The Church Stands for the Truth as Indicated by Humanae Vitae

Throughout history, there are many instances in which it is shown that there are times in which it is necessary for the Church to show that she holds fast to her teachings, even when world views change.  In 1968, Pope Paul VI did just that when he wrote the encyclical Humanae Vitae.  In it, the Pope addresses issues that married couples face when it comes to child bearing in the modern world.  He shows that the Church recognizes the many ways that people and societies are changing their views on matters such as the way women were being viewed at that point in time as opposed to the past.  Also, he wrote about the many difficulties that couples face when it comes to having children, including health and economic problems.  With all of this noted, he still maintains the Church stands firm in her understanding of human sexuality.

                In this writing, the Holy Father expresses that the teaching on marriage is “founded on natural law, illuminated and enriched by divine revelation” (Humanae Vitae, 4).  The significance of this is while many in the world, particularly in the US, believe that they are entitled to control their body by any means that they wish, and that relationships can be defined according to any inclination one may have, there remains truths that can never be altered. 

                While considering the nature of the human body, he writes that “responsible parenthood means the knowledge and respect of their functions; human intellect discovers in the power of giving life biological laws which are part of the human person” (10).  Today, it seems as though to take away this “power of giving life” through artificial means is a way of “progressing” or “evolving” the human race.  However, when one considers the functions of the body, it still produces the same results when healthy and unaltered by unnatural devices.  What does this say?  It says that nature does not conform to the opinions of people and so doesn’t natural law.  And if these do not change, it cannot be a right for someone to adjust it to their opinions. 

                Pope Paul VI also says that “man, growing used to the employment of anticonceptive practices, may finally lose respect for the woman and…may come to the point of considering her as a mere instrument of selfish enjoyment, and no longer as his respected and beloved companion” (17).  This has been considered to be prophetic as it has been proven to be correct since standards for morality have been lowered after the increase of birth control usage increased. 

                He emphasizes the “two meanings of the conjugal act:  the unitive…and the procreative” (12) and that “to use this divine gift destroying…its meaning and its purpose is to contradict the nature both of man and woman…and therefore it is to contradict …the plan of God and His will” (13).  In this, he is stressing where the Church truly stands on the issue, regardless of pressures from the world to change her position on it. 

                So, is this a huge, dramatic event in the history of the Church?  Not seemingly so, however, it is an inspiring example of how she remains true to her teachings and is unwavering even in the midst of the ever changing world. 

Work Cited

Pope Paul VI, Encyclical Letter, Humanae Vitae.  1968.  Pauline Books & Media.  Print. 

St. Francis de Sales on Living a Life of True Devotion

The book Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales is a beautiful instruction by the saint to lead readers to have an understanding of what devotion is and how to truly go about practicing it.  This writing is divided into five sections:  the first being to show what is needed to be done to fully accept this devout way of life, the second is focused on the Sacraments and prayer, the third is about practicing virtue, the fourth is about how to avoid temptation and the fifth is to confirm the devotion. 

In the first section, he first gives a warning about false devotion and how to go about avoiding it in order to find true devotion.  He tells of those who are able to, in a way, put on a show in order to fool everyone into thinking that they are devout.  But one who is practicing authentically has, by God’s grace, the perfection of charity in their soul that “not only makes us do good but also do this carefully, frequently, and promptly” (pg. 28).  Careful, frequent and prompt responses out of love from a person are the characteristics of being devout.  He goes on to talk about devotion as making mortifications sweet just as a bee takes a bitter liquid from a thyme blossom and makes it into sweet honey. 

When de Sales speaks of beginning devotion, he focuses on the need for one to cleanse their soul of all sins, mortal and venial, as well as all affection for it.  He offers a way to pray with ten meditations in order to clear one’s soul from these affections and to resolve to permanently reject them.  The meditations include considering our creation and how “God has drawn you out of…nothingness to make you what you now are and he has done so solely out of his own goodness and without need of you” (pg. 41).  He also suggests meditations on Paradise, Hell, and judgment among others. 

