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Defending Devotion to the Sacred Heart

 

Defending Devotion to the Sacred Heart | Timothy T. O'Donnell, S.T.D. | Introduction to Heart of the Redeemer

I have attempted not so much to speak with authority of things that I know, as to seek to know them by speaking about them with reverence. -- St. Augustine, De Trinitate, I v. 8

In our inquiry into the devotion to the Sacred Heart and its perennial value, it is best to begin with a proper understanding of what is meant by devotion. St. Thomas Aquinas defines devotion as a willingness "to give oneself readily to what concerns the service of God" (Summa, II-II, q. 82 a. 1). Accordingly, the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus appears essentially as a worship of and a response to the Person of Christ as viewed from the perspective of His divine and human love which is manifested through His sacred humanity and is symbolized by His wounded physical Heart. In his masterful encyclical, Haurietis Aquas [1], Pope Pius XII gives the following definition of this devotion:

Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, by its very nature is a worship of the love with which God, through Jesus, loved us, and at the same time, an exercise of our love by which we are related to God and to other men.

From this definition it can be seen that authentic devotion to the Sacred Heart is not merely an optional set of pious practices (which may be very helpful) but an essential element of the Christian way of life. All Christians are called to the comprehension of certain truths concerning God and to a response in love to them. In living a life in imitation of Christ, as found in the Gospels and taught by the Church, the Christian should use all the spiritual aids offered to him by God. He should fill his life with an ever growing and deepening love for God and his fellow man. Every Christian will build his own unique spirituality upon this common foundation, which should include a response to the Heart of Christ that gives honor to the divine love and is offered for the sake of that love.

It would be accurate to say that by the middle of the twentieth century the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus had universally triumphed throughout the Church. Everywhere in the world, churches, monasteries and congregations were to be found dedicated to the Sacred Heart. In virtually every Catholic church one would find a statue of our Lord revealing his Heart. Large numbers of the faithful gathered on every continent for First Friday devotions, the Holy Hour and other pious practices associated with the devotion. This triumphal procession, however, was not welcomed in all quarters and the devotion began to draw criticism from some Catholic theologians who began to question certain aspects of these devotional exercises. Some outside, and even within, the Church questioned the theological foundation of the devotion.

Pope Pius XII was well aware of the objections which some were making to the devotion. It is because of these objections that the Holy Father wrote his encyclical on devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and in it he exhorted the faithful to "a more earnest consideration of those principles which take their origin from Scripture and the teaching of the Fathers and theologians," which form the solid foundation for the worship of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Pope went on to call for and stress the importance of "a profound study of the primary and loftier nature of the devotion with the aid of the light of the divinely revealed truth" so that we may "rightly and fully appreciate its incomparable excellence and the inexhaustible abundance of its heavenly favors." The Holy Father ended his appeal by requesting a "devout medita- tion and contemplation" upon the benefits of the devotion.

After the publication of Haurietis Aquas, many books were written on the devotion. These works varied tremendously in size and quality. They included pious or devotional works, popular pamphlets, and mystical writings which described extraordinary supernatural experiences.

There is still a need for a systematic theological exposition and defense of the devotion which will lead to a deeper penetration and understanding of it, as was requested by Pius XII and subsequent pontiffs. It is my most earnest hope and prayer that this book will help in some way to answer the call of the Holy Father and will contribute to a greater understanding of our Lord's Heart, which is "so full of infinite majesty and compassion."

The encyclical and devotion both, unfortunately, seem to have been down-played or overshadowed, if you will, in the wake of the Second Vatican Council. Many today object to the devotion for a variety of reasons, some manifestly superficial and others quite serious. Despite the objections, there are presently strong signs of a widespread reawakening of interest in the devotion and the contributions which it can make toward the renewal of the Church.

Some have criticized the devotion for the language used in many of the prayers addressed to the Sacred Heart. Phrases such as "prostrate before thy altar" seem to many a bit archaic and not in keeping with our modern idiom. Often times prayers and the lyrics of hymns to the Sacred Heart are considered excessively sweet and sentimental. Artistic representations of the devotion are criticized for being too saccharine and effeminate.

None of these criticisms touch what is essential to the devotion as it has been taught by the Church. They deal with external aspects; and yet we must remember that man derives his knowledge through the senses, and therefore poor art and unsuitable language may form obstacles to a deeper understanding and love of the devotion. We shall discuss some of these problems in the final section of this study, where we deal with questions of renewal and adaptation.

The more serious objections which have been raised against the devotion cannot be brushed aside but must be dealt with clearly and honestly. Critical questioning is a good thing, since it may open both the mind and heart to a deeper reflection and understanding of this "priceless gift which our Savior has given to his Church." I have formulated here what I believe to be the four major objections which have been raised to the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

1) The devotion to the Sacred Heart rests upon a weak doctrinal base and threatens to overemphasize the humanity of Christ. This position is espoused by theologians such as Karl Barth, who places the devotion on the same level as modern Protestant biographies of the historical Jesus that have abandoned belief in the reality of the Incarnation of the Word. In his book, Church Dogmatics, he characterizes both forms as attempts to "find an approach to Jesus Christ which circumvents his divinity," offering an "approach to a revelation which is generally understandable and possible in the form of human judgments and human experiences. In the Heart of Jesus cult... it is blatantly a matter of finding a generally illuminating access to Jesus Christ which evades the divinity of the Word. Therefore both Neo-Protestant faith in the religious hero Jesus and the Catholic devotion to the Heart of Jesus, are to be rejected as the deification of a creature." [1]

2) There is no scriptural reference to the devotion. This criticism is frequently heard from our separated brethren and even some Catholics, who demand proof of scriptural authenticity. This is especially important since the Second Vatican Council emphasized Sacred Scripture as the foundation of theology and spirituality.

3) The devotion sprang from a mere private revelation given to a cloistered nun in 17th century France. It is therefore a new devotion and is not sanctioned by Christian tradition.

4) The devotion may have been beneficial for a particular age and cultural outlook but it is no longer suited to modern times and has become obsolete.

Although some objections are of greater importance than others, all must be answered. If any of these objections should prove true, the validity and perennial value of the devotion would be seriously shaken, if not shattered. This work shall be divided into four sections in which we hope to achieve four goals.

First, we shall examine the dogmatic foundations for the devotion as found in Sacred Scripture and the Church's teachings concerning Christ as it took shape in the great Christological controversies in the 4th and 5th centuries. This is absolutely essential to demonstrating the perennial validity and value of the devotion.

Second, we shall then proceed to trace the historical development of the devotion which culminated in the great revelation given to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. Here we shall glimpse the Holy Spirit at work in the dynamic living tradition of the Church. It will be a thought-provoking study which will reveal the theological richness of the devotion, its evolution and the multiple forms which it has taken throughout two Christian millennia. This investigation will probe into the patristic roots of the devotion, its flowering in the era of medieval mysticism, and developments up to the present day. 

Third, we shall then examine the contemporary importance of the devotion in the life of the Church in the light of magisterial teaching. In the 19th and 20th century there is a large amount of papal teaching on the devotion. The See of Peter has given the devotion a unique position in the Church. This wealth of papal magisterial teaching will have much to say regarding the timeliness and timeless value of the devotion.

Last, we shall discuss questions of renewal and adaptation of the devotion according to the guidelines of Vatican II.

It was only after a great deal of serious reflection that I decided to write this book which is an outgrowth of studies begun at the Angelicum in Rome in 1978.1 chose to write on the loving Heart of our Lord because I believe the devotion to be of vital importance today. I offer here to the reader, for his prayerful reflection, three quotations from three popes of the 20th century concerning the importance of devotion to the Sacred Heart in our age:

[Devotion to the Heart of Jesus] is the extraordinary remedy for the extraordinary needs of our times. (Pius XI, Caritate Christi Compulsi, May 3, 1932)

Devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus is so important that it may be considered, so far as practice is concerned, the perfect profession of the Christian religion .... It is no ordinary form of piety which anyone at his own whim may treat as of little consequence or set aside as inferior to others. (Pius XII, Haurietis Aquas, May 15, 1956)

The cult rendered to the Sacred Heart is the most efficacious means to contribute to that spiritual and moral renewal of the world called for by the Second Vatican Council. (Paul VI, Address to the Thirty-First General Congregation of the Society of Jesus, Nov. 17, 1966)

These three statements are well worth pondering for all those who would sentire cum Ecclesia.

The veneration of our Lord's Heart, insofar as it honors Christ as the source and substance of our redemption, is no ordinary devotion. It is truly latreutical--a devotion which is rendered to God alone. For the Heart of Christ occupies a central position, as the focal point through which everything passes to the ultimate center in the Father--per Christum ad Patrem. It is a devotion of tremendous theological richness, containing a complete synthesis of faith, or, as Pius XI put it "summa totius religionis." The devotion is at once theocentric and anthropocentric, Trinitarian and Christocentric; it emphasizes love of God and calls eloquently to the fraternal apostolate. It may also lead to that sound eucharistic piety so greatly desired by the Second Vatican Council. This is especially true since the Eucharist, as Pope Paul VI observed, is the "outstanding gift" of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

I firmly believe that the spirituality fostered by this devotion can best meet the spiritual needs of our age. It is a practical form of spirituality which emphasizesfamlliaritas cum Christo and therefore is marvelously suited to aid priest, religious and laity alike in their journey of growth in holiness. If practiced in the family, devotion to the Heart of Jesus may greatly help to counter those pagan elements of culture which all too often work their way into the sanctuary of the home.

