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Year: 2006

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Homilies,

Feast of Our Lady of Czestochowa

Blessed Virgin Mary of Czestochowa and Our Lady of Ostrabrama

Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.”

Today we celebrate our parish’s patronal feast. Today we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Czestochowa.

I ask all of you to focus on this beautiful image, this icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and to contemplate for a few minutes. I ask you to behold your mother.

The meaning of this icon, its role in history, and the way in which it communicates to us, right here in Latham, New York, is simply the miracle of Mary’s abiding presence and intercession.

Because of this icon we are gifted with a special doorway to Mary herself.

Icons are not just pretty pictures. They convey much more. They are more than an aid in stimulating devotion. Contemplation of the icon is more than a teaching tool or an inspiration. In the spiritual sense this icon is a living thing.

St. John of Damascus called icons a “channel of divine grace.” They are a mirror of divine revelation, the very incarnation of God, and give testimony to the reality of God’s saving truth. The Ecumenical Councils of the first 1,000 years of Christianity attest to this. Those who attack or disparage icons attack the Incarnation of Jesus himself.

The praise and veneration we show this icon passes over to the one it represents, its archetype —“ Mary herself. St. Basil of Caesarea stated “The honor paid to the image passes to the prototype”.

Thus the love and dedication we show Mary, here in this parish, is communicated to her in a special way.

Jesus told us: Behold your mother, and we behold and love her.

Look at Mary’s right hand. It points to Jesus. Mary is looking at us intently and is pointing to her Son. As she directed the servants at the wedding feast in Cana she directs us:

“Do whatever He tells you.”

Mary bears her Son to us. She, the Theotokos, bears God to us, ever pointing to Him. In this Hodigitria icon, believed to have been painted by St. Luke, we see our Lord with His hand raised in blessing.

What a beautiful image! What love! This icon brings to us a connection to the totality of love God bears for us. The mother is offering her Son to us. The Son who came to save us blesses us.

For 624 years the original icon of Our Lady has been enshrined at the monastery on the bright mountain in Poland, enshrined yes, but still one with us, her people.

Throughout history she has been the image we go to, on the bright mountain, in this parish, and in our homes. She has been the image we go to in supplication, asking her to point us to her Son so that we might receive His grace and blessing.

Our Lady is our mantle of protection, our intercessor in healing and defense, and has suffered along with us.

Her face and neck have been scarred by the swords and arrows of invaders just as the people have been scarred by their sufferings. Her jeweled mantle has been torn away by godless communists and fascists, just as the communists and fascists tried to tear away the lives and freedoms of the Polish people.

This year marks the 350th anniversary of the dedication of Poland to Our Lady of Czestochowa made by King Jan II Kazimierz.

350 years ago Grand Prior Augustyn Kordecki, his monks, a few knights, and some townspeople withstood the power of the entire Swedish army. They were the last bastion of a free and democratic Poland, a people defending themselves from the fortress at Jasna Gora —“ the bright mountain. These freedom fighters drove back the Swedish Army and united the Polish people in a common effort to repel their invaders.

King Jan II Kazimierz took the following oath:

“Great Mother of God and Most Holy Virgin! I, John Casmir II, by the grace of Thy Son, the King of Kings, and by Thy Grace, I, the King, casting myself on my knees at Thy Most Holy feet, take Thee today as my Patroness and Queen of my dominions, and I recommend to Thy special protection and defense, myself and my Polish Kingdom…”

Let us join with all those who throughout history have relied on Our Lady’s protection, intercession, healing, and defense.

Our Lady of Czestochowa, your icon is a symbol of faith and a symbol of unity. Pray for us. Pray for those who place their hope in God’s providence. Pray for those who are deceived, who are betrayed, who are arrested in the night, who are imprisoned, who suffer from the cold, who live in fear, who were or are subjected to interrogation, who have been condemned though innocent, who speak the truth, who cannot be corrupted, who resist evil and tyranny, who are orphans, or who have been attacked or taunted because they wore your image. Our Lady, pray for mothers who weep and for fathers who have been so deeply saddened.

Mary, our mother, we are dedicated to you and to imitating your example in pointing all to your Son, Jesus Christ. Please pray for us.

