All Saints - An Apologetical Lesson

This coming Monday Catholics celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints. There are other Christians who have devotions to the Saints, such as Eastern Christians, High church Anglicans, etc. And then there are some who do not, i.e. bible evangelicals and fundamentalists. They believe that any devotion to a saint (deceased person) is in direct violation of Sacred Scripture. They believe this for a number of reasons the three most important being One) There is only one mediator between God and man, and that is the man Christ Jesus ( c.f. 1 Tim 2:5). Two) You shall make no image of anything on the earth or the under the earth and worship it, c.f. Ex. 20:4-5, Lev. 26:1.) And three) Once a person is dead there can be no more communication with that person, "anyone who consults with the dead is detestable to the Lord," c.f. Deut. 18:11.

Is the Catholic Church in error then for having devotions to the saints? The answer is a clear no, rather the Church is exercising what is sound, good, and right in the matter of devotion to the saints. Lets look at each of these arguments and see whether they carry any weight.

It is true, there is only one mediator between God and man and that is the man Christ Jesus. The Catholic Church upholds this and would correct anyone who did not believe it. It is Christ who achieved salvation, it is Christ who grants it, and it is Christ who presents us to the Father. And yet, Christ does not work in isolation from others, He Himself was a community man. He gathered twelve apostles and many others to carry out His mission. Christ Himself by nature, in His divinity is a community of persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. St. Paul also calls us co-workers in the mission of Christ (cf. 1 Cor. 3:9). What is the mission of Christ? That each and every person come to repentance and be saved (c.f. John 3:16, 2 Pet. 3:9). Any mediation that is shared by St. Paul, for example while he was alive does not take away from Jesus' mediation. St. Paul's intercession on our behalf is a part of Christs' mediation between God and man, for without Christ St. Paul would have no mediation for anyone, again, his only exists because of Christs'.

No fundamentalist would argue that St. Paul could not pray for him or her while Paul himself was alive. If, however, I pushed the fundamentalist in his own argument of 1 Tim 2:5 and taking it literally, then he must agree that no one can pray for anyone since there is only one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, and that includes even mediation done while people are still alive. Therefore, you cannot ask me to pray for you because I would be violating Scripture. You can see how the argument unravels and falls apart when using common sense. The argument, however, is not that I can pray or not pray for you now while I am alive, but rather once I am dead then it must stop. We will pick this up when getting to argument #3.

The second argument rests with not worshipping or making idols or images. This commandment is from God and is eternal. If a Catholic worships anything or anyone beside God Himself they are in grave sin, they are idolatrous. We DO NOT worship Mary or any saint, but we do give them honor and ask them to pray for us. The language that we use can confuse other Christians because Catholics will often say, "I pray to Mary." The Catholic is using a faulty term, even though for the most part they understand it as different than praying to Jesus. When we say we pray to Mary what we mean is that we are asking them to pray for us like I would ask you to pray for me. Statues, icons, and images are only rememberances and aids to prayer. No fundamentalist would throw away their photos of a loved one, but if I pressed them that God says, "No images," even the ones in your wallet, they would look at me as if I were crazy if not mean spirited. Again the argument is misplaced because of misconception. We do not pray to anyone besides God and we do not worship anyone besides God, but, we do remain connected on the deepest levels with those who have gone before us. An image is a neutral thing, it is non-living matter, the commandment of God is not broken by the image alone, but in how I understand the image. I wonder how many fundamentalists have the image of a cross in their church?

This takes us to the final argument. Can we ask those who have passed away to pray for us? The answer is not only "yes" but we should, since the church militant (those saints on earth - us - believers) pray for each other, so too the Church triumphant (those saints who are already in heaven). Why would those who have died cease their prayers for us? Is it that they are more restricted in heaven then when they were on earth? That would make no sense. Also, the Scripture reaffirms that the saints in heaven pray for their brothers and sisters who are on earth still journeying towards heaven, "He came and received the scroll from the right hand of the one who sat on the throne. When he took it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each of the elders held a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the holy ones." Rev. 5:7-8. Those in heaven have no need to pray for themselves, they pray for us. The elders (the saints in heaven) present God with the prayers of those who are still on earth. The context of this passage is affirmed in Rev. 6 where God asks the saints in heaven to wait a little longer for the rest of their brothers and sisters to give witness to the faith.

