Mother Teresa's Dark Night and the meaning of Faith

The whole issue of what faith is intrigues me, and thanks are due to Amy Welborn for pointing me towards this little article by Anthony Esolen which deals intelligently with Mother Teresa's experience of doubt. The whole thing is worth reading, but the following extract contains the meat of what he's saying:

It is not a mysterious thing, after all, that a young and enthusiastic person should become disillusioned after a month or two of the squalor of the Black Hole of Calcutta. People lose their faith all the time -- and people gain their faith all the time, and often they are the same people. What is mysterious is that after her visions of Jesus ceased, after all the inner consolations were taken away, after the locutions, what my evangelical brethren call "words of knowledge," fell silent, still Mother Teresa clung to Christ. She retained her faith without the emotional accompaniments (and here let married Christians take heed). She continued to serve the poor of Calcutta even though the nagging little viper at her shoulder must have whispered to her, constantly, "This is all absurd." Let us be absolutely clear about this: outside of the ambit of Christian culture, no one goes to Calcutta. What Mother Teresa did, no one does, not even for a year, without having been influenced by the message and example of Christ. And to live there for good, no one does at all without the virtue of faith.
[...]
Dubiety is inseparable from the human condition. We must waver, because our knowledge comes to us piecemeal, sequentially, in time, mixed up with the static of sense impressions that lead us both toward and away from the truth we try to behold steadily. The truths of faith are more certain than the truths arrived by rational deduction, says Aquinas, because the revealer of those truths speaks with ultimate authority, but they are less certain subjectively, from the point of view of the finite human being who receives them yet who does not, on earth, see them with the same clarity as one sees a tree or a stone or a brook. It should give us Christians pause to consider that when Christ took upon himself our mortal flesh, he subjected himself to that same condition. He did not doubt; His faith was steadfast; yet He did feel, at that most painful of moments upon the Cross, what it was like to be abandoned by God. He was one with us even in that desert, a desert of suffering and love. Nor did the Gospel writers -- those same whom the world accuses on Monday of perpetrating the most ingenious literary and theological hoax in history, and on Tuesday of being dimwitted and ignorant fishermen, easily suggestible -- refuse to tell us of that moment.

Now, the question of whether one can validly speak of Christ having faith is a whole 'nother ballgame... I'd quibble with Esolen on that point, but I think his point holds good.

O Doctor Mellifluus

Fr Mark has a wonderful meditation on St Bernard and the liturgy of his feast-day:

Zeal, then, characterizes Saint Bernard. A burning passion for Christ and for the Bride of Christ, the Church, consumed him. In Chapter 72 of the Holy Rule, Saint Benedict distinguishes between two kinds of zeal. The first he calls “an evil zeal rooted in bitterness, which separates from God and leads to hell.” (RB 72:1). Evil zeal always leads to rancour and strife in a community. Good zeal “separates from vice and leads to God and to eternal life” (RB 72:2). The Holy Spirit infuses the grace of good zeal. It is gentle and sweet. It is warm and attractive. It inflames others but it doesn’t scorch them. It attracts souls by means of a gentle, steady radiance.
Burning and Shining
The Collect goes on to say that the grace of prophetic grace caused Saint Bernard to burn and shine in the Church. Here, there is an allusion to Saint John the Baptist. In the 5th Chapter of Saint John, Our Lord, speaking of the Baptist, says, “He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light” (Jn 5:35). Saint Bernard was, and remains even today, a burning and shining lamp in the Church. By burning, he enkindled others; by shining, he enlightened others.
Those who read Saint Bernard know that his fire has not been extinguished nor has his flame become less bright. When the Holy Spirit sets a heart aflame, nothing earthly can extinguish the blaze. “Love is strong as death,” says the Canticle, “the lamps thereof are fire and flames. Many waters cannot quench charity, neither can the floods drown it” (Ct 8:6-7). Many waters and great floods have come and gone, assailing the Church and sweeping away the grandest monuments in their torrents. Still, after the nine centuries that separate us from Saint Bernard, his fire burns with the same intensity and his light is undimmed.

The whole thing is worth meditating upon.

Fr John Sullivan SJ

From CatholicIreland.net, information about this well-known Irish Jesuit:

After the sudden and unexpected death of his father, Sir Edward Sullivan, Lord Chancellor of Ireland in 1885, John seems to have retreated from his familiar world in Dublin's fashionable society and went to London to continue his legal studies. Little is known of this period of his life and so we could refer to this time as 'the hidden years'. But while WE may know very little about his spiritual journey, we do know that during a visit to Greece he visited the monastery of Mount Athos and he remained in contact after he returned to England.

