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‘The marvelous peace of God’

Posted on by Fr. James Dodson

They cast their nets in Galilee,

Just off the hills of brown;

Such happy, simple fisherfolk,

Before the Lord came down.

Contented, peaceful fishermen,

Before they ever knew

The peace of God that filled their hearts brimful,

And broke them, too.

“It is important that he be a man of peace” is a phrase that is often heard echoing in the halls of seminary formation. This refrain sounds great, but what does it mean and what form does it take?

A significant part of formation, both in the seminary specifically and in one’s spiritual life generally, is the willingness to have a mind-transplant, so-to-speak. St. Paul’s words to the Romans remain a strong exhortation for us today: “Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2).

The worldly man considers peace as the absence of difficulty: “If I didn’t have this sickness, hardship, or trial, I would be at peace.” For this person, peace is born in the absence of the cross. This is the peace the worldly man seeks, but not sought by the man of God for he knows that the Lord never promised a life without hardship: “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). The worldly desire for life without strife is untenable precisely because it is unrealistic.

The man of faith desires the peace of Christ. This sounds spiritually sweet, but wait. In articulating the mission for the Twelve Disciples, the coming persecutions and the courage necessary to persevere, our Lord indicates something rather strange: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth, [for] I have come to bring not peace, but the sword” (Matthew 10:34).

This from the God-Man who also preached during the Sermon on the Mount how “blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9). At first glance, one might say that the Lord contradicts Himself, but prudence dictates that one pause and consider what is to be gleaned from this apparent inconsistency.

If the peace of Christ is not that which the world acclaims as peace, then what is it?

True peace is tranquillitas ordinis – it is the tranquility one has when he is living in the proper order. And what is the “proper order?” Simply put, God is God and I am not God; and because we have been created by God and for the purpose of living in union with Him, we recognize the truth of what St. Augustine asserts in his spiritual autobiography: “You have made us for Yourself [Lord], and our hearts are restless until they rest in You” (Confessions, 1.1).

This also means that in God’s will is our peace, and by following the order of living that the Almighty has revealed to us in His Only-Begotten Son, we will experience the tranquility that the worldly person cannot understand and will never attain.

The peace of Christ is manifest on the cross and offered as His first gift after the resurrection.  Because Jesus, who, “though He was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God,” always lived in the proper order, and by emptying Himself took “the form of a slave [… and] humbled Himself, becoming obedient to death” (Philippians 2:6-8), His tranquility of soul is unfathomable.

And yet it is a mystery in which each of us may participate if we desire it. The peace of Christ does not come only after a difficulty but has the potential to be always present precisely amidst it. Are you restless? Not at peace? Do you wish to experience true peace – the peace of Christ? Attend to the order of your life and address the manner of it by following the ways of God. Change your thinking, so that you will change your living. Wise words for apostles, seminarians, and all who seek the peace of Christ amid a weary world.

William Alexander Percy, the early 20th century lawyer and poet, concludes his reflection on the peace of Christ with these words:

Young John who trimmed the flapping sail,

Homeless, in Patmos died.

Peter, who hauled the teeming net,

Head-down was crucified.

The Peace of God, it is no peace,

But strife closed in the sod.

Yet, brothers, pray for but one thing,

The marvelous peace of God.

Radically following the Lord in true discipleship will bring with it the uncomfortable and inevitable reality of division, separation, and difficulty in this world, but tranquility to the soul when obedient to the ways of God. It is simple and straightforward. The difficulty resides in the fact that we complicate matters endlessly by our almighty way of thinking and disordered manner of living. Learn the way of God and ask for the grace to live it well, always and everywhere – to His praise and glory and the salvation of your soul.

Tranquillitas ordinis. Baffle the world. Become a saint!

—Father James Dodson is vocation director for the Diocese of Burlington.

—Originally published in the Spring 2024 issue of Vermont Catholic magazine.

 

 

Book review: ‘Groaning in Labor, Growing in Hope: Scriptural Reflections for the Hard Days of Early Motherhood’

Posted on by Kay Winchester

“Groaning in Labor, Growing in Hope: Scriptural Reflections for the Hard Days of Early Motherhood.” By Jessica Mannen Kimmet. Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 2023. 96 pages.  Paperback: $13.99; Kindle: $10.99; E-Book: $10.99.

