Calendar

Leader's School
Thur June 6, 7:00pm
St. Benedict's, BA
RE classroom #8

Ultreya-Tulsa
Fri June 7, 7:00pm
St. Mary's, Tulsa

Ultreya-BA
Fri June 21, 7:00pm
St. Benedict's, BA

Leader's School
Thur July 11, 7:00pm
St. Benedict's, BA
RE classroom #8

Ultreya-Tulsa
Fri July 5, 7:00pm
St. Mary's, Tulsa

Ultreya-BA
Fri July 19, 7:00pm
St. Benedict's, BA

Men's Weekend #31
Sept 26-29, 2002
St. John's, McAlester

Women's Weekend #31
Oct 10-13, 2002
St. John's, McAlester

SPIRITUALITY 101

SPIRITUAL REFLECTION- 31

Deacon Jim Breazile ocds

WISDOM

During a mathematics class the teacher asked: "Robert, if I have twenty sheep in a pen and one jumps out, how many sheep will be left?"  After a little thought, Robert replied, "None, m'am, none." The other pupils laughed and giggled as the teacher remarked; "How could that be?" "Well teacher," explained Robert, "you may know a lot about mathematics, but you don't know much about sheep. If one jumps out, they all jump out."

      Even in the unlettered world, although wisdom and knowledge are compatible and build upon each other, wisdom is valued as more precious than knowledge. The unschooled man may often be found to be much more wise than the learned professor. Although learning may expand wisdom, the man of wisdom gains his vision from life experiences rather than from mere academic search. Wisdom, as a gift of the Holy Spirit, not only provides for a better understanding of worldly experience, it allows one to see all things through the eyes of God.  Seeing all things from this supreme vantage point, Christian wisdom has a universality, a depth of view and a correctness of judgment that natural wisdom can never approach.

      The gift of wisdom is intimately associated with the virtue of charity or love. Love is perfected through wisdom. When this happens, a remarkable expression of wisdom occurs.  Love makes us like unto that which we love. If we love God, we become more like God. Wisdom provides an acuteness of vision for all that is divine and at the same time for all that is alien and hostile to God. The psalmist expresses it as follows; "I have more understanding than all my teachers, because I ponder your decrees. (Ps. 119:99) The holy Scripture says of wisdom, "For she teaches moderation and prudence, justice and fortitude, and nothing in life is more useful for men than these." (Wis. 8:7) God grants wisdom to the pure and humble heart that is free of sin, to a heart that fervently prays for this gift.  This should be the basis of our daily prayer, that we see all things through the eyes of God, for without it we are blind.

      Within the Scriptures, there are many examples of such blindness in otherwise "wise men."  Nicodemus, could not "see through" what Jesus was telling him when he said that in order to enter the Kingdom of God, one must be born again. (Jn 3:1-21) Although Nicodemus was a teacher of the truth was blind to the truth. While Jesus talked with the Samaritan woman at the well (Jn 4:4-26), we can discern her gradual growth in the gift of wisdom. During the conversation, she gradually "sees" more and more of who Jesus is.  At first she sees him only as a Jew (Jn 4:9), then as a gentleman (Jn 4:11), then a prophet (Jn 4:19) and finally the Messiah (Jn 4:25). 

                When Jesus was challenged by the Pharisees concerning His healing of the man born blind on a Sabbath, he finally said to them, "if you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you are saying, 'we see,' so your sin remains." In order to see God, we must have His eyes, to hear Him we must have His ears, to love Him, we must have His love. These gifts not only allow us to perceive the world from a supernatural point of view, they also change the way we live. Jesus expresses this when He says, "Whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God."(Jn 3:21) These gifts are all a part of the gift of wisdom that assists us to perfect the gift of charity.

NEW CATHOLIC CATECHISM

ARTICLE NO. 484

Conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit; Born of the Virgin Mary

The Annunciation to Mary inaugurates “the fullness of time,” (Gal.4:4) the time of the fulfillment of God’s promises and preparations. Mary was invited to conceive him in whom the “whole fullness of deity” would dwell “bodily.” (Col 2:9) The divine response to her question, “How can this be, since I know not man?” was given by the power of the Spirit: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you.” (Lk 1:34-35)

ARTICLE NO.  496

From the first formulations of her faith, the Church has confessed that Jesus was conceived solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary, affirming also the corporeal aspect of this event: Jesus was conceived “by the Holy Spirit without human seed.” (Council of Ephesus in the year 431) The Fathers see in the virginal conception the sign that it truly was the Son of God who came in humanity like our own.  Thus St. Ignatius of Antioch at the beginning of the second century says:

   “You are firmly convinced about our Lord, who is truly of the race of David according to the flesh, Son of God according to the will and power of God, truly born of a virgin, ... he was truly nailed to a tree for us in his flesh under Pontius Pilate...he truly suffered, as he is also truly risen.”

HOLY CONCEPTION

Deacon Jim Breazile ocds

Ó2001 DR. JAMES E. BREAZILE, deacon 
JOHN PAUL EVANGELIST OCDS

SPIRITUALITY 101

SPIRITUAL REFLECTION- 32

Deacon Jim Breazile ocds

                Johannes Kepler, (1571-1630) the Renaissance astronomer and astrologer, upon discovering his third law of astronomy (The squares of the planets' periods of revolution are proportional to the cubes of the planets' mean distances from the sun.) , intoned the following canticle to the divine wisdom: "Our God is great, His power is great and His mercy is infinite. Praise him, heaven and earth, sun, moon and stars in your own language. Let my soul praise Him, the Lord, the Creator, as much as it can. His be glory, respect and praise forever and ever. Amen."

                He started one of his books thus: "Before leaving off my research there is nothing left for me but to raise my eyes and my hands to heaven and send a fervent and humble prayer to the Author of all clarity."  He ends his book (On the Harmony of the Worlds) with this magnificent prayer: "Lord and Creator! I thank thee for having given me such happiness in Thy creatures, so much joy in the work of Thy hands. I have shown the sublimity of Thy work to men according to my limited intellect."

                We might imagine that scientists of today are better educated in the material world than was Johannes Kepler. Could we imagine a modern scientist submitting a book as a scientific treatise that contained such praise of the Creator of science. Even if such a scientist did submit such a book or treatise, the statements would raise a public outcry against the scientist.  Scientists, journalist, and other publicists today are not allowed to express their religious views. This is because the world we live in cannot tolerate the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It is important that Christians understand and nourish these gifts if we are to transform this world into the Kingdom of God.  

UNDERSTANDING (a loving insight into the world of divinity)

                The gift of wisdom effects our intellect and enables us to see and to evaluate all things lovingly with the eyes of God. It is the source from which springs our life with God and for God. The other gifts affecting the intellect are properly speaking expressions of the gift of wisdom. This is true in the first place of the gift of understanding. In the natural world, understanding is viewed as insight. With understanding we are able to judge a complex situation by its internal nature and character. This applies not only to worldly material circumstances, but to other people. If we understand another person, however, an element of concern or of love for that person is always involved.

