St. Augustine Explains Persistence and "Unanswered" Prayer

St. Augustine understood Christian prayer better than almost anyone. He had learned all about it from his mother, St. Monica, who spent almost twenty years begging God with daily tears to convert her heretical and pleasure-loving son.

This experience helped him understand why God doesn't always give us what we as for right away. It's because he wants to give us more than what we ask for. By inviting us to be persistent, God is stretching our hearts, making them able to receive more grace, the way you stretch out a burlap sack so you can fill it to the brim.

Here's how Augustine explained it:

"Suppose you want to fill some sort of bag, and you know the bulk of what you will be given, you stretch the bag or the sack or the skin or whatever it is. You know how big the object that you want to put in and you see that the bag is narrow so you increase its capacity by stretching it. In the same way by delaying the fulfillment of desire God stretches it, by making us desire he expands the soul, and by this expansion he increases its capacity."

God never ignores our prayers. If we keep on asking with sincerity and confidence in God's goodness, we are guaranteed to receive, and it will probably be much more than we could have imagined.

Put Some Balance Back in Your Life

When we begin to understand what Christian prayer is, and when we give it its proper place in our lives, we become much more stable, joyful, and energetic people.

One of the problems with today's society is that it is out of balance. In the past, before electricity and internal combustion engines, people were forced to follow a more natural rhythm of life. Night and day mattered. It took time to communicate and to travel, so that meant there was more time to reflect on life's mysteries and enjoy life's simple pleasures.

Our scientific and technological advances have changed things a lot. Now it is possible to live at a reckless pace in which we become enslaved to our own to-do lists. Now it is necessary to choose to follow a healthy rhythm of life. Many people don't know how to defend themselves against this slavery, which is why today's psychologists are dealing with a literal plague of stress and depression.

Christian prayer, confident, persistent, personal conversation with God, is one of the weapons God gives us to keep us human in this mechanized culture. Whenever we turn to God in prayer, we put our minds and hearts in contact with the very source of life, beauty, and truth.

That refreshes the human soul, just as rebooting your computer refreshes all the hardware and software that makes your computer run. When stress, discouragement, and frustration start to clog our circuits, we don't need to jack up the voltage by working more hours or by distracting ourselves with even more exciting entertainment - no, we need to reboot. We need to pray.

Today, in response to Christ's reminder about the nature of Christian prayer, let's renew our commitment to taking time every day to be alone with God, to reboot our souls every morning and evening; so that our lives can run more smoothly, the way God designed them to run. 

Gestures and Bodily Posture

42. The gestures and bodily posture of both the Priest, the Deacon, and the ministers, and also of the people, must be conducive to making the entire celebration resplendent with beauty and noble simplicity, to making clear the true and full meaning of its different parts, and to fostering the participation of all. Attention must therefore be paid to what is determined by this General Instruction and by the traditional practice of the Roman Rite and to what serves the common spiritual good of the People of God, rather than private inclination or arbitrary choice.

A common bodily posture, to be observed by all those taking part, is a sign of the unity of the members of the Christian community gathered together for the Sacred Liturgy, for it expresses the intentions and spiritual attitude of the participants and also fosters them.

43. The faithful should stand from the beginning of the Entrance Chant, or while the Priest approaches the altar, until the end of the Collect; for the Alleluia Chant before the Gospel; while the Gospel itself is proclaimed; during the Profession of Faith and the Universal Prayer; and from the invitation, Orate, fratres (Pray, brethren), before the Prayer over the Offerings until the end of Mass, except at the places indicated here below.

The faithful should sit, on the other hand, during the readings before the Gospel and the Responsorial Psalm and for the Homily and during the Preparation of the Gifts at the Offertory; and, if appropriate, during the period of sacred silence after Communion.

They should kneel, on the other hand, at the Consecration, except when prevented on occasion by ill health, or for reasons of lack of space, of the large number of people present, or for another reasonable cause. However, those who do not kneel ought to make a profound bow when the Priest genuflects after the Consecration.