The devotion should be made available to all. Unfortunately, the widespread ignorance throughout the Church of the devotion's rich theological foundations has greatly hindered its full appreciation and practice. It is only by returning to these sources as found in Sacred Scripture, tradition and the teaching of the Church's magisterium that we can hope to renew the devotion and thereby allow it to play a central role in the larger effort to renew the Church.

Our Lord, in his apparition to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, communicated to her that the revelation of his Heart was "a final effort" to enkindle the fire of love in a world in which "charity had grown cold." Such is the age in which we live. William Butler Yeats foresaw the crisis of our era in a prophetic poem written at the turn of the century:

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity. [3]

Coldness and hatred can be melted and overcome only by the fire of love. Certainly, in an age which is characterized by an increasingly hostile secularization, a spirituality which centers on love and aims at setting the world on fire is precisely what is needed to instaurare omnia in Christo.

I have come to cast fire upon the earth,
and what will I but that it be kindled? (Lk 12:49)

Timothy T O'Donnell, S.T.D.
October 16, 1989
Feast of St. Margaret Mary 

ENDNOTES:

[1] Pius XII, Encyclical Letter on Devotion to the Sacred Heart, Haurietis Aquas, May 15, 1956 (hereafter cited as HA).

[2] Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics, vol I, pt. 2 (Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1970) pp. 137-38. 

[3] From William Butler Yeats, "The Second Coming", in Collected Poems, new ed., Macmillan Collector's Library (London: Pan Macmillan, 2016), p. 260.

New: "Humility Rules: Saint Benedict's Twelve-Step Guide to Genuine Self-Esteem" by J. Augustine Wetta, O.S.B.

Now available from Ignatius Press: 

Humility Rules: Saint Benedict's Twelve-Step Guide to Genuine Self-Esteem

by J. Augustine Wetta, O.S.B.

Saint Benedict's fifth-century guide to humility offers the antidote to the epidemic of stress and depression overwhelming modern young adults. But the language of The Rule by Saint Benedict is medieval, and its most passionate advocates are cloistered monks and nuns. How then does this ancient wisdom translate into advice for ordinary people?

With candor, humor, and a unique approach to classical art, Father Augustine, a high school teacher and coach, breaks down Saint Benedict's method into twelve pithy steps for finding inner peace in a way that can be applied to anyone's life.

Drawing upon his own life experiences, both before and after becoming a Benedictine monk, the author explains every step, illustrating each chapter with color reproductions of sacred art that he has embellished with comic flourishes. The winsome combination is sure to keep readers from taking themselves too seriously—which is already a first step on the path to humility.

J. Augustine Wetta, O.S.B., is a monk of Saint Louis Abbey.  He serves as the Director of Chaplaincy at the Saint Louis Priory School, where he teaches English and Theology, and coaches rugby.  During his spare time, Father Augustine supervises the juggling team, cultivates carnivorous plants, raises carpenter ants, and surfs.

"This book could not be more perfect. The author shares with C.S.Lewis his rare talent of taking profound thought and turning it into the language ordinary people understand. Many have tried to do as Lewis did, but of those who have achieved it, Fr Augustine is the most successful."
— Walter Hooper, Literary Adviser to the Estate of C.S.Lewis

"My apostolate has worked with many thousands of teens and young adults. I know how real self-esteem challenges are for them.  Fr. Augustine's book is a good antidote to this. It is full of practical, relevant advice based on a rule that's been road-tested for 1,500 years.  I highly recommend this refreshing and engaging read!"
— Curtis A. Martin, Founder and CEO of FOCUS

"With warmth, wit, and honesty, Humility Rules presents a fascinating window into the way of the monk, showing how St. Benedict's wisdom enables us to find freedom in Christ wherever we make our home. The depth of this book's spirituality makes it an engaging introduction to the Benedictine way for readers of any age." 
— Dawn Eden, Author, Remembering God's Mercy

"Secular culture loves things monastic like monk-made bread and calming meditation. But the heart of the Benedictine life is humility. This deceptively light hearted book offers a series of enlightening contrasts to make humility an attractive proposition today. This is an excellent introduction to truthful living for a culture steeped in illusions."
— Dom Christopher Jamison, Monk, Writer, Broadcaster

"Humility rules. It really does! This fun and insightful look at the Rule of Saint Benedict brings ageless wisdom to everyday life. Do yourself a favor and pick up this book! Then ask God to help you live it. For in His kingdom, the way down is truly the only way up."
— Joanna Weaver, best-selling author of Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World

New: "Conversion: Spiritual Insights Into an Essential Encounter with God" by Fr Donald Haggerty

Now available from Ignatius Press:

Conversion: Spiritual Insights Into an Essential Encounter with God

by Fr Donald Haggerty

Contemporary spiritual writer Fr. Donald Haggerty offers penetrating observations of the phenomenon of Christian conversion. Arranged as a collection of concise, meditative reflections, this book discusses the essential elements of a soul's return to God, including the repercussions of sin, the proper understanding of mercy, and the importance of a more radical response to God's will.

Fr. Haggerty also explores the fruits of conversion that make the difference between a mediocre relationship with God and a truly holy life. He identifies these special graces as love for the poor, simplicity of lifestyle, and devotion to the Eucharist.

The author's treatment of a "second conversion" is a unique and thought-provoking contribution to his subject. The ever renewed invitation to embrace a deeper passion for God is the thematic undercurrent of this inspiring work.

Fr. Donald Haggerty a priest of the Archdiocese of New York, has been a Professor of Moral Theology at St. Joseph's Seminary in New York and Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Maryland. He has a long association as a spiritual director for Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity. He is the author of the books Contemplative Hunger and Contemplative Provocations.

"Conversion of heart sums up the compelling invitation of Jesus. Let Fr. Donald Haggerty, an accomplished spiritual theologian, guide us."
—Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York

"Fr. Haggerty uses a clear and direct style to make the point that conversion is the daily heartfelt response of a disciple to the Master."
—Fr. George Rutler, Author, He Spoke to Us

"This is that rarest book, one that needs no praise because its spiritual truth and radical love are evident on every page."
—Matthew Levering, Ph.D., Professor of Theology, Mundelein Seminary

"Fr. Haggerty invites readers to walk a variety of paths to true conversion - a journey not to be missed with a guide of rare understanding and insight."
—Raymond Arroyo, New York Times Best-selling author; EWTN News Anchor

"Fr. Haggerty suggests ways in which we can keep aflame and intensify the passion for God that marked our first fervor."
—Sr. Sara Butler, M.S.B.T., Blessed Trinity Missionary Cenacle

"Conversion is a life-long process and a daily gift. Fr. Haggerty's reflections on conversion to Christ invite all of us to follow after the Lord and to receive, with courage, the grace of his mercy and love."
—Most Rev. James Conley, Bishop of Lincoln, NE

"No task presses more urgently upon the Church today than preaching the call to conversion, and no greater tragedy exists for the human creature than to miss being converted."
—Fr. Romanus Cessario, O.P., Professor of Theology, St. John's Seminary

"Catholic poet Siegfried Sassoon described conversion as 'being in love with life transformed-life breathed afresh'. Fr. Haggerty's profound and beautiful book conveys this wonder and inspires in us a desire for ever deeper personal conversion."
—Fr. Peter John Cameron, O.P., Editor, Magnificat

New: "Report from Calabria: A Season with the Carthusian Monks"

Now available from Ignatius Press:

Report from Calabria: A Season with the Carthusian Monks

by A Priest

Devoted to silence, prayer, and austere simplicity, the Carthusian monks guard their solitude jealously and rarely allow visitors to live with them. The author of this book, however, was privileged to spend four months with the Carthusian community in Calabria, Italy, the resting place of the founder of their order, Saint Bruno. The American priest followed the daily regimen of the monks and wrote to family and friends in order to share his experiences and insights. His engaging and informative letters are presented in this book along with professional four-color photographs provided by the monastery.

Report from Calabria describes and illustrates the distinctive features of the Carthusian way of life as they were encountered by the author. Historical background and excerpts from the writings of Saint Bruno round out the priest's experiences. The contemplative vocation—bracing and yet deeply human—comes alive in this vivid account of very little happening yet a lot going on.

About the author: The American priest who lived with the Carthusian monks in Calabria, Italy, for four months and wrote this book about his experiences and insights wishes to remain anonymous.

