Universal (Catholic) Hospitality

The readings for the 20th Sunday of Ordinary Time remind us about the universal opening of God's call to all peoples found in both the Old and New Testament. They reminded me of a story I wrote many years ago. I re post it below.

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A STORY OR PARABLE OF

WHAT PREPARING TO LIVE A CHRISTIAN LIFE IS LIKE

Years ago, in a more formal culture, than our own, a young woman married the youngest son of a very well to do family. The patriarch had died and his widow, the young woman’s mother-in-law, guided the family fortune with a tight grip on the reigns. She had made it clear that her children and their families would inherit a share of the families wealth only if they led a cultured and aristocratic life. The young couple moved to their own estate many miles from the mother-in-law’s home as had the husband’s brothers and sisters at the time each married.

Now the mother-in-law would travel around to visit her children’s homes but she would try to surprise them with her visit. She felt that in the surprise they would reveal if they were living the life she thought suitable for those of great wealth.

The fact was the that the young wife had come from a family of somewhat less means than her new family. Thus every visit of the mother-in-law Was pure hell. She would only have a few day or hours notice. She would run around and borrow good plates and buy her mother-in-law’s favorite tea. She would brief the butler and the cook on special measures to be taken during the visit and so on. After each visit she would feel great relief and things would return to normal. At first she thought that she would have to do this only a few times as her mother-in-law was quite old.

But after a few years it got to be quite a drag. She tried getting a cook in her mother-in-law’s house to spy for her in hope of getting a little more notice of a visit. Since communications systems were not what they are today this didn’t help much.

After a while she came up with another tactic. She began buying lots of the special tea so that she would always have it on hand. She instructed the butler to always announce "dinner is served" at exactly the right time each day. She had the cook and kitchen staff serve each meal with the all the right plates, utensils and in the right sequence every day. And she bought enough good dresses that every day she could be dressed as though an important visitor was coming. Now she began to relax, she was always ready and could not be surprised by her mother-in-law.

Her mother-in-law lived for many years. After a while the young woman grew older and became famous for her hospitality and manners. You see she welcomed and treated every person that came to her home as though they were the matriarch.

When the matriarch lay dying her financial advisor asked her how she would carry out her long planned decision on which of her children would inherit the family wealth. As they went down the list she already had enough data to drop some from the list. Others it was not clear and more data needed to be collected.

When they came to the youngest son the matriarch said, ""I already know the answer"". You see she had been hearing for years from friends and relatives of the younger woman’s great hospitality and style. Even strangers reported, ""she treated me just as though I were you!""

And so it came to pass that the youngest son and his wife inherited the bulk of the family wealth.

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My friends each of us is called to be a Universal Christian. I challenge each of you to get in shape for a Christian life worthy of the inheritance that our God has planned for you. So that at the end of your race the Lord will welcome you home, just you welcomed peoples of all nations as though they were Christ himself.


© Copyright 2014 Joseph E. Hilber. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission of the author.

Catholic Identity and Politics

I caught a portion of Sunday Night Live on EWTN this past weekend. The presentation seemed to be making a case that many Catholics have a corrupted or defective identity as Catholics when it comes to making politics decisions. Since I was unable to stay with the program until a punchline or summary my comments are those triggered by this brief snapshot and not a comment on the show or its conclusions.

As a 'more than weekly' Mass participant and in a vocation engaged in teaching and preaching the Church's beliefs I have no major doubts about my Catholic identity. My perception is that the bigger problem for Catholic citizens is that the neither major party has an identity consistent with Catholic teaching and neither candidate for President espouses a program consistent with Catholic teaching.

Two Sundays  ago I reviewed the bishop's document, "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship" at all masses including the Bishop's statement,

"In the Catholic Tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation." (Intro:12)

I have voted in thirteen Presidential elections since being old enough to vote. In nine of these elections I felt that my choice was basically a 'best of two bad choices' vote. Over the years my votes has gone about equally to candidates of both major parties. I believe it has been 36 years since I enthusiastically supported a nominated candidate for President.

Then today my copy of "Columbia" arrived and Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight of the KCs, has an essay entitled "What Every Catholic Can Do to Transcend Partisanship". He calls upon Catholic voters to "refuse to support candidates that support policies that are intrinsically evil" going so far as to "withhold their vote from both candidates for a particular office."  ("Columbia", Nov 2012, pg.11)

That presents a bit of a conflict. It's my moral obligation to vote (Bishops) but maybe I should withhold my vote (KCs). Since in nine of thirteen presidential elections I found that neither major candidate measured up to my Catholic view of social justice and human rights yet I formed a prudential judgment as to which candidate would do the least harm to persons globally and domestically, to make that private decision.

Sadly several of the 'best of worst', from both major parties, were winners that fell far short of my modest prudential (and Catholic) expectations during their terms. Would the world be better had I abstained in 70% of the presidential elections of my lifetime?

When Does Human Life Begin?

I often hear Catholic Politicians claim that they cannot be politically pro-life because it would be an imposition of their religious belief on others to do so. This view is not limited to Catholics or Democrats. I have heard it also in day to day conversations about abortion with pro-choice persons of every political persuasion. When I ask my friend to describe the belief that I am forcing him or her to accept I usually am told it is the belief that human life begins at conception.

Faith or belief is the acceptance of something that cannot be established by science. The fact that human life begins at conception is not a matter of faith but of established scientific fact. This kind of kicks the stool from under those Catholic politicians using this excuse. Here is a review of one man's reaction to this reality.

Dr. Bernard Nathanson was one of the founders of the National Association for the Repeal of the Abortion Laws (NARAL) in the U.S. in 1968. In 1973 he took a job involving Fetal Science. This eventually led to his becoming pro-life. Here is a quote from his explanation of his change on this issue.

