ALLOCUTIOBY JOHN WINSON SACALLOCUTIO F OR FEBRUARY 2009After New Year, the Chinese New Year, and now we have the new school year, it is time we settled into 2009. The Roman Synod in October of last year resulted in an exhortation to Catholics throughout the world to take more seriously the Word of God, meaning practically for us, the Bible. As a portrait painting is set within a frame, and as a diamond is given a suitable "setting", I thought, can we do the same with the Magnificat ? The setting is provided by the Bible. The prayerful aspects of the Bible are expressed fully in the Book of Psalms, which give a summary of the sacred themes central to other biblical books. But today, I like to put forward a thought about the Magnificat prayer , not so much as central to the Infancy Narrative of St Luke but rather as central to the Bible as a whole. The Magnificat is called a Canticle, because it is so special, but it takes the same basic construction literally as any of the typical psalms. Firstly there are words of praise: "my soul glorifies the Lord". Many of the psalms begin this way. Sometimes the words are spoken of as coming from an individual’s feelings; or else they express the praise more formally as coming from the history and experience of the people of God as a whole. That is public praise. A distinctive poetic technique is to stress a contrast with unbelievers; their role is the opposite of the believer. And also positive statements are made in a parallel form, such as "And my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour", a line that repeats the thought of the first line, in slightly different words. In the second half of the Magnificat it tells how God is not One to be trifled with, since He puts down the proud and mighty. One militant psalm prays: " Rise up Lord, confront them, overthrow them!" Ps17.13. So both some of the psalms and the Magnificat show how life is a battle, in fact a spiritual warfare. One writer is right when he says, "Does she (Mary) not live in the midst of the basic Law of revelation, namely that God casts down the mighty from their thrones and raises the lowly, fills the hungry with good things, and sends the rich away empty-handed?" The Magnificat’s Teaching The Great gulf between God’s obedient and those opposed. A characteristic of the psalms and the canticles is the use of contrasting images. So Psalm 1 : Happy are those who
follow not the counsel of the wicked. And so the psalmist prays: Guard me as the
apple of your eye New life for the poor and weak. (as in the Beatitudes,
Mt 5.3) 1 Sam 2.1-11. My heart exults in the Lord/ In my God is my strength lifted up He raises the needy from the dust/ From the ash heap he lifts up the poor. The understanding here is that what great things God has done in the past, will be repeated now and in the future. He is to be glorified for the past and hoped in for the future. God is true to his promises. God remembers the covenant forever Thus the Magnificat is not just personal to Mary. It is meant for all God’s people. Mary however is the powerful leader and Archetype. What has been fulfilled in her life will be fulfilled for all who are like her. If she is called a powerful one, it is only because she mediates with God who is the ultimate One who is powerful. Thus she is a powerful mediator. So we may say with meaning , "Who is she that comes forth as the rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army in battle array?" That is to say, not by her own power but by the mighty power of God.
LEGION ALLOCUTIO FOR JANUARY 2009. I spent many years in a seminary at a fairly mature age ,learning how to pray and what the church taught in the area of theology and doctrine, and by the time I first worked in a parish I was ready to share the wisdom ( so I eagerly thought) of what I had learned. Imagine my surprise when early in my parish ministry I was confronted by a woman who was impatient to tell me something. She said, "Now listen to me, Father, I’ll tell just what it is like in this parish. Just listen to me". I tried to swallow my pride and all I could say then was, "Really !" Since then I have been careful to listen to members of the laity as well as give them teaching. I was familiar with a distinguishing thought in theology which tells of two categories of Catholics. There is the Church that is learning and the Church that is teaching. This is expressed in Latin with the words ‘ecclesia discens’ and ‘ecclesia docens’. It is a good distinction to keep in mind. But at times it might be the same person who is both in a learning situation and a teaching situation. The two functions complement each other. Now if we apply the same kind of thinking to our relationship with others we come up with the notion of dialogue. Evangelisation is based on listening and speaking. But I want to apply this same idea to that of prayer. Prayer is not just saying things to God; prayer is also listening to God. In all these cases if I am talking too much and not listening I am not treating "the other" in a way suitable to their dignity. At prayer maybe God wants me to just "shut up" and listen. That is the art of dialogue. And I might add, of prayer also. Contemplation. The prayer mainly concerned with listening to God may be called "contemplation". Some people who pray have a real gift for this. They are