During this special year of
the Eucharist, which began in October 2004, the Holy Father, Pope John
Paul II, called for conversion: "The human heart needs light, as it is
weighed down by sin, often disoriented and tired, tried by sufferings
of every type," ... "The world needs light in the difficult search for
a peace that seems so distant, at the beginning of a millennium upset
and humiliated by violence, by terrorism and by war." The Holy Father
in his Apostolic Letter, said really
to all Catholics: "May all of you, the Christian faithful,
rediscover the gift of the Eucharist as light and strength for your
daily lives in the world, in the exercise of your respective
professions amid so many different situations. Rediscover this above
all in order to experience fully the beauty and the mission of the
family."
In rediscovering the gift of
the Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Christ, we do not realize what a
great gift of God Holy Communion is, until we can't receive anymore.
There are many very serious Catholics who attend Holy Mass as often as
possible, not just on Sundays only, whose relationship with God, with
Jesus is very special. As a Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion,
I often notice a joy on peoples' faces as they come forward to
receive, and many also bring tears, tears of happiness. I visit
homebounds, that group of people who cannot come to Church for reasons
of health, who hunger to receive Jesus Christ and it is written all
over their faces.
Catholics who cannot receive
Jesus, hunger for Him. Because they know that this little white wafer
of unleavened bread, when consecrated becomes the Body, Blood, Soul
and Divinity of Jesus Christ. The joy felt by many is deep and not
really emotional. We are all made in the Image of God... Our souls are
that image, and our souls are longing to be with Jesus every second of
time.
There is a basic goodness in
all humanity that is very hard to find these days. The days of unrest
in the Middle East and moral decay in many other places. When nations
invade nations, when families are pulled apart by war, by neglect, by
loss of love, then there is no longer peace but there is, instead,
suffering and anguish. There is much anguish in all nations. There are
people in places of authority who misuse that authority given to them
by the citizenry in the name of world peace, and they are in error.
They are wrong. Terrorists threaten the rest of the world because they
misuse authority they do not really have. Rulers of nations misuse
authority which they have but not all over the world. A gradual
lessening of family values, leading to increased moral decay in
society at large, fueled by hate and unbridled pride, the wrong pride,
leads to a Godless people who, in the end, will be unable to ever find
peace and rest.
The Holy Father calls for
continual conversion. Begin with yourselves. Look deep within yourself
and mend what is broken. Treat others as you treat yourself. Give what
you have to those less fortunate, repent, and follow Jesus! Catholics
who have fallen away from the Church over a period of time, consider
returning. We know that the Church, as an institution, isn't perfect,
but we ARE the Body of Christ. We are the faithful. Come and rejoin us
for in unity there is strength. Much can be done through prayer and
love, in the Name of Jesus, by receiving Him in the Holy Eucharist.
The Grace received by a faithful Catholic, praying much and partaking
of the Blessed Sacrament as often as is possible, is so great that it
can bring peace in our time.
Many other Christians can join
us in prayer, worldwide, for world peace, but world peace begins at
home. World peace begins deep within our souls, our being, and based
on our behavior towards others, this peace will carry forth as it is
evangelized through our actions, into our neighborhoods, and
ultimately into the rest of the world. While we think we all have a
different or unique agenda, there is really only one agenda. Our
agenda should be this: "To love the Lord our God with all our hearts,
and to love others as we love ourselves." Be gentle but firm. Be
principled but kind. Be strong in your convictions but also be humble.
But above all, we a person of peace in this world. It is not too late.
Start now. Right this minute!
In this special year of the
Eucharist, as Franciscans brothers and sisters, following St. Francis
of Assisi, our Seraphic Father, let us use the resources at our
disposal to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to those who are
suffering and to many people who have never heard His Word. Let
us all be "Jesus" to one another. Bring His love to all, and there
will be less evil and hate. And in order to be successful in this
mission, Jesus is in our midst.
Peace and All Good!
Fred Schaeffer, SFO
October 30, 2004
In the Realm of False Information
Editorial
On Sunday, December 12, 2004 --
between 8 and 9 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, your TV channel presented
a picture of a Jesus of Nazareth based on some pseudo-scientific
Gnostic epistles that he would have been in love with Mary Magdalene
and have had children with her. The participants of the show also
displayed some feminist extremism that women should be ordained
priests in the church, etc. You forget that the priesthood is not a
right but a vocation coming from God. I strongly disagree with your
presentation which is a direct attack on the consciences of uninformed
persons. One day your news crew filmed the 9/11 terrorist attack on
the towers. Now CNN itself becomes the attacker in a different way on
uninformed people with the help of some so-called theologians (read:
fundamentalist Protestants). Your show was a mean below-the-belt
attack against the Gospel, against the Roman Catholic Church, against
the Pope, against the Magisterium. Believe me or not, but CNN has gone
down a few notches in my appreciation.
Instead you might make an effort to present a genuine Christmas story
as Saint Francis of Assisi recreated the birth at Bethlehem at Greccio
in 1223. That is a true story which is not well-known enough and worth
an effort to air to the public. Any informed Franciscan can tell you
this story as found in 1 Celano 84-86, that is, the oldest biography
of Francis of Assisi written in 1228 by Thomas of Celano. That would
be a worth-while program to be aired.
Yours truly,
Fr. Francis de Ruijte, OFM
I totally agree with Fr. de Ruijte. Unfortunately, this "show" is
being advertised again for rebroadcasting. Very often the media
and press will broadcast "truths" based on suppositions and
assumptions, and then make it sound as facts. These shows are all in
the realm of false information and direct attacks to Jesus Christ or
His Mother, the Virgin Mary.
Fred Schaeffer, SFO
Webmaster
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