Year of St. Joseph: Not a Moment Too Soon

If you're like me, a major fan of the adoptive father of the Christ-child, you're overjoyed at the announcement of The Year of St. Joseph, which Pope Francis announced on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception this past week! Also, if you're like me, you were a little surprised that this year of St. Joseph started the day it was announced! But I think the Holy Father is realizing the tremendous need we have in the world for the fatherhood of St. Joseph! 

A Crisis of Lost Fatherhood

The Church has been making the truth known for years now that there is a crisis in fatherhood particularly in the United States of America, but also across the world. More than ever, we are missing the presence of authentic fathers. That's not to say that there are none; but rather, to find one or to have an authentically present and faithful father in your life is a rare experience enjoyed only by a few. 

The devastating ramifications of the lack of fatherhood are clear and supported by numerous studies and statistics. We can point to any one result and see how the lack of a strong and steady father figure has impacted thousands and thousands of lives. But above all, for us as Christians and Catholics, where we see the crisis most of all is in the number of those leaving the Church. Young adults are leaving in droves. The consistent factor among those who stay is harrowing: the presence of a father who was authentically invested and leader in the family's Catholic faith. 

I can honestly affirm that this was true for me. My parents, who are heroic parents on many levels, homeschooled my five siblings and me for my whole K-high school academic journey. To hear them tell the story of their initial decision, when they were told that the subjects taught by the father would be prioritized by the children, they both determined that my dad needed to be the one who taught us Religion. That's not to say my mom didn't participate at all in this area of our education, but since my mom was home with us on a daily basis, we saw her faith daily. This made the investment of my dad in catechizing my siblings and I apparent. Mom would frequently take us to daily Mass, but there were plenty of times when Dad would meet us there. The faith was always a shared responsibility in our home, and since it was part of family life as well as school and home life (since they were all integrated in my brain because, hey, homeschooled), my mental image of Church was inseparable from my mental image of family life. 

Sadly, my experience is not the norm for many of my peers. There are plenty of them who hold onto their faith because one parent is invested while the other is not. There are others who are the only person in their family who practices their Catholic faith (and they consider the fact that they've remained in the faith a miracle of its own). 

This is why we need St. Joseph. St. Joseph, even though he was not Immaculately Conceived nor the Son of God, was the leader of the Holy Family. When the family needed to leave Bethlehem, to whom did the angel appear? Joseph! And Joseph took up the responsibility and the challenge, mustered his courage, woke his wife and child, and set out on a journey to a distant and strange land to protect the precious gift that the wise men had come to adore shortly before. Joseph takes the lead. 

Joseph's Silent Strength

We also need St. Joseph more than ever at this time because of the wisdom and strength that he offers. St. Joseph is distinguished as a righteous man in Matthew's Gospel (Mt. 1:19), which means blameless before God due to a desire to keep God's law and covenant. In this way, Joseph is much like his namesake from the book of Genesis - Joseph, whose brothers threw him into a dried up cistern simply because he was their father's favorite, who resisted temptations, who was responsible and wise enough to be made Pharaoh's right-hand man in Egypt, and who ultimately forgave his brothers once they had proved themselves changed men. 

Consider Joseph's position. Joseph is a carpenter, well-established in the community, and betrothed to Mary. He discovers that Mary has been found with child. Joseph knows Mary to be a woman of holiness, and so rather than jump to conclusions, he works to reconcile what he knows of Mary with what he knows of the circumstances. (There are some traditions that say that the overwhelming stress of being unable to mentally reconcile these two truths turned Joseph's hair white within a week.) But Joseph did not let the circumstances convince him that he was wrong about Mary. He knew that he wasn't wrong about her. Therefore, he decided to divorce her quietly so that she would no harm would come to her (and, some sources say, because he felt himself unworthy to be husband to her if what she said was true - that she had conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit). 

Joseph, therefore, stayed away from rash judgment. He did not let the circumstances and appearances alter his judgment. He remained righteous in his way of thinking and his way of acting. He intended to do no harm, no matter what, on neither a moral nor a human level. Only an act of God can bring him to the full realization of the truth and/or a change of direction. And God does not disappoint! 

Bam! In a dream, Joseph encounters a messenger from the Lord who tells him:

“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

“Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son,

    and they shall name him Emmanuel,”

which means “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home (Mt. 20b-24).

I love that Joseph is addressed by the angel as "son of David", because we often forget that St. Joseph was descended from the line of kings as a descendant of the house of David. We could honestly say that Joseph is the rightful heir to the throne, while Herod is an impostor king, set up by Rome. Yet Joseph is not a resentful, rebellious young man; rather, he is righteous and it is this righteousness that sets him apart as a holy spouse for the Mother of God. 

In an age of "cancel culture" and swift accusations, judgments, and a general spirit of unforgivness in our society, Joseph's response of faith to the miraculous conception of Jesus in Mary's womb stands as "a sign of contradiction" to the present age. He was ready to back away and be compassionate towards Mary, but when called upon by God to step up and be a father and a husband in the Holy Family that needed a protector and a leader, Joseph did exactly that! Joseph responded like the holy man of God that he is and takes Mary as his wife and raises the Son of God as his own son. 

A professor of mine once reflected to the class that he believed this role of Joseph was more the role of a protector than we might realize. Consider this - the Evil One knew the prophecy of Isaiah, too: the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they will call him Emmanuel.... Therefore, he would have been on the prowl - looking for a woman, a virgin, who was pregnant and alone. Therefore, the presence of Joseph as husband and father would have "thrown off" the devil's scent. Perhaps this is why we refer to Joseph by another title: Terror of Demons. This same professor, a Scotsman by birth, was adamant that Joseph's quiet strength is something that we can imagine being silent yet terrifying: "You shall not lay a hand on this woman or this child, and if you even try you'll have to go through me first."

Embrace Your Spiritual Father

In this year of St. Joseph, I've determined to finally read a book that's been on my shelf for years: Meet Your Spiritual Father, by Mark Mirevalle, PhD. As you've probably guessed, it is all about St. Joseph. I've also felt a tug towards asking St. Joseph to intercede for me as I continue to discern my own call to the vocation of marriage. I know he is a powerful intercessor, so I know I can trust him with the hopes I have to find a holy spouse. :) 

How will you get to know this spiritual father of ours, good St. Joseph, the terror of demons? Think about it. Pray about it. And let's enter into the Year of St. Joseph with faith and joyful expectation. 

St. Joseph, pray for us!

the Itinerant Catechist

Perfect Joy in a Pandemic-Stricken World

Today is Gaudete Sunday! The third Sunday of Advent is known as "Gaudete!" or "Rejoice!" Sunday because it is considered the "past-the-halway-point" Sunday of Advent. We are so close to the end of Advent, which means we are so close to Christmas - the celebration and remembrance of Christ's first appearance in the world after 9 months in His mother's womb. We rejoice because we know that the Messiah is near - He is close, closer than ever as we accompany the Israelites awaiting Him through the readings of the Liturgy from the Old Testament. 

My pastor gave another stirring homily today, and its major theme was the belief that we have as Christians that joy does not mean the same thing as happiness. That is to say, joy can be present and real, even in the midst of sorrow. How? Well, joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. As such, it comes in our lives as a result of our communion with God and lived relationship with Him in the life of grace. Joy is rooted in grace - it is determined by our closeness with the Lord, rather than by our feelings in the present moment like happiness is. My pastor connected this (as I was already doing in my brain, haha!) with the movie "Inside Out" and the way the film culminates in Joy and Sadness realizing that they do not have to compete; but rather, their cooperation actually makes for the most authentic and true memories and moments in the life of their person (Riley). It is good. It is so good to recognize that joy and sorrow do not exclude one another. Think of Our Lady - in the midst of her sorrow of sorrows at Calvary, she had the hope of the Resurrection still somehow alive in her; and in the moment of the Resurrection, her joy was more complete because she had embraced the sorrow of Calvary and its memory still was with her clearly. 

