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Issue # 06072016 June 7, 2016
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NOTE: Fr. Casciotti is in and out of town over the next few weeks retreat, vacation, and Jesuit business. In his absence several members of the staff will fill in as guest columnists for Fr. Casciotti's feature column, "The Main Thing". This week's column is written by John Odean.
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A Sincere Faith
How many of you have signed off your letters "sincerely" without giving much thought to the origin of the word? Sure, we all have - probably from the time we were taught to write more formal correspondence. You might be interested to know the etymology of this English word actually comes from two Latin words - sine (which means without), and cerâ (which means wax). Essentially, every time I sign off a letter with the word 'sincerely' I am saying "without wax, John." Rather strange, huh? Here's the context...
In the ancient world, artisans who made marble statues might, on occasion, deliver a misplaced blow with a hammer and chisel and off would fly a piece of the nose or an ear. Or, more often they would choose a less than perfect piece of marble with slight cracks in it. To hide the mistakes and imperfections, they would fill the defected areas with wax - nearly indistinguishable to the untrained eye.
The same thing occurred with rather dishonest Roman home builders. They would use lesser quality slabs of marble in erecting residences in order to sell at reduced rates, and cover up the defects with a cement of which white wax was the chief ingredient. In these situations, the customers were none the wiser until sometime later when the deception revealed itself under an exceptionally hot sun, and the wax melted. Sine cerâ (without wax) became the declaration of honest artisans and builders, meaning "what you see is the real thing."
In the book of 1 Timothy we find the Apostle Paul counseling his younger colleague and delegate Timothy regarding his ministry to the church in Ephesus. By the time we reach chapter 5 Paul is encouraging young Tim who is having significant 'people problems' in the church of several thousand. Tim appears to be suffering the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune (to quote Hamlet) on behalf of the Gospel of Christ. Into this Paul reminds the young pastor of the bottom line of what he is called to do.
"... the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." - 1 Tim. 1:5
What Paul is telling young Timothy is that, "the end result of everything you are instructing as a pastor, is to teach people to 'agape' one another - to learn to love unconditionally as God does." Of course this can only happen as we allow God to fill us with himself, his Spirit, because he alone is the source of unconditional 'agape' love. Paul tells Timothy, that the ability to become the conduit of God's 'agape' towards others is to maintain a pure heart, which comes from allowing Jesus to cleanse us over and over again...and from (here it comes) a sincere faith - "the real thing faith" - "a faith without wax".
And so there we have it - Paul is saying that the summation of all of the church's efforts is to help people experience the unconditional, never-ending love of God...that they might have a 'real' and 'wax free' faith in God that will not fade or melt away as the heat of life rages around them.
That's what I want, don't you?...and that's my prayer for you as Fr. Casciotti is away this week.
Without Wax,
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...and the school year winds to a close
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NEED SOME 'PRACTICALS' ON HOW TO HAVE A FUN AND MEANINGFUL SUMMER? HERE'S A BUNCH OF IDEAS.
We offer you a list of ideas to keep 'summer' minds and bodies busy. Kids can choose any activity they are interested in and complete them in any order they like (your children might enjoy checking them off as they complete them). Some items require parental permission but others are suitable for kids to complete on their own. Many can be done with the entire family. - Have an old fashioned weenie roast-and make your own condiments. There are over 100 recipes for mustard in the below links:
http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/5/Best_Tomato_Catsup15315.shtml
- Interview your grandparents. They're interesting people! Find out what games they played when they were young, what their parents were like (your great-grandparents), what kind of clothes they wore, etc. If you can, record the interview. You'll be glad you did. http://genealogy.about.com/cs/oralhistory/a/interview.htm
- Learn a new talent. What do you really wish you could do? Talk to your parents about it-they can help you achieve your goals.
Read More
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How to Pray When You Don't Feel Like It
What you can learn from King David.
Have you ever thought of King David as a good teacher for prayer? Reading his Psalms the other day, I became very aware of how much we can learn from the way he prayed. The way he viewed and treated God and the way he saw himself through God's eyes-these gems show themselves brightly through David's prayers. If we prayed more like him, I bet we could have the same kind of closeness he had with God.
Here are six features to David's prayers that we would be blessed to follow: 1. Heartfelt Honesty When David speaks to God in the Psalms, he does it out of the depth of his heart. His words come out of a place of intense emotion-whether it be fear, sadness or frustration.
It didn't matter what he felt, David embraced it and lifted it to God. And rather than carefully choosing or censoring his words, David shared with unabashed honesty. He felt close enough-comfortable enough-with his best friend to share his heart. He knew simply, that God could handle all that it felt in any given moment. Read More
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Worship with Offerings, Liturgy, and Prayer for Others
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POOR BOX
Each weekend St. Ignatius specifies a Poor Box collection for a needful cause. This week's support goes to
Vulnerable Families in Crisis
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MASS MUSIC
Here is the listing for the
music selections at next Sunday's 10:30 Mass.