"I am very moved to be able to read about the Carthusian monks in Calabria. It is heartening to share even a day with those holy men. They make me so grateful for the vocation I was given, but their lives are even more meaningful for those living in the midst of modern pain. To see them in the pages of this book eating, working, and praying in silence and solitude is just amazing. They are basically attempting to find God within the human conditions most human. Through them we see so clearly that we find God by accepting our lives  as gifts from him and by appreciating our being born, in flesh and blood, in profound likeness to God himself, as fully revealed by the Second Person of the Trinity, who became man. The Report from Calabria could very well be a report from God himself telling us what we cry and anguish to know."
— Mother Dolores Hart, O.S.B, Author of The Ear of the Heart

"Report from Calabria is a beautiful book.  The author's short sketches capture the silent rhythms of worship and contemplation at the heart of Carthusian life and the humanity of hidden lives in the cloister. The photographs show a world that few people get to see.  Most importantly, this book points to the profundity of daring to enter a dialogue of silence with the heart of the Lord.  Each one of us invited to know the Lord in silence.  Report from Calabria is a guidebook to a beautiful place, and to the beauty of interior and silent communion with the Lord."   
— Most Rev. James D. Conley, S.T.L., Bishop of Lincoln, Nebraska

"This book is a gem.  The Carthusians have long captivated the imagination of the Catholic world: by their austerity, their silence, their seclusion, and their mysteriousness. Although they will never say so themselves, they've lived up to their motto: 'Never reformed because never deformed.' This book is an honest and stunningly beautiful view of the inside life of a Charterhouse. Through these pages you can feel the cold of the cell, smell the pasta in the midday meal, and sense the profound reverence of the Carthusian liturgy. This book will make you want to pray."
— Most Rev. Michael C. Barber, S.J., Bishop of Oakland

"The Carthusian life, typically so unknown and hidden, has found another privileged account. The anonymous priest-author enjoyed four months of full participation in Carthusian life in Calabria. The letters written during his monastic stay and collected here display an observant eye and sensitive insights for both external detail and for the rich depth of dedicated silence, solitude, and prayer that marks the Carthusian life. Anyone moved some years back by the extraordinary film Into the Great Silence will find in this book another fascinating appreciation for the daily self-giving of these hidden monks who live all for God."
— Fr. Donald Haggerty, Author, Contemplative Provocationsand The Contemplative Hunger

The Gospel of St. Matthew: The Unity of the Life of Jesus

The Gospel of St. Matthew: The Unity of the Life of Jesus | Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis | From the Introduction to Fire of Mercy, Heart of the Word (Vol. II): Meditations on the Gospel According to St. Matthew

The Gospel according to St. Matthew is not a text simply stringing together haphazard events and occasions that present Jesus teaching valuable and true things. Beyond this, the Gospel text portrays the unity of Jesus' whole life. Very likely the earliest nucleus of the Gospel text is what is now its conclusion, that is, the narrative of Jesus' Passion, death, and Resurrection, which narrative no doubt constituted the heart and substance of the primitive oral kerygma, or "proclamation" of the faith by the apostles and their successors. Everything else in the Gospel text came later, composed to show how everything in Jesus' life and teaching eventually had to lead to his atoning death out of love.

In Matthew's Gospel we see how, against all obstacles and opposition, Jesus moves with a sovereign sweep from the promises of God in the Old Testament, fulfilling them in his Incarnation as Messiah, to his identity as a man who does divine things and speaks divine words (parables, miracles, encounters, discourses), to the culmination of the story in his Passion, death, and Resurrection, and, finally, to the conclusion of the story in Jesus commissioning the apostles to do what they have seen him do and teach what they have seen him teach. In the end, they are to become what they have seen him be.

Thus, the main message of Matthew's Gospel is that we are not saved by detached "doctrines" or "truths", but by the whole life of this man, Jesus of Nazareth, in all its fullness and unity. All Christian theology is but a systematic reflection on this life, on everything it reveals about God and us and on everything this revelation implies for our own future life and behavior.

In the Gospel, Jesus Christ the person and his action in our lives have absolute primacy over anyone's teaching about Jesus Christ.

A comparison of the very beginning of the text with its very end may serve to detail the overarching unity of Matthew's Gospel and its fundamental message. At 1:23 Matthew inserts a quotation from the prophecy of Isaiah (7:14): "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel (a name which means 'God with us')." If we then turn to the last sentence in Matthew, we read: "Lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age" (28:20). Now, these are words that only an incarnate God can speak with truth, and we suddenly realize that everything between these two quotations-the promise and its everlasting fulfillment--is meant by Matthew to represent an unfolding of what it means for "God to be with us" in the person of Jesus. Between these two passages there are five major sections of the Gospel, perhaps symbolic of the five books of the Pentateuch that constitute the Torah. Matthew's Gospel, thus, through its symbolic structure, is apparently claiming to contain God's definitive words and deeds, which fulfill and surpass the Torah but only through the presence and action of Jesus, the living Word made flesh: "It was said to you .... But I say to you" (cf. Mt 5:21-22, 27-28, 31-34, 38-39, 43-44).

Many other such layers of deliberate structuring may be discovered in Matthew's Gospel. It is possible to describe its total design as follows: The text consists of a body in five major segments, preceded by an introduction (Jesus' genealogy and infancy, 1:1-2:23) and culminating in the heart of the Gospel-the Passion, death, and Resurrection narrative (26:1-28:20). Each of the five central sections (3:1-7:29; 8:1-10:42; 11:1-13:52 13:53-18:35; and 19:1-25:46) may in turn be subdivided into a "narrative" and a "discourse" component (see tabulation on page 329), and it is possible to detect a correspondence between the events of the narrative and the theme of the discourse that follows it. And each of these five sections concludes with a formula such as "And when Jesus finished these sayings" (7:28).

There may well be an important theological point being made here through this structural arrangement, namely, that the Gospel is first and foremost about the interactive encounter between Jesus and humanity, portrayed in a narrative. All subsequent words of teaching and instruction, even those coming from Jesus himself, are but a persuasive reflection that seeks to delve more deeply into that primordial encounter in order to help the reader make it his own.

For instance, in the fourth central section (13:53-17:27) we read in the narrative portion about the feeding of the five thousand, then of the four thousand, about Peter's confession and his commission, and about the Transfiguration. Clearly, these are all events that portray different aspects of "church"--how Jesus fashions a community of believers out of the random scattering of humanity. What then follows in the discourse portion of section four is a formal exhortation sometimes called the "Sermon on the Church" (18:1-35), which deals with the qualifications for membership in the Kingdom, fraternal relations of either scandal or edification, and above all forgiveness.

Such a structural feature as we here describe--this thematic correspondence between "narrative" and "discourse" in each section--reminds us from a fresh angle that the Gospel is never mere philosophizing but always a portrayal of the Word incarnate, the eternal Son and Wisdom of the Father in whom event and word, prayer and deed, are one. Christ Jesus is no mere brilliant teacher and itinerant prophet; he is the divine Son made flesh, the person who, all at once, is cosmic Event, Word of truth, and Deed of salvation, and this dynamic richness of identity in Jesus is what the Gospel manifests at each step, both in its individual parts and in its total structure.

If, in our imagination, we put the Gospel text back into its original context of oral transmission, before it evolved into the form of a written text, we will begin to see its character as the record of an encounter between persons. The Gospel is not primarily words written in a book: this is only the final stage of a process that began with Jesus' real historical presence and interaction with people in the world. When the Gospel is proclaimed in the praying assembly of believers, we participate in the living memory of the Church from the beginning, the Church that was so careful to communicate in a living way and hand down to each generation of Christians the treasure of her experience of the Lord's presence in her midst.

The Gospel is a living tradition, something alive in our hearts and memory insofar as we are Christians, something continually shaping and nourishing our faith, thoughts, and deeds. This is why the Gospel is never more itself than when it is publicly proclaimed, heard, and commented upon during the Liturgy of the Word.

For instance, when we hear the Gospel of the Beatitudes (Mt 5:1-12) proclaimed on a given Sunday, we sense that that is the original setting in which the Gospel was meant to be read. Such a text communicates to us, not a historical sketch of someone who lived in the past and is interesting for a number of good reasons. Rather, such a text evokes a presence, not only by stimulating the power of imagination and memory, but by the power of the sacramental action of the Church in the Eucharist. The words of Matthew's Gospel are inseparable from the Eucharistic Sacrifice, because in his Gospel Matthew is proclaiming an event and a person that want to become a saving reality here and now in my life and in the life of all mankind. [3]

We must conclude, then, that the genre of the Gospel is not that of pure "history"; but neither is it that of myth, fairy tale, or legend. In fact, evangelion constitutes a genre all its own, a surprising novelty in the literature of the ancient world. Matthew does not seek to be "objective" in a scientific or legal sense. He is writing as one whose life has been drastically changed by the encounter with Jesus of Nazareth. Hence, he is proposing to his listeners an objective reality of history, but offered as kerygma, that is, as a proclamation that bears personal witness to the radical difference that reality has already made in his life. Whether this encounter with Jesus of Nazareth occurs literally in the flesh or spiritually through the faith of the Church is not as important as the fact that it does take place.