                As a gift of the Holy Spirit we are empowered to a penetrating, loving insight into revealed truths of the world of faith. It is by the Holy Spirit, "who searches all things, even the deep things of God." (1 Cor 2:10) that faith obtains divine eyes.  The gift of understand perfects a simple faith, providing at once an enlightenment and a desire for truth that can only be expressed as love.  The Holy Spirit, who is the Love of God, enables us to gain a deep insight into the truths of our faith, even into the most profound mysteries, showing us their consistency, their appropriateness, their sublimity, their beauty, their inexhaustible content, their priceless value for guiding our lives.

                The gift of understanding provides firmness and a profound joy for our faith. What we know of God through this gift of the Holy Spirit provides an overwhelming joy that lifts us above the cares of this world, to the cares of heaven.  We might gain a deep knowledge of God through study, but without the gift of understanding this knowledge is purely academic and often just hard work.  Because of the firmness of faith, and the joy the gift of understanding brings to the faith, every Christian act becomes more fruitful, and contains greater love and strength.

                The gifts of the Holy Spirit are not magic, or automatic energies that are expressed in our lives without our cooperation. Neither are they given to us, simply for ourselves, they are gifts to all of Gods creation. If we do not cooperate in their growth and development, they remain simply unused empowerments. The more we apply Gods Gifts, the easier they overcome our will and express themselves. The more we nourish Gods Gifts, more easily they become a part of our active life. When we begin to live the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, we then become an avenue of those gifts to others. We can increase the expression of the gift of understanding by  training the intellect. Theological study, spiritual reading, especially of the Scriptures, and meditative prayer train the intellect. When these actions are joined to humble prayer and a heart that is pure in its intentions and endeavors, seeking God alone and growth in his love, the gift of understanding becomes more real to us and to the world. When these gifts are real to the world we live in, they will be effective in establishing Gods Kingdom.

NEW CATHOLIC CATECHISM

ARTICLE NO. 499 The deepening of faith in the virginal motherhood led the church to confess Mary's real and perpetual virginity even in the act of giving birth to the son of God made man. (Dei Filius 4:DS 3016)  in fact, Christ's birth "did not diminish his mother's virginal integrity but sanctified it." (Lumen gentium 57) And so the liturgy of the Church celebrates Mary as Aeiparthenos, the "ever-virgin." (Lumen gentium  52)

ARTICLE NO. 500

Against this doctrine the objection is sometimes raised that the Bible mentions brothers and sisters of Jesus.(Mk 3:31-35; 6:3; 1 Cor 9:5; Gal 1:19)  The church has always understood these passages as not referring to other children of the Virgin Mary. In fact James and Joseph, "brothers of Jesus," are the sons of another Mary, a disciple of Christ, whom St. Matthew significantly calls, "the other Mary." (Mt. 13:55; 28:1; cf. Mt. 27:56)  They are close relations of Jesus, according to an Old Testament expression (Gen 13:8; 14:16; 29:15, etc.)

ARTICLE NO. 501

Jesus is Mary's only son, but her spiritual motherhood extends to all men whom indeed he came to save; "the Son whom she brought forth is he whom God placed as the first-born among many brethren, the faithful in whose generation and formulation she cooperates with a mother's love." (Lumen gentium 63; cf. Jn 19:26-27; Rom 8:29; Rev. 12:17)

THEOTOKOS - THEOTOKOS, MOTHER OF GOD

Deacon Jim Breazile ocds

Ó2001 DR. JAMES E. BREAZILE, deacon 
JOHN PAUL EVANGELIST OCDS

SPIRITUALITY 101

SPIRITUAL REFLECTION- 33

Deacon Jim Breazile ocds

A Russian Pilgrim having extended his Holy pilgrimage to several months was far from home. One morning, he entered a chapel and sat in front of a large window above the altar.  As the sun had not yet risen, he could not clearly make out the images in the window. He could only see some dull colors, some dim figures, and the window seemed to him far from a work of art.  As he was tired from his long walk, he dozed as he reflected on his feelings about the window, about events in his life and in the world.

After a time, feeling the warmth of the sun on his face, he opened his eyes.  The stained-glass window was now clearly illuminated by the new risen sun. He was stunned at the clarity and beauty of what in the dim light seemed so meaningless. In magnificent combined colors God was present in the burning bramble to Moses feeding his flock in the grass. The pilgrim then thought; "Perhaps this is the way of the world. It often seems that the world is so alienating, so disorganized and our understanding of the things of the world are often so dim.  But when the light of truth from the Holy Spirit falls upon it, we can clearly see that heaven is present to us in the things of this world. This is the Gift of Knowledge, that can only be received from the Lord.

KNOWLEDGE (Receive my instruction in preference to silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold. Prov.8:10)

                The gift of knowledge is well described in Chapter 2:11-16 of Paul's 1^st letter to the Corinthians.  Paul writes; "Among human beings, who knows what pertains to a person except the spirit of the person that is within? Similarly, no one knows what pertains to God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the things freely given us by God and we speak about them not with words taught by human wisdom, but with words taught by the Spirit, describing spiritual realities in spiritual terms.  Now the natural person does not accept what pertains to the Spirit of God, for him it is foolishness, and he cannot understand it, because it is judged spiritually. The spiritual person, however, can judge everything but is not subject to judgment by anyone. For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to counsel him? But we have the mind of Christ. "

                Like the gift of understanding the gift of knowledge trains and perfects the intellect concerning the virtue of faith. The gift of understanding serves as the eyes of the soul that peer into the depths and glories of the world of faith. The gift of knowledge is light to the soul illuminating the objects of faith. By the gift of knowledge the Holy Spirit enlightens to see God's hand in all that is created and keeps us aware of his continuing presence and care. Through the gift of knowledge that penetrates all causes, we gain a certitude that the enlightenment and the life we enjoy in the world comes only from God.

                We come to know that He is life eternal, flowing out into His creation, sustaining all things in their proper order. The gift of knowledge enlightens our mind that God is joy and peace and causes us to rejoice in the harmony between nature and grace, between God's commandments and human nature.  This knowledge spurs us on to love and this love in turn spurs us on to greater knowledge.

                Knowledge imparted by the Holy Spirit is not merely a knowledge of theology as learned in a classroom. It is a living knowledge that flows within us, as a holy unction that is expressed in all aspects of our lives. It encourages us and shows us the way to live our spiritual and temporal lives in a harmony with what is pleasing to God. Through the gift of knowledge of God, we receive an urgency to adore, admire and praise him.  For those who receive the gift of teaching, the gift of knowledge enables them to present the most sublime and mysterious teachings of the Church in an attractive and motivating manner. It enlightens them as needed to provide the most appropriate illustrations and parables for any given occasion.

