Part Four – Now Is Our Time

We are two days away from the conference Passion and Purpose with Matthew Kelly. Over the past three weeks we have examined eighteen chapters of his book, Rediscover Catholicism. In the last section of this book, Matthew explores our call to action in the three chapters we will review today: Time For A Change, Leadership, and Return to Virtue.

Chapter Nineteen - Time For A Change

The mission for Catholics in any age is to transform the world they live, work, and play in. All periods of history have faced unique challenges – our time is no different. The benefits of transformation are not limited to the individual, for as we are transformed, every activity, every person and every environment is transformed by our touch.

What does it take to create this needed transformation? Matthew says we need people willing to live life to its fullest - to be the example that will inspire others. We need people willing to change. It easy to say that the Church needs to change, but what we forget in making that statement is that we are the Church. So the real question becomes: Are you willing to change? Are we willing to become the change the Church needs?

Matthew notes that while there are many things we could focus on changing, he feels there are two that will be key to driving the type of lasting change needed: Education and Evangelization. Both of these are significantly flawed or at the very least woefully inadequate in the life of the Church today. Matthew asks how can it be possible that so many pass through the Catholic education system and know so little about the Church and their faith? How can so many graduate and not know how to build an effective relationship with God?

We cannot afford to lose another generation of Catholics. The Catholic education system has the potential to play an unfathomable role in the renewal of the Church. More than any other activity in the Church, education has a rare opportunity to reorient modern men and women toward God. We need to take a hard look at how budgets are being allocated and educational plans are being created to ensure we are engaging our young people in the Catholic faith.

The nature and purpose of the Church is to influence people and communities by bringing the life and teachings of Jesus Christ to life in every place and time. This is the effort of evangelization. Matthew proposes a four-step approach.

• Step One: We must begin to nurture friendships as the first Christians did. 
• Step Two: We must pray for the people we are trying to reach with life-giving values, principles, and ideas of the Gospel.
• Step Three: We need to tell our stories and the stories of the great people in the Church. Stories change people’s lives. 
• Step Four: We need to invite our friends and neighbors to outreach events at our local church.

Matthew admits that many will see this plan as too simplistic. But this plan was what made the early Church unstoppable. They believed that the values and principles of the Gospel were the best way to live. They nurtured friendships. They were deeply committed to a life of prayer. They were courageous in telling their stories. They were generous and welcoming. The primary vehicle that God wants us to use to share the truth, beauty, and wisdom of his ways is not mass media or the Internet. The vehicle God wants to use is friendship.  

Chapter Twenty - Leadership

People need leadership, and in the absence of genuine leadership they will listen to anyone who steps up to the microphone. Matthew feels we need an authentic Catholic leader who can speak to our people in ways that are bold, brilliant, logical, articulate, and inspiring. I feel we have that today with many people, lay and ordained, but most importantly with our Holy Father, Pope Francis.

Matthew points to several characteristics he feels we need in leadership. The first is courage. Everything in life requires courage. Courage is essential to the human experience. It animates us, brings us to life, and makes everything possible. The second is bold leadership. The famous German author, Goethe, wrote, “Be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid.” It is this boldness that the Church needs. The bold leader will be dedicated to the spiritual life, the prayerful life, the virtuous life.

The third and last characteristic is servant leadership. Jesus gave birth to this type of leadership. Unlike the kings, queens, and emperors who through history used their strength and power to rule, Jesus, the greatest leader of all time, did not come to be served but to serve. He ruled through his servant example and heart.

At different times, we are all called upon as leaders - some as mothers and fathers, others as CEOs and presidents, and yet others as priest and bishops. Whatever form of leadership we are called to, let us exercise it with one thing in mind: People don’t fail because they want to fail. People fail because they don’t know how to succeed.  

Chapter Twenty One - Return to Virtue

Matthew closes his book with a discussion on virtue. The only way for our lives to genuinely improve is by acquiring virtue. Similarly, it is impossible for a society to genuinely improve unless its members grow in virtue. The renewal that the Church so desperately needs is a renewal of virtue. And it is our relationship with Christ that gives us the strength, the grace, and the wisdom to grow in virtue. The catechism tells us that virtue is “a habitual and firm disposition to do good.”

The connection between virtue and the flourishing of an individual is unquestionable. To live a life of virtue is to move beyond the chaos and restlessness that agonize the human heart, and embrace a life of coherence. Similarly, the relationship between the virtue of the members of a community and the flourishing of their society is proven time and time again throughout history.