called contemplatives. But the rest of us. Where do we stand? Perhaps in the middle, with a bit of this and a bit of that, in between distractions ? Don’t let the distractions put you off the track. They are normal but they can discourage some people; that is what pleases the Devil. Here is what Pope John Paul II writes about the Rosary as prayer of contemplation: "The Rosary, precisely because it starts with Mary’s own experience, is an exquisitely contemplative prayer. Without this contemplative dimension, it would lose its meaning, as Pope Paul VI clearly pointed out: "Without contemplation, the Rosary is a body without a soul, and its recitation runs the risk of becoming a mechanical repetition of formulas, in violation of the admonition of Christ: ‘In parting do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think they will be heard for their many words’ (Mt 6.7) By its nature the recitation of the Rosary calls for a quiet rhythm and a lingering pace, helping the individual to meditate on the mysteries of the Lord’s life as seen through the eyes of her who was closest to the Lord. In this way the unfathomable riches of these mysteries are disclosed." It is worth pausing to consider this profound insight of Paul VI, in order to bring out certain aspects of the Rosary which show that it is really a form of Christocentric contemplation." Apostolic Letter on Rosary 2002. #12. But it is not easy to listen, especially if I am caught up in emotional turmoil or over-busy just before I pray. So I must allow time for my feelings to settle down and to be receptive of whatever inspiration God has to offer me today. Those experienced in parry know that real prayer requires both a remote and proximate preparation, that is some regular doctrinal input and at least a minimum of planning prior to prayer. As legionaries we have an advantage in having Mary as Mother in a special way. The theologian Von Balthasar encourages us: "The Church’s inner spring of life is the prayer of Mary and of all who pray in sincerity and obedience; and so the word of God, when it comes to the isolated person praying as part of the Church, comes attended , as it were, with an innumerable host of others praying with him/her." A model of "listening to the Lord" is to be found in the example of Mary of Bethany who sat at the feet of Jesus. "When Mary sat at Christ’s feet, listening to his words, she was not indulging in a kind of lassitude or an agreeable reverie. Nor was she intent on acquiring ideas that suited her, that she thought herself capable of evaluating, ideas of the kind she might expect to pass off, later as her own in conversation with others. She was wholly alert and receptive to the word, prepared to giver herself to it fully, without preferences of her own ,without picking and choosing or making conditions. Her disposition was one of calmness and recollection, prepared to adapt itself to whatever was required, observing the slightest sign given by the Master, and following him in his greatest designs." Balthasar. With these thoughts I wish everyone here a Happy and Blessed New Year!
NOVEMBER 2008 Seeking WisdomThere is a bronze statue of a modern woman in the grounds of an English Cathedral by an artist called Elizabeth Frink. It presents the active virtues of Mary in the act of walking, and so it is called “The Walking Madonna”. There it presents the
modern imitators of Mary as It may inspire the
viewer to move into our world and our times with a passion that brings The one who seeks God with one’s whole heart will find Wisdom. And this will be evident from the fruits of this virtue. Now Mary is the model of our search for God, and she surely sought God whole-heartedly. Then she is properly called “seat of wisdom”. The virtues proper to development will flourish, virtues both intellectual and practical. “Wisdom teaches temperance and prudence and the practical virtues of justice and fortitude (courage).” Cf. Wis. 8. 6-8. Of course, prayer and grace will help, but normally, that is no substitute for will power, and it will not excuse laziness. Temperance (or moderation) is the virtue by which the maturing person can gain control over the bodily urges such as appetite (food & drink) and sexual urges. Prudence , the virtue by which one’s mind is in control of the other main powers. To prudence is attached foresight, circumspection attentive to the circumstances in the midst of which we must act. So inconstancy is a form of imprudence. Justice is the virtue by which we give each one his/her due in obligation. e.g. paying debts. In relation to God, giving Him honour as His due. Fortitude comes into play when vigorous action is called for. It is the show of courage in the face of perceived threat. It “makes us keep to the right road in the presence of great dangers instead of yielding to fear.” (G-Lagrange). It is known that these virtues were first pointed out by Aristotle the Greek philosopher. And some of the Greek thinking found its way into the Bible, as we particularly notice in the Wisdom books, but also in the Pauline New Testament. For Paul was very much aware of that. He wrote that “what can be known about God is plain to them (pagans), because God has shown it to them”. By those who are in what we call “the state of grace” these virtues are imbued with the elevating power of the Holy Spirit, and become divine. To quote the Book in