He begins the second section by writing, “Since prayer places our intellect in the brilliance of God’s light and exposes our will to the warmth of his heavenly love, nothing else so effectively purifies our intellect of ignorance and our will of depraved affections” (pg. 70).  This surely is a beautiful description of the importance of prayer.  He goes on to tell of the importance of mental, interior prayer and that even if drawn to do so during vocal prayer, to not turn away the inspiration to do so.  And in order to do so, he details his method of the meditations that he gave in the previous section.  He also speaks of having an oratory within the very heart of a person, as St Catherine of Siena had when she was deprived of having anywhere to pray and meditate.  He says, “withdraw your spirit from time to time into your heart and there, apart from the world of men, you can converse heart to heart with God on the state of your soul” (pg. 87). 

The third section is on virtues and how to go about practicing them.  While many people seem to revere those who exercise extreme virtues, as many saints have, it is more necessary to not focus on these, but to look to those that are less extreme and obvious in the spirit of humility.  For example, he mentions that “to give alms and to forgive injuries are both charitable acts, yet the first is held in honor by everyone while the second is despised by the eyes of the world” (pg. 129).  This shows that, even though giving to the poor is a great action indeed, it is much easier to accomplish and is perceived as showing greater strength than forgiving someone, which may be thought of as weak. 

St. Francis also focuses on friendship in this portion of this writing.  He warns against friendships that are frivolous and do not have much meaning or true spiritual benefit to them.  Also, he warns of the dangers of flirtatious friendships or “fond loves” that can lead to carnal sins.  But he does write of “true friendship” in which there are “mutual and reciprocal exchanges [that] concern charity, devotion and Christian perfection” and that they will be “excellent because it comes from God, excellent because it leads to God, excellent because its bond will endure eternally in God” (pg. 162). 

To flee from temptation is the focus of the fourth segment of this book.  He talks about why it is that we can want to give in to it as “we can never please the world unless we lose ourselves together with it.  It is so demanding that it can’t be satisfied” (pg. 223).  To give in to the world is to satisfy it; until then, to fight temptation and to live a devout life is to be ridiculed constantly by the world.  The three steps of temptation that he gives are the proposal of sin, pleasure or displeasure of it and consenting to it or refusing it.  While no one can avoid every thought or occasion of sin, as long as it is displeasing to the soul, it can be conquered, just as St. Catherine of Siena was, by God’s grace, filled with grief when presented with many temptations by the devil. 

The fifth and final part of this book on devotion includes exercises in order to be renewed in one’s devotion to God.  It contains examinations to consider concerning the affections of the soul, the soul when it comes to neighbors among others, as well as considerations for virtue, the saints’ examples and Jesus’s love.  After this renewal de Sales encourages the reader to repeat “with all your heart the ardent words of St. Paul, St. Augustine…and others:  ‘No, I am no longer my own.  Whether I live or die, I am my Savior’s.  I no longer have anything in me or of me; my very self is Jesus and my being is his being…’” (pg. 275).  These words show the depth of the devotion that is proposed by this saint.

Of this book by St. Francis de Sales, there can be much more said, so much more reflected upon and considered.  The readability of this book is that in which when one reads it today, it would not seem as though it was from the 1600’s, but from recent years.  It is so relevant now as it was then.  In this way, it is quite simple.  Yet, in the spiritual and devotional wisdom given by this saint, it is deep, beautiful and rich.  This is truly a timeless book and every Catholic would benefit greatly from reading it if they wish to practice an authentic life of devotion to God. 

Work Cited

De Sales, St. Francis.  Introduction to the Devout Life.  Trans. John K. Ryan.  New York:  Doubleday, 2003.  Print. 