The Church has always proclaimed that the seven foundational virtues are the cornerstone of the moral life. This foundation is made up of the supernatural virtues (Faith, Hope, and Love) and the four cardinal virtues (Prudence, Justice, Temperance, and Fortitude). The supernatural virtues free us from self-centeredness and protect us from the ultimate vice - pride.

The cardinal virtues allow us to acquire the self-mastery necessary to make us free and capable of love. They do this by ordering our passions and guiding our conduct in accordance with reason and faith. The only way for our lives to genuinely improve is by acquiring virtue. To grow in virtue is to improve as a person. Virtues are the tools God uses to build the-best-version-of-ourselves. 

Matthew finishes the chapter with a wonderful statement on the power of hope. I hope . . . that I can live up to the gifts and talents God has given me. I hope I can have the courage to be a true friend, and a good parent. I hope I never stop striving to become the-best-version-of-myself. I hope I will have the courage to follow where his voice leads me. I hope we can build a world where our children can grow free and strong. And I hope we grow wise enough to realize that we have no better ally than Catholicism in achieving these hopes.

I hope . . . and that is a wonderful thing. Matthew asks us to join him in that hope and together we will awaken all men and women to discover the incredible dream God has for their lives and for the world.

Question

How do you intend to chart your path in life to be-the-best-version-of-yourself? 

In peace,
Dan 

Chapter Eighteen – The Rosary

Matthew is a wonderful storyteller. I cannot possibly do the opening story of this chapter on Mother Teresa justice other than to say what a wonderful way to bring to light the power of the humble rosary beads and a saint that taught us the beauty in a simple life dedicated to loving others.

Simplicity in life is such a rare thing to observe in our society. Our lives today are captivated by complexity. We complicate everything. When we look at something as pure and simple as the rosary, we discount what it can do in our lives. Catholics today have abandoned praying the rosary because of the allure of complexity. We have failed to see in its simplicity the peace it can provide our lives.

The genius of God is simplicity. Matthew notes that all the great leaders throughout history have agreed that the simplest solution is usually the best. If we desire to tap into the wonder and glory of God, we only need apply simplicity to our life and prayers and follow the example of Mother Teresa. She carried everything she owned in one small bag. Now that is living a life that says, "the only thing that counts in life is the simply pure love of God and of neighbor."

Matthew tells us that he began praying the rosary because it was a form of prayer that soothed him, both mentally and spiritually. Today he prays the rosary because he found it the simplest way to reflect upon the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. By praying the rosary, we can ponder many aspects of Jesus his life. Matthew spoke earlier in this book on the power of stories. There is none more powerful than that of Jesus Christ. The rosary helps us to know his story and teaches us to integrate it into our own lives.

The rosary also has practical spiritual benefits in its ability to help us grow in virtue. The fruit of the spiritual exercise of the rosary is an increase in the supernatural virtues: faith, hope and love. Virtue begets virtue. Eventually the habitual effort to practice virtue blossoms into spontaneous right action. Each decade of the rosary introduces practical examples of human virtues, and teaches us to practice these virtues in our own lives.

In the rosary we have twenty mysteries that beget twenty lessons in life, love, the attainment of virtue, and the genius of God’s plan for humanity. Matthew encourages us to explore these human virtues now, one decade at a time.

Question

Can you name the Four Mysteries of the Rosary? How can you integrate the habit of praying the Rosary into your daily routine? How do you plan to embrace a simpler life?

In peace,
Dan 

Chapter Seventeen – Spiritual Reading

Spiritual reading is an ancient tradition that is used to ignite the soul with a desire to grow in virtue and thus become the-best-version-of-oneself. In this chapter, Matthew harkens back to our discussion on the cause and effect relationship of thought and action we read in chapter thirteen on prayer, as he introduces the pillar of spiritual reading. Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body and prayer is to the soul. Like all spiritual exercises and activities, spiritual reading seeks to encourage us to live a life of holiness.

Throughout the history of the Church there have been many men and women who lived godly lives and then imparted unique wisdom gained through their lives of holiness in books. We obviously start with the Apostles and the divinely inspired Scriptures which is the first and foremost material for Spiritual reading. But we also have saints like John of the Cross, Ignatius of Loyola, Therese of Lisieux, Francis de Sales, and Teresa of Avila whose spiritual journeys are ones that we can tap into through their writings. Reading books by these men and women will allow us to see new things about God, things that we might never see on our own, things that will help us grow as we sojourn on the path to holiness.  

