Against the heart's idolatry,
Against the wizard's evil craft,
Against the death wound and the burning,
The choking wave and the poisoned shaft,
Protect me, Christ, till Thy returning.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the Name,
The strong Name of the Trinity;
By invocation of the same.
The Three in One, and One in Three,
Of Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.

Words from Fr Ed (from January 23, 2011 bulletin)

2011-01-19T12:50:00.000-08:00

SPIRITUAL COMPANIONS
“Lord, teach us to pray…” - Luke 11:1
It seems like a simple request for Our Lord to teach someone how to pray, and yet it becomes complex in our broken
lives. Unfortunately, we are not simple people. But the Lord is patient and offers His disciples a beautiful answer, “When
you pray, say:

Father, hallowed be your name,
Your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread
And forgive us our sins as we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us,
And do not subject us to the final test.”

He goes on to other lessons on prayer, but it begins here with the best known Christian prayer, the one Jesus gave us. We ought to know
it well and pray it often. In the early Church, Christians considered it an obligation to pray the Our Father at least three times a day.

If we only did just this, we would soon feel a drawing to pray more. The Scriptures invite us to “Taste and see how good the Lord is.” This
drawing to pray more, to know the Lord better, brings with it questions. As my beloved grandmother once said when asked who she thought
God is, “God is mystery.” In my ignorance at the time I thought I knew Him better than that. “Mystery” sounded too vague for a God who reveals
Himself to us. But as one grows in the spiritual life, one thing He reveals is His depths. God’s infinite Being becomes unfathomable and ineffable.
One could be overwhelmed.

It’s times like this when a person may feel a need for spiritual guidance. And so, many people seek information about the life of prayer. I
wish I had time to do this every day, all day long. It is a joy to help a person seek the action of the Holy Spirit in his or her life. And it’s an
impossible task for any one person in a large parish like ours. In discernment with a small core team, we sought to find a solution to this and
developed a new ministry called Spiritual Companions. With the expertise of Tim Malone and the help of Marijean Heutmaker and Diane
Cooper, we are launching this valuable help to the mission of the Church this weekend, January 22nd and 23rd.

The Twelve Companions (remind you of anything?) have been trained in the basic principles articulated by St. Ignatius of Loyola for
discernment of spirits and other methods of prayer. They have also received excellent listening skills and continue through ongoing formation
to shape their ability to relate with others. Each of them was screened for aptitude, and they have succeeded in completing this initial class over
the past year. They value their own spiritual journey and desire to share it with others.

These twelve adventurers in the spirit are trained to companion others on their journey. They aren’t spiritual directors or counselors, but
instead walk beside a person, sharing from their own experience and the richness of our spiritual tradition as Catholics. The disciples of
Emmaus give us a perfect image of how this ministry plans to function. You know the story; the two disciples are walking away from Jerusalem
wondering what had just happened. Their Jesus had been crucified and many of the disciples were terrified for their own lives. Now what? What
did their lives mean? Jesus comes alongside them, unrecognized, and asks what they were speaking about. “All that has happened in
Jerusalem over the past few days,” they respond. “What things?” Jesus asks.

Here is the crux of processing our prayer experience. ‘What things’ happen when you pray? We can try to process this alone, but it can help
immensely to share these ‘things’ with others. As the Body of Christ ,we bless, strengthen and encourage one another with God’s wisdom and
compassion. Sharing your prayer experience is a valuable way to bring the different members of Christ’s Body closer together.

Our Spiritual Companions at St. Stephen’s are available for one-on-one companioning or small group facilitation. We are hoping to have a
few small groups available for Lent this year. The format would include contemplative prayer based on the lectionary and sharing our experience
together. One doesn’t need to worry about sharing your feelings or personal concerns; one can share or not share. One doesn’t need to know
how to pray. We are all learners.

Please join me in commissioning these twelve founding members of St. Stephen’s Spiritual Companions. It promises to be an extraordinary
ministry of fruitfulness and growth in God’s love. One of our original core members, Leonard Lombardi, didn’t live long enough to see this come
to fruition, but his prayers and companionship continue in a more powerful way. Thank you, Lenny, for your gift of prayer and sacrifice for
Christ’s Church. We continue from the road to Emmaus on to the New Jerusalem together.

Words from Fr Ed (From Jan 16, 2010 Bulletin)

2011-01-12T15:38:00.000-08:00

Pink and Blue Crosses

Some day, unless we repent, history will mark January 22, 1973 as a landmark date in the downfall of the United
States. It was the day when our Supreme Court made a decision that contradicted the very premise of our foundation
as a country. In other words, it was the day when the nine wisest citizens, so-called, rejected the cornerstone
of our Constitution. The Declaration of Independence, signed on July 4, 1776, reads:

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the
political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers
of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's
God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they
should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

Here the signers are going to give the primary reasons for America to become independent from England. This is our ‘raison d’être’,
our reason to exist.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed
by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty
and the pursuit of Happiness.

Notice how belief in God and the rights derived from natural law are assumed as ‘self-evident’, which means that they are “known to be
true by understanding its meaning without proof.” The rights derived from ‘Nature and Nature’s God’ are unalienable, or ‘not to be separated,
given away, or taken away’ from the individual person. The rights to ‘Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness’ cannot be given
away or taken away, yet that is what the Supreme Court tragically did on that day for the 52 million unborn who have since suffered
the consequence.

And not only these, but the mothers, fathers, families, friends, and society itself, have lost the image and likeness of God contained in
each and every person created. The gift of life, appreciated, is called to be esteemed and protected. When we fail to do that, we have
not truly received the fullness of life ourselves. This trend has to stop and change if the United States is to survive.

The Greek word for repentance is ‘metanoia’, to change one’s mind. We need a change of heart and mind here in America, which can
only begin with me, with each one of us individually. It means prayer and love, love for the truth and love for those harmed by abortion.
Which is why I’ve said ‘Yes’ to a desire to Memorialize the Unborn this Monday, January 17th. After 6:30PM Mass, we will process to
our Memorial Garden/Labyrinth area, placing 52 pink and blue crosses to acknowledge the 52 million children who have died due to
abortion. We will pray for them and their mothers in a special way with all-night Adoration following.

Some have concerns that this method is too ‘in your face’ or ‘political’. It is bound to make some people feel uncomfortable. Abortion
should make us feel uncomfortable. But the healing for this discomfort comes from real prayer and service to those most affected by
abortion. St. Stephen’s continues to offer significant support to Project Rachel, where moms and dads of aborted children can come to
know God’s mercy and love for them, acknowledging what they have done and reconciling with their children, who we believe are in
heaven in their innocence.

As long as Roe v. Wade is the law of our land, we live in darkness as a country, and parishes like ours need to provide a beacon of
hope, hope in God, hope in His mercy, hope in the conversion of all hearts. This is why we also provide support to Pregnancy Aid and
have helped found the Gabriel Project for expectant moms, so that we can stand in solidarity with any woman experiencing a crisis
pregnancy. Their dignity and well-being are at risk like the child within their womb.

Our Vigil for Life on Monday evening is followed by the March for Life in Olympia on Tuesday, January 18th. Please join me for both as
we rebuild the culture of life that God has always intended for us. Metanoia happens.

