Year IV, Number 36

As a prayer for peace, the Rosary is also, and always has been, a prayer of and for the family. At one time this prayer was particularly dear to Christian families, and it certainly brought them closer together. It is important not to lose this precious inheritance. We need to return to the practice of family prayer and prayer for families, continuing to use the Rosary.

In my Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio Ineunte I encouraged the celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours by the lay faithful in the ordinary life of parish communities and Christian groups; I now wish to do the same for the Rosary. These two paths of Christian contemplation are not mutually exclusive; they complement one another. I would therefore ask those who devote themselves to the pastoral care of families to recommend heartily the recitation of the Rosary.

The family that prays together stays together. The Holy Rosary, by age-old tradition, has shown itself particularly effective as a prayer which brings the family together. Individual family members, in turning their eyes towards Jesus, also regain the ability to look one another in the eye, to communicate, to show solidarity, to forgive one another and to see their covenant of love renewed in the Spirit of God.

Many of the problems facing contemporary families, especially in economically developed societies, result from their increasing difficulty in communicating. Families seldom manage to come together, and the rare occasions when they do are often taken up with watching television. To return to the recitation of the family Rosary means filling daily life with very different images, images of the mystery of salvation: the image of the Redeemer, the image of his most Blessed Mother. The family that recites the Rosary together reproduces something of the atmosphere of the household of Nazareth: its members place Jesus at the center, they share his joys and sorrows, they place their needs and their plans in his hands, they draw from him the hope and the strength to go on.

Q. Dear Fr Anthony,

Hi. I know that I have a calling to the priesthood, but I turn 41 in February. I need to know where someone of my age can start looking into a vocation. I have prayed, and now I know that I have a calling. The hard part is that I must find a place to go. Can you give me any suggestions? Thank you for your time and prayers.

- Crispin

A. Dear Crispin,

You most probably have some idea as regards the type of priest you think God is calling you to be - you have probably felt him attracting you to something concrete, such as a diocesan priest in a parish, a missionary, or a contemplative.

If you are only thinking of the “priesthood” and nothing more specific, it is probably safe to imagine that it is the diocesan priesthood that you should look into. In this case, the person to contact is the vocation director for your diocese. He will speak to you and be able to make an initial determination if the call you feel is real. Don’t be surprised at this; even though we feel the attraction and conviction in our hearts, the call has to be discerned by the Church for it to be valid. The vocation director himself or your bishop will know the seminary to send you to if they see there are definite signs of a call.

If your thoughts are still vague but inclined more towards religious and community life, you should ask the vocation director for a guide to the different religious orders. Reading this will give you a lot to go on, and perhaps you will discover a particular group you want to get in touch with.

But keep in mind especially that God is the one who calls, so pray trustfully to the Holy Spirit, knowing that he will lead your steps if you are generous with him.

God bless.

- Fr Anthony

Q. Dear Fr Anthony,

Hello. I’m 14 and very into my religion (Catholic, of course). I love being Catholic; it is the most exciting thing to be in Christ’s Church! And at times I feel that I am called to be a religious, and I will feel so happy, and I think that is what I am called to and that is the only way I will be happy. I know that if I am called to be a religious that I want to be involved with apologetics because I am very good at explaining the Catholic position, and I love to do it. And I also know that I would like to work with the poor. But now I will narrow it down to my question. I have a problem: since I’m only 14 I guess it is typical that I would want a boyfriend. And lately, I really do want one; I have never really had one, and would like to see what it is like. And since I am a typical teen, I have crushes. (If I do ever get one, I assure you he will be Catholic!) And at times, I think about having a boyfriend, just to be crazy around, and to be myself, and most of all, to talk about the Faith with and so on. My question is: it wrong for me to want a boyfriend at the same time considering being a religious? I know I can’t have both, but I don’t know what God is calling me to. Would it be wrong for me if I ever got one? And one more thing, I have thoughts of having a boyfriend, not for sexual reasons, or anything impure, but just to be myself around. Is it wrong for me to have these thoughts? God Bless you.

- Anon

A. Dear Anon,

What a refreshing, bubbly letter! Let’s get to the core of it. You are 14, and you think at times you might be called to consecrate your life to God, but (because you are 14) you would love to have a boyfriend as well, and you want to know if that would be wrong.

I don’t know if you did so on purpose or not, but you hit on something that is fundamental in a vocation and will have very concrete consequences when you become a nun, and it’s this: to give yourself to God, to really love him, you give up not only what is bad, but also many things that are good. Marriage is good, attachment to our family is good, possessions and success in life are good, but when we consecrate ourselves to Christ we put all those and many other good things to one side.

