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-

REFLECTION NO.  1

Deacon Jim  Breazile ocds

THE FOLLOWING IDEA SHOULD HELP TO BEGIN A SERIES OF MEDITATIONS, SHARED THOUGHTS OR PERSONAL REFLECTIONS THAT ARE OFFERED TO AID YOU TO DEVELOP A PERSONAL, MATURE  SPIRITUALITY.

 These reflections grew out of a need by many people for spiritual direction and growth.  Realizing that this does not replace a personal spiritual director, I have begun this series to lay a basis for an understanding of the message of the Scriptures, the Teachings of the Church and the Magisterium.

THINGS TO UNDERSTAND:

1. God desires our perfection. 

Not just goodness, but perfection to the degree that we are united entirely, body, mind, heart, spirit and soul with Him. 

2. God created us for this perfection

We are the only creatures who are created for our own sake in order that we could give glory to God

Spirituality or holiness is giving God glory in our words, thoughts, desires, will and actions.

3. This requires transformation, or better yet transfiguration, so that our holiness shine through, just as did Jesus on the mountain.

4. We did not have to learn to breathe. It was natural.  We did not have to learn how to drink, eat, sleep, or any of the other things necessary for our earthly life.  All these are natural and easy.  God made them easy so that we could live a full earthly life.

5. God also wants us to live a full life of holiness.  He has given us all the tools to do this.

Holiness is His desire for us.  He knows that it is essential for us to be holy.

Jean-Pierre de Caussade in "The Joy of full Surrender," emphasizes that God would not make holiness any more difficult than eating, drinking, sleeping or breathing.

      During the fourth century a world-famous scholar, but a sinner, envisioned a good way to assess value and put the soul in its proper perspective. "If all these fellows have been able to do it, why can't you, a scholar, do likewise?"  This sentence made a saint of the great Augustine of Tagaste.

      A young and rich noble of the twelfth century thought about the same thing. "If so many have been able to do it, why can't you? He was Saint Bernard of Claraval.

      In the sixteenth century an aggressive soldier was wounded and while recuperating read many saints' biographies. "If they could, couldn't I too?" said Saint Ignatius of Loyola.

      And in the twenty first century, couldn't I put my soul above everything else?

Reflect on these ideas. If in a group, share your thoughts, and then pray.

NEW CATHOLIC CATECHISM: (Unfortunately many Catholics do not have a copy of the New Catholic Catechism.  I will therefore insert the articles from the Catechism that are referred to in these reflections. It would be helpful, however, to read the articles that are not used in these reflections. The Modern Christian must be armed with a thorough knowledge of both the Bible and the teachings of the Church that gave us the Bible and is the only authority that can give its interpretation.  The New Catholic Catechism is that interpretation.)

Article No.  28

In many ways, throughout history down to the present day, man have given expression to their quest for God in their religious beliefs and behavior: in their prayers, sacrifices, rituals, meditations, and so forth. These forms of religious expression, despite the ambiguities they often bring with them, are so universal that one may well call man a religious being:

From one ancestor [God] made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him---through indeed he is not far from each one of us. for "in him we live and move and have our being."(Acts 17:26-28)

THE INNER QUEST

                      Deacon Jim Breazile ocds

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

SPIRITUALITY 101

REFLECTION NO. 2

Deacon Jim Breazile  ocds

SOURCE AND STRENGTH

The Lord has equipped us well for this journey to perfection.  He has given us a road map, and the empowerment to overcome any obstacle in the road.  The road map we will find in the Beatitudes, and the empowerment comes in Sacramental Grace.

With Sacramental Grace, we are infused with supernatural virtues and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. 

This week, we will begin a series of reflections on the natural, virtues of prudence, justice, temperance and fortitude. They are called natural because we are born with them. Upon Baptism they become supernatural and make us pleasing to God. These are also called the cardinal virtues because on them the entire moral life of man hinges. The first and leading moral virtue is prudence.