Words from Fr Ed (From January 9th 2010 Bulletin)

2011-01-06T11:00:00.000-08:00

“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Mt 3:17
Our New Year begins with the Feasts of Epiphany and the Baptism of Our Lord. What is in those Feasts that could
inspire our coming year? Surely there is grace in every Sunday celebrated, but as John Paul II said, “In the designs of
Providence there are no mere coincidences.” There is grace, the life of God, in each and every moment of our existence,
if only we will listen and receive what the Lord has for us in that particular moment. So what can we derive from
the last two Sundays of the Advent and Christmas Season?

Epiphany is a Feast of Light, where God foreshadows His plan to reveal Himself to the gentiles, the non-Jewish
peoples. He does this through those ‘three wise guys’ as I like to affectionately call them. We actually don’t even know
that there were three of them. The number three comes from the three gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. These certainly indicate three
areas of Christian life that demand our attention. Gold is a symbol of kingship, frankincense of priesthood, and myrrh of humanity and suffering.

Kingship can indicate the need for right governance, which if we apply that to ourselves, we might consider the virtues necessary to govern
our souls in making right choices. The beginning of a New Year is an excellent time to make resolutions around our own growth in Christ.
Is there a virtue that you need to strengthen? Remember that virtue in itself can be defined as “a good habit”; or “…a mean between excess
and defect; thus courage is a mean between cowardice and rashness, and liberality is a mean between stinginess and prodigality”; or “a habit
which perfects a power that a thing has.” Too often we think of virtue as something extreme, when it is actually the opposite.

What virtue do I need the most this coming year? Thomas à Kempis wrote that if we only added one virtue a year we would be saints in
no time. A few virtues to consider: faith, hope, love (the three theological virtues); fortitude, prudence, temperance, justice (the four cardinal
virtues); understanding, science, wisdom, art (intellectual virtues); in sub-categories we can name patience, chastity, humility and a host of
others. The most important thing is that we obtain them. They also flock together like the proverbial birds, so if we acquire one, the others are
close by.

If we can choose virtue, we also choose happiness and prepare the way for Christ, which relates to our second Feast Day, the Baptism
of Our Lord. The word for ‘Baptism’ in the Greek is baptizo or Βαπτιζω, which means “to immerse”. Have you ever been immersed in water
in a way that truly delighted you? I can remember a creek in Colorado that had a little waterfall, only a few feet really, but there was an air gap
behind it, so that one could dip one’s head back underneath the waterfall and into the air space behind the water. On a hot Colorado day in
the Rocky Mountains, it felt like heaven, and what a view. It was an immersion that I will always remember.

How much more should we consider our Baptism in Christ which we continue to affirm as adults, immersing ourselves in Christ as He
immerses Himself in us through the Holy Eucharist? What kind of a shower is He getting when He moves into our souls? Is He getting a
warm, heartfelt reception? Or am I indifferent or distracted? Do I resist God’s will in someway? I believe Christ is aware of these attitudes as
He tries to unite Himself to us in perfect love. We can actually change our attitudes through the grace of God and a prayerful turning towards
Him. Speaking to Him, even when, or shall I say, especially when we might feel indifferent, cold, bored, or dissatisfied, immediately gives God
a chance to warm our hearts with the truth about His love for us and desire to save us from our own weaknesses.

He desires to immerse Himself in us, to be with us during 2011 and beyond into eternity.

Thank You for Christmas
Thank you to all who made our Church so beautiful inside and outside for the Christmas Season. It was a wonderful atmosphere facilitated
by Cynde Bosshart, Mary Jo Kemper, and Rosanna Liliequist, and their energetic crew of volunteers. I also want to thank all who provided
the welcome and liturgies that we celebrated. The music was wonderful and all the assistance with parking and other logistics was
superb. I know many people were blessed. In fact, our Mass count for the five Christmas Masses was around 4500! Please pray that all who
attended will continue to grow and respond to Christ during this coming year.

Thank You for Presents
Thanks to all who gave gifts to me this Christmas. I am overwhelmed by your generosity and love. I hope to send thank you cards, but if
you don’t hear from me please accept my apology and thanks. There were also a few gifts that may have been separated from their cards,
namely a book of sermons by St. Alphonsus, a prayer sweatshirt, and a Gucci cloth. Please let me know if you gave these so I can thank you.
Many blessings to all during this coming year of 2011.

Words from Fr Ed (From Christmas Bulletin 2010)

2010-12-23T09:37:00.000-08:00

The Good News
Glory to God in the highest and on earth to those on whom his favor rests.

I’d like to wish each and every one who comes through our doors this Christmas Season a very Merry Christmas and a New Year that is filled with the Presence of Christ. We have cause for rejoicing here! God, who sent His only Son, intends for us to have a great year, no matter what circumstances are occurring in our lives, even the things that we may not be able to control. We do, however, have control over how we respond to situations in our lives, and can do so with love in the name of Christ. He who is called ‘Emmanuel’, God-with-us, does not just come at Christmas, but desires to ‘remain with us’. As Jesus says in the Gospel of John, “Remain in me, as I remain in you.”

Have you been able to ‘remain in’ Christ this Christmas Season? It is easy to make resolutions about Advent and see them broken one-by-one. Our desire for prayer, silence, and quality time with loved ones, can all be lost in the hustle and bustle of the ‘season’. But who is in charge of the ‘season’? Is it Hallmark? Or Wal-Mart? Or Wall Street? We Catholics are called to a different kind of season. We celebrate a liturgical season that extends beyond the gift exchange and the parties. For us, Christmas Day is just the beginning of a Christmas Season that lasts until the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord on January 9th.

One of my favorite Christmas stories is Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas. I have especially enjoyed the more recent movie with Jim Carrey as the Grinch. His humorous portrayal brings the character into real time and lends insight into the things that can steal Christmas for us today. As the innocence of little Cindy Lou Who conquers his heart, which is ‘two sizes too small’, the Grinch begins to realize that Christmas is not really about material gifts.

We can learn from this in the face of the deluge of consumerism that hits us at Christmas time. Sales surround the Feast Day as if it was the only reason it exists. Time is marked by pre-Christmas and post-Christmas sales. They orient us in an almost ‘liturgical’ way attempting to get us into a procession to their outlets for the ritual of shopping. But, as Catholics, our liturgical rituals restore a right order in the soul. The Three Wise Men of Epiphany give us a procession of adoration and thanks to the newborn King. The Flight into Egypt of the Holy Family gives us a model for protecting human life. The procession of sinners to John the Baptist gives us a vision for repentance and renewal. All these processions can lead us into a new direction in our lives.

When the presents have been unwrapped, the eggnog is consumed, and the family is dispersed, what remains in our hearts? Have they grown three times larger like the Grinch’s? Have we discovered the fullness of joy that lay in a manger two thousand years ago? This present should not be ignored or discarded with the Monday morning recycle. It is worth our every effort to remain in Him, even as He remains in us. May each of you take the time with Jesus that we need this Christmas Season to give new birth to our souls. We owe it to ourselves, we owe it to God. May all of you have a joyous Christmas Season.

