Redeemer Revelations

A unique feature of the Catholic Christian faith is the developed theology that we have around praying for the dead. In last month's article, we spoke about a need for gratitude, and certainly that can be linked to the Feast of All Saints, as we give gratitude to our God for the gift of those holy men and women; our cloud of martyrs (more commonly witnesses; same word, but the former has so much more impact don't you think?).

If you think about it for a moment, it seems peculiar to pray for the dead if there were no other state of being beside this life, heaven, or hell. We need prayers, surely, but do those in heaven need prayers? They are in paradise? How can those in hell benefit from prayer? They wouldn't want any of this Christian nonsense about communion with God anyway. So why pray for the dead if there were not another place where those intercessions were beneficial to the faithful? The answer is, because there is another place.

Purgatory is the name given to that place where those who are faithful, but not yet ready to enter into the beatific vision (that is, heaven) reside. It isn't because of sin since that has been forgiven. I've heard it said that a soul can see heaven from purgatory, and it has been called the 'anteroom of heaven'. In purgatory, a soul is refined like gold. The things that he or she clings to (a soul is not a genderless it) in life (regrets, longings, social impacts, etc.) need to be purged. These are the things that inhibit their perfection, that are not sinful, but rather possibly preventing their joy.

This concept is a complex one, and more can be read about it here, but suffice it to say that those souls who are the Church Penitent need our prayers. You can think of it sort of like a kid who puts a baseball through a neighbour's window. The neighbour may forgive the kid his debt of a window, but the reality is that the error caused a real lasting problem. He may bear no guilt any longer, but the desire and need to make reparations for the results of one's wrongs is real, and hard to let go of. This naturally leads into a discussion of indulgences, but that is a topic best left for another time. The souls in purgatory are good, holy men and women who are destined for heaven, but are in the process of letting go, accounting, and being refined like gold. Something is holding them back, and they need our help through prayer and good works. This coming feast of all souls, pray for the faithfully departed that their passage into heaven is quick. Lift them up to our Lord who is the source of all healing and all that is good.

Last month our pastoral formation focused meeting the needs of the poor, particularly those who hunger. Poverty, however, is more than just our physical needs. Many are lonely and in need of human connection; many just need to be heard. Sharing or providing food is an opportunity to hear someone's story. Sometimes their story is sad or uncomfortable, but if they know that they are heard and understood that can sometimes ease the burden.

Listening sounds easy (see what I did there?), but it takes a degree of mindfulness to do it well. From a secular perspective, Harvard Business Review provides four common qualities reported by people who felt that they've been heard:

• Good listening is much more than being silent while the other person talks; it involves asking questions that demonstrate interest.
• Good listening included interactions that build a person’s self-esteem through supportive dialogue that builds confidence.
• Good listening was seen as a cooperative conversation; challenging presumptions through questions rather than correcting errors with statements.
• Good listeners tended to make suggestions; they didn't solve problems or tell people what to do, however.

For a Christian, however, we need to add one thing to this; willing the good of the other, also known as love. If my interaction with another person includes the intention that I want what is good for them from the conversation, it will change my posture and approach. I need to find value in the things they say, not just appear as though I do, as though I were entrusted with something very precious when they share with me. I have to realize that in listening to them, I get to know them more deeply than I did before; and knowledge leads to love. This is true even of the most difficult colleagues we may have. If I show a genuine curiosity in their thoughts, even if they aren't necessarily correct, it shows that I want to know them better.

When it comes to willing their good, most often, I don't know what will be best for another person, and they might have a better idea, but just can't quite put their finger on it. If I will their good, then I do not want to provide them with a solution, but rather help them grow and find the good themselves. Listening with love is an act of community on the smallest of levels, and forges a common good out of the good of the other. As we listen lovingly to others, this causes our community to grow, and the good that is afforded to and shared by all of us becomes more and more visible. So, the next time you need to listen to someone, be conscious of the need to will their good.

St. John of the Cross summarized all of this nicely—"Where words are born of love, it is better to leave them open, so that each person can benefit from them in their own way..."

Before we go, please consider contributing to Feed the Hungry by clicking here and making a tax deductible donation. Make sure to select CTR - Feed The Hungry as the Fund Destination.

For more information about the Feed the Hungry program, please visit the diocesan website here, and please consider volunteering your time to this worthy charity.

Last month we spoke a little about the celebration of Halloween when we talked about the need for us to come together and share a meal. This month I'd like to take a look at how that holiday that spans into this month can actually form us as humans.