                The application of the gift of knowledge, like all the Lord's gifts to us, however is not automatic or magic. Its use in our lives requires that we exercise and nurture the gift and allow it to grow. The primary means of  nourishment of the gift of knowledge is study. There is no better way to nourish the gift of knowledge than through prayerful study of the Scriptures. Both the Old and the New Testaments reveal Gods greatest gift to us in His Son, Jesus. God inspired the writing of the Bible in order that we can know Him and His ways. The entire Bible breathes the spirit of Knowledge into our souls. 

                The second means of nourishment of the gift of knowledge is to practice it. Apply the gift in all occasions in which knowledge of God is useful in spreading His love, concern and understanding in the world. Practice the use of the gift of knowledge within your family, at work, at play, and particularly in conversation with your friends. Talk , think and pray about those things that you know about God and His creation. Through the use of this gift you will find that your confidence will gradually increase and the Lord will provide more opportunities to you in which you can use the gift.

                With continuing study and exercise of the gift of knowledge, you will come to express this gift in all that you are.  Praise the Lord!!! Through the gift of knowledge, we become increasingly His image and likeness.

NEW CATHOLIC CATECHISM

ARTICLE NO. 515

                The Gospels were written by men who were among the first to have faith (cf. Mk 1:1; Jn 21:24) and wanted to share it with others. Having known in faith who Jesus is, they could see and make others see the traces of his mystery in all his earthly life. From the swaddling clothes of his birth to the vinegar of his Passion and the shroud of his Resurrection, everything in Jesus' life was a sign of his mystery. (Cf. Lk 2:7; Mt. 27:48; Jn 20:7)  His deeds, miracles and words all reveled that "in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily." (Col. 2:9) His humanity appeared as "sacrament," that is, the sign and instrument of his divinity and of the salvation he brings: what was visible in his earthly life leads to the invisible mystery of his divine Sonship and redemptive mission.

GLORY RESTORED

Deacon Jim Breazile ocds

Ó2001 DR. JAMES E. BREAZILE, deacon 
JOHN PAUL EVANGELIST OCDS

SPIRITUALITY 101

SPIRITUAL REFLECTION- 34

Deacon Jim Breazile ocds

COUNSEL (For lack of guidance a people falls; security lies in many counselors. Prov. 11:14. Plans fail when there is no counsel, but they succeed when counselors are many. Prov. 15:22)

                There was once a very large monastery in Europe that enjoyed a large number of vocations.  With time, however, the number of those applying for acceptance into the monastery began to dwindle. The Abbot, who had been in the monastery for many years became concerned that if vocations to the consecrated life did not increase there was a danger that they may have to close the monastery.  In seeking advice about what to do with this dilemma, he was advised to visit Blessed Padre Pio.  Padre Pio was noted for his ability to exhibit the gifts of the Holy Spirit, especially the gift of counsel.

                The Abbot, without making an appointment, set out at once to visit Padre Pio.  When he arrived at his residence he ask to visit the famous priest.  He was informed that the Padre was at prayer and was directed to his room.  As the Abbot quietly approached the room, he found the priest sitting quietly, with his eyes closed, in deep meditation.  The Abbot sat and waited.  Within a few minutes Padre Pio opened his eyes and looked straight at the Abbot. He said, "You are the Abbot of a monastery that has been experiencing a dwindling membership are you not?"  The Abbot, surprised that the Padre without being asked, knew of his needs, nodded his head and said, "Yes, I am afraid that there is something we are doing wrong. Our monks obey the Rule, they pray earnestly, they work hard and they are obedient. I am at my wits end to understand what is wrong."

                The Padre shook his head and said, "The problem with your monastery is that the Lord is angry with you and you will not succeed unless you can respond to His anger." "Why is He angry with us? declared the Abbot, we are His faithful servants."  Padre Pio then said, "The Lord's most Holy Son is one of your monks, and you and the other monks have not given Him the respect that the Father would expect. You have not even recognized his presence, and have treated him as you would any other man. Until you recognize Him and begin to treat Him as the Son of your Holy Father, your monastery will fail.

                The Abbot became greatly excited and said, "Who is He? Which monk is the Son of the Father? I will assure that he will receive treatment proper to the Son of the Father!"  Padre Pio simply shook his head and said, "I cannot tell you which monk it is. I am afraid that you will have to determine that for yourself."

                The Abbot returned to the monastery and announced to all the monks what Padre Pio had told him.  Each monk then looked at all the others and said to himself, "He certainly is not me, He must be one of them.  They each began to treat each other as though each were the Son of God most high. Within a year, the monastery once again became attractive to young men and became the largest monastery of the world.

The gift of Counsel perfects our personal judgement regarding how we are to act and provides insight into the spiritual life of others. 

                Each of the gifts affecting the intellect has as its aim the perfection of some aspect of our practical life. They aid us so to regulate our life that God becomes its norm as well as its final end.  The Holy Spirit has a special gift to perfect this purpose. This is the effect of the gift of counsel.

                Reason and revelation furnish us with moral principles, but often do not provide specify directives for each moral action. The proper application of moral principles to each individual moral action in our lives is often a very difficult matter. Life takes on a thousand shapes, and any give moral action is markedly different from all others. Our judgment, too, especially if influenced by the passions, is easily influenced or misdirected.  Often did St. Ambrose say that we are like those who are sick of a fever, suffering from illusions and wild dreams.  We all recognize the dilemma in our every day lives, yet we also acknowledge the necessity of making correct moral decisions to guide our actions.  It is because of this recognition that St. Thomas Aquinas writes that "man must be guided by God who knows all things. This guidance is furnished through the gift of counsel. By counsel man is directed as if he had received counsel from God, just as among men those who cannot decide for themselves, seek counsel from wiser men."

                By the gift of counsel, therefore, the Holy Spirit, all wise and all loving, becomes our counselor in "all things necessary to salvation" (Summa. Th. 2 2 qu, 52) Just as the gift of wisdom perfects charity and the gifts of understanding and knowledge perfect faith, the gift of counsel perfects the virtue of prudence. The gift of counsel imparts calmness to our soul, a sense of security and deep peace. We have certainty that we are led by the hand of One Who knows the will of God in each particular moral action of our lives.  In this serenity, we can say with confidence that "The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing that I shall want." (Ps 22:1)

                In addition to the promotion of our personal spiritual life, counsel provides insights that are helpful in promoting the spiritual life of others.  Trust in the gift of counsel allows parents to give proper guidance toward a spiritual life to their children or spouse.  Neighbors and friends are often drawn to a person who strongly demonstrates the gift of counsel. With loving understanding and unselfish devotedness to the truth of the Lord, this person can assist in discerning inborn or infused talents and help them come to fruition.

