• FEAST October 11 & 12, 2009

• FEAST November 22 & 23, 2009

• FEAST January 31 & February 1, 2010 (Cancelled)

• FEAST March 14 & 15, 2010

• FEAST May 2 & 3, 2010

FEAST October 11 & 12, 2009

Worship–Not Just for Sundays Anymore!

Scripture

For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst. ~~Matthew 18:20

And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. ~~Colossians 3:17

But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. ~~Matthew 6:6

Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. ~~1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Quotes & Thoughts

Some reflections on the terms “worship” and “liturgy” as they apply to the focus on domestic church:

These two terms, “worship” and “liturgy,” are both legitimate terms in a Catholic vocabulary. Yet, they are often used in ways that make them seem either interchangeable, or as if one replaces the other, or even too limited.

Let me explain. Worship is a form of prayer that places the person (or persons) in a posture of praise, glorification, or any sort of exaltation of God. Worship can be carried out by an individual, alone and privately, or by a number of persons, together and communally.

Liturgy is worship but ALWAYS involves a number of persons together and communally. So, it is correct to say that liturgy is public worship. In that sense the two terms are “interchangeable,” but not fully. Liturgy is not another word for worship, it is a particular kind of worship: worship done by an assembly of people no part of which is private. So, worship is the broader term, and liturgy is the more specific term. So, the Mass is worship that is liturgy, or “liturgical worship.”  Likewise, if there is one person, or there are even a group of people, in a chapel where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved and the person, or all the persons, are involved in private devotional prayer, this is worship but not liturgical worship. If one person began to lead the group in a more formal set of ritual prayers – such as Benediction with the Blessed Sacrament that engages the group in a ritual they are carrying out together (not just doing privately at the same time in the same place together) – it becomes worship that is liturgy. So, most of the time, liturgy describes a ritual where someone leads the group in communal prayer, action, singing, etc.

One way that “liturgy” has come into our vocabulary in a way that is too limited is by calling the Mass “the liturgy,” as if the Mass alone is liturgy. This is a common practice, and is okay as long as people realize that the Marriage Rite, even when it doesn’t involve Mass, is also a liturgy. When a penitent celebrates the Rite of Reconciliation with the priest or an Anointing of the Sick takes place in a hospital or in the home of the sick person, these are all liturgy because they involve people in something that is personal (touches them personally) but is not private (because it engages all the people present in a common action of worship).

Inviting people to worship at home is not nearly the same thing, then, as inviting them to carry out liturgy in their home. It’s not uncommon for people to worship at home – that is, to use private forms of prayer that give praise, glory, etc. Reciting the rosary, a novena, or even praying with the bible can all be what we would call “domestic worship.”

It is quite another thing for us to ask people to gather together at home to pray as a domestic church. In this case, they are carrying out a prayer together that engages them in one another’s prayer with a ritual that they are experiencing/doing as a common action. This is what would we would mean by “domestic liturgy.” Inviting people, resourcing them, assisting them to make that kind of worship part of their domestic church life – that is a very different challenge! Some examples of domestic worship that is liturgy would be

• an evening ritual where people sign each other with the cross and pray for each other to be kept safe during the night

• praying together before the family travels together or as they go off each to their own directions in the morning

We are not saying that non-liturgical worship is wrong, outdated, or anything like that. An example of domestic worship that is not liturgy but wonderful in its own right would be a place in the home where pictures of deceased relatives are displayed with a short prayer displayed as well – all in a place that is in the open making it a “house habit.” Each time you pass by these pictures, say that prayer silently or out loud. It could be something as simple as, “Jesus, keep them in your arms until we are all in each other’s arms again.” Another example I’m reminded of  from my childhood is whenever we handled bread at home, prior to eating it we would first put it to our lips in a “kiss” – a gesture to remind us of the Eucharist – and to say that all bread has a certain holiness because of the bread that Jesus uses to become food for us. Neither of these would be liturgy, but both could be beautiful forms of domestic worship. ~~Rev. Pasquale J Apuzzo, Pastor, St. Gabriel Church

"Parable of the Stone Cutters" by Psychiatrist Roberto Assagioli

A great Italian psychiatrist, Roberto Assagioli. wrote a parable about interviewing three stonecutters building a cathedral in the 14th century. The effect of their sense of personal meaning on the experience of their work is the same as the effect that meaning has for us today....

