As we sat there in the public side of the little chapel, my family and I strained to see and here all that happened around the corner and through the metal lattice-work that divided the world and the cloister, our family and my sister Nicole. It was a fall morning in 2012 and it was the day that my sister was entering the Dominican Novitiate. Now, becoming a novice is not as profound a jump as is entering the convent outright, at least in terms of the practical detail that there wasn’t a change in who-sat-where in the minivan, but it was the day that, besides taking one more step into full membership in the community, she would also receive her new name. The ceremony was brief but beautiful, and the Mother superior spoke her new name loud and clear: Sr. Mary Thomas, of the Holy Name of Jesus.

Our attention was first grabbed by “Thomas”. Was it St. Thomas, the Apostle of India? Or Thomas Aquinas, the great Dominican scholar? Or, one of those other Saint Thomas’s Thomas à Kempis, who wrote the Imitation of Christ, or Thomas Becket, who was martyred after opposing King Henry II, or Thomas More, who died to uphold the authority of the Pope, and integrity of marriage? (It was Thomas Aquinas, who himself was named after the Apostle, so she got two for the price of one!)

But then we began to consider that second half of the name: “Of the Holy Name of Jesus”. What a tremendous title!? How magnificent to have Our Lord’s name brought into your own? The name of Jesus, which literally means “the LORD saves”, and Who, literally, is the LORD, saving His people! The name at which every knee shall bend, every person be saved, every grace given, every demon cast out… Needless to say, we were stoked at the name she had been given!

I mention all of that because, being named “Christians” ourselves, we, too, have announced to the world, and incorporated into our lives, the truth that Jesus is the One Whom we call upon. Not upon the “name” of money, power, worldly-prestige, or any other person do we rely on in our daily battles, nor our supernatural ones, but only the name of Jesus Christ.

Brothers and sisters, that has to be the case above all when we find ourselves fallen into sin! As the tax collector in our Gospel today, we too, have to acknowledge our sin, and simply and humbly repeat that prayer “O God, be merciful to me a sinner.” This phrase, including Christ’s name, is a devotion as popular as the rosary in many parts of the Christian world. It’s so short, but incredibly powerful to simply repeat throughout the day the simple phrase: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” If you find yourself tempted, say these words! If you find yourself fallen into sin, pray this prayer! If you need peace in a moment of crisis, call on Christ’s name in this way! As you wake up, let these be your first words! If you have 5 minutes, stop and sit and slowly repeat this simplest of prayers! If you are lost, or burdened, or overjoyed, or in any situation whatever, simply repeat that Name above all Names: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

Say that first phrase, of belief in Christ, as you breathe in, and the second half, humbly asking for His grace and mercy, as you breathe out, and the phrase of the justified tax collector begins to naturally enter into the entirety of our lives to the cadence of our respiration. With St. Paul, we learn to “pray without ceasing” and “call on the name of the Lord”.

Prayer is not just for cloistered nuns! It’s the mark of anyone who has taken the name “Christian” because it is the lifeline that connects us to Christ, the bond that keeps us members of His family. Our first reading emphasizes God’s attentiveness to the weak, oppressed, orphan, and lowly … for anyone who serves God, “the Lord will not delay”. But He can only come to our aid if we speak to Him and invite Him into our lives. God will never force His way in! Our Psalm says much the same: “When the just cry out, the LORD hears them, and from all their distress he rescues them … the LORD is close to the broken-hearted … The LORD redeems the lives of his servants.”. Paul lived this out: “I am already being poured out like a libation … But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength.”. How can we receive the Lord’s care, forgiveness, mercy, and strength? Call out to Him! Call on the name of the Lord!

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Amen!

Fr. Dominic Rankin is the Parochial Vicar for the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

We are excited to announce the official kick-off to the Cathedral Season of Stewardship! Last year was the inaugural season, and to say the least, we all were surprised and grateful. I had already found myself with newborn twins by Oct. 1st and because of the commitment and generosity of the Cathedral staff, the torch for our first Season of Stewardship carried forward. We were so touched by the generous response from so many of you! You answered your call to intentional discipleship with eagerness and enthusiasm! Over this past year, we have been able to connect parishioners to new faith formation programs, ministries and ways of giving. The generosity outpoured from the community through prayer, service, and giving has transformed the Cathedral! We are so grateful for your response.

We know many of you still are eager to become connected and find companions for this discipleship journey! We want to accompany you! Take some time with us over the next few weeks to discern:

• Where do I spend my time? Is it in worldly experiences or with Jesus through prayer, adoration, or the Sacraments?
• How do I serve others, as Jesus asked me to do?
• Have I discerned God’s gifts in my life? What has he given to me, in order to share with others?
• How does my life model an intentional disciple’s life? How can I bring Christ to others?
• Who can I invite to accompany me to a greater relationship with God through stewardship?

