Open Wide the Doors for Christ!

Enjoy!  And keep me in your prayers!

 

Back to paper writing (on modern biblical scholarship: specifically the last 200 years or so of work on understanding the formation of the Pentateuch) and studying (for Fundamental Theology)  It's so cool, I'm studying theology!

Yesterday at Adoration I began to read The Fulfillment of All Desire, by Ralph Martin.  Another guy here at Bruté has gotten a group of us together and we plan to read at least parts of this book and then do a little bit of discussing about it.  I have only gotten a few pages into it, so I don't know yet how it will turn out, but the bits I have read so far have been fantastic.  The author, who apparently was pretty active in the church ever since the Second Vatican Council, has taught many courses on the doctors of the church, so this is his book kind of pulling all their thoughts together on the spiritual life (especially Sts. Catherine of Sienna, Bernard of Clairvaux, Theresa of Avila, John of the Cross, Theresa of Lisieux, Augustine, and Francis de Sales).

 

I had no idea what the book was all about until I started reading it today, but I found it really interesting because just on Friday St. John of the Cross had come up in the class about philosophical themes in Catholic authors when we were talking about how many of the characters in the stories we were reading didn't seem to have any concern for the important things of life.  Of course, many times I catch myself doing the same things, but it is funny to step back and see how these characters get all worked up about these really trivial things - that their clothes are perfect, that they have control over the family vacation, that they know what other people are doing all the time, etc. - and never think about what their life should be about.  It's interesting because we have been hitting this question (what's the point?) all semester so far in this class, but always from the philosophical angle.  

Super summary: everything has a point, a reason for which it exists, (a telic end if you want to be philosophical), but as humans it is up to us to figure out this end and live our life in a way that brings us to it.  Aristotle, who we've been covering quite a bit, says that the end of humans is happiness, and to get there we have to perfect our intellect through acquiring the moral and intellectual virtues (basically, using our intellect to govern over our emotions, so that we live rationally).  Aquinas takes this idea to the next level by enriching it with Catholicism and saying that human happiness is best found in God (eventually in the Beatific Vision in Heaven), and to reach this kind of happiness we must have the moral, intellectual, and theological virtues (which are our connection with God and are given as a gift to us by God).  Furthermore, we have to live according to intellect and will, which allows us to choose to believe and live our lives according to things that are beyond our intellect (not that having faith, hope, and love is irrational, but it can't be fully explained by our reason).

Now, back to our conversation in class, we were talking about how these characters seemed to have no virtues at all - not that they were all evil, they just didn't use their reason to ask the big questions (and seek the big answers) of what they really should be doing, but only to argue, scheme, find pleasure, and whatever else that obviously won't lead them to true happiness (and in the stories doesn't).  Anyway, one of the guys brought up the fact that St. John of the Cross had said to consider our death.  Not in a morbid - I wonder how and when I'll die - king of thing, but as a reminder that we will die and need to make sure that we are ready.  We only talked about it for a minute or two (class was already, as usual, over time), but afterwards as we were walking out I complained a bit how I wish I was reading stuff from these great saints.  So often I read about technological, theological, scientific, philosophical, liturgical, even scriptural topics, but I really haven't read much on the spiritual topics.  Of course, all those other kinds of knowledge can feed into one's relationship with God (especially the scriptural or theological ones), but they aren't telling you how others have become saints or the way that one should work on becoming a saint.  So, long story short, I was intrigued by this mention of St. John of the Cross and thought that I would have to look him up and perhaps start reading some of his writings.

 

Now, connecting in the other piece here quickly.  Today at Mass, in both the reading from the Old Testament (Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18) and the Gospel (Matthew 5:38-48) we hear something very similar.  From the Old Testament: "be holy as I, the LORD your God, is holy" and then Jesus, in the Gospel, says "be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect".  Martin, the author of this book that I have begun to read, starts his very first chapter by saying that this quote (from Our Lord) is the summation of all of His teachings.  We are to become holy and perfect.  What's it mean to be holy?  "To be holy is not primarily a matter of how many Rosaries we say of how much Christian activity we're engaged in; it's a matter of having a heart transformed into a heart of love." [Martin, Ralph. The Fulfillment of All Desire. Page 2]  He immediately tempers this statement by noting that, as Blessed (soon to be Saint) John Paul II said, with the current secularization of the world it is more important and necessary than prayer be central to our lives because we just don't have the support of a Christian society anymore.  But, prayer isn't just for prayer's sake, it's for our relationship with God and becoming holy because of it.  From here, both John Paul and the author move into the mystics, pointing out that it is here that we can find examples of people who had an incredible union with God, and that we are also called to have this kind of deep, complete, relationship with Him.  Of course, this seems impossible, but again, JPII has something to say about this:

Martin then lays out four requirements of the spiritual journey, as outlined by John Paul II.  First, reliance on God and His grace.  We absolutely can't take this journey on our own, but the good news is that God loves us so much that He yearns to bring us to Himself and will sustain us with His grace so that we can do just that.  Second, reliance on God doesn't mean not doing anything yourself.  It's like the pearl of great price, God is trying to give us the pearl but we have to give up things, and do some digging, to receive it.  Third, we have to realize that the path toward union with God (that perfection and holiness that we are called to) will entail pain.  We can't reach the resurrection with the cross, we can't get to God without giving up the things that are distracting or preventing us from following Him.  Finally, we must always keep in mind that this pain is infinitely worth it, the gift that God offers us is perfect, everlasting happiness, what could possibly be more worthwhile than that? 

