Spiritual Blindness

Brothers and Sisters,

Who was this blind man in the Gospel reading today? (Jn 9:1-41) Interestingly, he does not have a name. He is only referred to as the “man blind from birth.” This is significant in the Gospel of John, because the fact that there is no name indicates that we should see ourselves in this story.

Spiritual “blindness” is our inability to see the hand of God at work all around us. We struggle to see the daily miracles of God’s grace alive in our lives and alive in the lives of others. So, we should strive to acknowledge and overcome our lack of sight. We should strive to realize that we so often do not see God at work. This realization will inspire us to desire a spiritual healing. It will invite us to want to see God at work.

The good news is obviously that Jesus cured this blind man, as He willingly desires to cure us. Restoring sight to the blind is easy for Jesus. So, the first prayer we should pray as a result of hearing this story is simply, “Lord, I want to see!”

The humble realization of our spiritual blindness will invite God’s grace to work in us. And if we do not humbly acknowledge our blindness, we will not be in a position to seek and receive God’s healing. When we do “see” Him at work in the ordinary activities of our life, we will be most definitely healed of our spiritual blindness.

Reflect, today, upon this act of Jesus, and allow our Lord to smear His spit and dirt on your eyes. Allow Him to give you the gift of spiritual sight. And as you begin to see His presence in your life, you will be amazed at the beauty you behold.

God Bless,
Deacon Howard

Cooperating With The Holy Spirit

Dear Friends,

Cooperating with the Holy Spirit. The key to the spiritual life, our saints and theologians teach us, is to
recognize and cooperate with the promptings of the Holy Spirit by developing a disposition or interior quality of our soul attentive to what is happening in us and around us. Whether we’re confronted with constantly competing demands in a busy schedule, or lethargic and bored with no apparent purpose in life, we DO have the ability, with God’s grace, to distinguish the promptings of the Holy Spirit from those of the flesh and of the word. Easier said than done. The problem is that because we have a wounded nature, we tend to be drawn in a disordered way toward created things (money, pleasure, fame, etc.), viewing them as an end in and of themselves rather than as a means that point to the end where true happiness is found: in God, our Creator. How is it that we have this ability to keep all these “promptings”—of the Holy Spirit, the world, and the flesh—in a properly ordered way? The answer lies in today’s 2nd reading (Rom 5:1-2, 5-8): “…because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” The Holy Spirit plays a fundamental “synthesizing action” in the human soul—if we understand how this happens and take our part in bringing it about.

I will be sharing more about how the Holy Spirit works in this way through charity in my 2nd of three Lenten Bible & Catechism Talks: “Because the love of God has been poured into our hearts (Romans 5:5). Distinguishing the promptings of the Holy Spirit from those of the flesh and the world” on Thursday, March 23, 7 PM at Our Lady of the Chesapeake in the church (and also live-streamed). While I will be drawing from some of the greatest theologians and saints of the Church—including Thomas Aquinas, Thomas a Kempis and his The Imitation of Christ (the most widely-read devotional book after the Bible), and Raniero Cantalamessa (Preacher of the Papal Household since 1980)—it will be FILLED with practical advice and aids (handouts) you can take home and immediately start using to bring greater depth to your Lenten pilgrimage.

The third and final Lenten Bible & Catechism talk will be at St. Jane’s on Thursday, March 30, 7 PM in the church (also live-streamed) on the topic: “I will open my graves and raise you …I will put my spirit within you (Ezekiel 37:12-14). The great paradox: How suffering demonstrates that God is all-powerful and all loving.”

To get the most out of these talks, bring your Bible and Catechism!

Peace in Christ,
Fr. Jim

Do Not Be Afraid

Dear Friends of St. Jane Frances and OLC,

This weekend, the Church celebrates the Second Sunday of Lent. Our Gospel reading this weekend is the account of the Transfiguration of Jesus. Imagine the wonder and awe (and a touch of fear) that came upon Peter, James, and John when they saw Jesus transfigured before them and conversing with Moses and Elijah – the two great Old Testament figures who represent the Law and the Prophets. Even the voice from on high acknowledges Jesus as God’s beloved Son. It had to have been a life changing experience for them. After it ends, Jesus comforts them with his reassuring words “do not be afraid.” On the contrary, we ought to be very blessed by such a clear sign from God. This event is seen as both a glimpse of the resurrection as well as the manifestation of Jesus, as the divine Son of God.

We are looking forward to our Lenten Mission, which begin next Monday, March 13th through Wednesday, March 15th. Our presenter is Fr. Josh Laws, the pastor of the Catholic Community of South Baltimore. The theme for Monday will be Seeing God in Reality and will be held at SJF. Tuesday’s theme is Seeing God in a Decision and will be held at OLC, with Confessions being offered following the presentation. On Wednesday, the theme will be Seeing God Together and will be at SJF. The start time for each night will be 7:00pm. I hope you can join us each night.

