The Cross: Well Worth the Price

"The most difficult thing of all — yet the most essential — is to love life, even when you suffer, because life is all."

Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910, Russian novelist and social reformer)

As a child growing up in SS Simon and Jude Church on Greentree Road in Scott Township, I witnessed my Mom attending Mass daily at 6:45 AM. The pastor, Fr. Carey, entrusted her with a key to open up the church and turn on the lights. Fr. Carey told her, “Guard this key. Protect it with your life. And whatever you do, don’t duplicate it.” Mom treasured this key and to her it was more important than the key to her own house. Fr. Carey and my Mom were "bigger than life" figures to me at such an early age. Fr. Carey baptized me which opened the key of faith to my spiritual journey. Mom cultivated and nourished the faith of our family by opening the key of faith to our lives. Little did I know that the Sign of the Cross which Mom daily made would become the sign that we would daily be called to live. The Cross being a summary of the whole life of obedient love which prepares us for ultimate sacrifice.

As I think of keys and doors, my thoughts go to St. Joseph School. Sadly, our school doors will not open this year at St. Joseph after 58 years of Catholic education. I pray for all the teachers and students who will begin at new schools in the area. May faith allow us to see and unlock new possibilities.

In Have You Heard the Good News, Fr. Edward Dowling notes three contrasts between the Gospels from last week and this week. The first contrast regards Jesus’ disposition toward Peter. In last week’s Gospel at Caesarea Philippi, Jesus entrusted to Peter the keys of the kingdom (Matthew 16: 13-20). Peter is the divinely appointed head of the Church and the Church will last forever through God’s promise and protection. However, in today’s Gospel (Matthew 16: 21-27), Jesus is upset with Peter and responds with an uncharacteristically strong and harsh rebuke as Peter tries to circumvent the very essence of God’s will and plan. As Jesus foretells His suffering and death at the hands of the religious leaders, He reminds His disciples that they, too, must be prepared to face hardships, difficulties and sufferings. Peter does not want to hear it. And so, while last week Peter is called “Rock,” the foundation of His Church, this week he is called “Satan,” one who is set on destroying the Church. Jesus gives Peter a command, “Away with you!”

The second contrast which Fr. Dowling notes between last week’s Gospel and this week’s regards a play on words. Last week Jesus changed Peter’s name to “Peter” which means “rock” saying, “On this rock I will build my Church.” This week we find another play on words when Jesus says, “You are an obstacle to me.” Here we have the Greek word “scandalon," from which we get in English “scandal.” A scandal traps, snares and captures. In this passage, Peter is therefore not a foundational rock but a “a stumbling stone or block.” Like Peter, we must accept the scandal of our own weakness and not rely on ourselves but on the Lord. We must hold fast to faith through the scandals of our lives. And hold on to God’s Word to heal us and free us from our sins.

The third contrast Fr. Dowling notes pertains to Peter’s position. Last week Jesus gave Peter the primacy in the Church, making him first. This week, Jesus puts him last by telling him to get behind him. This command, “Out of my sight” (get away, get behind me) can also be a strong warning to “Follow me.” Peter, who is to lead the Church, is to not go off course on his own but rather follow in the footsteps of Jesus. So, too, in our lives we can get off-course in our often materialistic and secular world which tempts us with many possessions, pleasures and powers. There are powerful psychological appeals that urge us to become attached to particular brands of food, clothes, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and cars. And so we keep buying more and more. And we desire more and more. We do not have time or energy to see the deeper meaning of life. The driving seduction of the world can lead us off course from the message of the Gospel.

In the letter to the Romans (12: 1-2), St. Paul reiterates the message of Jesus regarding the priorities of our lives. Paul reminds the community at Rome not to fall victim to the allurements, enticements and seductions of the day and age. Christians are not to be conformed or molded to the present time because this age is passing away. The advertising industry influences us to think that we will be happier and more fulfilled if we possess all the creature comforts, all the gadgets that make life easier and fun and all the cosmetics that promise beauty and popularity. Yet our plush bank accounts will quickly dwindle and our athletic trim bodies will grow old and weak. St. Paul reminds us that the enticements of this world are empty and fail to bring true happiness. He tells us we need “to be transformed by the renewal of our minds.”

