Novena to St Genesius Day 6

Called to be Prophets

One of the titles given to Pope St John Paul II is that of "Witness of Hope". His biographer George Weigel, had asked the Pontiff what he would like to remembered as, and St John Paul replied "As a witness to hope". Hope is considered by some to be the forgotten virtue, and yet it is one we need most today. When the darkness surrounds you, and the light cannot be seen, it is hope that keeps the soul fresh and at peace, reminding it that the dawn is never far off. Though we hear so much of progress, as our society is redesigned and human nature redefined and reshaped, in reality there are many crumbling beneath the burden of despair. Our brave new world is not a better world, it is more brutal and despite the enthusiasm and optimism, there is a shadow moving over the hearts and souls of our people. Though despised and persecuted, dismissed or mocked, Christianity is the only thing that can offer hope and light because it offers Christ. His disciples are prophets of hope, who go out into the midst of the world to share that hope which sustains them. 

NOVENA PRAYERS

Prayer to St Genesius

Holy St Genesius,

martyr for Christ,

by the grace of the Holy Spirit

through your acting 

you came to discover

the truth of the Christian faith.

In your first profession of that faith

you were baptized through the shedding 

of your blood,

offering your life for the praise and glory

of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Pray for those who dedicate their lives

to the theatrical and cinematic arts.

Like you may they find the presence

of the Lord in their work 

and generously open their hearts

to his teaching,

living it in the midst of the challenges 

and demands of their calling.

In this novena, I remember most especially…., commending him/her to your care.

Let us pray: 

Eternal Father, in your love you call all men and women to come to know you and to share in your divine life. Through the intercession of your martyr, Genesius, who responded so generously to the grace of conversion, grant that the same grace may be given to those who as yet do not know you, and may be renewed in those who do. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for healing through the intercession of St Genesius

Lord Jesus,

you took pity on the blind Bartimaeus

and healed him;

you raised Lazarus from the dead

and freed Mary Magdalen from seven

devils to count her among your disciples.

You made the blind see, the deaf hear,

the dumb speak, the lame walk,

you cleansed lepers and cast out demons.

You preached the Good News to the poor 

and bless those who are faithful to you.

Through the intercession of your 

faithful martyr, Genesius, 

grant your healing and consolation to the sick. 

Give them the strength to carry their Cross 

in union with you.

(We remember in particular _________.)

Help us to remain faithful to you in health 

and in suffering, conformed to your Cross; 

open our hearts to your will 

so your grace may transform our lives. 

"Only Have Faith"

Watch this space!  After all the abuse scandals of the past twenty years, is there about to be a subtle u-turn concerning the legitimacy of paedophilia?

We know that in the Sixties and Seventies various organisations in the West, including some here in Ireland were working towards the normalisation of paedophilia in society.  The American Man Boy Love Association was one of the most prominent of these organisations.  To put it in official language, the aim of these associations was to reduce, or get rid of, the age of consent so as to enable inter-generational sexual contact.  Such opinions were uttered as recently as last year here in Ireland. It was the abuse scandals in the Church which led to a stalling of these organisations lobbying: the public were rightly horrified, so the climate was not favourable to lobbyists.  However, are they getting the campaign cranked up again?

Here is an article on CNN's website by James Cantor asking if paedophiles deserve sympathy?  It is an article looking at the nature-nurture debate.  Chelsea Schilling offers a few reflections on the article here.  The question one might ask: if they are saying someone is born that way, can we assume, then, that it is wrong?  If people begin to answer that question in the affirmative, then interested parties may well be laying the foundation for the new "civil rights issue of this generation".  Watch this space.  We may soon find ourselves trying to argue against the tide of those who believe "minor-attracted" people should be allowed to live as they see fit.

In related news, here's a good article by Michael Kelly on the abuse crisis in Ireland - how canon law was not the problem - it was not to blame for the Church in Ireland's pitiful response to child abuse, but rather its being ignored.   It was the liberal attitude that rules and laws do not matter anymore that created a climate in which a false view of love and compassion neutralised the Church's strict laws and punishments due to offenders. 

And here's another example of secularists's tolerance with regard to those who disagree with them.  Jane Pitt, Brad Pitt's mother, is pro-life and pro-marriage, as are many millions of Americans. She expresses her opinion, as is her right in a democracy, but she is attacked, reviled and even threatened, and the media hang her out to dry and paint her as a bigot.   Jane said that she will not be voting for Barack Obama because he is pro-gay marriage and pro-abortion (which he is) and she advised Christians not to dismiss Mitt Romney because he is a Mormon (which is correct and fair).   Journalism worthy of Pravda during the darkest days of Soviet oppression.

I was in a book store yesterday and I saw the pornographic novel Fifty Shades of Grey was number one in the store's bestseller chart.  I have heard a few debates about the novels and it seems some of our secular feminists have no problem with them - the books tell the story of what is, in all intents a purposes, an abusive relationship in which a man uses a woman for his own pleasure.  Some would say it is not abusive since the woman consents: well, that's the subject of the debates.  Pia de Solenni has a few interesting points to make on this issue.

