Faith and Reason

Pope John Paul II says that faith and reason are like two wings in our contemplation of truth. Faith and reason are inseparable. If faith alone, we call it fideism and this will result to fundamentalism and fanaticism. One example of this is jihad - killing others in the name of religion.  If reason alone, we call it rationalism and this will bring a world without religion (secularism). One example of this is scientism, a belief that everything is empirical or positive and beyond it there is nothing. Thus the trite goes: to see is to believe.

Faith and reason should go together. If one excludes the other there will be unimaginable consequences.

I love this point from St. John of the Cross.  I learned this from Edith Stein.  Faith is always dark for man. Kaya pala we have this phrase “faith is blind.” And it is true, faith is blind for it will always be dark for us. The realm of faith is beyond us. Now, the question is: if it is dark, what is our light? The answer is human reason. Reason is like a candle that will guide us in the dark - in penetrating the realm of faith that is always dark for us. Even in the Bible, God reveals to us through what the Greek calls “logos”. Logos is Word. Remember the opening verse of the gospel according to John:  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (Jn 1:1).  And going further we read: And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth (Jn 1:14).

If God never reveals to us through the Word, then we won’t know Him. Now we know him, we see his face in Christ, the Word who became man like us.

God reveals to us according to our manner of reception. There is a principle in philosophy that whatever is received is received according to the mode of the receiver. What is within man is reason. Faith is beyond him. That is why God reveals himself as Logos, meaning Reason. The Bible is also Reason, since it is Logos.

Without reason we can never penetrate the depths of God. Reason is always consistent with the nature of God. Faith will always be dark but we have our God-given reason to guide us towards understanding our faith. St. Anselm calls this “Faith-seeking-understanding.”

Hence, faith and reason should always go together.

A Word from Albert Einstein

In my Facebook inbox I have this forwarded video that recounts the young Einstein’s rebuttal of a professor who does not believe that God exists.  You can check from the video posted on my wall.  Hence, I was inspired to post this few lines from Einstein from a book on my shelf entitled Albert Einstein, The Human Side: New Glimpses from His Archives.  This little book is a collection of Einstein’s letters.  It was known that Einstein, because he was famous, received many letters; and that he answered these letters.  So we can find from this book glimpses of those letters.  I will share one short letter in this post.  I recommend you also to watch the video posted on my Facebook profile.

Einstein writes, thus:

“Our time is distinguished by wonderful achievements in the fields of scientific understanding and the technical application of those insights.  Who would not be cheered by this?  But let us not forget that knowledge and skills alone cannot lead humanity to a happy and dignified life.  Humanity has every reason to place the proclaimers of high moral standards and values above the discoverers of objective truth.  What humanity owes to personalities like Buddha, Moses, and Jesus ranks for me higher than all the achievements of the enquiring and constructive mind.

What these blessed men have given us we must guard and try to keep alive with all our strength if humanity is not to lose its dignity, the security of its existence, and its joy in living” (pp. 70-71).

A Spiritual Talk

THEME: “Walking in the Legion Wonderland towards Holiness”

Spiritual Talk by Fr. Jose Conrado A. Estafia

It is my joy to be a part of this Legion Congress.  Your theme “Walking in the Legion Wonderland towards Holiness” reminds me of a Christmas song that goes this way:
 

Sleigh bells ring, are you listening,
In the lane, snow is glistening
A beautiful sight,
We’re happy tonight,
Walking in a winter wonderland. Gone away is the bluebird,
Here to stay is a new bird
He sings a love song,
As we go along,
Walking in a winter wonderland.

Walking in the Legion Wonderland

We will try to reflect on this phrase.  As I understand being a Legionary is not a walk in the park.  A Legionary is a soldier of Mary.  Am I right?  A wonderland is like Disneyland or Star City.  In it we find Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Cinderella, those roller coaster rides, and more.  It is a world of fantasy and fairytale.  The Legion is not like that.  Since you are soldiers, you are in for a battle.  So your walk as Legionaries is not a walk in the wonderland, but a walk in the battlefield.This battle is a “spiritual warfare,” as St. Paul calls it.  As Legionaries, you are many; and I hope many young men and women will enlist in the Legion and be part of the battle.  But a word of precaution: never underestimate your enemy.  Don’t forget that in the Gospel, the name given to the devil is “legion”, meaning many devils (Mk. 5:9; Lk.8:30).  And they are not just many but are exceedingly fierce (Mt. 8:28-34).  Hence, the Legion is not a walk in the wonderland.  It is a walk in a battlefield.  Mary’s Legion is fighting against Satan’s legion.

