Year III, Number 11

The Eucharist is above all else a sacrifice. It is the sacrifice of the Redemption and also the sacrifice of the New Covenant, as we believe and as the Eastern Churches clearly profess: "Today's sacrifice, the Greek Church stated centuries ago, "is like that offered once by the Only-begotten Incarnate Word; it is offered by Him (now as then), since it is one and the same sacrifice." Accordingly, precisely by making this single sacrifice of our salvation present, men and the world are restored to God through the paschal newness of Redemption. This restoration cannot cease to be: it is the foundation of the “new and eternal covenant" of God with man and of man with God. If it were missing, one would have to question both the excellence of the sacrifice of the Redemption, which in fact was perfect and definitive, and also the sacrificial value of the Mass. In fact, the Eucharist, being a true sacrifice, brings about this restoration to God.

Consequently, the celebrant, as minister of this sacrifice, is the authentic priest, performing-in virtue of the specific power of-sacred ordination-a true sacrificial act that brings creation back to God. Although all those who participate in the Eucharist do not confect the sacrifice as He does, they offer with Him, by virtue of the common priesthood, their own spiritual sacrifices represented by the bread and wine from the moment of their presentation at the altar. For this liturgical action, which takes a solemn form in almost all liturgies, has a "spiritual value and meaning." The bread and wine become in a sense a symbol of all that the Eucharistic assembly brings, on its own part, as an offering to God and offers spiritually.

It is important that this first moment of the Liturgy of the Eucharist in the strict sense should find expression in the attitude of the participants. There is a link between this and the offertory "procession" provided for in the recent liturgical reform and accompanied, in keeping with ancient tradition, by a psalm or song. A certain length of time must be allowed, so that all can become aware of this act, which is given expression at the same time by the words of the celebrant.

Awareness of the act of presenting the offerings should be maintained throughout the Mass. Indeed, it should be brought to fullness at the moment of the consecration and of the anamnesis offering, as is demanded by the fundamental value of the moment of the sacrifice. This is shown by the words of the Eucharistic Prayer said aloud by the priest. It seems worthwhile repeating here some expressions in the third Eucharistic Prayer that show in particular the sacrificial character of the Eucharist and link the offering of our persons with Christ's offering: "Look with favor on your Church's offering, and see the Victim whose death has reconciled us to yourself. Grant that we, who are nourished by his body and blood, may be filled with his Holy Spirit, and become one body, one spirit in Christ. May he make us an everlasting gift to you.

This sacrificial value is expressed earlier in every celebration by the words with which the priest concludes the presentation of the gifts, asking the faithful to pray, "that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father." These words are binding, since they express the character of the entire Eucharistic Liturgy and the fullness of its divine and ecclesial content.

Q. This web site is a great idea! I've read a couple of items on the web site about discerning priestly and religious vocations on this site, but so far haven't seen anything concerning discernment of marriage or single life. What advice would you give to a young person who is serious about their vocation to holiness, but may be called to pursue it in marriage or single life?

A. Dear Luke,

Thank you for the encouraging words.

I think that much of what is on the site as regards the consecrated and priestly vocation can be of help also regarding marriage or the single life considered as vocations, because, to discover your vocation, whatever it may be, you have to want and seek God's will above all else. It is hard to make a mistake if you try to be as generous as possible with God.

Since the leaning towards marriage comes so naturally, once a person sees that he is not called to a life of consecration it usually means that the way is marriage, and then it is a question of prudently placing the means to find "the one" that God has in mind. Here it will be the same principle: prayer, and placing the means.

God bless. Fr Anthony

Q. Dear Fr. Bannon,

The thought has come to me in prayer, very grudgingly, that I might have a vocation. But, I am petrified and I don't want one. Sometimes I feel like the only way to serve Christ is through a vocation, but I desire a husband and many children very much. It would be a huge sacrifice to give that up. I often avoid the thought as much as possible. I am going to try and visit a convent this summer to give God first chance, but I am going with the hope that I will find I don't have a vocation to the religious life. Am I just running away from it, or does feeling like a vocation would be such a sacrifice mean that I don't have one?

A. Dear Mary,

The fear and almost horror that grips you when you think you might have vocation cannot of itself tell you if you have a vocation or not. It could be due to the fact that you instinctively, spiritually understand you don't have one, and then again it may be due to your attachment to something of itself more attractive and satisfying on the surface than a vocation - something good in itself and that has been a major part of your dreams and plans up to the present, and now the vocation is intruding on it all.

So how do you sort it out, how do you figure out if it is one extreme or the other or something in between?

