SYMBOLIC SATURDAY - CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT

The candle that has come to most readily symbolize Christ our Light is the Paschal candle also known as the Christ candle or the Easter candle.

The Paschal candle is a larger candle usually adorned with a cross, the current year, and an Alpha and Omega; Christ the first and the last. Five grains of incense are held in place, usually at the points and center of the cross, with five wax nails. These represent the wounds of Christ.

After the fire is blessed at the Easter Vigil, the Christ Candle is lit and (usually the deacon) carries Christ into a dark church that represents the world and calls out three times, “Christ our light!” To which the people respond, “Thanks be to God!” From this one flame, divided but undimmed, all people present receive a light for the candles that they are holding. Though the candles are held by individuals, the light emanating from it is still the light of Christ who enlightens us. During the Exsultet (The Easter Proclamation) this is sung, “Accept this Easter candle, a flame divided but undimmed, a pillar of fire that glows to the honor of God. Let it mingle with the lights of heaven and continue bravely burning to dispel the darkness of this night!”

At the blessing of the water the candle is dipped into the water. Can you see the connection between Christ making holy the waters of baptism by being baptized by St. John and the candle the symbolizes Christ being touched to the water during the blessing of the holy water? Is that cool or what?

The Candle is then given a place of honor next to the ambo and burns throughout the Easter season, that time when Christ resurrected from the dead and appeared to his disciples. At Pentecost then it is moved to the baptistery and used for baptisms and funerals.

After the baptism a candle is lit (yet another candle to add to our growing list) from the Paschal candle and presented to the baptized. “Receive the light of Christ. Parents and Godparents, this light is entrusted to you to be kept burning brightly. This child of yours has been enlightened by Christ. He/She is to walk as a child in the light. May he/she keep the flame alive in h/h heart. When the Lord comes, may he/she go out to meet Him with all the saint in the heavenly kingdom.”

And so it happens. When the baptized dies, the Paschal candle is brought to the center isle and to stand at the head of the casket and lit to symbolize Christ indeed leading the faithful to our heavenly homeland.

KNOW NEWS THAT'S GOOD NEWS

News doesn’t seem to be news unless it is scandalous or gossipy. Bucking the trend, here are a couple of stories that you might still find of note.

This past week a number of Ursuline nuns celebrated sixty years of ministry. They were of that hard working, backbone of the diocese stock that taught countless numbers of young people of many generations and began ministries that many of us take for granted today. Some kind soul had, in his will, that when these particular nuns reached their 60th anniversary (can you imagine how many cumulative years of ministry that involves?) they should be treated to dinner from his estate; and not just any dinner, but seriously good and expensive dinner at a fine restaurant.

Each sister was able to ask one companion sister to escort her and off they went to Moxie’s. The restaurant pulled out all of the stops, treating these treasures to the fussing they deserved. A fine time was had by all. God bless the nuns and those who remember the blessings they have been to the life of the Church.

A second story involves a church choir competition in Cleveland sponsored by a local classical radio station (WCLV 104.9) and the United Church of Christ. “The mission of this competition or “challenge” is to remind Cleveland and the surrounding areas of that beautiful and time-honored tradition of choral music in our houses of worship and to further heighten the standard of music in the 21st century.” It was the first for Cleveland and the Cathedral Choir of Saint John the Evangelist was the only Catholic Choir to make it all the way to the final six. Choirs were rated not only their talent, but on the scope of the repertory and their mastery of varying styles.

The final competition was held on our ordination weekend. The choir had to sing at 9:00 on Friday night for they would not be able to be there in the morning. The announcement of the winner of the competition was scheduled during ordination making it impossible for their capable leader Mr. Greg Heislman and many of the singers to attend. One wonders if someone kept a cell phone on vibrate in order to hear if they won or not.

As it turns out the cathedral choir did indeed win this first competition. Congratulations all around! We are fortunate to have such a choir and further blessed to have a bishop who supports having the finest choir in the land as we remember that the Catholic Church has always been patroness of the arts. Praise God.