Words from Fr Ed (From Dec 19th, 2010 Bulletin)

2010-12-15T13:38:00.000-08:00

Emmanuel – God is with us

Jesus’ prophetic name, ‘Emmanuel’, is our testimony as Catholic Christians. “God is with us” is a statement that we ought to believe, experience, and profess as Catholics. As Christians we believe that Jesus is God. Some have believed that He was a holy man who pointed to God; that He was teaching us by example to call God our Father. Our faith goes far beyond this. We believe that His name, Emmanuel, speaks of the literal Divinity of Christ. Do you believe this?
Pope Leo the Great wrote in a letter to Bishop Flavian in 449 AD:

Without detriment therefore to the properties of either nature and substance which then came together in one person, majesty took on humility, strength weakness, eternity mortality; and for the paying off of the debt belonging to our condition inviolable nature was united with possible nature, so that, as suited the needs of our case, one and the same Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, could both die with the one and not die with the other.

Faith tells us this is both possible and true. Reason alone cannot fathom this. What about the Christmas story do you find incredible? Does it not touch your heart? Pope Leo goes on to say:

The nativity of the flesh was the manifestation of human nature: the childbearing of a virgin is the proof of Divine power. The infancy of a babe is shown in the humbleness of its cradle: the greatness of the Most High is proclaimed by the angels' voices. He whom Herod treacherously endeavours to destroy is like ourselves in our earliest stage: but He whom the Magi delight to worship on their knees is the Lord of all.

Above Image Used with permission of John Brandi Co., Inc.

Apologies

My apologies to all who have tried to contact me or have left messages and not heard back from me. As much as I continue to reorganize my schedule to accommodate phone calls, mail, emails, drop-in visitors, emergencies and texts, it seems impossible to get back to everyone. Please be patient as well with our administrative staff as they do a great job of managing an enormous quantity of work.

The reality of the priest shortage continues to manifest itself, though I am happy to say a growing number of young people are seeking spiritual direction for vocational discernment, which the Archdiocese has asked me to assist with. This is an investment for the future which cuts into my time available for St. Stephen’s but as a Church I believe we have to make this sacrifice today for a better tomorrow. I do pray for all of you daily and hope you do the same for me during this beautiful Advent Season.

Words from Fr Ed (From Dec 5th, 2010 Bulletin)

2010-12-01T10:51:00.001-08:00

Produce good fruit as evidence…

            Our gospel today calls us to “Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance” and not to “…presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’” John the Baptist is speaking to Jews, but the same spiritual principle applies today. People, even ‘good Catholics’, can presume that they are fine the way they are, that as long as they go to Mass regularly they are secure in the Lord. Mass is certainly crucial, but the repentance that John is speaking about goes further. It means taking the gift that we have been given during the Mass, namely, Christ the Lord, and sharing Him with the world.

            As Paul VI wrote in his encyclical, Evangelii Nuntiandi (On Proclaiming the Gospel), “The Church exists in order to evangelize." “Evangelizing is in fact the grace and vocation proper to the Church, her deepest identity.” (14) If this is so, then our gift of faith as Catholics needs to be shared in various ways, beginning with the example of our lives. Paul VI writes,

“Take a Christian or a handful of Christians who, in the midst of their own community, show their capacity for understanding and acceptance, their sharing of life and destiny with other people, their solidarity with the efforts of all for whatever is noble and good. Let us suppose that, in addition, they radiate in an altogether simple and unaffected way their faith in values that go beyond current values, and their hope in something that is not seen and that one would not dare to imagine. Through this wordless witness these Christians stir up irresistible questions in the hearts of those who see how they live: Why are they like this? Why do they live in this way? What or who is it that inspires them? Why are they in our midst? Such a witness is already a silent proclamation of the Good News and a very powerful and effective one."

For this kind of witness, we simply need to be ourselves in the world, caring for those around us in thought, word, and deed.

            I’ve seen this witness lived at St. Stephen's in a variety of ways, through the sharing of food (Food Bank, Terrific Tuesdays, Men’s Shelter Meals, Thanksgiving Dinner, Orion Youth Center, etc.), the sharing of housing (Direct Aid, St. Stephens Housing, and parishioners opening their own homes), and the sharing of goods (Direct Aid, Giving Tree, Knights of Columbus, and Pregnancy Aid). We have loving support offered through Grief Support, MOMS, Prison Ministry, St. Stephens Ministers, Nursing Home Services, Project Rachel, Visitation Guild and Gabriel Project. So many ways are offered here at St. Stephen’s by which one can serve others. I’ve probably missed some who do service without anyone knowing. Thank you for your gift of self. These ministries stand as evidence of our faith, what Christ has done within us.

            These works of mercy are just part of what we can do to share our faith. We have liturgical ministries, faith formation, facilities, parish life, administration, and so much more. How is God calling you to ‘produce good fruit’? Beyond the parish, evangelization begins at home. How is your family preparing for Christmas? Are you praying daily? What a beautiful time to gather for the Rosary, or even a decade to start. It only takes a few minutes. Understanding Mary better will lead us more deeply into the mystery of Christ. Your children will grasp it easily. Mary loves children!

            Beyond the home, there is the workplace and the marketplace, the ‘public square’. Here a great witness is needed to Christian values. Does your work contribute to the well-being of others? Does it help promote order or build it up? Does your business practice ethical guidelines, not simply to avoid litigation, but to promote goodness in creation? There are ways of doing things that reflect trust in God and the possibility of a just society. God desires this and we are His instruments. May this Advent season bring light into our world, beginning with ourselves.

Words from Fr Ed (From Nov 28th 2010 Bulletin)

2010-11-23T10:01:00.000-08:00

ADVENT
Latin, ad + venio = to come to

…stay awake…for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.
- Matthew 24:42

The Lord is coming. St. Paul tells us that “…our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed; the night is advanced, the day is at hand.” This is true even in a literal sense. As Dr. Tom Curran shared with us last Saturday, Advent is a time when days are getting darker and colder as the winter solstice approaches. (‘Solstice’ “is derived from the Latin sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still), because at the solstices, the Sun stands still in declination; that is, the apparent movement of the Sun's path north or south comes to a stop before reversing direction.” From Wikipedia) The Church chose this time, the winter solstice, the turning of the tide, to celebrate the Birth of Christ, the birth of the One who called Himself the Light of the World.

There is a beautiful history of the dating of Christmas at: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03724b.htm. The best evidence that points to late December as the timing of Christ’s birth is related to the annunciation of John the Baptist’s conception to Zachariah, which occurred on the Day of Atonement, which falls in September. According to Scripture (Luke 1:36), the Annunciation of Christ’s conception comes 6 months later, which would be in March (celebrated March 25). Add nine months to this date and we have the date of Christmas. This does not mean that the Church depends on historical accuracy. The Church depends on mystical accuracy. In other words, when the Church enters into a mystery of Christ, such as His Nativity, it enters into a mystery that is primarily outside of time. The physical manifestation of a Divine reality is the tip of the iceberg, transcended by an infinitely large mystery under the surface.