You have to pray. You have to ask yourself some questions. You have to let it sink in that if God is calling you the way to respond is in love and generosity, and not "kicking and screaming".

When you pray, don't center on "God, tell me what you want me to do", prayer is much more than that. Thank him for all he has done for you. Try to absorb yourself into the mystery of God, how Christ is human as well as divine, how it was not easy for his human nature to give up his life for us yet he did so, for example. Adore God in your prayer, give him his place as your Creator. Intercede for others in your prayer; try to open your mind and heart to their needs and ask God how you can best help them. Of course you should also do what comes more easily in prayer - ask for what you need. Tell God to help you if it is generosity you need.

Ask yourself some questions. About life, its purpose, its length. About eternal life. Why has God been so generous with you, etc...

And when the "panic attacks" surface step back. don't let yourself get drawn into them. They are often a sign something is wrong, that you are looking at the wrong things, or looking at them in the wrong way.

God bless. Fr Anthony.

Introduction: Jesus Christ wants to meet me, and wants me to meet him. He invites me to friendship. He wants to meet me where I am and bring me to where he is so that I can discover my particular path to life, happiness, and fulfillment. Jesus Christ steps into my life. Only one question remains, ”How will I respond to his love?”

Gospel Passage: Jn 1: 35-39

The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, "Look, here is the Lamb of God!" The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him, "Rabbi" (which translated means Teacher), "where are you staying?" He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon.

1. The Eternal Encounter

John and Andrew were devout followers of John the Baptist. The message the Baptist preached seemed to reach deep into their hearts and find an echo there. They relished the intensity of John the Baptist; his strong love for the coming Kingdom of God and his vehement upbraiding of those who refused to covert from their wicked hypocrisy. “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. "I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." John and Andrew, later to be called Sons of Thunder, liked his style and his message.

John and Andrew anxiously awaited the soon-to-be-revealed appearance of the Messiah. John and Andrew, therefore, were attentive and searching for Christ in their life. The Baptist first pointed Christ out to his disciples declaring, "Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.'” This first direct revelation prompted none of his disciples to pursue Christ. The next day, however, John and Andrew were alone with John the Baptist. The Baptist said it again. This time John and Andrew acted upon the moment of grace. Little did they know, but this was the beginning of their vocation.

As they walked toward Christ, there was something that drew them toward him. They were curious, but no one can come to Christ unless the Father calls him. The moment their eyes fell upon Christ, grace stirred in their soul. Even though they did not know him, he had a presence. Coming up behind Jesus, they watched him. Then Christ stopped, turned looked at them and asked, "What are you looking for?" Jesus somehow knew the yearning inside their hearts, that unsettling notion that something was missing in their lives. John responds, "Where are you staying?" "Come and see." Jesus did not twist their arms, he simply opened the door to friendship.

One afternoon with him and their lives would forever be changed. With Jesus, something 'clicked' inside them. They felt attracted to the person of Christ an identification with him. They liked how he acted, what he had to say, how he said it. It was not just admiration, something like love at first sight struck them deep in their hearts, but it was deeper than just a feeling. They spent time with Christ and getting to know him changed everything, quickly and radically.

The vocation is an encounter with Christ who meets me and asks me to spend time with him. By doing so we will be able to hear what he is telling me, and be able to discover who he is. However, we must be ready as John and Andrew. They were searching for the Messiah who was to come. So when they heard they acted. As they spent time with Christ, the yearning to be with him, to follow him, grew. Since the soil of their heart was fertile and ready for God's grace, they felt the calling echo in their soul.

How did John and Andrew become aware of their calling? God used John the Baptist to bring them to it. In many similar ways, God leads us to our mission in life. A simple word or suggestion by someone that we know can be the vehicle of grace to drive us toward Christ. Not every vocation clearly perceives his vocation from an early age. Sometimes it happens in an instant, but an instant prepared from all eternity.

Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, teach me to prepare my heart for you. I want to be attentive and ready when you walk by in my life. I want to meet you and spend time with you. I know you have a plan for my life and I want to pursue that mission. Open my ears to hear your will. Open my eyes to see you and encounter you, personally.

2. The Encounter Echoed

When John and Andrew met Christ, a definitive mark remained on their soul. John was so impressed that he remembered all the details of that encounter, even the exact hour he met Christ; it was the tenth hour (around 4 in the afternoon).

