All Saints day

Fully alive!

Fr. James McTavish, FMVD

I was ordained on November 1, 2008 in London. When people ask me why that date I always tell them usually a priest chooses a date with a special significance – perhaps a feast day of a Saint they particularly love, would like to emulate or have praying for them in a special way. Some priests need one saint but I need them all! I remember lying face down on the ground, prostrate on the floor listening to the litany of the Saints being sung. All my favourite saints were there! St John Chrysostom, pray for us. St Thérèse of the Child Jesus, pray for us. And so many other men and women who we have as guides and models, powerful intercessors supporting us along the way. They are present, alive, interceding for us, raising us up from the ground when we fall and offering a helping hand.

I enjoy knowing more and more about the lives of the Saints. Not only do they show us how to be holy but how to be really human. What does it mean to be holy if not to be fully human! The Saints in their lifetime were fully alive, fully human. God our Father wants for all of us to be fully alive. He wants all his children to be fully alive. We are children of a God who is life and alive. St John tells us, “See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are… Beloved, we are God’s children” (1 Jn 1:1-3). What does it mean to be fully alive? To be fully alive is to be holy, to be wholly alive. All of us are called to be holy, to be fully alive, like the Saints. Sometimes we have a lot of admiration for the Saints but we feel distant from them because well, they are so perfect and we are so imperfect. It is interesting reading the lives of the saints. St Paul wrote to Timothy that he was the greatest sinner of all. How can you have sins and be a Saint?

Well to become a Saint is a process and if we are here today it means we still have time. This gives us hope. Our sanctification is a process, a slow one, well, we make it a bit slower than it should be. St Thérèse of Lisieux said at 15 years old she wanted to be a Saint and at 24 she was! That it is a process is confirmed in the second reading – “What we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” Each of us, as children of God, are called to this perfection in love.

Normally, thinking of the Saints, we enjoy being spectators. Seeing our own imperfections we can feel a bit distant from them. Today’s celebration is not for us to remain as mere spectators!!! We are called to be imitators. Of course we have limitations but the saints are interceding for us, praying for us. In the first reading we have an apocalyptic vision of a huge crowd: “a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.” A great multitude is present in this crowd. This should give us hope. To be a Saint is not for a select few! In fact it is for all Christians to strive for, to be holy, to be fully alive. What is the model presented to us by Jesus of a fully human life? The model plan of life is known as the Beatitudes – blessed are the pure of heart for they shall see God. I love this beatitude because the pure of heart will see God and they will see him also in their neighbour who is made in the image and likeness of God.

If there is one characteristic that marks the Saints it is that of commitment to a cause. The French philosopher Gabriel Marcel wrote, “The fact is that when I commit myself, I grant in principle that the commitment will not again be put into question...It at once bars a certain number of possibilities; it bids me invent a certain modus vivendi which I would otherwise be precluded from envisaging. Here there appears in a rudimentary form what I call creative fidelity. My behaviour will be completely coloured by this act embodying the decision that the commitment will not again be questioned. The possibility which has been barred or denied will thus be demoted to the rank of a temptation.”

Let us ask the grace this day to be committed in our Christian lives, committed to living a fully human life, committed to Christ. Amen.

The search for Beauty

Homily for the Feast of St Augustine

Fr James McTavish FMVD

“Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you!”

Today is the Feast of St Augustine. Who cannot fail to be inspired by his life, his search for the truth? We know he had quite a worldly life – he prayed when he was a young man, “Lord give me chastity, but not yet!” He was searching for the truth, in philosophy, in ideologies…then he discovered it listening to the preaching of a Bishop called St Ambrose. Listening to the Word of God brought him to himself. It is a word entering into him, but also a Word that was already in him, calling him, beckoning him, to enter into the depths of his being. He discovered the beauty within in which led him to declare those beautiful words “Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! “. He was searching for beauty and he found it –not outside of him but inside! Where are we searching for beauty? Outside? Or inside?