It is through the art of discernment in prayer and ongoing conversion that one looks within to distinguish the will of God from other competing desires of the flesh and the world. The will of God is about what is good and pleasing and perfect. As brothers and sisters in Christ we journey together in pursuit of the good of God’s divine goodness. Through our shared sacrifices as a family and community we Christians make ourselves available to support others to seek, know and follow God’s will. Jesus lovingly but sternly exhorts us, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 16: 24-25). There is no great love without sacrifice, self discipline and mortification for the path to lowliness always passes through the cross. And without the cross there is no true love, no genuine joy, no lasting purification and no possession of God.

God’s will is found in our willingness to take up our cross and conform our lives to Christ, the suffering Servant and Messiah. St. Augustine said, “Determine what God has given you, and take from it what you need. The remainder is needed by others.” The “hour of triumph” is the victory of the Cross.

Faith: the Key to Life

“You, Lord are all I have, and You will give me all I need; my future is in Your hands. How wonderful are Your gifts to me; how good they are!”

- Psalm 16: 5-6

On Saturday, August 6, a 110 year-old woman, Viva Hirsch, was buried here in Coraopolis. On this past Saturday, August 13, I had the funeral for Samuel Chiodi, 102 years old. He was married to Barbara for 72 years. She died on June 3, 2011. They were both called home from God from West Hills Rehab Center in Moon Township, PA. (Coraopolis must be good climate in which to live and grow!)

A mother of three, Maureen Placek, 53, suddenly died of a heart attack this past week. Also, I offered a service for Audrey Spanard, 80 years old, who died quickly as well. She was married for 58 years to Dr. Russell Spanard. A priest-friend of mine, Fr. Joseph McCaffery, pastor of SS John and Paul in Wexford, lost his mother, Alice Marie McCaffery (age 73), recently, too. Mrs. McCaffery’s funeral was on Thursday, August 11; she suffered with cancer for over three years. Bishop Zubik anointed her at Passavant Hospital in the North Hills and Fr. Joe mentioned that it took the Bishop’s power and prayer to release her to God, as his several anointings “didn’t work.” Fr. Joe gave a stirring, poignant and touching tribute to his mother, saying, “My mother was the most unselfish person I ever met.” Her recipe for life was faith, kindness, compassion and laughter. As the large crowd of onlookers watched the pallbearers place the casket into the hearse, Bishop Zubik blessed the remains with a triple blessing and Fr. Joe McCaffery kissed the casket in a powerful gesture of gratitude for the life, faith and love that his mother had given him.

On Friday night, August 12, at 6:30 PM in Resurrection Church in Brookline, I attended the memorial Mass of Helen Clark Hebda, mother of Bishop Bernie Hebda, Bishop of Gaylord, MI and former priest of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. She was 81 years old. Bishop Bernie mentioned that his mom always had room for everyone at the table, reminding him of God’s ever-expanding love. There is no length, height, depth that a mother will not go for her family and loved ones. Both of my priest-friends, Fr. McCaffery and Bishop Hebda, mentioned how their mothers were exemplary women and faith was the prism through which they saw everything in life. Bishop Hebda’s mother died on Divine Mercy Sunday; he highlighted the mercy of mothers -- unconditional in love and standing always by our side.

So after a week of five funerals I must say how the meaning of life as a humble journey has impressed me and how blessed we are to companion one another as we make our way to the Kingdom of God. At the close of the prayers of the faithful, I always like to pray the prayer of Cardinal Newman: "May He support us all the day long till the shadows lengthen and the evening comes and the busy world is hushed and the fever of life is over and our work on earth is done. Then in His mercy ... may He give us safe lodging and a holy rest and peace at the last."

