15 ailments of church administration

  Church bureaucracy is a universal problem. From a small parish to the Vatican bureaucracy, church administration has been a nightmare to clergy and laity alike. A major reason of Christians leaving the church is the attitude and approach of the Church administration. Pope Francis launched a scathing attack on the Vatican bureaucracy last week, outlining a "catalog of illnesses" plaguing the church's central administration, including "spiritual Alzheimer's".

  This is not unique to Vatican alone, one can sense déjà vu in many places. The words used by the Pope about the church bureaucracy were harsh and came as bolt from blue for the cardinals, bishops and priests who run the Holy See. It was less an exchange of warm wishes but the Pope wants to cure the "ailments of the Curia". Pope’s critique left many of the assembled clerics clearly uncomfortable.

 “The Curia is always required to better itself and to grow in communion, sanctity and wisdom to fully accomplish its mission. However, like anybody, it is exposed to sickness, malfunction and infirmity… I would like to mention some of these illnesses that we encounter most frequently in our life in the Curia. They are illnesses and temptations that weaken our service to the Lord,” said the Pontiff, who after inviting all those present to an examination of conscience to prepare themselves for Christmas, listed 15 most common Curial ailments.

1. Considering oneself 'immortal', 'immune' or 'indispensable':

 Quoting the Pope, Vatican Radio said the first is “the sickness of considering oneself 'immortal', 'immune' or 'indispensable', neglecting the necessary and habitual controls. A Curia that is not self-critical, that does not stay up-to-date, that does not seek to better itself, is an ailing body. It is the sickness of the rich fool who thinks he will live for all eternity, and of those who transform themselves into masters and believe themselves superior to others, rather than at their service”.

2. Martha-ism or sickness of people immerse in work, but neglect 'the better part' of sitting at Jesus' feet.

  The second is “'Martha-ism', or excessive industriousness; the sickness of those who immerse themselves in work, inevitably neglecting 'the better part' of sitting at Jesus' feet. Therefore, Jesus required his disciples to rest a little, as neglecting the necessary rest leads to stress and agitation. Rest, once one who has brought his or her mission to a close, is a necessary duty and must be taken seriously: in spending a little time with relatives and respecting the holidays as a time for spiritual and physical replenishment, it is necessary to learn the teaching of Ecclesiastes, that 'there is a time for everything'”.\

3. Sickness of mental and spiritual hardening

 Then there is “the sickness of mental and spiritual hardening: that of those who, along the way, lose their inner serenity, vivacity and boldness and conceal themselves behind paper, becoming working machines rather than men of God. “It is dangerous to lose the human sensibility necessary to be able to weep with those who weep and to rejoice with those who rejoice! It is the sickness of those who lose those sentiments that were present in Jesus Christ,” he said.

4. Ailment of excessive planning and functionalism:

 “The ailment of excessive planning and functionalism: this is when the apostle plans everything in detail and believes that, by perfect planning things effectively progress, thus becoming a sort of accountant. One falls prey to this sickness because it is easier and more convenient to settle into static and unchanging positions. Indeed, the Church shows herself to be faithful to the Holy Spirit to the extent that she does not seek to regulate or domesticate it. The Spirit is freshness, imagination and innovation”.

5. Sickness of poor coordination:

 The “sickness of poor coordination develops when the communion between members is lost, and the body loses its harmonious functionality and its temperance, becoming an orchestra of cacophony because the members do not collaborate and do not work with a spirit of communion or as a team”.

6. Spiritual Alzheimer's disease, or forgetfulness of the history of Salvation:

 “Spiritual Alzheimer's disease, or rather forgetfulness of the history of Salvation, of the personal history with the Lord, of the 'first love': this is a progressive decline of spiritual faculties, that over a period of time causes serious handicaps, making one incapable of carrying out certain activities autonomously, living in a state of absolute dependence on one's own often imaginary views. We see this in those who have lost their recollection of their encounter with the Lord… in those who build walls around themselves and who increasingly transform into slaves to the idols they have sculpted with their own hands,” Pope said. This spiritual Alzheimer’s is a big problem in churches and parishes.

7. Ailment of rivalry and vainglory:

 “The ailment of rivalry and vainglory: when appearances, the colour of one's robes, insignia and honours become the most important aim in life. It is the disorder that leads us to become false men and women, living a false 'mysticism' and a false 'quietism'”.

8. Existential schizophrenia:

 Then there is “existential schizophrenia: the sickness of those who live a double life, fruit of the hypocrisy typical of the mediocre and the progressive spiritual emptiness that cannot be filled by degrees or academic honours. This ailment particularly afflicts those who, abandoning pastoral service, limit themselves to bureaucratic matters, thus losing contact with reality and with real people. They create a parallel world of their own, where they set aside everything they teach with severity to others and live a hidden, often dissolute life”.

9. Sickness of “chatter, grumbling and gossip:

 The sickness of “chatter, grumbling and gossip: this is a serious illness that begins simply, often just in the form of having a chat, and takes people over, turning them into sowers of discord, like Satan, and in many cases cold-blooded murderers of the reputations of their colleagues and brethren. It is the sickness of the cowardly who, not having the courage to speak directly to the people involved, instead speak behind their backs”.

10. Sickness of deifying leaders:

 “The sickness of deifying leaders is typical of those who court their superiors, with the hope of receiving their benevolence. They are victims of careerism and opportunism, honouring people rather than God. They are people who experience service thinking only of what they might obtain and not of what they should give. They are mean, unhappy and inspired only by their fatal selfishness”.

