Inspired individuals inspire others
by Fr. Joseph Briody, Professor of Sacred Scripture at Saint John's Seminary in Boston.
“It is love alone in generous self-giving that consistently draws others to the truth of Jesus Christ.” The quote is from Conversion, a new book by Fr. Donald Haggerty of New York, who worked closely with Mother Teresa.
His spiritual books are profound and challenging, rooted solidly in Catholic tradition and spirituality. He provokes the reader to deeper prayer, knowledge of Christ and service of the poor.
The Christian life is lived most fully on our knees before a tabernacle and then, in seeing Christ in those whom God places in our path.
Fr. Haggerty asserts that “the heroic generosity and deep faith of a religious person” is “the most striking testimony to the truth of the Gospel.”
While the role of reason is important, he says, conversions or returns to the Church seem to happen more with the experience of personal witness rather than from argumentation.
Most people who become Catholic or return to the Church indicate that they were inspired by an individual or group who lived the faith intensely, generously, sacrificially.
Meeting such people we are moved to be better. We desire to know and love God as they do. Perhaps that is why Pope Francis places such emphasis on accompaniment.
Real witnesses lead people to God. “Those who give up everything for God have always been the most powerful proof for the truth of Christ as a personal presence” (Fr. Haggerty).
Perhaps it is because these witnesses are so few or less evident that apathy and decline set in.
There are not many convincing Christian voices in politics, media, sports, or entertainment. Many chat show hosts are visibly uncomfortable if religious experience is brought up by an interviewee.
It’s as if the host is incapable of dealing intelligently or sympathetically with the topic. They swiftly move the conversation along. The basic question of faith fades from the radar of many.
Yet, people will generally respond to what is proposed to them. Perhaps the question to ask is: who proposes the love of Christ anymore?
In our times, when Catholicism does not seem to attract so strongly, could it be that “souls giving themselves sacrificially to God are far fewer in number or perhaps simply more isolated, less visible, less able to influence?” (Fr. Haggerty).
Great movements or revivals are not born out of committees or bureaucracies or even pastoral plans, They come from inspired individuals who inspire others.
For the Church, renewal will take place on our knees before a tabernacle and then in the encounters that flow from this prayer that transforms us in order to transform the world.
Waiting on God's timing
Persevering, silent, personal prayer teaches us humility, complete dependence on the Lord and surrender to him: “apart from me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5).
This fidelity to silent prayer before a tabernacle shapes us to see people in a new light – to see them as souls for whom Christ died and so, infinitely precious to him.
This moves us away from individualism or the privatisation of religion: it is not enough to keep Jesus to myself. This new way of looking at people adds a new quality to our encounters. We become fascinated by people because we know their worth and what they mean to God.
Silent, persevering prayer teaches us to wait on the Lord. God works much more readily through weakness and humility than through pride and self-reliance.
Often in pastoral work we forget God’s timing and the need to wait upon his hidden work. We push our plans and expect rapid results. We get disheartened. We even compromise or dilute the call of the Gospel.
Only daily prayer before the tabernacle sheds light on the setbacks and failures, the monotony and forebodings, the worries and concerns. Otherwise we turn cynical or sour, wallowing in self-pity and seeking comfort in empty or unworthy things.
Blessed Virgin on Boston buses
God has interesting ways of keeping his image before us. Who could have imagined that the Divine Mercy image would be broadcast on TV sets all over the world?
Yet this happened when St. John Paul II died. The world’s TV channels spoke of his death on the vigil of Divine Mercy Sunday. They displayed and explained the image and spoke of St. Faustina’s message.
Only the Lord could arrange such publicity! I was reminded of this recently in Boston where magnificent images of the Blessed Virgin Mary were displayed throughout the city on buses, trams and billboards.
These images were adverts for an exhibition of Blessed Fra Angelico’s art in one of the great Boston museums, an exhibition called “Heaven on Earth.” It consisted of some of his masterpieces depicting the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
How refreshing to see these images so publicly displayed - the Lord and his Blessed Mother, present right in the heart of the city and its bustle!