PRUDENCE

      On a New Year's Day two cooks of a castle decided to regale their kind lord with something extraordinary. "I" said one, "will bake a beautiful pie which will please him."  "What do you mean?" said the other, "just one dish? I will not be satisfied unless I make him a gift of a dozen different exquisite dishes." Both set to work enthusiastically and soon the first cook had finished a delicious pie, but the second one, trying to attend to so many things at the same time, had a sad experience. While he was preparing a chicken, the soup boiled over and in hs desperate attempt to save the soup, the vegetable pan was overturned. When the dinner gong sounded, the panic-stricken cook sat down and wept at all his good intentions strewn over the kitchen floor.

A prudent man is one who knows how to choose the proper means to reach a specific goal.  Prudence may be used for either good or evil.  St. Paul speaks of a "wisdom of the flesh" (Romans 8:7), known as carnal prudence. Carnal prudence allows itself to be counseled and swayed by inordinate passions or examples of evil people.  It does not deserve to be called prudence, but should be seen as cleverness or cunning, or the wisdom of the world.  St. Paul brands this wisdom of "the children of the world," as "hostile to God." (Rom. 8:7). St. James refers to is as" earthly, sensual, devilish (3:15).

There is also human prudence. We refer to human prudence when we speak of able businessmen, educators, statesmen, and so forth. They have an expertise and a sure hand in pursuing their interests and objectives. They stop, however, at human values and are influenced only by natural considerations, by their own experience and that of others.  It is of great value for the private or common good and is highly esteemed by the world. Scripture says of human prudence: "By wisdom the house shall be built and by prudence it shall be strengthened. By instruction the storeroom shall be filled with all precious and most beautiful wealth. A wise man is strong; and a knowing man, stout and valiant." (Prov. 24:3-5)

Christian prudence builds on, completes and perfects human prudence.  Christian prudence is ruled by the teachings of the Gospel and of the Church. Christian prudence is known by its goal or objective.  Christian prudence places the salvation of the soul above all else.  However trivial a decision to be made may seem at the time, the questions should be asked: "Is it useful for eternity?" "Does it promote or endanger my salvation?" "Does it bring eternity into time?" Listen to our Savior in Matthew 16:26; "What does it profit a man if he gain the whole world but suffer the loss of his own soul?"

The rich were more interested in their bodies than their souls (Lk. 12:20)

The foolish virgins were too careless to keep their lamps filled with oil (Mt. 25:8).

The golden mean of Christian prudence is wise moderation.  It is guided by the mind and heart of the Savior and the apostles.

NEW CATHOLIC CATECHISM ARTICLE NO. 29:

But this "intimate and vital bond of man to God" (Vatican II, Guadium et Spes Article 19,1) can be forgotten, overlooked, or even explicitly rejected by man.  Such attitudes can have different causes: revolt against evil in the world; religious ignorance or indifference; the cares and riches of this world; the scandal of bad example on the part of believers; currents of thought hostile to religion; finally, that attitude of sinful man which makes him hide from God out of fear and flee his call. (Mt. 13:22; Gen 3:8-10; John 1:3)

I WONDER

Deacon Jim Breazile ocds

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

SPIRITUALITY 101

REFLECTION NO. 3

Deacon Jim  Breazile ocds

PRUDENCE

      A young man heard that during his youth Saint Francis de Sales had made a vow to say the rosary every day of his life, and wanted to imitate him. Since the saint was still living, the young man asked is opinion. "Don't do it," replied the saint; "I was young and did it without sufficient thought; yes, say the rosary every day no matter what, but only as something good and holy, not because of a voew. That way you won't commit a sin if you don't say it. I must tell you that my vow has sometimes been a very great inconvenience to me, so much so that there were times when I wanted to be released from it."

      Vows should be kept, and therefore should not be made hastily or unadvisedly.