The Influence of Pope John Paul II on the Youth of the US and the World

In the Mile High City of Denver, Colorado, next to the majestic Rocky Mountains, an event that can be described as a great phenomenon in the history of the Catholic Church in the United States occurred:  World Youth Day (WYD), 1993.  What was so great about it and how did it affect the Church?  I, who was looking at it from the eyes of a fifteen year old and very interested in living the Catholic faith, was blessed to witness this event and it couldn’t have been more miraculous.  From seeing all of the people from around the US and the world, including so many bishops walking around the Colorado Rockies’s baseball field before the first Mass at Mile High Stadium—a very impressive sight, indeed—to seeing the Bishop of Rome himself, the now Blessed John Paul II, arrive at the stadium for the papal welcome, it was a particularly remarkable occasion. 

Looking back at it as an adult, I can remember the hot sun, the colorful traditional clothing of a group from Poland, seeing many groups of religious sisters, the music, the food, the many churches--Catholic and otherwise—that volunteered to help in the event.  I also remember how welcoming most of the people in Denver were, as they had done such things as providing water for very thirsty pilgrims.  I even remember trying to speak German to someone from Italy (and yet it worked, but that’s another story).  Also, the message that came from the Holy Father to us, the youth, is something that will always be a part of my life.

There was the speech that he gave at Mile High Stadium, which can be read here:  http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/speeches/1993/august/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_19930812_saluto-denver-gmg_en.html.   In it, the Holy Father says that “Jesus Christ, the true Life who gives hope and purpose to our earthly existence…in a love that goes beyond all limits of time and space, to eternal unassailable happiness” (“Papal Welcoming Ceremony”).  This is certainly something for someone who is young to contemplate—that Christ is the reason for us to live and that His love is absolutely timeless and eternal. 

Well, that might seem to be a lot for a teenager to think about, but we can consider the many plights that young people have, such as all of the pressures around them to live contrary to how our Lord commands us to.  But to be told the reason for existence at a time when one is questioning this and to be told that they are loved when they may not feel as such is a powerful comfort to receive—and not just a comfort, but an inspiration as well.  Also, to know that we have the source of “eternal unassailable happiness” is a comfort to those who have been through many difficult things in which could cause the loss of hope and happiness. 

He goes on to say, “Young people of America and of the world, listen to what Christ the Redeemer is saying to you! ‘To all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God’. The ‘World Youth Day’ challenges you to be fully conscious of who you are as God’s dearly beloved sons and daughters” (“Papal Welcoming Ceremony”).  This is so important for someone who is young to learn of this identity and to be given the courage to live their lives accordingly.  As many youths are challenged by those around them to find their identity through many different means, many of which is harmful to the soul, so too does the Pope challenge those present at WYD to find their identity as God’s children.  This impression on the mind and soul of young people is so essential at this stage in their lives, where one can very easily go astray. 

Pope John Paul II’s challenges and encouragements really come down to the theme of WYD ’93, and this is that Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10).  This doesn’t pertain to living life to the fullest in a way that the world would suggest, that is, giving into any temptations that would give us such temporary pleasures.  But rather than that, he says, “go in search of God, because he can also be found in the heart of a modern city; recognize him in so many young people full of hope and noble ideals; feel the breath of the Holy Spirit among so many different races and cultures, all united in acknowledging Christ as the way, the truth and the life of every human being.”  In doing so, we are living our lives as we ought, recognizing the dignity of all persons who are also on this pilgrimage through life, so that we all may be united with God at the end of our lives. 

From this visit to the United States as well as his entire papacy, Pope John Paul II helped to awaken a new sense of a mission in the lives of the youth.  At least I know that he did this in my life as well as many people around me.  Also, he proved to anyone who might have doubted, the Catholic Church is very much alive in the US and around the world among the youth.  Through this, it is proven once again that the Church will remain strong and will always be there because God will always be with us.  This was one of the things that inspired us to have “the courage to go and spread the Good News among the people of the last part of the twentieth century, in particular among young people of your own age, who will take the Church and society into the next century” (“Papal Welcoming Ceremony”).  Now that we are in that next century, let all of the youth of Blessed John Paul II continue on this mission. 

Work Cited

“Papal Welcoming Ceremony at the Mile High Stadium of Denver:  Address of His Holiness Pope John Paul II.”  1993.  Web.  Accessed 5 December 2012. 