Current Events, Political

I’ll take door number two

There’s plenty of good Catholic commentary out there in regard to the fiasco that is —Plan B—.

For anyone unfamiliar, Plan B is a high dose contraceptive that basically performs an abortion. In a few cases it prevents the release of an egg —“ acting as a real contraceptive, but in most cases it simply changes a woman’s body chemistry such that an already fertilized egg —“ a human being —“ cannot be implanted in the uterus. The baby is killed —“ thus abortion.

In the realm of commentary, the Young Fogey nails the fact that Plan B —“ taking door number two —“ makes life so much easier for men and continues to objectify women. Hey honey, had a great time last night, but it’s your responsibility.

He also has a link to an article on the fertility gap. Check it out.

Fr. Martin Fox highlights the political angle, noting the Bush administration’s hypocrisy. After all, the Bush administration is focused on its own self-serving ends. If a few dead bodies, babies, etc. are needed to get where we want to be, so be it. Do you think it might be an election season ploy —“ shilling for votes among the self-serving conservative fence sitters?

First Things has some good insights as well, especially as regards the over-the-counter sales of this drug (it shouldn’t be available at all —“ so this just adds personal heath risks to an already immoral situation, compounding the immorality).

Today’s award for shrill screaming goes to the head of Planned Parenthood. In her appearance on Good Morning America she demanded that these high dose drugs be made freely available to —“ children. She demands that eleven year old girls be allowed to head on down to CVS and purchase drugs – nooooo problem. Of course her shrill demands were preceded by the gloating of Hilary Clinton. Hurray for us —“ we can stack up more bodies than Bush and his gang of warmongering clowns.

God have mercy on us.

Christian Witness, Political

Please, don’t speak truth to power

The word is out. Sister Helen Prejean, the tireless Catholic crusader against the death penalty has been uninvited from a Roman Catholic speaking engagement by a Bishop.

The Roman Catholic Bishop of Duluth, Minnesota, the Most Rev. Dennis Schnurr, disagrees with the good sister’s public criticism of President Bush’s war policies. She has publicly called for his removal from office.

Perhaps the Bishop doesn’t personally think he should have uninvited her? Perhaps powerful money interest Roman Catholics wanted her gone? You think?

The Duluth News Tribune ran an article on the issue: Diocese cancels nun’s Duluth talk because of anti-Bush newspaper ad. In the article they state in regard to the Bishop’s actions:

In a letter to some diocese residents sent Monday, Duluth Bishop Dennis Schnurr said the decision to cancel the event and Prejean’s address was based on her name appearing on an Aug. 3 New York Times advertisement calling for President Bush to be removed from office.

Schnurr said the ad was brought to his attention by lay people in the diocese.

“Upon reviewing the advertisement, I find that I share their concerns,” Schnurr said in the letter. “Therefore we have made the difficult decision to cancel her appearance.”

Perhaps the Bishop wasn’t listening, he was simply obeying the ‘lay’ Republican deep pockets in his diocese?

You can see the good sister’s take on these events at her website. She states in part:

I signed the ad because as a follower of the way of Jesus and a U.S. citizen, I cannot stand by passively and silently as I witness my government wage such grievous oppression and violence. It has been this same spirit of engaged citizenship that has for the past twenty years led me to speak out against the death penalty while encouraging my fellow citizens and my church to deeper reflection on the issue…

Exactly! Perhaps the Bishop forgot that sister is a U.S. Citizen and is entitled to have an opinion. She is also entitled to publicly advocate her views. More than forgetting the duties and rights of citizens, he has forgotten his obligation to speak truth to power. That’s telling the moneyed:

“There is still one thing left for you: sell all that you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have a treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

or

‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’ Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God.”

or

For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.

And he should remember:

…if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk, then that servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful.

Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.

The Church has a treasure in the sister’s work. It has a treasure in her voice. The Bishop should re-invite sister and pastor those who have complained, teaching them Catholic truth.

The Church’s message trumps politics and must always witness truth, tax exempt status notwithstanding.

Take a moment and let the Bishop know how to witness. Check out the Diocesan website which opened tonight to Psalm 27:7-9

Of you my heart has said, —Seek His face!—

If only…

Tip o’ the biretta to the Young Fogey who highlights the comments at The Gaelic Starover: Diocese Punishes Work of Mercy.