So how do we get started? Matthew suggests that we begin by reading the New Testament, specifically the four Gospels. The lives of the saints bear a particular relationship to Scripture. St Francis de Sales wrote, "There is no more difference between the Gospel written and the life of a saint than between music written and music sung." Once we have read the Gospels we can move on to some of the great spiritual classics. There are quite a few to choose from and Matthew suggests we use the following litmus test in selecting any book: Is this book inviting me to live a life of holiness?

How long should I read? Spiritual reading should be done a little at a time, from five to fifteen minutes a day, but every day without fail, barring some extraordinary crisis. It should be second in priority only to prayer. It is done for formation, not for entertainment, and thus doing only a small amount daily will keep the more interesting material from being read too quickly and not retained and the less interesting from being too painful.

Here are links to free downloadable PDF files of some great spiritual classics:

Abandonment to Divine Providence by Jean-Pierre de Caussade

Uniformity with God’s Will, by Saint Alphonsus Liquori

Ascent of Mt. Carmel, by Saint John of the Cross

Introduction to the Devout Life, by Saint Francis de Sales

The Dialog of St. Catherine of Siena, by Saint Catherine of Siena

The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, by Saint Ignatius of Loyola

The Imitation of Christ, by Thomas Kempis

The Practice of the Presence of God, by Brother Lawrence

Revelations of Divine Love, by Julian of Norwich

The Way of Perfection, by Saint Teresa of Avila

Poems of St. Therese, Camelite of Lisieux, by Saint Therese of Lisieux

Treatise on the Love of God, by Saint Francis de Sales

Remember, you don’t need to read for two hours every day, just fifteen minutes. But if you do it every day, you will begin to develop a daily discipline that will become part of your lifestyle, part of a new habit that is fundamental to becoming the-best-version-of-yourself.  

Question

What is the best book you have ever read? How did that impact your life?

In peace,

Dan

Chapter Sixteen – Fasting

Our age is in search of an authentic vision of the human person. Matthew asks: “Are we just intelligent animals? Or are we children of God? Are we here to grasp as much pleasure as possible in our brief time or is there a higher calling and purpose to our lives? The way we live, love, work, and participate in society is a direct result of the vision of the human person we subscribe to."

A large part of Matthew’s message on fasting is setup by his discussion on our preoccupation with appearance – namely the thirty billion dollars we spend on diet products. Matthew feels this is a sign of a society that has lost its discipline; a society that is looking for a quick fix; a society that wants a pill that lets them eat whatever they want without repercussions; a society that wants someone to tell us, “You can be healthy and happy without discipline.” The truth is that you cannot be healthy and happy without discipline – the two are directly related to each other.

This preoccupation with our appearance has a direct effect on our vision of the human person. We are a delicate composition of body and soul. This is the essential makeup of the human person. In our present form, the body is temporal, and the soul is eternal. The challenge that our lack of discipline creates is that the body is winning the battle over our soul for the focus in our lives. Fasting is one of the ingenious practices that can help us ensure the body does not become our master. NOTE: fasting is a habit and requires discipline.

One of the key purposes of fasting is to help us become aware of God’s presence in our lives and in the world around us. We know that before Jesus began his public ministry he fasted for forty days in the desert where he was tempted by Satan to abandon his fast. But Jesus replied, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Authentic Christian fasting helps to release us from our attachment to the things of the world and to focus on our eternal life.

While Matthew does an excellent job of providing information on the historical practice of fasting, with its numerous changes throughout our Church history, this is what the Church teaches today. In 1966, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops announced, “Catholics in the United States are obliged to abstain from eating of meat on Ash Wednesday and on all Fridays during the season of Lent. They are also obliged to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.”  

Today the practice of fasting is mostly exercised in the secular world as part of health cures, diet programs and ancient spiritual practices thought to “cleanse” the body of impurities such as oxidants. What is sad is that the world of individualism and hedonism has the discipline to fast but those professing a higher purpose to life have largely abandoned this practice. Matthew hopes that we will see the interrelationship between body and soul and the war that has been taking place; and then decide that our soul should have preeminence in our lives and not our body.   