11. Disease of indifference towards others:

 The disease of indifference towards others arises when each person thinks only of himself, and loses the sincerity and warmth of personal relationships. “When the most expert does not put his knowledge to the service of less expert colleagues; when out of jealousy … one experiences joy in seeing another person instead of lifting him up or encouraging him,” Pope said.

12. Illness of the funeral face:

 “The illness of the funereal face: or rather, that of the gruff and the grim, those who believe that in order to be serious it is necessary to paint their faces with melancholy and severity, and to treat others – especially those they consider inferior – with rigidity, hardness and arrogance. In reality, theatrical severity and sterile pessimism are often symptoms of fear and insecurity”.\

13. Disease of accumulation:

 “The disease of accumulation: when the apostle seeks to fill an existential emptiness of the heart by accumulating material goods, not out of necessity but simply to feel secure. … Accumulation only burdens and inexorably slows down our progress,” he said.

14. Ailment of closed circles:

 “The ailment of closed circles: when belonging to a group becomes stronger than belonging to the Body and, in some situations, to Christ Himself. This sickness too may start from good intentions but, as time passes, enslaves members and becomes a 'cancer' that threatens the harmony of the Body and causes a great deal of harm – scandals – especially to our littlest brothers”.

15. Disease of worldly profit and exhibitionism:

 Then, there is the “disease of worldly profit and exhibitionism: when the apostle transforms his service into power, and his power into goods to obtain worldly profits or more power. This is the disease of those who seek insatiably to multiply their power and are therefore capable of slandering, defaming and discrediting others, even in newspapers and magazines, naturally in order to brag and to show they are more capable than others”.

 After listing these ailments, Pope Francis said, “We are therefore required, at this Christmas time and in all the time of our service and our existence – to live 'speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love'.”
  Pope has earlier listed clericalism as a major problem troubling the church. According to Unam Sanctam Catholicam, clericalism is defined as a state of affairs in which there is an unnecessary or overly exaggerated importance attributed to clergy, in such a way that the laity relate to them as subjects to be ruled rather than a people to be lovingly pastored.
 “Basically, a clericalist ideology is one that places too much emphasis on the clergy or attributes undue importance to their actions. It is a defect of the virtue of temperance by excess as applied to the government of the Church,” it says. It has often led to sacramental blackmails in the church which are suppressed within its four walls.

You preached, prophesied, performed miracles, but Jesus will tell you, ‘I don’t know you, evildoers go away from me’

  There’s a particular paragraph in the Bible that can really send shivers down the spines of people -- even pastoral workers, priests and preachers. Rev Fr Bobby Jose OFM (Cap), a well-known preacher and writer, says these verses exerted considerable pressure and influence on him, and prompted him to think deeply about it again and again.

  Mathew 7:21-24 says: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”

 

Rev Fr Bobby Jose

Yes, these are very strong words from our Lord Jesus.

  “Does Jesus whom I claim to know almost daily really know me? Or will He tell me at the end of the journey that ‘I never knew you’. When I think of these verses I get shaken up. If Jesus doesn’t know you, won’t our fate will be tough?” he says. When I heard Rev Fr Bobby’s message on this topic, I also got jitters.

  If this is the case, what we are doing and acting is meaningless. We pray on a daily basis, go out and preach the Good News and bring up children. However, if the Lord says “I don’t know you”, what will we do? “Where did it go wrong? I was thinking about it these days,” Ref Fr Bobby says.

  He says there are five things to understand or digest these verses.

  Firstly, there’s a mistaken belief that spirituality is equivalent to activity. When somebody asks you what’s spirituality, you will say… going to the church, family prayer, social service, tithing, observing lent and preaching. But sitting and doing nothing is also spirituality. Jesus once told Martha, “Martha you should learn how to sit quietly doing nothing.” Jesus then described this selection as a good activity. ‘Sometimes I feel that people who don’t do anything have made a good selection or activity than those who did many things,” Rev Fr Bobby says. 

  Secondly, when we do many things spiritually for a long time, we do lose love, or act without love. When people list the table of things done or not done, that’s when we lose love. We start listing our activities – that I did this for the family, I suffered this much for the family etc. – when love is lost. In fact, the absence of love is something that we can easily detect. Yes, in Bible we see Jesus lovingly showing us our loveless approach.

  The third aspect is “I, me and myself’, the most obscene words in this world which denote selfishness. “The first word that a person should get rid is ‘I’,” Rev Fr Bobby says. You can read in Mathew 16:24: “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me’.” It’s not easy to get out of this “I, me myself” attitude. “The main reason for all the crises in our lives is this selfish attitude,” he says.

 Fourth, the belief that whatever ‘I’ do is for others. “Many people say that ‘I live for others’. Then what are other people living for? Father says he lived for his children. Teacher says he lived for students. Priest says he lived for parishioners. If you can’t live for yourself, it’s of no use. If you’re a singer, your life should also turn musical,” Rev Fr Bobby says.

  Read what St Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9:16: “Yet preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn't preach the Good News.” Rev Fr Bobby says his sermons have been helping him over the last many years. “I have to think deeply about the subject. I have to remain in silence for some time. These sermons helped me to sharpen my mind and life… and stay focused,” he says.