If the modern incarnation of Halloween holiday is one of ghouls and ghosts and candy things, then it could be argued that the post-modern incarnation seems to be one of the scantily clad. Don't worry, though, this isn't about admonishing the wardrobe choices of our Trick-or-Treaters. I have my own apparel to concern myself with. Rather, I want to focus on what these holidays mean, and how they can form us humanly. Yes, that's right, these holidays. All of the major Catholic holidays are so anticipated that we celebrate them starting the night before. Think about Christmas and Easter. We've got Christmas Eve and Easter Vigil to begin celebrating the holidays that occur the next day. The reality is that we actually have a triduum (three day celebration) for our major holidays. The Paschal Triduum is familiar to us (Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday), but there is a Nativity Triduum as well (Christmas Eve, Christmas Day [with its three Masses]). At the end of October and beginning of November we have another triduum; Hallowtide.

Hallowtide is the celebration of ... well ... us, or at least of what we hope to become. It begins with All Hallows Evening, or Hallow Even, or Hallow E'en ... Hallowe'en ... Halloween. The next day is, naturally, All Hallows Day or All Saints Day. Following that is the Feast of All Souls. This triduum that occurs at the end of the Church calendar show what the impact of those that come earlier in the year have on humanity. The life of Jesus, from Incarnation to Death and Resurrection, transformed what it means to be human. God and humanity are no longer separate, but joined; we are hallowed or made holy. Those who conform their lives to Christ, although they die, have eternal life and will rise as He rose. This is our faith.

So we celebrate those who have been made holy. We start the night before and carry that celebration on to the next day, taking joy in the the Church Triumphant. These are the Saints we know to be in the beatific vision of our God, awaiting the resurrection, and those Saints we don't know. The Church only canonizes Saints that meet certain criteria, but not all Saints are canonized. Incidentally, the Church never declares anyone damned.

November 2 is the date of the Solemnity of the Faithful Departed, or the Feast of All Souls in older terms. This is a celebration of the Church Penitent, those souls who are in the process of entering the perpetual light of God, but for some reason are not able to yet. They are in Purgatory, and like all souls who have yet to enter into heaven, they need prayer.

The great thing about this holiday is that it focuses on all of us mere mortals. Those great creatures made in the image and likeness of God, a little less than angels, who are able to be the good and faithful servants Christ calls us to be. None of these men and women are perfect, but they have been washed clean in the Blood of the Lamb. We are presumed by the Church to be among them. We are just as much in need of prayer and aid, like them. Just as intrinsically good and made holy like them. We need their help to run the race, their intercession, but they are our great example that it can be done; that God never gives us more than we can handle with his help. This great holiday celebrates what it means to be human in the light of Christ.

St. Elizabeth of Hungary

hospitals; nurses; falsely accused people; bakers; brides; countesses; dying children; exiles; homeless people; lace-makers; widows; Bogotá, Colombia; Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bogotá; Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Jaro; Teutonic Order; Third Order of Saint Francis; Budapest, Hungary and Košice, Slovakia

Feast Day: November 17

In her short life, Elizabeth manifested such great love for the poor and suffering that she has become the patroness of Catholic charities and of the Secular Franciscan Order. The daughter of the King of Hungary, Elizabeth chose a life of penance and asceticism when a life of leisure and luxury could easily have been hers. This choice endeared her in the hearts of the common people throughout Europe.

At the age of 14, Elizabeth was married to Louis of Thuringia, whom she deeply loved. She bore three children. Under the spiritual direction of a Franciscan friar, she led a life of prayer, sacrifice, and service to the poor and sick. Seeking to become one with the poor, she wore simple clothing. Daily she would take bread to hundreds of the poorest in the land who came to her gate.

After six years of marriage, her husband died in the Crusades, and Elizabeth was grief-stricken. Her husband’s family looked upon her as squandering the royal purse, and mistreated her, finally throwing her out of the palace. The return of her husband’s allies from the Crusades resulted in her being reinstated, since her son was legal heir to the throne.

In 1228, Elizabeth joined the Secular Franciscan Order, spending the remaining few years of her life caring for the poor in a hospital which she founded in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi. Elizabeth’s health declined, and she died before her 24th birthday in 1231. Her great popularity resulted in her canonization four years later.

Source: Franciscan Media (https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-elizabeth-of-hungary)

Children Who Suffer

We pray for children who are suffering, especially those who are homeless, orphans, and victims of war; may they be guaranteed access to education and the opportunity to experience family affection.