We, living twenty-one centuries later, are at no disadvantage! We should not want to answer questions that the evangelists themselves did not raise: the color of Jesus' eyes and hair, his height, and so on. Nor is it essential to ask: Did this or that occur precisely in the way described in the text? The historical nucleus obviously at the very center of the Gospel narrative is inseparable, in keeping with the genre of the evangelion or "good news", from the response of faith with which Matthew presents it so as to persuade his listeners to enter into the same experience of encounter with Jesus. This encounter will hopefully result in the transformation of their lives. When we approach the text of Matthew we must come to share in his own faith if we are fully to understand what he has written.

ENDNOTES:

[3] The unity of word, sacrament, and Christian life as constituting the total Mystery of Christ has seldom been explored so profoundly as in Jean Corbon, The Wellspring of Worship (Mahwah, NJ.: Paulist Press, 1988; new edition by Ignatius Press, 2005).

New: "From Islam to Christ: One Woman's Path through the Riddles of God" by Derya Little

Now available from Ignatius Press:

From Islam to Christ One Woman's Path through the Riddles of God

by Derya Little

Born and raised in Muslim Turkey, Derya Little wandered far and wide in search of her true home. After her parents' divorce, she rejected her family's Islamic faith and became an atheist. During her stormy adolescence, she tried to convince a Christian missionary that there is no God but was converted to Christ instead.

Her winding path through the riddles of God was not over, however. While attending a Turkish university and serving as a Christian youth minister, Derya began to compare the teachings of Protestantism and Catholicism, and during her doctoral studies in England, she entered the Catholic Church. Ultimately, she ended up in the United States, where has become a citizen and has settled down to raise a family.

Derya's story provides a window into both Islam and modernity. It shows that the grace and the mercy of God know no bounds. Rather, the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ reaches souls in the most unlikely places.

Derya Little has a Ph.D. in politics from Durham University in England. Her articles on foreign affairs have appeared in academic journals and Catholic World Report.

"Little has done the world a service by writing this courageous book. On her journey from Islam to atheism to Evangelical Christianity to Roman Catholicism, we see how the Divine Physician brings a healing balm to many open wounds people live with today."
— Kathryn Jean Lopez, From the Foreword; Senior Fellow, National Review Institute

New, updated editions of classic works by mystic Adrienne von Speyr now available

 San Francisco, May 3, 2017 – Ignatius Press has long published the writings of Adrienne von Speyr, a contemporary Swiss convert, mystic, wife, medical doctor, and prolific spiritual writer, who was under the spiritual direction of renowned theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar. Now three books have been released as new editions, each updated with a new Foreword, bringing renewed attention to her insightful life and work.
 
First Glance at Adrienne von Speyr
 
This second edition of Hans Urs von Balthasar’s book on Adrienne von Speyr is his personal introduction to the mystic, First Glance at Adrienne von Speyr, whose message and mission he believed to be vitally important for the Church. Von Balthasar was the spiritual director of von Speyr for almost thirty years as she progressed in the life of grace. She helped him to found the Community of Saint John, an international secular institute, and she wrote more than sixty books on various topics, including prayer, Scripture, sacraments, and saints, which continue to bear fruit for those seeking to deepen their understanding of Catholic spirituality and theology.
 
This book contains three main sections. The first includes a short account of Adrienne’s life, which describes her childhood, conversion, and mission; an analysis of her most important theological concerns; and an overview of her published and unpublished works.  The second is a collection of enlightening statements that Adrienne made about herself, which illuminate both her exterior and interior life. The third section contains prayers that she herself wrote, which best reveal her spirit.
 
Hans Urs von Balthasar writes, “On the whole I received far more from Adrienne, theologically, than she from me. As her confessor and spiritual director, I observed her interior life most closely, yet in twenty-seven years I never had the least doubt about the authentic mission that was hers. Her work appears far more important to me than mine. I am convinced that when her works are made available, those who are in a position to judge will concur with me about their value and will thank God that he has granted such graces to the Church in our time.”

Adrian Walker, Ph.D., Professor of Theology at the John Paul II Institute and author of the Foreword of this new edition, says, “Von Speyr was one of the great Catholic converts of the twentieth century. Her great passion was what might be called ‘the thirst for catholicity’ — the unreserved, joyful adherence to all the teachings of the Church and the attitude of total surrender to the Truth.”
 
“The abundant harvest of graces hidden in this theological mission for our times still waits to be more fully carried into the storehouses of the Church for whom Adrienne von Speyr was sent. Now, however, a century after her birth, there are many signs to indicate that the moment of her ‘reawakening’ is at hand!” says Jacques Servais, S.J., Director of the Casa Balthasar in Rome.
 
Confession
 
In this second edition of her profound book on confession, which Hans Urs von Balthasar calls “one of her most central works”, Adrienne von Speyr discusses the moral and practical aspects of this sacrament in great depth. The most complete spiritual treatise on confession ever written, the book covers conversion, scruples, contrition, spiritual direction, laxity, frequency of confession, confessions of religious and lay people, and even confessions of saints.
 
The most intriguing element in von Speyr’s understanding of confession, fully developed in this volume, is its trinitarian and christological basis. The Cross is the archetypal confession, and Christian sacramental confession is thus an imitation of Christ in the strict sense. Confession examines the enormous fruitfulness of this dogmatic basis from many perspectives, giving a wealth of suggestions that both the theological expert and the layman will find very helpful. Its practical applicability to one’s own confession emerges from every page.
 
Fr. John Riccardo, the author of the Foreword, writes, “Few writers have impacted me like von Speyr has. I use Confession every year in RCIA to teach on this great gift that Jesus left to the Church on the day He rose from the dead. Whether you are a frequent celebrant of this Sacrament or, like I once was, have been away for many years, I pray that this book will profoundly change your life.”
 
Handmaid of the Lord
 
In this profound book on the mystery of Mary, Adrienne von Speyr reflects on the life, attitude, and prayer of the Mother of God. She shows how Mary’s assent to God’s will—her Fiat: “Let it be done to me according to thy word” — is what defines and sanctifies every aspect of her life. She gives new insights into Mary’s holiness, suffering, prayer, and role of spiritual motherhood for all mankind.
 
Handmaid of the Lord is not a biography detailing the daily life of the Mother of Jesus, filled with the sights and the sounds found in the holy imagination of a saintly visionary. Rather, it responds to our desire to know Mary in a penetrating and personal way, opening us to the mystery of her inner life, which can be revealed only by the Word himself and pondered in the heart, just as Our Lady herself did.
 
Humility, obedience, availability, joy, suffering, and transparency before God are some of the key spiritual attributes of Our Lady found in this timeless work. As with her other books, von Speyr helps us to savor and to appreciate each word of Sacred Scripture as self-revelation from the Father through the heart of the Church, the Bride of the Son, in a loving exchange of the Spirit. In this way, the Word may be absorbed into the very core of our being, as it was for Mary, the Mother of God.
 
Kris McGregor, founder of Discerning Hearts, writes in the Foreword, “This work offers a doorway into the heart of one of Christianity’s greatest mysteries - the mystery of Mary - and there is no better spiritual guide through that door than Adrienne von Speyr. She is a grand spiritual master of the practice of Lectio Divina and a beneficiary of its fruits. Handmaid of the Lord is Lectio Divina par excellence. It reveals the sheer beauty of Marian contemplation like no masterpiece of temporal art or music ever could; hence its status as a spiritual classic.”
 
About Adrienne von Speyr
 
Adrienne von Speyr (1902–1967) was a Swiss medical doctor, a convert to Catholicism, a mystic, and an author of more than sixty books on spirituality and theology. She collaborated closely with theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar, her confessor for twenty-seven years, and together they founded  the Community of Saint John. Her numerous books, published by Ignatius Press, are a major contribution to the wisdom of the Church. Among her most important works are Book of All Saints, Confession, The World of Prayer, Handmaid of the Lord, and The Passion from Within.
 
Kris McGregor, the author of the Foreword of Handmaid of the Lord, is available for interviews about these three books. To request review copies or an interview with Kris McGregor, please contact: Rose Trabbic, Publicist, Ignatius Press at (239) 867-4180 or [email protected]
 
Kris McGregor is the Founder/Executive Director of Discerning Hearts, a non-profit broadcast media apostolate dedicated to evangelization and spiritual formation. She has produced/hosted a wide range of series programs under the banner “Discerning Hearts presents”, as well as hosted “Inside the Pages”, interviewing hundreds of today’s leading Catholic authors and spiritual leaders. Her programs are prominently featured on the Spirit Catholic Radio Network line-up and on DiscerningHearts.com. In the past, she has served as a Director of Religious Education, Director of Liturgy, and Director of Pastoral Ministry in parishes located in the Archdiocese of Omaha.  Kris and her husband of 34 years, Bruce, are Benedictine Oblates and parents of 3 children.  
 
