News - April 2019 RSS Feed

Like ourselves, saints and sinners down through the years have asked the question, “where does evil come from?” This question has become the topic of innumerable books and articles in history, theology and literature as well as countless plays and movies.

The Hippocratic Oath, taken by medical doctors for centuries, used to affirm the utmost value for human life. The common version of this oath was the so-called Declaration of Geneva adopted in September 1948 by the General Assembly of the World Medical Organization which included the line: “I will maintain the utmost respect for human life, from the time of its conception, even under threat, I will not use my medical knowledge contrary to the laws of humanity.”

It occurred to me during a recent visit to JFK Hospital in Edison, NJ that the familiar and beautiful notion of being made in the “image and likeness of God” is not so convincing when contemplated from the seated position of a hospital waiting room. I sat across from a 73 year-old woman holding back tears as she prepared for her surgery. With a long blond wig that had twisted in the wind during her journey from the parking lot, her husband sat next to her but was more fixated on playing poker on his iPad rather than tending to the needs of his ill spouse.

Sing a song of sixpence a pocket full of rye. Four and twenty blackbirds, baked in a pie. When the pie was opened, the birds began to sing. Wasn’t that a dainty dish, to set before the King?

Do you remember the Swedish pop group, Abba, back in the 1970′s? Perhaps you recall one of their more famous songs, “I Have A Dream,” where they declare in the lyrics again and again – I believe in angels!

Have you ever noticed, as you walk through your neighborhood or as you drive to and from work, that there always seems to be new construction of office buildings, superstores or houses, one after another? The operative idea behind such construction is that “this time” the buildings will be bigger, stronger and more efficient.

Back in high school there was a huge banner hanging on the inside wall of our school chapel that read, “Creation Waits, Come O Lord, Come.” I read and reread these words throughout my high school years, seeking to understand their meaning, as I entered and left the chapel for daily Mass and other spiritual exercises. I eventually concluded that the phrase referred, not only to the destiny of creation itself, but to our responsibility to be good stewards of God’s creation as we await the Second Coming of Christ.

Some of you may recall a fun-loving daily radio program called “Kids Say the Darndest Things.” Featuring interviews between the host, Art Linkletter, and children-guests, the host would ask a question to a child (around the age of 4 to 9) who would usually respond in a uniquely honest and cute manner.

“I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth …” How many times have you spoken these words over the years? I watched a 94-year-old parishioner pronounce these words, through her tears, from her usual place in the front pew at Saint Brigid Church in Peapack at Sunday Mass this past November. She had just lost her dear sister, Mrs. Angela Popa, several days before, having sat with her at Mass just the evening before her death.

Among the first questions we ask when interviewing a man who is considering a vocation to the holy priesthood is whether he has an undergraduate degree in “Philosophy.” In fact, all candidates for the priesthood must first study philosophy before beginning their theological studies.

Have you ever considered the fact that the word “Trinity” is found nowhere in the Sacred Scriptures. Whether we look through the Books of the Old Testament or the New, there is no place in the Bible where we come across the word “Trinity.” Yet, the belief in God as a Trinity of persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, a belief embraced by all mainline Christian churches, is clearly discerned from such biblical passages as Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19, John 10:30; 14:16-17; 17:11 & 21, Acts 2:32-33 and II Corinthians 13:14, to name a few.

All Christians are introduced to the Holy Trinity on the occasion of their baptism. With these sacred words, the Holy Trinity takes up residence in our souls: I baptize you “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (ccc. 232).

We have all had interesting encounters when visiting hospitals. It was my first visit to Roosevelt-Saint Luke Hospital in New York City on the afternoon of April 19, 2010. In the tiny waiting room there was a man sitting across from me dressed in a black tee-shirt and black leather vest with a “cross” erring dangling from one of his ears. He reminded me of a motorcycle enthusiast or a professional wrestler.

Every parent knows how important it is to choose the right name for their child. In the words of the Catechism: “A name expresses a person’s essence and identity and the meaning of this person’s life” (ccc 203). For some this is easy, especially when the family custom is to name a child after a parent or grandparent. Others select the name of a favorite saint or Christian hero.

Over the years it both surprised and bothered me to hear people say that they could not identify with God as a loving Father because they themselves did not experience love or mercy from their own dads. How awful that must be. How sad.

This past May, on Memorial Day weekend, an elderly parishioner told me the story about her brother who had served in the Second World War and became a prisoner of war under the Germans. This wonderful Italian woman explained how her brother was on the an overloaded boxcar in the last train car when, finding a small scrap of filthy brown soap, he and three of his comrades decided to swallow the soap in a desperate attempt to become disqualified for the next prison camp to which they were being transported.

As a child, the language my faith was tied intimately to my imagination as I reflected on the stories and episodes in the life of Jesus. In my mind’s eye, and in my heart, I would journey to the places where Jesus lived and ministered. How cool it was to ascend a mountain, get into a boat, sail on the Sea of Galilee or walk a dusty trail to listen as Jesus preached to the crowds, healed them and fed them.

As a child, when I was learning to play my first musical instrument, I found a page from a discarded hymnal containing one line of lyrics with a series of musical notes above it. The lyrics read: “Everything the Lord has said we will do.”

What does your faith look like? How would you describe it? What would your life be like if you did not profess your faith in Jesus Christ? How would that make you feel? To say it in the context of our contemporary cultural milieux you might ask, “Am I representing the Catholic brand fully and faithfully?”

Throughout my priestly ministry, and even before as a lay Catholic, I do not recall meeting anyone who claimed to be drawn to the Catholic faith, or wanting to live a more faithful Catholic life, because of some experience of “God” (in a generic sense). Whether interviewing people desiring to become Catholic, those seeking spiritual direction or spiritual counsel within the Sacrament of Penance, or even others considering the diaconate or priestly formation, men and women seeking to live a more faithful life always seem to have a relationship with 1 or more Persons of the Most Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit).