All Turns to Silver Glass

There is a very powerful scene in the movie “The Return of the King” from “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, written by J.R.R. Tolkien and brought to the screen by Peter Jackson.  A trilogy many of us have either seen on the big screen or read in High School or college.  For those who have not read or seen the movies, they are powerful indeed.  Both the movies and the books bring home and make very clear the notion of “good vs. evil” and the power of sacrifice.

The scene I want to share with you was that between Pippin and Gandalf.  They are defending the city vs the enemy, but things are going bad, and the city is beginning to fall.  Death seems inevitable.  Pippin turns to Gandalf and says, “I didn’t think it would end this way,” Gandalf turns to Pippin with a grandfatherly type of face, a face of love, and gently says, “End, no the journey doesn’t end here, death is just another path, one that we all must take.  The grey rain curtain of this world rolls back and all turns to silver glass and then you see it.”  Gandalf takes a deep breath, Pippin’s eyes are in wonder and he asks Gandalf, “See what Gandalf, see what?  With a smile Gandalf responds, “White shores and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise.  Pippin now reassured, says, “That isn’t so bad.”  And finally Gandalf says, “No, no it isn’t.”

The scene is powerful as it gets us to think and reflect on life and death and that this is not the end, even if there is destruction, havoc, and chaos all around us.  There is a promise of life, given to us by God.

The first reading today from Wisdom reminds us that, “God formed man to be imperishable; the image of his own nature he made him.”  Yet, death entered the world through sin, as the same reading reminds us, “God did not make death.”  The first thing we think of is the unfairness of suffering and dying.  Why do little children die or even suffer, is that fair?  This reflection is not so much centered on the justice or injustice of suffering and dying, but rather in the promise of eternal life.  Suffice it to say, some suffering and dying does seem unfair, nevertheless no one lives or dies in vain.

All of us like to be reassured that there is life after death, that we continue, that we will reunite with family and friends, and most of all that we will see God face to face.

We believe in life after death through many means, even through scientific means.  You might be thinking, “How can we know that there is life after death through science, I never thought that could be proven?”  Well, it can’t be proven as in, here I can show you, but rather through reason.  Take energy for example.  Can energy ever go into nonexistence?  No it cannot!  Some scientists will argue that energy or the law concerning the conservation of energy can neither be created nor destroyed.  We argue the same with one difference; energy was created for it cannot come from nothing, hence a beginning, but no end.  Energy must and always returns to its source.  We are made of energy, electrical impulses and the like.  Don’t touch a live wire, for we are conduits in some way, i.e. via water, and that type of charge throws off the charge in us and stops our hearts if enough energy flows through us.  Basically we are energy.  As Catholics we call our energy “soul or spirit.”  When the body passes away, the soul returns to its source, God.

The above is a very fundamental way of describing our energy, I am sure a Christian who is a scientist could do a much better job than I, but you get the point.  You see, we can argue about life after death with non-believers without even going to Scripture.  As Catholic Christians though, we can also go to the Bible to see and learn about the promises given by God.

In many places throughout the Old Testament and the New Testament God is referred to as , “The God of Abraham, the God Of Isaac, and the God Jacob,” and in other places as , “The God of our Fathers.”  Jesus uses the first term when arguing with the Sadducees over the resurrection, claiming, “How can God be the God of the dead, when He says, “I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?”  God is the God of the living, even though all humans die, they will live forever with God.

The question in Scripture is not so much based on a proof, but rather more on faith and believing in the One who made the promise.  Why do I believe Jesus?  The question comes down to, is He good on His word?  I for one believe that He was.  In society we judge others according to how they live first, then we acknowledge their message, if their living does not match their words, then we dismiss them as hypocrites.   Now granted, even the best of us are at least small hypocrites due to our sinful nature, but Jesus was not so, His actions were perfect and they gave great credibility to His words.  And, His final sacrifice is a great proof of His actions speaking louder than His words, but also giving His words undeniable validity.

There is one final thing and that is what we have come to know as near death experiences or those who were clinically dead and then return to life.  All of them basically have the same story, with some differences obviously, but the same in the fact that they are alive, they know they are alive and many communicate with loved ones, or at least recognize them, others have seen angels, or saints, or the patriarchs, and a few have even seen and communicated with the Blessed Mother or even Christ Himself.  Is there some scientific explanation as to why they all have a similar experience?  Some would argue these are simply end of life brain functions, though I personally think that unlikely.  Some come back explaining things and situations in full detail.  God does not typically work this way, through extraordinary means, or grand miracles, but every so often He does to send us reminders and to affirm our beliefs.

In the end though, whether we look to the truth about energy and that our souls are energy, if we examine Scripture or read of those who have come back, it still does not satisfy every whim and curiosity we have, rather our belief rests on faith, belief that Jesus told the Truth and I believe Him because I love Him.

Remember, the journey doesn’t end here, death is a path we all must take, the final sacrament if you will, leaving the womb of this earth to be with our God, family, and friends for ever.  That doesn’t sound so bad does it?  No, no it doesn’t.

Fr. John 

John the Baptist

John the Baptist, he was a character indeed.  He came dressed in camel’s hair, ate locusts and honey, and lived in the desert.  He came out of that desert to announce the coming of the Lord, preparing the way for the Savior, Jesus Christ.  He does so not the least bit concerned about political correctness, etiquette, or a polished style if you will.  John the Baptist tells it like it is.  “We are all sinners, repent, the Lord is coming.”

Would we accept a person like that today?  John convicted his listeners about their sins, some accepted, some did not.  What would John sound like today if he came out of the desert to convict us; maybe he would say the following:

1)    We have forsaken the Lord’s day

2)    We have redefined marriage and have forgotten what is holy

3)    We live in fornication, how many have had premarital relations

4)    We cheat the poor and help the rich get richer

5)    We are war mongers, “we” meaning the entire world

6)    We have forgotten the sacredness of life, we destroy human life both in the womb and through executions

7)    We are spoiled, we have way too much

8)    We have become our own gods

9)    We “hate” or we hold grudges against family and friends

10)                    We justify ourselves, i.e. I’m good with God because I never killed anyone

I don’t know if I would be able to so readily accept someone like the Baptist, he was a tough man, and he penetrated right into the hearts of his listeners, some grew angry, others sad and convicted, and for the latter it led to repentance.  Who would I be?  Am I the war monger, am I filled with greed, lust, revenge, self justification?  No, not me, I’m good, “I never killed anyone.”

No one wants to be told they are bad or lacking, but once in a while Jesus sends a John the Baptist to wake us up!  Like St. Paul when it comes to sinners I consider myself first and foremost.  

I have to admit that when the World Trade Center was hit by terrorists I had vengeance on my heart.  Sometimes I also feel that I have too much, but I justify “my things,” with the following reasoning, I deserve this or that, it’s not that costly, others have it, etc.  And I have not been short on holding a couple of grudges throughout my life, especially with those whom I thought wronged me in a grievous manner.  

If John the Baptist approached me hollering, “Repent you sinner,” I may have thought he was crazy, just another religious fanatic.  But John was no fanatic, just a simple, holy, and lively man delivering a message.  I pray that when John or whomever convicts me of sin, that I humble myself.  I’d rather say sorry to the Lord then argue with Him on why I am right.

There is another part to this reflection and that is that we need more John the Baptists in the Church.  There are many who remain neutral to the Church so long as we preach in-house so-to-speak, then there are others who are Catholics who want to hear nothing of sin, just give us the feel good stuff.  Feel good stuff is ok once in a while, but we need to remember that we need forgiveness always.  We must also remember to preach what is right, no matter when or where, regardless if society says otherwise.  Do you think John the Baptist would retreat back to the desert if he felt society was not ready or willing?  No way, he came with the fire of the Holy Spirit.  We need to bring this fire into our own hearts and then share it with the world.  We celebrate the Solemnity of St. John the Baptist, we herald him as a great saint, relative of Jesus, and a martyr, but are we really listening to what he is saying, because his voice has never truly drowned out or faded away, you can still hear that man dressed in camel’s hair, looking disheveled, dirty, and a little wild, screaming, “Repent you sinners, the Lord is coming.” 

Fr. John

Happy Father's Day Dad

This Sunday is Father’s Day.  It will be my first without my dad.  As I reflect back since his passing on Nov. 28^th 2011, I realize that I have finally been able to mourn his passing.  When he passed away I had to be the one that took care of all the funeral planning, the planning for the mass, all the legal work that followed, i.e. his will, new wills, etc.  Shortly after I was transferred from Woodstown to Galloway, so I had to dive in head first into my new assignment, giving me no time to reflect and to mourn his passing.  As I got settled in at Galloway, I did begin to reflect on my dad and to finally mourn his passing.

The one thing that keeps coming back to me, even in the midst of the tears is that he is happy, that everything that was supposed to happen – happened, according to God’s Divine Providence.  I may not have been able to say that when things were still fresh in my mind, but looking back now, I can clearly see and understand his leaving this life to be in the next.

Part of me wanted to hold him here.  I miss his smile, our conversations, his story telling, sharing meals together, watching Croatia play soccer at 2am during the World Cup, praying together, and just being family.  It is very hard to let that go.  Yet, Christ challenges us, sometimes right down to the very core of our being, and he says, “Trust in me, offer it all to me.”  The letting go of everyone, everything, and even myself is the root of love, if I cannot I have not reached love at its essence – total surrender, again, very difficult, but there is a freedom in it.  I realized the pain I had in my dad’s loss was me keeping him here, not that he was here like a ghost, but that I could not have full peace or he knowing my pain.  Surrendering to Christ sets us free. 

Many think that faith is just some spirituality that I live in private, praying only 2 minutes a week when I need something, or just attending mass – that’s good though, but only a part of it, faith demands the impossible of us, to trust without second thought and to do so completely, even when I have to let go of my own father.  I thought I had this faith, being a priest and all, but I didn’t until I could say to Jesus, “Everything and everyone is yours, I surrender to your will, and I give you my father.”  Not that he was mine to give, but rather I trust he is definitely ok, and that I am ok.

This Father’s day will not be a sad one for me, even though it is the first one without my dad.  I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that he lives and continues to love me and I him.  And in the end, it’s only a matter of time before we reunite, regardless if I pass today or 40 years from now, just a blink of an eye in the scheme of things.  A Scripture passage that helped me was, “We do not want you to be unaware, brothers, about those who have fallen asleep, so that you may not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.  For if we believe Jesus died and rose, so too will God, through Jesus, bring with him those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Thess. 4:13-14, NABRE)  Bring them where?  To be resurrected, those who passed before us and we as well and future generations to come if that be the Lord’s will.  This is my hope and if you lost your dad or any loved one I pray it is your hope as well.

Happy Father’s Day Dad, see you soon!

Mass Etiquette and the Real Presence

This Sunday we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, previously called or otherwise known as Corpus Cristi.   Just recently, as released through a Diocesan survey, a disturbing number of Catholics do not believe in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.  The real presence as taught by the Church is that there is no longer any bread or wine, just its appearance.  What is there is really and fully Jesus, in Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, His whole person.

One could have more understanding in and that a Protestant would not believe in the real presence or believe in some some variation thereof, i.e. it is all symbolic or a combination of Jesus with the bread and wine, etc.  But, we are talking about Catholics.  I wish to do two things here, talk a little but about mass etiquette, in and how one should receive communion and secondly, why we believe what we believe and in the process hopefully answering some questions for those Catholics who do not believe in the real presence.

As a priest I am sometimes humbled in how people receive communion, they approach with reverence and joy.  Other times I am a little disturbed and annoyed.  There are two ways people can receive communion, one way is on the hands, and the other way is on their tongue.  Personally I prefer that everyone receives on their hands, though I would never force anyone not to receive on the tongue.   There are some priests who prefer to distribute on the tongue, there are others who do not, but either way all of us need to remain open to both ways, i.e. open to the people.  Getting back to my original points, here is what you are supposed to do when you approach the priest. 

1     Everyone should be approaching reverently and joyfully, if it is your custom to bow, kneel, cross your arms, please do so, but please be aware of who is behind you and in front of you – don’t bump into people.

2     If you receive on the tongue please put your tongue out so that I may place the Eucharist on your tongue.  Some folks leave their mouth open just so slightly with their tongue hidden.  Then I must struggle to place communion on your tongue.  In the process I accidently touch lips and teeth sometimes.  This is no good as it is both awkward and unsanitary for the next person, due to me reaching in for another host with the same fingers.

3     Also, get closer to the priest so that I may reach you, sometimes people stay further than and arms length away from me, don’t worry I don’t bite.

4     If you receive on the hands, place your left hand above your right, with both hands wide open, not cupped, wait for me to place the Eucharist on your hand and wait for my hand to be away from yours, then with your right hand take the body of Christ reverently and joyfully.

5    Do not receive with one hand or try to take the host from me; I will not give it to you.  If you are elderly, arthritic, or have any type of condition where that cannot happen I understand as do all priests and we will compensate.

6     Also I am watching you even as you pass me to make sure you have received.  There have been times in my priesthood where someone has not immediately received but walks away with the host for a while, usually out of ignorance, I will break the line to make sure you consume it, in order to protect the sacredness of Holy Communion.  Let’s all avoid a potentially embarrassing situation.

7     If you are aware of a grave sin or not in compliance with Jesus’ understanding of marriage or other states of life you should NOT receive.  The burden of receiving or giving communion does not rest with the priest unless one has publically dissented from the Church and or has been excommunicated; the burden for the most part is on the recipient.   A priest cannot judge someone’s heart or state of being.  But remember as St. Paul says, “Therefore whoever eats the bread and drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord.  A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup.  For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.” (1 Cor. 11:27-29, NABRE)

This takes us into our next discussion, what do we receive?  If what we received was simply bread and wine, how in the world could bread and wine bring judgment on us, it’s just food.  However, if we are receiving a person, in this case Jesus, then if we receive him unworthily then yes, we would bring judgment on ourselves.

The problem here is that we priests have not properly catechized people.  Many times, we priests blame peoples’ faith, or their CCD education, or Catholic Schools, or whomever, but we rarely blame ourselves.  We know it, therefore everyone else should.  The main reason for people not knowing or understanding some point of their faith falls to us.  Obviously we are not people’s parents and parents have the greatest responsibility to raise their children in the faith, however, we priests have ample opportunities to visit class rooms, stop in at Rel. Ed. Sessions, at mass, at Youth Group, marriage preparations, etc., etc.

We also need your help, those who are here, who know the faith, to be able to spread it, teach it, and share it.  You cannot just say, “Go see a priest or deacon.”  If someone asks you why you believe in the real presence you should automatically know that your belief is based on Scripture, i.e. the Last Supper narratives from the Gospels, also John chapter 6 and  1 Corinthians 11.

A great scientist once said, “Faith without reason is superstition, reason without faith is dead.”  You can never say, “Because that is what I believe or simply because the Church says so.”  No good!  You must always be ready to give an account for what you believe! C.f. 1 Peter 3:15.

I have given you one logical argument why the bread and wine are really the Body and Blood of Christ; I will now give you some homework.  When you are home this week, read the Last Supper narratives, and especially read John chapter 6.  If you have questions we can meet and discuss them, for it is there and then, in our dialogue that we truly learn from one another, God bless you.

Fr. John

Vocations Evening at St. Nicholas

Vocations Evening at

St. Nicholas Church

525 St. Louis Avenue

Egg Harbor City, NJ 08215

7pm to 8pm - Thursday June 7^th, 2012

Hour of Eucharistic Adoration led by Deacon Michael Guerrieri

Homilist Fr. John P. Picinic (Fr. John’s journey to the Priesthood)

Please join us for an hour of Adoration to pray for and promote Vocations to the Priesthood, Religious Life, and Diaconate.  Those interested in vocations are encouraged to attend, and as always all are welcome!

Join us in St. Nicholas Rectory afterwards for some light refreshments.

Most Holy Trinity: Relationship

Today we celebrate the Most Holy Trinity, the first major tenet of our faith.  In order to be a Christian one must believe in the Trinity, defined and understood as three Divine persons, the Father, the Son – Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.  Each person is distinct yet they coexist in unity, they are One.  If one does not believe that then one is not Christian.  Since I take it most who are reading this are Christians and have some understanding of the Trinity it still leaves us asking questions.

