Feast of Christ the King

Christ the King Year A

Does anybody care?  I suppose that this is a question we all ask ourselves in the hopefully rare, though occasional, moments of tiredness, disappointment, disillusionment, despair that come to us now and then. There are moments of tiredness and stress in all of our lives, when we are at a low ebb, especially after a lot of activity, when we stop and ask ourselves, when left to ourselves, what is it all for? What does it matter? Does anybody care? Does anything I say or do make a difference? It happens in all walks of life, to the mother of young children pacing the floors with a sick child in her arms at 4 am, to someone who is newly retired and the workplace carries on without them, to someone sick in bed left to their thoughts for a long time without a visitor. At vulnerable times like these, it may just be the mind and body telling us to take much overdue rest or restore some order and balance in our lives if we have been working too hard, or we have been taking ourselves too seriously.

But there are people around us who do ask this question of themselves regularly, ‘does anybody really care?’

 This is where God comes in and where we come in. Some people who question the existence of God actually question His presence because they are not convinced that we believe it. They are not convinced by our witness when we fail to see God in others.

The image we are given in the First Reading from Ezekiel today is of a God who cares. The reading (as well as the Psalm) is worth pondering over – God is a shepherd in the midst of us - not some far way off, first and foremost. He cares for all. The images used suggest not only the different kinds of people (sheep) there are, but the various times in my life and yours, when in the terrifying mist and darkness of life, we have become lost altogether, have strayed from the path of God, have been wounded (by others or by ourselves) or have been sick – and God has come to our rescue – to nourish us and to guide us to safety and give us rest.

It is I venture to say only when we have had some experience of rescue by God (directly in prayer or working through the goodness, patience and kindness of others), that we come to the Gospel teaching that we are called to do likewise to others. We can witness to God’s goodness to ourselves by passing it on. Even if people question whether God exists or cares, at least by our words, our actions, our presence, we can say ‘at least I do’. Very often I don’t think many people are really questioning God’s existence so much as they are crying for help. We are the ones who are called to be the proofs of God’s existence through our concrete acts of care and concern.

Sometimes in the lives of the saints God appeared in disguise – as a leper to St Francis, as a poor man in need of a cloak to St Martin, as a starving boy at a kitchen door in the life of St Faustina. Later he would reveal Himself in His glory to them thanking them for the kindness they and ventured to show Him.

As we come then to the end of another year we are called today then to pause and reflect on the extent of our generosity to those less well off than ourselves in the past month. What resolution can I make to improve?

Finally one last brief story in the life of St Vincent de Paul, when a rich aristocratic lady asked him one day, ‘what can I do for the poor?’ he answered her on word, maybe one word we need to hear too. What can I do? His reply, one word: ‘more’.

 

33rd Sunday of Year A

Sunday 33 A

It seems amazing that we have been taken in by vicariously acting out the dramas of The Dragon’s Den, X Factor, Masterchef, and America’s Got Talent. We can watch and be entertained because we are not the ones on show facing trial and possible humiliation. Nothing is required of us to sit back and watch and see others cringe, be scrutinised on their performance and work, and be judged. It is pure exploitation.

The parables of these weeks at the end of the Church year and the Gospel and Year of Matthew’s Gospel point us to fact that there is a sense of accountability for all of us when all that is unbalanced, unfair, inequitable and unjust in this passing world will be rectified. They are reminders to the whole Church believing community that there is, after all, a final reckoning of our individual stewardship; that after death comes particular judgment, heaven or hell, also known as The Four Last Things.

A talent originally was a unit of mass, but became a measurement of currency. According to one estimate, a talent was the wages earned for 20 years labour. So whether it was 20 years, 40 years, 100 years worth of life, there is accountability.

We might wish sometimes that God would have made us differently, or given us more than our seeming limited resources. We often seem more conscious of what others have and what we lack than thanking God instead for what we have been uniquely given. We sometimes doubt our own abilities and question what exactly it is we have to offer in life to others.

For some people in life, who are successful in business, have ambition, drive and initiative, or are academically, musically or athletically gifted, everything to them – at least to our way of seeing it -seems effortless. These correspond to the man with the 5 talents. But the famous tenor Pavarotti once said that after a day without singing practice for 5 hours, he would notice deterioration, and after two days everybody else would. We forget the ongoing effort required even by those at the top. As someone I know often says, brilliance is really 5 % inspiration, and 95% perspiration.