  Fifthly, Jesus says “evildoers, go away from me.” Yes, you have to be a righteous person. Bible keeps on telling about the need to remain righteous till the end of the life. All of us must be righteous. This righteous way of life will banish cruelty, corruption, moral degradation and greed from the world. You should be just and right. Give everyone his due. For example, your ageing father or mother deserves good treatment. Are you able to give it to them or left them to fend for themselves? There are also people who spend their evenings in a bar drinking liquor till late in the night while his children and wife are waiting for him patiently at home.

 So think, what will happen to us after 30,000 days? “These 30,000 days are one’s life span. I don’t want to be melancholic. Yes, we will see the face of God. When the devil comes to you to befriend you, ask him to show the stigmata… the five wounds of Jesus Christ. He will flee,” Rev Fr Bobby says.

  “Are we speaking His language? His language is Bible. But the language that our children and youth use today is audacious. As St Paul said in Philippians 2:5, “you must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” If you have the attitude that Jesus had, then you will see His face after 30,000 days.      

        

    

When a church doesn't go out to seek people who are far off, it ends up as a museum

 What's the joy of the church? Pope Francis says it's going out to seek the brothers and sisters who are far off.
 "When the Church does not do this, then the Church stops herself, is closed in on herself, even if she is well organized, has a perfect organizational chart, everything's fine, everything's tidy. But she lacks joy, she lacks peace, and so she becomes a disheartened Church, anxious, sad, a Church that seems more like a spinster than a mother, and this Church doesn't work, it is a Church in a museum," he said in a homily last week, according to Vatican Radio. 
 Who are these far off people? Christians who don't get a spiritual feed; those who haven't heard of Jesus; those who live a sinful life; poor people etc.  
   Then the tomb psychology -- coined by Vatican -- engulfs Christians. Both Pope Francis and Benedict 16 had warned of the gray pragmatism of the daily life of the Church, in which all appears to proceed normally, while in reality faith is wearing down and degenerating into small-mindedness”. This so-called tomb psychology slowly transforms Christians into mummies in a museum.
 Many Christians have already become mummies and Churches have turned into museums. The result is there to see: lack of spirituality, moral turpitude, increasing divorces and inter-cast marriages. This has already happened in many European countries. A whole generation is growing up without knowing Jesus, and away from the real God. In Mumbai, we see boys and girls choosing their spouses from other religions without any qualms. Don’t they understand marriage is a sacrament.    
  All of us -- including laity and clergy, no one excluded -- are caught up in ourselves, in a careerism which thirsts for recognition, applause, rewards and status.
 On the other hand, whenever our interior life becomes caught up in its own interests and concerns, there is no longer room for others, no place for the poor. "God's voice is no longer heard, the quiet joy of his love is no longer felt, and the desire to do good fades. This is a very real danger for believers too. Many fall prey to it, and end up resentful, angry and listless. That is no way to live a dignified and fulfilled life; it is not God's will for us, nor is it the life in the Spirit which has its source in the heart of the risen Christ," Pope Francis had warned in 'The Joy of Gospel'. 
   It all boils down to several fundamental issues. First of all, most of us have lost the sense of sin. We fail to understand that God doesn’t want us to do, act or talk in a way that make the devil happy. But we are caught up in our interests and concerns.

  Secondly, Bible tells us clearly that sanctification is the will of God. It’s not an option for a Christian but an obligation.

  Thirdly, the Church has lost contact with people, poorest of the poor to be precise. Our shepherds don’t go out searching for the lost one or two sheep. The result is that the number of lost sheep is rising. Shepherds must come out from their ivory towers and bring spirituality into the lives of people instead of pushing them into cultural programmes and dinner/ luncheon meetings. Yes, pastoral acedia and clericalism are big issues in Churches across the world. Pastoral workers find it hard to tolerate disagreement, criticism and even failures.     
  Fourthly, as Pope says, we need to open the doors to the consolation of the Lord. We usually flee from consolation. We have no confidence; we are more comfortable in our stuff, we are more comfortable even in our failures, in our sins, he says. But that’s not the way. We must allow the Holy Spirit to act in our lives. When we seek forgiveness, God’s mercy comes upon us. That’s a big consolation. When the Holy Spirit comes into our life, we come out of the tomb psychology. We are then no longer mummies in a museum.

 To sum up, as the Holy Father says, the joy of the Church is to give birth; the joy of the Church is to go out of herself to give life; the joy of the Church is to go out to seek the sheep that are lost; the joy of the Church is precisely the tenderness of the shepherd, the tenderness of the mother.
 "Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs." This is the joy of the Church -- to go out of herself and to become fruitful. 

With cultural programmes, dinners and meetings, the Church as an institution grows, but "the mark of Christ, incarnate, crucified and risen, is not present"

  When a Mumbai church recently organised its annual parish day, I was shocked to see women and youth members gyrating to raunchy and sub-standard film songs. That too in the holy precincts of the church compound. Are we compromising on Gospel teaching? Is this what Pope Francis spoke about evangelisation and the Church going to the poorest of the poor.
 If our Lord Jesus Christ has seen this -- I'm sure he did see -- He would have fallen off the chair. My God. Why's the church adulterating its catechism and evangelism?
 It's common to see adulterated forms of Christianity in our Church these days. In many places, Churches are run like clubs with a fascination for cultural and social programmes -- largely aimed at social and political gains. In other words, Church becomes the property of a select few who convert the Church into an institution with no place for Gospel and Jesus. Do we need a worldly Church with superficial spiritual and pastoral trappings? 