This helps us to realize that discerning our vocation is first and foremost about meeting Christ. A vocation is not an intellectual understanding of the priesthood or religious life. A vocation is an experiential knowledge. It is an understanding stemming from a personal encounter with Jesus. You do not have to read a manual about the priesthood or religious life to know if you are called. John and Andrew did not have the catechism to explain what the priesthood was about. The Church itself didn't even exist. They did not have a handbook outlining the duties and responsibilities expected of Christ's followers. Then how did they know that this is what God wanted of them? They knew because they experienced Christ personally. They heard him and were drawn to him. Everything was summarized in the encounter. This is the definitive mark that made John remember the exact hour he met Christ.

The echoing of that encounter, however, did not stop there for John and Andrew. Christ extended an invitation to friendship when he said, "Come and see." John and Andrew grew in their friendship with Christ after that encounter. How? The same way we do with any friendship; time and personal contact.

John and Andrew came back to Christ after that day. They spent more time with him. They were in personal contact with him. By being with Christ and talking with him, the conviction in their hearts grew. But how can we spend time with Christ? Prayer. It must be a strong and constant part of your life to discern what God wants.

Prayer life is not simply saying grace before meals and occasionally saying a spontaneous prayer to God when I feel like it. Prayer life is a daily commitment to a deepening of your experiential knowledge of the person of Christ. It includes especially the Sacraments (Eucharist, Reconciliation), some devotions, personal Scripture reading. Christ is present in the Eucharist Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. He is essentially there and that's where you go to be with Christ in a personal and real way . Going to mass frequently, weekly confession, or just stopping in the chapel to make a visit to Christ in the Eucharist are necessary steps of sacramental life. Also, talking consistently to a priest in spiritual direction about your vocation in another way to meet Christ personally. These are all means to continue the echo of the encounter we had with Christ and fortify the conviction of our calling.

Conversation with Christ: Lord, I want to deepen my friendship with you, a deep and lasting friendship. I want to dedicate time every day to be with you. I don't want to forget my encounter with you. I want my love for you to be strong and fresh, something that strengthens and encourages me. I want to live my life for you. Here I am Lord, I have come to do your will. Just send me.

QUESTIONNAIRE

To help you to examine your life, in the light of the inspirations God just gave you in these moments you shared with him.

1. How have I prepared the soil of my heart to receive God’s grace? Am I attentive and searching for God’s will like John and Andrew?

2. When was my first real encounter with Christ? Has it left a definitive mark on my soul and have I continued to deepen my experiential knowledge of Christ

3. How have I done my part to continue building my friendship with Christ by prayer and the sacraments? Is my prayer and sacramental life sufficient enough for a real friendship with a real person, Jesus Christ?

The urgency to do apostolate comes from within, from the love that each one of you professes for Christ in your heart. Without a true love for Christ and your neighbor you cannot be an authentic apostle. Being an apostle, then, is an essential component of being a Christian. Preaching the Gospel is therefore not just another task among many — it is the mission your whole life should focus on. You cannot be an apostle just for hours or days at a time. Either you are an apostle or you are not, period. Either you have a message or you don’t.

When we begin to give only our “free time” to apostolate, we end up not doing anything at all. The whole life of a Christian is for doing apostolate, because each moment of his life is an opportunity that God offers him to hasten the coming of his Kingdom.

In order to form an apostle’s heart within you, I suggest that you spend substantial amounts of time at the feet of Christ in the Eucharist. He will give you the strength you need to fulfill your vocation to the apostolate. He will give you an apostle’s soul and an irrepressible zeal for the salvation of souls. Ask the Holy Spirit to fill your hearts with great love, capable of great undertakings for the Kingdom of Christ.

Only love for Christ provides the strength we need to “leave ourselves”. To leave ourselves is the indispensable condition if we are to “go out and preach”. Only love for Christ is able to move us to leave aside our narrow-minded personal interests and any trace of selfishness. Only love for Christ and the power of his grace can root out of our souls the infection of sin and the disorder of our passions.

Once the apostles were filled with this love thanks to the Holy Spirit, they had the courage to abandon their self-imposed prison. When someone fills himself with love for Christ, he witnesses in himself a flowering of gospel and apostolic virtues: he becomes like the One he loves in gentleness and humility, in poverty and surrender to others, in purity of heart, and in the practice of justice and charity in his behavior. He abandons all pride and superiority, attachment to riches and comfort, all engrossment in his own narrow personal world. The best apostle is whoever becomes a carbon copy of Christ. Then his very life preaches, and evangelization is the witness of a life that is fully gospel.

To complement the above thoughts, I will enumerate some characteristics that define an apostle, in the hope that will help you acquire an apostolic heart.