Product Facts:
                                                                                        
Title: First Glance at Adrienne von Speyr
Author: Hans Urs von Balthasar
Release Date: May 2017                                                                
Length: 228 Pages
Price: $15.95
ISBN: 978-162164-180-3
                                               
Title: Confession
Author: Adrienne von Speyr
Release Date: May 2017                                                                 
Length: 295 Pages
Price: $16.95
ISBN: 978-1-62164-182-7
                       
Title: Handmaid of the Lord
Author: Adrienne von Speyr
Release Date: May 2017      
Length: 203 Pages
Price: $15.95
ISBN: 978-1-62164-181-0
 
To Order: 1-800-651-1531 or www.ignatius.com

But What Exactly is Easter?

Detail from "Resurrection" ("Воскресение", c.1892) by Mikhail Nesterov [Wikipedia]

But What Exactly is Easter? | Fr. James V. Schall, S.J. | CWR

"Christ, the Son of God, rose from the dead." In that brief sentence, if we look carefully enough, we can discover the whole order of being and our place within it.

I.

As a general principle, an honest man will want know what something is, or is said to be, before he decides whether he thinks it is true or that he must do anything about it. Take one’s relation to a doctor. Insofar as we deal with a doctor qua doctor, we want him to tell us the truth about what is wrong with us. If we didn’t, we should not bother him. We do not, if we are normal, want him to lie to us. Unless we know what the problem is, we cannot decide what, if anything, we need to do about it. And if we decide the doctor is incompetent, we still have to find one that is.

Definitions are good things. They are intended to tell us what a thing is in words we understand. Generally, we want to know what a thing is whether we like it or not. Indeed, we need to know what things can harm us and which ones help us. We understand that it is dangerous for us deliberately to choose not to know the truth about something. On the basis of what they are and of what we are, our knowledge relates us to everything that is not ourselves. 

In the Easter season, someone who does not know much about what it means might well ask: “What exactly is Easter anyhow?” Accurate knowledge of it is not always easy to come by. Indeed, we have the impression that many people do not want to know what it really is lest it make a demand on them they are not willing to consider. Still, what would be a fair and accurate answer to an honest inquiry about Easter that had no further purpose but to hear accurately what this word and the reality to which it refers mean?  On hearing the explication, the inquiring listener might say: “So that is what it means!” or “Makes no sense to me!” or “I had it all wrong” or “It’s really complicated” or “Run that by me again...” In any case, the question—“What is Easter?—is a worthy one.

II.

The word Easter can have several origins—an Anglo-Saxon goddess of Spring, a Frankish way of referring to the East and the rising Sun, a reference to the Jewish Passover. For Christians and anyone who wants to know about its meaning, it recalls the day on which Christ rose from the dead. Each of the three words—Christ, rose, dead—refers to a specific reality. 

Taken in itself, “Christ rose from the dead” is a straight-forward statement of what Easter means, of what it is to which the sentence refers. Spelled out, it recalls that a young Jewish man, called Jesus Christ, claimed to be the Son of God. He was executed in Jerusalem under Roman authority about thirty years after his birth in Bethlehem. Contemporary witnesses maintained that three days after his execution on a Cross, he rose again from the dead. The same witnesses initially had a hard time believing this event, but they also had more difficulty in denying what they saw and touched. So they concluded that it was a fact that they witnessed. 

“To rise again” means that the same individual, who was actually dead, reappeared, identified himself as the same person who died, though in a transfigured manner. Dead means what dead means. Life had ceased in him.

Once we understand what Easter means, we are not asked to accept this unexpected truth as if it had no justification. No one denies that most dead men stay dead. Even the two dead men whom this Christ was said to have brought back to life—the widow’s son and Lazarus—subsequently died. This did not happen to Christ. 

Throughout subsequent history, many efforts have been made to explain how this event and its testimony could not be true. These efforts have their value. Each time this Resurrection is denied, something new about its reality comes to be understood. Muslims, for example, maintain that God cannot suffer. Therefore, Christ was not God and was not crucified. Some Jews just after Christ’s death were worried that the disciples would claim that he rose again, as he said he would, so they paid some soldiers to testify that the body was carried away at night. The disciples, in this scenario, only pretended that it rose again.

Many different theories were subsequently developed to explain what happened as if it did not or could not have happened.

Continue reading...

To Glory in the Cross of Christ

Pope John Paul II prays at the Hill of Crosses in Siauliai, Lithuania, in 1993. (CNS photo/Arturo Mari, L'Osservatore Romano)

To Glory in the Cross of Christ | Rev. Peter M.J. Stravinskas | CWR

Every cross borne by any believer gains meaning and becomes life-giving when it is brought into a relationship with the Cross from which Jesus reigned as the King of Love and over which He triumphed in His glorious Resurrection.

During Lent, Mother Church focused our attention on the Cross and on Him hanging from it. Only the most hard-hearted are not moved to pity and sorrow. Our reflection on the mystery of the Cross, however, likewise causes us to glory in the Cross, acclaiming Jesus Christ as the “King of love on Calvary.”

At the same time, we must admit that this is at least, shall we say, a bit “out of sync” with modernity’s approach to suffering and death. Indeed, the late Father Pablo Straub of EWTN fame coined a word to describe the reaction of our contemporaries to the Cross; he used to say that our society suffers from “cruciphobia” – fear of the crucifix!

I thank God I was spared that disease from my boyhood. Permit me to share three personal anecdotes in that regard.

I had convulsions at birth, keeping me hospitalized for the first four months of my life. Everything went into remission until I was eight years old when I was hit in the head by an iron gate; that very night, the seizures returned, calling for daily medication and constant vigilance on the part of my parents, the Sisters at school, and the priests at church. An additional aspect of the monitoring was a quarterly electroencephalogram (EEG, for short), administered at St. Michael’s Hospital in Newark, the same place where I had been born. As some of you may know, in those early days of treating epilepsy, the EEG required that a kind of cap be secured to the patient’s head with medical thumb-tacks to penetrate the skull to obtain the brain waves. Believe me when I say I knew first-hand the meaning of excruciating pain, quite literally. I dreaded those quarterly but necessary hospital visits.

On one such occasion, my mother took advantage of the fact that the technician on duty that day was a Sister, whom she pulled aside to inform a bit about me and to ask if she could comfort me in any way. When Sister came back, she said: “Peter, your mother tells me you want to be a priest. A priest is a man of sacrifice – like Jesus the Priest. I know that when I place this cap on your head, it’s going to hurt a great deal, and I’m very sorry about that. But I want you to do a couple of things. I want you to look very intently on the crucifix on my habit as I press those pins into your scalp. See how Jesus suffered for you out of His great love. Tell Him you love Him in return, that you want to unite your sufferings to His, and that you wish to offer up your sufferings for your priestly vocation.”

I did as that gentle, loving and holy nun urged me. It didn’t eliminate the pain, but it did make it more bearable because it was placed in a bigger context – one that involved divine love, the salvation of the world, and my future life as a priest. Thanks to that nun, whose name I never knew, I have never experienced “cruciphobia” for a single day since.

My second anecdote.

Continue reading at www.CatholicWorldReport.com.

New: "Fatima Mysteries: Mary's Message to the Modern Age" by Grzegorz Gorny and Janusz Rosikon

Now available from Ignatius Press:

Fatima Mysteries: Mary's Message to the Modern Age

by Grzegorz Gorny and Janusz Rosikon

400 pages | Hardcover

"The tragedies foretold in Fatima did not come to an end with the demise of Communism. The crisis has not been resolved. From a certain point of view it is still as serious as it ever was, as it is primarily a crisis of faith, hence a moral and social crisis."
— Pope Benedict XVI

The apparitions in 1917 of the Blessed Virgin Mary to three peasant children in Fatima, Portugal, are perhaps the most important private revelations in the history of the Church. At the height of World War I and on the eve of the Russian Revolution, Our Lady appeared in Fatima to warn us of another even greater world war, the spread of Communism, and a terrible persecution of the Church unless people returned to God. She asked for us to offer daily prayer and sacrifice for conversion of the world and salvation of souls.

Because of the prophetic nature of Our Lady's messages and their potential significance for the entire world, they have been the subject of much study and controversy, and they have influenced the decisions not only of many individuals, but also of Popes, Bishops, and heads of state.

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of these important apparitions and messages for the modern world, renowned author-photographer team Grzegorz Górny and Janusz Rosikon traveled throughout Europe to tell the story of Fatima and its impact on the destiny of both individuals and nations. With stunningly beautiful four-color photographs on every page, and in-depth detail and insights on all aspects of the story and message of Fatima, they probe the mysteries of Fatima and their continued relevance for our modern age. Lavishly Illustrated.

Grzegorz Górny is a reporter, essayist, and film and television producer. He is the founder and editor-in-chief of the quarterly Fronda, and from 1994 to 2001 he co-authored a program under the same title that aired on the Polish national television. He has produced various documentary television series and authored numerous articles for European publications. His books include Battle for Madrid (2010).

Janusz Rosikon is a photographer and a member of the Association of Polish Artistic Photographers. His photographs have been featured in Time, Newsweek, and Reader's Digest.

