“In all circumstances, give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thess. 5:18) These words from St. Paul express a fundamental attitude that we as Christians should constantly seek to foster in our lives.  I proposed gratitude as a way of beginning to reflect on the topic of stewardship, but gratitude should be present at every point in the journey of discipleship and stewardship.  When we actually exercise our stewardship, giving of our time, talent, or treasure, are we doing so with an attitude of gratitude, or do we harbor some resentment, begrudgingly offering what is mine?  After we have exercised our stewardship, do with thank the Lord?  By this I do not mean that we should say: “Thank goodness that is over!  Now I can get back to what I want to do.”  Rather, do we thank Him for the good that He will work in us and in those we support through our generosity?  

As our country prepares to celebrate Thanksgiving Day this coming Thursday, now could be a good time for us to do an examination of our lives, asking the Lord to reveal to us if we are people of gratitude.  Perhaps some questions to consider might be:

• Do I tell God thank you for my blessings every day?  Or do I just tell Him how difficult my life is, rattling off my problems?
• Do I express gratitude to others for the good that they have done for me or for others?  Or do I question their motives, or think that I deserve it?
• What is my general outlook on my life?  Is it positive or negative?  A negative view of ourselves is often a sign that we are lacking in gratitude.
• How do I view others around me?  Am I grateful that God has placed them in my life?  Or am I inclined to notice their weaknesses, harbor grudges about how they have treated me, make judgments about them?
• Do I find myself being envious of what others have, how they look, what they do, etc.?  An excessive preoccupation with others can be a sign of lack of gratitude for what God has given us.
• If somebody were to describe me, would they see me as a grateful, and thus joyful person?  Or would they see me as somebody who always seems to complain, somebody who is always negative?
• Do I thank God even for the crosses in my life, believing that “all things work for the good for those who love God”? (Rom 8:28)

This list is not necessarily exhaustive, but hopefully it can helpful so that we can understand where we are at.  If you are like me, going through this exercise is a little discouraging, because I know I lack the gratitude the Lord invites me to have.  But there is good news – growth and progress are possible!  Do not let that discouragement bring us down, but let’s give thanks to God for shining His light to reveal where we are, and also giving us the encouragement to begin again.  Next Sunday begins a new liturgical year, and perhaps we can make a spiritual resolution to be more grateful to God for everything in our lives – our blessings, our crosses, our opportunities, our time, our money, those around us, our family, our faith, our parish.  We have so much to be grateful for, so let us bring that gratitude to the Lord even now as your read this, and ask the Lord for the grace to live the command of St. Paul more fully in the year ahead, to give thanks in all circumstances!

Please know of my gratitude for all of you, and the blessing of being entrusted with the stewardship of this parish and your souls.  I give thanks to God for all of you every day!

Father Alford

Feast Day: November 23^rd | Patron of Motorcyclists! 

This week we turn to a saint that most of us haven’t gotten to know very well, St. Columbanus. Much of the account of his life I will draw from a monk that lived at one of the monasteries that he founded, and who lived only a few decades later, Br. Jonas. Just one note, realize that St. Columbanus was born in Ireland, in the 600s, and because the faith was so strong there, he took upon himself to (re)evangelize Western Europe. We often think that the faith spread linearly out from Jerusalem, to Rome, and then to the north and west from there, but Columbanus shows the reverse also happening. Something similar is always happening in the Church; lands that were once strong in the faith grow worldly and fall-away, but the lands that received the Gospel from them, with zeal and love, bring it back to their fathers in the faith. Enough of me, let us read what Br. Jonas tells of the early days of St. Columbanus [“The Life of St. Columban”, by the Monk Jonas, #9-11, (7^th century)]:

After he had been many years in the cloister he longed to go into strange lands, in obedience to the command which the Lord gave Abraham: “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, into a land that I will shew thee.” Accordingly he confessed to the venerable father, Congall, the burning desire of his heart and the longing enkindled by the fire of the Lord, concerning which the Lord says: “I am come to send fire on the earth ; and what will I, if it be already kindled?”‘ [*King James Version translation of Luke 12:49, The Vulgate, which is quoted here, reads “quem volo ut ardeat”]. But he did not receive the answer which he wished, for it was hard for Congall to bear the loss of so great a comfort. At length, however, the latter began to conquer himself and to think that he ought not to consider his own need more than the necessities of others. Nor was it done without the will of the Almighty, who had educated His novice for future strifes, in order that He might win glorious triumphs from his victory and secure joyful victories from the phalanxes of slaughtered enemies. 

