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How Does Idealism Negatively Affect Marriage? Msgr. Charles Pope • September 25, 2017 • Those who seek to strengthen Holy Matrimony and stem the tide of failed marriages propose many remedies, among them better catechesis, improved marriage preparation, and greater emphasis on the sacrament in sermons. All of these are fine ideas and necessary steps, but let’s also ponder a deep but often unexplored root of the trouble with marriage today: idealism or unrealistic expectations.Although we live in cynical times, many people still hold a highly idealistic view of marriage: that it should be romantic, joyful, loving, and happy...

The Punishment of Complete Loss and What It Says to Us Msgr. Charles Pope • September 24, 2017 • The Burning of Jerusalem, Circle of Juan de la CorteIn the Office of Readings, we are currently reading from the prophet Ezekiel. Sunday’s reading warns of the possibility that moral conditions in the world can get so awful, even among the people of God, that He must take the strongest and most severe of measures.Ezekiel experienced the coming disaster upon Israel very personally as a last warning to the people.Thus the word of the Lord came to me: Son of...

Dimensions of Discipleship - A Homily for the 25th Sunday of the Year Msgr. Charles Pope • September 23, 2017 • credit: זלדה10, wikimediaWhat Jesus teaches in this Sunday’s Gospel is one of those parables that rock our world and challenge our worldly way of thinking. Frankly, that is one of its purposes. We are tempted to side with the laborers who worked the longest, thinking that their being paid the same amount as those who worked only for an hour is unfair.Think very carefully before asking God to be “fair.” What we really should ask of God is...

Begotten Son Jesus Christ shares in the nature of the Father from whom all fatherhood has its origin Msgr. Charles Pope 8/23/2017 Question: In the Nicene Creed, a line confuses me about Jesus: “... the only begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages.” If Jesus was eternally with the Father before his incarnation, how can we say he is “begotten … before all ages”? His physical body was only conceived in time. — Richard Smith, Garden Valley, Idaho Answer: You imply by your question that only human beings are begotten, and this somehow is tied only to...

When Honor Eclipses Truth Msgr. Charles Pope • September 21, 2017 • Every year at about this time we read St. Augustine’s sermon “On Pastors” in the Office of Readings of the Liturgy of the Hours. As you know, priests are required to read the Divine Office daily; St. Augustine’s sermon extends over the better part of two weeks. It amounts to a stern warning for priests who too easily live off the sheep instead of shepherding them rightly.There are tender moments in the sermon as well. At one point, commenting on a passage from Ezekiel rebuking bad shepherds...

On Jesus’ Merciful Call of St. Matthew, a Great Sinner Msgr. Charles Pope • September 20, 2017 • On this Feast Day of St. Matthew, we must acknowledge a great mercy in Jesus’ call. As a tax collector, Matthew was considered a great sinner. In fact, the term “tax collector” was a biblical euphemism for great sinner. Yet despite this, Jesus called him to be an Apostle.In our times, many set mercy and the fact that we are sinners in opposition to each other, but the Lord Jesus unites these realities together. For the Lord, mercy is necessary because...

A Meditation on the Delay and Silence of God Msgr. Charles Pope • September 18, 2017 • I don’t know if you’ve noticed or not, but God doesn’t seem to be in a big hurry about most things. This has been a hard lesson for me to learn.We live in a loud, fast-paced world, one of constantly “breaking news,” in which crisis and urgency are the predominant mode. Instant communication and quick responses are expected, even demanded.At the national level, there is hardly any reporting at all by the media before there is a rush to analyze, comment, and...

Can We Influence How the Lord will Judge Us? Msgr. Charles Pope • September 17, 2017 • The readings from Mass for the 24th Sunday of the Year were a continuation from the previous Sunday, when our Lord taught us of the requirement that we correct one another. Yesterday’s readings remind us that our correction must be done with mercy and humility. Failing to correct an erring or sinning brother is not mercy at all, but correcting in a harsh or mean-spirited way falls short as well.As an extended meditation on yesterday’s Gospel let’s consider a kind of “mathematics”...

Finding Forgiveness Through the Magnificence of Mercy - A Homily for the 24th Sunday of the Year Msgr. Charles Pope • September 16, 2017 • The Gospel this Sunday draws us into a remarkably sensitive area of the faith, that of forgiving others who may have harmed us. There are many who been authentically hurt and others who in offering forgiveness will become vulnerable to further harm. Forgiveness is something we experience as a very personal call; in some cases, it may be the most challenging thing we are ever asked to do.I have titled this Homily carefully; if...

Pondering the Night of the Senses and the Paradox That We See Farther in the Darkness Msgr. Charles Pope • September 14, 2017 • As human beings we are very visual; there is a certain demand of our flesh to see on its own terms. But of course God, who is pure spirit, will not be seen in this way.How can the human eye perceive what is spiritual? It is not designed to do so. We cannot see God as God any more than we should expect to be able to see justice sitting down to lunch with humility....