Over the next few weeks, you will hear a message of stewardship that hopes to invite you into a deeper conversion. Stewardship is a toolkit for disciples in action. It calls to mind our need to offer all of ourselves- our time, talent, and treasure. We are invited to respond during every Mass at the Offertory. Jesus longs for you to respond to Him and encounter His love for you. Just say “Yes, Lord!”

If you have any questions or if you would like more information, please contact Katie Price, Stewardship Coordinator, at [email protected].

Stewardship in Scripture

“To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”
1 Corinthians 12

Discernment Question

Have you been searching for more meaning or explanation for the experiences of your life? How would engaging in prayer (daily Mass, Bible study, etc.) help in this effort?

According to Pope St. John Paul II, the parish is “the Church living in the midst of the homes of her sons and daughters.” It is the unit of the Church closest to the lives of the people and how they live their faith. Parish life centers around the celebration of the sacraments and the proclamation of the Word in the Liturgy. From that, the parish forms community and goes out in service.

The parish is a place where people need to be evangelized and re-evangelized, but every parish has a different culture and dynamic, its own traditions and expectations. The parish is where all the faithful of a locale come together, and many personalities come into play. These many personalities provide potential for an abundance of gifts from the Holy Spirit to build up the Body. The parish can provide for many of our needs, spiritually, socially, and otherwise. People who are highly invested in their parish feel strongly about it. Others are on the fringes.

The parish has become a home for many people, something close to their heart and the patterns of their daily life. For some, it is a home primarily because it nourishes their soul. For others, it has become a home primarily because it fills another need in their life. These factors bring a challenge to parish ministry. One cannot simply implement a preset ideal. It has to be in dialogue with the concrete situation of the parish, under the leadership of the pastor.

Having served for years in various parishes and positions and having taught on lay ministry at the college level, I was asked to share with you my ten points for effective parish ministry.

1. Be a Disciple
   St. John Vianney, patron of parish priests, went into a parish to transform it. He did so firstly by the witness of his holy life, and his ministry of reconciliation and parish renewal followed. Most importantly, it is necessary to be a disciple and undergo constant conversion. To lead Christians, we must first follow Christ. Parish ministry truly makes no sense without prayer. Prayer reorients our minds to God’s plan.

   We read in St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans:
   “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2). Even by being in the presence of God and staying aware of it, we allow our minds to be redirected and see our surroundings in a new way.

   Jesus went into seclusion to pray before his ministry. For us, the Eucharist nourishes us to go forth and the Mass unites us with the community. Meditation on the Scriptures cleanses our minds and reminds us of God’s plan. Examination of conscience and Reconciliation renew our thoughts and actions. The Rosary brings our needs before the Blessed Mother. Retreats help us refocus our lives and ministry.

2. Build Relationships and Share Your Faith
   Pope Francis writes:
   “An evangelizing community gets involved by word and deed in people’s daily lives; it bridges distances, it is willing to abase itself if necessary, and it embraces human life, touching the suffering flesh of Christ in others. Evangelizers thus take on the ‘smell of the sheep’ and the sheep are willing to hear their voice” (The Joy of the Gospel, 24).

   People are more open to hearing the gospel from people they know and trust. It’s important to build connections and relationships with parishioners, conversing and spending some time with them. We need to be perceptive to their needs, and know the needs of the community so we can effectively reach out. Having built relationships, we need to be comfortable in talking with others about living the faith. In a parish, the faith is assumed, but it’s not automatic that it gets consistently lived out. We need to be comfortable and enthusiastic in talking about it. One way we can do that is by reminding people and our coworkers that we need to pray about our difficulties.

3. Pray with and for People
   People will come forward with situations that need prayer. Sometimes they will ask us to pray, and other times we find an opportunity to ask them if we should bring the situation before the Lord. We could ask them if we could pray with them right then and there. When we pray with people, I’ve found that it’s most important to be intentional about being in God’s presence and confident in his love and mercy. We could also bring their intentions into our prayer later on, or even direct them to request their intention be listed in the petitions at Mass, for someone who is ill or who has died.

   The needs of the parish are many, and some needs we will simply observe. We in lay ministry are also intercessors, realizing that it is only through God’s grace that these situations can truly be resolved.

4. Have a Vision and a Plan
   We must always try to stay focused on what ministry is all about —bringing people to Christ for his glory. But also, we should prayerfully think of what this particular ministry should look like in the future. After the vision has been established, communicate the vision to the group and work towards it, keeping it always in prayer. Often, there is a big gap between the status quo and the vision. It can be daunting to move forward, so it’s a good idea to make a plan for how to get there, in incremental steps. Focus on implementing each step to achieve small successes first and then move forward. Perhaps God will guide the ministry in a different direction along the way, so we should be open to that as well.
5. Work as a Community
   The pastor is the one entrusted with the care of souls in the parish. He is the head of the parish community, representing Christ, and his guidance, leadership, and support is essential. Typically he needs help in caring for the many needs of a modern parish, and people have come to expect a variety of services from the parish. It is important to meet with the pastor to know his vision and to implement it, or sometimes to dialogue with the pastor towards a vision that he can support.