"This is a very special book on the whole story, messages and meaning of Fatima. It is a great treasury of information and inspiration for the 100th anniversary of Fatima, filled with stunning photos and images. This book will help you to do what Pope Benedict XVI asked of us all - to learn, live and spread the message of Fatima!"
- Fr. Andrew Apostoli, C.F.R., Author, Fatima For Today

"What a masterpiece! Fatima Mysteries is the most comprehensive and thoroughly researched book I have ever read on the Fatima apparitions. It offers an historical, cultural, and theological presentation of everything there is to know about the importance of one of the greatest events in modern times."
- Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC, Author, Champions of the Rosary: The History and Heroes of a Spiritual Weapon

New: "That Nothing May Be Lost" by Rev. Paul D. Scalia

Now available from Ignatius Press:

That Nothing May Be Lost: Reflections on Catholic Doctrine and Devotion

by Rev. Paul D. Scalia

Fr. Paul Scalia reveals a scholar's mind and a pastor's heart in these inspiring reflections on a wide range of Catholic teachings and practices. Rooted in Scripture, these insights place the reader on a path to a deeper, more meaningful relationship with God.

Among the topics explored are deepening one's knowledge of Jesus, partaking of the life of grace through the sacraments, and cultivating the art of prayer as a continuous conversation with God.

Each section is introduced by a moving essay by a highly regarded Catholic. Fr. Paul Check, Jim Towey, Scott Hahn, Mary Ellen Bork, Gloria Purvis, Raymond Arroyo, Lizz Lovett, Helen Alvaré, and Dan Mattson offer their personal accounts of being Catholic, which are followed by Fr. Scalia's illuminations. Archbishop Charles Chaput contributes a thought- provoking foreword, which begins the reader's exploration of the many important aspects of the Catholic faith presented in this book.

Fr. Paul Scalia, a native of Virginia, studied theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University and the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome. Ordained in 1996, Fr. Scalia was appointed the Bishop's Delegate for Clergy in 2012. He has written for various publications and has served as a frequent contributor to the Arlington Catholic Herald and Encourage and Teach, the diocesan blog.

"Fr. Scalia has written a book that deepens our faith and leads us closer to God in a hundred different ways."
— Most Reverend Charles Chaput, Archbishop of Philadelphia, from the Foreword

"Fr. Scalia has a unique gift of taking stories from Scripture that we've heard many times and casting them into a whole new light. In this book he opens up Catholic teaching in fresh and sometimes surprising directions that will change the way you think about your faith."
— Carrie Gress, Author, Nudging Conversations

"It is the great joy of a priest to see the two people he loves most, the Lord Jesus and whichever person he is caring for at that moment, in each other's arms. It is my hope that the many reflections Fr. Scalia offers us in these pages will bring us all into the arms of the only One who can ultimately satisfy."
— Fr. John Riccardo, Author, Heaven Starts Now

"Sacraments are symbols that convey the reality they signify. All other signs remain distinct from the things they signify. Only sacraments bring about what they signify. Sacramental signs convey the sacred reality itself. There can be no more perfect communication than this. Only God could express Himself in this way."
— Scott Hahn, from the Introduction to Chapter IV, The Sacraments

"One of the blessings of being a Catholic is discovering we are part of a large extended family of holy people. Their stories cover many centuries and diverse cultures, and knowing them, we come to a better understanding of Christ, the One they loved and followed."
— Mary Ellen Bork, from the Introduction to Chapter VI, The Saints

"As I read my friend Fr. Paul's moving and rich reflections on various feast days, an image from my childhood returned. It is of a Corpus Christi procession through the French Quarter around St. Louis Cathedral. Once again that eternal clash of the sacred and the profane that the rest of the world tries to ignore or deny is made manifest. This is what feast days are all about: dedicated times for us to stop and experience the deeper spiritual reality beyond the blur of our chaotic lives."
— Raymond Arroyo, from the Introduction to Chapter IX, Feasts: The Pattern and Rhythm of the Christian Life

New: "Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, S.J.: With an Undivided Heart"

Now available from Ignatius Press:

Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, S.J.: With an Undivided Heart

by Silas Henderson

Saint Aloysius Gonzaga (1568-1591) was a prince of the Holy Roman Empire who renounced his titles and wealth to serve God and the Church as a member of the Society of Jesus. While he lived a short life and is honored as the patron saint of youth, Saint Aloysius invites all Christians to reflect on how they are living their unique vocations to be witnesses to Christ.

Using the saint's own letters and spiritual reflections, and other historical documents, this book offers unparalleled insights into his life and personality. Woven together with his biography are also portraits of other Jesuits and Reformation saints. The author explains the history of the Society of Jesus and shows how Aloysius Gonzaga played an important part in developing the Jesuit's educational apostolate.

For those interested in Jesuit history, the Reformation, or simply this appealing saint, this book offers a unique perspective on an important period of Church history and what it means to pursue God's will without counting the cost.

Silas S. Henderson is a catechist, retreat leader, and the author of four other books (including Lights for a Waiting World: Celebrating Advent with the Saints and From Season to Season: A Book of Saintly Wisdom), as well as dozens of articles and reflections on prayer, spirituality, Mary, and the Saints.

"Most people don't understand the life of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga. But Silas Henderson reveals the complicated, brief, beautiful life that is still, perhaps especially, relevant today."
— Jon M. Sweeney, Author, When St. Francis Saved the Church

"This new biography of Aloysius Gonzaga gives us just what we need to grasp the nature of his sacrifices in leaving an aristocratic life for a fledgling religious community, and in risking his health by serving plague victims for the sake of Christ."
— Joseph Koterski, S.J., Professor of Philosophy, Fordham University

"The last thing in the world we might expect is a biography of a young man who, by current world standards, did not 'do' much. That is why this book and Gonzaga's life are so important for our times. We do not save the world by saving the world. We save the world by first attending to God in the time we are given. This is the great lesson of the life of Aloysius Gonzaga."
— James V. Schall, S. J., Professor Emeritus, Georgetown University

"Finally! An up-to-date, sensitive, and thoroughly researched biography of one of the Church's greatest saints. The life of Aloysius Gonzaga has sometimes been buried under excess layers of piety that could obscure who he was: a strong, tough and prayerful young man and a superb model for youth. An extraordinary story well told."
— James Martin, S. J., Author, The Jesuit Guide to Almost Everything

"Here is that rare book, which is full of scholarship and research yet profoundly touches the heart. Silas Henderson's words humanize and bring to life this lovable and loving saint, showing his single-hearted devotion. I highly recommend it to the young, and to all, as a call to purity of heart and charity."
— Deacon Eddie Ensley, Ph.D., Author, Everyday Mysticism

Did Jesus rise from the dead and go directly to heaven?

The Spiritual Resurrection Theory appears to be alive (ahem) and well at the Associated Press | Carl E. Olson | The Dispatch at CWR

The always excellent Terry Mattingly of Get Religion points out that the Associated Press reveals a bit of biblical and theological illiteracy in a March 20th piece about the renovations done to the shrine in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. The report begins in this way:

The tomb of Jesus has been resurrected to its former glory. Just in time for Easter, a Greek restoration team has completed a historic renovation of the Edicule, the shrine that tradition says houses the cave where Jesus was buried and rose to heaven.

The problematic phrase—"the shrine that tradition says houses the cave where Jesus was buried and rose to heaven"—is repeated in the photo caption. Mattingly writes:

OK, I know that this is complicated. Maybe there needs to be an expanded entry in the Associated Press Stylebook covering the events of Holy Week, Easter and the Ascension?

Attention AP corrections desk: Christians around the world do not believe that Jesus was "buried and rose to heaven" from the tomb cut into the stone of Gethsemane. They believe that he was buried there, was resurrected, then ascended to heaven 40 days later. Church tradition points to Mount Olivet as the site of the Ascension.

This very issue is addressed in one of the 75 or so questions found in my book Did Jesus Really Rise From the Dead? (Ignatius Press/Augustine Institute, 2016):

Q. Was the Resurrection also when Jesus ascended into Heaven and was exalted there by the Father?

This is a common misunderstanding, even among some Christians. It is even, as Brant Pitre points out [in The Case for Christ] remarkably popular “especially among scholars who do not believe in Jesus’ bodily resurrection. Nevertheless, this idea is (literally) dead wrong.”  That is because the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven, as the creedal statements above indicate and Scripture clearly attest, took place forty days after the Resurrection; the two are entirely distinct events, even though the Ascension is made possible because of the Resurrection.  The risen Jesus, in fact, told Mary Magdalene that he had not yet gone to the Father:

Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” (Jn 20:16–17)

In addition, Luke begins Acts of the Apostles by stating, “To them he presented himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days, and speaking of the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3).

The key point here is that the Resurrection was not a spiritual event only, during which Jesus was exalted, in some form, into Heaven; rather, it was a miraculous event in which Jesus was raised from the dead with real and glorified body, becoming “the first‐born from the dead” (Col 1:18; cf. Rev 1:5). And forty days separated that event from the Ascension, during which time Jesus, according to Paul, “appeared to Ce’phas, then to the Twelve.  Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles” (1 Cor 15:5–7).