As Catholics we do not seek conversation in terms of having a medium, soothsayer, or oracle who speaks to the dead that would be sinful and a breaking of the Divine law. We DO NOT speak to dead people, we ask their intercession, which is much different than consulting the dead as we have seen on recent tv shows, literature, and psychic shops. Any dabbeling in numerology, astrology, wicca, etc. are mediums that can open one up to all kinds of evil, the first being a total disregard for the work that the Holy Spirit should be doing in us, i.e. revealing God's Truth to us in our lives. Prayers to the Saints are no different than me asking you to pray for me, the only difference is that they are in heaven.

The beauty of the Saints is that as Catholics we never forget the familial nature of the Church. We are never cut off from one another, in God we remain on the same vine and branches as those who have gone before us, it is the same Church we belong to - the Kingdom of God. None of which could be without Jesus the one mediator holding it all together. None of our prayers would have meaning without Jesus. So, there is only one mediator between God and man, that is Christ, but in His goodness He allows us all to share in it and today we honor those who have done so faithfully, our brothers and sisters - the Saints. Happy Feast Day to all!

Fr. John

picture taken from therosarium.com

Justice and Suffering

Often times people will ask, "Is God a just God?" And from that question a few more naturally arise. For instance, "Why do bad things happen to good people and why do bad people get away with so much?" Sometimes these questions go even deeper and more personal. "Why did my parent, spouse, sibling get cancer and suffer so much, how could God allow that?"

Boy, did I just open myself up to writing not just a reflection but a book or volumes of books on the questions of suffering, I guess I am a glutton for punishment. Yet, they are questions we have all asked ourselves to some degree throughout our lives. Sometimes people will answer piously, i.e., Jesus is with you, or sometimes people will just listen, shake their heads in acknowledgement, because we have been trained as good pastoral ministers to be "good listeners," or we will say very abstract and feel good things like, "I am journeying with you," or "I am here for you." All of those things, the pious, the nonverbal acknowledgements, and the feel good statements are helpful and even appropriate, they are part of the Gospel in and that we assist our neighbor.

The problem is not so much how we minister, but a person's understanding of God in His justice and how He is in relationship with us, not just when we or someone becomes gravely ill, but our relationship with Christ - all the time.

Allow me to explain, the questions we ask of "why do bad things happen or why God allows them" is basically a question that is rooted in my human wants, i.e. I want to live longer or why does my close relative have to die and die this way? In some ways being "rooted" in the earthly cannot be helped, even Jesus Himself looked not to suffer when He asked His Father to take this cup of suffering away from Him if it was His will. And yet, God allows it. What good is there in a man being tortured, humiliated, defamed, and executed? In the earthly sense, there is no good, but in a wider sense of the spiritual, it was the greatest good. By that sacrifice we are all given new life.

As human beings we tend to forget that heaven is better than here. We tend to forget that no one wants to come back after they are gone. It maybe that God does not allow others to come back once they are gone, but nevertheless no one returns. St. Paul himself said, "I'd rather be with the Lord." Why does he say such a thing? Because he realizes that ultimate human fulfillment and happiness can only be with God, to see and experience Him in the beatific vision.

Mostly everyone will agree, that being with the Lord is the greatest, the problems or questions that come are, "why does it have to be so hard to get there?" People suffer in life, not just when they are in the process of dying. Here there is no easy answer to why does it have to be so hard.

One part of the answer to the question is because we love so fiercely. We love our families and friends, we also love life. Jesus gave us the instinct to survive so that we would not lay down and die before our time. He gives us the grace to love others so that we will be for others more than ourselves. All of this comes with a price, because when they suffer, we suffer. Yes God could have made it easier, but then there would be no love and I wouldn't think twice of someone else or myself. That type of existence is lower than animals.

I also believe and believe strongly that nothing is in vain, there is a purpose for everything under heaven, even when someone suffers what we consider to be be unjust suffering. Sometimes we do not understand the why, and sometimes the answers are long in coming, but everyone's suffering is redemptive in value, both to the person suffering and those who suffer with them. St. Paul said, "I have been crucified with Christ . . . I make up what is lacking in Christ's sacrifice." We are joined to the Cross with Christ, on that Cross it is hard and even unbearable, but He did not suffer alone, we were there, and when we are put on our Cross we are not alone, Jesus goes up with us. The Cross does not last forever, when we breathe our last, then the stone rolls away and we enter into Light, again not alone, but with the man who was on the Cross with us.

Never an easy answer to suffering, but one thing I know for sure, we are NEVER alone, we have our families and friends, and most of all God guiding and supporting us through the last sacrament, death itself. Baptism really come full circle!

