spin


Monday, January 29, 2018

THE ONE THING





It was a typical morning in Harlem. The phone rang every five minutes and the doorbell every ten. I was meeting individually with the postulants, the youngest members of my community, and listening to their struggles with prayer, celibacy, fraternal living, and leaving their family. Outside the streets were rowdy: car horns, street-cleaning machines, rap music, and our neighbor Linda who has schizophrenia, cursing and laughing as she walked up and down the street.

Savoring a brief moment of silence after meeting with one of the postulants, I whispered, “Where are you Lord?” I felt overwhelmed, tired and incompetent to do what God was apparently asking of me at this moment. Mostly though, I was frustrated because religious life was not as romantic as I thought it would be. Jesus told his disciples that whoever “would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Surely those words didn’t apply to me, now, in this situation, did they? How could they?

“Father Jeremiah,” a brother’s voice spoke over the intercom, “a woman is on the phone who would like to talk to a priest.”

Sure, I thought to myself. Everyone wants to talk to a priest, as if we have all the answers, I mumbled sarcastically. “Thank you,” I responded, “I’ll be right there.”

Before I even finished saying hello she began. “I recently went to a parish mission…I have been away from church for years…I haven’t been praying…I realize that my life is empty, and I am frustrated.” And then she said it: “I want to know who God is.”

Suddenly she had my full attention. The noise from outside disappeared. The self-pity I was entertaining vanished and the burden I was experiencing from my responsibilities lifted. I was fascinated by her last sentence. “I want to know who God is.” It sounded so familiar.

For a brief moment I had a flashback to elementary school when I was an altar boy at Mass. This particular morning there were only about 15 people in church, each varying in age, ethnicity and social status. There was no singing, no large crowds, no long sermons. We listened to the Scriptures, prayed, sat together in silence, and knelt humbly as the priest held up bread and wine. The whole time I stood next to the priest, unable to comprehend the moment, but feeling myself being drawn into another world.

After Mass as I was walking over to school I stopped and said to myself, “I want to know who God is.” Where did those words come from, I thought. Even though I had just come from church I wasn’t thinking anything particularly spiritual. Most likely I was trying to remember if I completed my homework and what time baseball practice was that day. Yet those words, “I want to know who God is,” echoed within me.

A few seconds later the flashback had faded, along with all the distractions I was living in. Something had woken up inside of me.

“Does this make any sense?” she asked, sounding desperate for affirmation.

“Yes,” I said, as a tear began to take shape in my eye, “I think I understand.” We were both silent for a few moments.

“Would you like to get together so we can talk?” I calmly asked her.

“Yes,” she said, “when are you available?”

As we scheduled a time for our appointment and hung up the phone, I stood there repeating her words, “I want to know who God is.” A childlike grin came over my face as I laughed out loud.

“Of course,” I said to myself, “What else is there?”



+ Fr. Jeremiah Myriam Shryock, CFR
Monticello, NY
http://franciscanfriars.com/donate/

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

We Live in a Castle - 5 This Old Boat




https://youtu.be/j4tMlx7ZfgA



We Live in a Castle - 5. This Old Boat PDF
http://franciscanfriars.com/wp-content/uploads/WE-LIVE-IN-A-CASTLE-5-This-Old-Boat.pdf




http://franciscanfriars.com/weliveinacastle/

WE LIVE IN A CASTLE: Stories, allegories, and commentaries about the most wonderful religion in the world. Essays about the Church by Fr. Glenn Sudano, CFR.

“Blue collar ecclesiology” or “kitchen table catechesis” is how the author describes his methodology in presenting some fresh ideas about what is considered to many, a very stale subject. The title of Father Glenn’s first book, We Live in a Castle, is taken from one of twelve stories which, like spotlights, illumine one subject at different angles.

The subject of the book?  The Church.
The author describes his work as “friendly yet provocative” as he challenges the reader to dig into history and discover a valuable treasure; which he calls “the most wonderful religion in the world.”  Father Glenn utilizes creative stories - both allegorical and personal – each with an introduction and commentary. Questions are also provided for personal reflection and group discussion.
No doubt, this book is most especially suited for teachers and students participating in some form of catechesis, especially those who are considering or preparing to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church.