THANKS MOM(s)

Sorry for the late post today. Our server was down and nobody knows why - or why it is back up!

One of the local Protestant parishes has this posted on their marquee outside, “The man who has a Godly mother is rich indeed!” It may sound trite but it is very true.

So I was having coffee with someone this past week and being that Mothers Day was bearing down on us we told three stories of how our mothers taught us to live in this world.

POVERTY

A number of years ago my once prosperous hometown was hit by hard times as all the industry shut down and moved away. Many families were struggling to put food on the table. My babushka wearing, pocketbook carrying, non-driving mother read about it in the local paper and that the city was asking for volunteers to work for a community food bank. She no sooner read the story that she put her babushka on, tucked her pocketbook under her arm and trudged the twenty-minute walk to the food bank and continued doing so for a number of years from that point. I was so impressed by the gesture that it was partially responsible for my becoming a priest and my promoting the work of CRS. We may not be able to end poverty, but we can do a lot to alleviate it with someone or some small group. When I was hungry you have me to eat.

ABUSE

A story was told of a Mom who lived next door to a family who had a dog tied up on a short leash in the back yard. The dog was virtually forgotten except when someone came out to throw some food at the dog. So the dog cried and barked all day. There are a few routes one might take. You could call the police or an animal protection league or you could yell at the careless people and engender bitter feelings. But this Mom went next door and said, “You know, I love dogs but I cannot have one. Would you mind if I took your dog for walks?” They were very thankful to her. If you are angry, let it be without sin.

VIOLENCE

Two stores were battling in my hometown. One blasted Italian music at the door and across the street, Slovenian. They each kept upping the ante until neither could stop without losing face. Another Mom in a similar situation used this approach. The neighbors across the street played loud music on their porch all day long. She bought a 12 pack of a tasty beverage and went over and introduced herself, gave them refreshments, got to know them, and then kindly asked them to turn down their music which they did with good feelings all around. Blessed are the peacemakers.

IT IS ALSO OKAY TO SAY HELLO AND SORRY

Years ago I used to carry dollar bills in my pocked (usually four or five dollars) whenever I went downtown. I’d give them out to anybody who asked and when I was out I was out. There was also the time that I was invited to see Dolly Parton downtown by a friend. (I know, I know, and I don’t want to hear about it.) The family invited me to share their loge with them and it was PACKED with catered food for three times the amount of people present. They informed me that the food is thrown away afterwards and so they had it all packed up (there was a LOT) and we set about in their car delivering food to those on the streets. The only unfortunate thing about that was that we did not make up good meals. One person got a full box of potatoes, another a full box of beef. We tried to connect them up though. “You might want to go and share with that guy down there, he has coleslaw!”

Now these sign are appearing downtown. There is always some amount of controversy about whether it is a good thing to give to beggars or not and I am torn by the arguments. A man did ask me for money for food while I was downtown on Monday and after reading this I sign declined to do so. But I was solicitous to him and he was very kind in return.

So what is one to do – or to quote that worn and now clichéd phrase, “What would Jesus do?” Who knows? Well. Who knows beyond this: It is not an option be pretend people are not there either physically or in social justice terms. By that I mean as Catholic we have an obligation to recognize the humanness and dignity of others even if that is not entirely reflected back. We should be kind and offer greetings when greeted. And if you are of the mind not to hand money out for whatever reason say so. “I give at such and so place. That is my way of helping.” (This is USUALLY met with kindness in return.) Then the second part of that equation is to actually do that charity because that is who we are. That is one more reason we are proud to call ourselves Catholic.

TUESDAY QUOTE OF THE WEEK LXV

FINDING TRUTH WHEREVER IT MAY BE FOUND - "When we truly encounter the night in all its beauty and terror, we have no assurance whatsoever that we are going to come out unscathed. If you come out injured it might just be a sign of the blessing that you have received." Rast O.S.B.

