December 2001
Index
- HOLINESS By Father Bob Camuso
- Book & Music Review - Handel's Messiah - by Mary Anne Reynolds
- Loaves and Fishes Campaign - by Greg Carlson
- Odds and Ends - By Mary Anne Reynolds
HOLINESS By Father Bob Camuso
From a talk given to SacraMentors at St. Michael's Westside Chapel, Olympia, Washington, October 14, 2001
Holiness is a spiritual quality that results from living a life that is in constant direction towards God. Holiness is like the navigation system on a ship. As the ship moves off its charted course, the navigation system self-corrects the steering. In the same way, when we direct our lives to God, holiness keeps us on course.
God created us to be holy. The Bible tells us that God created us in God's image and likeness and that what God created was good Gen 1: 27-31. The word "good" comes from the word "God." Good and God are, essentially, the same. Thus, the goodness we are is of God and what is of God is holy. What else does the Bible say about holiness? In First Corinthians, Paul writes: "You who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus [are] called to be holy." 1:2
Now, some of us might think that holiness is reserved for priests or religious sisters and brothers. But there is no such thing as a "two-tiered" law of holiness, where holiness is reserved for an elite few. On the contrary, holiness is the universal vocation of all Christians. But, still, some of us are uncomfortable with the idea that holiness might apply to us. What supports such feelings are things we hear from our Church. For example, we say at the start of Mass as we praise God in the Gloria, "For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord" Roman Missal. Of course, this is true.
But the fathers of the Second Vatican Council said: "Christ loved the church as his bride, delivering himself up for her. This he did that he might sanctify her. Therefore in the Church, everyone ... is called to holiness according to the saying of the apostle Paul, "For this is the will of God, your sanctification" (I Thes 4:3; Eph 1:4).
It is clear that we are all called to be holy. But how do we become holy? There are many ways. One way is to live a moral life with right behavior, or what Paul frequently describes as "without blemish." This may sound like perfectionism, but I believe it is more like what St. Augustine advises, "Love God and do what you please." When we love God first, right behavior follows. When we love God first, we relax and "do what we please" because what pleases us most is to do what please God.
How else might we grow in holiness? Live in faith. Live in hope. Live in love, which means to love God above all things and love others for the sake of God. We also find holiness in listening to God's word and by receiving the sacraments. In addition, to grow in holiness requires that we be in relationship with God in a faith community. As Christians, we are never independent or autonomous. God calls us to be involved and active in a faith community. Even monks who live in monasteries and want to be hermits must first be so immersed in community that it is clear they are not trying to escape being in relation with others by living alone.
As we grow in holiness, it is good to know that God does not restrict holiness to those who are Catholic. The Second Vatican Council accepted the reality that holiness is found outside the Catholic Church and it argued that such holiness could be a source of edification for the Church (UR, I). Speaking of other religious traditions, Vatican II also stated, "the Church rejects nothing which is true and holy" in these traditions (NA 2). And so we find holiness in the teachings of Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims.
Thus far, I have talked about holiness in terms of concepts and ideas. But holiness is more than an abstract idea or concept. It is something we experience. We experience holiness when we feel empowered by God. This feeling is often accompanied by feelings of awe and attraction. For example, in sensing the holy presence in a person, place or thing, one is struck by the realization; "I am not like this. This is not me." In this way, the experience of holiness is the experience of transcendence. We transcend the sense of "me" to "not me" - to a place where God's presence is dominant and the ego is absent.
In this place, God's greatness fills us in an overpowering way. Here we stand in awe at the mystery of a loving and incomprehensible God. As we experience feelings of holiness, often we are moved to respond. Our response can take various forms, such as gratitude and humility, love of neighbor, or the promotion of a just social order.
The more these actions are driven by love, the more holy is the action. It is important to note that the emphasis here is not on the actions performed but on the love with which they are performed.
Now, how do I know if I am holy? I know that God created me to be holy and the Bible and the Church call me to be holy, but am I holy? If I were truly holy, I would never think to ask this question in the same way that I would have no need to ask if I am in Rome when I am already there. Others might see holiness in me but I cannot see holiness in myself, nor do I have a need to do so.
Although I do not see myself as holy, I still want to experience holiness in my life. I want to find holiness in others and in all of God's creation. I want to find holiness even in things that appear to have no value.
In this regard, I close with a story by Craig Williams who is pastor of Trabuco Presbyterian church in Trabuco Canyon, California. "Some years ago," Pastor Williams writes, "my wife's family retired from farming in northern Minnesota. They carved out a 600-acre life not far from the Canadian border and for almost 50 years, made a living, raised a family, supported a community and ministered through their church. The farm they were about to sell represented the struggles, joys, sorrows, effort, reward, and countless daily occurrences that come with living. As it happens in the Midwest, farm auction sales are a frequent event. The Weisert farm was deemed to have enough resources left to warrant a first class auction.