Moved by love for Christ, an apostle is a striver, with a “militant” spirit. It is not an easy undertaking and there is no magic formula to transform man, to root out his disordered passions, to make him a new person in Christ. For an apostle, his mission is a constant struggle against the forces of evil that exist both within him and outside him. St. Paul speaks of the “fight of the faith” (1 Tim 6:12), of the “fight for the faith of the Gospel” (Phil 1:30) that the disciple of Christ should keep up. The Lord who gives the strength to fight this battle: “I can do all things in him who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13). And he it is who grants our victory and reward: “If we have died with him, we shall also live with him if we endure, we shall also reign with him” (2 Tim 2:11). The Kingdom of heaven is subject to violence, and those who fight to enter it will triumph (cf. Mt 11:12).

This little guide is by no means exhaustive; it is merely meant to help you get started on (or jump-start) a fruitful exercise of the sacrament of confession. Through your own reading and the advice of your priest or spiritual director, you can find more complete guides. The key to a fruitful living of this sacrament, however, is not in the right guide to examining your conscience; rather, it is in your decision and constant effort to live in communion with God through a vital and personal friendship with Christ, developed using all the other means dealt with in this handbook. In that way, confession becomes an intimate encounter of love, a moment of reconciliation and renewal in a living relationship, not just an empty formality, a pious duty performed out of a vague, impersonal sense of obligation. Set aside enough time to prepare for your confession calmly and prayerfully. Begin by asking God to enlighten you. The following prayer may prove helpful. Begin with the sign of the cross.

Father, you are rich in mercy, and you know my heart. You know how much I want to love and serve you by following your will. You also know how weak I am and how difficult it is for live in humility and purity and faith. As I approach your loving sacrament of reconciliation, established through the wisdom and sacrifice of your Son and celebrated in the Church, please send the Holy Spirit to enlighten my mind, so that I can know my sins and faults, and to enliven my heart, so that, sincerely sorry for offending you and wounding the Church, I can confess my sins and receive your forgiveness and strength.

Christ cares most about our hearts: “Where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” “For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, unchastity, theft, false witness, blasphemy.” “A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.” Therefore, as you speak with him about how you have hurt or displeased him since your last confession, you can begin your reflection by reviewing your interior attitudes, and then trace their manifestations in your actions (or vice versa - the important thing is to include both aspects). Many people find it helpful to jot down the thoughts that come to them during their examination of conscience, so that they can be clear and orderly during their confession. As you begin to receive the sacrament and make an examination of conscience on a regular basis you will find it much easier to identify the areas where you tend to yield to selfishness, where you usually fall into sin or give in to your innate weaknesses. At that point, your examination of conscience will take less time, and you will need to activate your hope and faith more energetically so as not to yield to feelings of discouragement. The following questionnaire may help you.

Regarding my relationship with God:

• “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”

• What has characterized my habitual attitude towards God over the last two weeks? Adoration, praise, gratitude, respect, trust, faith, hope, love?

• Indifference, distance, resentment, arrogance?

• How has that attitude manifested itself in my life of prayer?

• How much did I give in to sloth, neglecting to follow through on my prayer commitments, both those dictated by the Church (e.g. Sunday Mass) and those I have taken on personally?

• How much did I give in to distractions during those times of prayer?

• Did I battle against the distractions, or did I let them discourage me and debilitate me?

• How much of an effort have I made to keep in contact with God throughout my normal activities?

• Have I tried to discover his will in the duties and circumstances of my life, or have I lived as if he were not involved in them at all?

• Have I consciously tried to please him, to know him, to serve him, to seek him out, to think of him frequently, or have I kept him isolated from my real, day-to-day concerns?

• To what extent has God been my “one thing necessary”, and to what extent have other people, pleasures, or things been crowding him out? Why?

Regarding my relationship with others:

• “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”‘ ; “I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”; “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.”

• What has characterized my habitual attitude towards other people (those close to me as well as those I only interact with occasionally) over the last two weeks?

• Interest, generosity, concern, purity?

• Criticism, fear, arrogance, greed, envy, lust?

• How much of an effort have I made to try and see every person not in terms of their usefulness or agreeableness to me, but in terms of their being infinitely loved by God?

• How much of an effort have I made to think well of others, instead of dwelling on their weak points or faults?

• In what ways has that internal attitude expressed itself in my words?

• Have I gossiped, joined in useless criticism, or spoken badly about others unnecessarily (detraction)?

• Have I spoken harshly to others out of anger, impatience, or aggravation?

• Have I been cold, brusque, short, or impatient with anyone?

• How much of an effort have I made to speak positively about others in order to build up an atmosphere of trust, mutual respect, and charity?

• In what way has that internal attitude expressed itself in my actions?

• Have I taken unfair advantage of anyone, using them for my own purposes instead of respecting them as persons? Have I let my gestures, expressions, or actions communicate my displeasure, impatience, or anger?