   The Church is a unity, so we’ll want to work together with other parish leaders. It helps to work to understand them and their organization. Allow for some give and take, while communicating your vision to them. Show them support when needed, and find ways to help each other.

   Different input and perspectives helps make for a ministry that is able to reach more people. Out of doing ministry together, friendship and community can grow in a way that is very special. It comes along the way of doing the activity of the parish. Involving others as much as possible is important, but it’s key to have the right people in leadership.

6. Focus on Adult Faith Formation
   One of the big challenges of collaboration is being on the same page in the Faith. Adult faith formation is a great way to form disciples who can then go out and serve. We have to first have faith in order to share it. It’s also important for us to continue growing in our own faith and in skills for ministry.

   Ascension offers many great studies (https:// ascensionpress.com/pages/study-programs) that help adults learn more about the Bible, the Mass, the Church, and Christian living. Done in a welcoming spirit, these workshops form community in the Lord and lasting friendships. They make for truly forming a community of missionary disciples. Many of these studies focus on areas that are often experienced in the life of the Church, but they bring them consciously into focus with depth of understanding.

   According to Pope Francis:
   “In all its activities the parish encourages and trains its members to be evangelizers” (The Joy of the Gospel, 28). The Mass, the homily, the parish’s works of service, and so forth, all form us. Yet people especially nowadays often need to come to a deeper understanding of the truth of the mysteries in which we participate. This is even more the case because of the competing voices of the world.

7. See Everything as Ministry
   The aim of ministry is building up the Body of Christ and the power of ministry is God’s grace. Everything done in that spirit is ministry, in the broad sense. St. Paul exhorted us: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

   Church meetings can start with prayer, even if they aren’t directly about the faith. A groundskeeping committee could begin with a prayer about God’s creation, for example. “God bless you,” or similar words, should be on our lips even in conversations or phone calls that aren’t specifically religious.

8. Work to Resolve Conflict
   Jesus taught:
   “If you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23-24). Conflict often arises, but this is more often than not because people love their church. Anger is typically the response to a perceived threat.

   For some people, changing the status quo is a threat to the good they see. If conflict arises in your ministry, try to pause and stay calm. Be assertive but objective. Avoid gossip, but talk directly to the person. Talk about how the behavior affects you, but speak in terms of external behaviors—what is actually going on—never overgeneralizing a person, implying in some way that they are a bad person.

   We are all children of God and are struggling in different areas. While we stand firm on faith and morals, surely we can be willing to make compromises on practical matters of parish life such as rooms and scheduling. There needs to be a give and a take. It’s easy to focus on the past and how we were right, but we need to rise above that. Think forward to how to resolve the issue in a positive way.

9. Reach Out to the Fringes
   Pope Francis writes:
   “While certainly not the only institution which evangelizes, if the parish proves capable of self-renewal and constant adaptivity, it continues to be ‘the Church living in the midst of the homes of her sons and daughters’. This presumes that it really is in contact with the homes and the lives of its people, and does not become a useless structure out of touch with people or a self-absorbed group made up of a chosen few” (The Joy of the Gospel, 28). As Jesus reached out to those outside, we must reach out as well. We must be welcoming, and also go outside of our comfort zone to invite people who have not been embraced yet by the group. Personal invitation is still one of the most effective ways to invite. Knowing the situation helps to be creative in finding ways to include those who are not as involved as they could be. We can also be creative in rethinking how the community as a whole can reach out in new ways, meeting the needs of the people.

   Pope Francis writes of the parish:
   “Precisely because it possesses great flexibility, [the parish] can assume quite different contours depending on the openness and missionary creativity of the pastor and the community” (The Joy of the Gospel, 28).

10. Take Time for Balance
    St. Benedict’s maxim for life in the monastery was ora et labora (pray and work). Living a balanced life helps to ward off burnout, and losing our sense of purpose. In addition to prayer, we also need the support of Christian community, sometimes outside of where we do ministry to provide a safe place to talk about being real about living the Christian life. We need faithful people to encourage us in our walk and to challenge us to grow. Also, we are not meant to constantly work without relaxation. Hobbies and activities have their place too in a balanced life and ministry.

We Have Work to Do
Pope Francis challenges us:
“We must admit, though, that the call to review and renew our parishes has not yet sufficed to bring them nearer to people, to make them environments of living communion and participation, and to make them completely mission-oriented” (The Joy of the Gospel, 28).

That means we have some work to do, but it must start with ourselves and go out from there.