In preparation for such Light coming into the world, the Church gradually developed a time of penance and prayer that helps one to appreciate the Incarnation. The goals of Advent for the faithful are:
 to prepare themselves worthily to celebrate the anniversary of the Lord's coming into the world as the incarnate God of love,
 thus to make their souls fitting abodes for the Redeemer coming in Holy Communion and through grace, and
 thereby to make themselves ready for His final coming as judge, at death and at the end of the world.
Let us prepare our souls today, even in this moment, to receive all the love that God has for us.

Preparing for Mass
There is no better way to grow in the grace of God than to worthily prepare for and pray the Mass. Here is a short prayer, written by Blessed Dom Marmion for priests, but adaptable for the laity who are called to exercise the priesthood of all believers by offering the Holy Sacrifice of Jesus Christ to the Father for the sins of the whole world. Let us all become worthy worshipers, in spirit and in truth.

Lord, you have declared that sine me nihil potestis facere (Jn 15:5). I realize it; without You I can do nothing, and especially in this divine action of the Holy Sacrifice. I am quite incapable of being a worthy minister for You in this act of incomparable grandeur. Were I to pass my whole life in preparation I would not be fit for such a ministry. But as I have received, through Your Holy Spirit, a participation in Your priesthood, I ask in all humility, that You communicate to me Your disposition as Pontiff and as Victim; the dispositions which were Yours at the Last Supper and those which You had on the Cross; graciously supply in Your mercy all that is wanting in me.

Words from Fr Ed (From Nov 21st, 2010 Bulletin)

2010-11-17T10:49:00.000-08:00

CHRIST THE KING
…today you will be with me in Paradise.
Lk 23:43

Our Feast today exalts the supremacy of Christ, not just over a nation, nor even our Church, but over all creation, from the beginning to the end. As Christ said, “I am the Alpha and the Omega.” If this is the case, why does our world not follow the ways of Christ? One would expect a people to obey their king, or a king to enforce his will on the people. With God there is freedom, freedom to obey or disobey. This is displayed on the cross where we see two thieves, one who blasphemes Christ and another who recognizes Him and repenting, proclaims His kingship by saying, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

We call this good thief St. Dismas. In three sentences, in the last minute of his life, Dismas is saved from the punishment due to sin. What mercy, what grace! A simple act of humility, honesty really, makes an eternal difference. Have we the same honesty? Are we able to admit our sinfulness? Do we have the knowledge of self necessary to be saved? Jacques Philippe writes in his book, Interior Freedom that “The person God loves with the tenderness of a Father, the person he wants to touch and to transform with His love, is not the person we’d have liked to be or ought to be. It’s the person we are. God doesn’t love ‘ideal persons’ or ‘virtual beings.’ He loves actual, real people.”

Let us follow Dismas by making a true confession of our own inadequacies and proclaim the authority of Christ over our lives. He will not coerce us. His dominion depends on our cooperation and acceptance of His reign. Our age tends to say “Question Authority”, but this is one authority we should never question. If we can accept Christ’s Kingship in our lives, all else will follow. As Jesus said in Matthew, “But seek first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.” (Mt 6:33)

Parish Expectations
What does it mean to be a member of St. Stephen the Martyr Catholic Church?

I will continue to elaborate on some basics that should be a part of every parishioner’s life here at St. Stephen’s. While respecting a just diversity in gifts and graces amongst God’s people, we ought to strive to be “…of one heart and mind” like our first apostles and the early Christians. These include some of the basics found in that first community following Pentecost. The Scriptures say that “They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of the bread and to the prayers.” (Acts 2:42) I’ve already mentioned the ‘breaking of the bread’ as the first of our priorities.

John Paul II said in Ecclesia de Eucharistia that “The Church draws her life from the Eucharist.” Parishioners should participate in the Eucharist weekly, and more often than not, at St. Stephen’s. Some float from parish to parish based on Mass times and the length of homilies, etc., never committing to a particular community, never contributing gifts of time and talent beyond their 55 minutes of bodily presence in the building. This is a sad and selfish Christian life. Of course there are exceptions for health concerns, but in general, for those who can, Mass connects us in a way that includes an obligation to ‘the communal life’ mentioned in Acts. Gifts are given for the sake of the Body, the Church. Each believer has been given gifts for the building up of the community. When one receives the Precious Body of Our Lord, eternal life itself, yet refuses to become involved in the parish, what spiritual constipation has occurred?!

Real reception of gifts depends on a giving of gifts as well. A vessel never emptied stagnates and pours out the excess as waste. So what does this ‘communal life’ entail? It entails going beyond ourselves and our natural families to connect outside of Mass in the ministries that help the parish function and fulfill her mission. We have about 88 ministries here at St. Stephen’s. They all contribute to the mission of Christ that we have been given, a mission to make His Kingship known. Together we can make this happen. More than I depend on you, Christ depends on you, to make Him known to ‘the Dismases’ in our own area who do not know the way of Christ: to youths, mothers at risk, to homebound and homeless. The harvest is ripe, grab a sickle and join us.

Words from Fr Ed (From Nov 14th, 2010 Bulletin)

2010-11-10T09:22:00.000-08:00

“By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”
- Lk 21:19

As we enter the last two weeks of the Church year and begin Advent on November 28th
our readings speak of the end of time and the coming of Christ. In today’s Gospel (Lk 21:5-19) Jesus
speaks of trials that will come at the end of the world as we know it, including war, famine,
earthquakes, and plagues. There will also be signs and wonders that “will come from the sky.”
This would be enough to distract just about anyone from the daily duty that we have as Christians,
that is, to keep our eyes fixed on Christ in all that we do. But as it says in the ritual for
Anointing of the Sick, “Our weakness lays claim to Your strength.”
We must be deeply grounded as Christians to endure the challenges of our day. I believe it was Fulton
Sheen who said that in the last part of the 20th century Catholics would either become saints or fall away. Though
that time has passed, it seems to be more relevant each day and touches on our call to become saints. How do we do
that? Isn’t that for heroic people? Don’t I need to be in a convent to achieve that? No, sainthood is meant in a special
way for the kitchen table, the workplace, and the narthex. While we are transformed in the holy actions of the
Church, real sanctity is worked out in our daily lives fulfilling our daily duties in a simple and loving way.
Someone remarked, “But I don’t want to be a saint!” Do you want to love? Do you want to love fully, increasing
your joy and happiness to the greatest extent possible? If ‘yes’, then you want to be a saint. Maybe what
needs to change is our conception of what ‘saint’ means. Many saints live and die without a statue being erected in
their honor; the simple people in our constellation of friends who humbly walk by faith. What do they do that’s different?
Let’s look at some of these characteristics, which make for sainthood that anyone of us can attain, beginning
with a basic attitude.