This past week we sang at Communion during Mass a traditional spiritual entitled, “Give Me Jesus." The song goes as follows:

In the morning when I rise,

in the morning when I rise,

in the morning when I rise, give me Jesus.

Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus.

You may have all this world, give me Jesus.

Now the journey has begun,

now the journey has begun,

now the journey has begun, give me Jesus. (Refrain)

When the prize is surely won,

when the prize is surely won,

when the prize is surely won, give me Jesus. (Refrain)

I heard my mother say,

I heard my mother say,

I heard my mother say, give me Jesus. (Refrain)

Dark midnight was my cry,

dark midnight was my cry,

dark midnight was my cry, give me Jesus. (Refrain)

Oh, when I come to die,

oh, when I come to die,

oh, when I come to die, give me Jesus. (Refrain)

At the close of the Noon Mass last week, as our cantor Angela Machi-Evans lifted our spirits to the rafters with her angelic voice singing this song, I thought of these five people who recently passed away being received into the loving Hands to God. My thoughts went to Jesus, the fulfillment and perfector of all life and love.

On this 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jesus, at Caesarea Philippi, asks his disciples the most pivotal question, “Who do people say that I am?” (Mt 16: 13). There were many opinions about Jesus’ identity, reaching back into the history of the Jewish people. Herod thought Jesus was John the Baptist returned to life. Others believed Jesus was the return of Elijah, expected to accompany the coming of God’s reign. Still others recognized the similarity between Jesus and the suffering prophet Jeremiah and other prophets as well. Jesus does not ask for the popular speculations, but his disciples’ personal assessment. He pushes them to the limit and waits a long time, but they must decide. Peter, the leader, gives the solemn answer, “You are the Christ (Messiah), the Son of the living God” (Mt 16: 16). The Hebrew word, “Messiah," meaning “anointed one," is equivalent to the Greek “Christos.” Jesus, the Son of God, is the one for whom God’s People have been waiting and longing. Jesus entrusts to Peter the keys, and the successor of Peter, the pope, holds these keys as leader of the Church today. It is in the Church that we find the key to answers of life. This week the 265th successor of Peter, Pope Benedict XVI, gathered for World Youth Day in Madrid, Spain, and rallied the youth to go to Church, practice the faith and celebrate the sacraments, especially Confession, the key to freedom. Regardless of our age, as the spiritual song says, "Give Me Jesus!"

No One Wins in Gossiping

"See how wicked people think up evil; they plan trouble and practice deception. But in the traps they set for others, they themselves get caught. So they are punished by their own evil and are hurt by their own violence."

- Psalm 7: 14-16

In my 23 years as a priest, I have always told my successor in an assignment, “If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call me. Don’t hesitate to ask!” Because hopefully we leave a place in better shape than we found it. During "transition times" one must die to self and rise to embrace the new mission. I remember a brother-priest calling me several weeks after taking over and saying, “Remember you said if I had any questions ... well, I was just wondering where you left the survival kit for this parish.” After the laughter subsided, I listened to his apprehensions and unrest. I just listened patiently and listened more, and gave him the reassurance that all would be well.

In any transition there is always turbulence and the fear of the unknown. Whether moving to a new town, new job, new school, or embracing a new way of life such as beginning a marriage or facing life without a spouse, transitions are hinges that must connect us to God and each other through trust. Our faith is challenged and strengthened and we must "let go and let God." And then we will grow.

This summer I read a wonderful book entitled "A Survival Guide for Church Ministers" by Fr. William J. Jarema, a priest of the Archdiocese of Kingston, Jamaica, who is also a psychotherapist, spiritual director, international retreat and workshop presenter promoting the healing and development of the whole person — mind, body, heart, soul and spirit. I ordered 10 copies to share with various companions on my journey — bishops, priests, sisters and lay people. In this book Fr. Jarema speaks of seven habits for a highly effective ministry:

