What the Heck is Lent, Anyway?

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS
JOHN PAUL II
FOR LENT 2003

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

1. Lent is a season of intense prayer, fasting and concern for those in need. It offers all Christians an opportunity to prepare for Easter by serious discernment about their lives, with particular attention to the word of God which enlightens the daily journey of all who believe.

This year, as a guide for our Lenten meditation, I would offer a phrase taken from the Acts of the Apostles: «It is more blessed to give than to receive» (Acts 20:35). What we have here is not simply a moral exhortation, or a command which comes to us from without. The inclination to give is rooted in the depths of the human heart: every person is conscious of a desire to interact with others and everyone finds fulfilment in a free gift of self to others.

2. Our age, regrettably, is particularly susceptible to the temptation toward selfishness which always lurks within the human heart. In society generally, and in the media, people are bombarded by messages which more or less openly exalt the ephemeral and the hedonistic. Concern for others is certainly shown whenever natural disasters, war and other emergencies strike, but in general it is difficult to build a culture of solidarity. The spirit of the world affects our inner propensity to give ourselves unselfishly to others and drives us to satisfy our own particular interests. The desire to possess ever more is encouraged. Surely it is natural and right that people, by using their own gifts and by their own labour, should work to obtain what they need to live, but an excessive desire for possessions prevents human beings from being open to their Creator and to their brothers and sisters. The words of Paul to Timothy remain relevant in every age: «The love of money is the root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced their hearts with many pangs» (1 Tim 6:10)!

Exploitation of others, indifference towards the suffering of our brothers and sisters, and the violation of basic rules of morality are just a few fruits of the thirst for gain. Faced with the tragic situation of persistent poverty which afflicts so many people in our world, how can we fail to see that the quest for profit at any cost and the lack of effective, responsible concern for the common good have concentrated immense resources in the hands of a few while the rest of humanity suffers in poverty and neglect?

Appealing to believers and to all people of good will, I would like to reaffirm a principle which is self-evident yet often ignored: our goal should not be the benefit of a privileged few, but rather the improvement of the living conditions of all. Only on this foundation can we build that international order truly marked by justice and solidarity which is the hope of everyone.

3. «It is more blessed to give than to receive». When believers respond to the inner impulse to give themselves to others without expecting anything in return, they experience a profound interior satisfaction.

The efforts of Christians to promote justice, their commitment in defence of the powerless, their humanitarian work in providing bread for the hungry and their care for the sick by responding to every emergency and need, draw their strength from that sole and inexhaustible treasury of love which is the complete gift of Jesus to the Father. Believers are called to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, true God and true man, who, in perfect obedience to the will of the Father, emptied himself (cf. Phil 2:6 ff), and humbly gave himself to us in selfless and total love, even unto death on a cross. Calvary eloquently proclaims the message of the Blessed Trinity’s love for human beings of all times and places.

Saint Augustine points out that only God, as the Supreme Good, is capable of overcoming the various forms of poverty present in our world. Mercy and love for one’s neighbour must therefore be the fruit of a living relationship with God and have God as their constant point of reference, since it is in closeness to Christ that we find our joy (cf. De Civitate Dei, X, 6; CCL 39:1351ff).

4. The Son of God loved us first, while «we were yet sinners» (Rom 5:6), with an unconditional love which asks nothing in return. If this is so, how can we fail to see the season of Lent as a providential opportunity to make courageous decisions inspired by altruism and generosity? Lent offers us the practical and effective weapons of fasting and almsgiving as a means of combating an excessive attachment to money. Giving not only from our abundance, but sacrificing something more in order to give to the needy, fosters that self-denial which is essential to authentic Christian living. Strengthened by constant prayer, the baptized reveal the priority which they have given to God in their lives.

The love of God poured into our hearts ought to inspire and transform who we are and what we do. Christians must not think that they can seek the true good of their brothers and sisters without embodying the charity of Christ. Even in those cases where they might succeed in improving important aspects of social or political life, without charity every change would remain short-lived. The possibility of giving oneself to others is itself a gift which comes from the grace of God. As Saint Paul teaches: «God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure» (Phil 2:13).