For many years of my life I was searching for beauty outside. In fact in my career before I had a lot of contact with beauty – I was a Plastic surgeon. I had a beautiful life. A beautiful house, a beautiful car, I could eat beautiful food, go on beautiful holidays. When I saw my salary each month with all those zeros…beautiful. And the most beautiful thing – my girlfriend! And of course being a plastic surgeon the best thing if there is a bit of her you don’t like, you can just change it. The lips, next week the nose…I came to my 29th birthday, I was working in Sydney Australia, a beautiful city I was with my friends, enjoying…a drink in my hand and singing along to the music. Then a song by a band called U2 came on “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for”. I still haven’t found what I’m looking for. Is it true? What? You still haven’t found what you are looking for? I am just singing. It is my birthday, leave me in peace.

But I had to admit it, I hadn’t found what I was looking for. In all the created things, enjoying their beauty but it was not here. I got invited to an activity by the Verbum Dei missionaries, to listen to the Word of God. What a surprise! I started to discover the beauty I had been searching for, or rather the beauty found me! “O Beauty ever ancient, ever new. You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you.” Of course discovering this beauty everything becomes beautiful! I want to dedicate my entire life to announce Christ. To be like the voice in the Gospel, announcing that the bridegroom is here. Go and meet him!”

In the Gospel it is very fascinating - we have 10 virgins, 5 wise and 5 foolish. One key feature is the oil. What does the oil represent? Good works. Who were the foolish ones? We know three things about them – they fell asleep, they had no oil, and the bridegroom said to them “I do not know you”. They had no oil, they had no good works. Why not? They were trying to respond after all they woke up when they heard that the bridegroom was coming? Why did they not have good works? Because they did not know the bridegroom.

Let us not be foolish – many times we can be foolish when we don’t make time to listen to the Lord, to spend time with him, to pray and listen to him through his Word. Many Christians will say they do not have time to listen to the Word of God, but then we have time to watch TV, surf the Internet, go malling and do many things! Many times I am foolish – I listen to many voices but not the voice of the one who knows me and can give me life.

Then we have the wise virgins. Who were they? They also fell asleep! They were not so ‘holy holy’! But they had oil. Why did they have the oil of good works and the foolish ones didn’t? Because they knew the bridegroom. If you know Christ, from this person a life of good works will flow. Who is the wise Christian? The wise office worker? The wise priest? The ones who spends time getting to know the bridegroom, listening to him, listening to his Word. That one will bear much fruit. The Word of God is essential in this.

It is not enough to be Catholic. I am a good Catholic. It is not enough. To keep loving in the Office, to not gossip, to forgive, to be honest! I know an office worker, he finds it challenging as there is a lot of corruption in his office. He wants to conduct himself in a way that pleases God, That helps him grow in holiness. Your work is not only a place to earn money but it must help you to be holy! It is part of your pathway to sanctification. But to keep growing as Christians we need to discover that inner beauty every day, to be in contact with the one who loves us and tells us “You are beautiful”. To know Christ is to know his Word –ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ. That is why as Verbum Dei we dedicate to the Word of God – explaining it, deepening in it, having formations, retreats, moments of prayer, recollections and announcing it too. Because often we understand it most when we have to share it –we have many lay people doing this. We invite you too – if you are interested.

Let us ask for the intercession of St Augustine. Our life is a search for the truth. There are many distractions. Let us be wise! To discover the source of beauty in us more and more each day, to not be foolish thinking that we can sustain a life of good works if we are cut off from the source of goodness. That is why Jesus says Remain in me and in my Word and you will bear much fruit but cut off from me you can do nothing. To realize that the Word of God is a privileged place for us to know Jesus, and to experience his transforming love. And also not to forget the challenge to be a voice to others, in our office, in our family, to each other! Not merely to say I am good but to help others discover Jesus, that their lives too can be beautiful. To be a voice that leads others to Christ.