The abbot accordingly called St. Columban and although sorrowful, he considered the good of others before his own good, and bestowed upon him the bond of peace, the strength of solace and companions who were known for their piety. Having collected a band of brethren, St. Columban asked the prayers of all, that he might be assisted in his coming journey, and that he might have their pious aid. So he started out in the twentieth [*or thirtieth, MSS differ] year of his life, and under the guidance of Christ went to the seashore with twelve companions. Here they waited to see if the mercy of the Almighty would allow their purpose to succeed, and learned that the spirit of the all-merciful Judge was with them. So they embarked, and began the dangerous journey across the channel and sailed quickly with a smooth sea and favorable wind to the coast of Brittany. Here they rested for a while to recover their strength and discussed their plans anxiously, until finally they decided to enter the land of Gaul. They wanted zealously and shrewdly to inquire into the disposition of the inhabitants in order to remain longer if they found they could sow the seeds of salvation; or in case they found the hearts of the people in darkness, go on to the nearest nations.

Accordingly, they left Brittany and proceeded into the Gallic lands. At that time, either because of the numerous enemies from without, or on account of the carelessness of the bishops, the Christian faith had almost departed from that country. The creed alone remained. But the saving grace of penance and the longing to root out the lusts of the flesh were to be found only in a few. Everywhere that he went the noble man preached the Gospel. And it pleased the people because his teaching was adorned by eloquence and enforced by examples of virtue.

So great was his humility and that of his followers, that just as the children of this world seek honor and authority, so they, on the contrary vied with one another in the practice of humility, mindful of that saying: “He that humbleth himself shall be exalted,” and of the text in Isaiah: “But to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.” Such piety and love dwelt in them all, that for them there was only one will and one renunciation. Modesty and moderation, meekness and mildness adorned them all in equal measure. The evils of sloth and dissension were banished. Pride and haughtiness were expiated by severe punishments. Scorn and envy were driven out by faithful diligence. So great was the might of their patience, love and mildness that no one could doubt that the God of mercy dwelt among them. If they found that one among them was in error, they strove in common, with equal right, to restrain the sinner by their reproaches. They had everything in common.

– Fr. Dominic Rankin will return to obedience again this week. For now, let it suffice to say that we find in Columbanus’ obedience to his superior – though so difficult at the time – in God’s providence was actually the necessary foundation for the other virtues that he would need to bring the Gospel to Gaul. You can’t have one virtue; they all come together! But also, that lesson learned in his own life, was exactly the lesson that he would teach the Gauls, building upon the foundation of obedience to the Christian creed, up to the joy of a real relationship with God in His Church. Isn’t it often the case that a hard-earned lesson that God has taught us comes back to be exactly what we’re called to give to another?!  

This week as we commemorated All Soul’s Day, it reminded me a book entitled a journey of the mind to God by Saint Bonaventure.  When I was discerning with Franciscans, I recall reflecting on spirituality of St. Francis and his experience in Mount La Verna in Assisi Italy.

Saint Bonaventure was born in 1221 in Bagnoregio near viterbo, Italy, later join the Franciscan Order about 1240 and after completing his studies in the University of Paris, he taught theology for twelve years, later in 1257 he was elected Minister General of the Order of the Friars Minor at the age of thirty – six years, he remained in the office until 1273, where Pope Gregory made him a Cardinal Bishop of Albano,  he participated in the council of Lyon  where he was instrumental in bringing about the temporary reunion of the Greek Church in Rome. He died at the age of fifty – three on July 5, 1274, and after three centuries of his death, Saint Bonaventure was canonized on 14^th April 1482, he was declared a Doctor of the Church, the bull, “Triumphantis Hierusalem” of Pope Sixtus V, by elevating him to this new dignity, solemnly confirmed his merits as one of the greatest minds of the Christian Middle Ages. 