Mattingly reminds readers of a similar error made by The New York Times in a May 2013 piece about Pope Francis' first Urbi et Orbi message: "Easter is the celebration of the resurrection into heaven of Jesus, three days after he was crucified, the premise for the Christian belief in an everlasting life."

These sort of mistakes certainly betray sloppiness and a lack of basic knowledge, which is frustrating enough. But a deeper issue, I suspect, is the implicit assumption that the Resurrection is an entirely spiritual event, having little or nothing to do with the material realm. This general approach to the Resurrection can be described as the Spiritual Resurrection Theory; here is an excerpt from Chapter 9 ("Physical and Spiritual") of my book:

Q. What is the Spiritual Resurrection Theory?

This is the idea that the Resurrection of Jesus was purely spiritual and not at all corporeal or bodily.  The risen Jesus was a spirit.  Those who encountered him encountered the spirit of Jesus. His corpse is irrelevant, in this view. Whether dogs ate it or it remains buried in a tomb makes no difference. Jesus’s body wasn’t transformed; he was raised a spirit.

Q. Who advocates the idea of the Spiritual Resurrection Theory?

Some theologically liberal Christians espouse the Spiritual Resurrection Theory, or a form of it. It is held by John Shelby Spong, John Dominic Crossan, and Marcus Borg, among others. Jehovah’s Witnesses, oddly enough, also advocate a form of it. They think the various Resurrection appearances recounted in the New Testament do not reflect Jesus’s actual resurrected state, but involve various bodies he assumed or materialized in order to indicate to his disciples his continued existence as a spirit. Unlike most people who reject the traditional understanding of Jesus’s Resurrection, advocates of the Spiritual Resurrection Theory generally appeal to the New Testament to support their views. As a result, the case against the theory involves a careful review of certain New Testament passages.

There is much, much more, as you can see from the table of contents and the Introduction.

New: "Marian Veneration: Firm Foundations" by Francis Cardinal Arinze

Now available from Ignatius Press:

Marian Veneration: Firm Foundations

by Francis Cardinal Arinze

The Blessed Virgin Mary is venerated by many followers of Jesus Christ as an important part of their practice of the faith. Believing that she is the Mother of God because her Son is the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, who for our salvation took on human nature, Christians of both East and West honor Mary in various ways. They strive to imitate her as a great model of Christian discipleship.

Cardinal Arinze wrote this book for both those devoted to the Blessed Mother and those who do not yet know or understand her. Based on the Scriptures, the teachings of the Church, and the sacred liturgy, the cardinal provides a solid foundation for Marian veneration—one that can benefit all Christians, regardless of their church affiliation.

Cardinal Francis Arinze, the former Prefect for the Congregation for Divine Worship, is a highly regarded prelate, teacher and churchman. He has written numerous books on theology, spirituality and prayer, including Meeting Jesus and Following Him, Radical Discipleship, The Layperson's Distinctive Role, and his biography, God's Invisible Hand, all published by Ignatius Press.

"An extraordinary blend of rigorous scholarship and filial devotion, Marian Veneration gives all the reasons for why the Virgin Mary is – and will always be – at the heart of Christianity.  This book will serve as a reference work for generations to come!"
— Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC, Author, Champions of the Rosary: The History and Heroes of a Spiritual Weapon

"To praise the art is to praise the artist. Mary is the greatest work of art ever created by God. Cardinal Arinze helps us to see the pierced Hand of the Master holding the brush that created Mary, his greatest Icon of the Church."
— Mark P. Shea, Author, Mary, Mother of the Son

"The Second Vatican Council urged theologians and preachers to present the authentic image of the Virgin as it is given us in the Scriptures, the sacred liturgy, and the holy Fathers and Doctors of the Church. That is precisely what he does in this excellent work."
— Fr. Michael Gaitley, M.I.C., Author, 33 Days to Morning Glory

"Simply the best book of its kind in print today. Cardinal Arinze not only masterfully provides the essential foundation for the veneration of Mary but also dispenses with manifold errors concerning Marian theology and devotion both inside and outside the Church."
— Tim Staples, Director of Apologetics and Evangelization, Catholic Answers

New: "Saint Mary Magdalene: Prophetess of Eucharistic Love" by Fr. Sean Davidson

Now available from Ignatius Press:

Saint Mary Magdalene Prophetess of Eucharistic Love

by Fr. Sean Davidson

Adoration is love, and eucharistic adoration is love of Christ present in the Blessed Sacrament. In the Gospels there are few people who understand love for Jesus as well as Mary Magdalene, which is the reason she is a prophetess of eucharistic love.

This work is an extended meditation on the life of Saint Mary Magdalene, known as the "Apostle to the Apostles" because the Risen Christ appeared to her first and then sent her to announce the Resurrection to the apostles. Based on the biblical texts traditionally associated with Mary Magdalene, this book helps readers to learn from her inspiring example and to enter more deeply into adoration of Jesus Christ truly present in the Blessed Sacrament.

In telling the story of Mary Magdalene's profound conversion after the Lord had to expel seven demons from her soul, this book shows how she is a shining witness to the transforming power of an encounter with Jesus Christ. Mary Magdalene is the perfect model for those who have experienced the redeeming love of Christ and who seek to deepen their devotion to him and to the Eucharist.

Father Sean Davidson is a member of the Missionaries of the Most Holy Eucharist.  He spent two years serving at the magnificent Basilica of Saint Mar y Magdalene in Provence, France, where he received the inspiration for this work. He is currently serving at the Eucharistic Retreat Center in the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception, Long Island.

"Saint Mary Magdalene reminds us of the need to recover the primacy of God and the primacy of adoration in the life of the Church and in the liturgical celebration."
— Cardinal Robert Sarah, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, Author, God or Nothing: A Conversation on Faith

"Saint Mary Magdalene has finally been given her deserved praise and understanding. Her amazing story of renewed life, restored love and relentless devotion to Christ as Savior is deeply inspiring!"
— Mother Dolores Hart, O.S.B., Author, The Ear of the Heart: An Actress’ Journey from Hollywood to Holy Vows

"This bracing immersion into the life, heart and soul of one of the most misunderstood and misrepresented of saints, is rooted in Scripture, history, and deep contemplation. It calls us to emulate Magdalene's 'holy recklessness' and her radical adoration of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament."
— Carl Olson, Author, Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?

"Those longing to sit quietly 'at his feet' in times of eucharistic adoration will find Saint Mary Magdalene already there, with her tears, her ointment, her devoted love  and her deep attentiveness to his hidden presence. This thoughtful exploration of Magdalene's life and her gifts of contrition, gratitude and adoration will inspire all who long to dwell quietly in his presence in the company of the saints."
— Dan Guernsey, Author, Adoration: Eucharistic Texts and Prayers throughout Church History

"Drawing from Scripture and scholarship, Father Davidson paints a soul-stirring portrait of the 'Apostle to the Apostles' that speaks directly to the heart of the reader. Filled with remarkable insights, this is a highly engaging and deeply moving look at how the encounter with Christ can truly change your life."
— Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, Author, Behold the Man: A Catholic Vision of Male Spirituality

"The life of Saint Magdalene bears witness to the infinite mercy of Christ, and our world stands in great need of an outpouring of divine mercy today. This work goes to the heart of the identity of this holy woman who was above all an ardent adorer in spirit and in truth. May her example enkindle a new fire of love for Christ in our hearts."
— Father Florian Racine, Rector of the Basilica of Saint Mary Magdalene, France, Author, Could You Not Watch with Me One Hour?

New: "The Holy Spirit, Fire of Divine Love" by Fr. Wilfrid Stinissen

Now available from Ignatius Press:

The Holy Spirit, Fire of Divine Love

by Fr. Wilfrid Stinissen

Acclaimed spiritual writer Fr. Wilfrid Stinissen presents insightful reflections on the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Holy Trinity, emphasizing the importance of the Spirit in the life of a Christian. He illustrates that the Holy Spirit desires to live in us so that we can love God and others with God's own love. As the Holy Spirit descended upon the early Church at Pentecost to set the world ablaze with the fire of divine love, so He wants to do with us.

God, who is One, also desires the Church to be one, Fr. Stinissen writes. The Lord wants to unify all Christians in one holy Church, and all people in one body. The Holy Spirit is the great unifier, he says, for it is he who makes the Father and the Son one God. If Christians let him live within them, they will grow in unity.

Fr. Wilfrid Stinissen was born in Antwerp, Belgium, where he entered the Carmelite Order in 1944. He was sent to Sweden in 1967 to co-found a small contemplative community. His many books on the spiritual life have been translated into multiple languages. Among his works available in English are Into Your Hands, Father; Nourished by the Word: Reading the Bible Contemplatively; and The Gift of Spiritual Direction.