   These "select few" convert the churches into cultural palaces with dances, songs and entertainment sessions. Where is evangelisation? Instead of getting a spiritual feed, there's a concern to be seen, into a social life full of appearances, meetings, dinners and receptions. What a lay person gets is cultural feed or entertainment programmes. Church, in this manner, accomplishes the task of keeping its flock in tact. A big worry of the Catholic Church is keeping its flock together. With some Protestant churches working overtime to woo away Catholics, the Church doesn't want its numbers to dwindle. 

  What’s wrong in having cultural programmes? Yes, they are needed, and part of our social life. But one can always go to a club for such activities. Should we use the church to conduct vulgar display of such activities? No.  Bible stories are rarely depicted through such programmes.

 No doubt, with cultural programmes, dinners and meetings, the Church as an institution grows, but "the mark of Christ, incarnate, crucified and risen, is not present".

  As Pope Francis said in his apostolic exhortation, "closed and elite groups are formed, and no effort is made to go forth and seek out those who are distant or the immense multitudes who thirst for Christ." Some of our churches are good examples of “closed and elite groups” which control the church management. They have deep pockets and get things done by throwing money.
 A heavy dose of cultural programmes, especially raunchy dances and songs, leads to an empty pleasure of complacency and self-indulgence which, in turn, replaces the evangelical fervour. We lose our track. Will we be able to say confidently what St Paul said: “I have finished my race and I have kept my faith.”

  Doubtful. We digress and divert our attention. "We indulge in endless fantasies and we lose contact with the real lives and difficulties of our people," Pope says.
 "Those who have fallen into this worldliness look on from above and afar, they reject the prophecy of their brothers and sisters, they discredit those who raise questions, they constantly point out the mistakes of others and they are obsessed by appearances. Their hearts are open only to the limited horizon of their own immanence and interests, and as a consequence they neither learn from their sins nor are they genuinely open to forgiveness," Pope says.

  There’s another group of people who work for the prestige of the Church. Pope Francis very clearly put it, "in some people we see an ostentatious preoccupation for the liturgy, for doctrine and for the Church's prestige, but without any concern that the Gospel have a real impact on God's faithful people and the concrete needs of the present time."
 “In this way, the life of the Church turns into a museum piece or something which is the property of a select few," he says.
  This is a tremendous corruption disguised as a good. We need to avoid it by making the Church constantly go out from herself, keeping her mission focused on Jesus Christ, and her commitment to the poor. "God save us from a worldly Church with superficial spiritual and pastoral trappings," he says.
This stifling worldliness can only be healed by breathing in the pure air of the Holy Spirit who frees us from self-centredness cloaked in an outward religiosity bereft of God.

 Let us not allow ourselves to be robbed of the Gospel.

God can’t forgive 2 things: A priest or pastor attached to money and who mistreats people

  If there’s anyone who targets the wrong practices in the Catholic church, it’s Pope Francis himself who’s in the forefront of reformation.

  According to Vatican Radio, he made it amply clear last week that people will forgive a weak priest or pastoral minister, but they will not forgive a greedy one or one who mistreats people. He doesn't end there. He also advises laity to point out corruption and business in the church without any fear or consternation.   

 The people of God can forgive their priests, when they are weak; when they slip on a sin ... the people know how to forgive them. But there are two things that the people of God cannot forgive: a priest attached to money and a priest who mistreats people. This they cannot forgive!    

Jesus "is not angry". It is the Wrath of God, zeal for the House of God because you cannot serve two masters, either you worship the living God, or your worship money,  Pope said at a Mass as he marked the feast of Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary last week. That said, majority of priests are good and serve the Lord with all their heart and might. But there’re some black sheep among them also. I think what Pope said is also true for protestant pastors as well. A pastor should not use church to make money and conduct business.

 Why does Jesus have an issue with money? Because redemption is free; it is God’s free gift, He comes to brings us the all-encompassing gratuity of God’s love. So when the Church or churches start doing business, then it is said that -- salvation is not so free. This is why Jesus takes the whip to hand to carry out this act of the purification of the Temple, Vatican Radio said quoting Pope.

  Soon after Pope Francis was ordained priest many years ago, he was with a group of college students and one couple wanted to get married. They went to a parish, but they wanted a wedding ceremony with the Mass. And, the parish secretary there said: “No, no, you cannot. Why can’t we have a Mass? If the Council always recommends people to have a ceremony with the Mass.”

  “No, you cannot, because it can’t last more than 20 minutes,” the secretary said.

 “But why?” the couple asked.

  “Because there are other slots (in the timetable for ceremonies),” he said.

  “But, we want the Mass,” the couple said.

 “So you will have to pay for two slots,” the parish secretary said.

  So in order to have a wedding ceremony with the Mass had to pay two slots. This is the sin of scandal, Pope Francis said.

  It is scandalous when the Temple, the House of God, becomes a place of business, as in the case of that wedding, the church was being rented out.

 "People are good. People went to the Temple and did not look at these things, they sought God and prayed but they had to change their money into coins to make offers. The people of God did not go to the Temple for these people, for those who were selling things, they went because it was the Temple of God," Pope said. But there was corruption that scandalized the people.

 How often when we enter a church do we see, even today, signs of business? Do we see a price list hanging there for baptism, blessings, Mass intentions? People are scandalized.