QUOTE II - "If it's in the dictionary, it's probably false." Fr. John Loya

IN OTHER NEWS:

Oh! How people agonize over whether they have a vocation or not! Some people discern so long that they discern themselves out of the opportunity. Brothers and Sisters of Perpetual Discernment is a blog on the level of Spirit of Vatican II Blog about such persons. If you think that you would get a kick out of it pop over. Sister Caprice is waiting.

Clevelanders contemplating a vocation: Come join a day-long retreat helping single Catholic men and women, ages 18-40 explore and lean more about the priesthood and consecrated life Saturday June 7th at the Center for Pastoral Leadership (Wickliffe). For more information or to register call 1.800.869.6525 or 216.696.6525 ext. 3490.

Thoughts should be turning to spring but this picture of this little guy was still on my camera. He was snagged for a picture while we were hiking during our third winter storm and I though I'd share him with you.

MONDAY DIARY CHAPTER 9

As you may have caught on Sunday Video on Tap there were five men from the diocese of Cleveland who were ordained to the priesthood this past Saturday, a fine lot of young men and we are very fortunate to have them. Friday night afforded me the opportunity to go to a reception of one of our newly ordained priests for the diocese. It was a nice affair held in the parish hall. Everybody fusses about a newly ordained and so I had just about enough time to shake his hand in congratulations, ask for his blessing, and tell him to journal all of this because it will surprise him how much he will forget.

Participating in ordination weekend is for a priest what it must be like for married persons to go to a wedding. Lots of memories come back.

Okay, that’s a lie. A few memories come back. I had to go back in my journals to really remember the day. It was like a whirlwind and my head was spinning for months after. There are many wonderful and holy moments that took place during those precious days and they are remembered largely because they are written down and there is picture evidence that it actually took place. Perhaps someday I shall talk about that.

I am embarrassed to tell you what my two strongest memories are however.

Okay that was a lie too. I wrote this post to tell you exactly what those two strongest memories are.

The first concerns the Litany of the Saints. While it is sung the priests-to-be lie prostrate on the floor while the saints, that mystical part of the Body of Christ, are called upon pray for those about to be ordained. I’ve heard the Litany and number of hundreds of times before but there was something particularly revelatory about it this time. For the first time I heard these names as true and living members of my family, not just good guys in heaven who might pray for me if I ask. The litany is no longer such an academic thing for me anymore but as real for me as calling out the names of my Mom, Dad, and sisters.

But at the same time, for some unfathomable reason I have an equally deep impression of the floor. I remember thinking, “Wow, this floor is so shiny I can see the chandeliers in the ceiling!” What a terrible thing to remember so clearly during such a solemn occasion.

The other thing remembered is the during the presbyteral laying on of hands. After the bishop laid his hands on our heads, all the present priests are invited to do the same. So we knelt on the marble floor while each of them did so. There were a couple hundred priests so luckily we took the cue from the previous year’s class to wear kneepads. Everything is going along fine when my future pastor, already in his 80s, came and laid his hands on my head and said a prayer. He then leaned over and said, “Looking forward to seeing you at Saint Ambrose,” and then slapped me – HARD – on my cheek like they used to do for confirmation. I heard my family gasp behind me.

I’m glad he did so actually. It stands out in my memory as a happy moment. Perhaps we should bring that back at confirmation. (Maybe not, I could see lawsuits.)

In a similar way I tell brides that it is a good thing that their ceremony was not perfect if something should happen. “That will be something will talk about forever. If it all went well they would say, ‘It was nice’ and that would be the end of it. You’ll appreciate it later.”

I hope that I am right.

SUNDAY VIDEO ON TAP LXV

HAPPY PENTECOST!

& HAPPY MOTHER' S DAY

IN OTHER NEWS:

Jay is positively giddy over the opening of Catholic Carnival 171!

This is just a nice story about being a good person and how sometimes it comes back as a blessing on you. Cabbies Treated to Classical Violin. Thanks Fr. F.

The Diocese of Cleveland Enewseletter reports five men ordained to the priesthood of Jesus Christ for the Diocese this past Saturday. God bless you Fathers!

Here is a site for various streaming video presentations from the Diocese of Cleveland. Kind of like a Clevelandtube I suppose.