                The Holy Spirit is generous with His gifts. He freely offers them to us. He wishes, however, that we make an effort to obtain them and prepare ourselves by removing all obstacles from their path.  We prepare ourselves for the gift of counsel by attentiveness and obedience to recognizable inspirations by the Lord. This preparation occurs most effectively if we are faithful to a life of prayer.

THE NEW CATHOLIC CATECHISM

ARTICLE NO. 519

All Christ riches “are for every individual and are everybody’s property.” Christ did not live his life for himself but for us, from his Incarnation “for us men and for our salvation” to his death “for our sins” and Resurrection “for our justification.” (1 Cor 15:3; Rom 4:25) He is still “our advocate with the Father,” who “always lives to make intercession” for us. (1 Jn 2:1; Heb 7:25) He remains ever “in the presence of God on our behalf, bringing before him all that he lived and suffered for us.” (Heb 9:24)

UNION WITH CHRIST

Deacon Jim Breazile ocds

Ó2001 DR. JAMES E. BREAZILE, deacon 
JOHN PAUL EVANGELIST OCDS

 SPIRITUALITY 101

SPIRITUAL REFLECTION- 35

Deacon Jim Breazile ocds

FORTITUDE

One warm summer day a shepherd lad resting in the sun, fell asleep by his flock. One of the goats that he used to lead the sheep saw the lad nodding off and was incited to attack the boy. The boy was greatly angered by the goat. He grabbed the goat and threw him over a nearby cliff. Instantly the all the sheep, as they had been accustomed to doing, followed the goat and the shepherd lost his entire flock.

                This is what happens when we respond to the habits that we acquire from repetitively giving vent to our selfishness or passions. Each time we respond in this way, we risk the loss of the our most precious treasure, our immortal soul.  To enable us to forego such a loss, the Holy Spirit has blessed us with the gift of Fortitude.

                Although fortitude is a virtue of strength infused at our Baptism, and renewed in each sacrament we

celebrate, the Holy Spirit adds to it a further element of strength, the gift of fortitude. The gift adds to the virtue of fortitude and brings it to perfection.  Exercise of the gift of fortitude may be viewed as the heroism of the Christian. Fortitude manifests itself in heroic action and heroic endurance. St. Thomas Aquinas wrote; "The gift of fortitude enables man to assume the most difficult tasks and to use the divine power as if it were his own, in virtue of his absolute trust." Paul the apostle expressed it thus; "I can do all things in him who strengthens me." (Phil 4:13)

                On several occasions our Lord Jesus spoke of the formidable attack His kingdom would encounter within the world. He at the same time however promised that we can overcome this attack by the strength of the Holy Spirit. "You will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a witness to them and to the gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do not be anxious how or what you are to speak; for what you are to speak will be given you in that hour. For it is not you who are speaking, but the Spirit of the Father who speaks through you." (Matt. 10:18-20).

                The history of the Church has proven these words to be true. In the strength of the Holy Spirit, St. Peter spoke courageously before the High Council: "whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, decide for yourselves. For we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard." (Acts 4:19) These heroic words were followed by heroic deeds on the part of the apostles as each, with the exception of John met with a bloody martyrdom. Through the ages many others have followed the apostles in their heroism.

                Heroism is also necessary to overcome our internal resistance to God's kingdom. This resistance is generally much more formidable, and is more commonly encountered than is external resistance to the kingdom.  Few of us are called to a bloody martyrdom in the world, but we are all called to an unbloody martyrdom over ourselves. It is in this that we fulfill our individual mission of priesthood given to us in our Baptism, a reigning over ourselves.  Inordinate appetites and passions, such as pride, self-love and sensuality plague every Christian in an ongoing often minute-to-minute battle to live within and contribute to the kingdom of God. Paul discusses this battle when he wrote, "What I do, I do not understand. For I do not do what I want, but I do what I hate." (Rom 7:15).  He continues, "but I see in my members another principle at war with the law of my mind, taking me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Miserable one that I am!" (Romans 7:23-24a)

                Paul recognized his weakness, and that without the Spirit of God, he would have been lost. In 2 Cor. 12:9, he expresses that by the Holy Spirit whose "strength is made perfect in weakness," we are delivered from our weakness. The secret moral battle that occurs within the soul of every person represents the need for the gift of fortitude. Paul considers this weakness to be a property of the flesh, and that the flesh wars against our human spirit, so that at times our actions don't make sense, even to ourselves. Only the Holy Spirit is aware of the true value of our human spirit, and discerns when the gift of fortitude is necessary for us to overcome ourselves.

                Although some of us may be called to heroic action within the world for God's kingdom, all are called to heroic endurance of the spiritual suffering within caused by sin. We may find the acts of heroism of some saints to be inspiring, even more inspiring are the fruits of fortitude required by heroic endurance. This inner suffering is a sublime activity, requiring sublime strength. Christ did not redeem the world by doctrine and miracles, but by his passion and death, by His cross.  He calls each of us, in the suffering of our inner weaknesses to join Him on the cross, and allow our suffering, joined with His to assist in the redemption of the world.

                It is as His disciples that we inherit this suffering. He told us plainly, "He who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple." (Lk 12:27)  The perfection of our inner temptations and passions, so that we are tempted to follow only His way and our passions are joined to His thirst for the salvation of souls is assured by a full, unreserved acceptance of the gift of fortitude.

We could each benefit in times of trial from the prayer

"Veni Creator"

"O gift of God, yours is the sweet,

Consoling name of Paraclete

And spring of life and fire of love

And unction flowing from above.

Oh, guide our minds with your blest light

With love our hearts inflame

And with your strength which never fails

Confirm our mortal frame!"

THE NEW CATHOLIC CATECHISM: Article No. 520

In all of his life Jesus presents himself as our model.  He is “the perfect man,” (Rom 15;5; Phil 2:5) who invites us to become His disciples and follow Him.  In humbling Himself, He has given us an example to imitate, through his prayer he draws us to pray, and by his poverty he calls us to accept freely the privation and persecutions that may come our way. (Jn 13:15; Lk 11:1; Mt. 5:11-12)

MODEL FOR MAN

Deacon Jim Breazile ocds

Ó2001 DR. JAMES E. BREAZILE, deacon 
JOHN PAUL EVANGELIST OCDS

SPIRITUALITY 101

SPIRITUAL REFLECTION- 36

Deacon Jim Breazile ocds

PIETY (He who possesses this gift and allows it to be present in their life becomes the living image of the charity of Christ, our Redeemer)

                One night Saint Bernard was in the choir saying the office with his monks when he saw on each one's side an angel writing on a piece of paper. Some of the angels were writing with gold letters; others with silver letters; others with ink, and some weren't writing anything. The Lord gave Saint Bernard to understand that the gold letters signified the devotion of the one praying; the silver letters a less fervent devotion; and the ink letters only the diligence to say the words absent-mindedly, The angels who weren't writing signified the laziness of the monks that did not pray.