When Dr. Assagioli asks the first stonecutter what he is doing, the man replies with bitterness that he is cutting stones into blocks, a foot by a foot by three quarters of a foot. With frustration, he describes a life in which he has done this over and over, and will continue to do it until he dies.

The second stonecutter is also cutting stones into blocks, a foot by a foot by three quarters of a foot, but he replies in a somewhat different way. With warmth, he tells the interviewer that he is earning a living for his beloved family; through this work his children have clothes and food to grow strong, he and his wife have a home which they have filled with love.

But it is the third man whose response gives us pause. In a joyous voice, he tells us of the privilege of participating in the building of this great cathedral, so strong that it will stand as a holy lighthouse for a thousand years.

The important thing in this parable is that all three of the expert stonecutters are doing the same repetitive physical task. Finding meaning in a familiar task often allows us to go beyond this and find in the most routine tasks a deep sense of joy and even gratitude. ~~From "Recapturing the Soul of Medicine" by Rachel Remen, Clinical Professor of Family and Community Medicine at the UCSF School of Medicine)

"Restoring a Sense of Service"

“The voyage of discovery lies not in seeking new vistas, but in having new eyes.” ~~Proust

....Harry, an emergency physician, tells a story about a woman who was brought into his emergency department about to give birth. As soon as he examined her, he realized that unless her obstetrician was already on his way, he was going to get to deliver this baby himself.

He had barely finished his examination when the head crowned, and with nurses on either side of him holding the mother's legs on their shoulders, Harry delivered a little girl. She was breathing spontaneously, and he felt a familiar sense of satisfaction at his own competence. He laid her along his left forearm with the back of her head in his left hand and began to suction her nose and mouth.

Suddenly the infant opened her eyes and looked directly at him. In that instant, Harry realized that he was the first human being this baby girl had ever seen. Deeply moved, he felt his heart go out to her in welcome from all people everywhere, and for a moment he had tears in his eyes.

All this surprised him. Harry has delivered many babies and has always enjoyed the excitement of making rapid decisions and testing his skills. But he had never before let himself experience the meaning of what he was doing or let himself know what he was serving with his expertise. He feels changed by this moment. In that flash of recognition, he felt years of cynicism and fatigue fall away and remembered why he had chosen this work in the first place. As he put it, “It all suddenly seemed worth it.” ~~From "Recapturing the Soul of Medicine" by Rachel Remen, Clinical Professor of Family and Community Medicine at the UCSF School of Medicine

Music

"Come, Now is the Time to Worship" by Brian Doerksen

Come, now is the time to worship. Come, now is the time to give your heart. Come, just as you are to worship. Come, just as you are before your God. Come (Spoken: One day) One day ev'ry tongue will confess You are God. One day ev'ry knee will bow. Still the greatest treasure remains for those, Who gladly choose you now....

Godspell's "Day by Day"  by Stephen Schwartz

Day by day. Day by day. Oh Dear Lord Three things I pray: To see thee more clearly, Love thee more dearly, Follow thee more nearly day by day....

Resources

http://www.biblegateway.com/ (New American Standard Bible)

http://www.rachelremen.com/recapturing.html (Recapturing the Soul of  Medicine)

"Understanding Worship and Liturgy" (Rev. Pasquale J. Apuzzo, Pastor, St. Gabriel Catholic Church)

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FEAST November 22 & 23, 2009

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FEAST FEAST March 14 & 15, 2010

The Prayer Factor

Scriptures

For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst. ~~Matthew 18:20

Be still and know I am God.~~Psalm 46:10

Find your delight in the Lord who will give you your heart's desire. Commit your way to the Lord; trust that God will act and make your integrity shine like the dawn, your vindication like noonday. Be still before the LORD; wait for God.~~Psalm 37:4-7b

Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.~~Phillipians 4:6-7

Quotes

Silence is God's first language.~~ St. John of the Cross, 16th-century mystic

Prayer is not a convenient device for imposing our will on God, or for bending his will to ours, but the prescribed way of subordinating our will to his. It is by prayer that we seek God's will, embrace it and align ourselves with it. Every true prayer is a variation on the theme ‘your will be done.’~~John R. W. Stott

Sacred silence, holy ocean, gentle water washing over me. Help  me listen, Holy Spirit, come and speak to me....~~Tom Booth (refrain is used during the feast as well as during our benedictions as a taize form of prayer in which refrain is repeated over and over again numerous times)

Some Forms of Prayer

Singing; Contemplative; Meditative; Taize; Group Praying

Why We Pray

Adoration, Petition, Intercession, Thanksgiving

Think of the acronym GIFT: Giving thanks; Identifying needs; Forgiving and being forgiven; Thinking of others