SYMBOLIC SATURDAY - MIND YOUR OWN BEESWAX

Next we will try to enlighten ourselves a bit about candles. I have a burning desire to do so though this topic can’t hold a candle to bell symbolism. I just happen to have a bee in my bonnet to go into it.

The saddest part of this endeavor has been a discovery that I wish I hadn’t made. Everybody knows that liturgical candles must be 51% beeswax. Ask almost any priest (or candle manufacturer.) As it turns out, this is a former requirement that is not mandated any longer.

‘“DOL 208, p. 519, note R47, quoting the newsletter of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments Notitiae 10:80 (1974), no. 4: "Query: Must the lighted candles that are to be placed in candlesticks for the celebration of Mass consist in part of beeswax, olive oil, or other vegetable oil? Reply: The GIRM prescribes candles for Mass ‘as a sign of reverence and festiveness' (nos. 79, 269). But it makes no further determination regarding the material of their composition, except in the case of the sanctuary lamp, the fuel for which must be oil or wax (see Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist Outside Mass, Introduction no. 11). The faculty that the conferences of bishops possess to choose suitable materials for sacred furnishings applies therefore to the candles for Mass. The faculty is limited only by the condition that in the estimation of the people the materials are valued and worthy and that they are appropriate for sacred use. Candles intended for liturgical use should be made of material that can provide a living flame without being smoky or noxious and that does not stain the altar cloths or coverings. Electric bulbs are banned in the interest of safeguarding authenticity and the full symbolism of light."’

Be (or bee) that as it may, traditionally liturgical candles represent Christ our Light. (Just one more reason why the Unity Candle does not make sense in the Catholic Liturgy, but that is for another day.) The wax is often identified with the flesh of Christ and the wick His soul. (The reason beeswax was prescribed was that it symbolizes purity being made by the virgin male honey bee.) The flame that gives us light sacrifices itself; consumes itself for our benefit as Christ gave Himself for us. “I am the light of the world,” says the Lord, and its light (and natural scent if still made of beeswax) reminds us of His sacred body.

THE DAY CLEVELAND ATE PIZZA

I’m sure you heard about the 23-cent pizza that Papa Johns was selling to Clevelanders yesterday. Everybody else did. I know because most of them were standing in our front lawn and filling our parking places.

I thought it might be fun to pop over the pizza joint and claim our 23-cent pizza for lunch and told the guys I would go over early and beat the crowd. HA! Take a look at this picture. This is the line from the pizza shop taken from my front window. From here it went down to the corner, turned, snaked through their parking lot and finally into the pizzeria.

My life is worth more than a couple of hours waiting for a 23-cent pizza.

But it got me thinking that maybe here is the marketing strategy that the Catholic Church needs to start employing. I mean, here was a large group of people who did not mind giving up an hour or so of their time, parking quite a distance away and walking to their destination on a misty day, and who did not mind standing in procession in an interminable line. It was like watching news reports of Cold War era Russia. And all for a cheap pizza that by today is only a memory save for the heartburn.

It would be easy to be snotty at this point. I am tempted. But the more I think about it the easier it is to think of the millions of faithful Catholics who are loyal to Christ every weekend and do the same. Getting to Mass is a hardship for some and sacrifices are made. This weekend in this parish alone about 1,600 people will stand in line to receive not pizza, but the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. The next day the effects of that Eucharist will not just be a memory but an active agent in the life of these faithful people and a down payment on the life to come. There is a lot of hope in that.

My urge to be snotty is a basic human desire for others to share in what I see as important. Yes, 23-cent pizza is fun; eternal life is better.

Come back and park here on Sunday. Find true nourishment.

TEN (MORE) REASONS WHY I LOVE BEING CATHOLIC

10. The Catholic faith not only respects my intellect, it demands me to engage it.

9. The Catholic faith places at the pinnacle my freedom. It forces nothing on me, only validly recognizes states that I freely choose, and respects my right to walk out the door.