On the Paradoxical Freedom of Poverty Msgr. Charles Pope • September 13, 2017 • There is a saying that you cannot steal from a man who has nothing and you cannot threaten a man who has nothing to lose. Of Jesus, the Son of Man who had nowhere to lay his head (Matt 8:20), this was surely true. The world had no claim on Him, nothing with which to hook Him or claim His loyalty. Even His life could not be taken from Him, for He had already laid it down freely (cf Jn 10:18).St. John Chrysostom spoke of...

Strange Moments In Liturgical History – How a Paragon of Liturgical Tradition May Have Caused Unintended Effects Msgr. Charles Pope • September 12, 2017 • I have been asked by a number of people what I think of Pope Francis’ recent decision to remand a lot of the task of translating sacred texts to regional bishops’ conferences. To be honest, I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, I share many of the concerns about how the norms will be applied and how consistently accurate translations will be assured, but on the other, I do not know if it...

Considerations in Fraternal Correction Msgr. Charles Pope • September 11, 2017 • Fraternal correction is so important to the health of individuals, the family, the Church, and even nations, that some further reflection following Sunday’s Gospel is in order. The correction of a sinner is complex and difficult to accomplish well. Many avoid it entirely, especially due to these hypersensitive times, when some people base their very identity on their sins. Many take correction very personally, even labeling it “hate speech.” Those who dare to correct are often shamed for doing so and accused of “judging.”Distinguishing between what God...

On the Balance of Kindness and Correction Msgr. Charles Pope • September 10, 2017 • As a follow-up from Sunday’s Gospel (on correcting the sinner) it is important to reflect on balancing salutary discipline with necessary consolation and encouragement—never an easy task. For example, it is possible for parents to be so severe with their children that they become disheartened and lack necessary self-esteem; but it is also possible for parents to be so lax with them that the children become spoiled and lack proper self-discipline and humility. Scripture, seeking to balance teaching with encouragement, says, Fathers, do not...

The Obligation of Clear, Compassionate Correction of the Sinner – A Homily for the 23rd Sunday of the Year Msgr. Charles Pope • September 9, 2017 • We live in times in which there is a widespread notion that to correct sinners is to “judge” them. Never mind that it is sin that we judge, not the sinner. Never mind that in accusing us of judging, the worldly-minded are themselves doing the very judging they condemn. Never mind any of that; the point of the charge is to try to shame us into silence. Despite the fact that Scripture...

Reparation to Mary Msgr.Charles Pope Question: In the Fatima devotions, we are told to make the five First Saturdays in reparation to Mary. But, though I am devoted to Mary, I wonder how I can make reparation to Mary for my sin when the sins I have committed have been against God and those around me? Is it not to God that reparation needs to be made? — Margaret Mantia, St. Louis Answer: The word “reparation” means to repair damages that we or others have inflicted. Even in secular language the word is used when one nation or group is...

On Priestly Discretion Msgr. Charles Pope • September 6, 2017 • To be discreet most commonly means to be careful, prudent, or circumspect, especially in terms of speech. The word discreet comes from Latin discretus, meaning separate or distinct. To be discreet is not to be secretive; it is to make a prudent discernment about what to say to whom and when to say it. Personal, private conversations ought to stay that way.For a priest, discretion is obviously essential. This is true not only because we hear confessions (in which case absolute secrecy is mandatory) but also because many...

When Jesus Said No Msgr. Charles Pope • September 5, 2017 • One of the difficulties that many Christians experience is that although the needs around us are great, we are limited in both personal strength and resources. Lurking in the back of our minds is the idea that whatever the problem, Jesus would always help and therefore we should as well. Is it always wrong to say “no” when there is a need?Jesus was quite generous with His time, attention, and resources. We are counseled to be rich in mercy and kindness, expansive in charity, and willing to...

Who is the Thief? Exploring One of Jesus’ More Provocative Images Msgr. Charles Pope • September 4, 2017 • One of the more interesting and surprising images the Lord used for Himself was “thief.” There is an indirect reference to this in the first reading for Tuesday of the 22nd week of the year. I’ll comment more on that passage in a moment, but first here are some other texts in which He used this imagery: But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have...

Labor Day Reflection: We need each other to survive Msgr. Charles Pope • September 3, 2017 • Labor Day makes me mindful of our interconnectedness; we need one another in order to survive. Consider how we are each called to contribute as well as how we benefit from the labor of others. Even that simple can of corn you pull from the grocery store shelf has thousands of people standing behind it: from those who stock the shelves to the truckers who transport the product to the store; from the regional warehouse workers to the rail operators who supply...