The Profound spirituality of St. Francis and his experience on the hill of La Verna where he received the stigmata is my motivation in reading this spiritual classic book. The journey of the mind to God as Bonaventure himself explain in the six chapters of the Itinerarium, are concern with search of God. As I meditate on St. Francis experience of the world, his human thoughts, the love of the creatures, Action and the inner experience of his Vision of the seraphim in the form of the Crucified Christ through deep prayer and meditation in solitude; am moved to contemplate the richness of God’s glory through this writing of St. Bonaventure. Also, I realize that it is through devotion to prayer that St. Francis journey towards God. Hence, my driving force of this Spiritual classic book is to find myself journeying towards God as Our Seraphic Father Francis did.

From personal experience it shows that our journey to God is more adventurous than we can describe. We can’t say what we live. Too much happens. Words, images and symbols fail to express our experience. When we try to describe God’s love, we fail miserably. That’s why most of us say nothing about love. Spiritual  geniuses, like St. Bonaventure his experience with God’s love through following the example of the Most blessed Father Francis, he says I breathlessly sought this peace, I a sinner, who have succeeded to the place of that most father after his death, the seventh Minister General of the brothers, thought in all ways unworthy, it happened that by divine will in the thirty-third year after the death of that blessed man I ascended to Mount La Verna as to a quiet place, with the desire of seeking spiritual peace; and staying there, while I meditated on the ascent of the mind to God, amongst other things there occurred that miracle which happened in the same place to the Blessed Francis himself, the vision namely of the winged seraph in the likeness of the Crucified. While looking upon this vision, I immediately saw that signified the suspension of our Father himself in contemplation and the way by which he came to it.

 Bonaventure starts with common experience, and he says that happiness is enjoying the highest good but the highest good is not down here among the creatures. It is above, above means beyond material, upon spiritual being. He says that when we try to ascend spiritually to God we don’t rise very far, so we know that clearly that we cannot rise up above ourselves unless a higher power lifts us up, no matter we plan our spiritual progress, nothing comes of it unless divine assistance intervenes, and the divine assistance is there for those who seek it humbly and devoutly, who sigh for it in this vale of tears by fervent prayer. Prayer, then, is the mother and beginning of the ascent to God. So, let’s pray and say to our God: teach me, O Lord, your way, that I may walk in your truth; direct my heart that it may fear your name. By Praying this way, we receive light to discern the steps of the ascent into God. Some created things are vestiges, other images; some are material, others spiritual; some are temporal, others are everlasting; some are outside us, others within us. In order to contemplate the first principles this is God. Who is most spiritual, eternal, and above us we are invited to pass through His vestiges, which are material, temporal and outside us and this will lead us in path of God. In addition to that we are also invited to enter into our soul, which is God’s image; hence we enter into the path of God, truth of God and knowledge of God.    

As I was Reflecting on this threefold we can become ecstatic over this trinity which remind us of the three fold events, Moses leading the Israel into the desert for three days, (Ex 3:18), then threefold daylights: evening, morning, and noon in order of brightness, and three ways that creatures exists: in matter, in human mind, and in God’s mind which Eternal Art, (Gen 1:3), so Christ provides three substantial aids: bodily, spiritual, and divine. Here I can see Bonaventure is showing us our image and likeness to God in three acts: sensation, spiritual and mind. Bonaventure uses all these reflections to ascend into God in order to love Him, with our whole mind, our whole heart and our whole soul. (Mk 12:13)