As I reflected on this theme of authentic joy in the Christian life that is so often riddled with both joy and sorrow, a few favorite members in the Communion of Saints came to mind. 

St. Francis of Assisi

There is a story about St. Francis of Assisi and one of his brothers, Brother Leo, who were on a journey as they were traveling a great distance in the middle of the winter and enduring terrible weather conditions as they went. Consider, they would have been barefoot, and going with little warmth but what their habits could provide. Yet, as they walked, Francis spoke often to Brother Leo, outlining numerous scenarios that would seem to us to be very favorable: (1) giving a great example of holiness, (2) performing great healings both spiritual and physical for many people, (3) having tremendous wisdom and understanding of the natural and supernatural, and (4) preaching so effectively as to convert all unbelievers. After this mode of conversation went on for a span of about 2 miles, Brother Leo finally ventured to ask: "Father Francis, teach me then: what would be perfect joy?" St. Francis replied: 

"If, when we shall arrive at Saint Mary of the Angels, all drenched with rain and trembling with cold, all covered with mud and exhausted from hunger; if, when we knock at the convent-gate, the porter should come angrily and ask us who we are; if, after we have told him, "We are two of the brethren", he should answer angrily, "What ye say is not the truth; ye are but two impostors going about to deceive the world, and take away the alms of the poor; begone I say"; if then he refuse to open to us, and leave us outside, exposed to the snow and rain, suffering from cold and hunger till nightfall - then, if we accept such injustice, such cruelty and such contempt with patience, without being ruffled and without murmuring, believing with humility and charity that the porter really knows us, and that it is God who maketh him to speak thus against us, write down, O Brother Leo, that this is perfect joy." 

St. Francis went on to describe how if they knocked a second and a third time and were finally driven away by their own brethren, even to the point of beating them and sending them away wounded and cold and miserable, that would be perfect joy if they were to bear these wrongs patiently and without grumbling. The reason? Through such sufferings they were united with Christ, and, Francis concludes, this is perfect joy. 

The story concludes thus, as St. Francis says: 

"And now, brother, listen to the conclusion. Above all the graces and all the gifts of the Holy Spirit which Christ grants to his friends, is the grace of overcoming oneself, and accepting willingly, out of love for Christ, all suffering, injury, discomfort and contempt; for in all other gifts of God we cannot glory, seeing they proceed not from ourselves but from God, according to the words of the Apostle, "What hast thou that thou hast not received from God? and if thou hast received it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it?" But in the cross of tribulation and affliction we may glory, because, as the Apostle says again, "I will not glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." Amen." (taken from: http://www.missa.org/joie_parfaite_e.php) 

G.K. Chesterton

Every Advent, I enjoy using my Advent devotional titled Advent and Christmas Wisdom from G.K. Chesterton, which always begins with a quote of the great philosopher and theologian, followed by a Scripture, a prayer, and a suggested action for the day. I've especially noticed this year how focused on joy Chesterton is in many of these quotes. 

On the second day in this devotional, in reflecting upon the fascination that every child possesses with the world around him/her, Chesterton marvels: "...within every one of these heads there is a new universe, as new as it was on the seventh day of creation." This quote reminds me very much of another quote by Chesterton, which follows along the sentiment of thought that perhaps every daisy is like those around it not because of some boredom of God's, but rather out of childlike delight - the kind that says: "Again! Again!" after any delightful experience. Thus, it is joy that marks our Creator's work of giving life, rather than any kind of monotony...which seems so much more fitting! 

Another wonderful quote of his begins with the familiar phrase: "Angels can fly because they can take themselves lightly. This has always been the instinct of Christendom, and especially the instinct of Christian art. ...The tattered clock of the beggar will bear him up like the rayed plumes of the angels. But the kings in their heavy gold and the proud in their robes of purple will all of their nature sink downwards, for pride cannot rise to levity or levitation. Pride is the downward drag of all things into an easy solemnity. One 'settles down' into a sort of selfish seriousness; but one has to rise to a gay self-forgetfulness...." 

But it was the reflection for the 13th day, which I read on Friday morning, that really stuck in my memory this morning on Gaudete Sunday: 

"You cannot be too solemn about golf to be a good golfer; but you can be a great deal too solemn about Christianity to be a good Christian. You may put into your neckties solemnity and nothing but solemnity, because neckties are not the whole of your life - at least, I hope not. But in anything that does cover the whole of your life - in your philosophy and your religion - you must have mirth. If you do not have mirth you will certainly have madness." (emphasis mine)

Chesterton is adamant that joy is indeed the mark of authentic Christianity, for joy is frivolous to the one who lacks faith, fleeting to the one who has no hope. Which leads me to our next friend.... 

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI

"Where joylessness reigns, where humor dies, the love of Christ is assuredly absent." -Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI

I remember I first encountered this quote on Facebook, a shared post from "The Catholic Gentleman" page, with a background black and white image of two men in suits riding skateboards down a sidewalk. I put it up on my bulletin board at work to remind me that my naturally joyful disposition was a strength and a gift, not a sign of shallowness. 

Our Emeritus Holy Father also once said: 

"The Holy Spirit gives us joy. And he is joy. Joy is the gift in which all the other gifts are included. It is the expression of happiness, of being in harmony with ourselves, that which can only come from being in harmony with God and with his creation. It belongs to the nature of joy to be radiant; it must communicate itself. The missionary spirit of the Church is none other than the impulse to communicate the joy which has been given." (emphasis mine)

Indeed, the fruit of the Spirit that is joy is a sign of harmony - harmony with God which leads to harmony with self, with each other, with creation. To be in the grace of God is to have these relationships, lost by original sin, redeemed and restored to us in and through Christ our Savior, who came at Christmas especially to reconcile us with God and with one another through the reconciliation He accomplishes in the Incarnation and ultimately at the Paschal Mystery. 

The Rebellious Nature of Joy

In this year of 2020, it has perhaps been harder than ever to maintain a sense of joy in our hearts and minds. But it is precisely for this reason that we need to cultivate joy more than ever in our lives. Now, by joy, I do not mean a false sense of positivity or happiness that is simply a mask for the challenges we are going through. No, for Christ is never inauthentic. But rather, joy chooses to be joyful and hopeful, even in the midst of struggles and pain. Therefore, it is good to embrace the truth that this year has been a truly challenging and painful year and the prospect of being far from people we love this holiday season is truly an occasion for sorrow. But let us remember also that we are "an Easter people," as another great saint, St. John Paul II, said once, "and Hallelujah is our song." Therefore, even as we walk the sorrowful, wet, and snowy roads of the winter of 2020-2021, may we walk in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi, who knew that uniting our sufferings to the suffering of Christ is perfect joy. May we follow the example of G.K. Chesterton, who knew that joy and wonder are part of authentic human living and the essential mark of a Christian. May we learn from Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI that suffering does not necessitate an absence of joy, but calls us to a deeper understanding of what it means to be joyful - that is, to be dependent on Christ alone for the joy and meaning that we ache for as human beings. Joy can be present in our hearts even in the absence of good feelings and great circumstances if we continue to look to Christ, who came to bring true and lasting joy to the world when He was born in the humblest of circumstances on a cold night in Bethlehem. So, be a rebel. Embrace joy in the face of sorrow. Root your joy in the person of Christ and you discover a foretaste of the joy of heaven - a joy which no sorrow or pain can touch or diminish.

Joyfully yours,

the Itinerant Catechist

Providence and Liturgical Living

Praise post! I just had to come on here and say what a beautiful Mass I was blessed to attend this morning. Granted, we still can't sing (because COVID-19), and I cannot wait until we can sing again. But everything about today's liturgy was so profoundly connected to my own walk with the Lord. I was literally bouncing with joy at the end of Mass as I shared with others how loved I felt by the Lord in this Mass. 