Father John Picinic

Picture from the "Passion of the Christ"

Perseverance in Prayer

I want to share a story with you from my early childhood, one that will shed some modern day light on today’s Gospel from St. Luke about being persistent in prayer.

Many times when we go shopping at various stores, outlets, and malls we can’t help but to notice that young children will nag at their parents to get them what they like. Children will remain persistent until either two things happen, 1) they get what want or 2) they get a reprimand or scolding.

Like me all of you may have had this experience when you were young and many of you have also experienced it as parents. I remember one such event that stands out in my own life. It was a trip to Toy’s R Us. I don’t remember exactly what for, but once I knew I was going along it was like I died and went to heaven.

I was about 9 or 10 ten years old at the time and I wanted a better bike, I had a long seat Schwinn or Huffy and it was time for a nice motor cross chrome molly mongoose with alloy spikes, forks, and the whole nine. You can tell I was into bikes. Well, we got to the store and I couldn’t sit still. It seemed like forever by the time we got to the bikes. That is when I began my little spiel for the bike. My mother was not ready to go there and she said, “Not now, maybe for your birthday.” “But ma,” I said, “All the kids have better bikes, mine is old and I like this bike.” “Not now,” she said. Not good enough for me, I wanted that bike so I started to lay the old fashioned kid’s guilt trip on the parents trick, for instance, “My friend's parents get them bikes, why don’t you get me one?, etc. etc.”

At this point I will either get the bike or get a scolding and sharp reprimand. Well it was the sharp reprimand, but the seed of guilt worked. I did not get the bike that day. And for a kid everything rests in the moment, no bike equaled an eternity of misery. But I did get the bike, a couple of weeks later. My mom went to get it and surprised me. Boy was I a happy camper. I loved the bike and rode it everywhere and showed it off to everyone.

Well, not two weeks into having the bike I rode it to the local hangout, a deli-arcade to meet up with some friends. I left the bike unattended for just a few moments and that’s all it took for someone to get on it and steal it. You can imagine what I felt like when I came out of the arcade. I was devastated. My mom called the cops and they kept an out for my bike, but never found it. I was miserable, because now I had no bike; we gave away or threw out the old one.

I remember praying that God help me find the bike because I wanted nothing more than that bike. I prayed and I prayed, day and night, the same way I nagged at my mother, I now nagged at God. About two weeks went by and still no bike, no answer to my prayers. I remember going to the park one day and still being sad. There was camp going on and some kids were playing basketball, a sport I really had no interest in, never even really shot a basketball before then, just baseball up until then. So, I went and checked out a basketball from the camp house and went to shoot around to kill some time. As I began to shoot around I began to be more enthralled with the ball and the rim. I wound up staying for a couple of hours shooting from all directions trying to figure out the best way for the ball to go in the hoop.

After that day I began to play more and more and became obsessed a little with the game spending hours every day practicing and playing. I forgot all about the bike and many years later I realized that my persistence in prayer was answered by God, maybe not exactly as I wished, but in a way that was better for me than having a bike.

Basketball did wonders for me, it taught me discipline, character, team work. It brought me to teaching, coaching, and touching many young people’s lives through a simple kid’s game. Prayers are answered, we just have to listen and we also have to remain persistent in our asking.

There are two lessons to my story and the Gospel, they are the same. One) we must have total reliance on God. Both the widow and I could not procure what we wanted on our own, I needed my mother to get the bike and the widow needed the judge to deliver a decision regarding her case. The same goes for our needs in life, we need God totally and in every way. Once we think we can begin to store up things on our own is when life comes crashing down on us. Two) we must never give up asking for what we need, though we must be open to a different answer. In my case the bike was not as important as basketball and even though I prayed hard for the bike, God answered differently.

God will answer us when we ask questions of Him. He will answer, but we need the faith and an open heart to say yes to the answer he gives. God answered the widow with a just decision, he answered a little boy with a basketball, and I know He also answers your prayers, how do I know this, well very simply, you are here and you are praying right now. God bless you.

Fr. John Picinic

Every Sunday

Reflection for the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

All ten lepers were healed, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him may not perish, but may have eternal life,” (Jn 3:16) but not all ten returned, “Some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep. And when the sun rose, it was scorched and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it and it produced no grain. And some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit. It came up and grew and yielded thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold." He added, "Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear." (Mk 4:4-9)

Every human being is loved by God and Jesus went to the Cross for the whole world, and yet some stray. Some do not come back to offer praise. All of us have strayed in life and it is God’s grace that finally breaks through if we so want it to. The story of the ten lepers can be paralleled with Church attendance. I know for many I will be preaching to the choir, but I still think it necessary and good to remind all that we should strive to be that one leper who returned and not only returned once, but all the time.