I would like to announce that I have established our Pastorate Mission team who will assisting Fr. Jim and I in our work over the next two years to put together a Pastorate Mission Plan based on the foundation of Archbishop Lori’s Archdiocesan Mission plan called A Light Brightly Visible 2.0. The Archbishop’s plan can be read in its entirety at www.archbalt.org. The members of our Pastorate Mission team from SJF are Ning Wist, Gary Peters, and Randy Gardner; and from OLC are Jerry Mulcahy, Terrie Deters, and Tina Shorter. I would ask you to please pray for the success of our pastorate planning process so that we may renew the church in our area and engage more effectively in the work of evangelization and proclaiming Jesus Christ to all. Stay tuned for more information and how you will be able to assist us in our pastorate planning process.

Thank you for keeping our Pastorate of St. Jane Frances and Our Lady of the Chesapeake in your daily
prayers!

God Bless,
Father Steve

Temptation—And How To Overcome It

Dear Parishioners,

The story of Adam and Eve is not a fairy tale. Adam and Eve were real human beings, from whom all of humanity—all races—has descended [monogenesis, not polygenesis; Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), #404, 417]. The “fall” (“original sin”) of Adam and Eve was a real event that took place in history by our first parents (CCC #375), although in today’s 1st reading from Genesis 3, it is described figuratively (CCC #390).

Far more intriguing than the historicity of the event, however, is how to apply what God has revealed to help us overcome temptation. Here are two of many takeaways:

1. DO NOT enter into dialogue with the serpent, ie, do not allow impure thoughts or someone’s tainted invitation to brew. Rather than walking away, Eve CHOSE to stay and to dialogue, to think about, to rationalize, to be tempted, and that was the beginning of the end. “Nip it in the bud”: look away, walk away, immediately.
2. DO protect and defend others from temptation. “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing (attributed to Edmund Burke).” Adam, “who was with her” (Gen 3:6), did nothing to intervene; he was complicit by the sin of omission. His role was to guard the garden (Gen 2:15), but he didn’t. When you’re aware of another’s temptation, help him or her overcome it.

Vice & Virtue. If one has persisted in the same sin, it will likely be difficult to make the first steps back toward virtue stick, but it becomes easier the more you practice it. Analogously, athletes know this: if you’re not in shape, the first day of practice is grueling and you’re sore, but in time with repeated practice, what was initially difficult becomes easier. Vice works similarly but in the opposite way: the first time you do something you know is wrong (you fall to temptation), it’s hard to do, but it becomes easier to repeat the wrong act over and over again. But we have victory in Christ…

Overcoming Temptation. With God’s grace, and our diligent cooperation with it, we CAN overcome temptation. This is why Jesus gave us the sacraments (particularly Reconciliation/ Confession which we should make regular use of, and the Eucharist) and God’s Word. In fact, Jesus’ reply to EACH of the devil’s 3 temptations in today’s gospel was Scripture! (Matthew 4:1-11).

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” - 1 Corinthians 10:13

When I was a midshipman at the Naval Academy, my Protestant brothers introduced me to what become a very effective means of God’s grace to overcome temptation. Just like Jesus did, I memorized Scripture and used it as needed to rebuff temptation. I encourage you to do the same, specifically 1 Corinthians 10:13.

Peace in Christ,
Father Jim

Love Your Enemies?

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

This Sunday’s Gospel reading contains some of the most radical and forceful words of Jesus’ preaching: “Love your enemies.” Jesus delivered these words in Galilee at the beginning of His public ministry as a declaration presented to all of his disciples which also includes each of us. He asks his disciples to embrace this model of life He is proposing to them in shocking terms. But what do His words mean? Why does Jesus ask us to love our enemies, which seems to be a love which exceeds human reason or expectation? Is Jesus asking too much of me? Is our response, “I just can’t do this” or “this is unrealistic?”

Actually, Christ’s proposal is realistic because it takes into account that in this world there is too much violence, too much injustice, and therefore these situations cannot be overcome except by countering them with more love, with more goodness. This “more” comes from our Lord. It is His mercy alone that can move the world from evil to good, starting with that small and decisive “battleground” which is the human heart.

This Gospel passage is rightly considered the guiding principle of Christian non-violence. It does not call us to give in to evil, as some would think, but it calls us to respond to evil with good and thereby breaking the chain of injustice.

So, for Christians, non-violence is not merely a strategic behavior but a person’s way of life, because we are so convinced of God’s love and power that we are not afraid to tackle evil with the weapons of love and truth alone.