When I was expecting my son, a wise older friend congratulated me and then added, “Just be prepared. It’s not all baby powder and giggles.” Needless to say, I soon discovered that she was right. Her own experience – and frankly, her warning — didn’t diminish motherhood at all; rather, it was a reality check. And indeed it was a necessary one because inflated expectations, compared to what day-to-day life with a newborn actually entails, can cause many a new mother to wonder if she has gotten it and her own abilities all wrong right from the get-go.

That is why Jessica Mannen Kimmet’s new book, “Groaning in Labor, Growing in Hope,” is such an important addition to the conversations surrounding, as she phrases it, “the hard days of early motherhood.” Her honesty, brutal as it is at times, can serve to encourage new mothers not to despair; the fact that this raising of and coping with life when children are very, very young, is actually a pretty tough thing to do. What she has written is the book she wished she’d had at the time.

It’s important to note that one of the things she discusses at great length is postpartum depression which, as she discovered after the birth of her second child, was something she suffered from. The National Institutes of Health estimate that between 10 and 20 percent of women will experience this in one degree or another; many of them will go undiagnosed by a medical professional.

Kimmet’s advice, based on her own experience, is both encouraging and helpful. While she is a strong proponent of both prayer and scripture, she also is quick to acknowledge that postpartum depression or anxiety needs more than any book can offer; it does not replace “medical and psychological support. God can, of course, heal mental illness,” she says. “But God very often works through our human reason and resources, including the care of professionals.  My own recovery was supported by prayer, and it was also supported by my family doctor, my obstetrician, and a therapist.”

In the final appendix to the book, Kimmet includes information about how to reach out and who to speak with if you are having trouble coping.

The structure of the book takes all this into account, including the amount of time a new mother doesn’t have to herself. It is divided into three main parts: Seeds of Healing, followed by Companions in the Sorrow, and finally, Practical Strategies.

The chapters within each division are, at most, a few short pages, and all begin with a brief scripture passage for reflection. The “prayer to carry” at the end of each is a simple phrase from scripture, something both easy to read and remember.

A devotee of the Lectio Divina before her children were born, Kimmet provides, in the first appendix, a more realistic way of praying this way when life is a series of interruptions. Noting that the Catholic Church does not have an official patron saint for postpartum depression, she has compiled her own list of women, beginning with Jesus’ own mother, whose lives and example can serve as companions along the way.

Kimmet is now, as she says, “several more years and (a third) baby in” and has found joy, which seemed elusive in the beginning, in being a mother. “I am so far from perfect,” she concludes, “but I keep becoming more able to see God, who keeps showing up amid all my failings … the hope here is not to never struggle or suffer, at least not in this life. It’s to be able to respond to the struggles from a place of trust.”

Author bio:

Jessica Mannen Kimmet is a freelance writer and liturgical musician. Formerly a full-time college campus minister working primarily in music and liturgy, she now spends most of her time raising her three young sons.

She has a bachelor’s degree in theology and music theory and a master’s of divinity, both from the University of Notre Dame. Her writing has appeared on Grotto Network and in Liturgical Press’s Living Liturgy series.

She lives in the Midwest.

 

The elderly and the victims of war

Posted on by Cori Urban

Many years ago, I watched an older woman making Ukrainian Easter eggs at an international crafts fair. The complex process, intricate patterns and bright colors fascinated me, so I purchased a kit and spent time during Lent trying to master the traditional art of “pysanky,” as the eggs are called.

I learned that pysanky symbolize Christ’s resurrection, hope, new life, and prosperity. They are traditionally made during the last week of Lent by the women of the village who work at night as their children sleep. Prayers are said as the intricate designs are drawn on eggs with beeswax, each line bearing an intention for the person destined to receive the egg.

In this way, one author noted, the creation of pysanky becomes a contemplative practice similar to praying the rosary.

Egg dyeing is just one of many traditions of which millions of Ukrainians will be deprived this Easter. The same author suggested that the making of pysanky would be a good way for people throughout the world to show solidarity with the Ukrainian people.

Although it’s a little too late for me to get started on a big pysanky project, it’s never too late to pray and offer sacrifices for the suffering people of Ukraine.

It is often said that women, children, and the elderly are the first victims of war.