"When you have 600 acres, there is room for lots of things. Our job was to pull out everything in every barn, garage, granary, shed, field, tack room and the house, anything that could possibly be for sale. A full week of work by my wife's whole family, children and grandchildren, was devoted to the task of bringing all the items into the open. The auctioneer arrived and went from one display to another. All the time the auctioneers would ask the question, 'Is this for sale?' What struck me was that there were lots of things they asked about that seemed to have no value at all. Things like an old pile of wood in a hay shed, some of it rotting-some of it good, the same question was asked-'Is it for sale?' Things that looked broken were questioned in the same manner as things that appeared useful." From Presence-The Journal of Spiritual Directors International, Oct 2001, pp. 4-46
I liked this story because it connects to the concept of holiness in this way: every part of us, every part of our past, even our sins, has value when it is brought out into the open. If we take sins alone, when they are confessed, exposed the light of truth and to the light of Christ, they have value. They can teach us to try again, and humble us to accept and love ourselves. But we have to bring them out of that dark, dusty and cobwebbed shed of our soul. In the same way, the parts of us we don't like, the broken, unhealed parts of us-our father wounds, our broken marriage, our drinking problem, our child that has betrayed the family-these all have value when we bring them out in the open.
What so often happens when we do is that we experience holiness in the form of healing. As spiritual healing takes hold, an afterglow of awe, gratitude, humility, mercy or peace often follows.
To help us live in holiness is the purpose of SacraMentors. In this way, SacraMentors meetings are like 600-acre farms where we auction off things we no longer need. Jesus will always be the highest bidder because he wants that sin. He wants that mistake. He wants to sanctify it and you. He wants to make you holy. But we don't become holy by ourselves. We find holiness with others and with Christ. We find it in our SacraMentors group as our brothers or sisters value whatever we put out in the open.
True SacraMentors do not question the value of our life experience, feelings or observations. On the contrary, they allow us to bring to the table what we need to bring and they bless it, for that is what we are called to do, to bless one another and to bless the world.
If there are members in your SacraMentors group who do not value what you share with your group, they are not following the Apostle's Process correctly. In such a case, your group might need to reappraise the manner in which you are following the process. It is important to remember that the process works as it is written and when it is followed.
There is no question that each of us is called to holiness. And so I invite each of us to live a holy life. It's not difficult to do when we direct our lives to God in surrender and trust. And then have faith that all God has taught us about holiness and shown us through the experience if holiness is really true.
BOOK & MUSIC REVIEW
Have you read a good book lately or listen to music that inspires and blesses you? Would you like to share it with your brothers and sisters? Here's your chance. Write a review of 300 words or less and send it to Mary Anne Reynolds at Mareynolds52@aol.com
Handel's Messiah Messiah
Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Sir Georg Solti, Delta Record Co. Ltd, 1985 Calligraphic word pictures inspired by the music and text of George Frederick Handel's Messiah with notes by artist Timothy R. Botts, Tyndale House Publishers, 1991
Review by.- Mary Anne Reynolds, Charles Borromeo Parish, Tacoma
Although I've had this book and listened to (even sung) this music for years, last Christmas was the first time I combined the two and allowed it to speak to my soul. Early Christmas morning I was up before everyone else and happened to put on Handel's Messiah and sat with the illustrated calligraphy Messiah by Timothy Botts. Now most of us recognize the Hallelujah Chorus, but the rest of the composition is less well known. I became intrigued as I sat with the book and read some history and the artist's notes for each phrase of the Messiah's complete works. The book jacket states: Those who have heard Handel's oratorio will find their favorite choruses brought powerfully to mind as they experience the music through this unique medium of visual art. Those who have not can experience the broad scope of the biblical story from Christmas to Easter. In other words, the music sounds like what it says and the illustrations look like what the words mean. For example, in the section where it says `All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way "the words dance across the musical scale as well as the illustrated page.
I got in the habit of making this my traveling music. For the last year I have listened to all of Handel's Messiah at least twice a week. I heard it in it's entirety on my treks from Tacoma to Edmonds - side one on the way up, side two on the way back (unless of course traffic snarled me to a crawl and it didn't really matter anymore because the music always kept me tranquil). I know these words like beloved prayers and find myself waking up with phrases roaming in my head, the illustrations coloring my dreams. The two works combined are indeed greater than the sum of their parts. It has blessed me beyond measure.
It seems to me that any music beginning with "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people" is timely and relevant for our world today. While I'm neither a theologian nor music expert, I have come to recognize my own salvation history in these words and music. It speaks to the longing we have as a people of God to know our Lord. And yet sometimes we are afraid of what that means even as we celebrate our lives as His beloved children.