We have obligations, despite temptations to doubt ourselves, to at least make the effort to develop our 1, 2 or 5 talents.

The man with the 1 talent, rather than focussing his energies on the 1 thing given to him, squandered his chance, and buried it. We might identify more readily with this man with the one talent because we can be too self-conscious. Misplaced fear, hesitancy, reluctance, fleeing to safety rather than face ridicule or criticism from others lest we make a mess of things, lack of confidence, self-pity, navel-gazing, and self-absorption are all qualities we can relate to, but there is a sense of urgency and accountability that seems rather unforgiving in today’s Gospel. There is no excuse in God’s eyes. God expects a return for his investment in us. The man is his own self-fulfilling prophecy and receives worse than nothing as his desserts. As King Lear famously said: ‘nothing shall come of nothing’.*

The delay in the Master’s/king’s return today as with the parable of the wise and foolish virgins last week, is meant to correspond to the time and unique opportunity that is given to us to put to good use the talent or talents we have been given. It spurs us to action to make use of what we have been entrusted with. We will each of us be asked to render account for our talents, each of us according to our ability. We must practice an attitude of gratitude. Our talents are there for us either to use, or are there for us to misuse and finally, lose. We must acknowledge, therefore, what we have been given, despite the seeming unfairness and inequity of talent distribution in a family setting, in school, work, or the world as a whole. Rather than wallow in self-pity and anger because at times we have been unfairly compared to a more gifted sibling, we must learn strive to be the best version of ourselves that God has called us to be.

The shame with the man with the one talent is his decision to play it safe: buried talent, of wasted opportunities and untapped potential, of easily giving in to inner negativity, fear of failure, or to outward sarcasm, put-downs, knocking, cynicism, will only lead to later regret at what might have been.

If there is one talent we all possess and must use – it is that of the ability to give praise and encouragement. It does not come easily to us, because we don’t want to come across as artificial and insincere. We are not a nation of positive thinkers. We can all think of someone though, who, in our formative years, provided inspiring words of praise and encouragement which made all the difference to us, between perseverance and giving up in despair in some area of life. We all can think of a teacher we liked, who appealed to us because of their positive attitude and the time they had for us. We may never have verbally thanked them but we are grateful years later. It is a truism in life that we may remember what people said to us, we might remember what people did for us, but we always remember how people make us feel, good and bad.

Let us not fear, therefore, to encourage, praise and be positive, not artificially but sincerely. It is all too easy to want to knock others off their perch, rather than give credit where it is due. Let be the first talent to cultivate, and watch others bloom.

May we learn to recognise and appreciate our dignity and uniqueness, as well as the opportunity that is being presented to us to make up for lost time, to put all our energies into putting our 1, 2 or 5 talents to use, so that one day we can join, with all the other talented people around us, in our Master’s happiness.

 

 

 

 

 

32nd Sunday The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

Sunday 32 A

ALL SOULS DAY - Commemoration of the Faithful Departed

I recall not too long ago a priest I knew in England died. I remember that I was not too cut up about it, but I prayed the usual Lord have mercy on him, when I heard of his passing. And then on reflection I recalled that for various reasons he was a priest, I have to be honest and say, I didn’t particularly like. I could list off his faults in my mind and be resentful about some of the insensitive things he said and did to me. I was angry and unforgiving about some of his remarks which I replayed in my mind over and over.

But then I thought ‘hold on a second, what way is that to act and think about someone? Especially someone who, after all, suffered a terminal illness?’ All I could remember were his faults and not his good points, how he remained a faithful priest and kept and taught the Catholic faith in its fullness without compromise. All I could focus on were his quirks and odd sense of humour at which I took offence.

I slowly came to realise that I had to forgive him, and seek forgiveness and peace in the process for holding on to my grudges.

Perhaps in some way I cannot explain, my lack of forgiveness was holding him back too. I was not reconciled with God or him, so long as I had this anger and resentment in my heart about him. I don’t want to exaggerate – I wasn’t losing sleep over it, but I had to let it go. And so I forgave him and prayed for him and I pray that he is in heaven.

Maybe there is something in that for all of us as we remember all the faithful departed. Are there people you and I need to forgive, people who have died? 

We believe in the communion of saints that there is a spiritual bond between the saints in heaven, the Holy Souls in Purgatory, and the living on earth.

