Year V, Number 2

The priest is first of all a minister of the word of God. He is consecrated and sent forth to proclaim the good news of the kingdom to all, calling every person to the obedience of faith and leading believers to an ever increasing knowledge of and communion in the mystery of God, as revealed and communicated to us in Christ. For this reason, the priest himself ought first of all to develop a great personal familiarity with the word of God. Knowledge of its linguistic or exegetical aspects, though certainly necessary, is not enough. He needs to approach the word with a docile and prayerful heart so that it may deeply penetrate his thoughts and feelings and bring about a new outlook in him “the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16) – such that his words and his choices and attitudes may become ever more a reflection, a proclamation and a witness to the Gospel. Only if he “abides” in the word will the priest become a perfect disciple of the Lord. Only then will he know the truth and be set truly free, overcoming every conditioning which is contrary or foreign to the Gospel (see John 8:31-32). The priest ought to be the first “believer” in the word, while being fully aware that the words of his ministry are not “his,” but those of the One who sent him. He is not the master of the word, but its servant. He is not the sole possessor of the word; in its regard he is in debt to the People of God. Precisely because he can and does evangelize, the priest – like every other member of the Church – ought to grow in awareness that he himself is continually in need of being evangelized. He proclaims the word in his capacity as “minister,” as a sharer in the prophetic authority of Christ and the Church. As a result, in order that he himself may possess and give to the faithful the guarantee that he is transmitting the Gospel in its fullness, the priest is called to develop a special sensitivity, love and docility to the living tradition of the Church and to her magisterium. These are not foreign to the word, but serve its proper interpretation and preserve its authentic meaning.

It is above all in the celebration of the sacraments and in the celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours that the priest is called to live and witness to the deep unity between the exercise of his ministry and his spiritual life. The gift of grace offered to the Church becomes the principle of holiness and a call to sanctification. For the priest as well, the truly central place, both in his ministry and spiritual life, belongs to the Eucharist, since in it is contained “the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself our pasch and the living bread which gives life to men through his flesh – that flesh which is given life and gives life through the Holy Spirit. Thus people are invited and led to offer themselves, their works and all creation with Christ.”

Q. Dear Fr Anthony,

Hi. My name is Wellington Cunningham and I am applying to enter into my diocesan college seminary next August. I am an avid runner and incorporate God into all of my races and training. I was wondering if seminary students were allowed to participate on college teams if it did not interfere with the seminarian’s studies.

- Wellington

A. Dear Wellington,

Congratulations on your decision to join the seminary next year! Be faithful to it, and prepare yourself by continuing to develop a good spiritual life and good choices as regards friends and pastimes.

As for your question, the person to ask will be your diocesan vocation director. Each diocese may have its own concrete policies in this regard, and studies are not the only factor that you have to keep in mind when judging the compatibility of your running with life in the seminary. The answer will vary depending on how much common life and prayer there are in your seminary, the way your school days and weekends are set up, the apostolic work you will be expected to do, and the free time that leaves you available to train and compete. On top of this, the formators at the seminary are going to be careful to ask themselves (and you should honestly ask the same question) if this is going to help or hinder you in your vocation.

So go ahead and speak to them about it and accept whatever answer they give you.

God bless.

- Fr Anthony

Q. Dear Fr Anthony,

I appreciate very much your response to my last question. I couldn’t believe that THE author of “Peter on the Shore” has personally addressed me a letter. I was very excited about it; it gave my vocation a sense of worth.

I admire your alternative thinking; your book is my number one vocational book. It’s nothing but a guideline help for me; each time I get lost in my discernment, I refer to it very often as a “map-book”.

It is important for me, however, to fully understand your attitude towards “consecrated persons falling in love” or “being in love”! I’m in my twenties, and I can distinguish between “infatuation” and “being in love” and it seems to me that you describe these states (whether real or pseudo-love) as “wrong” or as something that would create a “conscious crisis” for those who have a call.

I have already pulled back as you advised me to because I trust your judgment, but I still don’t know what to do if it happens again with someone else, with another man. So I will keep pulling back, but I get discouraged and concerned once I know I have to deal with such feelings over and over again. I am a person with a high self-discipline and very reserved, but I need you to tell me that it is okay if it happens one day. It isn’t a bad thing, but something that needs to be avoided, right? How can I avoid my human nature?

And one more question if you permit it: I “fear” the thought that I am called. Is it a normal thing to have? If so, where does this fear come from, and why does it paralyze me so much? Why am I afraid? Is it a question that I have to ask myself?