                What kind of ink would our angel use to signify our prayer? Or, would they write at all?

                It is piety that renders the relationship of the soul to God perfect, and which is therefore, with the gift of fear of the Lord, the basis for living the other gifts of the Holy Spirit and of our spiritual life.

                God is above all the mysterious Being whose infinite majesty and holiness forces us to our knees, and often causes us to tremble before Him. This fear of the Lord, which we will consider in the following reflection is not one of consideration of punishment, as much as it is one of extreme concern for displeasing His perfection.  God is, after all an incomprehensible mystery of infinite love. He holds us in His heart as His most dear possession. Certainly He is not one who under any circumstance wants to harm us. It is His love, instilled within us through Sacramental grace that causes us to reach out our arms to him in order to return His love.

                Our love for God presupposes a reverent fear and a loving trust in the disposition of total dependency of a child.  The gift of piety that enables us recognize this dependency and infuses the knowledge that God is our Father. The greatest of His gifts is our divine Sonship, a partaking in His divine nature and life (2 peter 1:4).

                The most daring thing Our Lord Jesus taught us to say was "Our Father, Who art in heaven."  The Holy Spirit enters our heart with the pledge of our Sonship with God (Gal. 4:6), and "gives testimony to our spirit that we are sons of God," "by virtue of which we can say; "Abba! Father!" (Rom. 8:14).  If it were possible to say that one gift of infinite love is greater than another, one would say that this knowledge, that we share in His divinity would have to rank near the top. Nothing we could know would be more dear to us if we truly believe in our hearts what we conceive in our minds.

                We must continually keep in mind, however, that the Gifts of the Holy Spirit are not only given to us to make us pleasing to God the Father, but also to empower us to the service of others. The attitude toward God reveals itself also in our attitude toward all other people, all other creatures and creation as a whole.  By virtue of the gift of piety we see in all created things, natural and supernatural, images of the greatness, the mystery and the goodness of God our Father.  Responding to this knowledge, we may find ourselves doing such things as putting our hands on a poor withered, half dead oak tree and asking the Father to heal it. We may find ourselves laying our hands on other people and asking God to bless them in His special way, so that they too will know His love.  The gift of piety instills in us an unquenchable desire for everyone to know Him, love Him and serve Him. It also empowers us to see everyone as a special gift from God to us, to be cherished because God cherishes them. Our enemies become our loved ones. We will find ourselves strangers in the world, because in the eyes of those who don't have this insight, we will do silly things. We will actual love our enemies, and wish to die for them if necessary to bring this great gift of piety to them.

                When we begin to recognize and respond to the gift of piety, we are not only faithful to prayers to which we may have been assigned by others, or committed ourselves to, but we will find ourselves praying always. The whole universe around us will glow with His eternal love. Everything will become for us, a gift from Him. Sermons, Scripture, Sacred writings, venerable customs, which may in the past been routine, or even boring to us, will begin to be received with great joy and loving reverence.

Piety, a word that is often used in a disparaging manner, because of the many times we put on the act, and don't perceive the gift, is the most transforming of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, when we truly let it operate in our lives. Transformation is not adequate to describe what this gift does for us. The idea of transfiguration is more accurate in describing its effect. Through the gift of piety, we are empowered to let the glow of Divine Love, which is always fresh, to show through us for the entire world to see. 

                The gift of piety is the crown and perfection of the blessings and fruits of the other gifts of the Holy Spirit. It is a strong bulwark against sin and a powerful force to loving prayer. The more firmly we are anchored in a childlike love of God, the more remote is the danger of our offending God and the more intense is our desire to please Him. This all-pervading love gives us a delicate conscience, preserves us from an exaggerated, unhealthy anxiety, and makes us constantly aware that we live within His majesty and within His mercy.

NEW CATHOLIC CATECHISM ARTICLE NO. 521

Christ enables us to live in Him all that Himself lived, and He lives it in us. “By His Incarnation, He, the Son of God, has in a certain way united Himself with each man.” We are called only to become one with him, for He enables us as the members of His Body to share in what He lived for us in His flesh as our model:

We must continue to accomplish in ourselves the stages of Jesus’ life and His mysteries and often to beg Him to perfect and realize them in us and in His whole Church....For it is the plan of the Son of God to make us and the whole Church partake in His mysteries and to extend them to and continue them in us and in His whole church. This is His plan for fulfilling His mysteries in us.

SHARED MYSTERIES

Deacon Jim Breazile ocds

("gleeing"!!! One must remember that poets have a certain license to use words that don't exist)

Ó2001 DR. JAMES E. BREAZILE, deacon 
JOHN PAUL EVANGELIST OCDS

SPIRITUALITY 101

SPIRITUAL REFLECTION- 37

Deacon Jim Breazile o.c.d.s.

To make a coin, the minter must first apply the proper heated to a mixture of unique and valuable metals in order to melt and blend them together. It is proportions of the blended, unique metals that give the coin its value. After the blending and the metals cooled they are formed into a sheet and placed it into a press. The press produces many tons of pressure that separates the coin from the sheet places images on its surface that assure the users of the coin of its legitimate origin and value.  The metal must yield itself to the fire in order to enter the blend and then after matured by cooling, it must yield itself to the press in order that it become a coin.  All during the process the metals never rebel. They simply respond to the nature that God has given them, and allow the minter to determine their value.

                We are the coin of God's realm. We are to respond to the wonderful and unique nature that our Lord has given us. When we are blended into a community of others who are responding in a similar manner we are ready for the press. The press is the daily trials that the world, Satan and the flesh bring to us, to diminish our value. The fear that we will not please the minter and be thrown onto the trash heap causes us to persist. Fear of failing our minter, the Lord, who forms us into a marvelous saint, is the fullness of wisdom.

FEAR OF THE LORD (Ecclesiasticus 1: 14; “The fullness of wisdom is fear of the Lord; she inebriates men with her fruits.” 1:16; “Wisdom’s garland is fear of the Lord, with blossoms of peace and perfect health.” 1:18; The root of wisdom is fear of the Lord; her branches are length of days.”)

                The Fear of God is an essential part of reverence for God, rooted in deep faith. It awakens a vivid consciousness of the infinite greatness and majesty, power and wisdom, holiness and justice of God with a corresponding consciousness of one’s own nothingness and unsaintliness. This realization inspires a profound admiration and a humble prostration before God’s great majesty. It is in fear of the Lord that the Seraphic angels in heaven veil their faces and cry out “Holy, holy holy, Lord God of hosts, all the earth is full of His glory!” (Is 6:3). The fear of the Lord disposes us to surrender completely to His holy will. “They who fear the Lord, will seek after the things that are well-pleasing to him.” (Ecclesiasticus 2:19).