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PERSECUTED CHRISTIAN REPORT
Weekly updates on Christian persecution around the globe. Keep a prayerful watch on what is happening with your brothers and sisters!
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New Reeves Gallery Exhibition Opens This Sunday
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Kylish P. WInborne to Present Exhibit "Blooms" beginning Sunday, June 12 in Reeves Gallery
Kylis P. Winborne is a Baltimore, Maryland artist and has worked in various mediums for the last forty plus years. His early life was when he really discovered an interest in the arts and was supported by his family. After graduating from high school, he attended and graduated from Maryland Institute College Of Art. Not long after graduation he began working at The Maryland Center For Public Broadcasting as Graphic Designer and received many awards for design. He then left MPT to become a staff artist at WJZ-TV in Baltimore for 28 years. In addition to working full-time as a professional designer, Winborne has participated in many exhibitions of his paintings and drawings. His compositions have been characterized as intensely vibrant colors with bold form and structure. Recently Winborne has worked in the digital genre and exploring his personal interest in applying the process of making art using twenty-first century design instruments.
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Wednesday, June 8 - 7 PM
Interfaith/Ecumenical Committee Meeting - if you are interested in joining or learning more about the Interfaith Committee, this is the meeting for you. The Interfaith Committee plans our yearly New Year's Eve City Wide Interfaith Prayer Service, and several other interfaith gatherings throughout the city during the year. If you're interested, we'd love to have you. We will meet at the Parish Offices at 110 E. Madison Street. For more information contact Donna Price at dprice4270@gmail.com.
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Thursday, June 9 - 6:30 PM
Justice & Peace Committee - is dedicated to the service of faith and the promotion of justice. We are organized through subcommittees that identify particular programs to more effectually: serve the poor and focus on hunger and homelessness in Baltimore City; support Immigration advocacy and projects; advocate for economic justice and legislative initiatives, e.g. paid sick leave and affordable housing; and provide an environment that supports and advocates for racial justice, and develops diversity in our community. Read More
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Tuesday, June 14 - all day
Day of Prayer at Chapel Point with Fr. Bill Watters, SJ - Our own beloved Fr. Watters is leading a guided day of prayer and reflection at historic St. Ignatius Church in Chapel Point, Port Tobacco, Maryland. This event is being presented by the Maryland Jesuit Province and looks like it will be a really wonderful and spiritual experience For more information, click here.
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Tuesday, June 14 - 6:30 PM
The Inigo Book Group will meet on Tuesday, June 14 in the Parish Offices at 110 E. Madison Street to discuss The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell with Bill Moyers. The meeting begins with social time at 6:30 - 7:00 which is followed by the discussion until 8:30. Any questions? Please contact Catherine Young at pianocate2@gmail.com.
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Thursday, June 16 - 7 PM
Young Adult Movie Night - Join the Young Adults for a showing of Pope Joan on Thursday, June 16 at 7:00 PM in Ignatian Hall.
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Friday, June 17 - 6 PM
Young Family Ministry - Please join the Young Family Ministry for an evening at the free concert series in Belvedere Square on Friday, June 17. Music begins at 6 PM and there are plenty of opportunities to buy food and drink both before and during the concert. There is also lots of room for kids to run around and a children's activity area as well. We will find a table to meet up so we can sit and enjoy the evening together. For more info: http://belvederesquare.com/events/ Please email Laura Paulin ( laurapaulin@gmail.com) to RSVP so we can have an idea of who to look out for. Hope to see you soon!!
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Monday, June 20 - 2 PM
The Cultural Arts Committee will be held on Monday, June 20 at 2:00 PM at the Parish Offices: 110 E. Madison Street. If you are interested in participating in this committee which plans musical events as well as art gallery showings, poetry readings and dramatic presentations, you are welcome!
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Wednesday, June 22, 7:30 PM
Prayer Service for Peace in the Middle East - On the 22nd of every month somewhere in the Baltimore area, people of all faiths gather in a church, mosque or synagogue to pray for peace in the world, particularly in the most troubled areas including the Middle East. On June 22, the interfaith prayer service will take place in the Chapel of Grace at St. Ignatius Church at 7:30 PM. Yara Cheikh will be the main speaker, updating us on the situation in Syria. Mark your calendars now and plan to come and pray for peace in our world!
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Sunday, June 26 - 9:30 AM
Respect Life Ministry - promotes church teaching on the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death both in the parish and in the community. You are welcome to join us to see all that St. Ignatius does to impact both our church and the surrounding geographic area. The meeting will be held in Gonzaga Hall. For more information contact Jerry Lawler at jlawler0@gmail.com.
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Monday, June 27
Young Adults - The Young Adults Summer Book Club will start the week of June 27th! This summer, we'll be reading My Badass Book of Saints: Courageous Women who Showed Me How to Live by Maria Morera Johnson. This spiritual memoir weaves in her life experiences with the lives of 24 inspirational and faithful women. If you want to join our book club, which will meet weekly for 6 weeks, fill out this survey!