It is for the Conference of Bishops, in accordance with the norm of law, to adapt the gestures and bodily postures described in the Order of Mass to the culture and reasonable traditions of peoples. However, attention must be paid to ensuring that such adaptations correspond to the meaning and character of each part of the celebration. Where it is the practice for the people to remain kneeling after the Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy) until the end of the Eucharistic Prayer and before Communion when the Priest says, Ecce Agnus Dei (Behold the Lamb of God), it is laudable for this practice to be retained.

For the sake of uniformity in gestures and bodily postures during one and the same celebration, the faithful should follow the instructions which the Deacon, a lay minister, or the Priest gives, according to what is laid down in the Missal.

44. Among gestures are included also actions and processions, by which the Priest, with the Deacon and ministers, goes to the altar; the Deacon carries the Evangeliary or Book of the Gospels to the ambo before the proclamation of the Gospel; the faithful bring up the gifts and come forward to receive Communion. It is appropriate that actions and processions of this sort be carried out with decorum while the chants proper to them are sung, in accordance with the norms laid down for each.

Silence

45. Sacred silence also, as part of the celebration, is to be observed at the designated times. Its nature, however, depends on the moment when it occurs in the different parts of the celebration. For in the Penitential Act and again after the invitation to pray, individuals recollect themselves; whereas after a reading or after the Homily, all meditate briefly on what they have heard; then after Communion, they praise God in their hearts and pray to him.

Even before the celebration itself, it is a praiseworthy practice for silence to be observed in the church, in the sacristy, in the vesting room, and in adjacent areas, so that all may dispose themselves to carry out the sacred celebration in a devout and fitting manner.

The Other Formulas in the Celebration

34. Since the celebration of Mass by its nature has a "communitarian" character,[45] both the dialogues between the priest and the faithful gathered together, and the acclamations are of great significance;[46] in fact, they are not simply outward signs of communal celebration but foster and bring about communion between priest and people.

35. The acclamations and the responses of the faithful to the priest's greetings and prayers constitute that level of active participation that the gathered faithful are to contribute in every form of the Mass, so that the action of the entire community may be clearly expressed and fostered. [47]

36. Other parts, very useful for expressing and fostering the faithful's active participation, that are assigned to the whole assembly that is called together include especially the Act of Penitence, the Profession of Faith, the Prayer of the Faithful, and the Lord's Prayer.

37. Finally, concerning the other formulas:

a) Some constitute an independent rite or act, such as the Gloria, the responsorial Psalm, the Alleluia and verse before the Gospel, the Sanctus, the Memorial Acclamation, and the cantus post communionem (song after communion);

b) Others accompany another rite, such as the chants at the Entrance, at the Offertory, at the fraction (Agnus Dei), and at Communion.

The Vocal Expression of the Different Texts

38. In texts that are to be spoken in a loud and clear voice, whether by the priest or the deacon, or by the lector, or by all, the tone of voice should correspond to the genre of the text itself, that is, depending upon whether it is a reading, a prayer, a commentary, an acclamation, or a sung text; the tone should also be suited to the form of celebration and to the solemnity of the gathering. Consideration should also be given to the idiom of different languages and the culture of different peoples.

In the rubrics and in the norms that follow, words such as "say" and "proclaim" are to be understood of both singing and reciting, according to the principles just stated above.

The Importance of Singing

39. The Christian faithful who gather together as one to await the Lord's coming are instructed by the Apostle Paul to sing together psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (cf. Col 3:16). Singing is the sign of the heart's joy (cf. Acts 2:46). Thus St. Augustine says rightly, "Singing is for one who loves."[48] There is also the ancient proverb: "One who sings well prays twice."

40. Great importance should therefore be attached to the use of singing in the celebration of the Mass, with due consideration for the culture of the people and abilities of each liturgical assembly. Although it is not always necessary (e.g., in weekday Masses) to sing all the texts that are of themselves meant to be sung, every care should be taken that singing by the ministers and the people is not absent in celebrations that occur on Sundays and on holy days of obligation.

