What is Liberation Theology?

This week, Pope Benedict XVI, will be making his first pastoral visit to Latin America. He may be surprised to discover that Liberation Theology, a movement that he once called "a fundamental threat to the faith of the church," remains very much a live and a defiant force within the country. According to the New York Times (May 7, 2007) there are 80,000 "base communities and nearly one million "Bible circles" that discuss current eco-socio-political issues in the light of Holy Scripture. These gatherings conclude with the Lord's Prayer and a hymn:

In the land of mankind, conceived as a pyramid,
there are few at the top, and many at the bottom.
In the land of mankind, those at the top crush
those at the bottom.
Oh, people of the poor, people subject to domination,
what are you doing just standing there?
The world of mankind has to be changed,
so arise people, don't stand still.

Jon Sobrino, S.J. in Christology at the Crossroads (1978) states that "we live in the presence of so much death. there is the reality of definitive, physical death and of the death that people experience in the toils of oppression, injustice, and sinfulness. Any consideration of God that ignores such a basic datum of life is idealistic, if not downright alienating. .... Liberation theology must ... ask itself in what sense suffering and death can be a mode of being for God. People in Latin America, however, seem to feel almost automatically what Dietrick Bonhoeffer expressed in intuitive, poetic terms: 'Only a God who suffers can save us.' ... If God really is present in the cross of Jesus, then he is there first and foremost as someone contradicting the world and all that we consider to be true and good."

At the heart of Liberation theology is the pastoral care of the poor - helping to empower them in the midst of wealthy land owners. It supports pensions and worker's rights under the Brazilian labor code; it fights against other social problems, like the lack of sanitation.

The Roman hierarchy has never endorsed this movement. It has sought to dismantle it. And yet it remains very much alive. Martyrs mark the land including Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador and Sister Dorothy Mae Stang, an American, shot to death in February 2005 in the Brazilian Amazon.

Though this this theological movement has gone underground in recent years it remains a strong force of change in a world of degradation and oppression of the poor.

What do you think is the link, if any, between politics and faith?

Practicing Wisdom

+ Erik H. Erikson committed his life to understanding the various stages within the life cycle. In the eighth and final stage of human life, Dr. Erikson, understood the importance of ego-integrity overcoming despair. If a person achieves 'enough' ego integrity throughout his lifetime, then one's approaching illness and death will be accompanied by the virtue of wisdom. Yet, as the recent article in the New York Times (May 6, 2007), researchers in the field of psychology have yet to fully define "wisdom."

Gerhard von Rad, a biblical scholar, writing in Wisdom in Israel, states "No one would be able to live even for a single day without incurring appreciable harm if he could not be guided by wide practical experience. .... By and large man creates the experiences which expects and for which, on the basis of the idea which he has formed of the world, he is ready. Experience presupposes a prior knowledge of myself; indeed it can become experience only if I can fit it into the existing context of my understanding of myself and of the world. Thus it can even be that man misses possible experiences offered to him, that he lacks the capacity to register them, because he is incapable of fitting them into the limits of his understanding."

The New York Times article concludes that Wisdom remains elusive and thus may only be understood through a variety of concepts. Here is a summary of those characteristics that are found in the wise: The uncanny ability to remain calm in the midst of crises, ability to cope with adversity and regulate emotion; being content with one's own life; being humble; to examine an event from multiple perspectives; to step outside oneself and understand another point of view; having compassion toward others; ability to remain positive in the face of adversity; appreciating the fragility of life.

William James in The Principles of Psychology (1890) observes that "the art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook." Such maturity takes a lifetime, and needs to be practiced now. In the Hebrew Scriptures, wisdom, chochmah, is the interweaving of the heart and mind in judging, reflecting, and deciding.

I remember times when I visited with two widows in a nursing home in the early 1990s. They both faced the same physical infirmities: confined to a wheelchair, needing assistance with the smallest things, etc. When I would visit one of them she would spent her time complaining about her life and situation. I would try to make her feel better, but she continued to point to all that was gone in her life. When I visited the other widow, she was filled with joy and thanksgiving, she was grateful for the life she had lived, for her children and grandchildren who she was so proud of, and all her friends who were still living. I usually had very little to say, for in her I saw the light that shines in the midst of darkness. It is this widow who had practiced wisdom her whole life, and in her presence I became her disciple.