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Tuesday, June 28 - 7 PM
Embracing God's Gifts - You are invited to join members of our gay and lesbian community at 7:00 PM on the 4th Tuesday of each month. This month's meeting will be held in Ignatian Hall as we welcome Tom Bonderenko of Moveable Feast who will share his unique story and discuss ways we can become involved with this extraordinary ministry. This group is open to anyone interested in fostering support, maintaining communications, and encouraging social activities among diverse members of our parish. For more information, contact Gordon Creamer at themissionbridge@yahoo.com. To learn more about the Embracing God's Gifts Ministry click here.
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Thursday, June 30 - 7 PM
Young Adult Movie Night - Join the Young Adults for a showing of The House I Live In on Thursday, June 30th at 7:00 PM in Ignatian Hall. For the past 40 years, the war on drugs has resulted in more than 45 million arrests, $1 trillion dollars in government spending, and America's role as the world's largest jailer. Yet for all that, drugs are cheaper, purer, and more available than ever. Filmed in more than twenty states, The House I Live In captures heart-wrenching stories of those on the front lines - from the dealer to the grieving mother, the narcotics officer to the senator, the inmate to the federal judge - and offers a penetrating look at the profound human rights implications of America's longest war. For more information, click here.
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Kids Want What We Teach Them To Want
Habit proves to be powerful liturgy.
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"Do your kids ever complain about going to church every week?" my friend asks.
She and her husband were raised in small countryside churches in the south of France, and while they were never zealous for the faith, they dutifully attended mass on Christmas and Easter until recent years. My friends accept the seeming inevitability of spiritual lapse. Sunday worship, hardly exhilarating in its own right, stands to compete with birthday parties, competitive sports, and the luxury of sleeping late.
Remarkably, our five children don't complain. This isn't to say that our 13-year-old son doesn't occasionally look bored during the sermon. It isn't to deny that our twin eight-year-old boys wiggle distractedly during prayer, asking in loud whispers, "When is this going to be over?" On any given Sunday, our children may be more or less engaged in the 90-minute liturgy that moves us from a call to worship to a final benediction, but they do come willingly. Read More |
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Crux
Washington Catholic Parish's New Pastor Brings Along His Wife
MARYSVILLE, Wash. - When Father Tom McMichael arrived at St. Mary Catholic Church in January, he had already introduced himself in a "Pastor's Page" letter on the parish website. In his note, he wrote of looking forward "with joy and hope" to serving at the church.
And he added a surprising detail: "I am a Catholic priest and I am married." Read More
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America Magazine:
Muhammad Ali, Fighter With Fists and Words - The 12-year-old boy in Louisville, Ky., was upset. He had his red bicycle stolen from him. He told the policeman, Joe Martin, that he wanted nothing more than to give a good "whuppin'" to the person who did that to him. The policeman looked at the hurting young man and said that if he was going to do that, he'd need to "learn how to box first." Read More
Pope Francis: Seek Healing and Justice for Victims of Human Trafficking - In a strong, encouraging speech, Pope Francis called on judges and prosecutors attending a Vatican summit on human trafficking "to pay special attention to justice" and to the "organized crime" that is linked to trafficking. Read More
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Sojourners Magazine
'Radical' Politics? - There is a lot of talk today about "radical" politics. Depending on your political affiliation, the candidates on the other side often look "radical" and "extreme." "Radical" comes from the Latin word radix, meaning "root." For something to be "radical" it should cut to the root of our problems, which politics rarely does. Read More
The Baylor Crisis Isn't About Football. It's About Women's Lives - In the past week, we've all seen the news of upheaval at Baylor University: its president Kenneth Starr reassigned (he later resigned as chancellor), its star football coach Art Briles suspended with intent to terminate, its athletic director Ian McCaw sanctioned (he later resigned) - all after an independent review summarized the administration's failure to properly investigate reports of sexual assault over a number of years. Read More
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Catholic News Agency
New Saints Show the Power of Jesus' Resurrection, Pope Francis Says - St. Stanislaus of Jesus and Mary and St. Maria Elizabeth Hesselblad are key examples of how to unite oneself to Jesus' Passion and death, as well as the power of his resurrection, Pope Francis said Sunday, after canonizing the two.
"In the Passion of Christ, we find God's response to the desperate and at times indignant cry that the experience of pain and death evokes in us," the Pope said June 5. Read More
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The Jesuit Post
The World Needs More Fist Bumps -
When trying to make the world a better place, we often think about volunteering, donating to charity, taking care of the environment, or advocating for political change. And we need all those activities.
Perhaps, however, we need to add another item to our to-do list: giving more fist bumps. Read More
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READER NOTIFICATION:
"Parish: the thought" is a publication of St. Ignatius Catholic Community, Baltimore. Each edition contains articles and news feeds that are included for awareness of current topics in our world today. The positions expressed by outside authors and news feeds are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions or positions of St. Ignatius Catholic Community or its staff.
- This e-zine was compiled by John C. Odean
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