And maybe, just maybe, I can learn to be more tolerant to the living as well, that perhaps God is calling me to purify myself now rather than later. I can lessen or avoid purgatory if I try to purify my mind and my intentions here, if I can learn to forgive now rather than later, if I can seek healing of memories and situations, and therefore I will be shown mercy if I want it in the sacrament of confession and may bring healing to the faithful departed if I am merciful - now.

Eternal rest grant unto all of them O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. AMEN

 

30th Sunday

TO LOVE God with all your heart mind and soul and your neighbour as yourself is as simple and as hard as it gets. All else is window dressing. This is a mission statement of morality and spirituality. It is the task of a lifetime.

Note the priority – God, then neighbour, then self, and the importance of the word ALL in relation to God and at the word AS between neighbour and self. God alone is worthy of all our love, and other loves or lesser loves are on the context of this complete gift of self – heart, soul, mind and strength.

St Augustine said ‘love God and then do what you will’.

It is more than a statement of intent; it is a way of life of striving to more fully appreciate what this love entails in practical living out and decision making, even to the tiniest details. St Therese said that in the heart of the Church she would be love, and she also taught us to do the ordinary things with great love.

To love and to be loved, as I have often said before, are the two great joyful discoveries awaiting each person. We are fortunate indeed if we discover these truths early. Many psychological and emotional disturbances occur in those who have not yet discovered the fact that they are unconditionally loved, and that this love can never be taken away no matter what happens to us; and that they are lovable, warts and all. Many childhood experiences and the trials of life prevent us from reaching this state of tranquillity and acceptance readily.  

We are never going to be happy if we decide to live in splendid isolation, although we might want to choose to be; nor are we destined to eke out ‘lives of quiet desperation’. Love does not have to be affective, or erotic, but the emotional thrill of love must be experienced at least once in one’s lifetime to believe in love, and to begin to appreciate the higher loves – of God, of sacrifice, or striving to live out love, and to be IN LOVE WITH CHRIST, not just ‘to love Him’ as a banal statement of intent. The great definition of love is to be found in St Paul in 1 Cor 13: Love is patient and kind and so on.

If this love is not experienced, love is sought in vain self-centredness, also called narcissism after the mythological figure of Narcisssus who fell in love with his own reflection in a pool and drowned in the attempt to attain embrace with self. The pain of self-destructive behaviours associated with addictions and impulse control issues to do with reckless eating, drinking, gambling, drug-taking, even shopping, are hugely damaging to self and are acts of self-hate. True self-love or self-regard is found in self-surrender to God AND others. We must completely surrender – and pray and say out loud often – to God that we choose to accept Jesus Christ as our PERSONAL Lord and Saviour – completely, whatever the consequences, whatever the change required of us.  Our lives change drastically and we see others in a new light – that others are struggling too, and that they will not find happiness without a personal encounter with Christ Jesus our Lord,

The concern then for others – called service - distracts us from self-pity and over-analysis, and we begin to see how we are gifts FOR others and we need to CONSUME ourselves for others.

It is a love we want to share. There is a whole world out there of people waiting to be listened to, whose problems we may not be able to solve, but who wish to unburden themselves. They are eager to hear Good News in a world of fear, pain and heartache.

Let us pray for those who dedicate their whole lives, who spend themselves for others for the sake of the Gospel so that the love of Christ may be preached, heard and experienced ion all His richness. In giving may we too receive, and may we once more appreciate in our own lives ‘the difference Christ makes.’ Amen

29th Sunday

This is the time of the year when the Revenue Commissioners are reminding us to file our tax returns. Yes, priests pay taxes, and are considered self-employed. We all have a moral obligation to pay our taxes, as much as we grumble.

In today’s Gospel as Jesus confrontation with the Jews become more dramatic and more frequent, Jesus reminds us to ‘render unto Caesar, what is Caesar’s’ after all.
Some among the Jews who on the one hand greatly resented Roman occupation being supported by taxes, and the Herodians on the other, supporters of the detested royal family and the occupying Roman force, united in an attempt to trap Jesus into civil disobedience. In a seemingly no-win situation, if answered incorrectly and to their satisfaction, Jesus’ response would give ammunition, as it were, to one party of His enemies which would later be possible to use his answer as evidence against Him in trial. They already had their minds made up to incarcerate him and have him put to death.