Thomas Aquinas was asked how one could become a saint. He said, “Will it.” Simple, an act that we are capable
of; using our will to cooperate with the action of the Holy Spirit. The will, according to St. John of the Cross, is
the seat (home) of the supernatural virtue of love. More simply said, love is in the will. This contradicts the modern
association of love being in the emotions or in the libido. Remember ‘Love Story’s sentimental journey? While genuine
love can certainly stir the emotions, true love always includes an act of the will whereby we voluntarily assent,
say ‘yes’ to, the movement of the Holy Spirit within us. We have been sealed and filled with this Spirit of love.
The willingness, the desire, to become a saint, is equivalent to the willingness to love. If we want to become
a saint, all we have to do is love. It is likewise the one thing we have control of. Many things can happen around us
that are evil, yet we can always, if we are willing, respond in a loving way. This of course takes a strong union with
that love which resides in our hearts and minds. As Jesus said in today’s Gospel, there will be challenges that shake
our foundations and can distract us from the gift of love.

As I begin my first term as Pastor (six years), it is a good time to continue developing a list of ‘parish precepts’,
principles and duties to live by, here at St. Stephens. These will help us ‘live in love’. They include, but aren’t
exhausted by, prayer, study, fellowship, and service. I wrote earlier about the Eucharist, the ‘Sacrament of Charity’.
It remains as the primary font of love at the heart of our Church. In many parts of the world the water well or fountain
is at the heart of a village or building. The well is a source of life, essential for a healthy life. One of the first
things we do in developing property is to check on the availability of water. So, as Catholics, we have to check on
the availability of Mass and Holy Communion, the Bread of Life and the Cup of Eternal Salvation. An attitude of
love is possible with the Eucharist, Infinite Love consecrated and received. May we continue to be transformed by
the loving will of God who makes Himself Incarnate through the Eucharist.

Words from Fr Ed (From Nov 7th, 2010 Bulletin)

2010-11-03T11:22:00.000-07:00

Purgatory
…he is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.
Lk 20:38

Our Gospel this week reveals God’s vision of humanity, and that this humanity, whether deceased in body or not, is alive in spirit. During this month of All Souls, where we remember, in a special way, those who have died, it’s good to recall the three branches of our Church, the ‘Triumphant’, the ‘Suffering’ (from Latin passio = to suffer, to endure) , and the ‘Militant’. We on earth are the Church Militant (= ‘one engaged in fighting, war or strife’) and we often forget the other two because our vision can be so focused on this particular world in time and space. But we have great friends in the other two branches, especially if we take time to pray for the Church that exists in Purgatory, where souls ‘suffer’ a transition, from some punishment or purgation due to sin, to the pure loving state of Heaven with the saints and angels.
“I thought Vatican II got rid of Purgatory” you might be thinking. Not at all. We did change some details of the Indulgences for prayers said to relieve the sufferings of Purgatory, but nothing the Church could say or do would eliminate Purgatory itself. It exists and there is plenty of evidence that reveals it. First off, how many of us are saints this precious moment? How many of us are pure, ready to worship and praise Our Lord for all eternity? It’s hard to get some people to sing on a given Sunday, much less for all eternity. Our disposition in this given moment is a sample of the state of mind and heart that we could die in. One seminary professor used to say, “As we die, so shall we live for all eternity.” If that is in an imperfect state, then we shall need a transformation to become perfect, ‘…as our heavenly Father is perfect.”
Here are some excellent scriptures that point to the existence of Purgatory:

Some soldiers had sinned and died, so Judas Maccabeus took up a collection and “… sent twelve thousand drachmas of silver to Jerusalem for sacrifice to be offered for the sins of the dead, thinking well and religiously concerning the resurrection (For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should rise again, it would have seemed superfluous and vain to pray for the dead). And because he considered that they who had fallen asleep with godliness, had great grace laid up for them. It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.” (2 Maccabees 12:43-46)

St. Paul also writes about a person and their works being tested: "For other foundation no man can lay, but that which is laid; which is Christ Jesus. Now if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay stubble: Every man's work shall be manifest; for the day of the Lord shall declare it, because it shall be revealed in fire; and the fire shall try every man's work, of what sort it is. If any man's work abide, which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work burn, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire." (1 Corinthians 3:11-15)

Jesus Himself said, “And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but he that shall speak against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come." (Matthew 12:32) This suggests, obviously, that some words (that are not sins against the Holy Spirit) can be forgiven in the world to come, after one’s death. For more information on the teaching of the Church on Purgatory, see the Catechism, Articles 1030 – 1032 at http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P2N.HTM or the Catholic Encyclopedia at http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12575a.htm.

Next week, I hope to continue my discussion of what is expected of a parishioner at St. Stephen’s and my new role as pastor. Thank you for your prayers.

Words from Fr Ed (From October 31st, 2010 Bulletin)

2010-10-27T11:54:00.000-07:00

All Saints and Sunday Matters
(and Precepts continued)

There are several days of the Church year that are holy days of obligation, but when they fall on a Saturday or a Monday we are dispensed from attending Mass. Thus All Saints Day this year is not an obligation. The next two Solemnities that are obligatory are the Immaculate Conception on December 8th and Christmas on, well, Christmas. Christmas falls on a Saturday this year which creates a double obligation, one for Christmas and one for Sunday.

Why the obligation? I wonder that, too. As a convert I’ve enjoyed going to Mass almost every day for the last 30 years. For me it is a privilege and a gift to attend to the sacrifice and banquet of Our Lord Jesus Christ. How come we have to force people under the pain of sin to attend Mass on Sunday and Holy Days of Obligation? We are fallen creatures who don’t always know what is best for ourselves. What?! Does the Church know better than I what is best for my soul? Yes, I believe so. When we say we believe in the Holy Catholic Church, aren’t we saying that we also trust her with the well-being of our souls?

Jesus said to Peter, “Feed my sheep.” This commission to feed the sheep comes from the Lord Himself. It includes sheep that don’t know the value of eating. I’m sure some of you have dealt with eating disorders, either in a child or yourself. One thing that is essential for anorexia is a healthy eating plan. Too many Catholics are starving themselves by missing Sunday Mass and Holy Days of Obligation. Their salvation, as we understand it, is in jeopardy. As the Catechism states, “The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. For this reason the faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation, unless excused for a serious reason (for example, illness, the care of infants) or dispensed by their own pastor. Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin.”(2181)

Rather than threaten with hellfire, I’d rather focus on the great good that is lost. People should know the Church’s teaching on missing obligatory Mass. It did not change at Vatican II; what changed was that priests stopped talking about it. While a shift towards mercy is fantastic (Pope John XXIII wanted Vatican II to be a ‘medicine of mercy’), we can’t abandon the reality of sin and its consequences. There is a hell. As St. Pio would say, “If you don’t believe in hell now, you will when you get there!” But hell is a negative motivator. It is called imperfect contrition, which means we are sorry because we fear punishment. Justifiable at the beginning of a conversion, the Lord desires so much more for us. He would not leave us in this state of fear. “Perfect love casts out all fear.”

That’s why I would rather people come to Mass out of love for the One they are receiving. Jesus said in John 6:53, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.” So, if St. Peter, who was told that whatever is bound on earth is bound in heaven, asks if one has eaten the flesh of the Son of Man, what will you say if you have missed Mass? Will you say, “Yes, two weeks ago.” Or “Yes, at Christmas.” What if he asks about this past Sunday or Holy Day? How will you answer him? You will have to tell the truth, “No I didn’t receive His Body and Blood this week. Is that important?”