Through Sacramental Grace, our natural virtues of prudence, justice, temperance and fortitude are raised to a supernatural level.  We begin to apply these properties of our human nature to supernatural questions.  We not only make prudent choices in the world, but we make choices in the world that God would want us to make.  The will of God is for most in all that we do.  Our goal changes from natural to supernatural. We turn from attempting to obtain or to maintain our kingdom in this world, how to live constantly in God's kingdom. Prudence becomes our counselor in the work of the Apostolate.

St. Bernard calls prudence the "auriga virtutum," the helmsman, the guide of virtues.  It is a fitting comparison, for what good is a vehicle without an experienced driver?  Our striving for perfection must be guided by prudence, lest we go astray on paths that lead in other ways.

Prudence teaches us to make the right beginning in striving for perfection. We must begin by avoiding mortal sin and then deliberate venial sins, by ridding ourselves of evil habits, by controlling our inordinate passions. We must first learn to walk, before we can venture to fly. In other words, we must first lay a solid foundation before building the structure of perfection.  Many want to imitate the heroism of saints and cannot even accept a deserved reprimand in silence. Many dream of suffering martyrdom for Christ and cannot bear even the ordinary hardships of family life. Many expect mystical graces and cannot even make a simple meditation. They lack prudence and therefore make a bad beginning.

NEW CATHOLIC CATECHISM Article No. 30:

"Let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice." (Psalm 105:3) Although man can forget God or reject Him, he never ceases to call every man to seek Him, so as to find life and happiness.  But this search for God demands of man every effort of intellect, a sound will, "an upright heart," as well as the witness of others who teach him to seek God.

St. Augustine expresses this idea as follows

"You are great, O Lord and greatly to be praised great is Your power and Your wisdom is without measure. And ;man, so small a part of your creation, wants to praise you: this man, though clothed with mortality and bearing the evidence of sin and the proof that you withstand the proud. Despite everything, man, though but a small a part of your creation, wants to praise you. You yourself encourage him to delight in your praise, for you have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you."

THE CEASELESS CALL

Deacon Jim Breazile ocds

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

SPIRITUALITY 101

REFLECTION NO.  4

Deacon Jim  Breazile ocds

PRUDENCE

      Friends often say that they enjoy a relationship with a friend who does not have very good habits--gambling, drinking, carousing, avoiding Church, but on the other hand my friend is good for me because he comes from a family that can do a lot for me. My friend is refined and can teach me many things, he is rich and can help me in many ways.

      I recall in these situations, the coal dealer and the laundry man. A coal man invited a laundry man to live with him and told him of all the advantages: that they would be company for each other, they could live more cheaply, and could help one another. "That's all well and good," replied the laundry man, "but if my job is washing clothes and yours is handling coal, if you soil what I wash and stain what I bleach, what good are the other advantages?"

      Similarly, what good are all material advantages gained by such a friendship if your friend is going to soil your conscience with vice and run the risk of separating you from God?

Prudence is necessary to make progress in perfection and the greater the advance in virtue, the greater the need of prudence. Life is so complex, passions from within and influences from without are so strong, that it is no easy to see the path of virtue clearly under all circumstances.  Often virtues seem to contradict one another, so that it is difficult to find the golden mean; for instance, to find the right balance between the trust in God and proper self-reliance, between humility and self-esteem, between justice and charity, between meekness and initiative, patience and rightful indignation, mortification and the proper care of health, the demands of interior life and of the apostolate.

The history of religious decadence has often been the history of imprudence. How much good will has been wasted, how much zeal directed to activities that led to ruin because prudence was lacking.

Each day pray for prudence. Pray that you will understand what this virtue means. Remember it is the charioteer of all other virtues.  If you do not know what it is, you are riding in a stranger's chariot and the other virtues will not follow.

NEW CATHOLIC CATECHISM

ARTICLE NO. 31

Created in God's image and called to know and love him, the person who seeks God discovers certain ways of coming to know him.  These are called proofs of the existence of god, not in the sense of proofs in the natural sciences, but rather in the sense of "converging and convincing arguments," that allow us to attain certainty about the truth.