Jesus takes a Roman coin and holds it up them:
‘Render unto God what is God’s’. What does this mean? It means while we have duties as citizens, we have duties as Christians too to give God true worship. Justice means that all give to one another mutually what is their due. In an ideal just society there would be no clash of obligations.

But ‘rendering unto Caesar’ in civic society means that we must discern and ascertain which are the just, binding laws and demands of the state, from laws that are unjust and non-binding in conscience. Because something is legally possible, does not render it morally permissible.

The disciples in the early Church recognised legitimate civil authority: Let every person be subject to the governing authorities...he who resists the authorities resist what God has appointed (Romans 13:1-2)

But at the same time they were not afraid to speak out against public authority when it opposed God’s holy will: We must obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29)
There have been times throughout history when Catholics and other Christians have been forced to make difficult choices. For early Christians it was a stark choice to either submit to the worship false gods or face a painful savage death, for Irish Catholics it was either fidelity to the Holy Mass, or a heavy fine or prison, and in some cases too, even death. The Church in nearly every country has many martyrs for the faith. We have 17 recognised Blessed Irish Martyrs, of at least 120.
What about us? Where there is a conflict between divine law and State law, there is a difficult and sometimes painful necessary choice to be made, it is a seeming question of loyalty. There are times, as Christians, when we must stand for something, and oppose social injustice - to summarise Chesterton, or fall for anything. For evil to prosper, all it takes is for good people to do nothing.

• We recognise for example the enduring indissolubility of marriage in the eyes of God, even if divorce and re-marriage is permitted in the eyes of the State;
• We recognise and must defend the traditional Christian understanding that marriage, by definition involves a man and a woman;
• and that the dignity and right to life of every human being from conception, to the embryonic stage, and right through all stages of pregnancy, And then on to natural death must be upheld.

While legal definitions alone do not determine the moral rightness and wrongness of human acts, we as citizens have the duty to promote the common good, to support and enshrine just laws and decry unjust ones.

We are called therefore to be loyal citizens of the State, but also to be Christians loyal to the prior and higher demands of the laws of God.

One of the most famous moral dilemmas was the one that faced St Thomas More, so marvellously portrayed in the movie ‘a man for all seasons’. Thomas’ choice was to take the oath recognising Henry VIII as supreme head of the Church of England, and recognise his marriage to Anne Boleyn; or to stick to his Catholic principles recognising the Pope’s authority to refuse the annulment, as well as defending the sanctity of marriage, testifying to the validity of Henry’s marriage to Catherine of Aragón. Let it be said of us too that we always gave priority to render unto God what is God’s, and that we always preferred to do what is right ahead of what is popular.

St Thomas More was declared by Pope St John Paul II as the patron saint of politicians. He was a prisoner of and martyr for all who uphold the dignity of conscience. He is really patron to us all who sometimes have ethical dilemmas, and are uncertain of what decision to take. Let us pray to him and try to take to heart
his words.

Thomas’ famous last words can be our catch-cry as well: ‘I am the King’s good servant, but God’s first’.

28th Sunday

We have all been invited to a number of weddings in our lives. We can all recall with happiness the great day when a brother or sister or close friend announce their engagement and the anticipation and the countdown to the wedding begins.

As a priest however I get to see weddings from a slightly different angle. I get to meet many couples preparing for marriage.

In my experience of all the items that are crucial to any wedding preparation, whether it is the venue, the date, the church, the priest, the flowers, the wedding booklet, the honeymoon, the dress, the rings, meeting the Registar, the dinner menu the one matter where a couple has their first major row, it is....the invitations!
Now, invitations are a source of great excitement for a couple as the invitation cards are sent with anticipation of RSVPs but they can also be a source of disagreement and emotion when budgeting for the wedding limits numbers. There can be disagreement as to how wide or narrow the invitation list will be, and a clash of opinions over who to invite and who to exclude. If parents are paying for a wedding they may have some say in the invitation list. Some guests are invited without a second thought. Some friends as well as the obvious relatives, come to mind readily. Others we may be more hesitant about, as to whether we are that close to them for them to merit an invite.

Wedding invitations in Israel at the time of Jesus were slightly different. A general invitation would first be issued without a firm date set. Servants would be sent at the appropriate time to prompt guests that the dinner was ready, but there was an indeterminate lapse of time between each. It was up to guests to ready themselves and be prepared at a moment’s notice to drop everything at once to hasten to the banquet. As the wedding celebrations could last several days one would need to have one’s business and domestic affairs in order to leave them behind for a while.