And here is an interesting article on democracy, tyrants and the role of constitutions in keeping public order.  In recent years we have come to see constitutions are pliable - they can be changed.  Of course they can be amended; but as they are, we need to be careful and ask the simple question: in changing parts of a constitution are we undermining the whole?  If, as Fr Schall in this article points out, a constitution is there to help keep public order, can we constantly subject it to human whims which may, in the end, create disorder and chaos?  Have we not been a little flippant with the constitution in Ireland in recent years?  The present government has initiated a constitutional reform process in which a number of amendments will be considered among them gay marriage and the abolition of the upper house of parliament (this, I think, is a bad idea too - reform the Senate, make it more democratic, but do not abolish it - we need an upper chamber to keep an eye on the lower).

Fr Schall also reminds us of what Plato and Aristotle teach us - something which is undeniably true today because we can see it happening before our eyes: "[A] tyrant arises out of a democracy when the citizens have little or no inner principle of order other than what they will for themselves. The tyrant becomes the “leader of the people” and, finally, their master. He can impose on them his cure for their well-being. But he is seen as a savior because the people, no longer in contact with the rationale of their own tradition, have little else in their souls with which to judge him. Hence, the loyalty and enthusiasm [to] follow the “leader.”" The sidelining of religion to the private sphere coupled with the establishment of an secular "church" and a selfish concentration on individualism and personal desires is a perfect breeding ground for tyrants.

And today is the feast of St Benedict, patron of Europe.   A man who helped preserve the Christian faith in Europe, and the best of European culture and civilisation with it, he is a worthy patron of these times.  We pray that he will watch over all of us and help us in our needs; given the issues above, we certainly need his intercession.  One thing the Holy Patriarch teaches us is that we must never lose hope. Looking at the attack on the Church, and indeed on what is best in humanity, I see the devil at work, and he seems to be desperate.  He must know something great is coming, a great flowering of faith, and he is doing what he can to stop it.  As followers of Christ we must always remember that the victory is already won.  So we must not be afraid and we must have confidence.

Here's a video on Pope Benedict's visit to the tomb of St Benedict in 2009 - the Holy Father has some interesting things to say:

The Lesson From St Matthew

The call of St Matthew has been a story which has always fascinated me.  Apart from the generosity of the Lord in admitting into his service one who had a notorious past - always a consolation to a sinner like myself as I reflect on my own call to the priesthood; the manner of the call of the Apostle is very interesting.

We all know what happened - it is the story offered to us in the Gospel reading today as we celebrate the Apostle's feast day - and from St Matthew's own hand too.  The Lord simply passes the tax collector as he is siphoning the money from the Jews and calls him: "Follow me", and Matthew just gets up and follows him.  What happened in the heart of this man?  Though we read from St Matthew's own account, he tells us nothing of what led him to get up straight away and leave all to follow Jesus.

Conversion is a most mysterious process - one which happens in the mystery of grace and at the deepest level of our being.  Most of the time it is a long process as in the case of St Augustine, Blessed John Henry Newman and GK Chesterton, but we also have sudden conversions - rare events which shock the protagonist as much as the observer; two of the Apostles experienced such conversions, St Paul and St Matthew.   As those who are converted slowly struggle to take the final step, sudden converts seem to be born fully grown and determined.  Paul needed a time of blindness and a period in the desert, but St Matthew is already prepared to fly into the Lord's service, becoming one of the twelve and being admitted into the secrets of the Sacred Heart.

We will never know, I suppose, what happened in St Matthew's heart - not here on earth anyway, because he may not have known himself at that time: perhaps he only knew that here standing before him was his Lord and what he was offering was much greater than what he had been living up to then.  It may have taken a surge of faith, a leap into the dark as the philosopher Kierkegaard would say, or perhaps there was already a hunger which suddenly found its satisfaction in the one whose voice touched his heart.  It was a personal encounter between Christ and Matthew, an encounter between them in the very core of his soul.

As we reflect on this mystery, though, we might look into our own hearts to rediscover what led us to follow Christ.  Perhaps we had a conversion - I believe all of us must have one, even cradle Catholics - that moment when we hear the voice of the Lord and make the decision to get up and follow him.  Meditating on this today, we might experience that moment again, relive it so as to be renewed in it, for it was a moment of grace.  In these difficult times, we need to harness that moment, perhaps daily, in order to continue to serve and follow him with confidence and hope.  To remember that being a Christian is as much a personal thing as a public thing - we are called to follow the Lord at level of our being, in every moment of our lives - in intimacy and in public witness.  This is why the call of St Matthew is so fascinating because so little is revealed and yet we know that there is so much going on: so too in us.

As he got up and left his counting table, St Matthew did not know what lay ahead, and neither do we; but as he walked behind his Lord he was sure that all would be well as long as he stayed close to Jesus: this is also true for us.