The Eyes of Faith

John Paul II has written many letters and quite a few foundational encyclicals of the church. In addition, he has written many poems, one of which I will address. “When You Open Your Eyes Deep in a Wave,” was written by John Paul II.

 

When you open your eyes deep in a wave

poem #2 in the series Song of the Brightness of Water
by Karol Wojtyla

Transparent after fresh rain, the stones glisten
as each passing step touches them slightly.
Soon in will be evening. Banging. Doors open.
How many people will enter? How many will
thaw in the light from the windows?
Evening has come. Now and again the face
of a passer-by opens the human wall – then
window lights carry it over
to some other place nearby.
The wall now contracts, now widens; still the same.
Eyes can break out of the dark, only just -
the wall is easy.

But, I tell you, your sight alone
scarcely catches people as they flow
on the wave of fluorescent lights.
They are revealed by what is most concealed
within them, that which no flame
will burn out.

When your eyes are half-closed, space
fills again with substance beyond understanding -
the darkness of men is drawn back
cradling that goodness
which feeds you from each in the crowd
as long as you are silent,
which your shouts
turn to dust.

No, no, it is not simply you, each of you,
and were it so,
your presence not only exists, it reveals.

And yet – if eyes could only be opened
not from habit, but differently;
then, then not to forget
their vision filled with delight.

            A the opening of the poem we are presented with the stanza, ”Now and again the face
of a passer-by opens the human wall – then window lights carry it over to some other place nearby. The wall now contracts, now widens; still the same.” We see that there is some sort of opening. The doors opening could indicate our degree of openness for taking people into ourselves and our eyes. However, I think John Paul II was getting to a deeper issue, “looking into someone verses looking through someone.” He is trying to teach us how to see with the eyes of faith. In Fides Et Ratio he writes, “But our vision of the face of God is always fragmentary and impaired by the limits of our understanding. Faith alone makes it possible to penetrate the mystery in a way that allows us to understand it coherently.” Therefore, just as we need the vision of faith to see God, we also need it to see our fellow human beings. The wall that he writes of seems to be in reference to the human will. In other words, it remarks on what we allow to penetrate us, people and teaching. In order to be open to people and teachings entering us we need education and faith (faith and reason).

            He also writes, “the darkness of men is drawn back.” This could indicate that when we take people on the surface we may just see the darkness and imperfections. But in order to find what is deep within, we must find a place of silence. When we find this silence we can see what is “most concealed.” What is most concealed is the goodness of man! The goodness of man can sometimes be concealed by our own sight, which left unaided may lead us to only see the surface of men. He is asking us to learn how to see again. He is asking us to break the habit of the word to only see on the surface and to let him guide us with the eyes of faith. This new world that we see soon allows us to see goodness as a distinguishing factor. “This is light amidst the darkness!” In a way, we see a new dimension with a fresh pair of eyes. And as we learn how to see with these new eyes we can teach others.

            I absolutely love the work of John Paul II, especially his poetry. My love for his poetry is quite new, considering that I studied most of his poetry this semester along with Regina. However, I find his poetry especially revealing when it comes to true faith, theology and TRUTH. His poems are truly profound and easy to get lost in. He manages to portray fundamental truths in the form of poetry. On some level, this is also what I find most difficult about his poetry. I find that it can be somewhat overwhelming. He packs so much into his poems that it can be hard to know where to start. Also, one needs to have a basic knowledge and sometimes even more basic knowledge of theology and the encyclicals to understand his poetry and what he is trying to say. In general, although his poetry can be difficult to muscle through, he definitely gives us a fresh pair of eyes after what he says is revealed.

 

Work Cited:

 

-          Fides Et Ratio

 

-          “When you open your eyes deep in a wave,” Poetry of John Paul II.

 

"Amazing Grace," Not So Amazing

 

            When I was a little girl I attended mass with my parents and brother. At a young age it was hard to enjoy mass because I thought it was “boring.” However, when the song “Amazing Grace” was played I became excited because I knew the song and loved it! It was not until much later in life that I had the change to re-examine the origins of this song and realized, there are some serious problems with singing this song at a Catholic mass. Below: lyrics of the song.