Let me tell you how important it is before you reach the pearly gates so you will be better prepared. I can see I need more bulletins to continue this essential topic, which is the First Precept of the Church, but I’ll close for now with this quote from Blessed Dom Marmion,

“We must realize that, at the consecration, the whole drama of Calvary, with all the consequence of suffer ings and humiliations which it involved for Jesus, is present before God. It may be said in all truth that we are displaying before the eyes of the Eternal One all this divine past; that is why the Apostle says so aptly that at every Mass “we announce to the Father the death of His Son.” (p. 209, Christ: the Ideal of the Priest)

Do you want to be present at Calvary, offering Jesus to the Father? Do you want to be present, for all Eternity, at the Supper of the Lamb, receiving His Infinite Love? Come to Mass, Eternal Life awaits you.

Words from Fr Ed (From October 24th, 2010 Bulletin)

2010-10-20T17:14:00.000-07:00

O God, be merciful to me a sinner - Lk 18:13

Today’s Gospel gives us part of the beautiful ‘Jesus Prayer’. The Jesus Prayer is said typically like this, “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.” It is the most common prayer amongst Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholics. The best book to learn about this prayer is the “Way of A Pilgrim” by an anonymous Russian author. This is on my list of top ten books. I always enjoy another tour through one man’s journey to find the answer to the command to ‘pray always’.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 reads: “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” St. Paul, teach us how to pray! How we need these words. So often we get caught in a whirlwind of problems and seek solutions without beseeching God for answers. Then when we suffer trials we interpret them as a curse, even from God. But Paul knows that God has authority over every detail of our lives, even the evil that may occur, not because He positively wills it, but by allowance - He foresees a greater good that will come of it.

Our Catholic Catechism reminds us of this truth in Article 412:

St. Thomas Aquinas wrote, "There is nothing to prevent human nature's being raised up to something greater, even after sin; God permits evil in order to draw forth some greater good. Thus St. Paul says, 'Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more'; and the Exultet sings, 'O happy fault, . . . which gained for us so great a Redeemer!'"

As far as injustice goes, the greatest injustice to occur in human history was that the Son of God should be condemned and put to a cruel death. And yet we say that is the greatest thing that ever happened to humanity. We call the day ‘Good Friday’ for that reason.

As our Gospel last week emphasized, let us not give up on prayer, especially when times are difficult. The Jesus Prayer is a perfect one for every occasion. St. Symeon the New Theologian, a Byzantine monk (circa 1000AD), advises us to visualize our heart as we pray - to realize Jesus’ Divine Presence there. Then we add the advice of St. Gregory of Sinai, that the Pilgrim writes about, “…while looking into the heart and inhaling I said, ‘Lord Jesus Christ,’ and while exhaling, ‘have mercy on me.’ ” The Pilgrim begins with reciting the prayer for an hour or two, but then expands the recitation throughout the day. We who are busy have to start small. Can you begin with 10 Jesus Prayers? Or one minute? Or five minutes? I preached on this once and a friend came up to me after the homily and said the Jesus Prayer gave him great peace during my homily! Jesus spoke to him better than I could. Try the Jesus Prayer, you won’t be disappointed.

Parish Precepts
Our venture into Gallup’s Strengths Finder and Engaged Church has led us to the question, “What is expected of me as a parishioner at St. Stephen the Martyr?” I thought of the Catholic Precepts, the minimal things that are expected of us as Catholics as a model to begin with. You may have learned these years ago, but we haven’t heard them mentioned so often. They remain obligations for us, so they are worth repeating and plumbing the depth of each one. Briefly, I will name the first, and start a series that will develop what it means to be a parishioner at St. Stephens, along with our goal to be an ‘Engaged Church’. Our recent Gallup survey found that we were 26% engaged, which is better than the national average (18%), but not yet at the threshold where engagement becomes the cultural determinant (37%). Hopefully we can continue to grow more involved, participating in the very life of the Trinity through the parish.

First Precept of the Church: To attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation, and to rest from servile works.

Mass is at the heart of Christian life. The Vatican II document Sacrosanctum Concilium said that, “…the liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; at the same time it is the font from which all her power flows.” The summit is the pinnacle that we strive for, which for Christians is a life that lasts forever in communion with Christ. Jesus said in John 6:54 that “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.” Notice he says ‘has’, not ‘will have’, but ‘has’, already now when we receive the loving host on our tongue.

Daria Spezzano gave a beautiful retreat for our liturgical ministers last week and quoted St. John Chrysostom as saying, “For as when gold is being molten if one should (were it possible) dip in it his hand or his tongue, he would immediately render them golden; thus, but in much greater degree, does what here is set forth work upon the soul.” Eternal life is imparted through Holy Communion to the soul, transforming it into a union with the Divine Presence. How can we forsake this gift on Sunday, and for what? A football game? A picnic? To wash my car? Sad. This is known to be the primary way Catholics fall away from the faith. It begins with one Sunday missed. Let us make Sunday the summit of our week; God has.
(St. John Chrysostom: Homily 46 on the Gospel of John http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/240146.htm #4)

Words from Fr Ed (From October 17th, 2010 Bulletin)

2010-10-13T11:42:00.000-07:00

African Children

Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him
day and night? - Luke 18:7

Children can make the best pray-ers. They are innocent and unencumbered, unafraid to ask for what they really need. They are also precious in God’s sight. The scripture for the Guardian Angel Mass which we celebrated recently goes like this:

"See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.” - Mt. 18:10

Our own parishioner, Diane Cooper, will be carrying goods to Uganda in November, for Emily B. and the Daughters of Mary and all the children they serve. Please help them if you can by providing:

Black Leather Shoes (see description in bulletin)
Children’s Books (Grade 1, 2, 3), Sheets and Towels

There is a nice display and deposit box for these gifts in the narthex through October. Financial contributions are also welcome. If you are interested in sponsoring a child, this is also possible through Diane. See the display for more information.

As for what concerns our relations with our fellow men,
the anguish in our neighbor’s soul must break all precept.
All that we do is a means to an end, but love is an end in itself,
because God is love. – Edith Stein

Saint Romuald’s Brief Rule
Sit in your cell as in paradise. Put the whole world behind you and forget it. Watch your thoughts like a good fisherman watching for fish. The path you must follow is in the Psalms — never leave it.

If you have just come to the monastery, and in spite of your good will you cannot accomplish what you want, take every opportunity you can to sing the Psalms in your heart and to understand them with your mind.

And if your mind wanders as you read, do not give up; hurry back and apply your mind to the words once more.

Realize above all that you are in God's presence, and stand there with the attitude of one who stands before the emperor.

Empty yourself completely and sit waiting, content with the grace of God, like the chick who tastes nothing and eats nothing but what his mother brings him.

St. Romuald founded the Hermits of Camaldolese in Camaldoli, Italy in 1023. We were able to visit his Holy Hermitage a few weeks ago and concelebrate the community Mass. As a monk with a beard down to his knee played the harpsichord, the Presider prayed Mass as if it was his only Mass this decade; heaven and earth met and we came away divinized by the Exchange.