As a Little Sister of the Poor, I naturally focus on the plight of seniors. My heart aches as I think of the Ukrainian grandmothers who should be busy at home making pysanky, paska – Easter bread – and other traditional dishes for their families. I can’t imagine where they find the strength to endure as they hide in basements or board refugee buses bound for unfamiliar destinations, carrying their possessions in sacks and plastic bags.

The worn, tear-stained faces of these women follow me throughout the day.

Every day I see media reports in which elders weep at the loss of their sons and daughters, their homes and everything they hold dear. After surviving the second World War and a Soviet-inflicted famine in their youth, they cannot believe that such carnage is again visiting their homeland.

Pope Francis has suggested that as much as they are suffering, the elderly have an invaluable contribution to make during tragic times. Like Moses, he said, “The elderly see history and pass on history.”

He said: “An old age that is granted this clarity is a precious gift for the generation that is to follow. Listening personally and directly to the story of lived faith, with all its highs and lows, is irreplaceable. Reading about it in books, watching it in films, consulting it on the internet … will never be the same. There is a tone and style of communication to direct, person-to-person storytelling that no other medium can replace. An older person, one who has lived a long time, and receives the gift of a lucid and passionate testimony of his or her history, is an irreplaceable blessing.”

The pope asserts that great social challenges and peace processes call for dialogue between the keepers of memory – the elderly – and the young, who move history forward. “Each must be willing to make room for others. … Encounter and dialogue between generations should be the driving force behind a healthy politics.”

“I can give a personal testimony,” the pope said. “I learned hatred and anger for war from my grandfather, who fought at the Piave in 1914, and he passed on to me this rage for war. Because he told me about the suffering of a war. And this isn’t learned in books or in other ways … it’s learned in this way, being passed down from grandparents to grandchildren. And this is irreplaceable. The transmission of life experience from grandparents to grandchildren. Today, unfortunately, this is not the case, and we think that grandparents are discarded material: No! They are the living memory of a people, and young people and children ought to listen to their grandparents.”

It is clear from the abundant media coverage that Ukrainians do not discard their elders. Families are suffering together and they will rise from the rubble together.

Let us thank God for their heroic example and pray that their resurrection may come as quickly as possible.

—Sister Constance Veit is the communications director for the Little Sisters of the Poor in the United States and an occupational therapist. 

—Published in the Spring 2024 issue of Vermont Catholic magazine.

 

 

Deacon John Magnier deployed to Texas to assist with border situation

Posted on by Submitted Article

From Jan. 2 to Feb. 16 Deacon John Magnier of St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Shelburne, an employee of the Department of Homeland Security, was deployed to Eagle Pass, Texas, to assist with the processing of migrants at the southern border. He spoke about this experience with Deacon Chris Noble of Our Lady of the Angels Church in Randolph, St. John the Evangelist Church in Northfield, and St Anthony Church in Bethel. Below is a portion of their conversation. 

Can you describe your initial impressions on arriving in Eagle Pass?

I was shocked! What I saw was nothing like what you see and hear in the media. First, the size of the operation. Unless you have been here it is hard to imagine the huge numbers of people involved.

Second, if you listen to the media, it sounds like there is an angry “standoff” between state and federal agents on the ground. That is just not so. Both federal and state agents on the ground respect each other and realize that they both have a job to do – but that job …  let’s call it mission …  is different at the state and national level.

Finally, you quickly realize that, across the border, the cartels are in charge, very organized, and making a ton of money. Of the people we process, none leave Mexico without the consent of the cartels. Surprisingly, the cartels not only control the physical movement of people but even the messaging.

What can you tell us about the people coming across the border?

I can just tell you about what I saw as a processing official responsible for data entry and background checks. Over half were families, and by that, I mean young mothers with children. The rest were service-age men. Only a very few had previous criminal records. While doing the intake interview, I had no idea if they were going to be deported or allowed to stay in the U.S. That decision is made further down the process.”

What can you tell us about the process?

The initial interview and background check is comprehensive and formal, and for some — particularly the families — very stressful. You see a lot of worry and anxiety. They had just made a very dangerous trip of hundreds or even thousands of miles, and now their entire future would soon be decided.

They all believe there is a better life in the U.S., so much better that the cost and risk of the dangerous journey is worth it.