5. To modern men and women, often dissatisfied with a shallow and ephemeral existence and in search of authentic happiness and love, Christ offers his own example and issues the invitation to follow him. He asks those who hear his voice to give their lives for others. This sacrifice is a source of self-fulfilment and joy, as is seen in the eloquent example of those men and women who, leaving all security behind, have not hesitated to risk their lives as missionaries in different parts of the world. It can also be seen in the response of those young people who, prompted by faith, have embraced a vocation to the priesthood or the religious life in order to serve God’s plan of salvation. It is likewise the experience of the growing number of volunteers who readily devote themselves to helping the poor, the elderly, the sick and all those in need.

Recently, we have witnessed a praiseworthy outpouring of solidarity for the victims of floods in Europe, earthquakes in Latin America and Italy, epidemics in Africa, volcanic eruptions in the Phillippines, as well as for other areas of the world scarred by hatred, violence and war.

In these situations, the communications media play a significant role by allowing us to identify with and offer ready help to the suffering and those in distress. At times it is not the Christian command of love, but rather an innate sense of compassion which motivates our efforts to assist others. Even so, anyone who helps those in need always enjoys God’s favour. In the Acts of the Apostles we read that the disciple Tabitha was saved because she had done good to her neighbour (cf. 9:36 ff). The centurion Cornelius obtained eternal life on account of his generosity (cf. ibid., 10: 2-31).

For those who are «far-off», service to the needy can be a providential path leading to an encounter with Christ, since the Lord abundantly repays the good deeds done to one’s neighbour (cf. Mt 25:40).

It is my fervent hope that believers will find this Lent a favorable time for bearing witness to the Gospel of charity in every place, since the vocation to charity is the heart of all true evangelization. To this end I invoke the intercession of Mary, Mother of the Church and pray that she will accompany us on our Lenten journey. With these sentiments I affectionately impart to all my blessing.

From the Vatican, 7 January 2003

Noah Readings this week and Fr. Manuel's Homily

This last Tuesday, our week began at KCHS with one of our newest priests in the Diocese, Fr. Manuel, who serves our Cathedral Parish. This week the OT readings began with the story of Noah and how God called him to gather all the animals, load them into the Ark, and then the face of the earth is covered in water with storms raging. Fr. Manuel spoke well and offered the perspective that the Ark was the Church that will be saved from ultimate separation from God of the world at the end of time.

I began to reflect on the role of our school in context of the rest of the world. It's a pretty easy thing to see that Knoxville Catholic is an ARK of sorts, carrying God's Word every day and actually doing the mission of Christ with our students for the last seventy-five years. With each day beginning with morning prayer, followed by the pledge starting each period with prayer, offering the holy Mass each day, and ending each schoolday with a closing prayer, it's impossible to overlook God being called upon so often throughout each day.

The greatest expression of our faith, fidelity to one another, and our commitment to a faith-filled education experience is when we gather around the Eucharist at our All-School Masses throughout the year. It is here that we can clearly see the source and summit of our school: Jesus Christ.

This Week, we will begin the liturgical season of Lent with our celebration of Ash Wednesday. Let us all prepare ourselves for this precursor to the Easter Season by prayerfully reflecting on being contrite, teachable, and open to God's will for each of our lives. -dpat :)

March for Life 2009

The Election: Thoughtful Concern and Hope!

While the vast majority of Americans took time to watch today's inauguration live on TV, some of us chose to spend time in prayer for our country in the context of the holy Mass. So, much to my surprise I found virtually the entire religion dept. from KCHS at the All-Saints 12:10 Mass today. Once again, I wasn't the only one with a bright idea, as is so often the case.

Fr. Michael Woods was the presider to the noon faithful and started the liturgy with an a cappella "God Bless America," and off we went into the "eighth day."

As I listened to the readings and reflected on Fr. Michael's homily, two different thoughts keep coming up in my mind.