Michael J. Ruszala is the author of several religious books, including Lives of the Saints: Volume I and Who Created God? A Teacher’s Guidebook for Answering Children’s Tough Questions about God. He holds a master of arts degree in theology & Christian ministry from Franciscan University of Steubenville. He has served for a number of years as a parish director of religious education, parish music director in the Diocese of Buffalo, and adjunct lecturer in religious studies at Niagara University in Lewiston, NY. For more information about Michael and his books, visit michaeljruszala.com.

I feel like I have written a lot about prayer lately, even though it only been a handful of times over a few months, but it is a theme that the Scriptures keep returning to in our Sunday readings. The various returns to the theme of prayer are not accidental or coincidental but are meant to remind us that prayer is a vital aspect to any true disciple’s daily living.

This Sunday, St. Luke recounts for us Jesus’s telling the parable of the dishonest judge. He tells us that while this judge fears neither God nor anyone else, there is a widow who is an exception. We do not know anything really about this woman. We might think of her as tough and tenacious but that is purely conjecture. We know that she is persistent in her appeals to this judge. We also know that she is not being unreasonable because Jesus tells us that all she is asking for is justice.

And what is justice? The traditional philosophical definition for justice is rendering to each what each one deserves. Once again, in light of that definition, we can argue that this widow is being completely reasonable. Jesus tells us in this parable that the judge, while not moved by justice, is moved by fear of physical harm from the widow. It is because of that fear that he will ultimately render a just decision for the widow and the widow’s persistence will pay off.

This parable is an analogy for prayer. In light of that I pose the following questions for all of us: Do I pray? Do I pray frequently? Why do I pray? Do I truly believe in the power of prayer? I ask these questions in light of Jesus’s comments following the parable. God wants our prayers. He wants us to approach him and faith and trust in his love for us. The last statement is key regarding this parable; again, God wants us to trust in his love for us.

The dishonest judge is motivated by fear to answer the woman’s pleas. God is not motivated by fear or our perception of merit or because he owes us anything. God hears our pleas and he answers us because of one great fact and that fact is that he loves us with a love that is total and unconditional. God truly does hear and answer every prayer; sometimes he does so in the way that we want him to and sometimes not, but even in those times our prayer is answered with the gift of his grace that will help us to accept his will over our own.

Now, for the last question: do we believe this? So often we allow fear, disappointment, anger, a false sense of self-righteousness, and many other things to hamper our trust in God’s great love for us, and that he will always act for our ultimate good. As I read this passage from Luke, I find a certain sadness in Jesus’s last question: but when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?

Jesus fully comprehends the greatness of the Father’s love for us. Are we willing to let go and trust in that love?

Let us be persistent in our prayer, never fearing to approach the Lord with humble and faithful hearts, knowing that our God is a God who loves us and who is always attentive to our pleas. Prayer may not give us what we want but it will give us grace and the more grace that we are open to receiving the better people, the better disciples we will be.

Father Christopher House is the Rector of the Cathedral and serves in various leadership roles within the diocesan curia, namely Chancellor and Vicar Judicial.

Hopefully, over these last four weeks, you have been growing in your personal relationship with Christ, learning from the testimonies of missionary saints and witnesses to the faith and deepening your theology of mission. Now, we come to the last topic of this study: missionary charity. Missionary charity constitutes the tangible, concrete steps to how we live out our missionary call, loving our brothers and sisters around the world. So, what do we do with what we have learned? How do we support the missionary action of the Church, in particular the mission ad gentes (to the nations)?

The answer comes from Pope Pius XII “From the beginning holy Church by her very nature has been compelled to spread the Word of God everywhere, and in fulfilling this obligation to which she knows not how to be unfaithful she has never ceased to ask for a threefold assistance from her children: namely, prayers, material aid, and, in some cases, the gift of themselves” Fidei Donum (48)

Prayer is the most important action we can do to support the mission of the Church. Most likely, you recognize the importance of prayer but maybe still do not find this answer to be satisfying. You may be thinking, “But, I want to do something. What can I do?” I understand where this is coming from. My question to that is, “When did prayer no longer mean ‘doing’ something — or doing enough?” Being completely honest with yourself, how often do you think to intentionally pray for missionaries – those who are embracing a new people, way of life, culture, etc. – all to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ? Or how often do you pray for those who have never heard the name of Jesus or those who have heard the name of Jesus but still do not believe?

Material Support is essential if we are to spread the Good News to the ends of the earth. Let us not hesitate to talk about this. We cannot grow as Christian disciples and hide this part of our lives. Missionaries leave their home, family, and friends, often sacrificing their comforts to spread the Gospel. Missionaries are working in desperately poor places where the love of Christ is manifestly shown in love of neighbor. You too can join in the sacrifices of missionaries and offer them up for the salvation of souls. Today is World Mission Sunday – give extravagantly and do not count the cost!