"I am often asked what made me change my mind. How did I change from prominent abortionist to pro-life advocate? In 1973, I became director of obstetrics of a large hospital in New York City and had to set up a prenatal research unit, just at the start of a great new technology which we now use every day to study the foetus in the womb.

A favourite pro-abortion tactic is to insist that the definition of when life begins is impossible; that the question is a theological or moral or philosophical one, anything but a scientific one. Foetology makes it undeniably evident that life begins at conception and requires all the protection and safeguards that any of us enjoy.

Why, you may well ask, do some American doctors who are privy to the findings of foetology, discredit themselves by carrying out abortions? Simple arithmetic at $300 a time, 1.55 million abortions means an industry generating $500,000,000 annually, of which most goes into the pocket of the physician doing the abortion. It is clear that permissive abortion is purposeful destruction of what is undeniably human life. It is an impermissible act of deadly violence.

One must concede that unplanned pregnancy is a wrenchingly difficult dilemma, but to look for its solution in a deliberate act of destruction is to trash the vast resourcefulness of human ingenuity, and to surrender the public weal to the classic utilitarian answer to social problems.

AS A SCIENTIST I KNOW, NOT BELIEVE, KNOW THAT HUMAN LIFE BEGINS AT CONCEPTION "

Read Dr. Nathanson's entire statement.

Epiphany Studio's St Paul

If you can make it June 25 or 26 at the Cathedral of St Paul the premiere of this new play may be an excellent climax to the year of St Paul. For Tickets call 651-336-3302.



Visit Epiphany Studio's Web Site.

Our First Parish Gets Additional Designation

Almost fifty years ago my wife and I set out on a one way honeymoon trip leading to St Paul Minnesota where I had been offered a management job in retail in downtown St Paul. We found an apartment two block north of Summit Avenue, an avenue of mansions stretching from the Cathedral west to the Mississippi river. The location put us in the Cathedral parish where we thrived.

We joined the choir, receiving training in Gregorian Chant, and came to love the large church which was still being completed after decades of construction. Some of the statues of the Evangelists arrived and were dedicated during our residency in St Paul. Some of the spiritual milestones of our early married life occur ed here. Our first child was born in the hospital down the hill from the Cathedral and baptized in the granite baptistery extending from the south east corner of the church. My wife took instructions from Father Holl and was received into full communion with the church here.

So we were pleased to read the announcement this week about the Cathedral being designated as the National Shrine of Saint Paul. Read more about the designation on the Cathedral Web Site.

To see a slide show of the Cathedral click here.

Lenten Invitations

Here is the ending of my Sermon on the Transfiguration:

My friend, if you are here today only as an observer, consider responding to his call, his invitation to you to become one of his people. Just as he had Moses lead the Jews to freedom through the waters of the red sea Jesus will bring you into his friendship through the water of baptism.

Lent is a good time to consider this invitation. Not a day passes without him thinking about you.

My friend, have you come here today and now recall that your brother or your sister has something against you? That a moment of silence or anger has become a decade, that your pride has built a wall between you?


I urge you to go forth from here today, turn back the clock, tear down that wall and be reconciled.

Lent is a good time to undertake such an effort. Not a day passes without Jesus wanting you to be at peace with them and with him.

My friend, are you one who has been away from the table of your God? Perhaps you just wandered away. Or you ran away in anger. Maybe something else seemed more appealing at the time.

Today, in this place, we your brothers and sisters remind you of him. He asks about you every day. He waits with longing for your return.


Like Elijah, we your brothers and sisters, are calling you back to the table of your God.

The sacrament of reconciliation is celebrated here in this place throughout lent. Come, he waits with open arms to be reconciled with you.

More Pope Benedict Pictures

This photo show Pope Benedict on his way from the Pope-Mobile to the altar area in Nationals Stadium last thursday. You can clearly see the two deacons leading the way.

The ordination of permenant deacons was revived by Vatican II and Pope Paul VI and Deacons are now numerous in many areas of the world. Some America diocese now have more deacons serving the church than they have presbyters (priests).

You can read the biblical beginnings of the Order of Deacon in Chapter Six of the Book of Acts.

More on Pope Benedict's Visit

My son and granddaughter attended the Pope's Mass at Nationals Stadium last week. Their tickets put them in the upper tier and their view of the altar was blocked by some structure. They did get some good pictures of the Pope approaching the altar area, however. One of those is shown above. To see pictures of attendees from the Baltimore area click here.

Papal Mass Excitment

This is an exciting week on the East Coast. Pope Benedict comes to America and some lucky relatives get to attend the Papal Mass at Nationals Stadium. My son will be an adult chaperone for a dozen teenagers, including his oldest daughter, as they take the train from northern Maryland to attend the Mass.

Benedict has proven to be a great compliment to the charisma of his predecesor in his calm and pastoral manner and his rational speaches and books. His encyclicals on Love and Hope has attracted a wide readership just based on comment from non-Catholic pastors and friends. During my lifetime the Church has been blessed with outstanding leadership.

Father Benedict and Brother Martin

Over the years my wife and I have attended many retreats. One of our favorite retreat masters was Father Benedict Groeschel. I recently came across a story about a young man whose path in life was facilitated by Fr. Benedict. Stephen Ervin from Omaha is now Brother Martin of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. His story points out the benefit of spiritual guidance and the patience and hope of loving family members.

In 2004 Fr Benedict was seriously injured in an auto accident and near death in the emergency room. His revovery, in some way, is related to the prayers of thousands of people that his guidance had helped over the years.He has since returned to his minstry, TV show and the leadership of his community.