The opening hymn was Be Thou My Vision (which is the same tune as Lord of All Hopefulness, so I'm not sure which it was actually; but I love them both). Be Thou My Vision was one of my household's two main household songs during my time at Franciscan University of Steubenville. I was a member of Warriors of the Word women's household starting in the fall of 2013. Our spirituality was rooted in Scripture and oriented to the study of and prayer with Scripture. To this day, I still have a deep, deep love of the Word of God, and I am so thankful for the community I experienced among my household sisters during those formative years at Franciscan University. Our two household songs that we sang at almost every single Lord's Day celebration were Be Thou My Vision and At the Name of Jesus. Every time I hear these songs, I think of, pray for, and experience communion with my household sisters (past, present, and future), and I am reminded of the great gift of God that those years at a passionately Catholic university meant to me. 

The readings today were excellent (of course) as well. What was awesome, though, was that I could tell (based on a conversation that I had with my pastor earlier in the week) where the homily was about to go before it even got there. My pastor pronounced the last word of today's Gospel, "chosen", with such emphasis that I had a premonition of what he was about to say. Sure enough, his homily was focused primarily on the new series The Chosen, and he even announced that the parish is going to host a watch party outside on the corner of the street where the parish is located this Tuesday. So, you'll know where to find me. Haha! 

Feel free to listen to the homily here. It's great, and will hopefully get you interested in The Chosen, if you haven't seen it yet. 

The Offertory hymn was also beautiful, though I did not recognize it. 

I had the other great blessing of being able to attend Confession on Wednesday. It was a little overdue, and so very good to receive the grace of God in the sacrament. So, so good, my friends. So then, at the Consecration, I remembered to offer the plenary indulgence (which you can obtain at every Mass you attend if you, when the Host is raised and the bells rung at the Consecration, say "My Lord, and my God", and meet the other conditions for a plenary indulgence) for a soul in purgatory who had no one to pray for them. I prayed that this person's soul would enter into the fullness of joy, and for a moment I felt I had a little glimpse of that soul's joy. What a gift! 

Then, for Communion, I was overjoyed to hear the song We Come to Your Feast played. I was first introduced to this song when I volunteered for a summer at the Apostolate for Family Consecration. During one of our retreat weeks, the college-age volunteer staff were asked to play the music for the liturgies since we had not had any families sign up for it. It was probably my favorite week of music! But this song was the offertory hymn on a few days that week, and I fell in love with it. To give you a glimpse at the lyrics, I will share them here:

We place upon your table

a gleaming cloth of white:

the weaving of our stories,

the fabric of our lives;

the dreams of those before us,

the ancient hopeful cries,

the promise of our future:

our needing and our nurture

lie here before our eyes.

We come to your feast,

we come to your feast:

the young and the old,

the frightened, the bold,

the greatest and the least.

We come to your feast,

we come to your feast

with the fruit of our lands

and the work of our hands,

we come to your feast.

I love this hymn. So again, my heart was filled with great joy at Communion today. 

Then, to complete the whole circle, I smiled as I heard the closing hymn: O God Beyond All Praising, yet another hymn that has been a part of my journey with the Lord. It stands out to me in memory as the closing hymn for the graduation Mass for myself and my classmates in the Masters program that I participated in after graduating from Franciscan: the Echo program through the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame. This song always brings me back in memory to being in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, surrounded by other amazing young men and women with whom I had lived in community, prayed, and studied for two years who were all about to go out into the world and tell the Good News. My mom was in tears, and I was, too, once I saw her. But this song just brings me back to that moment. 

This is the providence and goodness of God, my friends. I can't help but think of the words of the song Reckless Love, "You have been so so good to me." It's true! God has been so good to me! So very good. And I am just so incredibly thankful. 

But I also want to take a moment to appreciate and point out how key hymns were in this moment of encounter with God that I experienced today. Two of them were very traditional hymns, one was slightly more contemporary. (Which also leads me to give "props" to my parish because they strike that balance between traditional hymns and some praise and worship hymns really well. Like, really well. It's better than anywhere else I've experienced so far in how these two come together in a single liturgy.) But what they all have in common is that they are rooted in my memory to a particular celebration of a sacrament and a moment in my life. The Liturgy, when we make it a habit, has power to influence and transform us, even through the simple function of memory. May this inform the way that we plan our liturgies and lead our families and communities in prayer. 

Finally, I would like to give a shoutout to the amazing spiritual fathers that I have seen among the priests of my diocese. I've met some amazing priests, but I have been amazed at how truly these men fulfill their role as spiritual fathers. I've experienced that really powerfully in just the past year. This is also an occasion of praise to God for me, since I have suffered some wounds in this area recently. Today, as I prayed after receiving Communion, Jesus showed me how healing the witness of men who embrace the call to spiritual fatherhood can be - men who don't just say what spiritual fathers are supposed to say, but who actually show up and carry out their role as spiritual fathers with their spiritual children. It's such a huge difference. And, I'll warrant, I would not have noticed that without experiencing the wounds that I have. How good is the Lord that He uses even our woundedness to show forth His goodness and glory? 

Praise the Lord for His goodness, His mercy, His sacraments. Praise Him all ye angels, saints, and creatures. Amen. 

the Itinerant Catechist

A Serious Wake-Up Call

Humility and Forgiveness. 

Today is the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, and the readings for today have a particular focus on two virtues: humility and forgiveness (specifically, the forgiveness and mercy of God). It struck me this morning that these two virtues, or to put it another way, the habits of humility and repentance, are virtues that seem to be more and more absent from our society. Yet, these virtues of humility and forgiveness are, according to the second reading today from Philippians, central in the life and mission of Jesus Christ. 

Do nothing out of selfishness, or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but also for those of others (cf. Philippians 2:1-11). 

How many of us in the last week (or even the last 24 hours) have thought of ourselves as "better" than someone else? I do think this is something that we can fall into all too easily. But I also want to avoid the other extreme of self-deprecation. As someone who has struggled with scrupulosity, it is important to have a properly balanced view of things: yes, I am a sinner; but am I seeking the Lord with my whole heart each day, and do I repent when I fail? If the answer to both of those questions is "yes," then I can be confident that I am on the right path. In a similar vein, though, if I am growing complacent in my own relationship with God where I am unwilling to leave my comfort zone? Am I allowing myself to be stretched to grow into who I am made to be by being purified of even the small offenses against God or the tiny attitudes that are in need of purification within me? This is necessary to continue to grow in our relationship with God. We are called to desire God so much that even venial sins are unthinkable to us. Granted, that's going to take some work and it may be that we're still working on being purified of certain venial sins till the day we die. But all the same, do I want to let go of them? Truly want to be free of them? If I truly want that, then I will pursue the purification. 

"Death but not sin." -St. Dominic Savior, 14-year-old saint who made this promise when he received his First Communion

Now when it comes to looking out for the interests of others, I think many of us would like to think that we do. We share posts and try to raise awareness so that we are being a voice for those who are on the fringes of society and whose dignity is not being upheld. That's a good thing. But here's perhaps a purifying reflection: do we desire the salvation of the souls of those whom we tend to despise? 

I can hear the collective "Oof" as I type the words. Probably because it's coming from within me, too. 

Do I desire that those who are distasteful to me ultimately end up in Heaven? That's a hard question. But I know the answer should be "yes." 

Now, follow-up to that question: what are we doing to make that a reality? Do I pray for those whom I find difficult to love? 

I highly recommend Fr. Josh Johnson's "Litany of the Body of Christ" in this particular instance. Insert the name of the person you are thinking of in this prayer, and keep repeating it until you find yourself receptive to the truth of it: "[Name] is the Body of Christ." If you are not sure if that person has been baptized into the Body of Christ, you can pray instead, "[Name] is the image and likeness of God." 

When we can do this, when we can love our enemies and desire their salvation, we become the Body of Christ in the world: we become conformed to Jesus, washing the feet of Judas who would betray Him within hours. 

Have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave...he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (cf. Philippians 2:1-11)

Now let's look at the first reading from Ezekiel 18:25-28. The Lord says through the prophet Ezekiel: "Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair? ...if [someone] turns from the wickedness he has committed, and does what is right and just, he shall preserve his life; since he has turned away from all the sins that he has committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die." 