Gift of Self In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus says, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest” (10:2). While most of us are called to support the Church through prayer and sacrifice, some are called to give their whole self through being a missionary. Perhaps it is too late for you, perhaps it is not. Family Mission Company provides a way for individuals or whole families to serve in the Missions. Could this be right for your family? If not, have you ever considered that your child or grandchild may be called to serve in the Missions? Allow this to be a possibility for that child’s life!

A special thank you to Vicki Compton for providing these reflections and for her encouragement to live out our call to discipleship through Catholic Missions! Thank you, Vicki!

Week Four Challenge

Be bold in your prayer – believe that prayer has real power! Every day this week, pray intentionally for missionaries and for your increased generosity in supporting them through your own financial gifts. Commit to making this prayer part of your daily routine.

Question to Ponder

Even if we are not called to go to another country, we are all called to be missionary disciples through our baptism How might you be a missionary disciple right here in Central Illinois?

From a very young age we’re taught the value of accruing knowledge, relationships, popularity, and success— a storing up and clutching onto good things that can help us sail effectively toward a happy life. We’re groomed not to dispense of anything we own or acquire that has value, but instead to cultivate it, protect it, hold onto it with tireless resolve. What we have and collect—our education, gifts and talents, intellect, possessions—we are expected to use strategically to our advantage. We become hoarders so we can navigate the world and be victorious within it.

From a rational vantage point, it makes complete sense. It seems an absolutely necessary mindset to have in order to be successful in the world. These things, in their goodness, can point to God and allow for happiness. When I review the many good things in my life—my family, group of friends, job, health, home in San Diego, access to delicious food at will—sometimes I’m met with an overwhelming sense of comfort and contentment. For me, such a realization invites me to thank God, acknowledging that such things can work as refreshment on life’s journey. These moments, as good and nourishing as they can be, though, also have the capacity to dim my reliance on God. I can easily take comfort in the things around me, becoming resistant in handing them over to God should he ask for them.

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding
and my entire will,
All I have and call my own.
You have given all to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.
Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace.
That is enough for me.

—The Suspice, St. Ignatius of Loyola

This prayer from St. Ignatius is one of the most difficult prayers to say. I can muster the effort to rattle off the words, half-heartedly and with shallow earnestness, but to pray them from the heart— to say and mean them in their fullest—is very difficult for me. I don’t know if I’ve ever been able to say those words and truly mean them. There is something inside me that tears when I say them, tempting me to rein in the words.

If we scramble to store up things in this world without a firm anchoring to God we begin to ironically lose these things anyways. Our memory can be held captive by regret and denial. Our understanding can become clouded, darkened by the ceaseless motion to grasp at our own notion of happiness. And our liberty and will—the very vehicles that allow for our freedom and autonomy—can become enslaved to anxiety, worry, and fear. We can replace our authentic selves—children loved by God—with a composite of excess possessions and shallow accomplishments. We may only become what we earned, what we were given by others, what the world says we are after a stringent accounting of our “assets.” The whole becomes buried by its parts.

An article in Psychology Today titled “Is the Intense Pressure to Succeed Sabotaging Our Children?” examines the stress placed on children to do well academically. The article serves as a somber warning against the unmitigated pressure placed on many students today to gain admittance to a good college in order to set themselves up for a successful career and life. Tragically, a failure to meet such a lofty goal can sometimes even result in suicide:

There are so many alternative roads to happiness and fulfillment beyond acquiring wealth and driving a fancy sports car. Why do so many people in our society put a premium on the superficial value of material possessions and status symbols? Everyone knows that friends, family, being healthy, and having a sense of purpose are ultimately the most important things in life and the keys to fulfillment.

This article only highlights stress placed on students in regard to their schooling. Of course, this same mindset that idolizes a harrowing drive toward success spans across all ages and facets of our culture.

Yet Christianity stands athwart the blinded quest to accrue and collect. It speaks instead of returning back to a childlike state of dependence, offering up all we own to a loving Father. It calls for a radically different way of understanding our identity and place in the world.

But how can we expect to give away our liberty, memory, understanding, and will? Aren’t those the very things that constitute our unique being? They are the crux of our identity, the intersecting of those four aspects of our person literally makes us who we are—and give us the capacity to procure a selfdirected and happy life. St. Ignatius’ prayer calls to mind the hard-to-swallow words of John the Baptist: “[Christ] must increase; I must decrease.” Some in our culture may be familiar with the phrase— reading it and repeating it with a feathery understanding. However, entering into a state of decrease—a state of relinquishing our freedom, gifts, and very identity—for the sake of God is a monumentally countercultural thing. Of course, the God we proclaim does not exist within a zero sum paradigm. Our loss, for the sake of him, is never truly a loss. It becomes a gain. And as we concede our identity—at least the one we’ve clumsily crafted for ourselves—we learn that he puts the pieces of who we are back together in the right order. We begin to see ourselves as we are: we begin to see we are worthy simply because God says so, emphatically.