Resources

http://www.biblegateway.com/ (Although occasional references to other Bible formats are made, the New American Standard Bible format is primarily used because the translation is closest to the original language)

A Well-Built Faith by Joe Paprocki (book)

Fiddler on the Roof (musical)

The Letters of John by John R. W. Stott, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1996), p.188. (book)

Let  Us Pray by Steven Curtis Chapman (song)

Sacred Silence by Tom Booth (song)

Word of God Speak by Mercy Me (song)

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FEAST May 2 & 3, 2010

This We Believe

Scriptures

Mark 9:24 (New International Version)  "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

1 Corinthians 15:11 (New International Version) Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

Romans 10:10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

1 Peter 1:8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,...

1 Peter 1:21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

Isaiah 43:10 "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.

John 11:27 "Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."

2 Corinthians 4:13 It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken." With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak,...

Prayers

Nicene Creed

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
and of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation,
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered, died, and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in fulfillment of the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge
the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he
is worshipped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic
and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism
for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.

Quotes & Thoughts

From the Catholic Encyclopedia, the creed is explained as the following:

(1) It signifies the entire body of beliefs held by the adherents of a given religion; and in this sense it is equivalent doctrine or to faith where the latter is used in its objective meaning.
(2) In a somewhat narrower sense, a creed is a summary of the principal articles of faith professed by church or community of believers.

That the teachings of Christianity were to be cast in some definite form is evidently implied in the commission given the Apostles (Matthew 28:19-20). Since they were to teach all nations to observe whatsoever Christ had commanded, and since this teaching was to carry the weight of authority, not merely of opinion, it was necessary to formulate at last the essential doctrines. Such formulation was all the more needful because Christianity was destined for all men and for all ages. To preserve unity of belief itself was quite clearly stated. The creed, therefore, is fundamentally an authoritative declaration of the truths that are to be believed.
Along with the diffusion of Christianity there sprang up in the course of time various heretical views regarding the doctrines of faith. It thus became necessary to define the truth of revelation more clearly. The creed, in consequence, underwent modification, not by the introduction of new doctrines, but by the expression of the traditional belief in terms that left no room for error or misunderstanding.

Questions

The Council of Nicaea in 325 dealt with questions we all have to ask ourselves:
What do we believe?
Who is Jesus?
What is His nature?
What is His relationship with God?

Historical Context

The Council of Nicea addressed the Arian heresy which denied that Jesus and God were one. Arius taught that God created Jesus as a separate but divine being.
Excerpts from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arianism
God the Father ("unbegotten"), always existing, was separate from the lesser Jesus Christ ("only-begotten"), born before time began and creator of the world. The Father, working through the Son, created the Holy Spirit, who was subservient to the Son as the Son was to the Father. The Father was seen as "the only true God"
"The focus of the Council of Nicaea was the divinity of Christ."
The Council's answer to the Arian heresy was to set down the Trinitarian theology. The original Nicene Creed stopped with "We believe in the Holy Spirit". The Second Council at Constantinople in 381 added most of the rest of it. But the final "tweaking" didn't happen until the Third Council of Toledo in 589
where the phrase
"We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father" was amended to add "and from the Son".

I think the message for us is that the Nicene Creed as a statement of the beliefs of the the Church was a work in progress for a long time, nearly 600 years. No doubt our personal creed develops over time as well, as we gain experience and understanding.

The result of the historical development of the Nicene Creed is that every word in it has a meaning that was carefully and deliberately chosen.

Songs

"God Is..." by Danielle Rose

"God of This City" by Chris Tomlin

"Live What I Believe" by Russ Lee

Resources

http://www.American Catholic.org (search results for creed ) - http://minisearch.americancatholic.org/search?q=creed&site=aco&client=aco&output=xml_no_dtd&proxystylesheet=aco

Catholic Update: THE CREED: GATEWAY TO GRACE BY: SCOTT HAHN http://www.americancatholic.org/Newsletters/CU/preview.aspx?id=229

A Family Project breaking down the Creed and developing a family creed. http://www.americancatholic.org/Messenger/Jun2009/Family.asp

NPR's This I Believe Series: http://www.npr.org/thisibelieve/about.html

Youth Update:Connect the Creed to Your Life by Michael J. Daley http://www.americancatholic.org/Newsletters/YU/ay0395.asp

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