Current Events, Media

Gunter —“ did we hardly know thee?

As you may know, German novelist and Nobel Prize winner Gunter Grass has come out of the closet —“ admitting to having served in the German Nazi Waffen SS during World War II.

Needless to say, many perspectives have been aired on what Mr. Grass’ admission means.

Mr. Grass has certainly been a loud voice calling for honesty and moral courage in post war German reconstruction. He has used his works and his awards as a bully pulpit to those ends. He most certainly has thrown rocks while living in an opaque house.

My observations are as follows:

First, I am glad he finally decided to be honest. Moments of honesty like this cause us all to reflect on our personal ethics, our personal hypocrisy. No matter how painful, a moral person will develop the courage to speak and make amends.

Second, honesty calls for forgiveness. Some have cited the fact that Mr. Grass has a new book coming out. They draw a line between that fact and Mr. Grass’ admission. Maybe it’s just publicity they say. There are plenty of things you can do to publicize a book, but admitting you were a Nazi, and a member of the SS to boot, is not among them. As the Waffen SS wiki states:

Regardless of the record of individual combat units within the Waffen-SS, the entire organisation was declared a criminal organization by the International Military Tribunal during the Nuremberg Trials…

I opt for a valid cleansing of the soul. Guilt does amazing things. It can lead to an amendment of life and reconciliation. It can also cause us to lash out forcefully against those that mirror our own misdeeds.

Third, there is only one moral authority, God. Our ability to exhibit the goodness of God is part of who we are. We are made in His image and likeness. Grass has done this through the art of words. His contribution is that his words had an affect on a people, his personal sins having little if anything to do with that effort, other than galvanizing his focus. Grass reflected the best of what we can be when we work in unison with God’s desire for us to do right in the midst of our sinfulness.

As Adam Hanft points out in his article: Gunter Grass and the Treacherous Limits of Moral Authority

Much of the commentary flood [on Grass’s admission], including these two pieces [in the New York Times], made reference to the exalted moral realm which had Grass occupied.

He was the voice of “moral authority” according to the International Herald Tribune; the “conscience of Germany” according to the Guardian (while the Wall Street Journal coolly qualified the title, calling him the “self-appointed conscience.” The Times of London wheeled out “moral arbiter” in their piece.

Therein lies the problem. I’m not convinced it’s healthy, in the long-term, for a society to pin the label of moral Zeus on anyone. Perhaps that galvanizing and oxygenating force is necessary in the short-term, when the culture has been through a wrenching trauma and an institutionalized order doesn’t exist yet. Post-war Germany was an example of this existential void, and so was post-apartheid South Africa. Grass and Mandela rose to those moments, but by doing so they were created an ethical aristocracy that was beyond criticism.

Truly healthy societies don’t draw their moral authority from a single individual, or even a few of them.

Following that statement Hanft goes off on a tangent, trying desperately to figure out where the moral authority that governs society comes from —“ and as with some intellectuals he pins it on the ‘magical’ inner working of that society.

Evolved societies and cultures are able to situate and draw their moral conclusions from within. At its best, America has had that internal locus of rightness, which is in many ways a direct descendant of our founding meritocracy. The promise of a jury of our peers would be meaningless without it. When America goes wrong it’s because our ethical GPS goes haywire.

Of course his qualifier —evolved societies— is completely subjective. I think Nazi Germany saw itself as an evolved society and as a superior culture. However, what it drew from within, with few exceptions, was death and destruction.

What Mr. Hanft fails to recognize is that there is an arbiter of morality that is clear and objective, with very well stated positions that reach beyond our present to our eventuality. That authority is God and His Church.

To my original question, did we hardly know Gunter Grass? I think we knew him well; after all he is human, weak, and sinful just like the rest of us. For Mr. Grass and the rest of us it is really simple: God has shown us the way, honesty is best, repentance and forgiveness are to be practiced by all.

Perspective, Political

Union President —“ milking a dry cow

Danny Donohue, President of the Civil Services Employees Association in New York State (a union that represents clerical workers) wrote an editorial in today’s Albany Times Union entitled: CSEA’s pension costs are not out of control.