The last little bit that I read today was about how this call goes into effect right now.  Holiness starts now, no matter how busy you are, no matter how much other stuff you are worried about.  Much like those characters in the stories, we (OK, at least I) get distracted with the many worries and pleasures of life that really have no bearing on eternal life (or even the rest of my earthly life)  We have to realize that there is a bigger picture, a more important goal, something that we really have to get working on.  Paul, in the second reading also speaks to this, saying that we are the temples of the Holy Spirit.  We need to live like it!  

Becoming holy isn't easy, it requires hard work, some suffering, and reliance on God (because we can't become perfect on our own), but it is totally worth it!  As Pope Francis said in his homily recently after making the new cardinals, sanctity isn't just for us either: "[t]o be a saint is not a luxury. It is necessary for the salvation of the world".   Get on it folks!

 

I have a feeling this book will be really good, I can't wait to read more!  

It is that time of the semester when I always start to feel a bit overwhelmed.  This last week, for instance, has been an exercise in frustration during which I have been struggling through an Augustine/Aquinas paper on the relationship between faith and reason.  I naively thought that the 8-12 page paper would be easy enough that I could get by without figuring out an overall organization/structure beforehand.  Of course, that plan has since backfired on me.  Not only has it been difficult to keep some semblance of cohesiveness and conciseness to the paper, but the last week has been absolutely packed with things to do.

 

I thought that I would finish the paper on Wednesday, but then I had all my typical classes, a discernment dinner along with Mass in the evening, and Adoration that night, so I didn't get very far - 6 pages done.  Over Thursday, I thought for sure that I would make some progress, but then I was busy keeping on top of metaphysics and calculus during the day, we had Adoration and Mass at Marian in the afternoon, then I played racquetball, did schola practice, and was left with only the late evening (when I don't seem to get anything done), and predictably didn't get anywhere - 7 pages done.  Surely, I thought, I could finish it off on Friday - not!  My day was again full of classes, and though I tried to get stuff done in the afternoon, I didn't know where exactly I was going, and then Fr. Presta, the vice-rector of Mundelein seminary, visited in the evening, and once again I didn't get anywhere - 8 pages done.  Saturday? - nope.  We had Mass, then a work session,  then ministry, then a community dinner, then a marshmallow roast (which was a blast!), and I didn't get to bed until midnight, having gotten little completed - 8.5 pages done.  Sunday? - no again.  I cantored at Mass, then hung out with some guys who had been here last year and were visiting, then I struggled through another page of the paper, then took a short nap, then had a community dinner, then had Holy Hour, then our last football game, and then I went to bed having gotten little progress made - 10 pages done.

 

Basically, I have concentrated just about every free minute of the week on one paper, and it still isn't done.  I was hoping to knock it out quickly so as to get going on my harder and longer papers due in Senior Seminar and Metaphysics, but the combination of my lack of planning and a packed week just didn't work to my favor.

 

Anyway, that is what I've been up to over the past week.  Unfortunately, the next few weeks look to be just as packed, and I'll have just as much to get done, but I guess it will all get done eventually.  Man, this post wasn't very positive was it?  Ah well, I've been having a lot of fun, reading a lot of good sources, and - you know - it's been good, just busy.  Tonight the Springfield guys have a vocation night at Eastern IL university (I think at the St. John Newman center) organized by Fr. John Titus.  It should be fun, but, again, it will cut into my time for doing schoolwork.  Gosh, I wish I wasn't so busy staying on top of school and had more time to work on the other areas of formation (or maybe just had some free time...)  Anyway, I guess I better get back on it. 

Jacob Fischer, one of the freshman this year from the Diocese of Owensboro, has joined the (growing) number of seminarians here that have a blog.  Check it out, and give him a few views! 

 

The Seminarian's Journey

 

On another note, I am supposed to be studying right now for my Augustine and Aquinas test tomorrow (about Averroes, Augustine, and Boethius), with little success - hopefully I can start to get the stuff into my head...  Have a wonderful Wednesday everybody!

 

 

Good Morning!  I have a lot of reading to do for Augustine and Aquinas today, so this will be (really) short.  Everything is spinning along splendidly here - I've been busy with academics, and sports, and everything else around here, but I guess that should be expected...  Classes are going well, my calculus test yesterday wasn't a train wreck (yay!), and Corey made apple pie for breakfast - the day is going well!  Anyway, another seminarian here at Bruté has started a blog. http://christopherjunior.blogspot.com/  So, you know, check it out.

 

Alright, well, I have a few posts in the "pipeline", but we have a day of recollection this Friday/Saturday (so no blogging during that).  Hopefully I can finish one or two up before that.  Have a wonderful Thursday everybody!