8. The Catholic faith sets a high bar for me to achieve. It believes in me and never panders to me. But the Catholic faith also understands I may fail miserably and provides ways for me to readily come back if I am sincere in doing so. Even if it is a hundred times a year.

7. The Catholic Church stands almost alone in assuming that because I am, from the moment of my conception, I am worth something, that I have dignity, was made to be good, made in the image and likeness of my Father, and am thus worthy of all its respect and protection. And that it loves you the same way.

6. Whether I find myself in Rome, Harare, or Cleveland, I am always at home in the Catholic Church.

5. Even if I do not understand the language, I will always understand what is going on at a Catholic Mass.

4. The Catholic faith demands that I stretch my limited boundaries, self concerns, my comfort level beyond the pleasant.

3. The Catholic faith is not interested in agreeing with me thereby becoming an outward expression of me, but sharing with me what it holds to be timeless truth and inviting me to be an outward expression of God.

2. It holds as indispensable the one, the true, the good, and the beautiful.

1. It is the means by which man comes as close in contact as possible with God in this world and that that grace, which has made holy men and women throughout her existence, for some unfathomable reason, through the sacraments, has been entrusted to me as His dispenser.

SIN THAT IS IN

Not too long ago the Vatican issued a list of “new sins” which was quite clever of them. Stating it in such a fashion caught the attention of the nations at least for nanosecond.

The world has its own list of new sins that seem to top people’s concerns far more effectively however. I wish I could site you the source for this list but I lost the reference. It reported that today’s evils consist of:

High Prices
Inconvenience
Lack of Choice
Lack of Privacy
Heart Burn
Hair Loss

Everybody has a strong opinion on these things and could wax eloquently on them in public without any reservations. It is perhaps because we can feel the burn of these sins so readily and universally that they are accepted as sins to be done away with. The culprit is some other faceless evil man or force, not my son who is shacking up with a girl and has a baby on the way.

Just the same, and not wanting to left out of the process, I want to add my own list of modern day sins to be done away with. (The picture below is from my new favorite place to get coffee.)

1. Scheduling anything, but especially children’s activities during dinner time.
2. Unnecessary automated phone answering systems – especially ones without the helpful option you need nor a way to contact a real person.
3. Answering a cell phone in public without an apology and stepping outside.
4. Discouraging vocations.
5. Placing unnecessary distance between people with technology.
6. Not exerting control on the content of information that comes into your home over every computer and television.
7. Spending more free time with electronic devices that real people when available.
8. Blaring television sets in areas designed for family interaction such as restaurants.

Any objections? Any additions?

TUESDAY QUOTE OF THE WEEK LXIV`

FINDING TRUTH WHEREVER IT MAY BE FOUND: "Boredom is in fact the weight of unused capacity, an intimation of the freedom from which the self has hidden." Felix Unger

QUOTE II - "A quick lesson in natural law: If you fill your car with molasses it wont run no matter what you paradigm." Janet E. Smith

IN OTHER NEWS:


L.M. sent a link to an article about the Lourdes Shrine in Cleveland. The reason this is interesting is because it is run by the order she wishes to enter. Thanks L.M.

I just thought this was an interesting picture to share. We have a temporary baptismal wading pool for the Easter season with plants all around it. This is a picture of the west trancept window reflecting in the holy water.

MONDAY DIARY CHAPTER 8

Sometimes a story is just a story and there is no great revelatory moment contained within its prose. And even if there is it should be ignored for it would ruin the pure entertainment of the story. And with that I share with you this little occurrence from the previous week.

Remember I told you about the brothers, the one of whom donated a kidney to the other? Well last Saturday I thought to take the jaunt to the Cleveland Clinic to check up on the boys and see how they were fairing with their modifications in their inner plumbing. The surgeons and their bodies worked hard at making sure all wounds were healing ahead of schedule and so the visit was purely social in nature. Thanks be to God.