1. Prayer-ways and pathways to holiness: feeding a hungry soul.

2. Spiritual companions for traveling along the way: authentic human intimacy.

3. Examination of consciousness: the ability to ponder, introspect and confess.

4. Self-knowledge as the door to holiness: lessons learned or repeated.

5. Being used by God for the sake of another: instigators and mentors for the salvation of souls.

6. Eucharist: the practice of presence and the Body of Christ.

7. Redemptive suffering: finding God in all this mess.

I found this treasure-read a jewel worth sharing, a valuable help in navigating and charting new ways to grow in faith and to deal with interpersonal struggle. For some people, we may walk on water (do no wrong), but for others we tiptoe on egg shells (nothing seems to be right). For some people we turn water into wine, but for others, we just make sour vinegar. Some people sing our praises to the high heavens, and others can only speak of our lowest depths to every corner of the earth. It is important to have good self-care and nurturance in order to serve others well. We must be good stewards of our bodies, minds and spirits. We must row together and not against each other.

Admiral Hyman Rickover, US Navy, wrote, “Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people.” Or said another way, “One reason the dog has so many friends is because he wags his tail instead of his tongue” (anonymous). In this book by Fr. Jarema, a chapter is dedicated to why people gossip and he briefly states that gossip has its origin the following areas:

1. Poor self-esteem: putting another down to make oneself feel lifted up.

2. Comparisons: competing with another to gain a false sense of superiority.

3. Sabotage: destroying another person to avoid the sense of failure we have of our own self.

4. Triangle-communication: avoiding discussion with the person with whom we should really speak by gossiping to a third party.

5. I want to be included: trying to gain a sense of being a part of things by talking about other people‘s affairs.

6. Projection: putting on others what we despise in our self.

7. Pseudo-power: manipulating and deceiving others to believe one‘s perceptions of reality in order to validate a sense of strength and influence.

8. Getting even: revenge is a powerful drug — rationalizing and justifying violent intent through slanderous words — evening the slate to gain an adrenaline surge.

9. Ego-blindness: assuming the negative in the absence of information, instead of waiting for the truth.

In his epistle St. James devotes an entire chapter (Chapter 3) on the dual power of tongue. He says, “No one has been able to tame the tongue. It is evil and uncontrollable, full of deadly poison. We use it to give thanks to the Lord and Father, and also to curse our fellow man who is created in the likeness of God. Words of thanksgiving and cursing pour out of the same mouth. My brothers, this should not happen!” (James 3: 8-10)

Solomon, in Proverbs 6: 16-19, notes that there are seven things that the Lord hates and cannot tolerate: “a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that kill innocent people, a mind that thinks up wicked plans, feet that hurry off to do evil, a witness who tells one lie after another and a person who stirs up trouble among friends.” Solomon goes on to say in 10: 19, “The more you talk, the more likely you are to sin. If you are wise, keep quiet.”

My home-pastor, Fr. Thomas F. Carey (who baptized me, gave me First Reconciliation, First Holy Communion, dressed me as a priest at ordination and died on 9-9-99), was famous for saying: “God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason.” Sound wisdom for every age, indeed!

Ordinary Time 19

"O Lord! All our trouble comes to us from not having our eyes fixed on you."

— St. Teresa of Avila

In our local area, the neighboring parishes rotate to cover hospital calls at Heritage Valley in Sewickley. My day of coverage is Wednesday. I was aroused form sleep at 6:00 AM last Wednesday thinking to be called into action at the hospital only to be informed by the men's spirituality group which meets early on Wednesday mornings that Healy Hall was filled with water! I immediately phoned our maintenance man, Tom St. Claire, to survey the situation. He informed me that the damage was quite extensive and we would need to contact the necessary eperts. I then called Mike Traveris with G. S. Jones Restoration and Consulting of Emsworth. They came immediately along with the McKamish Air Conditioning.