Are the basic needs of the people being taken care of once they cross the border?

The physical needs of the people are being well cared for. Food, clothing, shelter, even medical care for those who need it. What is not addressed at all is spiritual care. Most of the people I processed were from places that have strong Christian beliefs, and none of the spiritual needs were being addressed.

As an ordained permanent deacon in the Church, it must have been hard to see all that human suffering, and spiritual need. How did you react to that?

The biggest challenge for me was the families; it is heartbreaking to see what they were going through, I wanted to give them hope. But that is very hard. I had no idea if they would be admitted or deported, and I struggled with the question of giving hope when the outcome likely would not be what they wanted — by that I mean they would be deported.

By procedure, processors are required to be very formal and straight-faced and not engage at all with the people. This is counter to what your heart is telling you to do. Your heart is telling you to be empathetic and consoling, but your mind and procedure are telling you to remain detached.

By entering our country without proper permission, I certainly knew that they had broken our law. But there is another side to it, particularly when you are sitting there face-to-face with the human reality. Most times this was a scared mom with her children, hoping and praying for a better life in the U.S. What would you do?

How did you handle that spiritual struggle?

“The first two weeks were hard. I took it to prayer – Lord what do you want me to do? I also found a wonderful parish church here in Eagle Pass.  Our Lady of Refuge is just four blocks from the border with Mexico and experiences the fallout from the crossings every day. The pastor there, Father Juan Gasper, OMI, is just amazing – and as you can imagine he has been dealing with the difficult human question of unlawful border crossings all his adult life. Father Juan is a gifted priest who radiates God’s love! He was great spiritual support and even gave me tips on homilies.

I also had strong support from my fellow deacons in Vermont. Their prayers and discussions were very helpful.

This experience was life-changing — seeing the risks people will take to get here I have a new and strong appreciation for the life we have here in the U.S. Maybe we take for granted how good we really have it here.

I also learned it is never wrong to offer hope – even when hope is hard to see! By procedure, I was not allowed to speak words of empathy and consolation, but I could and did think them. I could also “see” our Lord in the people I processed. After I started doing that, things got much better for me, and I felt a real peace. I am one person working for God’s Kingdom – and it is OK if I don’t see the results of my efforts.

Even when circumstances prevent ministering and offering the peace of our Lord to those suffering, we can always pray for them and respect and love their humanity. It makes a real difference to them and in us. …

My pastor, Father Dwight Baker, always emphasizes that we are “all God’s children.”

And St. Catherine of Siena said, “Be who God meant you to be, and you will set the world on fire.”

—Originally published in the Spring 2024 issue of Vermont Catholic magazine.

Musing from Monsignor McDermott

Posted on by Msgr. John McDermott

‘Easter Duty’

My dear family in Christ,

Those of us of a certain age likely remember Catholics who spoke of having to fulfill their “Easter duty.” For many, this phrase meant that they needed to celebrate the Sacrament of Confession at some point during Lent or the Easter season. I have been thinking of this because the “Easter duty” isn’t something I have heard mentioned recently. So, the questions I want to ask and answer: “Is there an Easter duty for Catholics? If so, what is it?”

Is there an Easter duty? Yes, but it’s not what many people think. What has been seen as a duty to go to confession is really the Church’s prescription that Catholics who have received First Holy Communion are obligated to received Holy Communion at the minimum once a year. This requirement is spelled out in the Code of Canon Law:

Can. 920 §1. After being initiated into the Most Holy Eucharist, each of the faithful is obliged to receive holy communion at least once a year.

  • 2. This precept must be fulfilled during the Easter season unless it is fulfilled for a just cause at another time during the year.

The “duty” emphasized by the Church is for Catholics to encounter the Lord in the reception of Holy Communion at least once a year during the Easter season. This is the bare minimum threshold for the reception of the Eucharist.

So why do so many people see the duty as a requirement for going to confession? As noted in the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

The Church obliges the faithful to take part in the Divine Liturgy on Sundays and feast days and, prepared by the sacrament of Reconciliation, to receive the Eucharist at least once a year, if possible during the Easter season. But the Church strongly encourages the faithful to receive the holy Eucharist on Sundays and feast days, or more often still, even daily (CCC 1389).

