Will Have Ecumenical Dimension

From: (Zenit.org)

VATICAN CITY, JUNE 28, 2007.- Benedict XVI has declared June 2008-June 2009 the year of St. Paul in celebration of the 2,000th anniversary of the saint's birth. The Pope decreed the year in a vespers celebration held today at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. The Holy Father explained during his homily: "This 'Pauline Year' will take place in a special way in Rome, where for 2,000 years under the papal altar of this basilica, lies the tomb that according to experts and undisputed tradition has conserved the remains of the apostle Paul." The Pontiff said: "In the papal basilica and Benedictine abbey attached to it, there can take place a series of liturgical, cultural and ecumenical events, as well as various pastoral and social initiatives, all of them inspired by Pauline spirituality. "Special attention can also be given to pilgrims who from various places will want to go to the tomb of the Apostle in a penitential way in order to find spiritual benefits. "Meetings for study will be promoted and there will be special publications on Pauline texts, to promote the immense richness of the teaching contained in them, true patrimony of humanity redeemed by Christ. "Also, in every part of the world, similar initiatives will be organized in dioceses, sanctuaries and places of prayer by religious institutions, institutions of study and assistance, which carry the name of St. Paul or which have been inspired by him and his teaching." Benedict XVI explained that this year must have an important "ecumenical dimension." "The Apostle of the Gentiles, who dedicated himself to the spreading of the good news to all peoples, spent himself for the unity and harmony of all Christians," the Pope said. "May he guide us and protect us in this bimillenary celebration," he added, "helping us to advance in the humble and sincere search for the full unity of all the members of the mystical body of Christ."

Homilies from the Monastery

Wednesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
From: Daily Devotion (Homilies from the Monastery) -  

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2 Kgs 22:8-13; 23:1-3; Ps119:33-37,40; Mt 7:15-20

"I long for your precepts."

By our very nature we long for the word of the LORD. From our conception within the womb we long for his precepts. Without the knowledge of his ways we are lost and insecure. Like King David in today's psalm, we, too, plead with the LORD, "Teach me the way of your decrees." Many in our day resist what they perceive as direction from the outside. Yet, if we are true to our nature, if we are honest, we cannot find our own way. The revelation of God is not from the outside; God's word is spoken within us, and his truth reveals the truth of who we are. We are created beings; we are not self-made men. We are contingent beings; we are not the source of our own life. We are dependant beings, and we absolutely need the LORD. We need to have the LORD instruct us in the way of his statutes, that we may exactly observe them. If the LORD teaches us his decrees, then we have discernment of heart. With this wisdom we can deal with all the difficulties and challenges we encounter in life. When the LORD leads us in the paths of his commands, then we delight and do not despair. Indeed, it is the grace of God that inclines our hearts to his decrees and not to self-assertion and personal gain. Only then will we be able to love God and love our neighbor faithfully. We humbly ask that the LORD turn our eyes away from seeing what is vain. We need divine help to become those who give life by pouring ourselves out in loving service. Only when our deepest longing becomes our conscious will, only then will we long for his precepts and learn to live in justice and truth. Such a heart felt desire for God's ways ignited the hearts of those who found the book of the covenant hidden in the temple. Such a bold and singular desire for God's will is the only way to be rooted in the word of the LORD and to bear good fruit. Once we have found what is lost and hidden in our tradition will we be found secure in the mystery of God's call to holiness. Indeed, it is the mysteries of this liturgy that secure and strengthen our true identity hidden with Christ in God.

For many reasons the law of the LORD had been ignored and lost from among his chosen people. In today's first reading we hear about the surprise discovery of the book of the law in the temple of the LORD. When the high priest, Hilkiah, gave this book to King, and read it aloud for his instruction, the King was quick to repent and respond to the law of the LORD. He tore his garments and humbled himself before the LORD. After his personal repentance, he summoned the priests, prophets and people to a public reading of the decrees of the LORD. "He had the entire contents of the book of the covenant that had been found in the temple of the LORD, read out to them." Sometimes we lose our way and we need to hear the instructions of the LORD to stir our hearts to repentance and reform. This is why we proclaim the word of the LORD in every liturgy, so that we have no excuse to continue in our selfish and destructive ways. However, we do not always receive the wisdom from ages past with an open and willing heart. Sometimes we resist and rebel against the LORD's commands. We deceive ourselves into thinking that the LORD's ways are not compassionate, that God just doesn't understand the needs of our time. We think that the church is out of touch, and our traditions are irrelevant. At times like this we gladly take the comfort that the Word seems to offer, but reject any challenge that comes from the mouth of God. We think we know what is best and ignore the wisdom of God. We fool ourselves into thinking that the law of the LORD is too harsh and not sensitive to our real situation. At times like these the LORD surprises us, and we discover that which seems hidden and lost in the very temple of our liturgy. At times like these the LORD summons us to revive the terms of the covenant written so long ago for our instruction. The LORD never abandons us, even when we hide from his wisdom. Again and again, we are called into the light of truth and taste that the LORD is good. Today, we pray for the ordained among us to be bold and faithful in announcing the truth we have so long resisted and yet so deeply need.