"Fr. Stinissen masterfully illustrates how the Holy Spirit helps us with discerning and following God's will, constructs bridges of reconciliation, and builds up the Body of Christ. His powerful reflections invite the reader to experience deeper intimacy with the Lord."
— Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, Author, Behold the Man

"From  the  theoretical  to  the  practical, from  Scripture  and  Sacred  Tradition to the lives of the saints, this book comes as close as possible  to explaining the Holy Spirit in all his mystery and ministries."
— Steven Ray, Author, Crossing the Tiber

"Fr. Stinissen's writing is profound enough for theologians, yet accessible enough for anyone seeking a fuller and more meaningful life. This is an important, inspiring, and timely book."
— Vinny Flynn, Author, 7 Secrets of Divine Mercy

"We believe in the Holy Spirit, but how well do we know him? In language both simple and profound, Fr. Stinissen gives us a truly delightful and spiritually enriching book."
— Fr.Frank Pavone, National Director, Priests for Life

"Fr. Stinissen offers us the kind of deep wisdom we would expect from our own personal spiritual director."
— Fr. Gary Lauenstein, C.Ss.R., Author, The Heart of Holiness

The Epiphany and Evangelization

Men in traditional attire guide camels during a parade marking the feast of the Epiphany in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Jan. 6, 2016 (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

The Epiphany and Evangelization | Rev. Peter M.J. Stravinskas | Catholic World Report

Evangelization is not a work of the past; nor is it the responsibility of a chosen few; it is the obligation and privilege of every baptized Christian at all times and in all places.

“Nations shall walk by your light.” (Isa 60:3)

“Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.” (Responsorial Psalm, The Epiphany of the Lord) 

“The Gentiles are now co-heirs with the Jews, members of the same body and sharers of the promise through the preaching of the Gospel.” (Eph 3:6)

“. . . Magi from the east arrived one day. . . to pay him homage.” (Matt 2:1, 2)

As should be obvious by now, the Solemnity of the Epiphany (celebrated in the Extraordinary Form and in all the Eastern Churches on January 6 and on January 8 in the United States this year in the Ordinary Form) is the day for the Gentiles at the Crib. In some sense, one can say that the Solemnity's Gospel reading presents the entire Gospel in miniature, in terms of the reception of the message by different audiences. Mary and Joseph represent believing Jews; Herod, stiff-necked or faithless Jews; the wise men, Gentiles with open minds and open hearts. A charming, ancient legend says that these wise men actually became the first Christian missionaries, with their efforts meeting both success and failure as they encountered both belief and unbelief among the Gentiles to whom they preached.

Surely, the point of this celebration is that “the Gentiles are now co-heirs with the Jews,” but how does this happen? St. Paul gives the answer: “Through the preaching of the Gospel.” If the barrier between Jew and Gentile is to be broken down, it will happen as both are brought into contact with the saving truth of Jesus Christ. That occurs through the process of evangelization, the sharing of the Good News, the Gospel. Today’s solemnity, then, would have us reflect on the awesome task of evangelizing the world. Pope John Paul symbolized that endeavor in a beautiful and powerful manner by consecrating on this day new bishops from around the world, for through their work of teaching, governing and sanctifying, the Gospel takes hold in new places among new peoples, who are made “members of the same body and sharers of the promise.”

Therefore, a fundamental concern of the Church in every age must be the spread of the Gospel. For that very reason, the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council in their document on missionary activity, Ad Gentes (appropriately enough), taught: “The Church on earth is by its very nature missionary” [n. 2]. This truth was highlighted some years later in Pope Paul VI’s landmark exhortation, Evangelii Nuntiandi. It is important to keep that fact in sharp focus because it is one of the distinguishing characteristics of Catholicism. Judaism, for instance, has no interest as such in making converts; they will not be turned away, to be sure, but it is not a major thrust of that religious tradition. Nor is it so for the various Eastern religions, like Buddhism or Shintoism or Taoism. What makes us different? Nothing less than taking Christ at His word in His great commission: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Mt 28:19f).

And from Epiphany’s Magi to the modern missionaries, the Gospel has been shared and taken root on every continent.

Continue reading on the CWR site.

G.K. Chesterton, Charles Dickens, and the Joy of Christmas

Main image: First edition frontispiece and title page of "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens: (1843), with Illustrations by John Leech (London: Chapman & Hall); left: G.K. Chesterton at work; right: Portrait of Charles Dickens in 1842, the year before the publication of "A Christmas Carol", by Francis Alexander (1800-1880) [All images from Wikipedia]

G.K. Chesterton, Charles Dickens, and the Joy of Christmas | Dale Ahlquist | CWR

Why a radio broadcast from Christmas Day in 1931 still rings with the wonder of “this season of enjoyment.”

“I have been asked to speak to you for a quarter of an hour on Dickens and Christmas.” Thus began a live radio broadcast from England to America on Christmas Day, 1931. The man speaking into the microphone was G.K. Chesterton.

“Why, on this day of holiday, am I made to work?” he asked. “Why, on this day of rejoicing, are you made to suffer?”

I can answer that question, 85 years after Chesterton asked it. Chesterton was asked to speak to America about Dickens and Christmas because both of those things were popular in America, and there was an association between the two of them. As Chesterton was well aware, Dickens had been responsible for the revival and appreciation of Christmas traditions that were being lost in 19^th century England.

They were being lost not through neglect but through open attack by two rather diverse sectors: puritans and atheists. The Puritans did not like the symbols and festivals and obvious connections something that was “half-Catholic and half-Pagan”: dining, drinking, decorating, singing and making merry. Even worshipping in a dramatic fashion. And atheists were rather put off by the somewhat religious elements underlying all the fuss about Christmas. Though Dickens wrote extensively about Christmas celebrations, his most famous (still) piece is the story of the conversion of Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol.”

Scrooge is best known for his dismissal of the feast with the expression, “Bah! Humbug!”: a mantra shared by both puritans and atheists. Dickens, with his compelling, vibrant, delightful and truly sympathetic characters made all the critics of Christmas look rather silly and insubstantial.

But why was Chesterton asked to speak about these two?

Continue reading at www.CatholicWorldReport.com.

On conversion, CWR, journalism, Pope Francis: My recent interview on EWTN

On conversion, CWR, journalism, Pope Francis: My recent interview on EWTN | Carl E. Olson | The Dispatch at CWR

This past Monday I was at EWTN to guest on "At Home with Jim and Joy". I always enjoy my time at EWTN: the folks there are warm and down to earth. Plus, I get to spend some time with Fr. Mitch Pacwa, SJ, who I first got to know in the late '90s, when he taught several courses in the University of Dallas MTS program I was in from 1997 to 2000. On this visit, Fr. Mitch cooked me some venison steak, told me some new hunting stories, and shared his wise observations on a whole host of current events.

The Pintos are salt of the earth folks. Converts from Episcopalianism (actually, I think Jim said he's a revert, having been raised Catholic), they've been running a crisis pregnancy center in Birmingham for many years. And as good as I think our on-air conversation was (see below and judge for yourself), the off-air conversation was even better.

Anyhow, we discussed a number of things: how my wife and I became Catholic, my work as an editor and author, Catholic World Report, journalism in general, and Pope Francis. Here it is:

Mary was no ordinary woman: An anthropologist unearths the life of Jesus’ mother

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 6, 2016 – For the first time ever — and just in time for Advent — a new release presents an archeological and historical biography of the most adored and remarkable woman in history: MARY OF NAZARETH: History, Archeology, Legends, by author Michael Hesemann, digs into the heart of the life lived by Mary, the mother of God. From her earliest days as a small child, to the Annunciation and her life raising and loving Jesus, the most beloved, along with the lesser known chapters in the Blessed Mother’s life, Mary is examined in new and impressive detail in Hesemann’s book. Popular legends are explored, ground unearthed and contemporary sources scoured.
 
Hesemann, an accomplished author of 38 books who studied history and cultural anthropology in Germany, is uniquely situated to tell this important story of the Blessed Mother. He has participated in archaeological excavations in the Holy Land, and has helped to date discoveries in Nazareth as well as several Christian relics. Hesemann has advised and participated in TV programs for the Discovery and History Channels as well as EWTN.
 
The author’s impressive background is on display in MARY OF NAZARETH, as the reader is taken on a virtual expedition to the places where Mary lived or traveled. Included in the book are vivid, color images of the places described and investigated by Hesemann, including the Advocata icon (the oldest known Marian image), the interior of the Holy House of Loreto, Mary’s Well (the scene of the Magnificat), Mary’s tomb in the Kidron Valley and many more that bring to life in a special way the locations that played important parts in the daily life of Mary.
 
MARY OF NAZARETH provides the millions of Marian follower’s new insight into the fascinating woman who was the Mother of Jesus and the context for and the answers to many long-held queries about Mary. Hesemann also delivers the truth behind the real Christmas story, including the Three Wise Men and the Star of Bethlehem, just in time for the Advent season.
 
Says Paul Thigpen, Ph.D., author of A Year with Mary: Daily Meditations on the Mother of God: “Through historical, archaeological and textual research, Hesemann takes us on a lively adventure that sheds fascinating new light on the mother of Jesus. His personal devotion to the Virgin shines through his extensive scholarship to create a delightful and enchanting portrait of the Mother of God.”
 
For more information, to request a review copy, or to schedule an interview with Michael Hesemann, please contact Kevin Wandra (404-788-1276 or [email protected]) of Carmel Communications.