In order to receive Holy Communion worthily, we must be free from mortal sins, and for this to happen, we need to go to confession. So, the obligation to receive Holy Communion during the Easter season made people not in a state of grace recognize their duty to celebrate confession prior to presenting themselves for communion. Hence, the “Easter duty” for many was focused on confession and not Holy Communion.

What does this mean for us today?  It means the Church wants us to receive Holy Communion frequently. This most intimate encounter with Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ which strengthens us in faith, hope, and charity, is something we all should long to receive regularly.  However, the Church also knows that we sometimes stumble in our lives of faith and so extends to us the mercy of Christ in confession. The two sacraments go hand in hand to assist us to grow in holiness.

I encourage us all to examine our consciences regularly (here’s a link to a good examination of conscience Examination-of-Conscience-Ten-Commandments.pdf from usccb.org) and if we are conscious of mortal sin rush to receive Our Lord’s healing in reconciliation. Let’s not wait for a yearly confession but seek this spiritual remedy on a regular basis so that we can receive the Bread of Life on a weekly or even daily basis. Let’s not see this as just a duty but a privilege and grace.

Our Lord wants us to be healed and nourished; why would we intentionally stay away from Him who is our salvation?

In Christ,

Monsignor John J. McDermott

Diocesan Administrator

The peace and justice connection

Posted on by Deacon Pete Gummere

The link between peace and justice was not something emerging as a trendy construct of the late 20th century. Admittedly two popes of the Vatican II era did write on the topic. Pope Paul VI (1972) did write succinctly, “If you want peace, work for justice.”  Nine years before that, Pope John XXIII wrote his ground-breaking encyclical, “Pacem in Terris” (“Peace on Earth”). Pope John correctly linked not only peace and justice, but also, truth, human freedom, and love.

Although the documents seemed ground-breaking at the time, both relied heavily on a long tradition going back to biblical times. Pope John XXIII specifically cited the prophet Isaiah: “Justice will bring about peace; right will produce calm and security” (Isaiah 32: 17).

If we look at the world today, we see great injustice. One country invading another, one people dominating another, denial of legitimate civil liberties, oppressive regimes, terrorism, and numerous other injustices. When people or nations are treated unjustly, they rebel against the oppressor. Even when they merely perceive oppression, the reaction is the same. The great tragedy, of course, is death and the human suffering caused by people pushing back against the oppression.

Is it any wonder then that the people of Ukraine are fighting fiercely to take back the land that Russia seized? The hostilities in the Middle East have been legendary and all related to real or perceived injustices. And there are many other conflicts simmering or exploding around the world. Without justice, peace is not going to flourish.

Within our own country, there are real injustices that drive much of our social and political tension. We need not go much farther than the single issue of race to illustrate my point. There is no question that the enslavement of African captives began pervasive tension surviving for 400 years.

With grave inequity in income, housing, education, and healthcare, along with racial disparity in policing and the criminal justice system, it is small wonder that racial tensions in this country remain high.

Oppression in many other countries has resulted in multiple millions of refugees seeking new homes. This reality has posed serious backlogs at the U.S.-Mexican border. Refugees trying to escape war and oppression have posed a serious problem in numerous European, African, and Middle Eastern countries. These migrants are seeking a better life for themselves and their families than they have in their own country. On a practical level, perhaps admitting some of these individuals (after proper screening) would serve to alleviate the labor shortage we have heard about in the news.

What can we do about this? As Catholics following the teaching of Jesus, we need to assess how much of our energy, time, talent, and treasure we can devote to helping to overcome these persistent problems. We need to discern these issues through serious prayer. It is also essential that in an election year we also look for political candidates capable of helping to move our local, state, and federal government in the direction of greater justice for all.

Ignoring these issues is simply not an option – either morally or practically speaking. Indifference will not make the problems disappear, but only grow. Those hungering for justice must assert themselves toward that goal. Peace will flow from the justice that we promote.

Perhaps God will even shift the mindset of others to follow our lead.

For God’s sake, we must do something!

—Deacon Pete Gummere serves at Corpus Christi Parish in St. Johnsbury and is the retired director of the diaconate for the Diocese of Burlington. He is also a bioethicist.

—Originally published in the Spring 2024 issue of Vermont Catholic magazine.