Filipino fishermen improvise a refrigerator boat off the coast of Leyte, recently devastated by Super Storm Hurricane Yolanda.
(Click on the photo to see Reuters photographer Damir Sagolj’s whole series in The Atlantic.)
Take up a collection at Thanksgiving Dinner to donate to Philippines relief through Catholic Relief Services–and while you’re at it, support Naderev Sano, a member of the Philippines Climate Change Commission, who has called for a fast “in solidarity with my countrymen who are now struggling for food back home” — including his own brother, whom Sano said “has been gathering bodies of the dead with his own two hands.”
“With the spiritual “gift of discernment” (1 Corinthians 12:10) you can understand on a whole new level what we mean when we say “God saves you,” because now you see with wisdom and truth. It is the birth of subtlety, discrimination, and compassionate seeing. You move beyond any notion that this or that correct action will get you to heaven. It means that when “your eye is single [or ‘sound’], your whole body will be filled with light” (Luke 11:34). When you see things non-dually, in their wholeness, and do not split between the false “totally good” and “totally bad,” you will grow up spiritually and begin to live honestly and wisely in this world.
Recognizing “the world, the flesh, and the devil” as the classic three sources of evil (and also the source of the “spiral of violence”)—(1) the world’s agreed-upon systems of self-congratulation and self-protection; (2) our individual sin, which is then inevitable; (3) the demonic legitimization of oppressive and destructive power by governments and institutions—can be a primary tool to help you discern what is truly good and what is often evil. Without discernment, many of us end up calling good evil and evil good, just as Isaiah predicted (5:20) and the murder of Jesus revealed. The proper sequencing is very important: if you nip the disguise of evil in the first stage of socially agreed-upon evil, the next two largely lose most of their power to fool you. The “flesh” and the “devil” are exposed for what they are.”–Richard Rohr, OFM
From our Earth-based vantage point, we creatures have watched the Sun complete its course through the zodiac constellations along the ancient ecliptic path.
For all our Judeo-Christian time pilgrimages we reach the zenith on the Feast of Christ the King–an upside down triumphalism. Our “King” comes not as a benevolent despot or one mighty in dominating power; instead he comes as servant of all, seeker of lost sheep.
“Christ is presented to us as the shepherd king, king and shepherd of all the world’s peoples, of all of history. It is for us, hierarchy and people, to proclaim the eternal, sole, an universal kingship of Christ and to bring it about that all peoples, families, and persons submit to him. His is not a despotic regime, but a regime of love.”–Oscar Romero, marytyred archbishop of El Salvador
The Meeting of Isaac and Eleazar by Konstantin Makovsky (1858)We don’t often get readings from Maccabees in our Sunday lectionary. However, today’s reading is the great story of the 90-year-old hero Eleazar.
I just returned from Sacramento where I got to celebrate my Mom’s 80th birthday. I’m so grateful to know so many women and men who have lived according to God’s promises and continue to act with righteous joy in their eight and ninth decades.
“Eleazar, one of the foremost scribes, a man of advanced age and of noble appearance, was being forced to open his mouth to eat pork. But preferring a glorious death to a life of defilement, he spat out the meat, and went forward of his own accord to the instrument of torture, as people ought to do who have the courage to reject the food which it is unlawful to taste even for love of life.
Those in charge of that unlawful ritual meal took him aside privately, because of their long acquaintance with him, and urged him to bring meat of his own providing, such as he could legitimately eat, and pretend to to be eating some of the meat of the sacrifice prescribed by he king; in this way he would escape the death penalty, and be treated kindly because of their old friendship with him. But Eleazar made up his mind in a noble manner, worthy of his years, the dignity of his advanced age, the merited distinction of his grey hair, and of the admirable life he had lived since childhood; and so he declared that above all he would be loyal to the holy laws given by God.
He told them to send him at once to the abode of the dead, explaining: “At our age it would be unbecoming to make such a pretense; many young people would think the ninety-year-old Eleazar had gone over to an alien religion. Should I thus pretend for the sake of a brief moment of life, they would be led astray by me, while I would bring shame and dishonor on my old age. Even if, for the time being, I avoid the punishment of men, I shall never, whether alive or dead, escape the hands of the Almighty. Therefore, by manfully giving up my life now, I will prove myself worthy of my old age, and I will leave to the young a noble example of how to die willingly and generously for the revered and holy laws.”
Eleazar spoke thus, and went immediately to the instrument of torture. Those who shortly before had been kindly disposed, now became hostile toward him because what he had said seemed to them utter madness. When he was about to die under the blows, Eleazar groaned and said: “The Lord in his holy knowledge knows full well that, although I could have escaped death, I am not only enduring terrible pain in my body from the scourging, but also suffering it with joy in my soul because of my devotion to God.”
This is how he died, leaving in his death a model of courage and an unforgettable example of virtue no only for the young but for the whole nation.”–2 Maccabees 6:18-31
The Campaign for Southern Equality advocates for LGBT respect in the Southern states. This video of Brenda Clark and Carol McCrory is lovely.
Last month, for the first time “an official in western North Carolina has accepted marriage license requests,” according to the Associated Press, “from 10 same-gender couples, despite a 2012 amendment to the state constitution forbidding such marriages.”
“Brenda Clark and Carol McCrory, a couple who have been together for 25 years, were the first to ask Reisinger for a license Tuesday morning as part of an effort sponsored by the Campaign for Southern Equality, a rights group. The group has been going around the state seeking someone to issue marriage licenses for same-sex couples as part of its “We Do” campaign,” reports the LA Times.