While reflecting on the possibility of the soul ascending to God, am motivated by this wondrous event that occurred in the hill of La Verna to Blessed Francis, namely the vision of the winged seraphim in the form of a crucifix. And meditating on this immediately I realized that such a vision offered me a contemplative ecstasy of Father Francis himself and the same time the way that led to it the journey of the mind to God. The six wings of the seraphim thus became the symbol of the six stages that lead man progressively to the knowledge of God through observation of the world and of creatures and through the exploration of the soul itself with its faculties, up to satisfying union with the trinity through Christ, in imitation of St. Francis of Assisi, so this vision of the six- winged seraph in the form of Christ  crucified symbolizes both St. Francis rapture in prayer andthe six stages of illumination by which the soul was disposed to pass into peace by the ecstatic elevations of Christian wisdom which are the stages towards union with God is are purgation, illumination and union. The way however is only through the most burning love of the crucified, who transformed St. Paul, “caught up into the third heaven” (2Cor 12:2), he said that “with Christ I am nailed to the cross, yet I live, now not I, but Christ lived in me” (Gal 2:19).

In addition to that the six wings of the seraphim symbolize the Bonaventure’s responsibility as the minister General of the Franciscan friars, those who are to be effective leaders of others must be men of virtue. Regarding themselves they must have virtues necessary for a blameless life. Regarding their superior, they must have the virtues that lead them to render humble obedience when obedience is required. Regarding their subjects, they may guide them correctly and bring them to grater perfection. He must teach all virtues because of the office he holds must himself possess all virtues in an eminent degree. As a religious I must be resplendent with six extraordinary virtues just as Isaiah says the seraphim that are pre-eminent in the ranks of the heavenly spirits are adorned with six wings. Perhaps therefore the Lord appeared to Our Father Saint Francis in the likeness, in the glorious vision in which he imprinted the stigmata of his passion, to show that those who are to lead his family effectively must have such spiritual wings. The six wings of the seraphim signify: zeal for justice, loving kindness, patience, exemplary life, prudent discernment and devotion to God. Each religious, too, being a responsible for my spiritual welfare and accountable to God in the last judgment needs these wings for himself. He must have them to soar to the things above so as to be fervent in justice, compassionate to fellow men for God’s sake, patient in trials, edifying others by his good example, circumspect in all things, and above all closely united to God by devout prayer. May God protect us in all things, guide us and lead us to a greater perfection and finally bring us to the soar aloft to heaven. May Jesus Christ grant us this Grace to love him and devout oneself to Him as Our seraph Father Francis.  

The Mystical wisdom is revealed by the Holy Spirit, Christ is both the way and the door, and Christ is the stairway and Vehicle, like the throne of mercy over the Art of the covenant and the mystery hidden from the ages. A man should turn his attention to this throne of mercy and should gaze at his Him hanging on the cross, full of faith, hope and charity, devoted, full of wonder and joy, marked by gratitude and open to praise and jubilation. Then such a man will make with Christ a Pasch, that is, a passing over. Through the branches of the cross he will taste the hidden manna, and rest with Christ in the sepulcher, as is possible for one who is still living, what was promised to the thief who hung besides Jesus Christ: today you will be with me in paradise; for the Passover to be perfect, we must suspend all the operations of the mind and we must transform the peak of our affections, directing them to God alone. This is a sacred mystical experience. It cannot be comprehended by anyone unless he or she surrenders himself or herself to it; nor can he or she long for it unless the Holy spirit, whom Christ sent into the world, should come and inflame his innermost soul. Hence the Apostles say that this mystical wisdom is reveal by the Holy Spirit. As I reflect on the last words of St. Bonaventure’s  ‘Itinerarium,” which respond to the question of how one can reach this mystical communion with God, would make one descend to the depth of the heart: if you ask how such things can occur, seek the answer in God’s grace, not doctrine; in the longing of the will, not in the understanding; in sight of prayer not in research; seek the bridegroom not the teacher; God and not man; darkness not daylight; and look not to the light but rather to the raging force that carries the soul of God with intense fervor and glowing love. The fire is God, and the furnace is in Jerusalem, fired by Christ in the ardor of his loving passion. Only he understands this who said: my soul chose hanging and my bones death. Anyone who cherishes this kind of death can see God, for it is certainly true that: No Man can look upon me and live. So, lets us die, then, and enter into the darkness, silencing our anxieties, our passions and all the fantasies of our imaginations. “Let us pass over the crucified Christ from the world to the Father,” (Jn 13:1) so that, when the Father has shown himself to us, we can say with Philip: “it is enough for us.”(Jn 14:8) We may hear with Paul: “my grace is sufficient for you;” (12:9) and we can rejoice with David, saying: my flesh and my heart fail me, but God is the strength of my heart and heritage forever. Blessed be the Lord forever and let all people say: Amen.

