Can't stop it now ...

le déluge!

St Peter of Alcantara

I didn't forget ...

Pray for me, holy father St. Peter, to do penance and to amend my life.  Amen.

Doing penance.

No!  No!  Not penance!

"The penance which God now asks is this: the sacrifice which each person has to impose upon himself in order to lead a life of justice in the observance of his law. He wishes this way to be made known to souls with clearness, for many consider the word 'penance' to be great austerities, and not feeling the strength or generosity for such, become discouraged and remain in a life of tepidity and sin." - Sr. Lucia

I love the penitent saints, but every time I write about them people assume I'm recommending that we should be doing penance the way the saints used to.  Frankly, I don't understand their confusion.  Their resistance to the idea of penance makes me wonder how they feel about the martyrs who suffered so horribly in their passion and death.  Should we be repelled by their example and heroic witness?  Do we think we must replicate all the acts and doctrine practiced by various saints in the Church?  I wonder if we are all just a little too near sighted and just want to be always happy - like a room without a roof?  A life without limitations?

I often receive comments and emails asking me what penance is, or what it means to perform penance.

Quite a few people today simply do not understand what it means or entails, especially since the only penance most of us know is the occasional Hail Mary and Our Father we get in confession - if we go at all. Then there is the Lenten observance of course, giving up candy and stuff like that. With the increasing awareness of social justice issues since the 1960's the progressive notion of penance has been activist oriented, in it's simplest expression; alms-giving and or volunteerism. Such things are valid of course, but they are good works and not always a matter of self-denial - modern folks normally maintain a certain comfort level in the performance of good deeds and penance - We don't want it to cost us anything. Kind of like not eating meat on Friday yet having a sumptuous lobster dinner instead.

 The avoidance of sin as penance.

I may be wrong, but it seems to me, modern people just do not know how to do penance, unless of course it is imposed upon us through the deprivation occasioned by calamity, disaster, and war. Yet voluntary penance normally doesn't occur to us, despite the fact Our Lady herself came to places like Lourdes and Fatima calling us to repentance and the amendment of our lives. In fact - the message of Fatima just may be an excellent resource for contemporary penitents to find some practical direction on the subject.

In the first apparition preparing the children for the appearances of Our Lady, the angel instructed the seers; "Pray! Pray a great deal!" And later, "Offer up prayers and sacrifices to the Most High." Explaining, "Make everything you do a sacrifice..."

What does that mean? Sr. Lucia explained it thus: "I feel it would be good to impress upon people... the need for prayer and sacrifice - especially that one needs to avoid sin..." Indeed, the avoidance of sin as a penance!

In 1943, Sr. Lucia wrote; "God wishes that it be made clear to souls that the true penance he now wants and requires consists first of all of the sacrifice each one must make to fulfill his own religious duties and daily duties."

Later, in 1946 Sr. Lucia reaffirmed; "The penance which God now asks is this: the sacrifice which each person has to impose upon himself in order to lead a life of justice in the observance of his law. He wishes this way to be made known to souls with clearness, for many consider the word 'penance' to be great austerities, and not feeling the strength or generosity for such, become discouraged and remain in a life of tepidity and sin." - Sr. Lucia of Fatima;Fatima Today - The Third Millennium, Fr. Robert J. Fox

What recent Popes have said.

St. John XXIII:

"1.Doing penance for one's sins is a first step towards obtaining forgiveness and winning eternal salvation. That is the clear and explicit teaching of Christ, and no one can fail to see how justified and how right the Catholic Church has always been in constantly insisting on this. She is the spokesman for her divine Redeemer. No individual Christian can grow in perfection, nor can Christianity gain in vigor, except it be on the basis of penance ... 

5. Now we have only to open the sacred books of the Old and New Testament to be assured of one thing: it was never God's will to reveal Himself in any solemn encounter with mortal men—to speak in human terms—without first calling them to prayer and penance. Indeed, Moses refused to give the Hebrews the tables of the Law until they had expiated their crime of idolatry and ingratitude.  

  16. But of her children there are some who nevertheless forget the greatness of their calling and election. They mar their God-given beauty, and fail to mirror in themselves the image of Jesus Christ. We cannot find it in Us to threaten or abuse them, for the love We bear them is a father's love. Instead We appeal to them in the words of the Council of Trent—the best restorative for Catholic discipline. "When we put on Christ in baptism (Gal. 3.27), we become in Him an entirely new creature and obtain the full and complete remission of every sin. It is only with great effort and with great compunction on our part that we can obtain the same newness and sinlessness in the sacrament of penance, for such is the stipulation of divine justice. That is why the holy Fathers called penance 'a laborious kind of baptism'." -PAENITENTIAM AGERE

St. John Paul II:

"... Penance also means changing one's life in harmony with the change of heart, and in this sense doing penance is completed by bringing forth fruits worthy of penance. It is one's whole existence that becomes penitential, that is to say, directed toward a continuous striving for what is better. But doing penance is something authentic and effective only if it is translated into deeds and acts of penance. 