This state of readiness in the parable points to what was lacking in the people of Israel, some of whom were too busy pursuing their own interests to make room for the Lord’s call, while worse still, others violently rejected the invitation by ‘shooting the messenger’ as it were.

The parable clearly points to those among the Jews who would not accept the prophets’ call to repentance (as in last week’s parable of custody of the vineyard) and the invitation is now extended to all ‘unacceptable classes’ of people who were ready to accept. Their rejection of him is punished severely, and the burning of the city as ordered by the King may well point to the destruction of Jerusalem who rejected and killed the prophets, as well as to the rejection of the Lord Jesus Himself. The calamity was in 70 AD. As we are in the closing stages of Jesus’ public ministry in the Gospel according to Matthew, and the impending Passion, the parables of the last few Sundays point to the transfer of stewardship of the mysteries of God’s kingdom from the Jews to all peoples who would accept Christ.

There is a second parable tucked in to the first one.

Another source of comment at weddings is how people dress. We can often remark at how tastes differ, to put it mildly, at weddings. We would never consider casual dress at a wedding; therefore an invitation to heaven is not to be taken lightly either. In fact, it is on merit. The parable describes the only reference to ‘gate-crashing’ at a wedding in the Bible that I am aware of. The lesson is that many are called and few are chosen. Those called and chosen must prove their worthiness by good deeds. We must realise that the parable teaches us that there is a danger of disqualification. The garment symbolises our good deeds – love of God and neighbour, and virtuous living, piety and justice – often a difficult but achievable combination. In a symbolic way at baptism the infant is clothing with a white garment – with the admonition –‘to keep this garment unstained unto everlasting life’. Just as a stain on a dress or a suit would be mortifying and unacceptable at a public occasion at a wedding, so we too are called to be washed clean of sin for entrance to heaven.

The new response before Holy Communion at the Mass reminds us that the Mass is the foretaste and promise of the heavenly banquet – ‘blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb’. Let us be ready for the call by a virtuous life. By being worthy to receive Him, we are asking to be worthy to be received by Him.

27th Sunday

I wonder have you ever been surprised by an unexpected letter – a letter that changed your day and led to a change of course in your focus on life. I remember not long after my ordination in my mid-20s receiving a letter from the Bishop informing me that I had to make a will and appoint executors, one of whom had to be a fellow priest. This came as a bit of a surprise in terms of its seeming lack of urgency or relevance to me at that age. I remember later discussing the prospect with my family. My Dad recalled the advice of a lawyer to a client many years before: - ‘even if all you own is a goat, make a will’!

We all have an obligation in justice to make a will, but we should always ensure that it is fair and equitable. We should seek advice discreetly.

In the drawing up of any will, there will be an inheritance, property, and beneficiaries, but grievances and division can often accompany the execution of a deceased wishes. We can all think of long- standing disputes, even court cases, family division and the ‘silent treatment’ that can occur between siblings over contested wills. There is disappointment, and anger due to a misguided sense of entitlement. It is particularly hurtful however when a verbal agreement or promise is not fulfilled in writing afterwards.

Today’s reading deals in fact with a sense of entitlement that arose among the Jews. As always we must qualify this assertion by remembering that there were devout faithful Jews, but a sense of arrogance and pride could easily manifest itself among the Pharisees.

The Lord deftly summarises the era of the Prophets in the Old Testament and even predicts His own rejection and death that will follow. The wicked tenants in the parable refer to the generations of Jewish leaders who refused to listen to God’s message of reform and repentance spoken through the words of holy men who were appointed with the task of conversion of the nation.

Their rejection is symbolised by the bailiffs sent by the landlord seeking the fruits (or repentance and justice) which are firmly refused repeatedly. The tenants were given a position of trust and responsibility. The tower and the storehouse are meant for the storage of the fruit and wine, the fruits of the labours commissioned by the landowner.

The message and messengers (prophets) sent on behalf of the landowner (God) is a message of love. But often the prophets had to preach in harsh uncompromising language to arouse a spirit of change – untenable to the overly sensitive ears and hardened hearts of the listeners.

This leads us to ponder where in our own lives change is necessary and where through the voices of others we have obstinately and stubbornly refused to amend our ways. For some of us it is bad habits that require the need to alter irrevocably our diet and lifestyle, to give up finally an addiction (or lack of impulse control in more recent parlance).