As I read these words, I couldn't help but think of our society today. In the midst of "cancel culture" and other movements, as I've said before, I see a dreadful lack of the forgiveness and humility that we see in Christ. These two virtues are, again, central to the ministry and saving mission of Jesus. Yet...they are the two virtues that our society seems to be the most opposed to at present. A person who has done wrong is condemned. But then, if that person even makes a movement toward repentance, and actually shows signs of change at present, society does not care if they have repented. They still stand condemned and "unforgivable". 

But...is this Christlike? 

I think we know the answer. 

"Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he bent down and wrote on the ground. And in response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders. So he was left alone with the woman before him. Then Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She replied, “No one, sir.” Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, [and] from now on do not sin any more” (John 8:7b-11). 

First, I'd like to take a look at the act of repentance. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, article 1450, it says: 

"'Penance requires...the sinner to endure all things willingly, be contrite of heart, confess with the lips, and practice complete humility and fruitful satisfaction.'" 

In other words, true penance, true repentance, requires that the sinner acknowledge the wrong they have done and endure the consequences of those actions, acknowledge aloud (in this case to a Confessor in the sacrament of Reconciliation) the wrong they have done, and humble themselves by making fruitful satisfaction. Fruitful satisfaction, I believe, includes giving evidence through words and actions that you are truly repentant of the sins you have committed in the past and you are doing what you believe is within your power to atone for those past sins. 

The Catechism goes on to describe that an act of contrition should express sorrow and detestation for the sin committed and a firm resolution to not commit that sin again (cf. CCC 1451). 

Now, if you've ever been to Confession, you know that acknowledging and voicing the sins that you have committed, especially the ones that are most shameful, takes serious humility. You have to make yourself small before God and before the priest who is acting in persona Christi and acknowledge that you are not who you should be. But the great thing about the sacrament of Reconciliation is that when you make that Act of Contrition and you have that resolve not to sin again, you are truly forgiven. 

I think that we see this kind of repentance illustrated in the parable Jesus proclaims in today's Gospel: Matthew 21:28-32. 

Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people: "What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, 'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.' He said in reply, 'I will not,' but afterwards changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, 'Yes, sir,' but did not go. Which of the two did his father's will?' They answered, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him." 

The first son, though he begins in a place of rebellion against his father, repents of his rebellion and ultimately does the father's will. The second son, for whatever reason, gives lip service to the father by agreeing to do his will, but then when it comes time to actually carry it out, he excuses himself and does not follow through. 

In the spirit of lectio divina, place yourself in that story and meditate upon it. Which son do you more often tend to be in your life? Either way, there is room for repentance. But, for myself personally, this Gospel passage always reminds me of something that was shared with me by one of my household brothers at Franciscan University. 

Certain passages of Scripture always bring me back to particular moments in my life. Today's second reading is one of them, and the Gospel is another. The second reading is one that was very dear to me and my household sisters at Franciscan University of Steubenville (the Warriors of the Word). But the Gospel brings me back to a joint Lord's Day we celebrated with our brother household, Disciples of the Word, when I was a sophomore with this Gospel. One of my household brothers shared that the second son was more often who he saw himself as, not because he didn't want to do God's will, but because he would put it off, excuse himself until a later time, and think that he had plenty of time to embrace God's will later on. 

That has always stuck with me. I think, too often, this is the trap we fall into: the trap of thinking we have plenty of time to be holy, plenty of time to become saints. But...do we? Jesus is very clear: we know neither the day nor the hour when we will be called home. So what are we to do? Respond today. Become a saint today. Take one concrete step toward sainthood today. 

I think this is the point Jesus is making in the last words of the Gospel today. He is calling the chief priests and elders to wake up to the fact that there are people whom they would view as "worse sinners" than themselves who are entering the kingdom of God ahead of them because they are repenting. The prostitutes and tax collectors are recognizing their own unworthiness and they are doing something about it. This is a wake up call to all of us, really. When we see others repenting of their faults, and remember we mean true contrition that comes with humility and "fruitful satisfaction", that should call us to repent ourselves. When I see someone asking for forgiveness for something, my automatic response should not be: "They're probably insincere and just doing it for the publicity." My response should be: "What things do I need to repent of and make satisfaction for?" 

Let us pray today for a greater receptivity to God's grace, that we may humble ourselves, be conformed to Christ, repent of our sins, and forgive as we have been forgiven. Lord, teach us to be humble, and to forgive others as you have forgiven us. Purify us from all sin and all attachment to sin, that we may be ever more faithful witnesses to Your love and Your mercy. Amen.

Praised be Jesus Christ, now and forever!

the Itinerant Catechist

Weeds, Wheat, and Cancel Culture

This post contains spoilers for an episode from The Crown, season 2, which is clearly marked at start and end points.

Wheat and Weeds

Today is the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, and in today's Gospel Jesus tells the parable of the wheat and the weeds. The wheat is sown, but an enemy of the farmer sows weeds in the field. A faithful servant asks the farmer if he wants the weeds to be pulled up now. But the farmer says "no" because pulling up the weeds may also pull up the wheat. Instead, the farmer directs, leave both until the harvest. Then, and only then, will the weeds be sorted from the wheat and thrown into the fire.

I think it can be all too easy for us to think to ourselves that we know who in this world is wheat and who is a weed. But to do so is to miss the point. Jesus is teaching specifically that the job of identifying and separating the wheat from the weeds is not within our power.

Saint Francis de Sales writes the following in his Introduction to the Devout Life:

"Of a truth, hasty judgments are most displeasing to God, and men's judgments are hasty, because we are not judges one of another, and by judging we usurp our Lord's own office. Man's judgment is hasty, because the chief malice of sin lies in the intention and counsel of the heart, which is shrouded in darkness to us. Moreover, man's judgments are hasty, because each one has enough to do in judging himself, without undertaking to judge his neighbor. If we would not be judged, it behooves us alike not to judge others, and to judge ourselves. ...for the most part we precisely reverse these precepts, judging our neighbor, which is forbidden on all sides, while rarely judging ourselves, as we are told to do." 

As human beings with a fallen nature, we are often wrong about other people. Think about a person you know and love, of whom your first impression was very wrong. This is part of what makes us human - we learn over a period of time, and, as a result, we can make assumptions and judgments about other people that are incorrect because we lack information. (Classic example from literature: Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice.)

As an example from Scripture of what refraining from rash judgment looks like, Saint Francis de Sales offers us the image of Saint Joseph:

"...when St. Joseph found that the Blessed Virgin was with child, knowing her to be pure and holy, e could not believe that there was any sin in her, and he left all judgment to God, although there was strong presumptive evidence on which to condemn her. And the Holy Spirit speaks of St. Joseph as a 'just man.' When a just man cannot see any excuse for what is done by a person in whose general worth he believes, he still refrains from judging him, and leaves all to God's Judgment. 

...Are we never, then, to judge our neighbor? you ask. Never, my child. ...It is forbidden to all men alike, as men, to judge one another." 

In the words of Brene Brown: "Stay out of judgment. Not easy when you enjoy it as much as some of us do." (Watch her video on "Empathy vs. Sympathy". It's amazing.)

Cancel Culture

In the last month alone it has become increasingly common for people to go around digging up dirt on just about anyone and condemning them openly on social media. The person may be living or dead, rich or poor, black or white, man or woman. It doesn't matter. Anyone is fair game. As soon as something is unearthed (which undoubtedly it will be since all of us are sinners and imperfect), the crowds cry "Crucify them" in so many words, or, to use today's language, "cancel them." Even if the person in question apologizes or asks for forgiveness, the judgment stands and the person is dismissed. 

The very problem with this mindset is that it assumes a role that none of us can rightfully take. As St. Francis de Sales says, we are too hasty to judge others and yet we refuse to judge ourselves. We quickly condemn others, but are we at all willing to look inward and see our own flaws? 