The question still remains: Why do many of us struggle to pray and mean the words of The Suspice? If we trust that God will reward us a hundredfold, then where is the holdup? If I’m honest, it’s still a problem of trust. And when I do manage to say the words and mean them, as much as possible, I still struggle to allow God to do with my offering what he wills as opposed to what I will. I can be guilty of assuming that if I give up my understanding, then I’ll receive back my understanding times one hundred in return. It becomes a conditional relinquishing. I’ll do that God, only if you do this.

Of course, maybe he will reward us as we hope, and we can be certain by our faith and understanding of God that he will bless us in some way (as the phrase goes, God will never be outdone in generosity), but the blessing may not come in more understanding. That may only come in the life after this one. Or perhaps, it may come in the form of a deeper faith that doesn’t always question God’s ways—not a blind, irrational faith, but one that accepts the limits of human understanding and the lack of clarity to see what God is really up to.

Although we do not give everything to God and ask for nothing; we still always ask for his love and grace. We find that when we understand what it is we’re asking for, the eternal love of an infinite God and his manifestation in our lives, the exchange is quite unequal—infinitely so. We offer what measly gifts we can to God, measly gifts that we cling onto with furious might at times, in exchange for the whole of God’s being.

St. Ignatius’ prayer remains an invitation to let God bless us even more than he already has. In giving ourselves to him, we allow him to use us as he needs—as his divine instruments, his loving children. It may be in the way we had hoped, or it may come through suffering, but regardless, it will come with tremendous blessings. And as we all know, sooner or later, we all do give up our liberty, understanding, memory, and will at that hour of death. The question then becomes, as Henri J.M. Nouwen reminds us in his book, The Only Necessary Thing: Living a Prayerful Life, this: When we do lose them and have nothing left to offer to God, will we stand before him with open hands of trust, or clenched fists of fear?

“Dear God,
I am so afraid to open my clenched fists!
Who will I be when I have nothing left to hold on to?
Who will I be when I stand before you with empty hands?
Please help me to gradually open my hands
and to discover that I am not what I own,
but what you want to give me.”

―Henri J.M. Nouwen, The Only Necessary Thing: Living a Prayerful Life

Chris Hazell is the founder of The Call Collective, a blog exploring the intersection between faith, culture and creativity. He holds bachelors’ degrees in English and Economics from UCLA and currently works as a Lead Content Strategist for Point Loma Nazarene University.

I remember the first encounter I ever had with leprosy—with “lepers.” It was the summer after my first year of theology, and I found myself in India, volunteering with the awe-inspiring Missionaries of Charity, praying at the tomb of their foundress St. (Mother) Teresa of Calcutta, and serving in some of the houses that Mother Teresa had founded for orphans and for the dying.

It was an eye-opening summer, to say the least. But one day, the opportunity came along to visit some of the work of the Missionaries of Charity Brothers up in Titagarh, about a 75- minute drive north from “Motherhouse.” [Fun fact: the Missionaries of Charity are more than just the sisters. There are in fact five branches of their order: the active sisters with which most are familiar, contemplative sisters, active brothers, contemplative brothers, and MC Fathers.] The work of the MC brothers in Titagarh was to care for a community of those afflicted by leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease.

Despite my hesitation at the initial thought of visiting a modern-day leper colony, I decided to go. ‘Surely if they invite visitors, it means that they have some kind of precaution to keep us from contracting the disease,’ I thought. It was only upon entering the colony that we were greeted by a MC brother who systematically dispelled every stereotype I had ever heard about the disease. As it turns out, a full 95% of people are immune to leprosy. While scientists are still not completely positive how the disease spreads, they do know it has to do with prolonged exposure and breathing in the bacteria from the coughing or sneezing of an infected person. Leprosy, decidedly, is not spread through physical contact with lepers.

What was truly amazing, though, was what the brothers were doing for those who had contracted leprosy in the community around Titagarh. A large number of patients came to the brothers only for medicine: a long-term course of antibiotics which cures a person from Hansen’s disease, although it cannot reverse the nerve-damaged often already advanced in nature by the time the patient discovers the disease.

But besides these fortunate souls who still lived among their families, the brothers also provide housing for a whole host of people who had been ousted from their jobs and their families because of the stigma the disease still holds. And in the colony, typical of the Missionaries of Charity, these men and women find a home where they can recover their sense of dignity and selfworth. Here they are given food and shelter, a community, and even work. The colony is built on a thin but elongated plot of land directly adjacent to the train tracks, and the members of the community maintain a garden and a fishery (which feeds them and a number of the other MC houses in Calcutta), a shoemaking and prosthetics shop (for those who have experienced amputations because of their advanced nerve damage), and a shop equipped with multiple looms. [Another fun fact: every sari worn by a Missionary of Charity is woven at the looms in Titagarh by these lepers, and they are quite proud of that!]