Dear brothers and sisters, Lent, which is coming upon us this week, is a perfect season in which all Christians are asked to convert ever more deeply to Christ’s love. Are we ready to love more deeply?

God Bless,
Deacon Howard

Service And Ministry

Dear Friends of St. Jane Frances and Our Lady of the Chesapeake,

This weekend, the Church celebrates the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Our readings for this weekend speak to us about the law of the Lord, meaning how we are challenged to live with one another in a way that is pleasing to God. Jesus begins the Gospel today by clearly stating that he has come to fulfill the law and the prophets. Today’s Gospel follows from the last two weekends, when we heard the Beatitudes and our call to be salt and light to the world. These teachings of Jesus are not new interpretations of the law and the prophets per se, but instead are fuller revelations of how we are to observe the commandments of God.

But with all of that said, we also know that the greatest commandment is to love God above all else, and then to love our neighbor. As St. Paul says in the Letter to the Romans, love is the fulfillment of the law. When we love one another, we show to others the face of God, who is love. And I would venture to say that all of us long to see God’s face, to know with certainty that God is with us on this earthly journey

Obviously, the Eucharist is one way we experience God’s presence among us, but there are other ways we can make God’s loving presence felt among us. One way is by our service and ministry to others that is funded through the Annual Appeal for Catholic Ministries. This year’s theme is “You are the Light of the World” taken from last weekend’s Gospel. The appeal helps fund the spiritual and corporal works of mercy throughout our Archdiocese, including such ministries as Catholic Charities, St. Vincent de Paul Society, Crisis Pregnancy Centers, Camp GLOW, Disabilities Ministries, Youth Ministry, and Respect Life to name just a few. Our commitment to these indispensable works of the Church is vital in order to fulfill our call to live the great commandment of loving God and neighbor. Therefore, your support of this mission is essential in order for the Church to be successful.

Next weekend is Giving Weekend for the Annual Appeal for Catholic Ministries. During the homily time, you will have an opportunity to complete a pledge form or make a commitment online. This week, I ask you to prayerfully consider what your level of giving will be so that you will be prepared to make your gift next weekend. Thank you for your support of the 2023 Annual Appeal for Catholic Ministries.

Thank you for keeping our Pastorate of St. Jane Frances and Our Lady of the Chesapeake in your daily
prayers!

God Bless,
Father Steve

The Light Of The World

Dear Parishioners,

“In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:4)

In today’s gospel Jesus said, “You [plural] are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be
hidden (Matthew 5:14).” But He also said, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). So, who is the light of the world: are we, or is Jesus? Both. Jesus is the source of light itself, and we, when we cooperate with His grace, reflect Jesus’ light, like the moon does for the sun.

In a similar way, every created being (plants, animals, …) has an implanted “nature” that reflects or reveals in some small but real way an attribute of God’s goodness and majesty. What is so amazing is that not only did God design each species of creature—a seemingly limitless number—with distinctive and complex qualities and a beauty and grandeur all its own, but that all these creatures were designed to live in harmony and order in the whole that we call “creation.” This is no accident.

Seeing how God has magnificently designed His creation reveals how he intends “his city” to live. The
“city set on a mountain” (Matthew 5:14) is the Church, established by Jesus on Peter (Matt 16:18). You and I are “living stones” (1 Peter 2:5) in this city of God, the Catholic Church. When each of us cooperates with the grace of the Holy Spirit, our light shines “…through your good deeds that glorify your heavenly Father (Matthew 5:16).” It is through the abundance of this light of Jesus that shines through us and gives light to the world.

Each of us is uniquely created… not only from our natural mother and father, but from God Himself.
When each of us was conceived, God created out of nothing our soul and infused it into our material being. Our personality traits, capabilities, and body come from a unique combination of genes from our parents, but our soul comes from God himself. When we’re baptized, our souls are forever changed; we are configured to Christ, and we are infused with the grace of the indwelling Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When we live our lives cooperating with this baptismal grace, and the graces God sends us through the sacraments of Reconciliation, Eucharist, and Confirmation and through other people, we become a reflection of Jesus’ light to the world.

Similar to each created species of creatures, each of us has been given a unique set of gifts and charisms that are intended to harmoniously balance with the other lights of the Holy Spirit (other Christians) such that we, the Church, collectively become “the light of the world.” God has a brilliant plan to accomplish His will with your light. And if you’re a parent or godparent, remember the responsibility with which you were charged at your child’s/godchild’s Baptism as you were given his/her baptismal candle: “Parents and godparents, this light is entrusted to you to be kept burning brightly.”

Peace in Christ,
Father Jim