It was found that a dated fabric liner covering the fiberglass insulation on air condition panel had pealed away, clogging the drain. The water overflowed, resulting in a full day of water removal and floor treatment. There was extensive water damage in the storage areas. The dance floor too, made of parquet tiling, had to be removed. Many objects sitting in the water had to be discarded. To prevent this from happening again, McKamish installed a safety switch on our air conditioning system. Gratefully, our insurance helped us to recover the losses. It's amazing how much damage water can do in a short amount of time.

Not long after this call, I was summoned to Heritage Valley of Sewickley to visit a parishioner who fell and broke her hip and wrist at 4:30 AM when she became dizzy in the bathroom. I visited her two daughters and son-in-law who were patiently waiting for her to go into surgery. They were grateful for my pastoral presence and ministry, along with administering the anointing of the sick to woman.

This experience reminded me of a story in Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan's book, Doers of the Word: Putting Your Faith into Practice. He relates, "Recently, I visited a dying woman in the hospital. When I called to ask her if I could come visit her in hospice, she paused, 'Archbishop, I really appreciate your calls to me and to my family. And I’ll be thrilled to see you here for a visit. All of that is a big help. But, if you really want to help me, when you come, please hear my confession, anoint me and bring me Holy Communion. That will be the best help of all.'" The archbishop noted that she truly understood the grace and the power of the sacraments.

Throughout each of our own lives, we face many storms or crises. “Crisis” comes from a Chinese word meaning, “danger or opportunity." A crisis is a danger that can overwhelm and threaten us or an opportunity to draw us closer to God and others. The storms and struggles of our lives often become the means by which we can face ourselves and let go of the things that mar God's image in us. It is through standing in the presence of the transforming God that we are changed.

Because the storms of our lives threaten to sweep us away and take us under, we can be paralyzed with fear and overwhelmed. Sufferings come in many forms and sometimes without a warning bell. No matter what the struggle — sudden illness, injury, accidents, job loss, relocation, relational dissonance, divorce, parenting stress, financial challenges, death of a loved one and personal issues — no matter what the upheaval one faces, it's easy to feel endangered by the storm and become crippled by fear, making one helpless. We are apt to take our eyes off of Jesus, like St. Peter in our Gospel today, who focused on the power of the winds and the waves instead of Jesus. But Jesus is telling us not to be afraid; He wants to bring peace to our troubled lives by the constancy of His calming presence. Focusing on problems can easily lead to darkness and despair. But when we keep our eyes on Jesus, though our problems don't disappear, we find that He is with us through them all.

Elijah did not find God in the violent and powerful earthquake, nor in the earth-shattering hurricane which destroyed boulders, nor in the uncontained wild fire, nor in the heavy winds which raged for days. It was, however, in a tiny whispering sound, in stillness and quiet, in calmness, that Elijah found God. Through all the chaos, craziness and uncontrollable disintegration of the human journey, Jesus summons us to have courage. His outstretched and hand and strong arm seek to deliver and save us from any power that defeats us. As God helped Elijah at Mt. Horeb and Jesus helped Peter on the Sea of Galilee, so too, God's divine help will be never lacking for us. He will never abandon us when the winds of temptation, fatigue or difficulties come on our path. Jesus shows Himself and tells us, "It is I, do not be afraid.” As St. Teresa says, “He never fails His friends.”

As priests, we're always on the call-watch. We never know when danger will strike as we journey with God's people, seeking to lead them to greater faith and holiness. Yes, at times the forces of the world are very mighty and strong, however, these stresses challenge us to place greater faith in Jesus who is infinitely stronger.

In the turbulence of our times, we must seek the constancy and calm that faith in prayer brings to our lives. May the crises we face throughout our life's voyaging be the opportunities for us to call out to God and walk on water. The Lord wants none to be lost, none to drown. Sometimes the dark and distressing moments of our lives bring us to more courageous and truer faith. I always admired a woman named Kathy who worked in the emergency room at Mercy Hospital while I served as a chaplain. For over 25 years she took person after person in trouble and crisis, and with reassurance, reached out to bring Christ's hope, peace and calm. She was an inspiration, showing the power of moving people from dark clouds of Good Fridays to bright Easter Sundays.