• Have I resorted to violence merely in order to vent my frustration?

• Have I played favorites, or is my charity universal, like Christ’s?

• How much of an effort have I made to help those around me, to serve them, to make their lives more pleasant and fulfilling, to show them the love and gentleness of God through expressing sincere concern and interest in them?

• How much have I expressed my true charity towards others by praying to God for them?

• By witnessing to the truth of the gospel through my example and my words?

• How much have I gone out of my way to bring others close to Christ?

As regards my own self-discipline:

• “Then he said to all, ‘If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.’” “Do you not know that the runners in the stadium all run in the race, but only one wins the prize? Run so as to win.”

• What has characterized my habitual attitude towards my own life over the last two weeks?

• Self-indulgence, comfort seeking, vanity, arrogance, laziness? Humility, responsibility, determination to do God’s will?

• How has this habitual attitude manifested itself in the fulfillment of my duties?

• Have I shirked any important duties all together?

• Have I fulfilled them conscientiously, responsibly, seeing in them the will of God and my path to a happy and fruitful life?

• How responsibly have I tried to discover and develop the talents and gifts I have received from God?

• Have I taken them for granted?

• Have I “buried” them?

• How has this habitual attitude manifested itself in the way I have used my time?

• To what extent did I plan ahead, setting goals for myself and prioritizing my tasks?

• To what extent did I let my emotions and whims (instead of my convictions) dictate my activities and decisions?

• How has this habitual attitude manifested itself in the way I have responded to challenges, difficulties, and temptations?

• To what extent did I find God in these moments and renew my faith and trust in him, my commitment to him?

• To what extent did I give in to discouragement, self-pity, the “easy way”?

• How much of an effort have I made to find and embrace the cross of Christ in my own life?

• Did I try to maintain order in the exterior things of my life, as a way to foster harmony and order in my soul?

• To what extent did I give in to extremes in my pursuit of pleasure?

• Did I at any time unnecessarily endanger my or someone else’s health or life, abusing this most precious gift of existence?

• Did I ever let my bad example lead others away from Christ?

A common act of contrition follows.

Lord Jesus Christ, true God and true man, my Creator and Redeemer, I love you above all things. I am sorry with all my heart for the wrong I have done and the good I have failed to do. By sinning, I have offended you, my greatest good, worthy of being loved above all else. To make up for my sins, I offer my life, my work, and all I do. I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Through the merits of your passion and death, take pity on me and grant me the grace never to offend you again. Amen.

Reflecting beforehand on the words of absolution spoken by the priest can be an excellent aid to living the sacrament well: God, the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of his Son has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Upcoming Events & Retreats

(( Listed here are retreats directed by the Legionaries of Christ and Regnum Christi members. For a listing of diocesan activities and other events, click here to go to the vocation.com website ))

LEGIONARIES OF CHRIST

Cheshire, CT, April 19-21, Test Your Call! retreat. Contact Br Shane Johnson, (800) 420-5409. vocation@legionaries.org

Atlanta, April 26-28, Young Men's Spiritual Exercises. Contact Fr Scott Reilly, (770) 394-2158. frscott@legionaries.org

Denver, April 26-28, Spiritual Exercises with Fr Anthony Bannon. Contact Br Daniel Brandenburg, (303) 689-9932. dbrandenburg@legionaries.org

Manchester, NH, May 3-5, Evangelization Mission. Contact Adam Jeffries, (301) 365-3205. YTM2000@aol.com

REGNUM CHRISTI consecrated women

St. Louis, April 12-14. Spiritual Exercises. Contact Anne-Marie Dardis, (314) 583-0238. amdardis@inteducators.org

Ottawa, April 21 and May 19. Half-Day Retreats. Contact Lourdes Cano, (612) 205-7566. lcano@inteducators.org

Minneapolis, April 7 and April 14. Humanitarian Missions. Contact Tammy Grady, (612) 205-2504. tgrady@inteducators.org

Manchester, NH, May 3-5, Evangelization Mission. Contact Adam Jeffries, (301) 365-3205. YTM2000@aol.com

REGNUM CHRISTI consecrated men

Call Tony McDonnell for more information, (301) 365-3205. info@ytm.org

ShoreLines welcomes your questions and comments at questions@shorelines.org. If you do not specify otherwise, your question may be posted in the Vocations Q&A section.

To subscribe or send a gift subscription, send an email to subscribe@shorelines.org or visit www.vocation.com. To unsubscribe, send an email to unsubscribe@shorelines.org.

Copyright 2004, Legion of Christ.

www.vocation.com