After pulling into the parking garage the steps were taken down to the tunnel that allows people to shuffle freely between buildings without having to contend with a busy street, the crossing of which might provide the hospital with more work then they probably needed. The landing in the tunnel is across from the elevator and there was muted shouting coming from behind the stainless steel doors which became full scale surround sound screaming and laughter as the doors slid open and allowed a just-beyond-toddler to escape its confines. He shot out like a bullet and started running in circles, his little shoe clad feet slapping the terrazzo as he ran – slap! slap! slap! screaming and laughing.

Hasty tracks were made by me down the tunnel. Now, there is something you need to know about this tunnel. All along to your right from floor to ceiling and end to end there is a milky glass wall with lights behind them that slowly turns the wall different colors of the rainbow as you walk along. So I’m walking along and I hear behind me the slapping of the child’s feet and his voice ringing out at full throttle, “Blue! Blue! Blue!” slap! slap! slap!

Closer he came. “Poyple! Poyple! Poyple!” slap! slap! slap! Soon he will be on my heals. “Red! Red!” Smack! Then there is nothing. Only silence. Then I hear a rather drone and defeated male voice calmly ask, “Jasper, are you Okay?” I turned around and saw a rather substantial bench and on the opposite side a dazed and confused boy splayed out on the floor. The look of betrayal and shock on his face was near cartoonish. Then there was the look of serious consideration as he took inventory of his damage. I think he was not hurt but this was far too shocking a moment not to respond and the tornado siren started blowing beginning nice as soft and building to “Take Cover!” mode.

I occurs to me in writing this might seem a bit sad. What’s so funny about a kid running into a bench? But at the time it provided me and a younf man with a new kidney a good half hour of laughs.

SUNDAY VIDEO ON TAP LXIV

Oremus is back for a second week. They are finishing up one song before going on to today's feature so give them a couple of seconds. Here is "Holy Mary" for Our Mother at the beginning of the month in her honor. (Approximately three minutes.)

If you would like to know more about these guys look here.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Will blessings never cease? Jay says Catholic Carnival 171 is up and running!

MJ passes on this disturbing news story that you will not see in the news media about Bishop Quinn offering mass for 25 aborted babies.

The Diocese of Cleveland Enewsletter reports that 8 men were ordained to the permenant diaconate yesterday and also provided this link to a broadcast of Bishop Lennon discussing parish clustering and Vibrant Parish Life Phase II on diocese T.V. (which I did not even know existed.)

SYMBOLIC SATURDAY - DOES THIS RING A BELL WITH YOU?

Fear not, we are almost finished with bells!

Most parishes still have bells at the starting gate, that is they ring a bell to start the mass. It is a wonderful device for coordinating musicians, people, ministers, and the priest when everything is ready to begin (as opposed to the rather more clumsy methods of waving at the musician, having walkie-talkies, or someone announcing, “Please stand now and sing.”)

In many parishes the sanctus bells are still rung. This is a small bell or cluster of bells that the server rings a little before and during the consecration. Contrary to popular belief they have not been banished from the liturgy like the maniple. In fact in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (2003) it states in paragraph 150, “A little before the consecration, when appropriate, a server rings a bell as a signal to the faithful. According to local custom, the server also rings the bell as the priest shows the host and then the chalice.”

Some people make the point that now that the mass is in the vernacular and not in Latin (most places anyway), we do not need the bells to tell us where we are in the Mass. I suppose there is a kernel of truth to this. But on the other hand it goes against the grain of popular culture to such an extent that I am surprised that more people do not use them. Think about it. If you get a point in a video game, win a jackpot on a machine, - even if your elevator doors open at your floor successfully there are bells. But even better than these at mass we have Jesus Christ now present! Ah, but – that’s just me. When bells are used it usually occurs at the epiclesis and at the major elevations. They may be rung once, or three times in imitation of when the bells were rung in the Latin Mass, or there may be a tower of three bells struck with a hammer.

Finally, a tradition that has almost completely died out save for some very special occasions in limited situations is the ringing of a tower bell during the consecration. It gives those not in attendance at mass the opportunity to unite their prayers with sacrifice of the mass in a moment of prayer.

None of this is required and is not essential (or even necessary.) But in an age with diminishing belief in the reality of the Eucharist, it might be something at least worth contemplating employing.