 

Amazing Grace Lyrics

John Newton (1725-1807)
Stanza 6 anon.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me.
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

When we've been here ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun.

 

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

Vidmar writes,

“Traditional Catholic teaching can be highlighted by contrasting Luther’s moral outlook with that of St. Thomas Aquinas. Aquinas saw moral life as a coexistence with God. God is good, and therefore we are good insofar as we share in his goodness, which we do imperfectly. Morality, in other words, is part of our being. Since God made us in his image, the more “human” we are, the closer we are to being Godlike. Ockham (and Luther after him) held that morality is not the perfection of human nature (which has no reality), but conformity on the part of an individual to God’s laws, which is external to us and arbitrarily laid down by him. Goodness, therefore, is not a property of being, but something as it ought to be, just as a knife is a good knife if it does what it is supposed to do. Since God’s will  determines what a thing ought to be, or do, thus the notion of goodness is tied up with that of will. We are good, therefore, if we conform to God’s will. We are good if we do what we are supposed to do and God decides what we are supposed to do. Human action is good not because it is in conformity with our nature, but because it is in conformity with God’s will.” Pg 186.

 

In the first stanza of Amazing Grace we can see the presence of these beliefs when singing, “That saved a wretch like me.” Catholic teaching does not say that we, in our fallen natures, are wretches. The Catholic Church does however teach that we are inclined to sin in our fallen nature. The Catechism of the Catholic Church addresses this as concupiscence, “Christian theology has given it a particular meaning: the movement of the sensitive appetite contrary to the operation of the human reason. The apostle St. Paul identifies it with the rebellion of the "flesh" against the "spirit."³⁰² Concupiscence stems from the disobedience of the first sin. It unsettles man's moral faculties and, without being in itself an offense, inclines man to commit sins.^” Luther’s belief is hidden in this one word which deems us human beings as a filthy being that is separate from God. In reality though, we are far from separate from God.

In the second stanza we sing, “How precious did that Grace appear. The hour I first believed.” Again, we are presented with another problem. Grace does not appear to us when we chose to start believing. Grace is a gift of God, freely presented to us by Him and Him alone (also through the sacraments).

I thoroughly enjoyed the “picking apart” of this song because it is very important to know the truth. However, I did find it difficult to find out that a song that I use to love so dearly is tainted with incorrect theology. In addition, the melody of the song certainly does not help us “get out of our emotions” and focus on the facts. It seems as though it is very easy to get swept away by the melody and the tune and forget to focus on WHAT the song is saying.

 

Work Cited:

 

-          Catechism of the Catholic Church

-          songlyrics.com

-          Vidmar, John. The Catholic Church through the Ages. New York: Paulist Press, 2005.

Dark Night of the Soul

            Dark Night of the Soul, written by John of the Cross is almost like a narrative or an instruction manual. I know it may seem odd to reduce something so complex and meaningful down to something like an instruction manual, but I think there is an important correlation to be made between the two. It seems as though many people that are blessed in the dark night of the soul experience will most likely feel as though they are without God and are in deep despair. I mean, why wouldn't they? Being in such a state of desolation would certainly leave many people feeling unworthy, despairing and lonely. This is where the instruction manual portion comes in. If a person that is experiencing this darkness reads this book, they may be able to locate where they are in their journey, what comes next, and how they can attain it. Although it is not as simple as saying, “step one, step two step three,” there are many stages and I think it would be very helpful for a person that is in the dark night of the soul (at any stage).

            John of the Cross breaks the book down into various developmental stages. The first being “Purgation: The love of God for Pleasure’s Sake.” The stages within this stage include, “The Beginner, The Spiritual Sins of the Beginner, The Dark Night of the Senses.” The second stage is, “Illumination: The Love of God for Love’s Sake.” Within this stage we see, “Illumination, The Dark Night of the Spirit.” Last, we are presented with, “Union: The love of God for God’s Sake.” John of the Cross identifies the stages of the dark night of the soul with various types of love for God.