The Feast of Dame Julian of Norwich

Lord God, in your compassion you granted to the Lady Julian many revelations of your nurturing and sustaining love: Move our hearts, like hers, to see you above all things, for in giving us yourself you give us all; throiugh Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Rule of Saint Benedict

Prologue

And so we are going to establish
a school for the service of the Lord.
In founding it we hope to introduce nothing harsh or burdensome.
But if a certain strictness results from the dictates of equity
for the amendment of vices or the preservation of charity,
do not be at once dismayed and fly from the way of salvation,
whose entrance cannot but be narrow (Matt. 7:14).
For as we advance in the religious life and in faith,
our hearts expand
and we run the way of God's commandments
with unspeakable sweetness of love (Ps. 118:32).
Thus, never departing from His school,
but persevering in the monastery according to His teaching
until death,
we may by patience share in the sufferings of Christ (1 Peter 4:13)
and deserve to have a share also in His kingdom.

Thirtieth Day of Easter

Father your restored your people to eternal life by raising Christ your Son from death. Make our faith strong and our hope sure. May we never doubt that you will fulfill the promises you have made, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Rule of Saint Benedict

Prologue

So we have asked the Lord
who is to dwell in His tent,
and we have heard His commands
to anyone who would dwell there;
it remains for us to fulfill those duties.

Therefore we must prepare our hearts and our bodies
to do battle under the holy obedience of His commands;
and let us ask God
that He be pleased to give us the help of His grace
for anything which our nature finds hardly possible.
And if we want to escape the pains of hell
and attain life everlasting,
then, while there is still time,
while we are still in the body
and are able to fulfill all these things
by the light of this life,
we must hasten to do now
what will profit us for eternity.

The Fifth Sunday of Easter

Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Rule of Saint Benedict

Prologue

Hence the Lord says in the Gospel,
"Whoever listens to these words of Mine and acts upon them,
I will liken to a wise person
who built a house on rock.
The floods came,
the winds blew and beat against that house,
and it did not fall,
because it had been founded on rock" (Matt. 7:24-25).

Having given us these assurances,
the Lord is waiting every day
for us to respond by our deeds to His holy admonitions.
And the days of this life are lengthened
and a truce granted us for this very reason,
that we may amend our evil ways.
As the Apostle says,
"Do you not know that God's patience is inviting you to repent" (Rom. 2:4)?
For the merciful Lord tells us,
"I desire not the death of the sinner,
but that the sinner should be converted and live" (Ezech. 33:11).

What Is Bible Study?

Bringing people together around the written Word invites a deeper response to the intentions of God for human life. Bible study is not like any other study one would engage in, for it invites personal response in the midst of community, a sharing of meaning and personal experience, and the movement of the Holy Spirit that enlivens every page of Holy Scripture.

You don't have to be a biblical scholar to engage the bible, simply to have an inquiring mind and an open heart. As you participate with others you build community around the heart of your life's response to our Lord in faith. As people discuss various verses of Scripture they soon realize that it is only in community that truth is discovered. One does not circle the bible intending to listen to the priest unfold the divine mysteries, but to open the self, being vulnerable to others and the Holy Spirit, and through that vulnerability to discover fresh nurture for your souls.

What a wonderful thing it would be if everyone engaged the Scriptures to discover the truth about God and themselves.

Mystagogia #4

Through the meditation of God's holy Word, we hear the voice of the One who knows us each by name and in faith follow where he leads; in fidelity we seek to avoid those things that may cause us to wander; boldly proclaiming the catholic faith against all opposition; by persevering in faith, our Lord's marvelous acts will be fulfilled within us; deepening our devotion we may glorify our Lord's holy Name in life and in death.

Twenty-Eight Day of Easter

God of infinite mercy, you renew the faith of your people by the yearly celebration of these fifty days: Stir up in us the gifts of your grace, that we may know more deeply that Baptism has cleansed us, the Spirit has quickened us, and the Blood of Christ has redeemed us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Rule of Saint Benedict

Prologue

Having our loins girded, therefore,
with faith and the performance of good works (Eph. 6:14),
let us walk in His paths
by the guidance of the Gospel,
that we may deserve to see Him
who has called us to His kingdom (1 Thess. 2:12).

For if we wish to dwell in the tent of that kingdom,
we must run to it by good deeds
or we shall never reach it.

But let us ask the Lord, with the Prophet,
"Lord, who shall dwell in Your tent,
or who shall rest upon Your holy mountain" (Ps. 14:1)?

After this question,
let us listen to the Lord
as He answers and shows us the way to that tent, saying,
"The one Who walks without stain and practices justice;
who speaks truth from his heart;
who has not used his tongue for deceit;
who has done no evil to his neighbor;
who has given no place to slander against his neighbor."

This is the one who,
under any temptation from the malicious devil,
has brought him to naught (Ps. 14:4)
by casting him and his temptation from the sight of his heart;
and who has laid hold of his thoughts
while they were still young
and dashed them against Christ (Ps. 136:9).