. 

In this sense penance means, in the Christian theological and spiritual vocabulary, asceticism, that is to say, the concrete daily effort of a person, supported by God's lose his or her own life for Christ as the only means of gaining it; an effort to put off the old man and put on the new; an effort to overcome in oneself what is of the flesh in order that what is spiritual may prevail; a continual effort to rise from the things of here below to the things of above, where Christ is."  - John Paul II  Reconciliation and Penance

Pope Benedict XVI:

"...Penance is a grace. 

There is a tendency in exegesis that says: Jesus in Galilee had announced a grace without condition, absolutely unconditional, therefore also without penance, grace as such, without human preconditions. 

But this is a false interpretation of grace.

Penance is grace; it is a grace that we recognize our sin, it is a grace that we know we need renewal, change, a transformation of our being.

Penance, being able to do penance, is the gift of grace. And I must say that we Christians, even in recent times, have often avoided the word penance, it has seemed too harsh to us.

Now, under the attacks of the world that speak to us of our sins, we see that being able to do penance is grace. And we see that it is necessary to do penance, that is, to recognize what is wrong in our life, open ourselves to forgiveness, prepare ourselves for forgiveness, allow ourselves to be transformed.

The suffering of penance, of purification, of transformation, this suffering is grace, because it is renewal, it is the work of divine mercy". - Holy Father's Homily, Idle Speculations 

Now why is that so hard to understand?

Recently Professor Robert George spoke at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast - what he said sure sounds to me like a good example modern day penance:

“The days of socially acceptable Christianity are over, the days of comfortable Catholicism are past. It is no longer easy to be a faithful Christian, a good Catholic, an authentic witness to the truths of the Gospel. A price is demanded and must be paid,” he said. - Source

So.  Does anyone still need to ask what penance entails?

"If anyone wishes to come after me, get over yourself, take up the burdens of your daily duty, and come after me." - Maybe Our Lord should have said it that way, huh?

Don't be scared.

Blessed Angela of Foligno, Penitent

Pope Benedict XVI on:

"Today I would like to speak to you about Blessed Angela of Foligno, a great medieval mystic who lived in the 13th century. Usually, one is fascinated by the heights of the experience of union with God that she attained, but perhaps too little consideration is given to the first steps, her conversion, and the long path that led her from the beginning -- the "great fear of hell" -- to the goal: total union with the Trinity.

The first part of Angela's life is certainly not that of a fervent disciple of the Lord. Born around 1248 in a well-off family, she remained orphaned of her father and was educated by her mother in a rather superficial way. She was soon introduced to the worldly environments of the city of Foligno, where she met a man, whom she married at 20 and with whom she had children. Her life was carefree, so much so that she looked down on the so-called "penitents" -- very widespread at that time -- those, namely, who to follow Christ would sell their goods and live a life of prayer, fasting, the service of the Church and charity.

Some events, such as the violent earthquake of 1279, a hurricane, the age-old war against Perugia, and their harsh consequences affected Angela's life, who became progressively aware of her sins, until she took a decisive step: She invoked St. Francis, who appeared to her in a vision, to ask him for advice in view of undertaking a good general Confession. In 1285, Angela went to confession to a friar in San Feliciano. Three years later, her path of conversion took another turn: the dissolution of her familial ties. Within a few months, the death of her mother was followed by the deaths of her husband and all her children. She then sold all her goods, and in 1291, joined the Third Order of St. Francis. She died at Foligno on Jan. 4, 1309." - Finish here.

If you ever wonder what you can do in the 'New Evangelization' - try penitence - it worked for Angela.

Penance in modern times...

Another option...

"Many persons," Sr. Lucia of Fatima explained, "feeling that the word penance implies great austerities, and not feeling that they have the strength for great sacrifices, become discouraged and continue a life of lukewarmness and sin." Then she said Our Lord explained to her: "The sacrifice required of every person is the fulfillment of his duties of his state in life and the observance of My law. This is the penance that I now seek and require."

It was in this same spirit that the Angel spoke to the children in 1916: "Offer up everything in your power as a sacrifice to the Lord in reparation for the sins by which He is offended, and in supplication for the conversion of sinners . . . More than all else, accept and bear with resignation the sufferings that God may send you." - Source

The duties of ones state in life is the ordinary way of sanctity, the 'little way', encompassing the practice of the virtues, and so on.  Accepting the sufferings of daily life, the sacrifice of selfish self-love - that is penance.  For instance, the virtue of temperance might be a good one to work on for many of us...  More deeply, if you really feel you are not doing enough... the mortification necessary to practice prayer is perhaps the best penance after ones duties.