Matthew suggest we make fasting part of our everyday spirituality by starting with small things, like making smarter decisions on how to react to our cravings. Want a Coke? How about a nice glass of juice or water instead? As we work these actions into our daily routine, as these become our new “habits,” we can move on do a whole day fast once a week (two small meals and one full meal and nothing in-between). Personalize your fast – make it our own special routine.

We can also fast from things other than food. Matthew started fasting from noise and movement. Others fast from judging others, criticizing, swearing, or any other bad habit you might be challenged with. The point of fasting is to turn ourselves away from those things that make us less-than-the-best-version-of-ourselves and towards God where we can become the-best-version-of-ourselves.  

Our lives change when our habits change. Matthew closes by reminding us that "our bodies are vehicles that God has given our souls to experience life in the material realm. Until we get a grip on our bodies, we will never get a grip on life. Until we learn to rein over our bodies we never really experience all that life can be."          

Question

When was the last time you fasted and what do you remember about it? What will be your first small step in making fasting part of your life's daily routine?

In peace,
Dan

Chapter Fifteen – The Bible

In Sacred Scripture, the Church constantly finds her nourishment and her strength, for she welcomes it not as a human word, but as what it really is, the word of God. In the sacred books, the Father who is in heaven comes lovingly to meet his children, and talks with them.

--- Catechism of the Catholic Church

The Bible is the most read book in the history of the world. Yet for many Catholics it remains a dust collector on the shelf. Why? For most Catholics, regular reading of the Scriptures is not part of their faith life. It is only during Mass that they encounter the Word of God. But as we have seen in the previous chapter on the Mass, so many of those attending Mass are disconnected from the worship. So is it a surprise that so many would also be disconnected from the Bible?

Matthew’s hope in this chapter is to reintroduce the Bible to Catholics in a manner that invites them to add the habit of regular Scripture reading to their daily walk with God. As he notes, there are many ways to begin a Bible study, and in large part, the best method will probably be the one that fits your learning style. I want to suggest, along with Matthew’s ideas, some thoughts from Father Felix Just on methods that have had great success in bringing lifelong Catholics into a love for reading the Scriptures.

Suggested Methods

Father Felix notes that since the Bible is not like most other books, simply starting at the beginning and trying to read all the way to the end (from Genesis to Revelation) is probably not the best way to proceed for most people. If you attempt this, you might find the books of Genesis and Exodus rather familiar and/or interesting, but you'll probably get confused by Leviticus, may get bored plowing through Numbers, and might quit even before finishing Deuteronomy. Here are a few recommended methods for beginning a study of the Scriptures.

Christo-centric - Matthew suggests a wonderful way to begin Scripture study – focus on Jesus – that means starting with the Gospels. Many of the passages in the Gospels will seem familiar from what you have heard at Mass. But reading them within the entire Gospel narrative will bring you into a new view of Jesus. You will know him differently, in a more intimate way. With this new understanding of Jesus, as seen through his Word, you will find your life transformed.  

  

Matthew says once you have familiarized yourself with the Gospels (starting with Mark first), he then suggest you turn to the fourteen narrative books he outlines in this chapter. These will help you to see God’s relationship with humanity. Below are some links to excellent commentary resources you might find helpful in your study: St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, Catholic Scripture Study International

Thematic/Theological – This involves reading portions of the Bible that are related to some theological, ethical, spiritual, liturgical, or other theme. For example, reading texts related to Jesus’ resurrection, or to an issue of social justice, or to Mary, etc. Here is a link to begin this study: Threshold Bible Study.

Liturgical/Lectionary - Many people find it good to read the short biblical selections that are used at daily and/or Sunday Mass, as found in the Lectionary for Mass, and then diving deeper into the Scriptures based on these passages. Readings for daily and Sunday Masses are available on the US Catholic Bishops’ website. There are also many excellent devotional journals that follow the liturgical readings and offer wonderful insights into God’s Word. Here is a list of a few of them: Magnificat, Give Us This Day, The Word Among Us, Living Faith. I will also offer a plug for the Daily Virtue which is a online resource that captures the best insights and stories from the devotional journals listed above, to provide a quick and easy way to daily center your life on God’s Word.

The Bible is the most influential book in history. Whether you are beginning your first quest to read the Scriptures or your next quest, Matthew encourages you to pay attention to the stories, questions, and prayers. The stories that fill the Bible are the stories of men and women and their struggles to walk with God, to make the journey of the soul, to surrender and allow God to save them.