We also know about his regular visits to Glencar, Co. Kerry and how he used to eavesdrop on the catechism lesson of one of the young ladies of the house! This was at a time shortly before he made his decision to become a Catholic. On 21 December 1896 he was received into the Church at Farm Street, the famous Jesuit church in London. We can only imagine the reaction of his mother, Lady Bessie Josephine Sullivan.

After becoming a Catholic there was a dramatic change in his lifestyle. He removed all material comforts from his room in Fitzwilliam Place. His ward-robe was changed drastically. From his reputation as one of 'the best-dressed men around Dublin', his clothes were of the simplest and plainest style.

He became a regular visitor to the Hospice for the Dying in Harold's Cross, Dublin. From this time onwards he was to become known for his devotion to the sick, to the poor and to anyone in need. This was to be part of the driving force for the rest of his life. And, as they say, the rest is history.
[...]

From the time of his arrival in Clongowes, he was always known as a friend to the poor and to anyone in need. His ministry radiated from the People's Church and he was usually to be found there, praying, unless he was away on some errand of mercy. His confessional became a haven of peace for many. Those who were ill sent for Father John. People had great faith in his prayers. He could bring comfort and peace where others failed. Why?

An old lady who lived near Clongowes and who knew him well probably penetrated the secret: 'Father Sullivan is very hard on himself'. Is this the healing that the Lord promised which comes through prayer and fasting?
In our own time many of his faithful friends visit his tomb in Gardiner Street church in Dublin. His crucifix is in constant demand for the blessing of the sick. There are many accounts of healing and favours received through his intercession.

Through intercession to this Servant of God we see the healing power of God at work in our lives. This is all part of the Good News announced by Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, the Sacred Heart: 'He laid his hand on them and he healed them'. The Master sent his disciples into the world in his name to continue his healing work on earth. Father John Sullivan was such a disciple.

Let us pray together that the example and prayer of Father John will continue to inspire many to draw near to the Lord and that, in our different needs, we also will feel the healing hand of the Master upon us.

Typhoon Problems at Filipino Seminary

From ciNews:

Young Filipinos – many of them future priests – may be forced to leave a leading seminary amid increasing fears over the safety of buildings ravaged by a string of typhoons.
Students at St Gregory the Great Seminary, in the Philippines, have already had to abandon almost half the buildings and now the rector has announced that unless repair work speeds up, growing structural problems mean some pupils will be withdrawn from the school.
In an interview with Aid to the Church in Need, seminary rector Fr Nic Bilono explained that funds were desperately needed to finance the building work.
He said: “If we cannot do some repair work, we will have to cut the number of students.
“Our facilities are not safe enough to continue accommodating as many as at present and there is nowhere like St Gregory’s where they can go instead.”
The seminary, in Legazpi, 250 miles south of the Philippines capital Manila, was just one of countless buildings devastated by three typhoons late last year, ruining people’s lives in parts of South East Asia.
Immediately after the freak weather, ACN provided emergency assistance to an appeal for help, but the repair bill still stands at over £60,000.
With many of the buildings out of action, the shortage of dormitories mean that students are sleeping in bunk beds.
Classrooms are doubling up as halls for large gatherings. Food is now prepared in an out-house 20 metres from the main building. Many of the library’s books were lost.
Fr Bilono stressed how at least a quarter of the 12 to 16-year-olds at St Gregory’s go on to priesthood and that the college was essential for laying the foundations for seminary formation. He went on to highlight its leading academic credentials.
He said: “In the Philippines, we are still a very Catholic country. We have plenty of vocations but not enough seminary places – that is why we are in hurry to repair St Gregory’s.”

Amnesty International drop Abortion Neutrality

As a youngster, I remember questioning an Amnesty Internatial speaker at my school about whether the organization was doing anything to protect the human rights of the unborn. As I recall, he was rather taken aback by the question, but did make me aware of the charity's position of neutrality. Now, however, that policy has been changed, as this BBC News story explains:

Amnesty International has confirmed its controversial decision to back abortion in some circumstances, replacing its previous policy of neutrality.
The human rights group will campaign for woman to have access to abortion in cases including rape and incest.
[...]
The decision in April by Amnesty's executive committee to support access to abortion for women in cases of rape, incest or violence, or where the pregnancy jeopardises a mother's life or health was greeted with an outcry by churches.
Roman Catholic leaders in particular accused Amnesty of betraying its commitment to human rights, and a senior Vatican official called on Catholics to stop funding it.
But Amnesty's international council - meeting in Mexico - has overwhelmingly supported the decision, insisting it was upholding the ability of women to exercise their sexual and reproductive rights free from coercion and violence.