"You don't believe you and I could change things?" "I would change myself first." - Amazing Grace (2006) 

Patience

The parable of the weeds and wheat speaks beautifully to the patience of God. How long does he leave the fields as they are? Until the harvest. Until the end. 

Jesus once revealed to Saint Faustina what a soul that is near death experiences. Through this revelation, Saint Faustina realized that the mercy of God is ever-present, ever-offered, to the soul up until the very last possible moment. Furthermore, if that soul were to turn to God's mercy even in the last millisecond of existence, that soul would not be condemned to the fires of hell. Such is God's mercy. His mercy does not give up on us...not for a moment. 

In the same way, the Lord desires that we would be merciful as our heavenly Father is merciful. In fact, Jesus equates this with perfection: "Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect... be merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful." We must be patient with one another. We must recognize that each and every person is on a journey.

Saint Jane Frances de Chantal (whose spiritual director was Francis de Sales) ran a soup kitchen out of her home during her lifetime, and once people asked her why she didn't turn away the people who came back through the line a second time. Her response was to say "God has never turned me away when I come asking him for forgiveness again and again." 

Sadly, our society has drifted so far from the ways of God that we no longer seem to recognize forgiveness as an acceptable measure. But what pains me even more is that my own Christian and Catholic brothers and sisters are openly condemning one another on social media. It breaks my heart because, when we know Jesus, we know that His desire is that we "may be one" just as He and the Father (and the Spirit) are one. Thus, wherever division is present...wherever it conquers...the Evil One is most assuredly at work. 

It's the Little Things

I remember reading The Screwtape Letters for the very first time as a Masters student, and being both surprised and deeply convicted by the theme throughout the book of how small of things, how miniscule of failures can lead us down paths of destruction. My professor at the time referred to these as the logismoi - tiny little things that may not be sins of themselves but that open the doorways to temptations and sinful dispositions. This is an ongoing theme of Screwtape: 

"One of our great allies at present is the Church itself," writes Screwtape, a senior-ranking demon advising his less-experienced nephew on how to lead his assigned human to eternal damnation. "Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see her spread out through all time and space and rooted in eternity, terrible as an army with banners. ...But fortunately it is quite invisible to these humans. All your patient sees is the half-finished, sham Gothic erection on the new building estate. When he goes inside, he sees the local grocer with rather an oily expression on his face bustling up to offer him one shiny little book containing a liturgy which neither of them understands.... When he gets to his pew and looks around him he sees just that selection of his neighbours whom he has hitherto avoided. You want to lean pretty heavily on those neighbors. Make his mind flit to and fro between an expression like 'the body of Christ' and the actual faces in the next pew. It matters very little, of course, what kind of people that next pew really contains. You may know one of them to be a great warrior on the Enemy's [God's] side. No matter. Your patient...is a fool. Provided that any of those neighbours sings out of tune, or have boots that squeak, or double chins, or odd clothes, the patient will quite easily believe that their religion must therefore be somehow ridiculous."

It starts so small - small as an attitude toward the person next to us at Mass. One might even say it could start with an attitude like: "Well, it's my Christian duty to correct them and condemn their ideas." Says who? Who gave you this authority or direction? Certainly it is your duty to educate yourself and those in your care about the truths of our faith, and to be aware of those things that contradict the truth and (so far as possible) avoid the voices that we know do not help us to become saints. ("You shall know them by their fruits," is a good pole for guidance here.) But to openly condemn (as social media has given us the power to do so easily) anyone we disagree with... is this Christlike? Is this in God's image? 

If we look to the merciful God of Scripture who stays faithful to unfaithful Israel time and again, we know the answer.  

Prudence

One of my favorite episodes of The Crown is during season 2, episode 6.

****SPOILER WARNING****

In this episode, Queen Elizabeth invites Billy Graham to Buckingham Palace after the evangelists' sermons have convicted the English people quite powerfully. Despite her family's opinions that the evangelist seems "commonplace", Elizabeth is determined to meet him and openly admits that she finds Mr. Graham's way of speaking and guiding the faithful to be helpful and inspiring. 

The bulk of the episode, however, is spent on a difficult truth in the royal family's history. Elizabeth's uncle, the Duke of Windsor and previously king of England (who abdicated, thus leading to Elizabeth's father's kingship) is discovered to have had friendly connections with Adolf Hitler shortly before World War II. At present, the Duke of Windsor desires to return to England and serve at some minor political level. Elizabeth, who has a fondness for her uncle, wrestles with the knowledge of his past, the request he has made, and whether she ought to forgive him. 

*****END OF SPOILERS*****

What I saw demonstrated in this episode is the struggle between forgiveness and prudence. Forgiveness is not so much a claim that what the other has done to us did not hurt as it is a decision to be merciful in our thoughts, attitudes, and (as far as possible) actions toward the other. Prudence, however, is the virtue that directs us to approach each situation with wisdom and discernment. Therefore, it is possible to forgive someone for what they have done, while still prudently choosing to forego future associations with them because of the hurt they have caused. (For example, it is prudent that a victim of abuse would avoid the person who abused them, even if they had managed to eventually forgive the abuser - an incredibly difficult, though saintly task in itself!) 

Justice

The virtue of justice is to "give to God and neighbor what is owed to them." Cancel culture would have us believe that justice is giving condemnation to those who "deserve it." Cancel culture would have us believe that it is just to destroy someone for a past mistake. 

But...suppose we had canceled Paul the apostle for being a persecutor of Christians? We would be missing about 70% of the New Testament. 

Suppose we had canceled Thomas Aquinas for being incorrect about the Immaculate Conception? We would not have the Summa Theologica and various other writings, which are the most quoted documents in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. 

Suppose Jesus had canceled Peter for denying Him? Suppose the Church had canceled Mary Magdalene or Augustine for their sinful pasts? 

Think of all that we would miss if we applied this trend of thinking to every person who has ever lived? "Let the one among you who has no sin be the first to throw a stone at her." If justice is giving to others what is owed to them, who among us has the right or power to deny forgiveness and mercy to another human being who is infinitely loved by God?

I say this to make a simple point: this trend of condemnation, outside and inside the Christian sphere, is not of God. Cancel culture is not Christian. Calumny is not Christian.

True justice, justice that is of God, says: "I was shown mercy by a God who could easily have denied it to me. Therefore, I will show mercy to my neighbor who has made mistakes." 

True justice says: "It belongs to God alone to pass judgment. I will err on the side of mercy, but also exercise prudence in who I decide to listen to." 

True justice says: "I will not rush into hasty decisions or judgments about others because that is not my responsibility and I don't know their heart the way God does." 

In conclusion

Jesus said let the wheat and weeds grow together. We're going to find both in our lives. But most of the time, we will not know who is which. The only one who does know is God alone, so let us take time to listen each day to His voice, for that is the one thing that will help us to "weed out" the voices in our lives that do not align with His. Furthermore, it is in the power of grace to transform weeds into wheat at any point in time. So when the signs of such transformation appear, let us rejoice with the saints and angels, for God's mercy has triumphed! 

"Be merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful." 

-the Itinerant Catechist

Concluding Thoughts on Frozen II

In this post: Connecting St. John of the Cross and the ascetical life with the last 20-30 minutes of Disney's Frozen II.

Wow! We've been "in this together" (as much as I really get annoyed by that phrase) for like...3 months now? It feels like a lot longer than that. Maybe because even though very little seems to happen in my day-to-day so much is happening across the nation.

That probably is part of the reason why it's taken me so long to wrap-up on my review of the themes in Frozen II - literally, there's been so much other stuff that my brain has been encountering and processing as more and more comes to light. But I set out to do something, so we're going to finish! (Even though I'd rather be telling you about what I noticed during the Marvel movie marathon I undertook recently. But that'll wait until next time, I guess.)

Okay! Back to Frozen II.

