We have died with Christ so that we may rise with Christ. Rm. 6:1-14; 1 Cor. 15

Death, Resurrection and Eternal Life Though my father is dead I continue speaking to him as present to me. In fact I set up a blog where our family can post memories and "talk" to dad. Is dad’s soul asleep while his body decays and awaits resurrection? With a new concept of time and a fresh understanding of the body Ratzinger explores the question with very hope filled words: “Whenever someone enters into the ‘I’ of Christ, he has entered straight away into the space of unconditional life.” “Faith, which is the contact between Jesus and myself vouchsafes here and now the crossing of death’s frontier." These words have a mystical connotation which allows us to consider that in baptism “we enter on a common destiny with that of Jesus and so with death….Suffering and dying with Christ means at the same time a participation in the hope of the resurrection." Paul says we have died with Christ so that we may rise with him (Rm. 6:1-14; 1 Cor. 15). The communion offered by God is life. “New life has already begun and will nevermore be snuffed out" and awaits future glory. The Eucharist is pledge of this future glory: “Feeding on Jesus’ word and on his flesh, that is receiving him by both faith and sacrament, is described as being nourished with the bread of immortality.”


The morning of the day dad died was a Saturday in Ordinary liturgical time. He died after 4 P.M. as the day transformed into the Vigil of the Birth of John the Baptist. He died in liturgical time while in chronos-time he offered his sufferings in the belief that the “God who has suffered, has become the final victor over all evil,” knowing in this sense heaven truly exists. In our vigil we remained watchful for the “Other who throws open the portals of time and death from the outside.” We spoke about relationship in the Trinity. As we spoke we both knew that death was not the end of relationship – God gives life in the midst of death.


Through self-emptying love eternal life breaks through. God is love, is in relationship, and so God is life. Even as Dad’s body diminished he remained a “whole man in his unity who moves toward eternity.” In the communion of saints, the body of Christ, eternity was accessible to him. “When human life is lived in Jesus it steps into the ‘time of Jesus’ that is, into love, which transforms and opens up eternity.” History concluded for Dad but he did not lose his relation to history. His final place in the whole can be determined only when the pasio and actio of history have come to their end. The resurrection of the body, a state in which matter and spirit will belong to each other in a new and definite way, remains the concrete content of the confession of the resurrection of the flesh. The trumpet of the Word is already summoning us, and yet it is still to be sounded. “The true frontier between life and death does not lie in biological dying, but in the distinction between being with the One who is life and the isolation which refuses such ‘being with....The borderline between Sheol and life runs through our very midst, and those who are in Christ are situated on the side of life, and that everlastingly....Only the mortal remains of our loved ones lie there in the tombs awaiting the final resurrection. Their souls, as Scripture says, are already 'in the hands of God'. And so the most appropriate and effective way to honor them is to pray for them, offering acts of faith, hope and charity.”

Quotes from Benedict XVI On Escatology

Offering & Making Holy - 2 Corinthians 5:19

2 Corinthians 5:19 "In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their transgressions against them and entrusting us with the message of salvation."

In preparation for my 25th anniversary of profession of vows (2003) my mother’s wedding ring was engraved with words from the Maronite Liturgy in honor our Maronite ancestry and in gratitude for my consecration. In Spirit of the Liturgy the chapter on the Body and the Liturgy expressed what I engraved on the ring in Syriac – “This is my body given up for you.” Since the Anaphora is the most solemn part of the Divine Liturgy I asked the Bishop if this was permissible. My reasons were that the words of consecration were also my response to Christ’s offering.

Joseph Ratzinger expresses this so well as the whole event of the Incarnation, cross and resurrection present as the way God draws us into cooperation with himself. We pray that the Sacrifice of the Logos become our sacrifice so that we may be transformed. As a young professed I had many opportunities to enjoy liturgies where large number of priests were present. For want of room on the altar they would stay in the pews at the celebration. During the consecration all rose and prayed the Anaphora in close proximity to all of the faithful. During those moments I reflected on the offering we were all making. This was a wonderful visual of what was occurring in reality – we were all praying to be made the true Body of Christ .