These "ways" of approaching God from creation have a twofold point of departure; the physical world and the human person.

ARTICLE NO.  32:

The world: starting from movement, becoming, contingency, and the world's order and beauty, one can come to knowledge of God as the origin and the end of the universe.

As St. Paul says of the Gentiles: For what can be known about god is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made.(Romans 1;19-20; cf. Acts 14-15, 17; 17:27-28, Wisdom 13:1-9)

And St. Augustine issues this challenge: Question the beauty of the earth, question the beauty of the sea, question the beauty of the air distending and diffusing itself, question the beauty of the sky...question all these realities.  All respond: "See, we are beautiful."  Their beauty is a profession [Confessio] . these beauties are subject to change. Who made them if not the Beautiful One [Pulcher] who is not subject to change?"

HE IS REVEALED

Deacon Jim Breazile ocds

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

SPIRITUALITY 101

REFLECTION NO. 5

Deacon Jim  Breazile ocds

TAKING ACCOUNT

      The mother superior of a girls' school asked one of them how she prepared herself to receive Communion, and the girl very candidly replied that she soaked her heart the night before.

      "What do you mean by soaking your heart?" asked the Mother Superior. The child said, "In the evening I give it to the Virgin so that she will wash it and clean it, and she dries it in the morning and then I can receive Jesus with a clean heart."

It is time to take an accounting of our understanding of prudence.  Have we learned to esteem the importance of prudence for our spiritual life? Prudence zeal which starts modestly but goes forward unwaveringly, which accords the proper time to prayer, to work and recreation, which learns from mistakes, which seeks counsel in difficulties and prays for light from above, may not achieve dazzling success according to the standards of the world but does achieve lasting results. Imprudent zeal makes a great noise, and as St. Augustine says, makes great strides, but outside the right path. It may ruin one's health, imperil one's salvation, and often brings real virtue in disrepute. Salt and sugar are valuable condiments, but what is too salty or too sweet is repugnant to the taste. The book of Proverbs says: "The fool spurns his fathers admonition, but prudent is he who heeds reproof. (15:5)

Prudence may be a natural gift, but some are endowed by nature with cool judgment in practical matters. They are deliberate and moderate in their actions. Others, though perhaps highly talented, lack a practical sense, are inclined to be extravagant, eccentric and impetuous. Yet everyone must endeavor to cultivate the supernatural virtue of prudence, for Holy Scripture says: "The shrewd man does everything with prudence." To do all things with prudence means never to act with too much haste, nor when strongly swayed by emotion or passion.

THE NEW CATHOLIC CATECHISM

ARTICLE NO. 31

Created in God's image and called to know and love him, the person who seeks God discovers certain ways of coming to know him.  These are called proofs of the existence of god, not in the sense of proofs in the natural sciences, but rather in the sense of "converging and convincing arguments," that allow us to attain certainty about the truth.

These "ways" of approaching God from creation have a twofold point of departure; the physical world and the human person. 

ARTICLE 33: The human person: With his openness to truth and beauty, his sense of moral goodness, his freedom and the voice of his conscience, with his longings for the infinite and for happiness, man questions himself about God's existence. In all this he discerns signs of his  spiritual soul.  The soul, the "seed of eternity we bear in ourselves, irreducible to the merely material," (Vatican Council II, Guadium et Spes Article 18:1; cf 14:2)  can have its origin only in God.

  GOD IS EVIDENT IN MY SOUL

Deacon Jim Breazile ocds

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

SPIRITUALITY 101

REFLECTION NO. 6

Deacon Jim  Breazile ocds

SPIRITUAL DIRECTION:

      A husband used to tell his wife on Sunday: "You can go to Mass for both of us."  However, one night he dreamed that they were both at the gates of Heaven and Saint Peter said: "Mr. And Mrs. Smith? Have Mrs. Smith come in by herself, for both of them."  The husband never missed Mass again.