Not so unlike a lot of us right now, while at the "river of memory", Elsa finds out that Arendelle has a complicated history. It turns out that Elsa's grandfather built the dam for the Northuldra as a power device. It wasn't to help them, but rather was meant to put a barrier on the magic that aided their livelihood. While her grandfather believes this is for the good of his own people, to shelter them from dangerous magic, Elsa understands now that magic (which she knows through experience) is not something to fear but something to utilize for the good of others.

Unfortunately, the narrative gets worse. But to follow it, Elsa must go deeper into Atohallen, thus confirming what Anna feared from their mother's song: "Not too far or you'll be drowned." But Elsa is determined to know what happened, and so she jumps. She learns that her grandfather was confronted by the Northuldra leader, who recognized that the dam was interfering with the livelihood of his people. But the king decided to "shoot the messenger" before he could get to the people, and so he murders the Northaldra leader before he can tell the people the truth. The resulting skirmish between Arendelle and Northuldra arises after this, which makes it all the more remarkable that Anna and Elsa's Northuldra mother would rescue Arendelle's heir to the throne. But I posit that Elsa and Anan's mother knew how to look beyond the circumstances and see the humanity. She saw a human being in danger, not an enemy. That's what motivated her to help, and the magic of the wood helped her to save his life because of her selfless choice - her agape, as it were. From Elsa's flashes of memories that her mother shares with her in Atohallen, it seems that Elsa and Anna's father knew his wife's heritage (she confides to him that she needs to tell him about her past), but I do wonder why their parents never told the princesses the whole story. Maybe they were waiting until they were older? (Though it is a Disney movie, so we all know how that goes - namely, if the protagonist wasn't raised by a single parent or isn't an orphan, they're in the rare few.) The only problem is, now that Elsa knows the truth, she's gone too far on her own to be able to return.

This is one area of the story where I felt like there was little development. Why can't Elsa return? The "not too far or you'll be drowned" verse obviously bears some significance, but why is that the case?


I think spiritually there is an answer perhaps, but only the start of one - and I don't think that this is what Disney meant to do, so I won't pretend to speak for them. A wise person once said: "Your heart is a scary place; don't go in alone." Their point was that in examining ourselves - our own hearts, our own stories, our own wounds - we shouldn't attempt to do it by ourselves. We must go into that interior journey with Christ. Otherwise, coming face-to-face with our own darkness can feel overwhelming, and we can be tempted to despair. But why is this true? I think because it relies on the false belief that we have to do all the heart/hard work ourselves before we come to Jesus. We think that we have to "have our act together" before we can be pleasing to Him. But Jesus never says this. He says "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy-burdened, and I will give you rest." He doesn't expect us to be perfect, our clean up our mess, before we let Him in. He wants to be our companion on the journey - He wants us to do the work with Him. This is the part of the spiritual life called askesis, or the ascetical life. It's a partnership with the Lord - we have to do some work, yes; but we're not doing it alone. After all, "without [Him] we can do nothing." We need His grace to even begin the work of drawing near to Him. But it's a partnership. We walk with Him. We work with Him. This reminds me of one of the quotes that (I think) changed my whole perspective on grace:

"I do not at all understand the mystery of grace, only that it meets us where we are, and does not leave us where it found us." -Ann Lamott

But again, the warning label reads: "Don't go in alone." That's the great thing about grace: it's a gift. We don't have to earn it. We don't have to be worthy of it (because honestly, we can't be). We do, however, need to be receptive to it. We can't put up barriers and expect it to work in us effectively. This is why thinking of grace in a measurable way (like it's a quantity that we either have more or less of) can be problematic. Grace, we are told, is God's own life. The spiritual journey is essentially how deeply we are entering into that life of grace - how fully am I entering into God's own life of love and letting it transform me from within? ("We have to go down before we can go up," as Bishop Robert Barron is fond of saying; as in, we have to be transformed from within before we can start transforming what is outside of us.) This is where we should not go in alone - to ourselves. Don't descend into the depths of your soul without the grace of God and person of Christ accompanying you - otherwise, you might find yourself overwhelmed by the darkness and wickedness that you see you're capable of. The likely result of this without the presence of Christ is despair. But with Him? Transformation!

Now, let's return to Elsa - she's gone in alone. In this case, her likely companion would have been Anna. How Anna could have saved her from this, I'm not sure. Would they still have found out the whole truth? Again, I'm not sure. But I think there's both a warning and a sign in Elsa's choice. "Don't go in alone," of course. But is there a Truth worth dying for? As Christians, we know the answer. (I don't claim that the truth Elsa's in pursuit of is equivalent to the Truth of who Jesus is and what He has revealed. But all truth is somehow a facet or a fractel of the ultimate Truth. Jesus says in John 8:32 "...you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.") As Elsa finds herself frozen to the spot of the dark woods where she witnesses the past, she looks toward the sky and in a final desperate motion sends a burst of magic into the sky as she calls out: "Anna!"

Meanwhile, Anna and Olaf are trying to find their way through the passageway they used to escape from the rock giants. Elsa's bursts of magic meets them along the way, taking the shape of their grandfather about to murder the weaponless Northuldra leader. Anna and Olaf realize this is from Elsa, and it's the truth. Olaf also recognizes: "That goes against everything Arendelle stands for." But Anna realizes there's only one way to set things right - they have to remove the dam that was a trick to hurt rather than a gift to help. This will mean that Arendelle will be destroyed because the force from the water will be too great. But the people are outside of the city, so they don't have to fear that people will get hurt. That's why the magic drove them out in the first place it seems.

Anna and Olaf find a way out, and Anna says they have to hurry because Elsa is probably on her way. But she stops as she notices a few snowflakes surrounding her, and then realizes they're coming from Olaf, who understands that he's fading away as the magic in him fades. This means Elsa must also be fading. Then (moment for tears), Olaf says: "Anna, I'm sorry. But you're going to have to do this next part on your own. Okay? ...Hey, Anna? I just thought of one thing that's permanent. Love."

Saint John of the Cross, author of "Dark Night of the Soul"

This won't be the first time that Disney does a pretty accurate depiction of the "dark night of the soul" or a "period of desolation", as they are named by the Catholic Tradition. (Before COVID-19, I had just seen a production of "The Lion King," and a friend pointed out that Simba's solo "Endless Night" also captures this theme. Listen here.) St. John of the Cross likens this experience in the spiritual life to the process of a mother who is weaning her young child. The child does not understand, and feels as though the mother is distancing herself. But really, the mother is helping the child to prepare for being able to receive more solid food. Similarly, in the spiritual life, the soul can feel as though God has withdrawn Himself from us because we no longer feel the consoling feelings and emotional reassurances that we felt at first. But in this time, God is purifying us, purifying our love - helping us to be detached even from the good feelings that He gives us, so that we can truly want Him for Who He is, not just for what He brings us. St. John of the Cross calls this the "dark night of the soul," but also explains that during this time, it is not true that God has removed the light from us; but rather, we are so engulfed in the light that we are blinded - we cannot see because all around us is light. This speaks to the truth that Scripture repeats in the Psalms: "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted." God does not remove or distance Himself from us in desolation or trial; rather, He is so intimately close that we have a difficult time perceiving His presence. It's mysterious. And it's beautiful.

Something of this dark night is expressed in Anna's solo: "The Next Right Thing".

I've seen dark before, 
But not like this. 
This is cold, this is empty, this is numb.
The life I knew is over,
The lights are out.
Hello, darkness.
I'm ready to succumb. 

I follow you around,
I always have. 
But you've gone to a place I cannot find.
This grief, has a gravity,
It pulls me down,
But a tiny voice whispers in my mind:
You are lost, hope is gone;
But you must go on,
And do the next right thing. 

In the dark night of the soul, these feelings of numbness, emptiness, loneliness can overwhelm the soul so much that it can make it hard to recognize the presence of God. ("You've gone to a place I cannot find." But that place, is just deeper within...in the darkness, as well as beyond it.) Indeed, the whispers in our mind and soul can be very convincing - "you are lost, hope is gone." But we know that hope, in the Christian sense, is trusting in God even in difficult times. This is why the symbol of hope is an anchor. The anchor does not assure that storms will not come; but instead, it ensures that the boat will not stray far when the storm comes. What do we do in the darkness? What do we do when the storms arise? "Do the next right thing."