In the choosing of the parts actually to be sung, however, preference should be given to those that are of greater importance and especially to those to be sung by the priest or the deacon or the lector, with the people responding, or by the priest and people together. [49]

41. All other things being equal, Gregorian chant holds pride of place because it is proper to the Roman Liturgy. Other types of sacred music, in particular polyphony, are in no way excluded, provided that they correspond to the spirit of the liturgical action and that they foster the participation of all the faithful. [50]

Since faithful from different countries come together ever more frequently, it is fitting that they know how to sing together at least some parts of the Ordinary of the Mass in Latin, especially the Creed and the Lord's Prayer, set to the simpler melodies. [51]

 St Dominic Savio's Simple Wisdom

The Christian life has to be simple, because we are all called to be saints. If it were complicated, only the more intelligent of us would even have a chance to become a saint.

But the facts show that even children, even the uneducated and un-intelligent, can reach the very heights of sanctity and lasting happiness.

St Dominic Savio is a perfect example. He lived a simple Christian life, but he lived it so energetically that soon after he died at the young age of 15, he was canonized a saint. Dominic heard the call to the priesthood while just a boy, living in northern Italy in the 1800s.

He was encouraged to join a Catholic boys' school (called an oratory), which was being run by St John Bosco. There he lived a simple boarding school life, but he filled it to the brim with love for God and neighbor. He started a club called The Company of the Immaculate Conception, dedicated to daily prayers and to helping the oratory run smoothly.

Club members volunteered to wash floors, to take care of classmates who were sick or had special needs, and to put up with the discomforts of boarding school life (heat in the summer, cold in the winter, sickness, the bothersome ways of other people) with a spirit of humility and faith - seeing in those discomforts a chance to share in the cross of Christ.

St Dominic used to say, "I can't do big things. But I want all I do, even the smallest thing, to be for the greater glory of God." His personal motto, from the time he received his First Communion at nine-years-old, was equally simple - just three words: "Death before sin!"

That's the kind of simplicity we can all learn from.

Go and Do Likewise

Christ told his questioner in today's Gospel that if he will "Go and do likewise," if he will be like the Good Samaritan, he "will live."

Let's do an experiment this week. Let's erase all the complicated self-help theories from our minds and actually try to follow this simple formula for living a life that is truly alive.

There are two ways we can do that. First, we can carry out our normal, everyday responsibilities with the right intention. Often, we forget that most of our daily duties are actually Good-Samaritan-like deeds.

The mother running a household is being a Good Samaritan for everyone under her care. Every laborer or professional dedicates 8 or 10 hours every day to providing some kind of service for other people who need it.

The kid who is faithful to his chores and his other activities is forming his character and getting ready to go out into the world to serve his neighbors.

When we see our normal responsibilities from Christ's perspective, they take on their true, Good-Samaritan-like meaning. When we live them like that, we experience a deep sense of joy, satisfaction, and fulfillment; our lives suddenly shift into gear, and we feel like we're really going somewhere.

The second way to implement Christ's simple formula is to decide right now, enlightened by the example of this parable and strengthened by the Holy Communion we are about to receive, that when we run across someone in need this week, we will lend them a hand.

Whether friend or stranger, whether the need is material or spiritual, let's promise Jesus today that at least this week we will not just walk by on the other side of the street, but instead we will "Go and do likewise."

The Structure of the Mass, Its Elements and Its Parts

THE GENERAL STRUCTURE OF THE MASS

27. At Mass that is, the Lord's Supper the People of God is called together, with a priest presiding and acting in the person of Christ, to celebrate the memorial of the Lord, the Eucharistic Sacrifice.[37] For this reason Christ's promise applies in an outstanding way to such a local gathering of the holy Church: "Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in their midst" (Mt 18:20). For in the celebration of Mass, in which the Sacrifice of the Cross is perpetuated,[38] Christ is really present in the very liturgical assembly gathered in his name, in the person of the minister, in his word, and indeed substantially and continuously under the Eucharistic species.[39]

28. The Mass is made up, as it were, of two parts: the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. These, however, are so closely interconnected that they form but one single act of worship.[40] For in the Mass the table both of God's word and of Christ's Body is prepared, from which the faithful may be instructed and refreshed.[41] There are also certain rites that open and conclude the celebration.

THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF THE MASS

The Prayers and Other Parts Pertaining to the Priest

30. Among the parts assigned to the priest, the foremost is the Eucharistic Prayer, which is the high point of the entire celebration. Next are the orations: that is to say, the collect, the prayer over the offerings, and the prayer after Communion. These prayers are addressed to God in the name of the entire holy people and all present, by the priest who presides over the assembly in the person of Christ.[43] It is with good reason, therefore, that they are called the "presidential prayers."

31. It is also up to the priest, in the exercise of his office of presiding over the gathered assembly, to offer certain explanations that are foreseen in the rite itself. Where it is indicated in the rubrics, the celebrant is permitted to adapt them somewhat in order that they respond to the understanding of those participating. However, he should always take care to keep to the sense of the text given in the Missal and to express it succinctly. The presiding priest is also to direct the word of God and to impart the final blessing. In addition, he may give the faithful a very brief introduction to the Mass of the day (after the initial Greeting and before the Act of Penitence), to the Liturgy of the Word (before the readings), and to the Eucharistic Prayer (before the Preface), though never during the Eucharistic Prayer itself; he may also make concluding comments to the entire sacred action before the dismissal.

32. The nature of the "presidential" texts demands that they be spoken in a loud and clear voice and that everyone listen with attention.[44] Thus, while the priest is speaking these texts, there should be no other prayers or singing, and the organ or other musical instruments should be silent.

33. The priest, in fact, as the one who presides, prays in the name of the Church and of the assembled community; but at times he prays only in his own name, asking that he may exercise his ministry with greater attention and devotion. Prayers of this kind, which occur before the reading of the Gospel, at the Preparation of the Gifts, and also before and after the Communion of the priest, are said quietly.

St Philip Neri and the Orb of Fire

St Philip Neri illustrates this new power in the way he treated a couple of sacristans at his church in Rome. They were renegade monks who had fled their monastery. For some reason they hated Philip, and made his life miserable. They knew his hatred of dirt, so they gave him the dirtiest vestments they could find.

When he was about to begin Mass, they would interrupt his preparation and send him to another altar. They would lock the sacristy door when he wanted to say Mass. Of course, St Philip got frustrated with all this. Once during Mass, he looked at the crucifix and complained: "Why don't you hear me, Jesus? I've asked you again and again to give me patience. Why is my soul still filled with thoughts of anger and impatience?"

He seemed to hear an answer: "Do you want patience, Philip? I will give it to you, if your heart desires it. You will earn it through these temptations of yours."

And God gave him the power to love these two gadflies. In fact, the story has a happy ending. One day, one of the monk sacristans started insulting Philip. The other monk began to feel remorse, and defended Philip.

He ended up punching Philip's tormentor, and Philip had to come to the rescue. Moved by this, both monks asked his forgiveness and returned to their monasteries.

Christ commands us to love others, especially those who torment us. And, like St Philip Neri, with God's grace we're capable of that.

Jesus gives us a very practical way to love those who annoy or attack us. In the Gospel of Matthew 5:44, Jesus says: "Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you."

We all have people who persecute us. Perhaps it's unintentional, but they make our life very difficult. Maybe it's someone who speaks badly about me behind my back. Maybe it's someone who can't open his mouth without being biting and sarcastic. Maybe it's someone whom I trusted and then let me down. Maybe it's someone at work who is angling to get my job.

Whatever it is, the Lord is asking me to pray for that person. (And he doesn't mean to pray that this person gets a one-way ticket to his eternal reward.) What if I don't want to? Then ask for the grace to want to pray for that person.

And then get started. Maybe at first it will just be a simple Hail Mary prayed through clenched teeth. But don't give up; you're imitating Christ, who prayed even for those who crucified him.