                The praise of this holy fear of God resounds throughout the Old Testament and is promised as a special blessing of the messianic era. “I will make an everlasting covenant with them and will not cease to do them good: and I will give my fear in their heart, that they may not turn away from me.” (Jer. 32:40).  Jesus, himself received the fullness of this gift; “He shall be filled with the spirit of the fear of the Lord.” (Is. 11:3). It is the gift of fear of the Lord that enflames our soul, arousing it to great fervor to do Gods will in all things. Fear of the lord removes any fear of the world that prevent us from reaching the perfection promised by our Lord.

                Although God is not bound by sacraments, each of us who are Baptized can be assured that we have been empowered by the gift of fear of the Lord.  The only limitation to its expression is our intellect and our will. We can depend so much upon rational thought that we will not allow our faith to be perfected by this gift. We can protect our will from the gift of fear of the Lord to the degree that we will not allow faith to be exhibited in our life. Within the world we see the glory of Gods creation being continuously degraded by the lack of concern by mankind. Brothers war against brother, fathers against sons, and we express our distress. Why doesn’t someone do something?   Why is not the grace of God exhibited in His creation?  What are the obstacles to His grace?  Until the gift of fear of the Lord is expressed in our personal and public prayer, our personal and public conversation, our economic, social, judicial, religious and vocational lives, we are the obstacle to grace.  Fear of the Lord empowers us remain faithful to our uniqueness and magnificence within His creation. This faithfulness will lead us to a full share in His divinity.

                Since fear of the Lord is the last of the seven gifts to be discussed, we will pause at this point to take a broad view of the purpose and end of the seven gifts. It was previously indicated that most Scripture contains only 6 gifts of the Holy Spirit, but that the gift of piety was added in order to provide essential support and to more clearly indicate the meaning of piety. All the gifts in fact are interactive. Their individual influences supporting and depend upon all the others. This relationship emphasizes that there is one Gift, with several gifts associated with the one Gift.  The one Gift is the third Person of the Blessed Trinity, The Holy Spirit.  The Spirit of God enters into us as sanctifying grace. Through a union with our human spirit, and He enables us to be pleasing to God the Father.  The infusion of the gifts of the Holy Spirit unite us to all of the Fathers creation, and enable us to be at service to it. Our service to Gods creation is to enable the glory of the Trinity that it contains to show forth.  Paul assures this in the letter to the Romans (8:19-21) "For creation awaits with eager expectation the revelation of the children of God; for creation was made subject to futility, not of its own accord but because of the one who subjected it in hope that creation itself would be set free from slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God."  

                We have emphasized in previous reflections that man is created to be the glory of God (Isaiah 43:7).  Sacred Scripture informs us that all things are held in unity in the Word of God, the Son. All was created through Him and all is held into being through Him. In the incarnation, He united the Glory of Gods divinity with the world of man.  In the ascension, He took the material and spiritual man with His divinity to the Father. There He remains for all eternity. When men today allow the gifts of the Holy Spirit to transfigure their bodies, minds, hearts, spirits and souls to the glory of God they share in full measure in the divinity of the risen Lord. When the divinity of God within us transfigures us it shines forth, much as it did the physical body of Jesus on the mountain of transfiguration.  The transfiguration of the body and in part the mind involves the transfiguration of the material man.  The transfiguration of the mind, heart, spirit and soul involves a transfiguration of the spiritual man.

Man is the only creature in which intellect and will can be brought to bear in a material way through choice to be the glory of God. Man is fully capable through infused grace to abandon his will to the will of God. Each of us has the real potential to join Jesus in that perfect prayer, “Father, not my will, but Your will be done.” Because we have this empowerment, we have the ability to bring all  the material universe to perfection.  The unity of man with matter initiates a transference of this glory to all created matter.

NEW CATHOLIC CATECHISM ARTICLE NO. 525

Jesus was born in a stable, into a poor family. Simple shepherds were the first witnesses to this event. In this poverty heaven’s glory was made manifest. The Church never tires of singing the glory of this night:

                The virgin today brings into the world the Eternal

                And the earth offers a cave to the inaccessible.

                The angels and shepherds praise him

                And the magi advance with the star,

                For you are born for us,

                Little Child, God eternal!

BLESSING OF SOIL

Deacon Jim Breazile ocds

Ó2001 DR. JAMES E. BREAZILE, deacon 
JOHN PAUL EVANGELIST OCDS

SPIRITUALITY 101

SPIRITUAL REFLECTION- 38

Deacon Jim Breazile ocds

Mary contracted measles when she was 32 years old. The virus affected her optic nerves. Both nerves lost their function and she gradually became blind. Blindness was such a shock to her that she withdrew from family and friends, attending only to her husband and children. She refused to go out because of her embarrassment of having to depend solely upon others. She became a recluse, not even leaving the home to attend Church services on Sundays and Holy Days.

One evening, a friend visited Mary and asked if she could pray for her. Mary had little faith that anything would happen but gave her permission. Mary bowed her head and her friend placed her hands upon her head and shoulder. Mary heard her friend invoke the Lord for healing, and to ask the angels and saints, particularly the archangel Raphael to anoint her and give her sight.  Mary began to feel the heat of her friends hands, and heard her friend begin to speak in a language that she did not understand. As the heat intensified, Mary saw flashes of light, and then began to see the room around her. In her excitement, she noticed that even though she did not understood the words her friend was speaking, she received a strength of peace and comfort in the words. Suddenly Mary could see everything around her. She looked at her friend, who seemed to be in a trance of some kind and who continued to mutter incoherent phrases and words.

Suddenly her friend stopped praying and reached out to Mary with an embrace of pure love. Mary felt an ecstasy of love surge through her, and realized that both she and her friend were bathed in tears. Mary was healed by the love of the Lord that was poured into her through the love of her friend.

                This was Mary's first encounter with the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit. She knew that the Lord had given her friend the gift of healing, the gift of tears and the gift of tongues.  Mary, herself, not only received a healing of her physical body, but found her faith to be greatly increased. She could not and has not stopped praising the Lord since that day.