Now how will you win this battle?  Since this is spiritual, what will be your weapon as legionaries?The answer is found in your theme: holiness.  In winning over the devil our weapon should come from God, not from ourselves.  Holiness comes from God.  It is a holiness that is not just “towards” but “actual.”  Certainly it is the goal of every Christian.  We can only defeat our enemy, the devil, if we live a holy life.  How can we be holy?  Remember that holiness is not achieved through our human effort.  We don’t merit it.  It is a gift.  But our Lord has given us the means to it.  We have the sacraments, where there is an abundant of God’s grace.  Your faithfulness to attend daily masses gives you strength.  Your daily rosaries are your best weapons against the devil.  I always admire your zeal for apostolate and for your constant corporal works of mercy.  Keep it up.  And one thing: don’t miss your legion meetings.

The battle is not yet over, my dear Legionaries.  And every time you say this prayer, say it with all your heart.

Confer, O Lord, on us, Who serve beneath the standard of Mary, That fullness of faith in you and trust in her, To which it is given to conquer the world.  Grant us a lively faith, animated by charity, Which will enable us to perform all our actions From the motive of pure love of you, And ever to see you and serve you in our neighbor; A faith, firm and immovable as a rock, Through which we shall rest tranquil and steadfast Amid the crosses, toils and disappointments of life; A courageous faith which will inspire us To undertake and carry out without hesitation Great things for your glory and for the salvation of souls; A faith which will be our Legion’s Pillar of Fire – To lead us forth united – To kindle everywhere the fires of divine love – To enlighten those who are in darkness and in the shadow of death – To inflame those who are lukewarm – To bring back life to those who are dead in sin; And which will guide our own feet in the way of peace; So that – the battle of life over – Our Legion may reassemble,  Without the loss of any one, In the kingdom of your love and glory. Amen (Legio Mariae Handbook, pp. 134-135)

My dear Legionaries, bear in mind that the battle is not yet over.  But you need not worry!  The Blessed Mother is by your side.  One day when the battle is over, you will reach the prize of your sacrifice – heavenly life; and this is more than any wonderland…

Delivered during the Legion Congress at Our Lady of Loreto Curia, Sampaloc, Metro Manila on 30^th of August, 2009. 

  

 

 

  

The Sacred Heart and the Fallen Priests

I. When priests have fallen, what should be our reaction? One of condemnation or one of compassion?
The gospel says, “Judge not, that you be not judged” (Mt. 7:1). Henceforth our attitude towards fallen priests should be one of compassion.

On behalf of the fallen priests, maybe we can recite this line from the consecration prayer to the Sacred Heart:

“I take Thee, O Sacred Heart, for the sole object of my love, the protection of my life, the pledge of my salvation, the remedy of my frailty and inconstancy, the reparation for all the defects of my life, and my secure refuge at the hour of my death. Be Thou, O Most Merciful Heart, my justification before God Thy Father, and screen me from His anger which I have so justly merited. I fear all from my own weakness and malice, but placing my entire confidence in Thee.”

II. Priests are sinners like all the rest. But what is special about them? God has anointed them. So even if they are fallen, they remain special in God’s eyes.

Remember the story about Cain? God punished him for killing his brother. It was too great a punishment for Cain. But God felt sorry for him. God placed a mark on Cain’s body to signify that he was on God’s protection. Hence no one could harm Cain (see Gen. 4: 1-6).

Whenever there are fallen priests, we don’t have the right to judge them. We should instead pray for them. God’s mark is with them. The priesthood is indelible. Its mark is forever. Let God be the judge of fallen priests.

III. The distinction between ex opere operato and ex opere operantis.

Even with fallen or sinner priests, the sacraments presided over by them are still valid. The grace conferred does not depend on the priest. Grace comes from the sacrament itself. This is the principle ex opere operato, literally means “from the work performed.” Ex opere operantis means that because the priest performing the sacrament is not in the state of grace, he receives a little grace or none at all. One’s good disposition is needed also for the grace to be received. If a person with a contrite heart confesses his sins to a sinful priest, then he gets the grace of forgiveness. But if that person is not in good disposition, even if he confesses to a saintly priest, still he gets little forgiveness or none at all.