22. The celebration of the Eucharist in a particular Church is of utmost importance.

For the diocesan Bishop, the chief steward of the mysteries of God in the particular Church entrusted to his care, is the moderator, promoter, and guardian of the whole of its liturgical life.[33] In celebrations at which the Bishop presides, and especially in the celebration of the Eucharist led by the Bishop himself with the presbyterate, the deacons, and the people taking part, the mystery of the Church is revealed. For this reason, the solemn celebration of Masses of this sort must be an example for the entire diocese.

The Bishop should therefore be determined that the priests, the deacons, and the lay Christian faithful grasp ever more deeply the genuine meaning of the rites and liturgical texts, and thereby be led to an active and fruitful celebration of the Eucharist. To the same end, he should also be vigilant that the dignity of these celebrations be enhanced. In promoting this dignity, the beauty of the sacred place, of music, and of art should contribute as greatly as possible.

23. Moreover, in order that such a celebration may correspond more fully to the prescriptions and spirit of the sacred Liturgy, and also in order to increase its pastoral effectiveness, certain accommodations and adaptations are specified in this General Instruction and in the Order of Mass.

24. These adaptations consist for the most part in the choice of certain rites or texts, that is, of the chants, readings, prayers, explanations, and gestures which may respond better to the needs, preparation, and culture of the participants and which are entrusted to the priest celebrant., the priest must remember that he is the servant of the sacred Liturgy and that he himself is not permitted, on his own initiative, to add, to remove, or to change anything in the celebration of Mass.

25. In addition, certain adaptations are indicated in the proper place in the Missal and pertain respectively to the diocesan Bishop or to the Conference of Bishops, in accord with the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy [35] (cf. nos. 387, 388-393).

26. As for variations and the more substantial adaptations in view of the traditions and culture of peoples and regions, to be introduced in accordance with article 40 of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy because of benefit or need, the norms set forth in the Instruction on the Roman Liturgy and Inculturation [36] and in nos. 395-399 are to be observed.

My dear brothers and sisters, in today's Gospel, Luke 9:51-62, show us Jesus is traveling to Jerusalem for the last time. Along the way, he meets three men who have heard his call in their hearts.

These encounters teach us three tough lessons about what it means to follow Christ. 1) Following Christ Means Transferring Our Security; 2) Following Christ means persevering through difficulties; 3) following Christ means actively taking risks. This reflection just focusses on the first lesson.

To follow Christ, we must transfer our sense of security. We have to relocate it from ourselves to God. We have to unlearn the lesson we have been taught our whole life long, to rely only on ourselves for success and happiness. We have to learn to rely wholly upon God, plugging all our efforts in life into his grace.

This is what Jesus means when he says that "foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of man has nowhere to rest his head." Christ is trustworthy, but he is not predictable.

When we follow him, we have to agree to go one step and one day at a time - he refuses to give us a full-life outline in advance. When we follow him, we have to stop pretending that we can keep our lives under control by our own efforts. By accepting Christ's friendship, we agree to follow him, to put our lives under his leadership.

Even foxes and birds have the security of their instincts and natural habitats, but Christians are on an unpredictable adventure. We simply don't know where God will lead us or what he may ask us to do. When we join Christ's army, we have to hand him a blank check.

Elisha's Example

The prophet Elisha gives us an eloquent example of this transferal of our security. When Elijah comes and calls him [Elisha] to become his successor as Israel's prophet, Elisha goes back home to tie up loose ends. And he really ties them up.

He was a farmer. His whole livelihood, his whole way of life, was linked to his farm. This was how he made his way in the world. Up until the time of his calling, this was the source of his security. But when God makes his will known, Elisha doesn't hesitate to break completely with that former way of life.

He doesn't just leave the farm behind. He actually slaughters his most important farm animals and burns his most precious tools - offering them all to the Lord as a sign that from now on he will depend on God for his livelihood and his happiness.

Not everyone is called to serve God in this way, by consecrating their lives completely to the Church. But all Christians are called to make a spiritual offering to God of our oxen and our plows, of those things, talents, or activities that we tend to depend on instead of God.