The story of the seed is much like attending mass. Some come all the time, “they produce a hundred fold,” others come often, “producing thirty and sixty fold,” others come much less often and get caught up in the world, i.e. soccer tournaments, field hockey, baseball, weekend getaways, vacations, family reunions, rest, and a slew of other reasons (excuses). What we easily do as humans is that we make up the rules for God. For instance, “little Johnny has a soccer game, he can’t miss, his team needs him, and he has practice the night before so we can’t even make the evening vigil mass, God understands.”

There are two major problems with this type of reasoning, one) this one being less important, “really, an eight year old will make that much of a difference?" Are we talking about some important Division I college event or pee-wee soccer, and regardless of level of competition it should not make a difference. I usually use my Tim Tebow story here. Tim Tebow now plays for the Denver Broncos, he played his college career at Florida in Gainesville. He won two national championships, one Heisman, and runner up for two other years for that same trophy. He is probably the greatest or one of the greatest college football players ever and he never missed a Sunday service unless sick or injured. If little Johnny is better than Tim Tebow than by all means take him to practice. The second reason) and much more important, why would you ever deny yourself the Eucharist and prayerful union with your brothers and sisters who make up the Body of Christ?

Which seed do you want to be? Which of the lepers do you want to be? I know I probably won’t win many fans with this reflection, but as priests we are not here to win fans, but souls for Christ. Do I make myself out to be better than you, no indeed, for as far as sinners are concerned I feel like St. Paul, not that I am as holy as he was, but more like him in need of God’s mercy, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Of these I am the foremost. But for that reason I was mercifully treated, so that in me, as the foremost, Christ Jesus might display all his patience as an example for those who would come to believe in him for everlasting life.” (1 Tim 1:15)

Therefore, since we are in the same boat, let us strive to be that one leper who came back to offer praise. Looking forward to seeing you this Sunday and "Every Sunday." Peace of Christ.

Fr. John P. Picinic

Bible Quotations taken from NAB

Image from http://www.pollencards.com/art/350507/Jesus_withe_the_one_leper_who_returned_to_give_thanks

Help My Unbelief

It is said that St. Thomas Aquinas, a great scholar and doctor of the Church, would pray, "Lord, help me in my unbelief." Hard to imagine that the man who wrote volumes on God, a good part of them discussing God's existence, would have need of such prayers. I argue not only did St. Thomas Aquinas need such prayers, but you and I as well.

In today's Gospel Jesus tells us, "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the seas,' and it would obey you." (c.f. Lk. 17:5-10, NAB) Is Jesus being serious, how can I uproot a tree or make a mountain move? EXACTLY!

Once the slightest hesitation occurs in our thoughts or our belief, then the tree and the mountain will stay in place. For example, I may be looking for employment in an economy that is moving downwards making it real difficult to land a job. I may even pray that the Lord help me and all those looking for work to find it. However, the economy is so bad that I know it's going to take a very long time. This little bump, hesitation, doubt is enough to keep me and the tree in place.

One may argue, "You have to be realistic, when the economy is this bad, it's almost impossible to find a job." Remember man that this may be impossible for you, but with God all things are possible.

The interesting thing, and the comforting thing as well, is that we are all in the same boat, i.e. looking to increase our faith, both a man like St. Thomas Aquinas and us as well. We are in good company.

Jesus, however, does not stop with just having faith in this passage, does he? No he goes on to tell us what we must do or be like when we have faith that can move mulberry trees, and that is, we must always be diligent, obedient, and ready available servants, expecting nothing in return. You see, once we expect something then pride sneaks in and even complacency. Do we deserve anything from God? Does He owe us something? This kind of thinking is contrary to faith. It also separates us from God in the sense that we believe that something is ours by right and not by the free gift of God.

It is true and right that God respects and loves us, but we have nothing over Him. We cannot dictate what is owed to us. This is the trap the Pharisees fell into, believing because they did a, b, c, and d, that God would reward them. We do a, b, c, and d because we love to and expect nothing in return, we do our work simply for God's sake and for the assistance we provide to our neighbors.

You may think that kind of faith is tough and you are right, it is tough, but maybe that's why the mulberry tree is still where it is.

Fr. John Picinic
Picture is of Abraham being shown the stars found at http://www.wmcwels.com/clipart/024.gif