So, in order to answer your question about getting a boyfriend, especially if your intentions are not bad, we have to broaden our reflections. First, a general point or two about having a boyfriend. It is funny how we talk about getting a boyfriend or getting a girlfriend almost as if we were talking about a thing, something I am going to pick up, enjoy or use, and perhaps throw away when I’m done. But a boyfriend is another person, with personal worth, with all the attraction that God put in girls for boys, and even though you might pick him as you pick a blouse (yes, this one is nice, it suits me), things don’t usually stop there. You have met a person, and a whole dynamic begins. His different way of thinking, his different sensitivity and reactions, everything tends to draw and create interest, bonds, attachment. And he finds the same or greater fascination in you. Then you begin to depend on each other, and the attachment grows - or if you split up for some reason, you have more expectations and hopes in the next boyfriend.

What I am getting at is that having a boyfriend is not a casual thing, something we can pick up and then shrug off lightly. Having an individual boyfriend with whom you are going to open your soul and spirit is a major step and should not be rushed into. It may be a bit soon at 14.

Having a group of friends some of whom are boys, and finding that there are some boys that you like being around more than the others, is fine, good and natural. Participating in youth groups, having your crushes, doing school things, enjoying mixed company are all part of normal growing up and not bad in themselves. So now let’s get back to your question.

You are pretty sure you might be called to be a religious. What does this mean? That God may be calling you to be his spouse, to love him totally, to make him your all, to set aside any other love and choose only him. What you have to do now is keep that in the forefront. You will meet boys, have crushes on boys, feel the natural desire to have children, and all this will attract you because you are normal. But through this all there will be something more in your mind and soul. Since you know God may be offering you the treasure of his love, and may have chosen you for himself, you will make sure that you always keep him in first place. You will make sure you don’t put yourself in a situation where other loves or attachments may grow and get in the way of God’s love.

Does this help you? God bless.

- Fr Anthony

Gospel: Mt 1:1-23

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa, and Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of She-alti-el, and She-alti-el the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations. Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to send her away. But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel" (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife, but knew her not until she had borne a son; and he called his name Jesus.

Introductory Prayer: Lord grant me the grace to live my life with a lively faith like Mary. May I live every minute of my life loving you with all my heart, mind, all soul and strength. Help me to imitate Mary’s example of fidelity to your will.

Petition: Lord give me your grace so that I may live my life like Mary lived hers in complete dependence and fidelity to your plan.

1. The Gift of Life

Today we celebrate Mary's birthday. In doing so we recall a precious gift both for her and for the whole world. Mary's life was a priceless gift to her. It goes without saying that not all roses for Mary. She had to undergo many of the same trials and difficulties everyone goes through and much more: "a sword of sorrow will pierce your own soul too." Yet her life with all its pains was precious to her because her difficulties, trials and sufferings, far from causing her to rebel against God, brought her closer and closer to him. Suffering did not cause her to run away from and turn her back on God. It was a way for her to tell God how much she loved him. Her life is also a priceless gift to the whole world. Thanks to her life lived in fidelity to God will, we have received Jesus, our Salvation. People of every race and age have benefited boundlessly from her. And all generations, fulfilling Scripture call her blessed: "from this day all generations will call me blessed for the Almighty has done great things for me." Everything began with that first great gift of God to Mary: the gift of life. Let us give thanks to God for the gift of Mary's life with which he has blessed our own lives.

2. The Gift of Grace

Today's liturgy calls to mind another gift. We notice in today's Gospel that Mary was born outside of Christ's human lineage, a new dimension which only became part of her life when she married Joseph. In this way Scripture hints at the gift of grace. Grace, which makes us children of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus introduces our names into his family tree. It is a free gift from God, not something that is owed to us. God gave Mary this gift the moment she was conceived; she was conceived without stain of original sin. She preserved the gift of grace through her life by never falling into sin and she grew in grace by showing her love for God in the daily fulfillment of his will. We cannot take the gift of grace we received at baptism for granted. It is a gift we must always preserve by never offending God through sin and like Mary make it grow by lovingly following his will over our lives. Do I preserve the gift of grace and make it grow?

3. The Gift of Love

What would the celebration of the gift of life and the gift of grace be if we did not reach the destiny at which they point us? What is our destiny? Our destiny is heaven which consists in a life of love and union with God for all eternity. If my destiny is eternal love how am I to spend my life in time? Maybe we can take a lesson from this time management principle: “Begin with your end in mind”. If my end is love, that is where I must begin. I must begin loving now, in time, if I am going to spend eternity loving God. My use of time should reflect my awareness of my eternal destiny. In other words I should do all things out of love for God and for my neighbor. Mary lived each moment of her life with her eyes fixed on eternity. And if love consists in self-giving to the one loved then Mary's life was a constant, uninterrupted gift of herself and what she had to God and to her neighbor. Ask her to guide you in giving of yourself to God and to your neighbor.