The Maronite name for the Divine Liturgy is Qorbono in Syriac referring to the “offering” and focusing on the sacrificial acts of Christ offering himself and on our own willingness to give our lives as an oblation. In Arabic term Quddas means “making holy” referring to the fact that in the liturgy the gifts, and by analogy the participants, are divinized by the action of the Holy Spirit. The Preparation of the Gifts is an act of offering by the whole community. The bread and wine selected from among the gifts are chosen to become the Body and Blood of Christ. Similarly, our gifts and dedication to be of service to Christ are consecrated through the action of the liturgy.

“The Word leads us out of individualism into the communion of saints spanning all times and places." In our community when it is someone’s turn for Eucharistic Adoration, we use the words of Martha to Mary as an invitation to a sister for adoration: “The Master is here and he is asking for you.” When we will travel or transfer to another location we tell each other: “We will meet before the tabernacle.” These words serve to remind us that worship includes our whole life. “The true liturgical action is the deed of God, and for that very reason the liturgy of faith always reaches beyond the cultic act into everyday life, which must itself become 'liturgical', a service for the transformation of the world." Our bodies are trained, as we transform our wills in a communion of will with God, for the resurrection – as the liturgy is oriented toward the risen Christ.
This has implications for mission as well, in the call to transform the world. Transformation in Christ begins with us and also effects change in the world. Mission is a call to live liturgy which does not compete in the market place. It attracts others when it looks not at itself, but at God, when it allows God to enter and act. It is authentic inculturation as it interprets the world anew in the light of God –opening up men and women to their possibilities.

Quotes from Spirit of the Liturgy by Joseph Ratzinger

extra-Ordinary time Acts 10:44

Acts 10:44 "While Peter was still speaking these things the Holy Spirit came upon all who were listening to the Word."

I am assisting in the Catechetical Certification Program for the Archdiocese of Boston. Today the guest speaker, a member of the Neo-Catechetical Movement (known as The Way), was invited to present Lectio Divina. Father began his presentation with his vocation narrative. Not unlike Peter when he visited the house of Cornelius. Cornelius was expecting him and had prepared the house summoning his friends and relatives. This was to be a big occassion. In fact Cornelius was so excited that he knelt at Peter's feet when he entered. The scripture passage even goes so far as to say "he fell at his feet and worshiped him." You can just imagine Peter the fisherman, still stinging from his denial of Christ and much more humble in his position as evangelizer, lifting Cornelius back up. "Get up! I am a man too!"  After Father pointed us toward Christ he opened the Bible. "Is this the Word of God?" he asked. Everyone nodded yes. Surprisingly he said "Not really - it is the Scripture but some people spend their lives looking up passages for scientific or historical study - they can read it over and over. What makes it the Word of God?" Then he called out a name "Andrew!" There happened to be someone called Andrew in our gathering. Andrew had raised his hand in response. "See the Word became alive just as when the Angel Gabriel greeted Mary "Hail, Mary! The Lord is with you!" "What happens to us when the Word reaches us - is directed to us," Father continued, "Is our response. The seed of the Word is planted and begins to grow. Who is the Word of God? Jesus."

In this reading from the Acts of the Apostles Peter was taken by surprise during his delivery of the Word. The Word became flesh in all of Cornelius's friends and relatives through the Holy Spirit. Even while Peter was still proclaiming the Word the Spirit enlivened the gathering. The Word grew in them and would continue growing through baptism, life in the body of Christ (the Church) and to the full stature of Christ. The Word would lead all of these Gentiles to life in the Holy Trinity "Until Christ is formed" as Paul said (Gal. 2:20).

As the Christmas season concludes and we enter the Church's Ordinary Time we reflect on how "extra-ordinary" all time is in Christ.

Read Acts Chapter10 (aloud if with a group).

WAY Meditate  How does Peter dialogue (pray) with God? Does it remind you of the prayer of Abraham or Moses? How does Peter deepen his understanding of what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ?

LIFE Pray  What invitations are you receiving from the Lord that invite you to relationship through sharing the love of Christ?