The bridegroom is coming. Every time we listen to the Word and in every Eucharist. Let us open our hearts as we receive him.

Fr James McTavish FMVD

Reflection for Feast of St Bartholomew (24 Aug '09)

Help lay the Foundations! Be an Apostle!

Today is the Feast of the apostle Bartholomew, one of the Twelve apostles of Christ. The first reading gives us a beautiful image of the apostles – as the foundation stones of the city of God. “The wall of the city had twelve courses of stones as its foundation, on which were inscribed the twelve names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.” (Rev 21,14). Often on buildings is written the name of the benefactors or donors, thanking them for their contribution. Of course, God’s church is not primarily a physical building but a spiritual one. The apostles helped build the Church by spreading the Good News, helping to give the Church and its members a solid foundation. The psalmist today sings “Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.” (Ps.145). The building of the Church continues today. After 2000 years the building up of the Church is only just beginning! Who will continue to build it up? To dedicate to giving the youth of today a solid foundation in life? To give many couples a solid basis for the marriage? Who will continue to make known the glorious splendor of the kingdom today? Maybe we are looking around for other volunteers but guess who God is looking at? YOU! (and me!).

It is a beautiful experience to be involved in the work of building up the Church. At Easter we organized a 3 day stay over retreat to deepen in the Easter Triduum. Many were invited but many were the excuses. No I want to go on vacation, sorry I am going to the beach, would love to but I have a family reunion…so we went out into the virtual streets and lanes as the gospel advises us and tried to invite some extra people by email. One young man wrote back that his life was boring and lifeless like that of many youth of today. He was from a wealthy family but said that his family was so poor because all they had was money. He did not want to fill up his emptiness with materialism and consumerism. He realized as Pope John Paul II noted that “the real reason for materialism and consumerism is the absence of God’s love in the heart of man.” He came to the retreat, encountered Christ and everything changed. This person is so happy and is now organizing many activities for the mission and inviting others. What a joy this is for me! I see my name written there (in very small letters of course!) as this person starts to have a more solid foundation, being built into a spiritual building for the whole of eternity.

Each Christian is called to help in the rebuilding and reconstruction of many lives. As soon as I realized this I left behind my career and dedicate to God’s work full time. I was as a Plastic surgeon. That is why I am so handsome! Actually in case you are wondering, this beauty is 100% natural and comes from my mum! Many people ask me for beauty tips. The best cream for the face I tell them is Vitamin P. Of course we all know Vitamin C and D but Vitamin P? Yes, Vitamin Prayer. Try rubbing in 30 minutes of the Word of God into your face every day. For sure this will keep you looking young and beautiful! The Word of God is sharper than a scalpel (See Hebrews 4,12). When someone is filled with Christ, they radiate beauty and can draw many others to him. Like before I became a missionary when I was in Sydney and was being a bit slack in my church attendance. One day near the Cathedral and deliberating whether to go to mass I saw an old lady walking by in front of me. Frail but with a spring in her step. The heavens opened and it started to pour. I felt sorry for her as her flimsy umbrella did little to protect her from the drenching rain. I covered her with my umbrella and asked her where she was going. To church she replied. I commented that she was going to be soaked. Her reply engraved itself on my heart –“Do you think a little rain will stop me from seeing Jesus, the one who loves me the most?” Wow! I was amazed at how much love she had for Jesus which put my little love to shame. Ok I said, let’s go and we went to mass together. When a soul is in love with Christ many others will be drawn. This little lady was a walking talking incarnation of the love of Christ. How very attractive that is to see the love of Jesus walking around the streets of Sydney.