When I first heard this line in the movie, I was reminded of where I had first heard this phrase: Matthew Kelly's book: Perfectly Yourself: 9 Lessons for Enduring Happiness. I still have not finished this book, but I would pick it up at various points during my time in high school and my early college years. "Do the next right thing," was particularly a poignant quote for me. In the usual blur of questions about discernment and other challenges I was experiencing in human relationships, it was easy to be overwhelmed by the "what to do" question. But this statement, this mantra, made it so simple. The next right thing. Focus on that, and you'll be able to keep taking another step in the right direction. And isn't this how God deals with us? He does not lay out for us the whole map of our lives when we ask Him what He wants us to do. He just reveals the next step. One step at a time. These themes are definitely found within the song Anna sings. I think perhaps Anna is even discovering that there's something more than her relationships with others that makes it worth persevering (dare I say, persevering in faith). After all, those relationships all have been stripped away at this point: Kristoff is gone, Elsa is gone, Olaf is gone. She's "on her own," and yet...something drives her forward. This too, is an experience anyone who's been through a dark night or period of desolation can relate to. Sometimes it's hard to understand what to keep "rising for," as Anna says. But we do because we have faith; we do because we trust Him; we do because we love Him. Christ is our anchor in the midst of the darkness.

I won't look too far ahead
It's too much for me to take
But break it down to this next breath
This next step
This next choice is one that I can make

So I'll walk through this night
Stumbling blindly toward the light
And do the next right thing
And with the dawn, what comes then?
When it's clear that everything will never be the same again
Then I'll make the choice
To hear that voice
And do the next right thing. 

Anna goes on with her plan - break the dam. This is also reflective of Catholic spirituality. Many of the saints advise those in desolation not to make any major decisions or changes until the desolation has passed. The idea is to stay faithful - to stay rooted in Christ - until the storm passes. (Granted, there may be moments where that's not possible; but that's why having a spiritual director and a regular prayer life are so important.)

Anna gets the attention of the earth giants so she can lead them to the dam and crush it. So naturally, Anna's trying to outrun the giants and it's not going well. This is the moment where my affinity for Kristoff was beautifully confirmed. He comes to Anna's rescue, and there's no: "What the heck? Where did you go?" or explanation demands. All he says is: "I'm here. What do you need?" Talk about a good model of relationship when someone's in a rough patch - "I'm here. What do you need?" (Now I'm not saying that there shouldn't be better communication; that's needed. But in this exact moment a conversation about the failures on both sides is not going to be super fruitful while you're also trying to not get crushed by earth giants. And this conversation does begin before the movie is over, so that's good.) As the dam is destroyed and the waters release, the magic holding Elsa down is broken.

Back at Arendelle, the people watch as the waters start to close in on their city, but Elsa and her new friend (the water-spirit-horse) stop the destruction. Although...personally, I was a little disappointed in this choice by Disney. For something new to be built, at times the old has to be sacrificed. So, I think it would have been more powerful if Arendelle had been forced to rebuild. But, I digress. (Also, gotta say that I enjoyed how this movie didn't make Anna "pretty cry", but she's actually a little bit of a mess when she sees Elsa again. It's the little things.)

As the movie concludes, Elsa and Anna both find their callings. Elsa remains with the Northuldra people, to guide the people as their leader. Anna and Kristoff return to Arendelle, where Anna serves Arendelle as queen. The two sisters take different paths, and come to their vocation through struggle and self-discovery. But they both find themselves where they're meant to be in the end: where their gifts and identity meld into their vocation in a way that mirrors the divine plan. (And yes, Kristoff finally gets his moment and asks Anna to marry him.)

While I did notice some underlying "political" themes in the film, it didn't really bother me because I think the movie lends itself to the human dimension of the problems, which is what we should all keep in mind: (a) that human beings are affected by the choices of leadership; (b) that human beings (past, present, and future) make mistakes that at times call us to use our knowledge of the truth to make changes for the better; and (c) all of this can be done (by God's grace) without dehumanizing either side. But that wasn't my main take-away from the movie, so I didn't comment on it much.

I'd be interested to hear what other's thoughts were on the movie, whether you agree or disagree with my own. Please feel welcome to comment and share. (Good rule of thumb for commentators: "Truth IN charity," folks.)

To close, I'd like to share a short passage from St. Paul's letter to the Romans, chapter 8, about "transformation," which Olaf reminds everyone was bound to take place in the forest.

For creation awaits with eager expectation the revelation of the children of God; for creation was made subject to futility, not of its own accord but because of the one who subjected it, in hope that creation itself would be set free from slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now; and not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, we also groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that sees for itself is not hope. For who hopes for what one sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance.

In the same way, the Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself intercedes with inexpressible groanings. And the one who searches hearts knows what is the intention of the Spirit, because it intercedes for the holy ones according to God’s will.

We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose (Roman 8:19-28). 

Till next time, we wait in hope.
The Itinerant Catechist

A Month into the Unknown (Thoughts on Frozen II cont'd)

Hello, all! Back again for some more movie reviews and reflections. I started talking about some Christian/Catholic themes in the movie Frozen II in my last post, which you can find here. I hope that you all are doing your best to "thrive and survive" during these days of quarantine and social-distancing.

To review:
(1) Elsa is hearing a mysterious voice (a singing voice to be specific) and feels drawn to find where it's coming from and where it's calling her to. She has an insight that it has something to do with an enchanted forest their father told her and Anna about when they were little.
(2) Anna is enjoying the comforts of having those she loves surrounding her and does not want things to change. She is also concerned about and protective of Elsa, not wanting anything to happen to her. She's determined to stand by her sister, no matter what.
(3) Kristoff is waiting for the right moment to pop the question, while also supporting and helping Anna and Elsa.
(4) Olaf is providing comic relief, but also some significant insights here and there.

Journey of Discovery

After hearing from Pabbie that they must go to the enchanted forest to set things right, Elsa wastes no time. She's ready to set out at once, and intends to go alone. But of course, Anna and Kristoff won't allow that. So in a few short minutes the four of them are in a wagon being pulled by Sven and on their way. (Here, Olaf shares an important little tidbit: "water has memory".)

On the way, Kristoff makes his second attempt to try to ask Anna to marry him. It...bombs. Badly. But I found myself laughing so hard at this (and a later) scene because you know where he means for it to go, and it just goes completely wrong each time. Poor Kristoff! 

When they reach the enchanted forest, they are able to enter. But once they are in, they realize they cannot get out. This is going to take lifting the enchantment to be able to return to Arendelle. 

Once inside, they also begin to encounter the 4 spirits: wind, fire, water, and earth. First they meet wind, in the shape of a tornado. But Elsa finds herself able to subdue it, and suddenly the wind spirit (Gail) becomes friendly to them and aids Elsa later on. 

There's also a pattern here: Elsa, in her desire to know, goes charging ahead when something unknown comes across their path. Anna, worried for Elsa, goes charging after her sister. Kristoff, in concern for Anna's safety, comes to the rescue. Elsa usually thinks Anna's concern is unnecessary because she believes she can protect herself. But Anna is not so sure. 

Soon after Elsa defeats the tornado, the characters meet a crowd - or two crowds. They encounter several of Arendelle's guards, who have been trapped in the forest since their grandfather was king and their father visited there. From their father's story, the sisters know that their grandfather built a dam as a peace offering to the Northaldra people - a tribal group who are more familiar with the 4 spirits and worked with them to supply their needs and live in peace. But, for an unknown reason, the meeting of the 2 peoples went sour and they ended up fighting each other. Their father (though he's to sure how) was able to escape, but their grandfather was not so fortunate. 

Along with the Arendellians, they meat some of the Northaldra, who are (understandably) bristled by the arrival of the Queen of Arendelle and company. But Elsa makes it clear that she and her company are there to help - to lift the curse over the forest so that the people can live freely again. 

