A pandemic miscellany:

My parents, in assisted living in Decatur, found aggressive measures in their residence being taken relatively early. I am grateful for the management’s foresight. I have not seen Mom and Dad since early March. Needless to say, we keep in touch by phone.

Why do I have to go to Mass every Sunday?

It’s eerie, in a way, to be sitting out on my porch with the smell of freshly mown grass and the sight of flowering trees and look across at an empty church parking lot as we make our way through the coronavirus pandemic. I’ll be honest, it feels a little weird to be writing about why we have to go to Mass every Sunday when the faithful are not able to come to Mass! I’ll still answer the question, but I wanted to be authentic about the approach and wonder if the context may even allow for a deeper, or at least unique, perspective.

With the waves of change and winds of uncertainty buffeting us these days, I’m reminded of two “go-to” Scripture passages that I often reflect on in times like this:

“On that day, as evening drew on, he said to them, ‘Let us cross to the other side.’ Leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him. A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up. Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’ He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, ‘Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?’ They were filled with great awe and said to one another, ‘Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?’” (Mark 4: 35-41)

I want to go to confession, but I can’t due to the coronavirus. What is this I hear about making a perfect contrition?

One of the many inspiring messages from praying with the Sacred Scriptures is that God creates us to be in community. We are not intended to be isolated. We need to depend on, seek council from and encourage one another. In fact, this is the underlying assumption of why the New Testament was written. St. Paul mentors Timothy and Titus. He writes to the churches throughout Asia Minor encouraging and calling them to share community with one another. He simply follows the example of Jesus as he mentored his Apostles every day for three years.

Why do Catholics eat fish on Fridays and when did this start?
— Stan in Liberty

Please clarify the Catholic Church’s position on divorce. I had been taught as long as I remained unmarried after being divorced, I was still in good standing with the church, and could continue to receive the sacraments. I was recently researching mortal sins, and saw an article saying annulment was “permitted” by the church, but not divorce. I would sure appreciate clarification.

— Anonymous in our diocese

After the death of Jean Vanier on May 7, 2019, I wrote about his groundbreaking work in establishing relationships with people with intellectual disabilities.

I in fact had a personal memory: Mr. Vanier had spoken to my seminary nearly 40 years ago. I felt the genuineness of his willingness to carry out this most important work.

The evil one attempts to steal our peace in order to block our reception and response to God’s messages. Worries, anxieties, fears, wanton passions and inflamed anger are all ways that the evil one tries to agitate our spirit to make it unreceptive to the Holy Spirit. He does this by distracting us from the reality of the present moment. Instead, the devil tempts us to dwell on unpleasant thoughts of the past or the possible foreboding future. Neither of these is the reality of now. In this way, the evil one tricks and steals our peace and the possible grace-filled moments of the present.

During the agony in the garden, Satan used these tactics against Jesus. Satan tempted Jesus to think about all of the torture and pain that lay before him. Jesus dispelled the evil one with trust in his Father’s will revealed when he said, “… not my will but thy will be done.” In placing ourselves into the Father’s hands in trust, we will destroy the devil’s plan to tempt us into turmoil and despair. The Father will bring us safely through the most challenging difficulties and dangers, leading us to final victory!

Docility means trust — trusting in the will and plans of our Heavenly Father. He has a special plan and design for each of us in order to reach our destiny of eternal life. We need only trust him! Docility enables us to move with the Holy Spirit according to his plan. We are royal sons and daughters of God. There is not an end or purpose more grand or fantastic! We must trust him in order to achieve this.

Obedience, the final ingredient

Obedience is the necessary virtue for docility. We need to forge an obedient heart to be open to Christ and his church. The Israelites suffered indignities and exiles because of their hardened hearts. Ezekiel, the prophet, foretells of the time of the Messiah when new “fleshy hearts” would be given to God’s people. They (we) would obey his statutes and commands through the washing of the waters of renewal. (cf. Ez 36:24-29)

When we doubt or withhold our acceptance of the Catholic Church teachings, we are no longer living in obedience and faith. We only accept the teachings of the church that agree with our position. In other words, we believe only that which suits ourselves and reject anything that does not. In this case, we are not living with the obedience of faith, but following our own inclinations. These inclinations are fallen and will not lead us to the truth.

Next issue – Spiritual direction.

Why do the altar boys/girls stand on each side of the priest holding a candle now during the homily?

—Teresa in St. Elmo

What is the Catholic Church’s teaching on evolution?

— Stan in Liberty

Can you please tell us why the Feast of the Circumcision is deleted from the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church? I was raised over 70 years ago in our faith. I have the Missal with this in it. Now young Catholics have no idea it ever existed. Will you explain this?

— Joe in Jacksonville

Mary, our Blessed Mother, is the ultimate created expression of the Holy Spirit. Her guidance and understanding of the Holy Spirit are inexpressible. She is truly the Mother of God because God entrusted himself to her and he became Incarnate, the Redeemer of mankind. The Holy Spirit waited for her “yes,” then the Man-God was conceived in her womb.

In the books of Exodus and Numbers, Moses and the Israelites discerned and heard aloud the Word of God in the tent of meeting. The Ark of the Covenant, in a shimmering Cloud of Glory, dwelt in this tent. This is why it was the tent of meeting; it was literally the place on earth where God and man met and conversed.

It’s Oscar time!

I imagine that this note is surprising, coming from me. I do not see many movies. Regular readers of this column know that I am more into books than films. I am the type of person who, when I see a film based on a book I’ve read, find the film to be something of a cheat.

Our faith has its own “sniffer.” It can sniff out good doctrine from bad doctrine when our hearts are attuned to prayer and flexible in the hands of God. This is the gift of “spiritual sense.” Faith is the infused gift we receive at baptism that enlightens our spiritual intellect. It is capable of illuminating the mind and heart with supernatural instinct and insight, but only when we are living in accord with the teachings of the church.

The Holy Spirit speaks in a voice that is gentle, still and small; made audible especially to us. If we allow ourselves to become accustomed to this voice, we can learn to hear and obey him. The Holy Spirit speaks to us according to our unique frequency, so that when we receive a message, it is encrypted only for us!

All the readings are so serious from the Bible. Are there any readings that tell us, did Jesus have a sense of humor?

— Mike and Lynn in Sherman

The two fundamentals most lacking in the spiritual lives of most people today, I believe, are curiosity and imagination.

How can we grow in relationship with God if we are not the least bit curious about who he is and what he’s about?

In Chapter 13 of Matthew’s Gospel, our Lord gives us the parable of the sower. In this parable —a parable of the Kingdom of God—seeds are sown in various places: on bird-filled paths, rocky ground, shallow soil, amidst thorns and thistles, and on fertile soil. Only the fertile soil offered proper ground for the seed to sprout and grow.

In recent days, I have seen a couple of obituaries of theologian Father Johann Baptist Metz, who died at age 91 on Dec. 2 in Muenster, Germany.

I recall having written a paper in my theology studies on the virtue of hope, and having referred to Father Metz’s thoughts on hope.

 The exact origin of the Advent wreath is not fully known, however, there is much evidence to show that this was a Germanic tradition that dates back several hundred years, and the wreath was originally a pagan practice. The pre-Christian Germanic people would light the candles during the cold winter months to remind themselves that the light and warmth of longer days would return.

 Continuing from the last issue —most of us exhibit a combination of the four temperaments, but one usually predominates. Our temperaments are innate and hereditary. They are permanent and can be modified only secondarily without being totally eliminated. Acquiring the moral virtues are the greatest means to shape and modify the temperaments. This knowledge helps people to know themselves better, and to find good strategies for overcoming bad habits. In the last issue we examined the temperaments: sanguine and melancholic. The remaining two, choleric and phlegmatic:

My Protestant friends say if we truly believe it’s the body and blood of Christ in the Eucharist, when we receive the Eucharist, isn’t that cannibalism?

Would it be OK to take my high school age grandkids to the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum in Kentucky?

— Stan in Liberty

In my column of Sept. 29, I described a moment in high school in which my religion teacher, Sister Marie McCloskey, OSU, stressed that our God is passionate about the here and now as well as the hereafter.

As we learned from this publication in the Nov. 10 issue, Sister Marie died in New Orleans on Oct. 4 at age 105.

In the last issue the four temperaments were introduced: sanguine, melancholic, choleric and phlegmatic. These are based on the predominant characteristics of our own internal make-up. Most of us exhibit a combination of these temperaments, but one usually predominates. Our temperaments are innate and hereditary. They are permanent and can be modified only secondarily without being totally eliminated. Acquiring the moral virtues are the greatest means to shape and modify the temperaments. Spiritual writers and modern psychologists have utilized this knowledge to help people know themselves better, and to find good strategies for overcoming bad habits.

In continuing the subject of the sacrament of reconciliation and purification from sin, there are some interesting concepts to help us understand our tendencies, strengths and weaknesses. Ancient spiritual writers have delineated some components of our human psyche that, once identified, can assist in uncovering root causes for certain types of behavior. These components, known as temperaments, are inclinations and reactions that each person has with regard to a given stimulus. For example: When we are assigned a huge task; or have a large block of free time; or find ourselves at a party — how do we react to these situations?

Why is it a sin for a Catholic who is divorced but then remarries without an annulment from the Catholic Church? What should that person do if they find themselves in that situation now?

What is for sure is that people throughout history have wanted to believe they exist. Why? Perhaps because the existence of ghosts would seem to affirm our belief in the immortality of the soul.

While neither the Code of Canon Law nor any ecumenical council has made any official statement about ghosts — which is simply a German word for spirit — the modern Catholic Dictionary tells us a ghost is a disembodied spirit, and that God may and sometimes does permit a departed soul to appear in some form to people on earth. Their purpose among us may be to assure us of their safety or most importantly, to ask for our prayers.

“If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly, he should pray to God and he will give me life. This is only for those whose sin is not deadly. There is such a thing as deadly sin, about which I do not say that you should pray. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not deadly.” 1 Jn 5: 16,17

This passage teaches us about mortal and venial sins. St. John the Apostle instructs us that praying for those whose sins are mortal has no affect. This is because mortal sin can only be removed by sacramental confession. This begs the question: What is a mortal sin that I may avoid it?