2000th Anniversary of the Birth of Saint Paul the Apostle: "Faith is not a theory or an opinion but the impact of love"

"His faith is the experience of being loved by Jesus Christ in a completely personal way; it is the awareness of the fact that Christ has faced death not for some anonymous person, but out of love for him - for Paul - and that, as the Risen One, he still loves him. Christ gave himself up for him. His faith comes from being transfixed by the love of Jesus Christ, a love that shakes him to his core and transforms him. His faith is not a theory, an opinion about God and the world. His faith is the impact of the love of God on his heart. And thus his faith is itself love for Jesus Christ."

--From the homily with which Benedict XVI commenced the Pauline Year in Rome at the basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, Vespers, 28 June 2008.

Meeting Christ in the Liturgy offers a reflection for The Solemnity of the Apostles Peter and Paul
Decree of the Holy See regarding Plenary Indulgences for the Holy Year

Art: Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls; Saint Paul by El Greco

"Where there is charity...

...there are no distances." Saint Augustine

Pray for unity within the Church.

We might also say that where there is no charity one cannot find the presence of the Lord. Charity begins at home. The true home on earth of the Lord is His Church. Let all the earth know the Lord through the love we have for one another.

Pray also for unity with those who have separated themselves from the Body of Christ:

"O God, Who settest straight what has gone astray, and gatherest together what is scattered, and keepest what Thou hast gathered together: we beseech Thee in Thy mercy to pour down on Christian people, the grace of union with Thee, that, putting disunion aside and joining themselves to the true shepherd of Thy Church, they be able to render Thee worthy service."

The devil attacks the Father through His children in Christ. Do not give the Evil One any room in this House. Love your neighbor. Pray for your persecutors. Bless those who curse you. Love those who hate you.

"Come, bless the Lord,

...all you servants of the Lord,
who minister by night in the house of the Lord,
in the courts of the house of our God.

Raise your hands to the sanctuary
and bless the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Zion,
he who made heaven and earth."

- Psalm 134

Photo: Daily Mass chapel, Church of Saint Peter in Olney, Maryland. Altar and ambo are of Roman travertine marble. Skylights bathe the space in natural light.

"I rejoiced...

...with those who said to me,

'Let us go to the house of the Lord!'

There the tribes go up,

the tribes of the Lord, the assembly of Israel,

to give thanks to the Lord's name,

There stands the courts of justice

the offices of the house of David."

-from Psalm 122

(Photo: Church of Saint Peter, Olney, Maryland.)

Kneeling to receive communion in the mouth a "norm valid for the entire Church"

A recent interview with the Master of Papal Liturgical Ceremonies, Monsignor Guido Marini, in L'Osservatore Romano (permanent link) includes some very interesting answers, especially on the mode of distribution of Holy Communion:

L'Osservatore: "...In the recent visit to Santa Maria di Leuca and Brindisi, the Pope has distributed communion to the kneeling faithful in the mouth. Is it a practice destined to become usual in papal celebrations?"

Monsignor Marini: "I think so. Regarding it, it should not be forgotten that the distribution of communion in the hand still remains, from a juridical viewpoint, an indult from the universal law, granted by the Holy See to those Episcopal Conferences which have made a request for it. The mode adopted by Benedict XVI tends to underline the force of the norm valid for the entire Church. In addition, a preference could perhaps be seen for the use of this mode of distribution, which, without eliminating anything from the other, puts into light better the truth of the real presence in the Eucharist, aids the devotion of the faithful, introduces with greater ease the sense of mystery. Aspects which, in our age, pastorally speaking, it is urgent to underline and recover."


Photos, top: the Holy Father gives Communion to a first communicant kneeling and in the mouth in Rome for the Solemnity of Corpus Domini this year; bottom: Master of Papal Liturgical Ceremonies, Monsignor Guido Marini.

Thanks to rorate-caeli.blogspot.com

Why do we pray?

If God already knows what will happen, if He always wants what is good, why do we pray? Is it not insulting to God to ask Him for something good as if there is a possibility that His love could allow anything less?

We pray because Christ Himself prayed, saying: "Father, not My will but Thine be done." We pray because we are sinful and do not love as God loves and do not desire good as God does.

We pray because Christ taught us to pray. Not only do we have the "Our Father" which is the text of prayer and catechism of prayer which Christ the Lord Himself conferred. We also have in the holy Mass the most perfect and efficacious of prayers. The Mass is Christ Himself at prayer in His self-offering on the Cross and, in Communion, Christ Himself Resurrected truly present Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity.

We pray because Christ commanded us, "Pray always". Thus the Church universal prays the Liturgy of the Hours every day in every place until the end of the world.

And Mary, our Mother, prophetess of the end times, begs us, "Pray and do penance".

Special thanks to Patrick Rose, member of the Liguori Society, for posing this question.

Arrivederci

Dear parishioners of Saint Philip’s,

“First you will see me, then you will not see me, then you will see me again.” With these words Our Lord refers to His Paschal Mystery and instructs us to look forward in hope to His coming again at the final judgment. In a less serious vein, these words apply very well to my own life here among you, the blessed people of God at Saint Philip’s. You have seen me come from military duty, and then depart for Iraq, and then return to you again. And through it all you accepted with faith, persevered in hope, and supported with prayers and actions of love. You have been a tremendous solace, an example, and a true family of faith.

“I am a pilgrim on the earth, like all my fathers before me”. These words of the Psalms well describe the life each one of us enter into upon our baptism as people of faith who do not find here on earth a lasting city. Our thoughts are above, with Christ the Lord, seated at God’s right hand. Archbishop Wuerl has invited me to set out again as a pilgrim and so it is time to bid you “arrivederci” once more. The Archdiocese is rich in people but sometimes not so wealthy when it comes to workers for the vineyard. For this reason our leaders must be careful to distribute God’s gifts prudently and wisely among His people. This often necessitates the transfer of our priests. I promised obedience to Cardinal Hickey, and all his successors, at my ordination. In this, as in all matters of obedience, it is the Lord whom I truly serve and obey. In this way I also truly serve His people in a more generous expression of His love.

As people of Faith, we above all others have a right to say: ”See you again!” We sincerely mean it, as we all look forward to our heavenly home reunion at the end of our pilgrim way on earth. I say the same, and truly hope that you will come for a visit with my new family at Saint Peter’s in Olney.

I have often told you in jest, and I say it again now, “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now” as our Lord did upon departing from His Apostles. How wonderful are the riches of wisdom, knowledge and grace that the Lord has yet to reveal to us in the journey ahead! For this reason we are hopeful in Christ, as our Holy Father Benedict so beautifully and so often invites us to be. May He always be your hope and mine, all the days of our lives!

Arrivederci, “Until we see each other again”,

Father Cusick

Photo: Patronal window in Saint Philip's rectory chapel.