Gratitude doesn’t begin to describe what I saw in those lepers. Dignity had been restored to them. They were given a new life when everything they had known had been taken from them by a misunderstood disease. But safe in the walls of Titagarh, they were so supremely grateful for the care, the work, and the community that they were given.

My experience there and in the other MC houses in Calcutta made me really reflect on gratitude. I had never seen gratitude like I had there. These were men and women whose lives were literally restored to them because of the work of Mother Teresa’s followers. Though many did not understand Christianity, what they saw was the fruit that it bore in the world, in their world. And without a word of English spoken, they communicated to me—a simple volunteer—the immensity of gratitude they felt.

In our Gospel for this weekend, Christ calls us to gratitude. We, like the leper who returned to give thanks, must be cognizant of the immensity of graces that come our way—and we must return to their source, our Lord, to thank Him. It’s why we come around this table every Sunday. Not because we always feel like it, but because we know how drastically different our lives would be without it.

So often, we think of gratitude as something we express for another’s sake. But gratitude changes us more than it changes the person we are thanking. It opens our eyes to the reality: that our world, our life, our faith is gift. And for all of that, and so much more, we give thanks.

Father Michael Friedel is Parochial Vicar for the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

What are the biblical, catechetical, spiritual, and theological foundations for the mission of the Church? To provide this reflection, I have compiled a sampling of different thoughts from the teachings of the Church on this topic.

Question to Ponder:

It was not until the Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles at Pentecost that they left the upper room and began preaching the Gospel. How can you open yourself to the workings of the Holy Spirit to more boldly proclaim the Gospel?

 Week Three Challenge

Slowly, thoughtfully and prayerfully read the following quotes “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”
Mt 28:19-20

“The word ‘catholic’ means ‘universal,’ in the sense of ‘according to the totality’ or ‘in keeping with the whole.’ The Church is catholic in a double sense: First, the Church is catholic because Christ is present in her…Secondly, the Church is catholic because she has been sent out by Christ on a mission to the whole of the human race.”
(CCC 830-831)

“In the course of twenty centuries of history, the generations of Christians have periodically faced various obstacles to this universal mission. On the one hand, on the part of the evangelizers themselves, there has been the temptation for various reasons to narrow down the field of their missionary activity. On the other hand, there has been the often humanly insurmountable resistance of the people being addressed by the evangelizer… Despite such adversities, the Church constantly renews her deepest inspiration, that which comes to her directly from the Lord: To the whole world! To all creation! Right to the ends of the earth!”
St. Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi, 50 (1975)

“The Holy Spirit is indeed the principal agent of the whole of the Church’s mission.”
St. John Paul II, Encyclical Redemptoris Missio, 21 (1990)

“In virtue of their baptism, all the members of the People of God have become missionary disciples (cf. Mt 28:19)… Every Christian is a missionary to the extent that he or she has encountered the love of God in Christ Jesus: we no longer say that we are ‘disciples’ and ‘missionaries’, but rather that we are always ‘missionary disciples’.
Pope Francis, Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, 120 (2013)

“Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”
Matthew 10:8

It may seem like a bit of a stretch, but society needs you to spend more time in Eucharistic Adoration.

When I think of the direction our society is headed, it really makes me question how I’m living my life. I am constantly concerned and frustrated because it seems like no matter how many prayers I pray, or how many people I try to help, I feel like the downward spiral that our society has been in for a while now just keeps getting worse.

But in the midst of all this uncertainty, there is one thing I don’t question: and that is my need to be, well, me. Yes, as a matter of fact, it starts with me. On a daily basis, I am repeatedly trying to figure out how to “fix” the people around me or “convert” the masses who have fallen away. I think, “If I could just change them … if they could just see what they were created for … then our whole society would improve”… but here’s what I’ve come to realize: It should never start with a “you” mentality; it should always start with me.

Michael Jackson Calls for Change
Michael Jackson said it, or I guess sang it, well: “If you want to make the world a better place, take look at yourself and make a change.”

A likable man in many ways, even Michael Jackson had many of his own demons and I’m sure, like all of us, could have made some changes within his own heart. That aside, I believe that he hints at something very crucial—and that is the need for selfreflection and growth starting with ourselves.

It’s interesting because when you think about it, it seems counterproductive to self-reflect. Egocentrism is arguably one of the biggest problems of our society as a whole right now. Most people you meet have a view of the world that starts and ends with themselves. Many people say it’s all about “number one,” meaning themselves. But the beguiling thing is—most of the time, we only scratch the surface of who we really are.