Wisdom: And so we read in Proverbs 31 a summary of the actions of the valiant woman. “Her value is far beyond pearls.” She thus shows in her delight of self-sacrificing actions the advanced degree of her maturity. Not that she aims to be perfect, but rather that she aims to do God’s will. For Proverbs concludes with the words, “and she will be rewarded by those who appreciate her.” In contemporary language, the biblical valiant woman has been eulogized in the following words that are a paraphrase of Prov 31.10 etc. Who shall find a valiant woman, who shall find a woman of strength? A pearl of great price is she; all who are with her have confidence in her and benefit from her experience. She initiates good, not evil, every day of her life. She does not neglect her tasks; she willingly works. Broad-minded, her understanding of life is a source of nurture for all. She considers her options, then decides, investing the experience she already has. She works diligently, taking pride in her inner resources and strength. When her gifts are encouraged and their value affirmed, she gives herself wholeheartedly to the task. She opens her heart to the needy; she is generous to them without neglecting her own family’s needs. She is known for her dignity and strength and she laughs at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom and she teaches in a kindly way. Those who are close to her praise her. Charm is superficial and beauty fades but the woman who is wise is the one to be praised. May all value her for who she is and applaud her integrity.
The practice of love. Part II of Deus Caritas Est.The service of charity is the focus of the Second part of the Encyclical. The Church has a duty of charity to all. As a community and an institution the Church must show this duty. Early in the Church’s story we have the example of Acts 2.44 where the community’s concern was for each other. In organizational terms the choice of Seven Deacons In Rome was significant. Acts 6.5. Hence the aspect of service was called diakonia in Greek, Diaconate in English.. Pope Benedict says " the Church cannot neglect the service of charity any more than she can neglect the Sacraments and the Word." "For the Church, charity is not a kind of welfare activity which could be left to others." And this applies equally within the Church as well as outside. (Gal 6.10) Church and State Vat II stressed the autonomy of the temporal sphere. The Church has a proper independence, which the state must recognize. The Church has a body of social teaching, based on reason and the natural law. But it recognizes that " it is not the Church’s responsibility to make this teaching prevail in political life." Rather the Church can and must form consciences. But the Church recognizes that "refreshment and care of souls is more necessary than material support." This may remind legionaries that Frank Duff, our Founder must have come to this view, since he left the Society of St Vincent de Paul to form the Legion of Mary. So in face of politics, the Church has an "indirect duty". But the role of the Catholic laity "as citizens is to take part in public life in a personal capacity." Par 30. Structures of charity’s service in today’s context. There are modern means available for charitable service more than ever before. Modern systems of distributing food and clothing, housing and care. There are means such as insurance, subsidies for relief of tax payments. Co-operation between State and Church agencies are fruitful. There are numerous organizations for charitable purposes committed to humanitarian solutions.(I think of how this applies to today’s world and what comes to mind are The Salvation Army, Doctors Without Borders in Africa, Amnesty International, etc.) 31. Essential elements of Christian charity. The parable of the Good Samaritan sets the tone. There is needed a "formation of the heart" for people employed by special agencies. Love of neighbor is not just a commandment imposed from without, but a genuine growth in love with the help of Church. The Christian develops a "heart that sees". Faith leads to works of love. (Gal 5.6) Practical examples are "feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, caring for and healing the sick, visiting prisoners, etc." "A Christian knows when it is time to speak of God and when it is better to say nothing and let love alone speak." For those who practice charity "will never seek to impose the Church’s faith upon others." I think The Legion could profitably give attention to the following quotation from #33. "Whoever loves Christ loves the Church, and desires the Church to be increasingly the image and instrument of the love which flows from Christ. The personnel of every Catholic charitable organization want to work with the Church and therefore with the Bishop so that the love of God can spread throughout the world." But the motivation is far superior to the work in itself. In mentioning the Legion here I have in mind the style of practical love that will flow from an emphasis on the "spiritual works of mercy" rather than the corporate works, which may be left for others to do. It is interesting that Benedict refers to the need for humility. "The ones who serve do not consider themselves superior to the ones who are served, however