I thank God for creating you.

- Karen

A. Dear Karen,

I hope you have had a wonderful Christmas that has deepened your love for Christ. And thank you for the nice things you say about the book; it is very satisfying to hear it has helped you.

Getting to your questions: there are certain things we have to understand about ourselves as human creatures, and perhaps one of the more basic is to understand that we are created for love. We can’t not love. If we didn’t love, we wouldn’t be fully human.

Now love by its nature has to be focused; something, someone has to be THE love of our lives, and in relation to that love every other relationship is put in its place. It is a pity when a thing is the object of our love and dedication (a career, possession, pet, skill or hobby...), because love really is love only when it is focused on another person.

Marriage is focused human love, and in relation to it both the husband and the wife measure any other affection that knocks at the door of their heart, be it with new friends, old friends, or even their parents. The more committed they are to the love they have given their life to (each other) the quicker and more naturally will they control and cut off any other feelings that might intrude on and endanger that relationship. They would never even think of taking someone else out for drinks and dinner.

Consecrated life is also focused love. The person we love and give ourselves to, however, is not there in front of us in flesh and blood – he is not tangible to our senses, and we can’t hear him speak like we do another human being. This is why consecrated love is hard to explain or understand until a person begins to develop a spiritual life. God’s presence, the mysterious way he has of filling our soul and speaking to our heart without words, the clarity of convictions that come to us in prayer, the strength and clarity his grace gives us in our decisions, the way his presence is perceived even when our feelings seem numbed, and the way he enlightens and moves our conscience and rescues us from our subjectivity, are all things that have to be lived to begin to understand them. And also, especially, they way he can fill our heart, and focus our love. That is why, even when we are trying to give ourselves to God with this focused, consecrated love we are always in danger of letting other more tangible loves intrude. If we are made for love we shouldn’t be surprised that our heart seeks love. If we are made of flesh and blood as well as soul we shouldn’t be surprised that we are exposed to human love intruding on this special love we want to give Christ.

We have a choice. Either we decide that consecrated love is not for us and focus on finding and pleasing God in human love, which is the vocation of the majority and a sacrament, or we accept his call to consecrated love and we do two things: we build our life on faith, hope and love, nourished in prayer, and we take care of our consecrated love. This means that when human love wants to insinuate itself we turn our hearts to our real love, and we avoid any occasions, places, people, or things that could weaken in any way our consecrated love. It is not so much a question of rejecting human love as being faithful to our consecrated love and not letting human love intrude and mar it.

I hope this helps answer in some way your first question. As regards the second, why are you afraid, where does the fear come from, why does it paralyze you so, I think it may be because you are a reflective person and you have a sense of the totality of consecration. You know that if you do it, it will be for real and forever, and that is enough to make anyone who thinks nervous and afraid. The best antidote to fear is trust, but you have to know who you trust and why. Spend time with Christ, spend time thinking and talking to him about what he has done for you – starting with Bethlehem and going all the way through Pentecost with Gethsemane, Calvary and Easter Sunday on the way. Ask him to strengthen your faith, to give you the gift of greater love.

Then be willing to take one step at a time, not projecting today’s difficulties onto tomorrow. One day at a time, in trust. If you are called to consecrate your life to him you will have many elements to aid you (the sacraments, prayer, your community, your directors, the spirit of your congregation, the inspiration of your founder, good teaching, your apostolate...), so don’t look only at the cost – it pales in comparison to all the rest.

God bless.

- Fr Anthony

When you get in the habit to focusing your spiritual life from the perspective of love you will never make the mistake of looking on your relations with God as a means of self-satisfaction, an underhanded way of seeking yourself while you seek God. In love’s logic God is not a plank I grab to stay afloat in times of trouble, nor a sedative to ease my disturbed conscience or to regain my emotional and psychological serenity. On the contrary, if you love God is the star of the show and the host, and you are the understudy and the guest. The loving heart always seeks the good of the one he loves, his glory and concerns, above and beyond his own advantage. We must seek Him always, on the fine days and also during the stormy nights or when we find ourselves barren of all human consolation.

Love also helps us to walk the path of truth, overcoming the danger of thinking we are quite proper and pious with God, while at the same time we allow ourselves to criticize others, and we aid and abet gossip, backbiting, treachery and disunity. If you live in the truth you can never separate your love for God from your love for your neighbor. Holiness without charity is a travesty, the very denial of the essence of Christianity, a permanent state of deceived and blinded conscience: “If anyone says ‘I love God’ but hates his brother, he is a liar, since whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen” (I John 4:20).