The journey of the mind to God, Saint Bonaventure completes his travel guide with a hymn of devoted love, where the perfect journey is describes, if our journey is imperfect, our second chance is purgatory, only then can we enter into Heaven (God). Hopefully we will complete our journey here on earth and die as St. Francis of Assisi died. So let us hope and pray to follow Saint Bonaventure’s steps and die in perfect love.

For the past few weeks, I’ve been writing about our Season of Stewardship and I hope my reflections have been helpful to you as you discern how the Lord is inviting you to exercise your stewardship toward the parish through your time, talent, and treasure.  Although I cannot read all (or any for that matter) of the minds of those in the parish, I am willing to bet there have been some who have thought: “That is a good idea.  I like that idea of stewardship.  I am sure somebody in the parish will step up!”  I think I am safe in saying this because that is how I have thought about invitations to step up in the past.  To be honest, there are still many times when I have that same thought.

To be sure, none of us can do everything, but every one of us can do something to be more invested in our parish.  I say this not from the perspective of desperation that that the parish needs what you have.  While what we bring to our parish family in the form of time, talent, and treasure is necessary for a vibrant parish, we need to make an adjustment to how we think about our relationship to the parish, and the Church more broadly.  It is not primarily that the Church needsyou and me, rather, you and I are the ones who need to the Church.  The Church has been given to us by Christ as the means to our salvation.  The Church has been entrusted with the stewardship of God’s grace through the sacraments which grant us the gift of His life and the hope of eternal life.  It is not that your giving money to the parish or volunteering for a ministry is somehow your doing the Church a favor.  Do not get me wrong, giving of our time, talent, and treasure is very much a gift that is very appreciated, and very helpful to the well-being of our parish.  But the ideal in our giving of these gifts is to do so from that place of gratitude which I began our reflections with a few weeks ago.  We are grateful for the gift of the Church which gives us these many helps to our relationship with the Lord and the promise of eternal life.  From that place of gratitude, and the awareness of how much we depend on God and His Church for everything, how can we not want to give back to Him and His Church?

When I was thinking about entering the seminary, I had a lot of reasons why I could not give my time, and indeed my life, to the Church as a priest.  I was not qualified enough, I was not holy enough.  I had every reason under the sun why it was not possible for me to say ‘yes’ to His invitation.  Somebody else could do it far better than I.  But the Lord spoke clearly to me in a way that has shaped that decision and many thereafter.  He made me aware of the many, many graces He had given to me in my life, how He had cared for me in so many ways, both known and unknown.  In prayer, He said very distinctly to me: “If I have done so many things for you, and now I am asking you to take this step in faith and consider being a priest, the question is not: ‘How can I possibly say yes?’  Rather, the question to ask is: ‘How can I possibly say no?’”

Perhaps as you consider the various reasons why you feel you cannot possibly say ‘yes’ to taking a step in faith toward greater stewardship in whatever form it may be, ask the Lord to reveal to you His many blessings, how He has guided you, how He has blessed you and your family, and how He has been at work in your life in ways known and unknown.  After doing that, I would not be surprised if the Lord prompts you to respond to Him the same way He did (and still does) to me: “After all you have given to me and done for me, and now that you are asking something more of me, how can I possibly say no?”

Father Alford

Feast Day: November 17^th | Patron of Bakers, Brides, Charities, Hospitals, the Homeless, Widows, Third Order of St. Francis, those Falsely Accused. 