Under The Surface
Who am I? Atheists, Buddhists, Christians, philosophers, Catholics, and many others have been pondering this question for centuries. To really know ourselves we need to look beyond the surface. I think all of us are very good at seeing ourselves with an aerial view. We paint a picture of perfection on the outside, but are not concerned with what is really under the surface. This mentality is the root of egocentrism in our society.

None of us want to take a good, clear look at what is buried deep within, because if we did I’m not so sure we would like what we find. In fact, I know that to be true because I’m the same way. Very few are willing to take the plunge and see the brokenness within and then have the courage to make necessary changes. But if we all made those changes, wouldn’t that really set the wheels in motion for an even better society?

The Remedy
So what does our society really need? We all want to help our society by doing our part. Some of us are even willing to take these hard steps and start with ourselves—but what’s step one? Here’s where I get super Catholic. If it starts with me, then I need to become who God created me to be. Yes, that rhymed. Yes, that might be lame. No, this is not a poem, but is it true? Yes! St. Catherine of Siena famously said:

“If you become who you were created to be, you will set the world on fire!”

God created us to be world-changers, truth-seekers, leaders— but before we start critiquing and helping the world around us, we have to always start with ourselves.

In my previous article, “Why Adoration Is Essential for the Soul and Body“, I listed some of what I consider to be the greatest benefits—including those for the body, mind, and soul—to being in the Lord’s presence in Eucharistic Adoration. Here’s the thing, no amount of blogs ever written could hold all of the abundant graces and benefits of being in the presence of Christ, but there is one correlation I want to touch upon in this article that I had mentioned in the previous one, and this is the good that comes from placing ourselves before the Eucharist in Adoration—and as a result, the good that is rendered in our society.

Necessary for Society, Necessary for Me
A better society starts with a better—more specifically, holier— me. So how does the Eucharist play a role in this?

From the beginning of our existence, we were made in the image of God. The beauty of spending time before the Eucharist is that what we see on the altar is the truest version of ourselves. We see the image in which God created us.

St. Augustine says:

“’You are the body of Christ, member for member’ [1 Corinthians 12.27]. If you, therefore, are Christ’s body and members, it is your own mystery that is placed on the Lord’s table!”

(Sermon 272)

First, we see that Augustine points out that we are a part of something greater than ourselves—we are members of the mystical body of Christ. But then he goes on to explain the reality of our own personal mystery. When we come face to face with Jesus in Adoration, we behold the mystery of ourselves fully realized in Christ. If we have ever had any doubt about why God created us, the Lord comes to meet us in that doubt. He looks at us and we behold him.

We Become What We Receive
In that exchange, our creator transforms us into an even truer image of ourselves and a reflection of him. Jesus sees the depths of us—even the parts that we try to hide—all of our brokenness and insecurities, and he fully knows us—and fully loves us—from that place. With Christ before us in Adoration, we can enter those broken parts of ourselves with courage, because we know that he loves us and is with us when we do!

Jesus reveals himself in Adoration just as he did at Emmaus in the breaking of the bread. He reveals to us our identity when we feast our eyes upon him in Adoration, and also when we take into our body his presence through Communion. What a mystery! And we, in turn, receiving the bread of life, become food for our broken and hungry world when we receive the Lord’s presence. And isn’t that exactly what our world needs?

The world doesn’t need more critics and overly-pompous Christians who make it their life’s goal to fix everyone. We need more Christians who are food for the broken and hungry in our society—so that when others receive our presence, they come into contact with the Eucharistic presence of Christ! If we become what we receive, then we become broken bread for the broken world.

Food for the World

“You are the salt of the earth … You are the light of the world.”

 (Matthew 5:13-14)

The world needs you! You are irreplaceable and indispensable, and all the gifts you possess contribute to the betterment of our society. You are first called to become a saint, called by the Lord himself to an eternal life full of never-ending joy and happiness in heaven.

The beauty in becoming fully who we are in Christ is that it calls those around us to a higher way of life. It reminds our brothers and sisters who have forgotten this call upon their life as well. Encountering Jesus in Adoration changes the world—starting with us. When we see him and accept the grace he offers, we can become saints. During Adoration, our hearts become disposed to doing the will of Christ and our actions thereafter reflect his love and mercy.

Through this interior transformation, we can play our role in changing our society into a community in Christ as the mystical body. Don’t believe me? Open up Acts of the Apostles and read how twelve nobodies changed the world!

Read about Saul, a man who murdered thousands of Christians, then converted after one encounter with Jesus, and from that one encounter changed the world!

We have the opportunity to encounter the same Jesus everyday! So let him change you through the Eucharist first. Through you, he can change the course of our society. And remember, it only takes a few grains of salt to change the flavor!

Taylor Tripodi is a 24 year-old cradle Catholic from Cleveland, Ohio aspiring for sainthood. Taylor graduated from Franciscan University, majoring in theology and catechetics and is now a fulltime musician, traveling all over and spreading God’s unfailing love through word and song.