  We should have the courage to point out corruption and business in the church. "When those who are in the Temple – be they priests, lay people, secretaries, but who manage the Temple, who ministry of the Temple - become businessmen, people are scandalized. And we are responsible for this. The laity too! Everyone,” Pope says.

  A church should not be a place to conduct business. If we see this in our parishes, we should have the courage to say these things to the parish priest, he said. It is scandalous when the Temple, the House of God, becomes a place of business, as in the case of that wedding: the church was being rented out”. 

Don’t make a spectacle of sacraments

  Wedding is a celebration. Certainly, it’s also is a sacrament. So is baptism. But we often forget this fact and turn weddings into a pageant, or a spectacle.   

 Pope Francis recently lambasted the trend in the church community to convert wedding into a spectacle and vanity. This is a different type of celebration which often leads to vulgar display of wealth and influence in the society. In other words, a public display of excessive pride in or admiration of one's own appearance or achievements. Is this Kingdom of God? No.

“Our human weakness prefers a spectacle,” Pope Francis said in his homily at Santa Marta recently. This sometimes happens “in celebrating certain sacraments”, he said, leading us to think about weddings in particular. We have to ask ourselves whether these people “have come to receive a sacrament, to have a feast like at Cana in Galilee, or have they come to have a pageant, to be seen, for vanity?” There is thus a continuous temptation: not to accept that the Kingdom of God is silent, he said.

 People are eager to make wedding and baptism celebrations into a kind of spectacle with music, dance, cultural programmes and scrumptious lunch or dinner. Liquor flows very liberally. A huge money is spent for such celebrations. And everybody forgets Jesus. 

 Remember that the excluded are waiting on the other side. We refuse to acknowledge even their existence. Almost without being aware of it, we end up being incapable of feeling compassion at the outcry of the poor, weeping for other people’s pain, and feeling a need to help them, as though all this were someone else’s responsibility and not our own. The great spectacle goes on in the name of baptism and wedding. There’s no wonder that many such weddings finally end up in divorces years later.

 When we get into such pageants, please remember whether we’re on the right side of our Lord. A power show might give you instant satisfaction, importance and power, but the crucial question is: does our Lord want this kind of spectacle along with sacraments? Not at all.   

  Pope recommended a brief examination of conscience to avoid falling into the temptation of the spectacle, by asking a few simple questions. “Are you a Christian? Yes! Do you believe in Jesus Christ? Yes! Do you believe in the sacraments? Yes! Do you believe that Jesus is there and that He has come here now? Yes, yes, yes!” Well then, Pope Francis continued, “why don’t you go to adore Him, why don’t you go to Mass, why don’t you take Communion, why don’t you draw near to the Lord”, so that his Kingdom may “grow” within you? After all, the Pontiff stated, “the Lord never says that the Kingdom of God is a spectacle”.

 His words are clear. Why don’t you come closer to our Lord instead of getting into the trap of pageants.

 “It (sacrament) is a celebration, but it’s different! It’s a beautiful celebration, a grand feast. And Heaven will be feast, but not a spectacle,” he says. Instead, our human weakness prefers a spectacle.

 In other words, the Pope said, “the Kingdom of God is not a spectacle.” So often, the spectacle is a caricature of the Kingdom of God. Indeed, we must never “forget that it was one of the three temptations”: in the desert, Jesus is told: “go to the pinnacle of the temple and throw yourself down, and everyone will believe. Make a spectacle”. “However, the Kingdom of God is silent, it grows within; the Holy Spirit makes it grow with our willingness, in our soil, which we must prepare. But it grows slowly, silently,” he said.

  The Kingdom of God is humble, like a seed: humble. However, it becomes big by the power of the Holy Spirit. And we have to let it grow within us, without boasting. 

Ignore Halloween, it's devilish

 Halloween originates from superstitions that exalt malign spirits and demons

 Is Halloween all about fun and frolic? No. As innocent children around the world get excited about dressing up as ghouls and ghosts, the Catholic Church had warned that celebrating Halloween can tempt people into worship of the occult.
 There's a belief among many people that Halloween was a bit of harmless fun involving fake blood and Frankenstein masks, but they would be gravely mistaken, said Father Aldo Buonaiuto, a Catholic priest who took part in an international conference of exorcists in Rome last week. "Halloween originates from superstitions that exalt malign spirits and demons. Many people see it as a simple carnival, but it is anything but innocent, it is a subterranean world based on the occult," he told La Nazione, an Italian newspaper.