That Christmas morning in the quiet I heard the words "The glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together" and at that moment, outside in my little pond where I hadn't heard a sound in months, a frog croaked his hymn of praise to God. Surprised, I opened my door to listen and I heard that "ribbet" twice more. I knew in that instant I was given a gift - and in hindsight I am delighted to discover the glory of the Lord revealed in both these works as well as my little Christmas frog.
I found both book and CD on amazon.com. Any rendition of Handel's Messiah will do, but I prefer the complete text. I have grouped the two with a copy of the musical score for a great gift idea for Christmas or anytime. Did you know you benefit SacraMentors if you access amazon.com through the SacraMentor website?
Loaves and Fishes campaign - by Greg Carlson
The story of the five loaves and two fishes is one of the most well known passages from the bible. With only five loaves and two fish, the disciples were able to feed a crowd of over five thousand. Jesus demonstrated to the disciples that if they had faith in him, all would be well for He is the bread of life, satisfying the hunger of the soul for love, forgiveness, immortality, usefulness, progress and knowledge. All through the bible there are examples of Jesus beginning with what is at hand and multiplying it to feed the many, quenching the thirst of the wedding guests, and restoring life where there was none.
All of us who have experienced the power of the SacraMentors program can attest to what it has done to help us satisfy our own personal hunger for love, forgiveness, kindness and blessings. Many of us have had life changing experiences and truly are better husbands, fathers, neighbors and friends because of the program. And if you are like me, you want to share this program with every man and woman who is ready to receive it. We want everyone in every church in this diocese, all the adjoining dioceses in the state, and eventually every diocese in the nation to receive the benefits of the SacraMentors program.
This is why I am coming to my brothers and sisters, coming to you asking for your help to keep our organization viable and to deliver the program to those who will receive it. Up until now we have relied solely upon the contributions that were given to us when a man or woman attended a series. The dollars we received would be used to defray the costs of the series, and any proceeds would be used to pay for supplies, newsletter, postage, advertising etc. Unfortunately, the funds collected do not even come close to covering these expenses. On many occasions board members cover these costs out of their own pockets because of their dedication to the program.
It is my belief that the SacraMentors program can be beneficial to all Catholic men and women, but in order to expand, the program is in need of the resources that any organization must have to both maintain its current programs and expand. I feel strongly if we could begin with our "loaves and fish ", we too could expand our organization.
Today we find ourselves faced with a serious problem, lack of funding. We lack our "five loaves and two fish ". We cannot expand our program as well as provide on-going services unless we establish some kind of start up as well as on-going funding. We need to support existing programs such as the quarterly newsletters and quarterly Sacramentum. We are need of the development and production of a professional brochure. We have visions of an annual meeting combined with a weekend retreat, but we lack funding to even reserve a location.
In the very near future, a board member asking for financial help for the coming year will approach your parish group. This move is necessary for us to maintain the organization and expand our program. This will become an annual program. But most immediately, today I am asking for your individual help to keep our program alive. We are desperately in need of funding today. Just as Jesus started with the five loaves and two fish we need resources to regenerate our organization.
I understand that in light of the recent national tragedy, the downturn in the economy and the approaching holidays it is a very difficult time to be asking for help, but we have no choice. We live in a human world and, unfortunately, we need the resources to maintain our organization as well as fund its growth.
Please be part of our "Loaves and Fish" campaign by completing the form below and sending it in with your tax-deductible contribution. Your contributions, no matter what amount, will help insure that we can continue to provide you with existing programs as well as improve and grow our organization.
I thank you for all your help with this campaign. May you, all your family and loved ones have a blessed and holy Christmas and may the upcoming year bring you peace and grace.
Greg Carlson, Executive Director
If you would like to be a part of the Loves & Fishes Campaign please mail your contribution to Sacramentors C/O St. Annes, 1411 1st Ave. W.
Seattle, WA 98119 attn: Anne Searing
DID YOU KNOW... SacraMentors has a website. Check it out for up-to-date information, an excellent recommended reading list, to register for a series, etc. You can find it at www.sacramentors.org.
If you take a minute to access amazon.com through the library section SacraMentor website, 10% of your purchase (less taxes & shipping) is donated to the SacraMentors program - at no cost to you.
THANK YOU... On behalf of the board members and all SacraMentors, we would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Carl Jones for the time and effort he has put into our program. Carl resigned as the Executive Director early this fall. His dedication has been a blessing to SacraMentors since its inception.
WELCOME...Greg Carlson, new executive director of SacraMentors. Greg is from St. Barbara's parish in Black Diamond, WA. His vision for SacraMentors is to give every Catholic man and woman an opportunity the enrich their lives through the program.
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