THE CHARISMS

Because they are infused into all who are Baptized, the gifts of the Holy Spirit considered in the previous reflections are called the ordinary gifts. In addition to the ordinary gifts, there are many other gifts of the Holy Spirit. Among them are those said to be charisms. These gifts are given to individuals as and when God wishes. The purpose of the charisms is to complement the ordinary gifts in building up or strengthening the community of faith. (Acts 14:12)

Paul introduces us to the charisms in his first letter to the Corinthians. (12:4-11) Paul emphasizes that although each person receives a different variety of gifts, they all come from the same Spirit. (12:4-6) It is the gift of charisms that explains why one person may be able to express the ordinary gifts of faith, wisdom or knowledge, of fortitude more effectively than another (12:8-9). Some are empowered to heal physical, mental, or spiritual illness.(12:9)  Some exhibit the gift of prophecy, others discernment of spirits, or to speak in tongues and others to interpret tongues (12:10).

Although these gifts may be expressed at Baptism, we must remember that the Lord is not bound by sacraments. He may distribute His gifts as He wishes and when He wishes. A good example of this is the adult who receives the gift of faith and desires Baptism. This is the situation that Peter encountered in the household of Cornelius, a Roman centurion. Cornelius responded in faith to a message from an angel (Acts 10:3). Peter preached the Good News to the family of Cornelius and the Holy Spirit within them began to be expressed in speaking in tongues and glorifying God. Upon recognition of the charisms of the Lord, Peter had the first Gentiles of the Catholic church baptized. (10:44-48) Because of the recognition of the expression of charisms a conversion experience, such as experienced by Cornelius is often called a "Baptism in the Holy Spirit".

Charisms like the ordinary gifts, may not be immediately expressed until the individual empowers them at a time at which they have the greatest potential for building of His Kingdom. If an adult is properly prepared prior to Baptism, by 2 to 3 years of thorough catechesis and spiritual guidance, the expression of the charisms may occur at Baptism. Many Baptized Christians do not discover their particular charisms until sometime in their life, when their particular charisms are useful for the Church.

Charisms deepen faith in those who exhibit them and in those who are served by them. Although charisms are always good, they can easily be misused within the Church community. Misuse of the charisms, or any gift of God may do great damage to the family of the Church and fail to accomplish Gods desire. Paul recognized this situation in the community at Corinth and outlined very clear guidelines in the expression of particular charisms. (1 Cor. 14:1-40)  Besides Paul's directives regarding the use of specific charisms that he emphasizes are commandments of the Lord (1 Cor 14:37), there are a few guidelines for the expression of all  the gifts of the Holy Spirit, either ordinary or extraordinary. Firstly Paul emphasizes that unless the gifts are accompanied with love for all of God's people they are useless. (1 Cor 13:1-13). The second is that they must be used with a great amount of prudence. Properly expressed, the charisms will not produce a community of the "gifted," that is separate from the body of the Church. Although charisms are very useful in building strength and faith in a community within the Church, public expression should be conducted with great care so as not to harm the Body of Christ.

NEW CATHOLIC CATECHISM

ARTICLE NO. 526

To become a child in relation to God is the condition of entering the kingdom. (Mt. 18:3-4) For this, we must humble ourselves and become little. Even more: to become "children of God" we must be "born from above" or "born of God." (Jn 3:7; 1:13; 1:12; cf. Mt. 23:12) Only when Christ is formed in us will the mystery of Christmas be fulfilled in us. (Cf. Gal 4:19) Christmas is the mystery of this "marvelous exchange":

O marvelous exchange! Man's Creator has become man, born of the virgin. We have been made shares in the divinity of Christ who humbled himself to share our humanity. (Antiphon I of Evening Prayer for January 1^st.)

Child of God

Deacon Jim Breazile ocds

Ó2001 DR. JAMES E. BREAZILE, deacon 
JOHN PAUL EVANGELIST OCDS

SPIRITUALITY 101

SPIRITUAL REFLECTION- 39

Deacon Jim Breazile ocds

There was once a king, who was continually searching for happiness in his life. The administration of his kingdom occupied a great deal of his time and he found little happiness there.  He tried hunting, fishing, mountain climbing and other physical activities, but still was not happy.  One day a friend of his suggested that he visit a Tibetan sage, who lived in the Himalayan's. Many had been to visit the sage, and had found happiness.  The king traveled to Tibet and visited with the sage. The sage suggested that the king give up his kingdom and spend his time in the mountains in meditation. The king rejected the suggestion. The sage suggested that he obtain a spiritual advisor who could continually guide him in the ways of human and divine spirits, wherein he might find happiness. The king rejected this suggestion.  The sage, nearly at the end of his repertoire of suggestions, asked the king if it would be possible to find a happy man in his kingdom. The king immediately and emphatically stated, "that will be easy, all my subjects are happy!"; The sage told him to obtain a shirt from a happy man and wear it. The wearing of the shirt would bring him happiness.

      The king was elated. He hurried home and immediately sent his men out into the kingdom to find a happy man. Wherever they sought, they found only unhappy men. It seemed there were no happy men in the kingdom. Upon hearing their report, the king decided he would accompany his men. Surely there must be a happy man in all his kingdom. They searched the far reaches of the kingdom however and found no happiness.  The king was greatly disappointed and decided to return to his castle.

One afternoon, while riding through a small forest, he heard a man singing. The king became very excited. Surely if the man was singing, he would be a happy man. He ordered his men to find the man and bring him the shirt that the man was wearing.  In their search, they came upon a small hut, in which the man was singing. They broke into the hut and found an old man at prayer, singing praises to the Lord. They asked the old man if he was happy. He said that he was not only happy, but he was the happiest man in the kingdom. The men told the old man of their mission and asked for his shirt so that the king might wear it and find happiness. The old man replied, "I am sorry that I cannot give a shirt to the king. You see, I have given all that I have to the poor, and I have no shirt."

We will find happiness only when we are detached from the things of this life.

THE BEATITUDES

      The search for happiness is inherent in all of us. St. Augustine puts it this way,

"we all want to live happily; in the whole human race, there is no one who does not assent to this proposition, even before it is fully articulated.";  (de moribus eccl. 1, 3, 4: PI 32, 1312) and "How is it then, that I seek you Lord? Since in seeking you my Lord, I seek a happy life, let me seek you so that my soul may live, for my body draws life from my soul and my soul draws life from you." (Conf. 10, 20 PI, 32, 791)

God creates us so that we will search for perfection. In our childhood years, we search for the biggest, brightest, the best toys. As we grew older, we searched for the best persons to be our friends. In our late teens, we begin to be interested in those of the opposite sex. We selected the most handsome, smartest, the fastest,  and whatever it is that sets that person off as special for us. We are looking for perfection to fill a void in our lives. We are created in this way, in order that our search for perfection will eventually bring us to discover the only source of perfection, God Himself.

      God is aware that our search will take place, and prepares us through virtues and gifts of the Holy Spirit, to fill our emptiness with Him.  In order to assist us further, he gives us a mentality or a way of thinking about ourselves and of Him, that enables Him to enter our lives. The vocation God has created us for is to be  blessing to His creation. In his teaching of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus outlines His formula for life, that leads to perfection. These are called the beatitudes (or simply the blessings).