There are consequences to inaction – each opportunity spurned raises the ante as it were – the Lord’s patient insistent merciful pleading has reached an apex in the sending of His Son – His rejection and killing are the last act in a long drama which we call the Old Testament and the Gospels, yet is only the beginning of new chapter – the life of the Church, for the new tenants, who will be different and who will prove worthy of their trust.

Who are these new tenants? Quite simply, us. We are the recipients of God’s gratuitous love and the recipients of a divine commission to mission – to bear fruit in our own lives the fruits of the labour in the vineyard of the world, chiefly love and souls. Yet the parable has enduring relevance and meaning for us, who cannot take the transfer of stewardship lightly.

We also in our day need to earn the Lord’s favour - to be found worthy of a place in His Kingdom, our lasting heavenly inheritance, we must not, collectively orindividually, waste the opportunities given to us for change in our own lives that require ongoing conversion, penitence and a new way of living in the Holy Spirit, in grace, prayer and virtue. It requires discernment and listening to the voices principally of scripture and the Church’s teaching as well as the prophetic witness of the saints, the Popes, spiritual writers, preachers, wise guides and true friends.

Let us go forth and strive to produce fruit, proofs of our commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ, by our witness, lives of prayer, example, Christian uplifting conversations and diligence and perseverance in works of justice and mercy.

26th Sunday

Today’s Gospel describes a misplaced sense of entitlement that had arisen among the Pharisees. As always we must qualify this assertion by remembering that there were devout faithful Jews, but a sense of arrogance and pride could easily manifest itself among some of the more prominent among them.

Jesus deftly summarises the era of the Prophets in the Old Testament and even predicts His own rejection and death that will follow. The wicked tenants in the parable refer to the generations of Jewish leaders who refused to listen to God’s message of reform and repentance spoken through the words of holy men who were appointed with the task of conversion of the nation.

Their rejection is symbolised by the bailiffs sent by the landlord seeking the fruits (of repentance and justice) which are firmly refused repeatedly. The tenants were given a position of trust and responsibility.

The message and messengers (prophets) sent on behalf of the landowner (God) is a message of love. But often the prophets had to preach in harsh uncompromising language to arouse a spirit of change – untenable to the overly sensitive ears and hardened hearts of the listeners.

This leads us to ponder where in our own lives change is necessary and where - through the voices of others - we have obstinately and stubbornly refused to amend our ways. For some of us it is bad habits that require the need to alter irrevocably our diet and lifestyle, or to finally give up an addiction (or our lack of impulse control).

Let us go forth and strive to produce fruit, proofs of our commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ, by our witness, lives of prayer, example, Christian uplifting conversations as well as diligence and perseverance in works of justice and mercy.

25th Sunday

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross

The CATCH of being a Catholic

We have often seen or heard the phrase ‘terms and conditions apply.’ This is the hidden cost of a seeming bargain to grab our attention, such as a cheap flight or of a closing down sale. We even have to look closely at a sign that says ‘up to 75% off.’ You can be sure you see the ‘75% off’ part more easily than the ‘up to’.

The Cross is very clearly a term and condition of discipleship. While some crosses in life are long-term, unavoidable and obvious, there are the ‘slings and arrows’ of everyday life that afflict us as well, particularly those that increasingly mark us out as faithful Catholics.

I use the acronym CATCH to designate the five of the things that come our way often that may catch us unawares but like it or not are part and parcel of being faithful disciples of the Lord Jesus.

We may therefore be at the receiving end of Criticism, Anger, Temptations, Contradiction and Humiliation. Because we are called to stand up for what is right or try do the right thing that may be unfashionable like Sunday Mass attendance, or hold unpopular but necessary stances like standing up for the equal right to life of the unborn, or defending the traditional Christian (and I would add, natural) understanding of marriage, prepare for the CATCH of being a faithful Catholic. Prepare for others’ Criticism, Anger, Temptations (to discouragement), Contradiction and Humiliation. The trick, as it were, of being a faithful disciple however is to expect to be at the receiving end of the CATCH phrase from time to time, but never at the giving end. The CATCH of being a Catholic is being faithful to the carrying of the cross, whatever that may be for us. “When you have found the Cross, it is I you have found” (Our Lord to Bl. Josefa Menendez)