LIVE Act  If you receive the Pauline Cooperator magazine read the evangelization issue (January 2010) to live out of a Pauline style of evangelization. Why is the gospel "good news?" How do you witness Christ as Peter did? Do you identify with Cornelius in your search for a deeper faith?


PRAYER

Lord Jesus, Cornelius was at prayer and received a heavenly visitor who reminded Cornelius that his alms giving and prayer had been remembered before God. May all that we do be a pleasing sacra-fice (to make holy) as incense rising before you each moment of the day. When you call us through your Word and Sacrament may our ears be opened to obedience. When you invite us to extend hospitality in our daily meetings with others let us be filled with your Spirit. May we bear your Word upon the streets of the world. We ask this in your name, Jesus. Amen.

Christmas Rejoicing! Eph. 1:18-19

A prayer for the Christmas season is that "the eyes of our hearts be enlightened so we will come to know what the hope is to which God calls us. How glorious his glorious heritage shared among us!" (Cf. Eph. 1:18-19).

This is what the celebration of Christmas is all about. The darkness of winter, the shorter days and longer nights have turned toward the light. The days are becoming longer and the light is revealing what we couldn't see in the darkness. The great gift of Christmas is the coming of our salvation. All that we long for: whole relationships, security, control for a planned future... We don't have to give them up - we just gift them up to God and receive them back in such a way that they become the fullness of life.

Paul tells us "It is all yours, all is yours, you are Christ's and Christ's is Gods!" Our longings and desires are now turning toward the light. Our eyes are enlightend and we rejoice in the hope that is our vocation (call). Rejoice, Paul exhorts. Rejoice in the Lord always! Again I say Rejoice! 

Have a blessed and glorious revelation of God's love in Jesus through the Spirit this Christmas. May Jesus be born in us and grow to full stature.

Sr Margaret Kerry, fsp

Advent Waiting with Saints & Scripture

"Advent, this potent liturgical period we are entering, invites us to remain silent as we come to appreciate a presence. It is an invitation to understand that the individual events of the day are signs God addresses to us, signs of the care He has for each of us. How often does God make us aware of some aspect of His love! To maintain what we might call an 'inner diary' of this love would be a beautiful and rewarding task in our lives. Advent invites us and encourages us to contemplate the living Lord. Should not the certainty of His presence help us to see the world with different eyes?" Benedict XVI
The saints can help us see the world with different eyes. They have left their daily witness written on the hearts of believers. They intercede for us from within the communion of the saints as our brothers and sisters. Their eyes have seen what Paul said "eye has not seen nor ear heard what is prepared for us by the Lord." Our waiting can happen in real waiting situtations: the line in the grocery store, the traffic, waiting for a phone call or a letter, waiting for friendship, waiting for reconciliation. Our advent waiting with the saints reminds us that we can celebrate hope in Jesus coming to live among us to prepare a place for us to live forever.

The inner diary of love that we write as we wait in silence is contemplation. Our eyes are open to the mystical reality of communion with God and with one another.

Here are some scripture citations on waiting:

Mark 15:43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body.

Luke 1:21

Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple.

Luke 2:25
Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

Luke 3:15
The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ.

Luke 12:36
Like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.

 Luke 23:51
who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea and he was waiting for the kingdom of God.

Acts 22:16
And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.'

Hebrews 6:15
And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.

Hebrews 9:28
so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

All Saints Day Eph. 4: 22

Ephesians 4:22 "Be renewed in your mind and spirit and put on the new person created in accordance with God's designs in true righteousness and holiness."

Novena to Jesus Divine Master, Way, Truth and Life

The novena to Jesus Divine Master beging October 16th. Pauline's celebrate the Feast on the last Sunday of October. This year it will be on October 25, 2009. Join us at any of our Pauline centers for Liturgy. In Boston there is a retreat weekend at St Thecla's retreat house from October 23-24th. Then we join the community of the Daughters of St Paul at 50 St Paul's Ave for Liturgy followed by brunch.

To go to the google doc of the novena copy and paste this link to your browser: 
http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B-PIh0MeUzvnMmZiYjliMWMtZWZlNS00MjE4LWJlMDgtNTAxOTA0ZmZhZjUw&hl=en