First, was my concern for the issue of abortion. Now that the votes have been cast and our 44th President has been sworn in, how do we best continue to push for the dignity of all human persons from natural birth to natural death? Now that the election is behind us, how can each of us do our part in honoring God's commitment to the human race and all issues of life? We need to write letters if we haven't before. We need to write them again even if we have in the past. We need to show up and participate in peaceful demonstrations and witness Christ Jesus to those around us not just with placards but with compassion for our fellow travelers along the way. We need to not be bashful when abortion, so-called mercy killings, euthanasia, genocide, and capital punishment come up in conversations. We need to not just vote every four years, but live each day in thoughtful pursuit of the Gospel and listen closely to that still small voice that speaks to each of our hearts, and then DO God's will for our lives. Abortion is not something we should think about only at election time. We need to, instead, broaden our horizons to all the issues of life that surround us each day. Every day is an opportunity to be Pro-Life.

The second thought was that of Hope for the African-American population of the United States and for all people of color. I thought of my upbringing in the City of Chicago. I graduated from a Chicago Public High School in 1983 in where I was a minority as 90% of the school was African-American. I recently attended my first high school reunion in which one of my classmates assembled a sort of litany of those who had passed away in the last twenty-five years. Out of a class of 220, over forty of my classmates were dead. With one exception, they were all black, and all male. Many had died in prison, from drug addiction, or on the wrong end of a knife or gun. I thought about what it must mean to the black population of our great country to have watched an African-American man place his hand on that bible and swear and oath to God Almighty and promise to lead the United States to the best of his ability. Like him or not, Barrak Obama is now Mr. President and we owe him our fervent prayers, not just on the abortion issue, but all issues facing our country.

As I walked out of Mass, I remember thinking, "America now resembles herself a little bit more now than an hour ago." God Bless America; may we never stop placing human life at the top of our priorities in the voting booth as well as on our journey towards heaven.

- Deacon Patrick Murphy-Racey

Greetings from our new Bishop!!!

Merry Christmas!!!!

Be near me Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay,
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,
And fit us for heaven to live with Thee there.

- From "Away in a Manger"

It is my sincere hope that all of you have been resting up, and taking full advantage of this time off to reflect deeply on the meaning of Christmas this season. See you soon! -dpat :)

A Quiet Moment from Murfreesboro...

I will be posting a video from the big game laster this week, but I wanted to share with you something that happened to me at the game that I think is worthy of mention...

With the clock ticking down the last few seconds of the game, I left my big lenses with big Sean Beeler so I could concentrate on shooting in the bench area. There was a lot of celebrating going on and I wanted to get into the thick of it all. I began working my way through the sideline, shooting as many players as I could. Most often, some yell, "shoot my picture." As the clock neared zero, however, I approached one player, raised the camera to my eye, and framed up a nice shot of him. When he saw me do this, he yelled these words to me, "DPAT! don't shoot my picture, shoot them... the Seniors and the Juniors." Then he ducked away from my vision as the clock hit zero.

I want to be clear on something having said all of that... It's wonderful to be cheering for our victory, so I don't want to take anything away from any member of the Fighting Irish that won that game. You all deserve everything you got as you worked for every inch of our gains this year as a team. Having said all that, you have to hand it to that freshman...

It was a very selfless act and one born out of humility even in the moment of certain victory at the State Championship Game. I was stunned at his clear vision in the midst of chaos, wanting his deserving team-mates to get credit, rather than himself. It was one of those moments you remember, and I have to say, I can think of others looking back over the two years I've spent at KCHS in my "loitering ministry." I'm proud as ever, as we all are, to have gone all the way with a perfect season, and to win out our final game. But I'm even more proud to work in a school where we wear red instead of green sometimes. Where we can feel good about our sports teams because we do such a good job in academics. But most of all, I'm proud to be part of a community of believers working our way towards heaven together. That kid got that moment in Murfreesboro... "It's not about me..." had to be his thought. When we think like that, and then act on it, we live out our baptismal call to be Christ to one another... and THAT is something to cheer about!