      It is impossible for an individual to have a complete grasp of every problem and to judge everything perfectly. Others often see the same problem from a different angle and are able to throw light on it in such a way that everything becomes clear. This is the strength of a spiritual group.  This is particularly true of personal problems, or questions of one's conscience. In these we are very likely to be prejudiced and influenced by self-love. This is  the strength of a spiritual advisor (director). Each of us need both the group and the advisor (director)

      Not everyone is a proper spiritual director.  Holy Scripture says "let one of a thousand be your counselor." (Ecclesiasticus 6:6).  St. Teresa of Avila says let one in 1000 priests be your counselor.  St. Francis d'Sales says, one in 10,000.  It is not easy to locate a proper spiritual director.

Age, experience, wisdom and virtue must be balanced in choosing a spiritual director.  The Imitation of Christ states that" "A good life makes man wise according to God and gives great experience." (I, 4,2). 

      Seeking direction will only be useful, however, if we are willing to accept it, at least to consider it carefully.  Proverbs: "The way of the fool is right in his own eyes; but he who is wise hearkens unto counsels," (12:15), ever when it is not asked for. Holy Scripture indicates that "He who loves correction loves knowledge; but he who hates reproof is foolish." (Prov. 12:1).

NEW CATHOLIC CATECHISM 

ARTICLE NO. 36,

"Our Holy mother, the church, holds and teaches about God, the first principle and last end of all things, can be known with certainty from the created world by the natural light of human reason."(Vatican Council I, Dei Filius 2; Vatican Council II, Dei verbum 6) Without this capacity, man would not be able to welcome God's revelation. Man has this capacity because he is created "in the image of God." (Gen 1-27)

ARTICLE NO. 37 

In the historical conditions in which he finds himself, however, man experiences many difficulties in coming to know God by the light of reason alone:

Though human reason is, strictly speaking, truly capable by its own natural power and light of attaining to a true and certain knowledge of the one personal God, who watches over and controls the world by his providence, and of the natural law written in our hearts by the Creator; yet there are many obstacles which prevent reason from the effective and fruitful use of this inborn faculty. For the truths that concern the relations between God and an wholly transcend the visible order of things, and, if they are translated into human action and influence it, they call for self-surrender and abnegation. The human mind, in its turn, is hampered in the attaining of such truths, not only by the impact of the senses and the imagination, but also by disordered appetite which are the consequences of original sin. So it happens that men in such matters easily persuade themselves that what they would not like to be true is false or at least doubtful. (Pius XII Humani Generis; 561: DS 3875) 

ARTICLE NO. 38

This is why man stands in need of being enlightened by God's revelation, not only about those things that exceed his understanding, but also "about those religious and moral truths which of themselves are not beyond the grasp of human reason, so that even in the present condition of the human race, they can be known by all men with ease, with firm certainty and with no admixture of error." (Pius XII Humani Generis 561:DS 3876 Dei filius, St. Thomas Aquinas)

REVELATION

Deacon Jim Breazile ocds

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

SPIRITUALITY 101

REFLECTION NO. 7

Deacon Jim  Breazile  ocds

LAWS OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH

      The great Liszt often said that if he stopped playing the piano for one day, he noticed it; for two days, his wife noticed it; and after three days, everyone noticed it.

      The same is true when you stop praying. If it is only one day, you will know it; if two days, the persons living with you will know it; but if three days go by, even the canary in its cage and the cat in the kitchen will realize that you are not the same person. How short a time it takes for us to change.

Harvest time is the fulfillment of the work performed by nature when it has developed the seed slowly, but steadily and quietly into the stalk crowned with grain.  This is a constant reminder to the Church of the seeds of holiness planted by the Holy Spirit in our hearts at baptism.  We know that with prayer and perseverance, these seeds will grow, bring fruit into our daily lives and ripen into eternal life.  Our spiritual growth, directed by the Holy Spirit who is the Creator and Fashioner of the world of grace, is governed by the same laws that govern natural growth; it must be steady, yet gradual and quiet.