Two Hundred years after the saintly King Stephen led Hungary towards Christ, we find another canonized saint about a dozen generations down the line. The daughter of King Andrew II (a descendent of Stephen, though the line is nowhere near a straight one) and his wife Gertrude (a princess from a noble family in Bavaria), Elizabeth was going to endure in her life a concentrated dose of the ruckus that was always erupting between kings, dukes, nobles, and everybody else that wanted power. By the age of four, she was already arranged to marry Louis IV, the future Landgrave of Thuringia. 

Now, in case you haven’t met any landgraves recently, that title means that he was technically at the level of a count in the feudal hierarchy but, unlike a typical count,a landgrave did not have a duke, bishop, or count palatine above him before the King, and ruled over a larger swath of land than a typical count. Basically, this meant that such a nobleman was treated at if he were at the rank of a duke, though was not at all part of the royal family. So, off the 4-year-old Elizabeth goes to Bavaria to be raised in the court of Hermann I of Thuringia, learning the language and culture of her future-husband’s people. Just two years later, Elizabeth’s mother back in Hungary was assassinated. Whether from political jealousy (she may have been inclined toward her German ancestry) or revenge (some member of her family had slighted, attacked, or raped someone in a Hungarian noble family), Gertrude’s death prompted Elizabeth to deepen her life of prayer.

At the age of 14, when Louis was 20, they were married. Now, I think anyone living in our day would raise an eyebrow at the thought of a 14-year-old getting married, as well as to a man 6 years her senior, and, just the thought of arranged marriages themselves.  But,we should recall the basic requirements for a valid marriage: free consent to a faithful and permanent union with your spouse, and sufficient maturity to offer yourself to your spouse in such a way that you can bear children. None of that is necessarily impeded by the arrangement that Elizabeth’s father made with Louis’ father. Both young people were asked to commit their own futures to each other, and both agreed to that commitment. Furthermore, at 14 and 20, thought they were both young, especially Elizabeth, they lived in an age of less complexity, younger responsibility, greater cultural/familial reinforcement, and a higher likelihood of an early death, so on that count too they were both able to marry. 

So, in 1221, they were married and Louis was enthroned as the Landgrave since his elder brother had died. From all accounts their marriage was a happy one. They deeply loved and respected each other. It was at this time that the Franciscans first arrived in the area, and Elizabeth quickly took upon herself the virtues of the man from Assisi especially simplicity, charity, and obedience. Before St. Francis died in 1226, he is said to have wrote her a letter of thanks for her support of his friars there. Elizabeth dedicated herself to the care of the poor around her area, distributing alms, food, even state robes and ornaments to those who needed them. Louis defended her in those acts, even entrusting her with responsibility for their lands and property when he left to join the sixth crusade. 

And then her life changed again, because Louis died from the plague on his way to that crusade. They had only been married for 6 years, and their third child had been born only days before. Now Elizabeth had no authority in the court, and was at the whim of Louis’ brother, the regent for her 5-year-old son. Furthermore, Elizabeth had come to trust a Fr. Konrad of Marburg, who she had chosen as her spiritual director, and had promised to obey. Unfortunately, though learned and ascetical, his zeal led to harshness, even brutality especially towards anyone accused of heresy, for whom he had little mercy, but also for Elizabeth and others who tried to follow his spiritual counsel. Elizabeth would take the money she did get from her dowry to build a hospital in Marburg, where, caring for the sick, she died in 1231 only having reached the age of 24. She would be canonized quickly, especially with so many stories of her love for the poor from her close companions as well as Fr. Konrad. 

– Fr. Dominic Rankin will have to return to the topic of obedience next week. In Elizabeth’s life, we see obedience at play both in her arranged marriage, and in her faithfulness to Fr. Konrad’s direction. What of that was the authentic virtue of obedience, to which we are all called, and what of it was a distortion of obedience? Our world prizes freedom above all else, with much damage and trauma being the result, but how did Elizabeth’s world elevate authority and subservience to too high of a position? What is Christian obedience, Christ-like obedience?