Perhaps there are ideas here for the evangelisation of culture? A picture is worth a thousand words…
His spiritual books are profound and challenging, rooted solidly in Catholic tradition and spirituality. He provokes the reader to deeper prayer, knowledge of Christ and service of the poor.
The Christian life is lived most fully on our knees before a tabernacle and then, in seeing Christ in those whom God places in our path.
Fr. Haggerty asserts that “the heroic generosity and deep faith of a religious person” is “the most striking testimony to the truth of the Gospel.”
While the role of reason is important, he says, conversions or returns to the Church seem to happen more with the experience of personal witness rather than from argumentation.
Most people who become Catholic or return to the Church indicate that they were inspired by an individual or group who lived the faith intensely, generously, sacrificially.
Meeting such people we are moved to be better. We desire to know and love God as they do. Perhaps that is why Pope Francis places such emphasis on accompaniment.
Real witnesses lead people to God. “Those who give up everything for God have always been the most powerful proof for the truth of Christ as a personal presence” (Fr. Haggerty).
Perhaps it is because these witnesses are so few or less evident that apathy and decline set in.
There are not many convincing Christian voices in politics, media, sports, or entertainment. Many chat show hosts are visibly uncomfortable if religious experience is brought up by an interviewee.
It’s as if the host is incapable of dealing intelligently or sympathetically with the topic. They swiftly move the conversation along. The basic question of faith fades from the radar of many.
Yet, people will generally respond to what is proposed to them. Perhaps the question to ask is: who proposes the love of Christ anymore?
In our times, when Catholicism does not seem to attract so strongly, could it be that “souls giving themselves sacrificially to God are far fewer in number or perhaps simply more isolated, less visible, less able to influence?” (Fr. Haggerty).
Great movements or revivals are not born out of committees or bureaucracies or even pastoral plans, They come from inspired individuals who inspire others.
For the Church, renewal will take place on our knees before a tabernacle and then in the encounters that flow from this prayer that transforms us in order to transform the world.
Waiting on God's timing
Persevering, silent, personal prayer teaches us humility, complete dependence on the Lord and surrender to him: “apart from me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5).
This fidelity to silent prayer before a tabernacle shapes us to see people in a new light – to see them as souls for whom Christ died and so, infinitely precious to him.
This moves us away from individualism or the privatisation of religion: it is not enough to keep Jesus to myself. This new way of looking at people adds a new quality to our encounters. We become fascinated by people because we know their worth and what they mean to God.
Silent, persevering prayer teaches us to wait on the Lord. God works much more readily through weakness and humility than through pride and self-reliance.
Often in pastoral work we forget God’s timing and the need to wait upon his hidden work. We push our plans and expect rapid results. We get disheartened. We even compromise or dilute the call of the Gospel.
Only daily prayer before the tabernacle sheds light on the setbacks and failures, the monotony and forebodings, the worries and concerns. Otherwise we turn cynical or sour, wallowing in self-pity and seeking comfort in empty or unworthy things.
Blessed Virgin on Boston buses
God has interesting ways of keeping his image before us. Who could have imagined that the Divine Mercy image would be broadcast on TV sets all over the world?
Yet this happened when St. John Paul II died. The world’s TV channels spoke of his death on the vigil of Divine Mercy Sunday. They displayed and explained the image and spoke of St. Faustina’s message.
Only the Lord could arrange such publicity! I was reminded of this recently in Boston where magnificent images of the Blessed Virgin Mary were displayed throughout the city on buses, trams and billboards.
These images were adverts for an exhibition of Blessed Fra Angelico’s art in one of the great Boston museums, an exhibition called “Heaven on Earth.” It consisted of some of his masterpieces depicting the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
How refreshing to see these images so publicly displayed - the Lord and his Blessed Mother, present right in the heart of the city and its bustle!
Perhaps there are ideas here for the evangelisation of culture? A picture is worth a thousand words…