God can only fill our lives with the meaning and fruitfulness we long for if we put him first, trusting that he will lead us better than we can lead ourselves.

Keeping Christ First

This transfer of security can be misinterpreted. Through the centuries, some Christians have mistakenly used it as an excuse to be irresponsible. "God will take care of me," they say, "so I don't have to do anything." This is not true. Jesus calls us to put our hands to the plow, to do our part, to use our minds, talents, and opportunities intelligently and efficiently.

But he always wants us to keep him first, to follow his example and the teachings of the Church, because only he can give our lives dependable stability and security. Sometimes following the Ten Commandments is not the most convenient or comfortable alternative. In those moments, we have to trust that God knows what he is talking about.

Sometimes loving our neighbor as ourselves is a difficult, costly task. Those are the moments when we show that we are truly followers of Christ, not just superficial, hypocritical, cardboard-cut-out Christians. Sometimes forgiving our enemies makes our hearts bleed. Those are the times when we can follow Christ most closely, and hang with him on the cross.

We don't know ahead of time what path God will choose for us - we are not foxes or birds. But we do know where that path will lead us: closer and closer to Christ, closer and closer to the fulfillment, the interior peace, and the lasting happiness that we all long for and that we can't achieve by ourselves.

Dear brothers and sister, when Christ comes once again in Holy Communion to strengthen us for the journey, let's renew our promise to follow him, to anchor our hopes in him. Let's hand him the blank check of the rest of our lives. After all, his bank account is more secure than ours.  

Many Catholics found the mass celebrations boring and dry. It is really unfortunate that many of us have lost sight of what is really essential in the liturgical celebration. Why? One of the reasons is people do not understand the celebration of the Eucharist. So, for the next few weeks we try to understand the part of the Eucharist. Our hope is that by understanding the Eucharist, we celebrate the Eucharist with enthusiasm and joy and we will get the fruits of the Eucharistic.

The Importance and Dignity of the Eucharistic Celebration

16. The celebration of Mass, as the action of Christ and the People of God arrayed hierarchically, is the center of the whole Christian life for the Church both universal and local, as well as for each of the faithful individually. [22] In it is found the high point both of the action by which God sanctifies the world in Christ and of the worship that the human race offers to the Father, adoring him through Christ, the Son of God, in the Holy Spirit. [23] In it, moreover, during the course of the year, the mysteries of redemption are recalled so as in some way to be made present. [24] Furthermore, the other sacred actions and all the activities of the Christian life are bound up with it, flow from it, and are ordered to it. [25]

17. It is therefore of the greatest importance that the celebration of the Mass that is, the Lord's Supper be so arranged that the sacred ministers and the faithful taking part in it, according to the proper state of each, may derive from it more abundantly [26] those fruits for the sake of which Christ the Lord instituted the Eucharistic Sacrifice of his Body and Blood and entrusted it to the Church, his beloved Bride, as the memorial of his Passion and Resurrection. [27]

18. This will best be accomplished if, with due regard for the nature and the particular circumstances of each liturgical assembly, the entire celebration is planned in such a way that it leads to a conscious, active, and full participation of the faithful both in body and in mind, a participation burning with faith, hope, and charity, of the sort which is desired by the Church and demanded by the very nature of the celebration, and to which the Christian people have a right and duty by reason of their Baptism. [28]

19. Even if it is sometimes not possible to have the presence and active participation of the faithful, which bring out more plainly the ecclesial nature of the celebration, [29] the Eucharistic Celebration always retains its efficacy and dignity because it is the action of Christ and the Church, in which the priest fulfills his own principal office and always acts for the people's salvation.

It is therefore recommended that the priest celebrate the Eucharistic Sacrifice even daily, if possible.[30]

20. Because, however, the celebration of the Eucharist, like the entire Liturgy, is carried out through perceptible signs that nourish, strengthen, and express faith,[31] the utmost care must be taken to choose and to arrange those forms and elements set forth by the Church that, in view of the circumstances of the people and the place, will more effectively foster active and full participation and more properly respond to the spiritual needs of the faithful.