For sincere questions contact:
Fr. Glenn Sudano, CFR
Saint Joseph Friary
523 W 142 St
New York, NY 10701

(no emails or phone calls please)

Monday, January 22, 2018

Pro Life in Perspective



Anniversary of Roe v Wade podcast by Fr. Luke Fletcher, CFR. This is a day of prayer and penance asking God to grant our country the gift of repentance. We must clearly condemn what is wrong and proclaim what is right. The dignity of the human person and the right to life is the single most important topic of our day. Listen to learn more!!


https://soundcloud.com/franciscan-friars/pro-life-in-perspective



Wednesday, January 17, 2018

We Live in a Castle - 4 Are You Saved




We Live in a Castle: 4. Are You Saved? PDF (click here)

###########################################

http://franciscanfriars.com/weliveinacastle/

https://www.facebook.com/weliveinacastle

###########################################

WE LIVE IN A CASTLE: Stories, allegories, and commentaries about the most wonderful religion in the world. Essays about the Church by Fr. Glenn Sudano, CFR. “Blue collar ecclesiology” or “kitchen table catechesis” is how the author describes his methodology in presenting some fresh ideas about what is considered to many, a very stale subject. The title of Father Glenn’s first book, We Live in a Castle, is taken from one of twelve stories which, like spotlights, illumine one subject at different angles. The subject of the book? The Church. The author describes his work as “friendly yet provocative” as he challenges the reader to dig into history and discover a valuable treasure; which he calls “the most wonderful religion in the world.” Father Glenn utilizes creative stories - both allegorical and personal – each with an introduction and commentary. Questions are also provided for personal reflection and group discussion. No doubt, this book is most especially suited for teachers and students participating in some form of catechesis, especially those who are considering or preparing to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church. For sincere questions contact: Fr. Glenn Sudano, CFR Saint Joseph Friary 523 W 142 St New York, NY 10701 (no emails or phone calls please)

Tuesday, January 16, 2018

John the Baptist


John appears. That is how Mark puts it. On the berm of the promised land and at the verge of a new covenant, one clothed in camel’s hair, a leather belt around his waist, appears by the waters of the Jordan. St. Mark, using the words of Isaiah, describes him as a voice. The voice of one crying out, the voice of one shouting in the wilderness, a voice in harmony with all the prophetic voices preceding him. John the Baptist reaches Israel like that final reverberation of one long prophetic cry heralding the coming Savior.


And like the prophets before him, he prophesizes not only in word but also in deed. Thus, he appears in the wilderness not only as a voice preaching repentance and forgiveness of sins but also as a man baptizing. For, in that wilderness, that stony, barren country, there flowed a river sourced at the foot of Mt. Hermon. The inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judea would, therefore, leave their homes to travel the desolate declivity, confess their sins, and be washed by John in the Jordan’s rushing waters. Dunked, dipped or plunged, they were cleansed, symbolically purified by the prophetic gesture. And he says as much: I baptized you with water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.


The reference is to Christ: the one stronger than John who is to come after John. For what John is able to do with water, Jesus will do with the Holy Spirit. What in John is symbolized, Christ will actualize. Later at the end of the great feast in Jerusalem as the Jews are praying for autumn rains, Jesus will stand among them and this time it will be he who is crying out saying: If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. And out of his heart, his gut, his innermost self will flow rivers of living water. And lest we fail to read the symbol, the Evangelist informs us that he is, in fact, speaking of the Spirit. It is for the baptism of Jesus, then, that John prepares those who go out to meet him, a baptism by which we are united to God through his Spirit.


The Baptist thus appears—the verb itself evokes temperance—as an expiring voice anticipating God’s eternal Word, a prophet of symbolic action sent to prepare Israel for the Savior’s definitive action. For, while the meandering waters of the Jordan ultimately run into the Dead Sea, the Christ who cleanses with water and Spirit, washes both body and soul with living waters that flow unto eternity.

+ Br. Joseph Michael Fino, CFR
Yonkers, NY
We need your help! Donate here