"Halloween is the anti-chamber towards something much more disturbing. For devotees of the occult, October 31 is the satanic new year. It's a time for luring new converts. And it's a time when exorcists have to work harder," said the priest, a member of the Pope John XXIII Association, a Catholic organisation which combats black magic sects in 25 countries around the world. "With the arrival of Halloween, there is an increase in black magic rites, sacrilege and the adoration of Satan, as well as demonic possessions," he said.
 Halloween is one of the most dangerous spiritual holidays of the year. The celebration of Halloween is very common in the US. It has now made an entry into other countries. This writer has come across many Christians and their kids celebrating Halloween without knowing what it represents or signifies. It doesn't strike them that Halloween represents an opportunity to embrace the evil, devilish, dark side of the spiritual world.
 In response to the growing popularity of Halloween, the association has launched a campaign to replace it with a rival, Christian festival called 'Holyween'. The idea is to banish pumpkins, plastic skeletons and other Halloween emblems and instead hang up pictures of saints and martyrs.
 Churches should hold Masses, prayer vigils and adorations in honour of Christian saints in order to combat the malign influence of Halloween, the priest said.
 Pope Francis recently said at his homily at a morning Mass at the Vatican: "This generation, and many others, have been led to believe that the devil is a myth, a figure, an idea, the idea of evil." "But the devil exists and we must fight against him," Pope said.
Last week, Pope Francis had given a special blessing to a group of some 300 Catholic exorcists meeting in Rome ahead of All Saints Day and the Day of the Dead (Halloween). The nature of devils and demons, and their relationship to all kinds of psychological disturbances (or vice versa) is a complicated question, but on one point the Church is unequivocal: exorcism is no job for amateurs. For both the possessed and the priest-practitioner, driving out the devil can be dangerous to mind, body and spirit.
 The International Association of Exorcists was recognized in June by the Vatican's Congregation for the Clergy and convened here in Rome last week week to discuss "best practices" and hear from psychologists who specialize in recognizing what may often be indistinguishable differences between demonic possession and mental illness.

HALLOWEEN, A PAGAN FESTIVAL

 In an article in www.cbn.com, Elliott Watson writes that the origins of Halloween are Celtic in tradition and have to do with observing the end of summer sacrifices to gods in Druidic tradition. In what is now Britain and France, it was the beginning of the Celtic year, and they believed Samhain, the lord of death, sent evil spirits abroad to attack humans, who could escape only by assuming disguises and looking like evil spirits themselves. The waning of the sun and the approach of dark winter made the evil spirits rejoice and play nasty tricks. Believe it or not, most of our Halloween practices can be traced back to these old pagan rites and superstitions.
 "Just before reaching a conclusion on the subject, I was struck with the thought that I ought to further my search and find out what Wicca, the official religion of witchcraft, has to say about Halloween. Perhaps they viewed the day as a simple fun and innocent neighborhood activity?" Watson writes.
 “Shock” is the only word to describe what I found. Halloween is a real, sacred day for those who follow Wicca. In fact, it is one of two high and holy days for them. The Celtic belief of spirits being released is current, along with the worship of Samhain (the lord of death) – both are promoted as something to embrace on that day. There is no question in my mind that to those who believe and follow the practices of witchcraft, Halloween represents an opportunity to embrace the evil, devilish, dark side of the spiritual world, Watson writes.

Devil exists... we have to fight against him

  There’s a great misconception about the Devil, the prince of darkness, or as Jesus calls him, “the prince of this world”. There’s a belief among many people that the devil is a myth, an idea or imagination. No. Not at all.

 Pope Francis, in his homily last week, stated, “they wanted us to believe that the Devil was a myth, a figure, an idea, the idea of evil. However, the Devil exists and we have to fight against him. St Paul recalls it, ‘the Word of God says it’, yet it seems that ‘we aren’t quite convinced’ of this reality.” The prince of darkness is the one who tempt people away from God and salvation.

Fr Gabriele Amorth

  In his powerful book 'An exorcist tells his story', Fr Gabriele Amorth, the renowned chief exorcist of Rome, says, “St John (1John 5:19) affirms that “the whole world in the power of the evil one.” By word “the world” John means everything that’s opposed to God, Fr Amorth says.

 Is the Church doing enough to defeat the machinations of the Devil?

 According to Fr Amorth, who was granted the faculty of exorcist by Cardinal Ugo Poletti, the Pope's vicar of the Diocese of Rome, while the pastoral ministry (of exorcism) is entirely overlooked in the Catholic world today, it was not so in the past. "In some denominations of the Protestant church, exorcisms are still practiced frequently and fruitfully," he writes.

 Fr Amorth says in the book, "Bishops must realize that this ministry is entirely entrusted to their care; it's only they who can practice or delegate and exorcism. Sadly since most bishops have never performed an exorcism, they are seldom aware of the extent of the need." The scarcity of exorcists clearly denotes a lack of interest on the part of episcopate in general. “The first step, the fundamental step, is to reawaken the awareness of bishops and priests, according to sound doctrine the Scripture, tradition, and the Magesterium have always transmitted," the book says.

 What harm can the devil cause to the loving? "He talks of the ordinary and extraordinary activities. There are six different forms for the second category: External physical pain caused by satan, demonic possession, diabolical oppression, diabolic obsession, diabolic infestation and diabolical subjugation or dependence," Fr Amorth writes.

  Pope Francis said the life of a Christian ‘is a military life’ and it takes ‘strength and courage’ to ‘withstand’ the Devil’s temptations and to ‘proclaim’ the truth. This is a ‘beautiful battle’ because it gives us that joy the Lord has prevailed within us, that great happiness. It takes strength and courage, the Pontiff explained, for it is not a ‘simple confrontation’ but a ‘continuous battle’ with the “Prince of Darkness”. It is this close confrontation, the Pope indicated, which is referred to in the catechism in which “they taught us that in Christian life there are three enemies: the demon, the world and the flesh”. It’s about the everyday struggle with “greed, lust, gluttony, arrogance, pride, envy” -- all vices “which are the wound of original sin.”

Pope says, “We could ask ourselves: Is the salvation that Jesus gives us free? Yes, but you have to protect it. And as Paul writes, to do so we have to “put on the whole armor of God” for “one cannot think of a spiritual life, a Christian life” without withstanding temptations, without battling the Devil”. How is this “armour of God” made? The Apostle provides a few details: Stand, therefore, having girded your loins with truth. Thus, first of all, Truth is required because “the Devil is a liar, he is the father of liars”. Then, Paul continues, one must put on “the breastplate of righteousness”: indeed we cannot be Christians without continuously working to be just.