            In the first stage, John of the Cross remarks, “Some of these beginners, too, make little of their faults, and at other times become over-sad when they see themselves fall into them, thinking themselves to have been saints already; and thus they become angry and impatient with themselves, which is another imperfection. Often they beseech God, with great yearnings, that He will take from them their imperfections and faults, but they do this that they may find themselves at peace, and may not be troubled by them, rather than for God’s Sake; not relaxing that, if He should take their imperfections from them, they would probably become prouder and more presumptuous still.” I thought this was a great quote to identify with because it addresses many of the aspects of the dark night of the senses. Beginners will often be controlled more by their senses than their intellect. That is why John of the Cross remarks that this stage is for the sake of pleasure. However, thanks to Aristotle we know that pleasure is not the same as happiness and it can be all consuming and very dangerous. So beginners might often be in a state of danger, in which the devil will tempt them by the use of their passions. In addition, John of the Cross seems to write these passages as if he were talking about a spiritual child. Meaning, the beginners may certainly be compared to a child but by the end, it seems as though union would signify a sense of adulthood and maturity. It seems as though age, although not irrelevant in some circumstances, may not be a huge circumstance when it comes to the dark night of the soul/senses.

            I found the first book of The Dark Night of the Soul to be a very easy read because, as a young adult, I can relate to being driven by the passions and anxieties of everyday life. Even Thomas Aquinas says that the passions can be very misleading and extremely influential. So, if you are in a state of excited passions, it is better to wait, relax and then proceed with a decision or action. It is very often that the passions, if acted upon in the moment, will lead us into doing something that is wrong or immoral. In this case, Thomas Aquinas would say that if an immoral act was committed based on the deception of the passions, the wrongfulness of the act is greatly diminished. As stated above, I enjoyed this part of the book a lot because I saw the truth with every word I gathered. However, I did notice that it is easy to get lost in the book and texts because of the way it is written. On one hand, it is written in a narrative form. On the other hand, it is split up into sections that are numbered which, at some points, can seen a bit disjointing.

            I think it is important to address the section of the dark night of the soul with regards to the spirit. John of the Cross says, “this dark night is an inflowing of God into the soul, which purges it from its ignorance’s and imperfections, habitual natural and spiritual, and which is called by contemplatives infused contemplation, or mystical theology. Herein God secretly teaches the soul and instructs it in perfection of love without its doing anything, or understanding of what manner is this infused contemplation. Inasmuch as it is the loving wisdom of God, God produces striking effects in the soul for, by purging and illuminating it, he prepares it for the union of love with God.” It seems as though, just with the senses, an extreme purifying is going on within the soul/spirit. In a way, they spiritual desires are mortified and frozen so that God can intervene and sift through the soul. However, at the souls level of maturity he may feel as though he is without God and in a deep state of darkness.

            I think the presence of darkness is important to touch on because it can be seen as a very bad thing. All in all, evil is the absence of good. However, God plunges these souls into such a deep state of darkness so that they will arise in unison with him. This brings me to thinking about Flannery O’Conner, who believed that such an extreme as violence brings about the action of grace. She presents this in one of her most famous short stories, A Good Man is Hard to Find. One of the main characters is brought to her knees by a man with a gun. Up until this near death experience, her thoughts were very self-centered and perverted. However, as death approaches her it seems as though her sights clear and she sees clearly. Therefore, as violence is to grace, darkness of the soul is to union with God.

            Overall, I really enjoyed this read. I believe something as profound as darkness bringing us into union with Christ certainly deserves some thought and attention. I did find it difficult, as stated above, to read the book in one continuous sitting. At times, it seemed to read like a very personal narrative, at others it seemed to take a step back and focus on the big picture. Perhaps this was necessary in order to present all aspects and stages of the dark night of the soul. After all, I am a huge fan of going from the particulars to universals.

 

Work Cited:

Cross, St. John of the. Dark Night of the Soul. Mineola, N.Y.: Dover Publications, 2003.