Friar’s Corner: Walk as a child of the light
Fr. Bob Hilz, TOR
Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18; Psalm 27:1, 7-9, 13-14; Philippians 3:20 -4:1; Luke 9:28b-36.
Our faith continues to grow, change and develop. The first twelve chapters of Genesis, the first book of the Bible, dealt with the creation stories and the fall of Adam and Eve. Evil and the influence of the devils continue to expand.
From chapter thirteen on, the stories are more positive. Despite human failings, God continued to make covenants with special persons: Adam, Noah, and in this reading, Abram. With the covenants, God’s many blessings and faithfulness are the main points even though humans fail. Today we read about part of what Abram was promised. God promised him that he and his descendants would number more than the stars of the sky. Then God gave Abram a great new land to inhabit.
Psalm 27 continues to tell of God’s blessings. He is our light, salvation and refuge. Do not be afraid of him. The second reading offers us even more blessings. St. Paul promises us that after our life of faithfully following Jesus we shall have a glorified body like that of Jesus after his resurrection.
The Transfiguration
The gospel of St. Luke offers even more blessings about our new bodies after death. Jesus took his three closest friends up a mountain. He prayed to his Father and his face and clothes were dazzling. Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus in their new bodies. Jesus’ friends heard his Father speak from a cloud, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” They told no one about that vision until after the resurrection. God gave them that special encouragement to prepare them to endure his suffering and death though they did not understand it then.
What promise does this give us in our faith walk? As I was waking up this morning, the thought flowed into my mind about using an older hymn,
Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea;
Daily walking close to thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
Walk as a child of the light
Another hymn near that in last month’s missalette is:
I want to walk as a Child of the Light.
I want to follow Jesus.
God set the stars to give light to the world.
The star of my life is Jesus.
In him there is no darkness at all.
The night and the day are both alike.
The Lamb is the light of the city of God.
Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.
These hymns light a little fire inside me. As we get closer to Jesus each day in our prayer and spiritual reading time, we see more of God’s blessings, which fill us with more of his love, peace and joy. Give me joy in my heart; keep me joyful!
St. Patrick’s Day
Sunday, March 17th is St. Patrick’s Day. It is not celebrated because it is Sunday and Sundays are little Easters.
As I am part Irish, I want to say something about Patrick. Like our world today, Patrick’s world was also in turmoil. He was born of Catholic parents about 385 and died peacefully at 85 in 461. His father was a Roman magistrate on the Eastern shores of Britain (Wales or Scotland). There were not parish baptismal record books with all the sacraments recorded then. Much of his history is shrouded in myth and legend. Much of what we know comes from his short autobiography, Confession and the Letter. Patrick describes a wayward youth. At 16, he and some friends were kidnaped by Irish raiders and sold into slavery where for 6 years he was a shepherd out in the fields with little clothing and food. His faith commitment grew in these lonely years. A vision directed him to escape and travel some 200 miles to a ship bound for France.
He spent 15 years visiting and living in various monasteries and finally in Auxerre with St. Germain studying for the priesthood and then was ordained. At times he had a dream of some youth in Ireland calling him to come back to them. Finally, at the age of 40, Patrick was ordained a bishop and sent to evangelize Ireland. Patrick worked a lot in the North and West to bring Jesus there. He went to local tribal leaders for permission to teach about Jesus Christ and build churches. He successfully adapted the Gospel to the Irish culture. Large numbers became Catholic and France sent three other bishops to help Patrick. He followed more the French church model rather than the British. He was not well educated yet very faithful, determined and energetic. Patrick did get some help from French monasteries, ordained some 3,000 priests and 370 bishops from their converted flocks. He organized dioceses and held a council in the thirty-nine years of ministry in Ireland.
Changes in Confession
A few years after my ordination in 1970, I went to a Liturgical Conference. There was a bishop there who was at Vatican Council II and working in the liturgy area. He spoke about the early practice of the Sacrament of Confession (now Reconciliation). A person had to go to “confession” to a bishop or priest for only three major mortal sins like murder. Absolution was only given after the penance was done and only on Holy Saturday once a year. The person was only allowed to attend the first part of Mass, could not remain for the Eucharist and had to be in sackcloth and sit in ashes outside the church before and after the service. Everyone knew they had committed one of those major sins and they were put on a list of penitents and could not serve in certain areas. They were always “blacklisted.” That form didn’t work and if necessary people waited until they were almost dead to go to confession.
In Ireland, Bishop Patrick noticed that people were going outside the villages to holy men, not priests, to ask advice about being better disciples of Jesus. So Patrick brought them together and formed them in priestly ministry and ordained them. The result was that a person’s sins were confessed privately. They were given a quiet penance, some spiritual direction and immediate absolution for their sins. This reform became very popular and over a few hundred years spread around the world. I think this was St. Patrick’s greatest contribution to church growth. He and his companion priests and bishops converted most of Ireland and not one person was killed in the process. Amazing grace! Amen. It is believed that Patrick died peacefully and was buried at Down, now called Down-Patrick. So he is known for much more than shamrocks and “green beer.”
Let us keep praying for the Holy Trinity to pour out great blessings on our Churches, families, government, and world. For all of you on St. Patrick’s Day, here is more than the “luck” of the Irish.
May God in his wisdom and infinite love
Set you on fire from heaven above.
May he send you good fortune, contentment and peace.
And may all your blessings forever increase,
I pray in Jesus Name.
+ Fr. Bob Hilz
fbhilz@gmail.com
(© 2019 Fr. Bob Hilz, TOR)