It is they who,
fearing the Lord (Ps. 14:4),
do not pride themselves on their good observance;
but,
convinced that the good which is in them
cannot come from themselves and must be from the Lord,
glorify the Lord's work in them (Ps. 14:4),
using the words of the Prophet,
"Not to us, O Lord, not to us,
but to Your name give the glory" (Ps. 113, 2nd part:1).
Thus also the Apostle Paul
attributed nothing of the success of his preaching to himself,
but said,
"By the grace of God I am what I am" (1 Cor. 15:10).
And again he says,
"He who glories, let him glory in the Lord" (2 Cor. 10:17).

What Are You Hearing?

The Word of God expressed is meant to be a dialogue between the one who proclaims and the hearer, and for the health of the Body it is always important to know if what is spoken is being properly heard.

The questions before any worshiping assembly are the following: Am I hearing what the preacher is intending to say? Did he mean to stir up the feelings that I experienced during the sermon? Did the personality of the preacher get expressed in the sermon? Where and how could the sermon be improved?

Such honest assessment between priest and people enables the preacher to strengthen his or her preaching skills; and provides an opportunity for the congregation to listen more deeply.

The Dignity of Every Human Being

When do social issues transcend party differences?

With the recent vote by the House of Representatives to extend "hate crime" protection to those who are victimized because of their sexual orientation, the ethical issues have become central even though congress has placed this issue on the table. The willingness to protect homosexuals must be embraced by all those who are followers of Christ. The issue is beyond debate and it would be a terrible thing for our country if such a new law would be vetoed along party lines!

Dr. James C. Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, was quoted in the New York Times, stating that such a law would "muzzle people of faith who dare to express their moral and biblical concerns about homosexuality." Such a comment from this radical Christian conservative raises questions about what constitutes the freedom of expression. All of us have a right to express our personal faith regarding what 'ought to be' within our culture and society; but none of us have the right to express ourselves in degrading, hostile, and violent acts. If we are truly people of faith, we will find a way to make sure that all the citizens of our country, and members of our churches, share in the same rights that all of us are entitled.

Let us pray that we will uphold the dignity of every human being.

An Anniversary of Infamy

Only days before my graduation from seminary the Ohio National Guard was ordered to disperse an anti-war demonstration on the campus of Kent State University. The soldiers suddenly open fire killing four students and wounding nine. To this day, the reason for the shooting is unknown.

The mid-sixties bore the pain of the assassination of the president and civil rights leader. The country was ablaze with racial bitterness and discord, and the Vietnam War was dividing the nation. The church found herself torn by the hostile response of her people as they turned against one another over the political and social issues of the time.

In what ways did these events change your life? What memories of this era remain with you? How did you experience God during these turbulent days in our history?

The Feast of Monnica, Mother of Augustine of Hippo

O Lord, through spiritual discipline you strengthened your servant Monnica to perservere in offering her love and prayers and tears for the conversion of her husband and of Augustine their son: Deepen our devotion, we pray, and use us in accordance with your will to bring others, even our own kindred, to acknowledge Jesus Christ, as Savior and Lord, who will you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Rule of Saint Benedict

Prologue

And the Lord, seeking his laborer
in the multitude to whom He thus cries out,
says again,
"Who is the one who will have life,
and desires to see good days" (Ps. 33:13)?
And if, hearing Him, you answer,
"I am the one,"
God says to you,
"If you will have true and everlasting life,
keep your tongue from evil
and your lips that they speak no guile.
Turn away from evil and do good;
seek after peace and pursue it" (Ps. 33:14-15).
And when you have done these things,
My eyes shall be upon you
and My ears open to your prayers;
and before you call upon Me,
I will say to you,
'Behold, here I am'" (Ps. 33:16; Is. 65:24; 58:9).

Some Perplexity Remains!

The Gifts of God for the People of God:
Be what you see; Receive who you are!

Rumor confirms that there remains some perplexity over these words of Invitation to Holy Communion among several communicants of the parish. Saint Augustine of Hippo, writing in the fifth century, a wonderful treatise on the meaning of the Holy Eucharist, calling on all the baptized to recognize themselves in the sacred gift of our Lord's Body and Blood by saying "Receive what you are! Become what you receive." These words are now echoed as we prepare to come forward to receive our divine nurture every week.

The Two Wolves

My hope today is to equip you with a warning and commission that might be helpful as you set out on this journey, as you begin the next chapter of your lives. So I want to tell you a story. One evening, an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, “My son, the battle is between two ‘wolves’ inside us all. One is Evil. It is anger, fear, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other one is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.”

The grandson thought about this for few minutes and then he looked up at his grandfather and asked: “Which wolf wins?” The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed. The one you feed.”

Taddled from God's Politics

A Simple Heart

Living God, you want us to have hearts that are completely simple, to the point that the complicated things in life do not bring us to a halt. Through the Holy Spirit, the spirit of the Risen Christ, you come to open a way for us, a way that is possible; on it we understand that you love us first, before we loved you.

Brother Roger of Taize