I’m so proud of my Sojourners crew for all the good work they are doing on behalf of immigration reform. Take heart! Have hope! Get it done. #pray4reform
During his speech, Yeb Sano added an unscripted pledge to fast from food during COP 19, the climate conference that opened today in Warsaw, until meaningful progress had been made. He said:
“In solidarity with my countrymen who are struggling to find food back home and with my brother who has not had food for the last three days, in all due respect Mr. President, and I mean no disrespect for your kind hospitality, I will now commence a voluntary fasting for the climate. This means I will voluntarily refrain from eating food during this COP until a meaningful outcome is in sight.”–Yeb Sano
“Disasters are never natural. They are the intersection of factors other than physical. They are the accumulation of the constant breach of economic, social, and environmental thresholds. Most of the time disasters is a result of inequity and the poorest people of the world are at greatest risk because of their vulnerability and decades of maldevelopment, which I must assert is connected to the kind of pursuit of economic growth that dominates the world; the same kind of pursuit of so-called economic growth and unsustainable consumption that has altered the climate system.”–Yeb Sano tells UN summit in Warsaw “colossal devastation” from Typhoon Haiyan should serve as warning to planet
In my earlier post Pope Asks Global Catholic What We Think, I noted that the U.S. Catholic bishops were slow in promoting the Vatican survey to hear from Catholics around the world on issues such as church and family life, outreach to divorced and separated persons, outreach to same-sex couples and gay people, and how to be a church of mercy and welcome in preparation for the Extraordinary Synod on the Family in 2014.
In the true American “can do” spirit, lay Catholic organizations have stepped into the gap of leadership and have posted the Vatican survey online themselves. Results will be sent to both the US Catholic bishops and the Vatican.
Since these are not multiple choice questions but open-ended, I expect that Catholics individually, in small groups, and as worshiping communities,will bring thoughtful and extensive responses to the Pope’s question. I pray that the Spirit keeps moving through our church and the sense of the faithful is strengthened.
Read more below in Michael J. O’Loughlin’s piece for RNS:
Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, a progressive-leaning organization that exists to promote “public policies and effective programs that enhance the inherent dignity of all, especially the poor and most vulnerable,” has created its own online survey and is encouraging its members to share their thoughts. Chris Hale, a senior fellow at Catholics in Alliance, said that survey results will be sent to the US Conference of Catholic Bishops as well as Vatican officials, including Pope Francis.
Since the survey was launched earlier today, Catholics in Alliance has collected over 300 responses, with many citing Pope Francis’ apparent openness to gay and lesbian Catholics more fully into the life of the church as an opportunity for reform. Hale says that the survey is meant to assist bishops, not challenge them. “We want to provide a model for how bishops could engage their flock on these important questions about the life of the Church. We want the lay faithful to be tremendously involved in the upcoming synod, and we think this is a great way to begin that process,” he told me.
James Martin, the Jesuit writer, wrote on the blog of America magazine that he expects at least some bishops to poll Catholics in their dioceses, and suggested that the “Holy Spirit is at work in her church and in her people. And she will let her voice be heard, this time through these polls, because she desires to speak.”
In an surprising move, this week Pope Francis issued a questionnaire of sorts to the world’s Catholics to find out what we think about issues related to the family. He wants to know what we think about contraception, same-sex unions, and communion for divorced and remarried couples.
The Vatican has asked the world’s bishops to distribute the survey “immediately and as widely as possible to deaneries and parishes so that input from local sources can be received,” according to a letter from Archbishop Lorenzo Baldisseri, secretary of the Synod of Bishops. A copy of Baldisseri’s letter was obtained by National Catholic Reporter.
This action by Pope Francis shows – once again – that he is not afraid of the People of God. The massive communications revolution means the Vatican can actually ask Catholic what they think (eg this is called sensum fidelium, the “sense of the faithful”).
As the Pope said in a recent interview, this does not mean “populism” and the Catholic church is not “voting” on these issues. But it does mean returning balance to the prophetic leadership of the church which requires intimate knowledge of the people of God and what their needs are.
One thing to note is that the US Conference of Catholic Bishops decided to interpret the Pope’s request differently from other conferences around the world. Instead of going directly to Catholics in the pews, they decided their own opinion on these questions was sufficient. Then they back-tracked and said they’d use the “usual process.” As of yet, there is no questionnaire up on the USCCB web site. I’m waiting.
In preparation for next year’s Extraordinary Synod on the Family, which Pope Francis announced earlier this month, the Vatican has sent a questionnaire to the world’s bishops to disseminate among priests and people.
The responses to the questionnaire will be analysed as part of the preparation for the synod, to take place from 5 to 19 October 2014 on the theme “Pastoral challenges of the family in the context of evangelisation”.
The questions, which were sent out by Italian Archbishop Lorenzo Baldisseri, the Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops, cover some of the most contentious issues in Church. The questionnaire asks what kinds of questions divorced and remarried couples ask about the sacraments and whether a simplification of the annulment process could help “solving the problems of the persons involved”.
It also quizzes local churches what pastoral attention can be given to people who are in same-sex partnerships and what can be done to help the adopted children of such unions to be formed in the faith.
During his speech, Yeb Sano added an unscripted pledge to fast from food during COP 19, the climate conference that opened today in Warsaw, until meaningful progress had been made. He said:
In my earlier post Pope Asks Global Catholic What We Think, I noted that the U.S. Catholic bishops were slow in promoting the Vatican survey to hear from Catholics around the world on issues such as church and family life, outreach to divorced and separated persons, outreach to same-sex couples and gay people, and how to be a church of mercy and welcome in preparation for the Extraordinary Synod on the Family in 2014.
In an surprising move, this week Pope Francis issued a questionnaire of sorts to the world’s Catholics to find out what we think about issues related to the family. He wants to know what we think about contraception, same-sex unions, and communion for divorced and remarried couples.
Rose Marie Berger 