In part he states:

First of all, the average CSEA pension is $11,000. That’s hardly excessive, especially when you consider that worker pay is at its lowest level in nearly 40 years and corporate profits are at the highest level ever recorded. Meanwhile, corporate CEOs are making 450 times what their average employee makes, and tax cuts for the wealthy are being handed out like candy to trick-or-treaters.

The typical Union line… Everyone else is so rich, we’re so poor. I guess Mr. Donohue fails to recognize the fact that he represents clerical employees. He also fails to realize that state pension costs are not CSEA’s pension costs (as his editorial’s title would suggest).

I think Mr. Donohue was absent from school on the day they talked about working hard and focusing on achievement. He might have missed the lesson on basic capitalism as well. He probably never missed a lesson on the philosophies of Marx, Lenin, and Mao.

Just because someone makes more money or just because companies are profitable, and that profit inures to those who put up the money to make it so, is not an evil in and of itself. Certainly, everyone deserves a fair wage and appropriate benefits (heath care for instance). What they do not deserve is to be treated as if they are someone else. A clerical employee by rights makes far less than a professional employee. Both make less than upper management or executives. Makes you want to go out and get an education, work hard, and get ahead doesn’t it?

He goes on:

Second, pension costs are not out of control. The governor himself says the impact of cost-of-living adjustments and other recent pension improvements has been negligible. What makes today’s pension costs seem overwhelming to many localities is that, for more than a decade, they had to pay nothing at all due to the success of the financial markets. In fact, employers are still paying less today, in terms of percentage of payroll, than they were years ago.

Yet the taxpayer is bearing the cost. That’s you and me (the government employer is us). It’s not the government employer versus the working man. It’s the taxpayer having to bear the costs of union dictated demands, agreed to by the politicians that are in their pockets.

This point also begs the question, What if I as a taxpayer do not want to fund pensions? What if I, and enough of my fellow citizens, would prefer that we keep our money for our own benefit? What if we preferred to invest in education, roads and bridges, or any of a thousand other priorities?

Look at the bills passed by the New York State Legislature in the past session. Thankfully the governor vetoed almost seventy (70) bills, the majority of which were pro-union giveaways to the tune of $1 billion in additional union benefits (reference here).

That’s part of the perpetual cost of unionized government employees. Sure, hiring a contractor may be more costly on a hour by hour basis, but once the contract is done the cash flowing out stops. With government employees the costs go on and on, and in some cases go on even after they die.

Now here’s the oxymoron:

Finally, suggesting that taxpayers will benefit by reducing public employee benefits to the levels of their nonunion counterparts in private industry ignores years of good faith bargaining between the state and its unions to negotiate contracts that are fair for everyone, including the taxpayers.

CSEA is not going to apologize for helping our members get a fair deal. Our wages and benefits are the result of years of responsible, good faith bargaining, and we’ve earned a reputation as a union that gets results while being fair and responsible. After all, our members are taxpayers, too.

If they did so well, why did he state in his opening that the —average CSEA pension is $11,000. That’s hardly excessive, especially when you consider that worker pay is at its lowest level in nearly 40 years…— Did they, or did they not do well by their members?

CSEA should be focusing on the big picture in New York State. There will be no jobs, no raises, no pensions, and no healthcare if employers, the young, and the general population (i.e., taxpayers) continue to leave in droves for low tax, small bureaucracy, and high employment states. The unions (along with all the other special interests) need to get on board and give up quite a bit to get to the point where New York is a viable, growing, and attractive state.

CSEA would do even better by focusing its energies on honesty – telling their members that they need to prepare for a future. CSEA should develop retraining and education efforts to move their members to a future without clerical employees. Clerical employees, whom they vehemently represent, are a throw back to the 1950’s. The days of rooms full of clerks processing paper are long gone. That is why state bureaucracy is so screwed up. Professionals are needed, paraprofessionals are needed. No one needs a file or steno clerk any longer (and if they think they do they should wake up and re-engineer).

I’ve said it before —“ compulsory union membership is un-American, is not democratic, it is extortion, and is a form of involuntary association. New York needs Right to Work legislation now. New York politicians need to develop the courage to reject the small cadre of union members and their leaders, focusing instead on the good of all New Yorkers. Otherwise our dry cow will become a dead cow.

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