miserable, their situation at the moment may be. Christ took the lowest place- the cross- and by this radical humility he redeemed us and constantly comes to our aid…" For , after all, "we are useless servants." Prayer. The importance of prayer. Also , I believe of significance to the Legionary. "In the example of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta we have a clear illustration of the fact that time devoted to God in prayer… is in fact the inexhaustible source of that service." Blessed Teresa wrote: "We need this deep connection with God in our daily life. How can we obtain it ? By prayer." #39. In the paragraph prior to the concluding page, the Pope seems to sum up his basic appeal: "Love is possible, and we are able to practice it because we are created in the image of God. To experience love and in this way to cause the light of God to enter into the world- this is the invitation I would like to extend with the present Encyclical." CONCLUSION. In the concluding pages, Benedict considers the history of the saints in the Church, as those who have exercised charity in an exemplary way. "Outstanding among the saints is Mary, Mother of the Lord and mirror of all holiness. In the Gospel of Luke we find her in a service of charity to her cousin Elizabeth, with whom she remained for ‘about three months’, so as to assist her in the final phase of her pregnancy. "Magnificat anima mea Dominum", she says on the occasion of that visit. In these words she expresses her whole programme of life: not setting herself at the centre, but leaving space for God, who is encountered in prayer and in service of neighbor- only then does goodness enter the world. Mary’s greatness consists in the fact that she wants to magnify God, not herself. She is lowly: her only desire is to be the handmaid of the Lord. She knows that she will only contribute to the salvation of the world if, rather than carrying out her own projects, she places herself completely at the disposal of God’s initiatives. " In such words as these Pope Benedict writes more than two pages telling of the virtues and values of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Finally the Encyclical ends with a prayer of entreaty and praise to Mary. Holy Mary, Mother of God,
COMMENT ON DEUS CARITAS EST, for Legion Summer School. The theme of the Summer School this year is “Kindling the Fire of God’s Love” Perhaps we all would claim to be loving persons. We love those who are close to us, family, friends etc. Perhaps we see no problem with the way we love. What is a challenge for us is to reach out for and try to understand what God means by love, and perhaps to see ourselves as to some degree quite estranged from being immersed in God’s love as much as possible. To help us in this our Pope Benedict has written the encyclical on the matter. I have summarized the first Part of Pope Benedict’s Encyclical on this very question. The Encyclical opens with an Introduction and a thematic quote from St John’s Letter: “God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God and God abides in him”. If we really understood that word we have understood all. But few can honestly claim this. We need to ask the Lord to “lead kindly light”, and Mary to “pray for us sinners” to understand. In Part 1, Benedict says he offers us the “intrinsic link between that love (God’s) and the reality of human love.” Part 1 is based on principles, Part 2 is more practical, discerning some present day trends. I should mention here something of the Pope’s writing and teaching style. He writes as a very clear thinker and of, course, as a teacher. Indeed that is his role in the Church and beyond to the world. As a teacher he could claim the title of Magister, Latin word from whence we get the word “Magisterium”. When he demonstrates one point he then methodically goes on to show what is next logically. Thus there is a progression towards more clarity in depth and realism, following from principles. Of course the word ‘love’ has many meanings. It is so very personal and emotional. But as a subject of discussion there are some definite outlines clarified throughout the history of ideas, first beginning with the ancient Greeks, and then revealed to us by Christ, and finally pondered on by leading Christians since the time of Christ. The result over time has become the attitude of the Church. Now about words. Even when the word love is used respectfully, it is used in many senses. There is love between friends, love of one’s country, one’s family and love of one’s work, etc. These kinds of love are different from that kind of love between a man and a woman. To describe that love the Greeks used “eros”, meaning sexual love. It was seen as divine madness or a kind of intoxication when in its passionate forms. So eros as a word to describe an experienced reality within the human person. If it is judged negatively it is sometimes called ‘erotic’ in English. But since God created the human person, he also created sexual love, and so it cannot be called evil in itself. What God made is good. But when a Christian usually speaks of Christian love, he/she prefers to use the Greek word ‘agape’. Benedict goes on to say that “evidently eros needs to be disciplined and purified if it is to provide not just fleeting pleasure , but a certain foretaste of… that beatitude