Words from Fr Ed (From October 10th, 2010 Bulletin)

2010-10-06T12:27:00.000-07:00

Numbers
It was on the ninth day of the ninth month of the ninety-ninth year (9/9/99) that I gave up a relationship to pursue the priesthood more definitively. I didn’t plan it that way, but it was noteworthy, or at least easy to remember. This Sunday is the tenth day of the tenth month of the tenth year. Noteworthy, and yet not so different than any other Sunday in our lives. But isn’t each Sunday unique? There will never be another Sunday quite like this one. Just as with every other day of our lives, we have to ask ourselves how we will use it, what sort of attitude do we take towards it, and what is God asking of us in particular. Excessive attention to numbers can lead to superstition, but Christians inherited the Jewish use of numbers as symbols of spiritual realities. It is the realities that we place our trust in: God’s presence, His mercy and His justice. May we use this day well, 10/10/10, for the glory of God in preparation for His Coming.

Naaman and Numbers
In our first reading, Naaman, was healed by plunging himself seven times in the Jordan River. At first he complained about this act of participation that Elisha asked of him. Naaman said “Don’t we have better rivers in Syria!” One could ask, why seven times and not eight or six? It is a mystery, but seven is used as a symbol of perfection in the Jewish scriptures. The root in Hebrew (Shin - Bet - Ayin) has three meanings:
1) Seven 2) Full/Complete 3) Oath/Swear

For Naaman, he is asked to participate in his own healing, or rather, his wholeness, being made complete. In response he makes an oath, a covenant regarding sacrificing only to the Lord God of Israel in the future. The reading begs the question for us, “What has God asked of me in participation for my own healing?” What will make me whole?
Jesus and Numbers

One Biblical scholar writes that, “…ten is one of the perfect numbers, and signifies the perfection of Divine order, commencing, as it does, an altogether new series of numbers. The first decade is the representative of the whole numeral system, and originates the system of calculation called "decimals," because the whole system of numeration consists of so many tens, of which the first is a type of the whole. Completeness of order, marking the entire round of anything, is, therefore, the ever-present signification of the number ten. It implies that nothing is wanting; that the number and order are perfect; that the whole cycle is complete.”

In our Gospel, Jesus heals ten lepers, presumably of a mixed religious group in Samaria, otherwise it might not be noted that the one who returned to give thanks was a Samaritan. All are in need of healing and Jesus’ healing is for the whole world. He desires that all men (and women) be saved. His sacrifice and resurrection is sufficient grace for the whole world to be saved. Yet how many recognize and appreciate that? Is it ten percent of the world? We say that 20% of the world is Christian, at least in name. But how many of those practice their faith in a vibrant way, living to the fullness that God desires for us? An urgent task for us as Catholics is to be renewed in the Holy Spirit, to ‘fan into flame’ the gift that has been given to us in Confirmation. We are called to evangelize the world, beginning with ourselves.

I can recall preaching in Italy at St. Mary Major in Rome on the Feast of St. Jerome the great Biblical scholar, with his tomb a few meters down the nave from us, speculating about what would happen if every Catholic read the Scriptures for ten minutes a day, or even one chapter a day, which takes about five minutes. I am sure we would be living in a different world. St. Jerome said that “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” Let us pray for our own renewal and consider what kind of resolution we can make to become instruments of God’s Word, which brings salvation and true peace to the world.

Words from Fr Ed (From Oct 3rd, 2010 Bulletin)

2010-09-29T11:00:00.000-07:00

Blessed John Cardinal Newman
(1801 – 1890)

On Sunday, September 19th, Pope Benedict XVI beatified John Cardinal Newman, who was a great priest, writer and thinker during the 19th century. Originally an evangelical Oxford academic and priest in the Church of England (1820’s), Newman was a leader in the Oxford Movement. This influential grouping of Anglicans wished to return the Church of England to many Catholic beliefs and forms of worship. He eventually converted to Roman Catholicism (1845) and rose to become a cardinal. During the time of his confusion and personal struggle to reconcile his status as a renowned Anglican preacher at the Oxford parish church, he wrote the poem Lead Kindly Light which has since become a beautiful hymn:
Lead, kindly Light, amid th’encircling gloom, lead Thou me on!The night is dark, and I am far from home; lead Thou me on!Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to seeThe distant scene; one step enough for me.
I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou shouldst lead me on;I loved to choose and see my path; but now lead Thou me on!I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears,Pride ruled my will. Remember not past years!
So long Thy power hath blest me, sure it still will lead me on.O’er moor and fen, o’er crag and torrent, till the night is gone,And with the morn those angel faces smile, which IHave loved long since, and lost awhile!
Here is an excerpt from Pope Benedict’s homily at the beatification ceremony:

‘Cardinal Newman’s motto, Cor ad cor loquitur, or "Heart speaks unto heart", gives us an insight into his understanding of the Christian life as a call to holiness, experienced as the profound desire of the human heart to enter into intimate communion with the Heart of God. He reminds us that faithfulness to prayer gradually transforms us into the divine likeness. As he wrote in one of his many fine sermons, "a habit of prayer, the practice of turning to God and the unseen world in every season, in every place, in every emergency – prayer, I say, has what may be called a natural effect in spiritualizing and elevating the soul. A man is no longer what he was before; gradually … he has imbibed a new set of ideas, and become imbued with fresh principles" (Parochial and Plain Sermons, iv, 230-231). Today’s Gospel tells us that no one can be the servant of two masters (cf. Lk 16:13), and Blessed John Henry’s teaching on prayer explains how the faithful Christian is definitively taken into the service of the one true Master, who alone has a claim to our unconditional devotion (cf. Mt 23:10). Newman helps us to understand what this means for our daily lives: he tells us that our divine Master has assigned a specific task to each one of us, a "definite service", committed uniquely to every single person: "I have my mission", he wrote, "I am a link in a chain, a bond of connexion between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good, I shall do his work; I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place … if I do but keep his commandments and serve him in my calling" (Meditations and Devotions, 301-2).’

Words from Fr Ed (From Sept 26th, 2010 Bulletin)

2010-09-22T07:39:00.000-07:00

Father Dunstan Epaalat Speaking on “Preferential Option for the Poor”
Thursday, Sept. 30th, 7 P.M.

You will have two great opportunities over the coming week to hear Fr. Dunstan, a faculty member from the national seminary in Kenya. His training and background in a developing country has made him a dynamic powerhouse for God. The first chance to hear him is this Thursday as advertised in the bulletin. The second chance will be Saturday, October 2nd, when he will preach at the 5pm Mass before our Mission Oktoberfest. This is a rare opportunity to hear the inspirational message of an African priest. As some of you know, Africa has become a ‘missioning’ country. It is sending missionaries back to the countries that initially evangelized Africa. Thank God for African priests who have been saving our own Archdioceses in many places where there are no American priests. Please come and enjoy the gifts that God has given Fr. Dunstan.