The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is one the most difficult to explain. Pope Benedict's uses the analogy of electricity to explain the existence of God.

No one actually sees electricity, he explains, but we do see its effects, and so we know it exists - the light bulb goes on, the vacuum cleaner goes on, the alarm clock goes off. Just so, no one actually sees God directly, face to face, but we do see the works of God - the Church, the saints, and, of course, the beautiful, amazing world around us.

The Psalm 8 says: "When I see your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars that you set in place... What is man that you are mindful of him?" This expresses the sense of wonder that we have all experienced at one time or another in the face of the beauty of creation. Sometimes we are so awed by the magnificence of a sunset, or a moonrise, or an ocean view, that it almost overwhelms us.

The Book of Proverbs chapter 8 expresses the Wisdom of God is personified, and describes himself as pre-existing all the mysterious wonders of the visible world: the mountains and hills, the oceans and skies, the very foundations of the earth...

Before all these things came into existence, God's wisdom was already at work. The point the Proverb is making is that all those wonderful, beautiful things, as impressive as they are, are only a dim reflection of the wonder and beauty of God who made them.

Today as the Church turns our attention towards the inner nature of God himself, the blessed Trinity, she does so by turning our attention to the Trinity's glorious work of art: creation.

Pope Pius XII Praises Creation

As Catholics, we should be the biggest fans of nature's beauties.All of creation is for us!God has given it to us to teach us about himself, and for our sheer delight.All the recent popes have stressed this often overlooked or distorted aspect of our Catholic spirituality.

I would like to read one example, from a speech made by Pope Pius XII back in 1955. He was addressing a group of filmmakers, and as he discussed the power of movies as an art form, he gave special attention to documentaries that present the beauties of nature.

First, he summarized the Christian concept of nature as a mirror of God's wisdom: "Nature, which offers itself to the inspection of the attentive observer, reveals an inexhaustible wealth of goodness and beauty, reflecting back with transparent sincerity the infinite superabundance of the perfection and beauty of nature's Creator."

He went on to praise that beauty: "Sometimes one is enchanted and overcome by the majesty of towering mountains, at other times by the irresistible fury of the ocean tempest, the solitude of polar glaciers, the vast stretch of virgin forests, the melancholy of the desert sands, the loveliness of flowers, the limpid quality of water, the violent rush of waterfalls, the distinctive beauty of the Northern Lights... Greater astonishment and wealth of knowledge are offered by... the secrets of the animal kingdom... in forests and in inhospitable deserts, on rivers and in the depths of the sea. What a testimony to the richness and manifold variety of nature... to soothe, recreate and refresh the spirit."

Those are the words of a man who had discovered the real secret of nature - not the secret of how nature works, but the secret of what nature is for: to show us the smile and strength of our God.

We should thank God for the gift of creation, this first book of revelation that shows so much about God's power, beauty, and wisdom. But we should also make good use of it. The world of nature is meant to be the environment in which we live out our life's vocation, and that vocation involves the whole person, body and soul. That's why weaving contact with nature into the busy schedule of modern life is so important - it helps keep us balanced.

Lack of balance is one of the causes behind stress and depression, which, according to statistics, are among the most common negative effects of today's lifestyle. As human beings, we are meant to interact creatively with our environment - building houses and cities, making works of art, learning to use the earth's resources.

All those things are natural for us. But at the same time, we were not meant to isolate ourselves from our natural environment. We are not robots. We are not artificial. When we treat ourselves as if we were, stress and depression are the result.

We need to follow the rhythms of night and day, of the seasons. We need contact with earth, the sea, and the sky. That's how God made us. It helps us keep our balance - psychological, emotional, physical, and spiritual.

It doesn't have to be complicated and expensive. It can be as simple as family trips to the park, taking walks under the stars, as eating Sunday dinner together.

God's beautiful creation is a gift that he renews each day. Today, when we receive the Creator himself under the appearances of bread and wine, the "fruit of the earth and fruit of the vine," let's thank him for this gift, and let's promise to use it wisely.