Exercise and yoga and dieting = self love.

 

Words from the cross...*

"We are under the same sentence, we are suffering what our deeds deserve, but this man has done nothing wrong." - Luke 23

Sometimes we can hear the words of the Gospel over and over, prayerfully ruminate them in our hearts, know them by heart, understand them intellectually, even theologically, perhaps be convinced of them spiritually.  Then, in an instant, "He opens our minds to understand the scriptures"

"In aridity and emptiness the soul becomes humble. Former pride disappears when a man no longer finds in himself anything that might cause him to look down on others." - St. Edith Stein

Former friends and acquaintances read my blog from time to time.  They must, because I find comments which say things like, "Wow!  You have a lot of people fooled."  Or, "Why don't you tell them this or that."  Or, more accurately, "What a hypocrite." They are right of course.

Yesterday I pondered these things at adoration, recalling the Gospel of the rich young man from just a few days ago.  I cringed thinking how I so often imagined myself to have given up money and honors, good jobs, good friends, even family.... as well as having kept all the commandment since my youth - when in actual fact, I've only been able to keep the commandments since my last confession and the point to where I needed to go again.  As far as giving stuff up and trampling the world underfoot - what a delusion - I've either taken things back or found ways to fill the void.

Former acquaintances know these things about me.

"He who praises you deceives you." -John of the Cross quoting Isaiah.

"For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent." - Roman 16:18  (Talking about me here.)


*The Good Thief rebukes me.

The often ignored: S. Peter of Alcantara

Today was once the memorial of St. Peter, now supplanted by the feast of St. Luke, I think the memorial is currently observed on October 20 or 22.  However, I want to think of him today...

On October 18, 1562, he died peacefully in the Lord. St. Theresa saw his soul take its flight to heaven. Later he appeared to her and said: O happy penance that has merited for me such wondrous glory!"

St. Peter was instrumental in the origin of one of the largest reforms of the OFM. Known for his extraordinary penance and poverty, his spiritual guidance was sought out by such lights of 16th Spain, as St. Teresa of Jesus. His treatise on Mental Prayer is his most famous writing. The Alcantarines*, which implemented his teachings in a reform of the OFM, had a great impact on the evangelization of the New World. And thus through them, this work came to have great influence in Catholic spirituality throughout the Americas.

It is a well known fact that one of the greatest hindrances we have to attaining our final happiness and blessedness, is the evil inclination of our hearts, the difficulty and dullness of spirit we have in respect to good rules; for, if this was not in the way, it would be the easiest thing possible to run in the path of virtues, and attain to the end for which we were created. Concerning which the Apostle says, "I delight in the Law of God, according to the inward man; but I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin." (Rom. 7:22-23) This, then, is the universal cause of all our evil. One of the most efficacious means for overcoming this dullness and difficulty, and for facilitating this matter, is devotion; for as St. Thomas says, "Devotion is nothing else than a certain readiness and aptitude for doing good." For this takes away from our mind all that difficulty and dullness, and makes us quick and ready for all good. It is a spiritual refection, a refreshment, like the dew of Heaven, a breath and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, a supernatural affection. It so orders, strengthens, and transforms a man's heart, that it imparts a new taste and inspiration for spiritual things, a new distaste and abhorrence for sensible things. The experience of every day shows us this. For when a spiritually minded person rises from deep devout prayer, then straight away all his good resolutions are renewed, together with fervor and determination to do good; the desire then to please, and to love, a Lord so good and kind as He has then shown Himself to be, a willingness to endure fresh troubles, and chastenings, even to shedding blood for His sake, then, finally, all the freshness of soul is renewed and blooms again.

If you ask me, by what means so powerful and noble an affection of devotion is attained, the same holy teacher answers that it is by meditation and contemplation of diving things; for from deeply meditating and pondering over these things there springs up this disposition, and affection in the will, which is called devotion; and this stirs and moves us to all good. It is on this account that this holy and religious exercise is so extolled and commended by all the Saints, as being The Means of acquiring devotion, which, though it is but one virtue only, yet it disposes and moves one to all the other virtues, and exists as a general stimulus to them all. - Treatise on Meditation, S. Peter of Alcantara
 

Blessed Junipero Serra was an Alcantarine Franciscan. 

St. Mary of Egypt, penitent...

Hold the applause, please.