In the Footsteps of Francis & Clare

“But I came to learn that God never shows us something we aren’t ready to understand. Instead, he lets us see what we need to see, when we need to see it. He’ll wait until our eyes and hearts are open to Him, and then when we are ready, He will plant our feet on the path that’s best for us…but it’s up to us to do the walking.” Immaculee Ilibagiza

I will have already left on pilgrimage (Sept 20 – Oct 1) by the time you read this, but since God is outside of time I thought I’d share this itinerary with you if you would like to catch up with us in spirit and join in praying with Sts. Francis and Clare.

21 Sept – Arrive in Rome; travel to Greccio for Mass. Greccio is where St. Francis instituted the first Christmas crèche using real animals from this village. We’ll proceed from here to Poccio Bustone (Mountain of Forgiveness) where Francis experienced a revelation that all his sins were forgiven. We are trying to allow for at least 3 miles of hiking each day in these beautiful hills that Francis would have walked with his brothers.

22 Sept – Travel up the Spoleto Valley to Assisi (Mountain of Peace), stopping for Mass with a hermit outside of Assisi. I was able to join Fr. Giovanni last year in his hermitage (a church built in 1100 AD!) for Mass. We hope to hear a few words of eremitical wisdom from him as well.

23 Sept – Morning Prayer at St. Clare’s Basilica. This is perhaps my favorite place in Italy so far. One can attend morning and evening prayer in the chapel which contains the Cross of San Damiano which spoke to Francis saying, “Go rebuild my temple.” The cloistered nuns chant in Italian as the notes echo throughout this 14th century church. We’ll have Mass at St. Francis’ Basilica today.

24 Sept – We’ll have Mass at the Portiuncola, a small chapel that Francis repaired and was the first community house for his friars. It is now surrounded by the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels. Later in the day we will hike to the Hermitage above Assisi where Francis spent time in solitude.

25 Sept – Travel to Sansepolcro and LaVerna. We’ll visit another hermitage monastery given to St. Francis on the way to La Verna. La Verna was perhaps Francis’ favorite place. He would say that no one goes to La Verna and remains unchanged. It is here while on a 40 day retreat in honor of St. Michael that St. Francis received the stigmata.

26 Sept – Rest and prayer in La Verna. La Verna is called the mountain of Joy, deep in the heart of the Tuscan Apennine mountains. It is here that Francis experienced the joy of complete surrender to the love of God. Why does it come with suffering? This is a mystery of human life that is difficult to understand, especially when one is suffering. The saints were able to see the value of suffering. One thing it surely did with Francis is that it identified him with his Beloved Lord. He literally took on the wounds of Christ, which express how much God the Father loved us.

27 Sept – Since we are so close to the Camaldoli where the Hermits of Camaldoli were founded, we are going to find our way through the mountains to this extraordinary retreat. It was founded in 1023 by St. Romuald. We’ll have Mass in the Sacro Eremo, the Sacred Hermitage.

28 Sept – Today we travel back to Rome, stopping at Lake Trasimeno, another one of Francis’ retreats. We also hope to say Mass at St. John Lateran, where Francis met the Pope and had his Rule of Life approved by him. Providence intervened on behalf of Francis when the Pope, at first not disposed to help Francis, had a dream about a poor little man holding up the Church on his shoulders. He recognized Francis and gave him his Rule.

29 Sept – At this point we have Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in Latin! Trouble is I don’t know how to concelebrate in Latin. May the Lord infuse some special grace between now and then. We may seek the option to say it in English early in the morning, but then what about adventure? We also hope to attend the Wednesday audience with Pope Benedict if he is in town.

30 Sept – Today is a free day, but we will have Mass at St. Mary Majors. I’ll encourage a few of my favorite spots in Rome: Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, St. Egidio Community, and Santa Maria Trastevere.

1 October – Travel to the States. Arriva derci Roma!

Words from Fr Ed (From September 2010 Bulletin)

2010-09-15T12:31:00.000-07:00

What Catholics Believe:
Religious Education (Faith Formation) at St. Stephens

"My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me."
John 7:16

Jesus brings to us the truth of the Father. He is the revelation of the Father, drawing us into the life of the Holy Trinity. Jesus said, “When you see me you see the Father.” John Paul II points to John 7:16, for the words that the catechist - the one imparting the faith - must be able to say. The faith formation that we offer as Catholics is not something novel, it is the eternal truth revealed by Jesus Christ. Certainly we need to continually update the methods, expressions and media that we use to teach the faith, but the essence remains the same “yesterday, today, and forever.”

Our registration for Faith Formation began last week and I want to encourage all parishioners to consider your educational needs and what we are offering this coming year. The pulpit announcement read from ages 2 to 92. That’s not to discriminate against 1 yr. olds and 93 yr. olds. I think you are welcome too. The age range suggests that learning our Catholic Faith is a lifelong process and journey. There is always more to learn. I have personally studied the Catholic Faith for many years and yet I have barely scratched the surface. It is like an inexhaustible goldmine. Each ounce of this gold is satisfying, however, and priceless.

You may have noticed that we have been recovering, due to popular demand and our own concerns, the weekly catechesis - oral instruction (from Greek katechesis/from katechein = to teach) for children. The reality is that children need repetition. Once a month, as we were doing with the GIFT program, was insufficient. Repetitio mater est studiorum (repetition is the mother of learning). That does not mean we will simply return to memorization of Church teaching, as beneficial as that can be. Verbal memorization of formulas does not mean understanding, acceptance, belief, or conversion.

The ultimate purpose of catechesis “is to put people not only in touch but in communion, in intimacy, with Jesus Christ: only He can lead us to the love of the Father in the Spirit and make us share in the life of the Holy Trinity.” (from John Paul II’s Catechesi Tradendae, or On Catechesis in Our Time). Given this goal of relationship, the means used have to be laden with methods that promote relationship with God and neighbor. This includes fellowship with friends and family, Scripture, prayer, and service. The intention of GIFT was to provide this well-rounded approach to Faith Formation. Unfortunately, it hasn’t achieved all these goals, so we are retooling with a balance between weekly programming, and a quarterly event that captures some of the successes of our GIFT program.

The responsibility for the success of this transition still remains with adults committing themselves to learning and handing on their faith. Parents are the first and primary catechists in their children’s lives. We can’t do for your children, even at the frequency of once a week, what you can do for them by your daily example. Children are observant sponges who learn from their parents even in silence. What are they learning from you? Is Jesus at the heart of your home? Is prayer an essential element in your time together? Is study and discussion part of your exchange and learning together what makes for love and life everlasting? All these are responsibilities of parents to develop in the home.

Adults without children in formation have a responsibility to continue to grow in your knowledge and practice of the faith. There is no status quo which we can rely on as Catholics. St. Paul says, “…work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” (Phil 2:12) This means that we need to be attentive to the state of our soul and do all we can to grow in the knowledge and love of God. We are responsible for what we don’t know if we have not taken the time and effort to learn our faith. Study of some kind ought to be a part of every Catholic life. This begins with Scripture. We have a wonderful Scripture study class on Tuesdays that is available. Catechism will be offered twice a month on Wednesdays. Returning Catholics will also be offered on Wednesdays. RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) has begun on Thursdays. Sponsoring someone in the RCIA program is a great way to grow in your own faith. All these and more are available to you at the parish. I hope you will be able to take time with Christ our Teacher who longs to reveal Himself to us.