      We each would like to have a cataclysmic stroke of grace as a bolt of Holy energy to instantaneously render us perfect.  This would be a tremendous miracle, but even that would not last unless we continue to nurture that Holy energy and fertilize it with our prayers and water it with our tears.  When Adam was cast out of the Garden, he was told that he would have to scratch out a living from a reluctant earth with sweat toil and tears.  So we, who live with the Adam within us, must scratch out a Holy life with sweat, toil and tears.  Perseverance is essential; growth is slow, steady and quiet.  We do not know in what ways the Lord is perfecting us.  We must allow Him to do so.

NEW CATHOLIC CATECHISM

ARTICLE 134

"all Sacred Scripture is but one book, and that one book is Christ, because all divine Scripture speaks of Christ, and all divine Scripture is fulfilled in Christ" (Hugh of St. Victor, De arca Noe 2, 8: PL 176, 642)

ARTICLE 135

"The Sacred Scriptures contain the Word of God and, because they are inspired they are truly the Word of God." (DV 24)

ARTICLE 136

God is the author of Sacred Scripture because he inspired its human authors; he acts in them and by means of them. He thus gives assurance that their writings teach without error his saving truth (cf. DV 11)

ARTICLE 137

Interpretation of inspired Scripture must be attentive above all to what God wants to reveal through the sacred authors for our salvation.  What comes from the Spirit is not fully "understood except by the Spirit's action" (cf. Origen Hom. In Ex. 4, 5,: PG 12, 320)

ARTICLE 138

The Church accepts and venerates as inspired the 46 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the new.

ARTICLE 139

The four Gospels occupy a central place because Christ Jesus is their center.

ARTICLE 140

The unity of the two Testaments proceeds from the unity of God's plan and his Revelation. The Old Testament prepares for the New and the New Testament fulfills the Old; the to shed light on each other; both are true Word of God.

ARTICLE 141

The Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures as she venerated the Body of the Lord" (DV 21); both nourish and govern the whole Christian life. "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Ps 119:105; cf. Isa 50:4).

HOLY SCRIPTURE

Deacon Jim Breazile ocds

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

SPIRITUALITY 101

REFLECTION NO 8

Deacon Jim  Breazile ocds

PIETY -CONTEMPLATION-MINISTRY

      Father Villon was invited to give some talks in a church in the Paris suburbs.  Seeing only women, he adapted himself to the circumstances and began by saying: "My dear sisters, I see with great sadness that I find myself in a town of widows, and therefore we are going to say a de profoundis for your husbands." The next day the resurrected dead filled the church; the women had repeated the sermon in their homes and it had achieved a wholesome result.

      Since Justice involves giving to God what is due to God, and piety is The manner in which we achieve this, it is necessary that we gain an understanding of what is involved in piety, and how do we achieve it. Piety is the soul of all acts of worship, devotion or of the generous devoting of one's self to the service of God. St.Thomas Aquinas traces the roots of piety to the grace of God. He emphasizes that another root is meditation and contemplation. In contemplation in which we go beyond mental meditation and become incorporated into God, Himself, without use of our mind, heart, spirit and soul to communicate to Him, but allow Him to communicate His eternal love to us.

We are commonly asked, "How do I accomplish this?" The answer must be similar to that of Jesus when the apostles said " If this is the way it is, who can achieve it?" Jesus simply said, "for man it is impossible, but for God everything is possible." In our prayer we can learn therefore to allow God to do what He wishes to and for us, rather than for us to do what we want Him to do for us, or what we want to do for Him.

This is the secret to  the activity of contemplative prayer. This is the root of or activity of piety. Our activity is inactivity.