Our Divine Teacher, the Lord Jesus, instructs us in today's gospel how to discern true prophets from false prophets. We need this kind of wisdom in order to know how to listen deeply and discern the truth that will set us free. The Lord Jesus warns us to beware of false prophets who come in sheep's clothing but underneath are ravenous wolves. Indeed such teachers have devoured the sheep whose clothing they wear. These ravenous wolves hide behind the mask of those who are mislead by their teaching. They appeal to the majority to bolster their public image, "Look at all those who have believed in my teaching!" They try to deceive us by pointing out all who have affirmed their teaching. Just because the majority believes something does not make it true. The Lord Jesus does not want us to get caught up in the noise of the crowd. He wants us to get beyond political controversy and inform our conscience so that we can make moral decisions. It is the truth of natural law and revealed law that must guide our decisions and actions in the world. Indeed we are in the world but not of the world. The lies of our culture have no claim on those who live and move and have their being in Christ who is the way, the truth and the life. The true test of a prophet is the fruits of his life. No one picks grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles. Even so, no one can find good fruit and be nourished from those who are not rooted in the truth. "A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit." Only this wisdom will enable us to follow those who will lead us out of our divisions and into the unity and freedom that comes from the truth, from the very mouth of God.

This is Getting Serious!!!

Here is some advice for guys who may be at the level of calling and visiting religious orders or diocesan discernment programs:

(The Importance of Daily Prayer)
 

1) Holy Mass every Sunday - and if possible, try to attend Mass during the week. What better way is there to hear the Lord speaking to you than during the Mass?

2) Daily personal prayer - Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, the Holy Rosary, and the Liturgy of the Hours (If you are busy, try praying at least morning and evening prayer). It is also highly recommended that you try to take 15-20 minutes a day a prayerfully read the Scriptures (Lectio Divina) which is a staple of the Monastic Benedictine Life.

3) Spiritual Direction - (Spiritual direction is a "gathering together" of two in the name of Jesus, the spiritual director and the directee, to help a person to develop a closer relationship with God and to better discern how the Holy Spirit is leading in their life.) For someone discerning the call seriously it is important to meet with your director (either a trusted priest or religious) once a month.

4) The Sacrament of Reconciliation - Again, I recommend monthly taking advantage of the Sacrament.

(Get Involved)

If you are not so already, get involved in your local parish (I'm sure the local priest would love your help). Also, take advantage of groups like the Knights of Columbus who are a wonderful group of Catholic men who practice all sorts of great community outreach programs (Most parishes have a group of knights who could give you more information about the lay order - click here for their website). As the priest, the monk, and the religious is called to be a servant to the servants like Jesus, it is important to start serving people faithfully now in order to understand the importance of selflessness and charity when discerning the call to the religious way of life.

(No Dating)

Another important factor in discerning whether or not the Lord is calling you to the religious state of life is keeping your mind, heart, and soul, completely focused and attentive to the Lord. This is impossible to do when you are dating a young lady. As many spiritual directors will tell you, dating (being involved in a relationship with another person), seriously clouds the discerning heart for it is not fully able to listen to the voice of the Lord - As St. Benedict instructs us in the Holy Rule, "Listen carefully, my son, to the master's instructions, and attend to them with the ear of your heart." (RB Prologue 1) "You need interior freedom to discern between the state of marriage and the religious state. We all have a normal and natural desire for women and marriage. A religious calling is an invitation to give up that great good for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven." (Fr. Luke Mary Fletcher, CFR)

Finally, the importance of being free from addictions to drugs, alcohol, gambling, sex, and PORNOGRAPHY!!! As you may already know, any addiction, especially pornography will make it extremely hard for you offer the Lord a free and complete "YES" to the divine call. This is not to say that religious orders and diocese are only looking for saints, that's not the case at all. All people, are bound to have the occasional slip-up and sin, yet we rely on the Mercy of God and the Sacrament of Reconciliation which allows us to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and continue on the straight and narrow path which leads to Heaven!!!