Questionnaire:

1. Am I conscious of the action of God’s grace in my soul? What is he asking of me?

2. In what ways am I striving for holiness in my life? What sin am I attached to in my life which hinders me from becoming more like Jesus?

3. How can I practice more sacrifice in my life in order to obtain graces for the salvation of souls ?

Emotions

‘They are enthusiastic for a while but then they fall away in times of trial.’ The ups and downs of our emotions often affect our openness. One day we are, and another we aren’t. One day we would give our lives for Christ, and another we say we do not know him. At one moment we want to know what he would have us do, and the next we walk away sad at what he asks. To be truly open we have to overcome the instability of our emotions. Our Christian life must not be a matter of emotions but of convictions and love.

The attraction of the world

Many things pull at our heart and mind. We have instincts and passions which have their place in God’s plan but are not the final arbiters of truth nor of God’s will. Further, it is still an understatement to say that the ‘worries and riches and pleasures’ of this life exert an enormous attraction on us through these same instincts and passions. There is a real battle to be fought at the very core of what we are, flesh and spirit, at the encounter of these two elements.

Jesus’ words here put us on guard against thinking that just because we have not out and out rejected God’s will, we are necessarily following it. The seed is not lost, it does not die for lack of moisture, but still it does not bear fruit — other things get in the way and do not let it grow. Perhaps a common fate for many a possible vocation. We don’t dare say no to it outright, but we do put it off, occupy our minds and engage our energies in activities and projects that take us away from it, and so let other things displace it. The result is the same: no fruit.

Good soil

Jesus gives here a wonderful description of the person who is truly open to his vocation, he is of ‘noble and generous heart, who hears the word and takes it to himself, and yields fruit through perseverance.’ Shouldn’t that be the description of each one of us? Isn’t that what attracts us about the saints, the living ones we see and those we read about?

How much richer we all are for the good soil God’s word found in the heart of a Pope John Paul or a Mother Theresa, and what wonderful fruit they have brought forth in their perseverance – a perseverance by which they withstood temptation, let the Word go deep into their lives and make extraordinary demands of them, and cleansed their hearts of any attachment or ambition that might smother that seed.

Christ here opens an invitation to each and everyone of us. He describes his dream for us. He tells us that this is what we can be with his grace.

Time went by. I worked through my theology studies and took the remaining exams. Finally His Excellency told me that I would begin to receive the preparatory orders that led up to priestly ordination. This was in 1944. I had to keep up the pace of my external work [...] but as the great day of my ordination drew near I tried to unite myself spiritually more and more to Christ, because I knew that priesthood means fully identifying yourself with him and implies accompanying him and climbing Calvary with him. I prayed to the Holy Spirit for his seven gifts so that I would not be a mediocre priest but greatly glorify God and effectively help the Church extend Christ’s Kingdom.

I didn’t have what people usually call vocation crises, by the grace of God. The night before receiving the gift of priesthood, though, I couldn’t sleep because I started wondering if it really would be better not to take the step for fear of being a lukewarm priest and not living the priesthood radically. I remember waking up my spiritual director to tell him my doubt. He calmed me down and invited me to trust in God, putting everything in his hands. He reminded me that the priesthood is so great a gift that no one is worthy of it; if God gives it to you it’s not for you but for you to put at the service of others and the Church, placing your trust in the one who calls.

It was deeply comforting for me to receive this boundless gift at the feet of Our Lady of Guadalupe in her Basilica at Tepeyac . Mary had been constantly at my side ever since the first moment of my call. Hers was and unobtrusive but strong presence throughout all the adventures of the founding. It was a tremendous consolation to feel her by me as I received the anointing of the Holy Spirit to be able to consecrate the bread and wine into Christ’s Body and Blood, to increase the numbers of the children of the Church by baptism, to forgive sins, to bring God’s consolation and strength to the gravely ill and dying, to help Christian spouses be witnesses of Christ’s love for the Church, and to preach the word of God. In fact, I entrusted to her care not only my priesthood but also the foundation, for her to protect it with her motherly care.

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, October 17-19, 2003, Test Your Call Retreat. Ages 16-30. Contact Br Branigan Sherman at vocation@legionaries.org or at (800) 420-5409. Price: none.

REGNUM CHRISTI consecrated women

Rome, Italy. December 27, 2003 - January 5, 2004. Pilgrimage for college-aged men and high school seniors. Price: $399 + airfare. Chaplains are the Legionaries of Christ. Contact Karolee Stauduhar at kstauduhar@msn.com or (407) 869-8263.

REGNUM CHRISTI consecrated men

Call Tony MacDonnell for more information, (301) 365-3205. amacdonnell@arcol.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.

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Copyright 2004, Legion of Christ.

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