      A life of beatitude is the result and a continuation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. They are a way of life in which the life of Christ is demonstrated in our life.  As Jesus lived and thought, so we are to live and think.  Because each of us are unique and individual, when we are all living lives of  beatitude, humanity will be completely compatible with the Kingdom of God on earth. The beatitudes are Gods response to our natural desire for happiness. When we accept this response of God, and live the beatitudes in our minute-to-minute life, the world will see Jesus, truly and alive within us.

      The beatitudes reveal the goal of human existence, the ultimate end of all human acts: God calls us to his own beatitude. This vocation is addressed to each individual personally, but also the Church as a whole, the new people made up of those who have accepted the promise and live from it in faith. (New Catholic Catechism, Article No. 1719)

NEW CATHOLIC CATECHISM

ARTICLE NO. 536

The baptism of Jesus is on his part the acceptance and inauguration of his mission as God's suffering Servant.  He allows himself to be numbered among sinners; he is already, "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world."(Jn 1:29; Isa 53:12) Already he is anticipating the "baptism" of his bloody death. (Mk 10:38; Lk 12:50) Already he is coming to "fulfill all righteousness," that is, he is submitting himself entirely to his Father's will: "out of love he consents to this baptism of death for the remission of our sins."(Mt 3:15; 26:39) The Father's voice responds to the Sons acceptance, proclaiming his entire delight in his Son. (Lk 3:22) The Spirit whom Jesus possessed in fullness from his conception comes to "rest on him."(Jn 1:32-33) Jesus will be the source of the Spirit for all mankind. At his baptism "the heavens were opened" (Mt 3:16) -- the heavens that Adams sin had closed -- and the waters were sanctified by the descent of Jesus and the Spirit, a prelude to the new creation.

ARTICLE NO.  537

Through Baptism the Christian is sacramentally assimilated to Jesus, who in his own baptism anticipates his death and resurrection. The Christian must enter into this mystery of humble self-abasement and repentance, go down into the water with Jesus in order to rise with him, be reborn of water and the Spirit so as to become the Father's beloved son in the Son and "walk in newness of life."(Rom 6:4)

Ó2001 DR. JAMES E. BREAZILE, deacon 
JOHN PAUL EVANGELIST OCDS

SPIRITUALITY 101

SPIRITUAL REFLECTION- 40

Deacon Jim Breazile ocds

THE BEATITUDES

Realizing that the Holy Trinity is a mystery that is incomprehensible to our weak intellects, faith assures us that this mystery is true. In order, however, to make such a mystery more tangible in our lives, the Church Fathers often used apologetic methods to provide examples, metaphors, contrasts and parallels to furnish us with something to grasp of the mystery that might be applicable in our every day lives. The apologetic provided here will also assist us to understand something of the relationship between the three Persons of the Holy Trinity, and the symbols and words used in Creeds and in Scripture to describe these relationships. It will also provide us with a basis for why we are so important to God that He wishes to share His inner life with us.

Within your imagination, take a moment to travel back within time to the beginning of eternity. As we pass the time of creation of planets, nebulae, galaxies and space itself, we enter an eternal darkness where there is nothing. Within the center of the eternal darkness, however, there is a light. The light is our Lord. He is alone in eternity.  We know that the Father, as a person has a will and an intellect. Because he has an intellect, He thinks. As there is only the Father and nothing more, what would He think?  He could contemplate only what is, Himself.  Because He is eternal, in His contemplation he would develop an eternal thought that comprehended all that was and ever would be for all eternity.

This eternal thought is so full and  complete as it is begotten from the being of the Father, to the degree that it contains His essential nature. The thought, which could be conceived as the Idea or the "Word of God". Because it is derived of His essence, the word also has an eternal intellect and will and is therefore, a Second eternal Person. Because it was begotten by God, the eternal Generator was the Father and the Word begotten is His Son, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity.

The Father contemplated and loved the Word and the Word contemplated and loved the Father. The love proceeding from the Father and the Son contains the essential nature of the Father and the Son,  possessing intellect and will and is the Third eternal Person. Love is the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit. There are no means by which such an all-comprehending love can be expressed in psalm, song, metaphor or parable.  It can only be expressed as a great eternal sigh proceeding from the Father and the Son, the Holy Breath of God. 

One may ask, when did the Father think?  He thought always, throughout eternity, therefore the Son is eternal. When did the Father and the Son love?  They loved always, throughout eternity, therefore the Holy Spirit is eternal.

                Because the Word of God, that eternal thought contained all that was to be throughout eternity, you and I were personally a part of that thought. God has known us for all eternity. At the time of conception, He generated a unique, individual soul for each of us. Our soul "a seed of eternity we bear within ourselves, irreducible to mere material that can have its origin only in God" (New Catholic Catechism, Article Nos. 33, 366 and 382) contains all that is required to fulfill our vocation to be beatitude within His creation.

It is Gods will that the soul transmit those potentials into our every day lives. He loved me so much that He held me in His Word for all eternity. He loved me into being in order that I could be His love in the world. If I am continuously aware of His love and love Him in return, I will allow my intellect and will, guided by my eternal soul open to Gods will, to control my actions in this world.

NEW CATHOLIC CATECHISM

ARTICLE NO. 536

The baptism of Jesus is on his part the acceptance and inauguration of his mission as God’s suffering Servant.  He allows himself to be numbered among sinners; he is already “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”(Jn 1:29; Isa 53:12) Already he is anticipating the “baptism” of his bloody death. (Mk 10:e38; Lk 12:50) Already he is coming to “fulfill all righteousness,” that is, he is submitting himself entirely to his Father’s will: out of love he consents to this baptism of death for the remission of our sins.(Mt 3:15; 26:39) The Father’s voice responds to the Son’s acceptance, proclaiming his entire delight in his Son.(Lk 3:22) The Spirit whom Jesus possessed in fullness from his conception comes to “rest on him.”(Jn 1:32-33) Jesus will be the source of the Spirit for all mankind. At his baptism “the heavens were opened” (Mt 3:16) -- the heavens that Adam’s sin had closed -- and the waters were sanctified by the descent of Jesus and the Spirit, a prelude to the new creation.

ARTICLE NO.  537

Through Baptism the Christian is sacramentally assimilated to Jesus, who in his own baptism anticipates his death and resurrection. The Christian must enter into this mystery of humble self-abasement and repentance, go down into the water with Jesus in order to rise with him, be reborn of water and the Spirit so as to become the Father’s beloved son in the Son and “walk in newness of life.”(Rom 6:4)

BAPTISM

Deacon Jim Breazile ocds

Ó2001 DR. JAMES E. BREAZILE, deacon 
JOHN PAUL EVANGELIST OCDS