How can three persons be one?  Are there three gods?  Was Jesus always God’s Son, even before He took human flesh?  Is God a man, a woman, or neither?  There are probably many other questions we can ask, but these are sufficient for now.

Lets start with first question, how can three persons be one?  Most questions of our faith are answered through analogy.  Simply put, many of us can remember in Religious Education, CCD as it was called for us, were taught, the Trinity is like a three leaved clover, one stem with three leaves, i.e. three distinct leaves making up one thing.  A very simple explanation, one that works, but nevertheless not completely sufficient of an answer especially as we get older and begin to ask deeper and more involved questions.

Another analogy we can use for the more mature and inquisitive mind is that of comparing marriage to the Trinity.  When two people get married we believe that they become one flesh, both in the physical and to a great degree, spiritual sense.  Both persons remain their individual selves, but do you notice, especially in a good healthy marriage how both persons anticipate the needs of the other, how they very often think alike, and how easily we can observe the married couple’s “oneness.”  They are distinct from one another, though very much one.  Now, no human analogy will sufficiently and completely answer the question of three persons being one, but the analogies do help.

The second question which asks, are there three gods is answered both in Scripture and through logic.  The prophet Isaiah writes, “Thus says the Lord, Israel’s King, ‘its redeemer, the Lord of hosts: I am the first, I am the last; there is no God but me.” (Is. 44:6, NABRE)  And in Deuteronomy, “The Lord our God is one Lord.” (Duet. 6:4, NASB)  In a couple of chapters before from Deuteronomy, “Know that the Lord he is God; there is none else beside Him.” (Duet. 4:35, NASB)  However, as Christians we believe that Jesus is also God as well as the Holy Spirit.  We do not believe that there are separate gods who in some analogous way are one.  We believe that each is distinct and that each is fully God, the one God.  Some references for Jesus being God can be found in the Gospel of John 1:1-3, again in John 8:58 – cross referencing that with Exodus 3:14-17, as well as Revelations chapter 22 verse 13.  As for the Holy Spirit being God please reference the following: Acts 28:25 in light of Is. 6:9-10, Jn 14:16-17, 1 Cor 3:16, Acts 5:3-4, to name a few.

We also believe that God is neither male nor female, but that both male and female have been given free will and reason, both which God has.  God is intelligent – He reasons, as well as being free, He is under no constraint, nor is He compelled or moved in any way.  When God is depicted as being moved by human beings, either to anger or compassion it is a way of describing God’s interaction with humanity, interactions that move us towards love, hopefully.  Why then do we call God Father and not Mother?  God has both parental attributes, but He is called Father, both in the communal sense – all of us, as well as in the individual sense – he is my Father.  To understand why we do not use the term God is our mother or my mother is that Scripture never calls Him that.  It may make analogy to motherly affections or attributes but the people of Israel nor did Jesus refer to God specifically as mother.  For more on this please see http://www.ewtn.com/library/Theology/NOTMOTHR.HTM

The last question about God the Son, the Eternal Word always being God’s Son even before Jesus was born, i.e. God the Son becoming Incarnate is true, the second person of the Trinity was always the Son of God.  C.F. 1 John 4:9, God sent His only begotten Son into the world.  He does not simply send the Word or something, but an actual distinct person whom God the Father refers to as His Son even before the Son was born in the flesh.

When it comes to the Trinity as time goes by and more and more people reflect on it we gain further and deeper understanding, yet our minds continue to ask questions, which is good.  God is that never ending font of wisdom, we can never tap into completely or fully, but we continue to search it out nevertheless.   It is love that compels us to search, for we search out He who fashioned us.  We also search out one another in this journey we call life, for we are social beings by our very nature, we crave relationship.  We crave it because it is an attribute or characteristic our very nature which we have received from God Himself, who is also relationship by His very nature, one in which we understand and believe to be God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  May Almighty God bless you, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Fr. John

picture depicts when the Most Holy Trinity visited Abraham, taken from http://lavistachurchofchrist.org/Pictures/Patriarichal%20Age/target0.html