In last month's article we spoke about the Franciscan Crown Rosary and its link to the joys of Mary. Part of what enabled Francis and his companions to experience so much joy were the fasts that he kept. When modern Catholics think about fasting, they tend to think about the season of Lent and perhaps not eating that Coffee Crisp they spy in their colleagues candy bowl, that they have often been invited to eat from freely, and yet resist daily because they know that it isn't the best thing to eat, and yet will invariably give in from time to time. There is, however, another penitential season that precedes a major solemnity of Jesus Christ, also vested in purple; that of Advent.

Advent (L. adventus > arrival, or coming) started in the Western Church (that's us) sometime in the fourth century after the Church began observing the Nativity of our Lord on December 25. In the early days of this season of Advent, the Church prepared herself for the celebration of the birth of Christ through prayer, almsgiving, and fasting; just like Lent. In fact, St. Gregory of Tours (†598) wrote in his History of the Franks that the fast lasted in similar length to Lent; 43 days, from the feast of St. Martin of Tours (Nov 11) until Christmas. If you are interested in the history of Advent, you can read more about it here. In our modern day, fasting and abstinence during Advent is not prescribed by the Roman Church beyond the normal observance of Friday abstinence, although fasting during Advent is the norm in the Eastern Rites. Yes, in Canada we Roman Catholics are normally obligated to abstain every Friday of the year, not just the Fridays of Lent. During Advent, however, we are simply suggested to undertake penitential acts like prayer and almsgiving; going to Confession is recommended during this time as well. Even though fasting isn't required, we can still choose to do it.

Now why why on Earth would anyone choose to fast during Advent? Well, as much as a pre-Christmas diet might seem appealing, we would do it for the same reasons why one would choose to follow the prescribed fast during Lent. The prescribed Lenten fast is one main meal and two smaller meals (that together do not equal the regular meal in size), and so has the double effect of creating more time for you to pray, and more money for you to give to the poor. Imagine if I forwent my morning Grande Pumpkin Spice Latte (complete with Pumpkin Spice Topping and Whipped Cream) from Starbucks. That's $5 x 40 mornings; 200 dinero to put into the hands of the poor. And while I'm praying for God to take away my caffeine withdrawal, I could also offer up an intention for the poor, for my students, or those suffering hardship as the cold deepens. Imagine if I only had a small snack for two of my meals through the day; how much more money could I give and time to pray? In addition to this, fasting helps create a sense of longing and desire, which is what Advent is supposed to be all about. It will make Christmas all the sweeter, and help to reclaim it from the world of commerce. So, what do you think? Is taking on a fast something that you would want to try as an act of personal devotion to prepare yourself for "the most wonderful time of the year"? If so, 40 days, not including Sundays, starts November 9.

1 All Saints [All Hallows] (Solemnity)

2 Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed [All Souls]

3 St. Martin de Porres (Memorial)

4 St. Charles Borromeo (Memorial)

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6 Catholic Education Sunday

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9 The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica (Feast)

10 St. Leo the Great (Memorial)

11 Remembrance Day, St. Martin of Tours (Memorial)

12 St. Josaphat (Memorial)

13 World Day of the Poor

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15 St. Albert the Great (Memorial)

16 St. Margaret of Scotland (Memorial), St. Gertrude (Memorial)

17 St. Elizabeth of Hungary (Memorial)

18 The Dedication of the Basilicas of Sts. Peter and Paul (Memorial)

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20 World Day of Youth, Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (Solemnity)

21 Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Memorial)

22 St. Cecilia (Memorial)

23 St. Clement I (Memorial), St. Columban (Memorial)

24 St. Andrew Dũng-Lạc and Companions (Memorial)

25 St. Catherine of Alexandria (Memorial)

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27 First Sunday of Advent

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30 St. Andrew (Feast)

• For Catholic Education: That our Catholic schools may reveal the glory of God in all that they do, we pray to the Lord.
  
• For Catholic Education: that our year of “Walking Together in Catholic Education” may be rooted in the synodal practices of listening, dialogue and discernment, we pray to the Lord
  
• For Catholic Education: That our Catholic schools may nurture the growth of wisdom and virtue in the young, we pray to the Lord.
  
• For Catholic education: For unity and solidarity within our communities and province, we pray to the Lord

Christ The Redeemer (CTR) Catholic Schools operates in seven communities throughout the province of Alberta providing authentic Catholic education to students in fifteen traditional schools, four outreach schools and one distance education school.

Email: ggay@redeemer.ab.ca
Website: redeemer.ab.ca
Location: 23 Riverside Drive, Okotoks, AB, Canada
Phone: 403-938-2659
Facebook: facebook.com/CTRcatholic
Twitter: @ChristRedeemer1