      When in our prayer, we begin to listen to God, and responding to His "real presence" in our soul, we begin to experience the fire of His love. As the Psalmist says "My heart grew hot within me; when I reflected, a fire flared out. (Psalm36:14). To experience the fire of God's love in our hearts drives us to give ourselves entirely and without restraint to His service. It is love that makes the lover eager to serve. "Love," says St. Gregory, "cannot remain idle. If it is present, it effects great things. If it is not active, it is not love."

      When piety is active in our soul, we see everyone else as an object of our service. There are no longer the questions of service such as ”where does the Lord want me to serve?" "Who does He want me to serve?"  "In what vineyard does He want me to work?" "What is to be my ministry?' The ministry is always before us, in everyone we meet.

Justice relates to piety as my prayer life relates to how I live. If I have piety only in The

Church proper, and do not carry it into the street, I am not giving to God what is due to Him, because I do not give to others "what is due to them.

THE NEW CATHOLIC CATECHISM

ARTICLE 228

"Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord.." (Deut6:4; Mk 12:29). "The Supreme Being must be unique without equal...If God is not one, he is not God: (Tertulian, Adv. Marc., 1, 3, 5, 12 ,274)

ARTICLE 229

Faith in God leads us to turn to him alone as our first origin and our ultimate goal, and neither to prefer anything to him or to substitute anything for him.

ARTICLE 230

Even when he reveals himself, God remains a mystery beyond words: "If you understood him, it would not be God" (St. Augustine, Sermo 52, 6,16: PL 38:360 and Sermo 117, 3, 5: PL38, 663)

ARTICLE 231

The God of our faith has revealed himself as He who is; and he has made himself known as "abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness" (Ex 34:6). God's very being is Truth and Love.

HE WHO IS

Deacon Jim Breazile ocds

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

SPIRITUALITY 101

SPIRITUAL REFLECTION- 9

Deacon Jim Breazile ocds

JUSTICE - GRATITUDE- JOY

      According to a Finnish legend, one day a woodcutter was cutting down a tree to make a gangplank and, not having taken the necessary precautions, the tree fell down on one of his legs.  To his shouts came other woodcutters who tried in vain to raise the tree trunk with levers, even though they worked for several hours. Had they tried to move the tree away with ropes, the woodcutter's leg would have been entirely destroyed.

      There seemed only one way to save the unfortunate man and Ikling, the strongest man in town tried it. He got into the hole between the ground and the tree and, arching his back a little succeeded in raising it a few inches, just leaving the necessary space so that his companions could set the woodcutter free. But it was only for a moment because the heavy trunk came down again when Ikling was unable to hold it any longer. The weight crushed him.  After a few days the unfortunate woodcutter got well, but nothing could be done about Ikling who never would be able to walk again.

      The woodcutter went to see Ikling and said, "You have saved my life and paid dearly for it. What can I do for you?"  "There is only one thing I want." Replied Ikling. "I can't visit my friends any more, and if you wish, you can come over and keep me company on the long winter nights." According to the legend, ever since that day the woodcutter went to see his new friend and they could be heart talking and singing until late at night.

      Jesus gave his life to save ours. We find our greatest joy in visiting, and talking and singing with him.

      The virtue of Justice demands that we give to God all that is due to Him.  Gratitude like piety, is another virtue related to Justice. The worship of God always includes gratitude towards him for countless benefits received from him. The most eminent acts of worship, prayer and sacrifice must contain the character of thanksgiving.  Gratitude for the gifts of God extends to gratitude for the gift of other persons, in whom God reveals Himself to us in the mystery of their lives. When His gifts are gratefully recognized, the one of the fruits of justice are experienced in a holy joy. The Christian who lives in justice to God and to neighbor is always joyful, and spreads joy to the world and, as the Christmas carol says, "to all men of good will."  A thankful spirit is a joyful spirit. As the eyes of a child light up, its face wreathed in smiles, its heart expanded with joy when it can show thankfulness, so the person living out gratitude is filled with joy.