Today is the day I have been accustomed to commemorate St. Mary of Egypt, yet depending on where you are in the Catholic world, her feast is observed on the 5th Sunday of Easter, or April 1, 2, or 3.  It doesn't matter to me - I think of her today.

Mary of Egypt is a good patron for many modern day sinners like myself who have been given over to hedonistic excess at one time or another - looking for love in all the wrong places, and so on.  A prostitute, she went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem and made her services available on the way - sort of like adding an advertising app to her blog on which she promotes her conversion.  The lady just wanted to be loved, don't we all.  (Actually, she would often 'do it' for free, as she liked the sex.)

At the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Mary the Egyptian experienced a stunning conversion and fled into the desert to do penance.  She lived in solitude and silence, and chose not to keep a conversion diary, so we have little to go on as far as her life of penance goes.  Giving up her means of making a living and not cashing in on her conversion story proved costly - thus she went about the desert precincts naked, for decades, barely recognizable as woman or man, accepting the abundance of what little the desert had to offer... 

Approximately one year before her death, she recounted her life to St. Zosimas of Palestine who encountered her in the desert. When he unexpectedly met her in the desert, she was completely naked and almost unrecognizable as human. She asked Zosimas to toss her his mantle to cover herself with, and then she narrated her life's story to him, manifesting marvellous clairvoyance. She asked him to meet her at the banks of the Jordan on Holy Thursday of the following year, and bring her Holy Communion. When he fulfilled her wish, she crossed the river to get to him by walking on the surface of the water and received Holy Communion, telling him to meet her again in the desert the following Lent. The next year, Zosimas travelled to the same spot where he first met her, some twenty day's journey from his monastery, and found her lying there dead. According to an inscription written in the sand next to her head, she had died on the very night he had given her Communion and had been somehow miraculously transported to the place he found her, and her body preserved incorrupt. He buried her body with the assistance of a passing lion. On returning to the monastery he related her life story to the brethren, and it was preserved among them as oral tradition until it was written down by St. Sophronius. - Sorry, I took this from WIKI, although it is fairly accurate.

Conversions can be instantaneous, but they are ordinarily, only the beginning of a long process of purification.  Interestingly, when Our Lady instructed the penitent to go yonder across the Jordan into the desert, she said, "There you will find peace."  She never said happiness.  Today everyone seems to look for happiness and witnesses to their 'courage'.  Yet only true happiness can be had in heaven... at least that was what the Catholic Church taught when I was little.  As we once memorized from the Baltimore Catechism:

Question: Why did God make you?

Answer: God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in the next.

Today however, the prosperity gospel seems to have influenced American Catholics, who freely promote and sell their conversion stories.  Some, like Fr. Corapi, fail to understand that conversion is only the beginning of a long process... 'as long and as hard as life itself'.  (Angela of Foligno)

The Call of Fatima

Listen to the Pope.
.
Photos like that above always reminds me of some of the visions Bl. Jacinta Marto experienced of the Holy Father, outside of those documented visions of the Virgin to the three children which most people are familiar with now.  I have always felt that Benedict XVI is part of the secret Our Lady revealed - along with all of the popes of the mid-20th century onward.  People "new" to the Fatima message should understand that the Blessed Virgin revealed one secret which was separated into three parts - all of which have been revealed.
.
Pope Benedict stated in his homily today, "We would be mistaken to think that Fatima’s prophetic mission is complete."  This statement hearkens back to John Paul II's insistence that "the message of Fatima is more relevant today than ever."  Vigilant souls ought to recall that when Cardinal Ratzinger issued a theological interpretation of the third part of the Fatima secret he simply stated, These events "seem to be part of the past" - he never definitively relegated the secret to the past - he simply indicated they seemed to be.  Today we know otherwise.
.
Every allocution from Pope Benedict does not really need theological commentary or interpretation, the Holy Father speaks simply and humbly for our instruction, while his actions - his presence and visible devotion at Our Lady's feet - speaks more than words or commentary can convey.  Those of you who have hoped that the Holy Father would indicate something hidden regarding the third part of the secret would do well to remember what the theological interpretation of the Fatima Message from the Congregation For the Doctrine of Faith clearly states:  "Thus we come finally to the third part of the “secret” of Fatima which for the first time is being published in its entirety."  The document was signed by Joseph Ratzinger, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in 2000.  (Approved by JPII)  
.
Those interested in the Fatima message and secret would do better studying the Vatican documents on the subject than listening to, or reading sensationalized speculation on what the secret really says.  The Pope, the CDF, the Church is not out to deceive the faithful, but to save them from error.
.
That said, Rorate Caeli has posted the text of the Holy Father's homily here - without speculative commentary.