 In fact, a Christian is a man or a woman of peace and if there isn’t “peace in the heart” then there’s something wrong: it’s peace that “gives you strength for the battle”.

 In the end, the Letter to the Ephesians reads: “above all taking the shield of faith”. “One thing that would really help us would be to ask ourselves: How is my faith? Do I believe or not? Or do I partly believe and partly not? Am I somewhat worldly and somewhat a believer? When we recite the Creed, do we do so only in “words? Are we aware without faith we can’t go forward, we can’t safeguard the salvation of God?” Pope says.

 The armour of a Christian  also includes the “helmet of salvation”, the “sword of the Spirit” and prayer. St Paul advises: “Pray at all times.”

“Pray, pray… one cannot pursue a Christian life without vigilance,” he says.

The wicked bend their arrows and shoot from the shadows

 When people snipe at you and their verbal arrows pull you down, your foundations are destroyed. It's sometimes unfathomable; it can inflict a deep wound in your mind.
 Don't be surprised when poisoned arrows hit you. When people make a sly or petty verbal attack, that's capable of wrecking your life. These arrows can come from your friends, relatives and colleagues. Oh my God, what did I do. When your close relatives thwack you with such arrows, the effect can be devastating and lead to a cataclysmic upheaval in your mind.

 Venerable Rev PK Zachariah of Mar Thoma Church says people who are close to you can give you nightmares with cruel verbal arrows. Take Psalms 11:1-3. "How then can you say to me: 'Flee like a bird to your mountain. For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart. When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?"
 They shoot from the shadows. There can be several reasons from jealousy, greed, money to hatred. Anything. They may not directly confront you. It can hit your indirectly and you won't know from which direction it came to you. There are vindictive and vengeful people around us. Some of them are wolves in sheep's clothing with a wicked mind. They want to teach you a lesson. "Hey, who are you... I will show you your place," they tell themselves.
 I'm sure most of you might have encountered such wicked arrows from your near ones. "When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?" David experienced it in a bitter way when his son Absalom rebelled against him and wanted to kill the king. Our Lord Jesus Christ also faced this when Judas betrayed him. It's a heart-wrenching experience and your tempted for retaliation.   
 But it's Christian way not to retaliate. "Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing," says 1 Peter 3:9. 
 "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you," says Mathew 5:44. Our Lord clearly tells us to pray for those who send wicked arrows and assault you verbally.   
Yes, He is watching everyone and every move. "The Lord is in his holy temple;  the Lord is on his heavenly throne. He observes everyone on earth;   his eyes examine them. The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, he hates with a passion. On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot," Psalms 11 says.
 These are tough words... "fiery coals and burning sulfur". It's also a warning from God to those sending wicked arrows.
  

Devil will come back again and again to trap us… but slam the door on his face

 If you think that devil will leave you alone after tempting you once or twice, you’re mistaken. He will come back... again and again. Our victory depends on how we can thwart his attempts again and again. Devil will try to trap us through many ways. It can be through somebody – even a close relative – or internet or our devious and deceitful thoughts and actions instigated by the Satan. It can be our jealousy, envy, greed, adultery or arrogance.

 If we are trapped by the devil and remain oblivious to that situation, my God, it’s quite serious. This situation can keep us away from eternal life in Heaven. We can’t give our souls to Satan. It belongs to God.

 As Pope Francis says, the devil always comes back to us; he never stops tempting man. “The devil has patience. He never leaves that which he wants for himself… that is, our souls,” he says.

 Devil can come back again and again through other people or a sinful situation. After the temptations in the desert, when Jesus was tempted by the devil, in Luke’s version it says that the devil left Him for a time, but during the life of Jesus he returned again and again.

 Pharisees and Sadducees tested Jesus several times. Who inspired them?  “When they put Him to the test, when they tried to trap Him, in the Passion, finally on the Cross… ‘But if you are the Son of God… but you come, you come from us, so we cannot believe,” Pope says.

 In Luke 23:8, we read that Herod questioned Jesus about many things. But He kept silent. Who was acting through Herod? The answer is very clear.  Luke 23:36-37 says, “the soldiers also mocked Him, coming up to Him, offering Him sour wine, and saying, ‘If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!"

  Our Lord Jesus was tested repeatedly. We will also face situations when our faith gets tested again and again. Don’t succumb to the machinations of the devil. This detestable creature will act through your relatives, friends, colleagues and superiors. We should be able to see through the devil’s games. Devil has patience. He wants our souls for ever. Internet is a great trap laid by devil to lure people these days. Hundreds of porn sites on the internet are booby traps laid by devil. Many of our children and adults are being trapped by devil through this devious route.

  The biggest problem is that we lose the sense of sin occasionally. There’re others who have lost it for ever. Pope Francis earlier warned that when the Lord is absent among men, they “lose the sense of sin” and others risk falling victim to “Christian mediocrity.” The Pope referred to the “grave sin” of “adultery” as an example.

 Rev Fr Xavier Khan Vattayil, a well-known preacher, says constant prayer and a life in Jesus Christ is essential to keep away evil forces. How can we guard ourselves from the attacks of devil?