      When a person begins to live the virtue of justice in a serious manner, and truly takes conscious stock of how well does He obey its demands; they will undergo a gradual, sometimes almost unnoticeable transformation.  They will come to know themselves more fully and find that they are more concerned with truth. They will realize a special friendship with the Savior, Jesus who said, "I am the truth."  Little hypocrisies and pretenses will be more evident and guarded against. The virtue of truthfulness (the mother tongue of heaven") becomes their tongue.  They will also become more courteous, recognizing more fully the true dignity of other persons. Their courtesy is not merely external polish, but the radiation of a Christian nobility of their soul.

      Truth brings freedom. Jesus said that He had come to bring truth and that the truth would set us free. This happens in the life of the just person. Genuine courtesy, the guardian of virtue, is a powerful means of winning souls for God, an essential factor in the work of the apostolate. In our striving for perfection, we must let Justice reign in our souls.

NEW CATHOLIC CATECHISM

ARTICLE 261

The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of the Christian faith and of Christian life.  God alone can make it known to us by revealing himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

ARTICLE 262

The Incarnation of God's son reveals that god is the eternal Father and that the son is consubstantial with the Father, which ;means that, in the Father and with the Father the son is one and the same God.

ARTICLE 263

The mission of the Holy Spirit, sent by the Father in the name of the Son (Jn 14:26) and by the Son "from the Father" (Jn 15:26), reveals that, with them, the spirit is one and the same God. "With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified." (Nicene Creed)

ARTICLE 264

The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father as the first principle and, by the eternal gift of this to the Son, from the communion of both the Father and the Son" (St. Augustine De Trin 15,26,47:PL 42:1095)

TRINITY

Deacon  Jim Breazile ocds

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

SPIRITUALITY 101

SPIRITUAL REFLECTION- 10

Deacon Jim Breazile ocds

COURTESY- A VIRTUE OF JUSTICE

      When Clement XIV was crowned Pope, the ambassadors who congratulated him bowed graciously and he did likewise. After the end of the public function the master of ceremonies said, "Your Holiness should not have returned the greeting."  And the Pope amiably replied, "Pardon me, monsignor, but I have not been named Pope to forget my good manners."

      In giving to God what is due to God and giving to others what is due to them, as demanded by the virtue of justice, the virtue of courtesy ranks high.  True Christian courtesy is supreme in a life lived toward perfection, it is a radiation of the Christian nobility of our soul. In the demonstration of humble reverence and benevolent love to others, courtesy is the fragrant flower that springs forth from true humility and charity. Because the development of the virtue of courtesy, one learns self-control, self-denial, thoughtfulness, reserve in conversation and tolerance of others. We could consider courtesy to be the school of virtues. The more practiced it becomes, the easier are all virtues learned.

      Because of the proper reserve demanded by courtesy, including language and actions, true courtesy is the guardian of virtues.  External self discipline imposed by courtesy strengthens and preserves inward discipline of heart and mind, just as a Mass well celebrated preserves and promotes interior reverence and devotion. True courtesy demands modesty and charity.  St. Vincent de Paul said "there is no defense against modesty and charity."  In this manner courtesy becomes the mighty arm of the evangelist.

New Catholic Catechism

ARTICLE 165

By the grace of Baptism "in the name of the Father and of the son and of the Holy spirit, " we are called to share in the life of the Blessed Trinity, here on earth in the obscurity of faith, and after death in eternal light " (Paul VI)

ARTICLE 266

"Now this is the Catholic faith: We worship one God in the Trinity and the Trinity in unity, without either confusing the persons or dividing the substance; for the person of the Father is one, the Son's is another, the Holy Spirit's another; but the Godhead of the Father, Son and Holy spirit is one, their glory equal, their majesty coeternal" (Athanasian Creed)

ARTICLE 267

Inseparable in what they are, the divine persons are also inseparable in what they do. But within the single divine operation each shows forth what is proper to him in the Trinity, especially in the divine missions of the son's Incarnation and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

TRINITY SHARED

Deacon Jim Breazile ocds

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