for which our whole being yearns,” Beatitude means happiness. But, looking at the world of today, he regrets the fact that “Eros, reduced to pure ‘sex’ has become a commodity… to be bought and sold.” The Pope is aware we live in a consumerist society. Because eros tends towards euphoria it has been called ascending love. Because agape love reaches out to help the other in need, it has been called descending love. One early theologian understood Jacob’s ladder as a metaphor for these terms. Going up to God, or coming down from God, as in Jacob’s dream of angels. (Gen 28.10 et ff) Then he proceeds to give the Church’s view of the whole human person, which “always considers man a unity in duality, a reality in which the spirit and matter inter-act with each other.” It is not satisfactory to see a human being as pure spirit; nor is it real to see one as pure matter. After this introduction he goes on to speak about biblical faith. Biblical faith. This presents us with a revealed image of God. The prophets particularly used erotic analogies, sexual love to describe God’s love for Israel, e.g. Ezechiel and Hosea. God’s passionate love for humanity is also a tender love. Betrothal and marriage were seen as metaphors in the biblical literature. So God’s love for mankind includes both eros and agape love. In the biblical view “God’s love for his people –for humanity- is at the same time a forgiving love.. Eros is thus supremely ennobled yet at the same time, it is so purified as to become one with agape, as e.g. in the Song of Songs”, perhaps the most erotic book in the bible. When Jesus came he sanctified marriage and told parables, or stories about the condescending love that God showed to the poor sinner, and to those he cured from sickness. “From the standpoint of creation, eros directs one towards marriage, to a bond which is unique and definitive; thus, and only thus, does it fulfil its deepest purpose.” Jesus Christ-the incarnate love of God. In an unprecedented realism called “incarnation”, we see that the figure of Christ gives flesh and blood to the divine ideas of the Old Testament. In Jesus we see how God goes in search of a “suffering and lost humanity”. “By contemplating the pierced side of Christ we can understand the starting point of this encyclical, namely ‘ God is love’.” On the Cross Jesus gave Himself to the point of emptying himself, signified by the pierced heart , the sacred heart. “No one can have greater love than to lay down his life for his friends.” (Jn 15.13) This kind of love is given “ an enduring presence through his institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper. Here we may see enacted God’s love coming to us and being received, and our being inspirited to go out to others with His Spirit. The Mass ends with a commission . “Go!”we are told. Having received the descending love we can rise from selfishness, and love our neighbour, because the “Eucharist has drawn us into Jesus’ act of self-oblation.” And now “Love can be commanded because it has first been given”.
Monologue of Psalm 1. Psalm 1. “The nature of the God-fearing man who is absorbed in doing God’s will is compared with a green tree full of sap and vigour which, planted by a watercourse, bears its fruit in due season and the leaves of which do not prematurely wither in summer under the influence of heat and drought…” Thus the commentary in Weiser’s book on the Psalms. Taking this metaphor to myself, I see myself under this image. I am a tree beside the running water. I have been here a long time, but there was a time when I was just a seed in the earth. Then I did not know where I came from ,. In fact I did not know anything, except I remember the excitement of bursting forth from the earth when the sun shone particularly bright that day. I am glad the water has always been there ; I need it for my nourishment and to cool my leaves in the hot weather. If there was no water I would not exist. I have heard of seeds lying in the desert earth for hundreds of years and they never grew into trees, because of lack of water. So I thank God for the water to nourish and to cool. Only now that we have a prolonged drought have we learnt that we should not take water for granted. Really it is the gift of God, for which we should be grateful every day. In this way, every mouthful of a drink containing water can be an opportunity to thank God to whom we owe so much. Although the psalm says my leaves never fade, that is not quite true. There are times when the leaves pale and fall off the branches; but it is necessary that there be new growth in the next season. And in the right season the fruit grows to completion, for example the gum-nuts on the eucalyptus tree. Or the acorn on the oak. At first I found it hard to be subject to the seasons of my life, but then I learnt that I had best surrender to the inevitable. But I had liked to be a strong and independent tree, who could challenge anyone to conquer me, because my bark was tough and my hold on the earth firm. Just as a grown tree gives glory to God, no matter who sees it or notices it, so my soul also can give glory to God. But I have this advantage over the tree that I can give voice to my desire to give glory to God; and that is called prayer. So glory be to the Father and to the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
|