Passover and Asking the Right Questions

Passover, the Jewish holiday known as Pesach, begins at sundown this evening (April 14^th). It commemorates the Israelites' escape from Egyptian slavery and it is observed with a ritualized meal consisting of unleavened bread and cups of wine.  On this evening, the youngest person at the table will ask the question, "Why is this night different from all other nights?"  

I love the fact that the celebration of Passover begins with a question.

Prior Pope John XXIII, Catholics were not really encouraged to ask questions. Then Vatican II came along – and the voices of the faithful began to be heard. Questions soon came forth and they haven’t stopped. Albeit, some of the questions raised are somewhat nonsensical.  Like, “Is it OK for the priest to wash the feet of men AND women at the Holy Thursday liturgy?”  And, “Is it really OK for the congregation to read the part of the ‘crowd’ during the passion readings of Palm Sunday and Good Friday?”

But as we celebrate the first year of Pope Francis, we are hearing real meaningful and substantial questions coming forth.  Such as, “Should the Church really consider married priests?”  According to a recent article in The Tablet, the Pope is encouraging the Bishops around the world to bring that question to him.

And then we have the question of divorced Catholics and their reception of the sacraments – a topic that will be certainly covered at the Bishop’s Synod this October.  After all, Pope Francis in his Apostolic Exhortation, said “The Eucharist, although it is the fullness of sacramental life, is not a prize for the perfect but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak. These convictions have pastoral consequences that we are called to consider with prudence and boldness . . . The church is not a tollhouse; it is the house of the Father, where there is a place for everyone, with all their problems."

Sounds like some of the right questions are finally being asked.  Sounds like the wishes of soon-to-be Saint John XXIII of bringing in fresh air to Church may be on the breath of the faithful – of you – asking these needed questions to the right people and looking and expecting Gospel based answers - finally.

 

 

Pope Francis Breaks With Triduum Tradition

“He emptied himself, taking the form of a human slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbles himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”  Phil. 2:7-8

When I heard these words proclaimed last Sunday my mind drifted to replaying what we have witnessed from our new Pope these past few weeks.  It seems few can stop talking about Francis - a man who seems to have no sign of ego, rather is focused on serving others.

And, once again, this was witnessed yesterday as he broke with tradition.  In the past Francis’ predecessors washed the feet of priests in the Basilica of St. John in Lateran -- the most important of the four major basilicas in Rome.  Instead Francis chose to kneel down before young offenders at the Casal del Marmo Penitentiary Institute for Minors. The inmates were aged between 16 and 21 and chosen from different nationalities and religious backgrounds - including two Muslims…and two women. 

"This is a symbol, it is a sign — washing your feet means I am at your service," Francis told the young prisoners. "Help one another. This is what Jesus teaches us. This is what I do. And I do it with my heart. I do this with my heart because it is my duty, as a priest and bishop I must be at your service."

What is most remarkable is that Francis would include women in his inaugural Holy Thursday Mass as pope, given that current liturgical rules exclude women.  Really? What a surprise!

Canon lawyer Edward Peters, who is an adviser to the Holy See's top court, noted in a blog that the Congregation for Divine Worship sent a letter to bishops in 1988 making clear that "the washing of the feet of chosen men ... represents the service and charity of Christ, who came 'not to be served, but to serve.'"  Peters went on to say "By disregarding his own law in this matter, Francis violates, of course, no divine directive.  What he does do, I fear, is set a questionable example."  Questionable?  For who?

Fr. Federico Lombardi, a Vatican spokesman, said he didn't want to wade into a canonical dispute over the matter. However, he noted that in a "grand solemn celebration" of the rite, only men are included because Christ washed the feet of his 12 apostles, all of whom were male.

I doubt that this nonsensical fodder bothers Francis.  Christ heard the same sort of ego centered rhetoric from the Pharisees…albeit it led to his death.

So what we are left with on this Good Friday 2013 are some refreshing photos of our new Pope, wearing a deacon’s stole and humbling himself to serve others, along with the message he gave each inmate before he left them,  "Don't lose hope," he said. "Understand? With hope you can always go on."

What more can you say…..but Amen.

Sacred Oils

Many of us will possibly attend the Chrism Mass at our local diocesan cathedral this week.  This is the mass where the bishop blesses and consecrates the three sacred oils: Oil of the Sick, Oil of Catechumens and the Sacred Chrism.  At the conclusion of this liturgy the oils are distributed to every parish in the diocese and received into each local church at the Holy Thursday evening liturgy.

But the question I often get is, “Where does the oil come from?”

And for our diocese, the answer is where else, but Sam’s Club!

So here is a pictorial view of the process:

About two weeks before Holy Week a trip is made to Sam's Club to purchase 22 gallons of Olive Oil - extra virgin, of course! And Yes! One does get strange looks when checking out of the store with this much olive oil!

Volunteers gather and after prayer the work begins in mixing chrism essence and balsam oil with the olive oil to make what will be consecrated as the Sacred Chrism.  The other two oils, are poured without any additives.

The oil, after being poured into individual eight ounce glass bottles, is packaged three bottles to a bag (one bottle of each oil).  The bags are packed out into wicker baskets that are used in the procession to the altar of the cathedral at the start of the Chrism Mass.

At the Chrism Mass the bishop blesses the three oils and consecrates the Sacred Chrism.  Afterwards the bags of oil are distributed to representatives of each parish who bring them back to their church where they are poured into vessels for use in the following 12 months.


Anointing with oil is one of the most ancient blessings in the history of the Church. It is the Oil of Catechumens that will welcome all to the Church during their baptism.  It is the Oil of the Sick that will be used to comfort and bless those who are ill in anyway. And it is Sacred Chrism that will be used to baptize, confirm and to ordain.

Let us keep in prayer this week the 150,000 adult men and woman in the United States who will be baptized this Easter, knowing that they will be anointed with the blessed Oil of Catechumen and Sacred Chrism and thus share in the common priesthood of all believers.