 “We need to guard our hearts, where the Holy Spirit dwells so that other spirits do not enter. To guard the heart, as a house is guarded, with a key. And then to watch the heart, like a sentinel: How often do wicked thoughts, wicked intentions, jealousy, envy enter in? So many things that enter in. But who has opened that door? Where do they enter from?” Pope says.

 “We know – Jesus says clearly – that the devil always returns. Even at the end of life, He, Jesus, gives us an example of this. And to guard, to watch, so that the demons don’t enter in, we must be able to gather ourselves, that is, to stand in silence before ourselves and before God, and at the end of the day ask ourselves: ‘What happened today in my heart? Did anyone I don’t know enter? Is the key in its place? And this will help us to defend ourselves from so much wickedness, even from that which we could do if these demons, who are very clever and at the end would cheat all of us, even if they enter,” Pope says.

  We need to understand that devil is roaring around like a lion. He’s waiting for an entry. We must slam the door on his face. Holy Spirit will guide us in our efforts to reject Satan. If we are in constant prayer, as Rev Fr Xavier Khan says, we will be able to identify devil’s machinations to trap us.

Five ‘defects’ of our Lord Jesus

 Does Jesus have 'defects'? This question was raised by Rev Fr John Koovakunnel, a voracious reader, speaker and theologian. Some of us may even think that it’s sacrilegious and blasphemous to even think of any 'defects' of Jesus. He is the Son of God. Rev Fr John says our Lord Jesus has five 'defects'. But wait. He hastened to add: “because of these defects we are saved.”

  Quoting from the book ‘Testimony of Hope’ by Vietnamese Cardinal Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan, Rev Fr John repeats, “Jesus has five defects.” Let’s see these defects one after another.

  The first defect is that Jesus has a terrible memory, Rev Fr John said in his sermon during the feast celebrations at Little Flower Church, Nerul.

 “When we go to Jesus and seeks forgiveness and redemption, Jesus forgets our sins. He is a forgiving Lord. He forgets our sins. This is what happened on Calvary as well. When the thief on the right side of Jesus asked for forgiveness of his sins, Jesus, ‘today you will be in heaven with me’. He won't keep our sins and sinful nature in His mind once we surrender ourselves to Him,” Rev Fr John says.

 The second defect is that Jesus doesn’t know maths. His maths is equally bad a la His memory. Leaving 99 sheep, Jesus goes around searching for one missing sheep. “Is one sheep more important than 99 remaining sheep?  For Him, that one sheep is important. It’s much moré than or equal to 99 sheep, he says.

 The parable of the ‘prodigal son’ also teaches us this fact. When the son returns to the father, he forgets everything, embraced his son and gave him a grand welcome.

   What’s the third defect? Jesus doesn’t have any logic. We human beings look at things logically. Please read the parable of missing coin in Luke 15:8-10. “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it?  And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’  Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

  There’s a feast when a missing coin is found. The woman might have spent more than 10 silver coins to arrange the feast. For human mortals, there’s no logic in this story.  

 The fourth defect is risk taking.  “During the time of elections, politicians make various promises that we will do this and that. Mostly these promises turn out to be just hollow ones. But Jesus promises one thing, if you follow me, you will face persecution and sufferings. In fact, all our saints took this risk and followed Jesus. This risk is worth taking,” said Rev Fr John.    

 By taking this risk, we get sanctification. What more you want.

 The fifth and last defect of Jesus is: Jesus doesn’t know economics. He doesn’t follow the principles of economics -- no Keynesian or trickle-down theories. Please read Mathew 20:1-16. “The owner of a vineyard went to the marketplace at the first hour of the morning to find workers for the day. His offered wage of one denarius, a Roman’s soldier’s pay for a day, was generous indeed. The workers in the first group were more than happy to work for the generous wage.

 As the day progressed and more workers were hired, the specific wage was not mentioned, but the landowner promised to pay “whatever is right.” Four groups of workers were hired, the last group just one hour before the end of the day. When the time came for the wages to be paid, the first group of workers saw the last group being paid a denarius and were naturally thinking they would be paid more since they had worked the longest. Their anger against the landowner spilled forth when they saw they would all be paid the same, even though they got exactly what they had agreed upon when they were hired.”

 The Kingdom of Heaven is also like vineyard owner. The reward will be the same whether you were saved much early in the life or just minutes before the death. The good thief on Calvary is also a good example of this. 

  I find the five 'defects' of Jesus very interesting, illuminating and enlightening. Thanks to Rev Fr John and Cardinal Francis Van Thuan.

 Who is Cardinal Francis Van Thuan?

Arrested only a few months after his appointment, Archbishop Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan was imprisoned by the Vietnamese government for 13 years and then released to house arrest. In 1991, Van Thuan was expelled from Vietnam. He went to Rome and began his work in the Roman Curia as Vice President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. Since 1998, Archbishop Van Thuan served as the Council's President. In 2001, Van Thuan was named a Cardinal.

 Every year, John Paul 2 used to select a preacher for a course of spiritual exercises for himself and the Vatican's Roman Curia. For the Jubilee 2000, he chose Archbishop Van Thuan. Testimony of Hope is the complete text of those Spiritual Exercises. In his book, Cardinal Van Thuan addresses our need for hope at the beginning of the 21st century. He faced what he described as the agonizing pain of isolation and abandonment. The hope he discovered in imprisonment is also our hope for the Church and the world at this momentous point in history.