This is the mission of each one of us and as Jesus says in the gospel today “You will see greater things than this!” You ain’t seen nothing yet. You will see miracles if you believe! God will draw many to Christ through you. What do the people need to see? Apparitions? Miracles? The great miracle they will see in Christ’s presence in you. Of course you need to be intelligent! We can tell the youth “Go to mass! Go to confession!” Be as cunning as a snake and as innocent as a dove! “Go to an outing! Go to a song forum!” That’s better. The more we are in love with Christ the more creative we must be. Our founder who is 82 says “If I have to do a handstand and a cartwheel to draw the people to Christ I will do it!”. We need this strong experience of Christ’s love to go out of ourselves – this is ex-stasis. To go out of ourselves. As Edith Stein (Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross) the Carmelite Saint wrote “The deeper one is drawn into God, the more he needs to go out of himself –out into the world, that is to carry the divine life into it”.

And going out into the world as apostles what will we find? A lady from a rich neighbourhood told us to be careful going out into the poor squatter areas. Why? There are good poor and bad poor but there do you know what you will find? You will find only the bad poor, they are lazy. Mam, perhaps you will find you are a little prejudiced. We went to visit a poor family, as an advanced birthday of one of their children. We cooked some pasta and served it to them. We sang some songs. We talked with our little Tagalog (but the love of God overcomes all barriers of language and even the smell of the piglets became a pleasing aroma!) What did we find there? We found Christ himself. Not an apparition but Christ himself, incarnated in their simplicity and humility. A Christ who wants to be close to his people, loving them and sharing the Word of God with them.

A Christ who in this Eucharist will appear, not as an apparition but as flesh and blood, and tell us “If you love me, feed my sheep”. Feed your family, feed your husband, your helper, your driver, give them my Word, to your children, your children’s children! Christ needs apostles today. Urgently. Like the apostle Paul said “The love of Christ urges me. I become all things to all people to save at least some”. Christ needs apostles, he needs imitators not merely admirers or adorers. Christ needs imitators. Are you an admirer, an adorer only, or an imitator? Christ calls us to be imitators, to be apostles, called to build up the Church, to build up the foundations of many people. Imitate me and you will see great things. People will see my face through your life. Go and attract many people for Christ! Go and discover the joy of being an apostle! Go and discover the adventure of laying the foundations of a life in Christ that will last for the whole of eternity! Amen.

ST. THERESE RELICS TO VISIT ENGLAND AND WALES

England and Wales are preparing for this autumn's arrival of the relics of St. Thérèse of Lisieux.

A press release from the bishops' conference announced today that "excitement is growing" faced to the upcoming tour of the relics through the country, which will take place from Sep. 16 to Oct. 16.

Héroes anónimos

FRANCIS XAVIER'S MISSIONARY EXAMPLE

Message to Spanish Pilgrims

PAMPLONA, Spain, MARCH 6, 2009 
The text was published in the Spanish magazine Ecclesia.

Benedict XVI is urging faithful going to the birthplace of St. Francis Xavier, patron of the missions, to make their pilgrimage a faith-filled event.

He encouraged the participants of the "Javieradas," pilgrimages going to the saint's birthplace according to the tradition held every year in early March, to "imitate this great missionary, who went across the world spreading the Gospel."

The Pontiff noted that the pilgrimage must be lived "as an opportunity to strengthen the faith, to increase the commitment to be consistent with it at all times and to increase the generosity to proclaim it to others, as true witnesses of Christ before today's world."

Invoking the intercession of the Virgin, he said that, "with her maternal tenderness, she will prepare the hearts of all the participants to receive the grace of God with joy." At the end of the message, the Holy Father imparted his apostolic blessing on the pilgrims.

The "Javieradas" are two pilgrimages undertaken on two consecutive Sundays around the Novena of Grace dedicated to St. Francis Xavier. This year they will take place on March 8 and 14.

This year, the archbishop of Pamplona dedicated his traditional message to a comparison between the evangelizing work of St. Francis Xavier and St. Paul, given the Pauline Jubilee Year, and invited the faithful "to take seriously the new evangelization" proclaimed by the recent popes.

The motto for this year's pilgrimage is "Missionaries Like Paul and Xavier: Woe to Me If I Do Not Evangelize!"