Our Lady's Rosary

Dear Mother, I bring Thee roses
Because they are so sweet,
But lilies, my favorite flowers
I am placing at Thy feet.

Accept with each Hail Mary
A rose for Thy crown so bright;
Please don't forget the lilies,
The lilies so pure and white.

Let them be a bond of love
And understanding rare,
And send a blessing from above
In answer to my prayer.

Loneliness would be unknown
If more people came to Thee,
With their trials and sorrows
And said their Rosary.

With each Hail Mary, they would find
Their load much lighter grow,
And in humility, kiss the cross
In peace, would onward go.

Alice W. Sparks
Robert, Cyril. Our Lady's Praise in Poetry.
Poughkeepsie, New York: Marist Press, 1944.

The Monastic Beard: Part II

The following is taken from the great book on our founder: An American Abbot (Boniface Wimmer, O.S.B., 1809-1887) by Jerome Oetgen. The book can be purchased by clicking here, it is a great gift or read for anyone interested in Monasticism, American History, or just in inspirational stories of people who overcame human limitations and worldly hardships by putting their total trust in Jesus our Lord. For part one of these series click here. Hopefully, after reading this short selection, one can see why the monastic beard has been embraced American Benedictines from the very beginning:
 

Archabbot Boniface Wimmer, O.S.B. (as a young abbot and probably close to what he what have looked like when he met with Blessed Pope Pius IX in 1865)

The prior watched the emaciated face with its long white beard and perhaps recalled the sensation the flowing whiskers had caused among the clean-shaven cardinals of Rome when the abbot visited the Vatican in 1865. He had been reluctant to arrive in Rome with a full beard and even wrote to the abbot of Metten asking what he thought of the idea. Not much, it seems. The Bavarian prelate recommended prudence. Things were done differently in Rome, the officials there didn't always understand, or appreciate, innovation. That abbot of Metten told him to keep in mind that when in Rome he should do as the Romans, but Abbot Boniface decided to take a chance. He arrived unshaven. People gawked at him in the streets. The nuns of a convent he visited were frightened by his "shaggy appearance." The Italian cardinals raised their bushy eyebrows. But in the end the abbot's audacity was vindicated. He was received in audience by the Holy Father, and after hearing of his success in spreading the Benedictine Order throughout North America and bringing the Gospel to the immigrants who were daily arriving on the shores of the new land, Pope Pius IX gave his blessing to the work and dismissed him with the words "Long live Abbot Wimmer and his magnificent beard." From that day on he never shaved, and he urged his monks to follow his example.

Blessed Pope Pius IX

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As a follow up to the last article which mentioned some of our bearded brethren occasionally being confused for grey robed Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (a group founded in the South Bronx in 1987 by Fr. Benedict Groeschel and 6 other Capuchin friars as a renewal of the Capuchin way of life. I though this history about where the Capuchin beard and their order was interesting due to their roots to the Benedictine Camaldolese monks which we discussed a few days ago on the Feast of St. Romuald...click here for that article.

The order arose in 1520 when Matteo da Bascio, an "Observant" Franciscan friar native to the Italian region of Marche, became inspired by God with the idea that the manner of life led by the Franciscans of his day was not the one which St. Francis had envisaged. He sought to return to the primitive way of life in solitude and penance as practiced by the founder of his order.

His superiors tried to suppress these innovations, and Friar Matteo and his first companions were forced into hiding from Church authorities, who sought to arrest them for having abandoned their religious duties. They were given refuge by the Camaldolese monks, in gratitude for which they later adopted the hood or capuccio worn by that order--which was the mark of a hermit in that region of Italy--and the practice of wearing a beard. The popular name of their order originates from this feature of their religious habit, and after this the Capuchin monkey and the cappuccino coffee are also named by visual analogy. In 1528, Friar Matteo obtained the approval of Pope Clement VII and was given permission to live as a hermit and to go about everywhere preaching to the poor. These permissions were not only for himself, but for all such as might join him in the attempt to restore the most literal observance possible of the Rule of St. Francis. Matteo and the original band were soon joined by others. Matteo and his companions were formed into a congregation, called the Hermit Friars Minor, as a branch of the Conventual Franciscans, but with a vicar of their own, subject to the jurisdiction of the general of the Conventuals. The Observants continued to oppose the movement.