Personally, I find that more and more of my charitable giving is going to Aid to the Church in Need which does some splendid work.

A Homily to be Preached on Sunday 19th August 2007

Homily – 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year C) (Readings)

We have an unsettling Gospel today… Christ’s words are pretty scary. He tells us of a fire that is to come. He warns us that he comes to bring division, rather than peace. He speaks of families divided against each other. It doesn’t really sound like Good News, but these are words that we need to hear if we are to make sense of the Gospel and of the world around us.
The Alternatives
It is a mistake to believe anyone who promises us a quick-fix, enlightenment without effort or pleasure without any strings attached. You’ll find that kind of promise easily enough. The drug-peddler will offer you a high without any ill-effects. Advertisers will try to sell you a life-style where all our problems can be solved by spending money. New age religion pushes guilt-free spiritual highs, whilst brushing the realities of sin, death and the need to love one's neighbour under the carpet.
The Realism of Christ
Christ doesn’t do that. He’s realistic. He brings us the fire of the Holy Spirit to free us from our sins and to transform the unjust world around us, but doesn’t hide the fact that this liberation, this transformation isn’t always going to be an easy process. So great and so urgent was this work of salvation that He underwent the Cross to accomplish it. It should therefore be no surprise that our vocation as Christians, our attempt to welcome this salvation into our lives will lead to struggle and conflict – both with ourselves and with the world around us. Can we really claim to have received the fire of the Holy Spirit if we do not feel the need to struggle with our own sins?
Looking at the World
I’m sure too that many of you look around with confusion and dismay at many of the changes that are happening in Ireland today. Society seems to be becoming more and more hostile to Gospel values. It is therefore clear that being a Christian will increasingly mean standing apart from mainstream opinion. This affects everyone, but we should particularly think about the difficulties that our young people face – for them to follow Christ is to enter into a very clear conflict with the society and values around them.
Not a Reason for Despair
But these struggles are not a reason to lose faith. It is when we become satisfied with ourselves and the society around us that we should become worried that perhaps the fire of the Holy Spirit has been extinguished within us. We will not find perfection in ourselves or in the world around us in this life. However, there is comfort for us in the Letter to the Hebrews. No matter how bleak things look, no matter how much we are tempted to give up the fight, there is always the example and presence of Christ. We are told,

Let us not lose sight of Jesus, who leads us in our faith and brings it to
perfection: for the sake of the joy which was still in the future, he endured
the cross, disregarding the shamefulness of it, and from now on has taken his
place at the right of God's throne. Think of the way he stood such opposition
from sinners and then you will not give up for want of courage.

We are not saved despite the struggles and trials we undergo, but because of them.

Chinese Via Crucis

Biretta-doff to The Hermeneutic of Continuity

A Homily to be Preached on the Solemnity of the Assumption of the BVM

Today we celebrate the Glory of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This feast expresses our joy that “the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.” (Pius XII – Munificentissimus Deus) She did not experience death as the rest of the human race does, but has been welcomed, body and soul, into Heaven, where she reigns as Our Queen and intercedes for us as Our Mother. And so, we rejoice because of the great privilege that has been shown to Our Mother Mary, and we also see in this mystery a reason for our own hope.

You see, the Church teaches us that Mary is the perfect example of the Christian life, and in the mysteries and events of her life, we recognise the right path for our own lives.

The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit. First of all, we recognise Mary as one called and chosen by the Lord. The Lord has great plans for all of us, but just as Mary was addressed by an Angel, and asked to participate in God’s saving plan, so too we must recognise that God does not force Himself into our lives, but humbly invites us to make a home for Him in our hearts.

Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to Thy Word. The great response of Mary! A response that we are asked to make our own. Mary is our example of humble obedience. Great things were accomplished through this simple statement. The Glory of God shone out throughout the world, because of the “yes” that Mary made to God’s call. We too are invited to let God’s glory shine out in our lives by being faithful to whatever way of life he has called us to.

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt amongst us. Because of Mary’s ‘Yes’, Jesus, the Son of God, walked amongst us. He is Truth and Goodness in person, and the one through whom the universe was made, but His entrance into the world as Man required the co-operation of Mary. We too are called to a similar co-operation. As members of the Church, by our words and actions, we are asked to make Him present to all mankind. This we can only do if we make the effort to listen to His Word and follow him in the great and little events of our lives. St Augustine put it well, when he told people that just as Mary was the physical Mother of God, every faithful soul that does the will of God is spiritually the Mother of God because it makes His image present to the world.