Gospel: Jn 2:1-11

On the third day there was a marriage at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; Jesus also was invited to the marriage, with his disciples. When the wine failed, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." And Jesus said to her, "O Woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." Now six stone jars were standing there, for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them , "Now draw some out, take it to the steward of the feast." So they took it. When the steward of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, "Every man serves the good wine first; and when men have drunk freely, then the poor wine; but you have kept the good wine until now." This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and his disciples believed in him.

Introductory Prayer: O Lord Jesus, I love you with all of my heart. Because I do not know how to pray, please teach me how to pray as our Blessed Mother taught you how to pray and in turn how she prays to you unceasingly from the beats of her very heart. Help me talk to you heart to heart with simple, loving faith.

Petition: Increase in my heart an intimate, confident faith.

1. "They have no wine."

Mary knew her son all too well. They loved each other with a special love. So much so, that Mary knew that Jesus just couldn't say no to her. He didn't know how, and never learned. Go to your Mother with your greatest or smallest needs. She will take your petitions to our Lord with an undying faith and love. And our Lord will hear her prayer. And he will respond...

2. "O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come."

"O Woman" Our Lord calls his Mother by the title that Adam first gave to Eve: woman. The new Adam and the new Eve, and a new beginning. As Eve was present and active at the fall, so the new Eve is present and active in our redemption. She was present at the Annunciation and at the manger; at the Cross and at the upper room; at Cana and now at the Heavenly throne. This "Woman" does not cease to intercede for us. How do we respond?

3. "Do whatever he tells you."

Our Mother shows us the way by beseeching our Lord with great faith. Answer with that same simple faith. Like Peter who did not quite understand when Jesus said to cast his nets one more time, or these same servants who were asked to fill water jars, we must not be afraid to say yes to our Lord. "And they filled them up to the brim."

Conversation: O Lord Jesus, I am so weak. Please help me to turn to you and our Blessed Mother with great faith, and grant me the grace to respond with faith-filled generosity.

Questionnaire:

1. How often, and in what matters do I usually pray to my Blessed Mother? How ingenious am I in showing her how much I love her?

2. How often do I bring her flowers – beautiful flowers: acts of charity, sacrifices for the good of others...?

3. With which attitude do I usually respond to the desires of my Mother and her Son? How often and how seriously do I actively ask them for a greater faith to respond with generosity to God’s will for my life?

God gradually prepared me for the mission and vocation that would come later. At that time the vocation was not yet a factor. I was very certain, though, that success in life comes from God. Not wealth, vanity, pleasure or glory. What I wanted was God, to have him for my friend, never lose his friendship or his grace. Now as I look back on it my faith shows me God’s loving hand preparing me, like a skillful teacher, for what would later become the great task of my life: to shape and forge the Legion and Regnum Christi.

I particularly want to mention our visits to the poor. At home we had everything. We were in need of nothing. We lived in discipline, austerity and daily work, but we also had everything we needed. But many other people in the town suffered from real want. My parents were very sensitive to Christian charity. They couldn’t imagine a Christianity that separated faith from love for your brothers and sisters. So from our earliest years they taught us to help the poorest, the sick, the elderly, the weakest and the neediest. A lot of needy people knocked on our door, and there was always something in the pantry for them. They never went away without a smile and a word of consolation and encouragement from my mother, who listened and helped one and all, and also something to ease their hunger or material needs. Our parents “assigned” each of us children a poor person in the area to help, using our wits and imagination. My mother’s example with her visits to the two leper women and so many other sick people moved me to imitate her, and from quite a young age I tried to emulate her charity. I was very much at home with the poor. I was able to give them a few little things – really not worth much, but important to them. They would welcome me warmly into their homes and after school I often dropped in on them, visit with them and spend time there. I liked to be with them and help them whatever way I could. Sometimes I found clothing or food to bring them, and I was really happy I had few coins I could put towards solving one or other of their needs. When the Lord called me to found the Legion I understood that I would have to live any calling to serve the poor in different way, and that meant a great sacrifice for me. I would have to spend most of my time not working directly with the poor but forming other people to do the work I myself liked to do, and which I found so rewarding from a human and spiritual point of view. But I wasn’t going to do this directly, but through the priests and lay people I would form. Humanly speaking, I would have preferred to be a parish priest in a small town, among the very poor. I felt especially attracted to that kind of ministry, which also would have been more directly rewarding, but that was not what God wanted for me.

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

Rome, Italy. March 18, 2004 - March 25, 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.

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Copyright 2004, Legion of Christ.

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