November 22--St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr

Today is the feast day of patroness of the Archdiocese of Omaha, St. Cecilia.  According to legend, St. Cecilia was married, but decided to remain a virgin.  She warned her husband that an angel guarded her.  When he wanted to see the angel, she told him he needed to be baptized.  He was and he saw the angel.  His brother also converted and the two dedicated themselves to burying the martyrs.  Eventually Cecilia was arrested and condemned to death by suffocation in the baths, which were like our modern spas.  She survived and was condemned to die by beheading.  The executioner tried three times and then left her to die, but she survived for three days, whereupon she died.

St. Cecilia’s life and death are a matter of legend due to the lack of verifiable witnesses.  However, there were martyrs throughout the early Church.  St. Cecilia is also the patroness of music due to her hearing heavenly music in her heart when she was married.  Omaha is the only diocese that has her patronage.

Music raises our spirits, reflects our mood, changes our mood, and allows us to sing and worship God.  “The true purpose of sacred music, … ‘is [for] the glory of God and the sanctification of the faithful.’”  We sing in Mass so that we may glorify God, raising our hearts and souls and voices in praise together.  We are grateful for the musicians and song leaders and choir members who help us, in the words of St. Augustine, “pray twice” when we sing.

November 9—The Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica

Today’s feast day is for a church building!  There are four churches granted this privilege: St. Peter’s Basilica, St. Paul’s Outside the Walls, and St. Mary Major, along with St. John Lateran; all located in Rome.  St. John Lateran is the oldest of these and is the cathedral church of the Bishop of Rome, the pope.  It is also called the Mother Church of Catholicism.  St. John Lateran originally was a palace owned by Constantine, the emperor who legalized Christianity.  Constantine gave the Lateran Palace (named for the family who once owned the land) to the Bishop of Rome, who then used it as his residence.  The church is dedicated to both St. John the Baptist and to St. John the Evangelist, who are co-patrons.  However, one of its titles is Archbasilica of the Most Holy Savior, because all patriarchal churches were dedicated to Christ himself.  The word “Arch” in this case means the first or foremost, being above all other churches, including St. Peter’s!

What is the point of celebrating a church building?  Isn’t the Church the People of God and not a building?  Yes, the Church is not a building, but the Church uses churches to worship God.  But can’t we worship God anywhere?  Yes, we can, but we gather together in a church.  The original Greek word for church was ekklesia, which means a public gathering.  We dedicate buildings as a way to set aside sacred space for sacred activities—Masses, weddings, funerals, baptisms, and more.  These sacred spaces tell us and the world that we set apart material things, ground and bricks and mortar, to draw attention to immaterial things, God and love and forgiveness.  We are a Church who goes to church.  We are the Body of Christ who receive the Body of Christ together.  So let us celebrate the dedication of St. John Lateran, our Mother Church!

October 28—Sts. Simon and Jude, Apostles

Of the twelve apostles, Simon, who was called a Zealot, and Jude Thaddeus, are two of the lesser known.  The Zealots were an organization in Palestine dedicated to getting rid of the Romans. However, it is unclear whether Simon was a part of the group.  He is mentioned in all lists of the apostles.  Jude is mentioned under two names, Judas and Thaddeus, with the listing of the apostles and once more in John’s Gospel at the Last Supper.  Otherwise, there is nothing known of these two men.

Some apostles are definitely more important than others.  Peter, James, and John get a lot of press in the gospels.  We also hear from Andrew, Matthew, and Thomas.  But the rest go about following Jesus in relative obscurity.  As apostles Simon and Jude were sent to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ and, according to tradition, they were martyred for their faith.  St. Jude comes down to us as the patron saint of impossible causes.

So what can we gain from knowing about them?  That even the apostles spread the word of God in humility.  They are the first ones sent, which is what the word apostle means.  But that they did not get a lot of recognition did not bother them.  They weren’t about bragging about their positions as apostles or attracting attention to themselves.  They did what God wanted them to do as servants, drawing attention to their Master, Jesus Christ.  Our challenge is to remember to spread the Good News without making it about us.  It is about Jesus.

October 22—St. John Paul II (the Great), Pope

“Totally Yours”.  That was the motto of Bl. John Paul.  It described his personal consecration to the Virgin Mary.  It is from a prayer by St. Louis de Montfort who wrote extensively about Mary.  The whole prayer is translated:  “I belong entirely to you, and all that I have is yours. I take you for my all. O Mary, give me your heart.”

Now Bl. John Paul is totally ours as well.  He will be canonized April 27, 2014 along with his predecessor Bl. John XXIII.  For many growing up in the eighties, nineties, and all the way to 2005, John Paul was our pope.  He spoke to us from his heart.  He guided us through his encyclicals and teachings and the Catechism of the Catholic Church.  He showed us the way to holiness by the beatification of 1,340 people and the canonization of 483 saints.  He helped us to live in faith, hope, and live by establishing World Youth Day.  He brought about a new world by helping to free Europe from communism.  He taught us dignity by his suffering and death.  He left us a legacy of a true understanding of being authentically human by giving us Theology of the Body.

Bl. John Paul gave himself utterly and completely to God and now God has given him back to us.  When we read his great social justice encyclicals, On Human Work, On Social Concern, and On the Hundredth Anniversary, we learn of the message of human dignity, solidarity, concern for the poor, and the right to life.  He wrote The Gospel of Life to warn against the culture of death that permeates our society today.  He wrote The Splendor of Truth and Faith and Reason to guide us in right thinking and the right use of philosophy.  Perhaps the greatest philosopher the papacy has ever known, he will be for many the greatest pope we have ever loved.