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. And here, perhaps, we encounter the great meaning of today’s feast. Mary is present, body and soul, in heaven praying for us. But what is she praying? She is praying that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. What are those promises? Why, they are nothing less than the total victory over sin and death. By her Immaculate Conception and her sinless life, Mary teaches us that the power of Christ has defeated sin. By her being taken body and soul into heaven, she shows us that Christ has defeated death. The preface of today’s Mass describes her as the beginning and the pattern of the Church in its perfection, and a sign of hope and comfort for your people on their pilgrim way. As Mary is now, body and soul, in heaven, so we hope to be one day. After all the stuggles and difficulties of the Church on Earth, when the Resurrection of the Dead comes, we will be like her. Just as her life of perfection is the model for all believers, so her heavenly glory today is sign of Christ’s victory and a promise of the glories of the world to come.

Pray for us, o Holy Mother of God, that like you, we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

A Homily to be Preached on Sunday 12th August 2007

Homily – 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year C)

Distorted Perspectives on Faith
The accusation is frequently made against people of faith that they are small-minded and mean-spirited. Newspaper columnists and commentators rarely seem to miss the opportunity to dismiss faith as being an ignorant and irrational narrowing of horizons, a force that does more harm than good. But, in reality, this is not so. Today’s readings provide a very different picture of what Christian faith really is. After all, the evidence is all around us. Faith builds Cathedrals and churches, hospitals and schools. Faith leads people to leave their native countries and devote their lives to helping the less well off. Faith raises up men and women of the calibre of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, St Charles of Mount Argus, Pope John Paul II, and countless others. Our sinful human nature may lead us to be small-minded and mean-spirited, but our faith always calls us to be big-hearted and generous in spirit.
You see, faith is not just about believing the right things. It also involves trusting in the promises of God. This is why the Letter to the Hebrews sets Abraham before us as our model of faith. The Lord promised a great inheritance for him and his descendents, and so, despite his age and childlessness, he set away from the security of his homeland and lived as a stranger in the Promised Land. There’s nothing small-minded or mean-spirited about taking what seemed to be such a gamble, but Abraham understood the power of the Promise of God. His example shows us that living by faith means understanding that we are not restricted to survival based on our own resources and strength. Trying to do that really is a recipe for living a grasping and narrow existence. However, if we trust ourselves to the promises of the God who is ever-faithful, we will have the courage to live a life of true generosity and open-heartedness.

The Challenge of Faith
This is why Christ challenges us in this Sunday’s Gospel. He tells us that there is no need to be afraid because God has promised us His kingdom. If we are willing to accept that, then we need have no fears about being generous. If we believe in His Word, then we can find reserves of calm in an increasingly difficult and turbulent world. If we trust in Him, and keep our eyes fixed on His Kingdom, only then can we understand the true value of the things of this world. Above all, living according to faith is, in a very real way, the beginning of eternal life. How can we entrust ourselves to the love of God in the next life, if we did not try to trust and love Him in this life?

The Call to Watchfulness
So, Christ invites us to watchfulness in order that we are ready for the Master’s arrival and do not miss out on the great promises that God has made to us. True, we are told what will happen to the servants who become complacent because they do not expect the Master to come. But this watchfulness is not about dodging a God who is determined to catch us out for not living by the rules. Instead, we know He tries to lead us in love into that kind of life which is the beginning of eternal joy. The Master who is to come, after all, feeds us in the Eucharist and offers us His forgiveness in the Sacrament of Penance. He gives Himself to us as our strength and is the very reason that we can live the kind of life that He rejoices in. In short, He challenges us to live in His friendship. The concrete details of how this is done will vary from person to person – but, if we live a life of faith and truly believe in His promises, we will have the strength to do this.
Perhaps we’re being called to faithfulness in marriage and to raise a family. Perhaps there are signs in our life that we are being called to priesthood or religious life. Perhaps we are realising the need to forgive someone or to find the courage to ask forgiveness. Maybe we are being called to break free from some particular sin. Maybe we are too concerned with money or pleasure or entertainment and have realised that there is something hollow about the life we are leading. Whatever it is, we are all being called by God – and He promises us that following that call will lead us to eternal life. Accepting that challenge and trusting in His promises is not small-minded or mean-spirited. Indeed, it is the only way that we can possibly live a truly free and human life.
In the words of Pope John Paul II: “Do not be afraid of Christ! He takes nothing away, and he gives you everything. When we give ourselves to him, we receive a hundredfold in return. Yes, open, open wide the doors to Christ – and you will find true life.”