During the encounter, another spirit appears - this time fire. Again, Elsa charges ahead to subdue fire. Anna follows, but finds herself quickly overwhelmed by the spreading fire and smoke. Kristoff to the rescue! Elsa succeeds in her quest,

but Anna admonishes her for not being more careful. To comfort Anna, Elsa produces their mother's scarf, which the Northaldra recognize as an artefact belonging to their own people - one of their oldest families. Through some analysis, the sisters realize that not only was their mother Northaldra, but she rescued their father from the battle that day in the forest when their grandfather died.



(I almost forgot to mention - in between all of this there is quite a comical song by Olaf, where he sings about the belief that everything will make sense when he is older. As a young adult still navigating all the changes involved in going from being a student to holding down a job and paying bills, this one really made me chuckle.)

As night falls, the sisters and company join the Northaldra in their camp to rest until morning. While there, Elsa and one of the Northaldra (Honey Maren) have a conversation about the 4 spirits, and Honey Maren shares that there's a belief that there is actually a fifth spirit that holds the other 4 in balance. Elsa wonders where to find this spirit, thinking it must be what's calling her, and she recalls the words of her mother: "Only Ahtohallan [the river of memory] knows." Elsa determines that she must find Ahtohallan to find answers. 

The First Split

Meanwhile, the "earth giants"/earth spirits appear, wreaking havoc like the others. Elsa is about to charge in again, but Anna stops her this time cautioning her that she may find herself in over her head if she goes on alone. Anna and Elsa determine to set out together, with Olaf in tow, and embark for Ahtohallan. 

While all of this was happening, Kristoff was trying to set up another proposal. But, with Anna gone, it obviously falls flat. Kristoff, disappointed, has a moment (and a musical number). He starts to wonder if he and Anna are meant to be, seeing as his efforts don't seem to be working out, and also since she seems to have taken off without him (which she also thinks Kristoff has done at this point, so...miscommunication!). 

The Second Split

It's getting real. So Elsa and Anna head to Ahtohallan, and what do they find on the way? The ship that their parents were aboard when they died during a storm at sea! Except...the ship isn't anywhere near where their parents supposedly died. So the sisters go searching. They learn that their parents had been on their way to Ahtohallan in an attempt to learn more about Elsa's powers. 

Elsa takes this information very personally, thinking this means it is her fault that their parents died. But Anna quickly dispels this lie, and makes a very beautiful statement here: 

Anna: ...Yelena asked why would the spirits reward Arendelle with a magical queen? Because our mother saved our father. She saved her enemy. Her good deed was rewarded with you. You are a gift.

Elsa: For what?

Anna: If anyone can resolve the past, if anyone can save Arendelle, and free this forest, it’s you. I believe in you, Elsa, more than anyone, or anything. 

This is another great instance of Anna seeing Elsa for who she really is, seeing her value even when Elsa can't seem to recognize it in herself. We all need people like this in our lives - people who can help us see the good in ourselves that we may overlook, ...and who also keep us from charging recklessly into fires or tornadoes. Haha. However, Elsa fails to see the importance of community here when she refuses to let Anna come with her: 

Elsa: The Dark Sea is too dangerous for us both.

Anna: No. No! We do this together. Remember the song? Go too far and you’ll be drowned. Well, I will stop you from going too far!

Elsa: You said you believed in me, that this is what I was born to do.

Anna: And I don’t want to stop you from that. I don’t want to stop you from being whatever you need to be! I just don’t want you dying trying to be everything for everyone else too. Don’t do this alone. Let me help you, please! I can’t lose you, Elsa.

Despite Anna's determination to go with Elsa to Ahtohallan, Elsa is afraid of losing Anna and so she distances herself from Anna and Olaf by magically sending them away via iceboat. Anna is (legitimately) frustrated by this, since Elsa had promised that they were in this together. But she and Olaf have a more immediate problem - they are floating down a river filled with sleeping earth giants and they have to try not to wake them up! 

Anna and Olaf succeed, but barely! Olaf remarks at the end of it that Elsa must be having a way easier time than they are. 

As you've probably guessed, far from it!

Elsa is trying to cross the sea...by herself. It's not going super well so far. But once she's in the sea, she meets the water spirit. (Given that I love horses, I was a fan of this one.) The water spirit, like your typical mustang, is not thrilled to have Elsa in its realm, so it puts up quite the fight. As before, though, Elsa proves to be up to the challenge (which doesn't mean it's easy, but she does win out in the end). Elsa uses her powers to tame the water spirit, too, and rides it across the sea to Ahtohallan.

Show Yourself

As Elsa approaches Ahtohallan, she (naturally) breaks into song. This one's words also struck me as being quite profound. Here is Elsa, on her way to what she believes to be the place and person who have been calling out to her - maybe she's about to discover what she's been made for. 

Every inch of me is trembling

But not from the cold

Something is familiar

Like a dream I can reach but not quite hold

I can sense you there

Like a friend I've always known

I'm arriving

And it feels like I am home

(Have you ever felt like a place you'd come to for the first time felt something like home? In my own experience, I've found that places that feel that way...somehow it's like you know right away that they're going to mean something to you....) 

I have always been a fortress

Cold secrets deep inside

You have secrets, too

But you don't have to hide

Show yourself

I'm dying to meet you

Show yourself

It's your turn

Are you the one I've been looking for

All of my life?

Show yourself

I'm ready to learn

...

I've never felt so certain

All my life I've been torn

But I'm here for a reason

Could it be the reason I was born?

I have always been so different

Normal rules did not apply

Is this the day?

Are you the way

I finally find out why?

Show yourself

I'm no longer trembling

Here I am

I've come so far

You are the answer I've waited for

All of my life

Oh, show yourself

Let me see who you are

Come to me now

Open your door

Don't make me wait

One moment more

Oh, come to me now

Open your door

Don't make me wait

One moment more

The theme of vocation jumps out at me again here. How often have I found myself asking God to show me here and now who I am, what I'm supposed to do, what my gifts are for. But, ultimately, it never happens on my terms or in my timing...He always has something better in mind, and surprises me...like Elsa's about to be surprised!

Where the north wind meets the sea

Ah ah ah ah

There's a river

Ah ah ah ah

Full of memory

(Elsa's Mother: Come, my darling, homeward bound)

I am found

Show yourself

Step into your power

Grow yourself

Into something new

You are the one you've been waiting for

All of my life

(All of your life)

Oh, show yourself...

Elsa discovers that this fifth spirit that she's been seeking is herself. Again, vocation! I think so often we go looking for our purpose and our vocation outside of ourself. But God doesn't make us who we are, with our gifts and dreams and interests, for no reason. He wants us to use them, to look within ourselves at the way He has made us, and to discover within ourselves (as His creation, His sons and daughters) how best to give those gifts away in love to the rest of the world. 

Now, with "grow yourself," if you're like me, you might be thinking - "But we don't grow ourselves, God grows us. God causes the growth, like St. Paul says." I agree! But...I also pause for a moment. God does not work in us without our cooperation. He does not set about growing us more into ourselves without our participation, without our "yes". Look at our Blessed Mother - she was Immaculately Conceived and had all of the gifts and grace within her to be the Mother of God...but God wouldn't make her be that Mother without her "yes" and cooperation. The same is true for each of us. God wants us to let Him work in us. 

I think, also, that those who "find their calling" often discover that everything they longed for has found some level of fulfillment in their state in life. :) At least, that's the theme I've seen in a lot of witness talks on vocation. Can't say that I've personally got all of that figured out yet, but I'm just trying to say "yes" every day, knowing that this is what matters most and will make me more able to say "yes" to the "big V" vocation when He makes it known. 

Not Done Yet

Well, believe it or not, we are still not finished! But again, I've found myself going a bit longer than I'd anticipated. So...I'm going to pause here for the time-being. Next post, we'll explore the challenges that Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff all face as things take unexpected turns for each of them. 

Until then,

The Itinerant Catechist