Matthew tells us that questions are an integral part of the spiritual journey. The temptation is to despise questions because of the uncertainty they represent. But uncertainty is a spiritual gift designed to help us grow. Woven into the ageless stories and the great questions the Bible raises we will also find some of the most beautiful prayers ever written. The Bible is the richest treasury of prayers. Some of the prayers are obvious, like the Psalms, but others are treasures hidden among the stories, waiting to be discovered.

The Word of God deserves to be approached with reverence and awe. If you have not yet had a life-changing experience with the Bible, Matthew is excited for the opportunity this has to change your life.    

Question

When you think about the Bible, what thoughts, images, or stories come to mind? What method are you going to choose or do you presently use in your Bible study? Are you ready to be transformed?

In peace,
Dan

Chapter Fourteen – The Mass

“The Eucharist is ‘the source and summit of the Christian life’ . . . the efficacious sign and sublime cause of that communion in the divine life and that unity of the People of God by which the Church is kept in being. It is the culmination both of God's action sanctifying the world in Christ and of the worship men offer to Christ and through him to the Father in the Holy Spirit.” --- Catechism of the Catholic Church

• “Mass is about giving ourselves to God and in return we receive God”
• “I don’t get anything out of Mass” 
• “Mass is about gathering as a community to worship God”
• “Mass is not relevant to my modern life”
• “Mass is the Source and Summit of our Faith”
• “Mass is boring!”

Which of these statements resonate with your life? Matthew powerfully presents one of the biggest challenge the Church faces, the idea that attendance at Mass is declining because we are not “entertaining” the faithful. He says if we look around at a typical Sunday Mass, we will see many people totally disengaged - not momentarily distracted - but massively disengaged throughout the entire Mass. The issue is not the Mass – it’s with us. It’s how we approach and understand what the Mass is all about.

He writes that there are two things we need to do to make the Mass relevant in our lives. First, we have to change how we approach our Sunday encounter. We need to learn real and practical ways of listening to God’s voice at Mass. Secondly, we need a renewed understanding of what is going on at Mass and how it relates to our daily lives.

Matthew says the first suggestion comes from something he and his wife tried. Each Wednesday they review the readings for the following Sunday and talk about what resonates with each of them from the readings and why. Then when they attend Mass that Sunday, the readings are a familiar friend, the Word spoken draws them towards God. The Word draws them deeper into the Mass and worship celebration. This is because the Word of God needs opportunities to linger in our hearts and minds. Find what works for you and make it a habit.

A suggestion to build upon the idea of preparing for Sunday, involves walking into Mass, and in the quiet of your heart ask God, “show me one way in the Mass today that I can become a-better-version-of-myself this week.” Now, in order to capture what God tells you, Matthew suggest you begin writing down your thoughts and conversations with God in a Mass Journal. This can become a very powerful spiritual tool in building a new habit that will help change your whole experience of the Mass.  Imagine if you knew God was going to speak to you at Mass. I bet that you would want bring a pen and paper to capture what was said. Get yourself a Mass Journal. It will help make you a-better-version-of-yourself.

The second thing Matthew spoke about was the need for a renewed understanding of the Mass. He asks us if we have every experienced wonder when we were at Mass? Are we able to look beyond the routine actions of the Mass to see its timeless meaning? Do we sense the mystery and power of receiving and consuming Christ in the Eucharist? If you can’t answer these questions affirmatively, then Matthew suggest you need to rediscover the wonder that is in the Mass.

Starting at page 203 and going through page 210, Matthew takes you through the flow of the Mass, briefly explaining each part and how we should “engage” that element of worship. It is a short and beautiful look at the Mass that will help you see how the suggestions he has provided can truly help you grow spiritually in understanding the richness and power of the Mass in your life. 

Embrace the suggestions in this chapter and ensure you review the pages on the various parts of the Mass. You will be well on your way to becoming-a-better-version-of-yourself. Remember, we become more spiritual when we seek the will of God by establishing spiritual habits. Our lives change when our habits change.      

Question

What wonders have you experienced in life? What about Christianity is a wonder for you?

Here is the link to Matthew's Dynamic Catholic website where you can order your Mass Journal: http://cart.dynamiccatholic.com/Free-Mass-Journal-p/1mj-hc.htm

In peace,
Dan