Friday, November 20, 2020
Friday of the Thirty-Third Week of Ordinary Time
“Thus, a good man, though a slave, is free; but a wicked man, though a king, is a slave. For he serves, not one man alone, but what is worse, as many masters as he has vices,” Saint Augustine of Hippo, City of God
Dear Friend,
Do you and your family want to have a happy Thanksgiving? Of course you do. Thus, in addition to all those wonderful recipes for roast turkey, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie, let me suggest just one extra ingredient: Temperance.
Temperance is another word for moderation or self-mastery. The pursuit of it is a training in human freedom. The alternative is clear: either we govern our passions and find peace, or we let ourselves be dominated by them and become unhappy (Catechism of the Catholic Church #2339).
Temperance is the Cardinal Virtue we all understand. When St. Paul spoke about this “self-restraint” to the Judean Governor, Felix, Paul was hoping to convert the Governor (Acts 24:25). When presented as the natural virtue of moderation, who would not be convinced? But Paul linked this with Christ and the righteousness Jesus brings raising the demands of this virtue to a higher level.
Earlier in his ministry, Paul had listed this self-control as one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:23), thus indicating that there is a graced element to this virtue. It is certainly built on our ability to train ourselves and discipline ourselves (I Corinthians 9:25) so that we do not let our internal appetites or external forces control us.
But the real aim is to have an inner strength so that we do not get dragged down to our baser selves. The great model for this is Judith who maintained her dignity even as she misled the great Holofernes and eventually killed him (Judith 11-13). Thus, as a gift of God, temperance is not just about holding back, but about marshaling our efforts in a disciplined way in order the better to serve God.
Since this grace presumes the natural virtue, it is always important that we do gain control over our passions and appetites so that we are able to muster our energy to achieve a greater good. The Book of Sirach gives good advice: “Do not let your passions be your guide, but keep your desires in check” (18:30).
Sisters and brothers, we are to be temperate in what we eat and drink and in the pleasures we enjoy. We are not to lose control of ourselves to these things. However, we do not gain this mastery of ourselves for its own sake. Rather, we wish to offer ourselves to God and His will for us. We do not wish to be a slave to ourselves or to anyone else or to anything else. With St. Paul, we will each call ourselves, “a slave of Christ Jesus” (Romans 1:1) for we no longer belong to ourselves but to Jesus.
Assuring you of my prayers, I am sincerely yours in Christ,
+ Earl
Bishop of Lansing
P.S. Don't forget to sign up for my Year of the Bible which starts this Advent. Just click on the blue button below to register. It's that simple. Together, let us make this a deeply spiritual year for all of us!
P.S. Don't forget to sign up for my Year of the Bible which starts this Advent. Just click on the blue button below to register. It's that simple. Together, let us make this a deeply spiritual year for all of us!
Watch: On Sunday, November 15, Catholics from across Michigan braved heavy rain to converge upon Lansing in order to participate in a rosary rally and Eucharistic procession culminating in Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament upon the steps of the State Capitol. Through the storms, the prayerful plea of the pilgrims was simple: unite our nation by the grace of God and through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our nation's heavenly patroness. To know more about Unite Our Nation, click here.
Watch: As you know, Bishop Boyea would like to invite you to join him in reading the Holy Bible over the span of 365 days starting on the First Sunday of Advent, November 29, 2020. But why? In this Diocese of Lansing podcast Bishop Boyea discusses:
* Why he felt drawn in prayer to declare a Year of the Bible.
* Why you should consider joining him in this Year of the Bible.
* Why he has chosen the books of the Bible he has.
* How to read the Bible prayerfully.
* What he hopes the Diocese of Lansing will gain from this Year of the Bible.
Asking the questions is David Kerr, Director of Communications for the Diocese of Lansing:
* Why he felt drawn in prayer to declare a Year of the Bible.
* Why you should consider joining him in this Year of the Bible.
* Why he has chosen the books of the Bible he has.
* How to read the Bible prayerfully.
* What he hopes the Diocese of Lansing will gain from this Year of the Bible.
Asking the questions is David Kerr, Director of Communications for the Diocese of Lansing:
Read: This month’s FAITH Magazine, the official publication of the Diocese of Lansing, features some remarkable first-hand testimonies of young Catholics including Lansing Catholic High School student Noel Spence who admits that his senior year looks different than he expected.
“School is more complicated now wearing masks, social distancing, wiping down the desks,” he says. But Noel’s focus isn’t the pandemic, or even the changes that it’s brought. Noel sees God at work in 2020.
“I think God is our best support in these tough times. The fact that we’re able to go to Mass now is great – we can praise God and receive the Eucharist, and that really is most important. Things might not be the best right now, but God is helping us as we go." Read Noel's story in full here.
“School is more complicated now wearing masks, social distancing, wiping down the desks,” he says. But Noel’s focus isn’t the pandemic, or even the changes that it’s brought. Noel sees God at work in 2020.
“I think God is our best support in these tough times. The fact that we’re able to go to Mass now is great – we can praise God and receive the Eucharist, and that really is most important. Things might not be the best right now, but God is helping us as we go." Read Noel's story in full here.