We pray for our fallen priests. We pray that God will grant them the grace of repentance. This we ask through the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The Sacred Heart and the Task of the Priests in Bringing God to the World Today

I. Introduction:

Three salient points from our theme here: 1) The Sacred Heart, 2) the priestly task in the proclamation of the gospel, and finally 3) bringing God in today’s world.

The following points will be considered below.

II. The Sacred Heart

The Sacred Heart as the fountain of love and mercy is and will always be flowing for all generations. The Epistle to the Hebrews goes, “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever” (13:8).

The love of God is always relevant. It is always significant. God is always the Emmanuel- the God who is with us. Constantly through the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we can always avail of the richness of God’s love and mercy. It is only a matter of our openness to Him.

How open are we to the Sacred Heart? Do we unceasingly ask for his forgiveness?

III. The Priestly Task in Proclaiming the Gospel

The First Letter to the Corinthians puts it “For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast about, for this obligation has been entrusted to me. How terrible it would be for me if I didn’t preach the gospel!” (9:16)

The proclamation of the gospel is the task of the priests. The core of the gospel is love. The priests then have to proclaim this love. But in proclaiming the heart of the priests should be patterned after the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In a word, they are witnesses of God’s love and mercy. Through their lives they will make others turn to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

IV. Bringing God in Today’s World

The priests proclaim God in today’s world. There is a kind of urgency in doing this. The world is fast changing. We live in a secularized and globalized world. The Dogmatic Constitution on the Church “Lumen Gentium” (1) declares:

“Christ is the Light of nations. Because this is so, this Sacred Synod gathered together in the Holy Spirit eagerly desires, by proclaiming the Gospel to every creature, to bring the light of Christ to all men, a light brightly visible on the countenance of the Church. Since the Church is in Christ like a sacrament or as a sign and instrument both of a very closely knit union with God and of the unity of the whole human race, it desires now to unfold more fully to the faithful of the Church and to the whole world its own inner nature and universal mission. This it intends to do following faithfully the teaching of previous councils. The present-day conditions of the world add greater urgency to this work of the Church so that all men, joined more closely today by various social, technical and cultural ties, might also attain fuller unity in Christ.”

The priests should bring God to our world today. They must do it with love and mercy, until the day when all people have turned to Christ – to His Sacred Heart.

Pray for your priests! Pray that they will fulfill their mission faithfully until the end.

God bless her!

I tell you a story about Richelle.  She is an 18-year old girl who comes from my hometown.  She is close to our family because my papa is her ”ninong” when she was baptized.  Her elder sister was also my classmate way back my elementary years.  Papa and Richelle’s father are bestfriends.  Usually when there are fiestas, papa and Richelle’s father never miss to attend.  They love eating and drinking.  Whenever there are occasions they go from one barrio to another.  They are like politicians.  Until one day Richelle’s father was diagnosed with a Renal Disease.  He had to undergo a regular dialysis.  And he is doing this treatment to this day.

But how misfortune flies further.  A year ago Richelle was diagnosed with an End Stage Renal Disease.  Twice a week she undergoes a dialysis.  Actually the dialysis is supposed to be three times a week.  But as a compromise, since two of them in the family, Richelle has it twice a week and the father thrice.  Richelle has to pay P32, 000.00 a month.  I don’t know with the father.  I presume they have sponsors for that.  It’s a pity situation.

But Richelle is a symbol of courage and hope.  One day she told me of her wish to pursue a college degree.  She wanted to enroll in a University where after graduation she could easily land a job.  She thought of the University of San Carlos in Cebu.  Since nowhere else to go, she asked me if I could support her financially.  Since I am also pursuing my studies without any scholarship, I don’t have the capacity to grant her request.  All I could do was to promise her of looking for a grant to support her.  On her behalf, just two weeks ago, I humbly asked the president of the University of San Carlos and the German provincial of the SVDs of the possibility of having Richelle as a university scholar.  With a little luck, they recommended me to the priest-in-charge of the university scholarship grants.  Richelle could enrol while the University would look for sponsor. She is also smart. To make sure that she could be accepted, she already took up the entrance examination of the University. She was accepted for the degree program of BSBA major in Marketing in the first semester of the Academic Year 2009-2010.  The German SVD provincial said that he was touched by Richelle’s story.

Now Richelle is in school. I really admire her. Send a Soul to School is giving her one thousand every month for her additional allowance. Her willingness to pursue a college degree despite her situation is worth emulating. She is too young for a dialysis. I asked her doctor if it is okey for her to go to school. The doctor told me that it is alright as long as she is faithful to her dialysis. She even told me that Richelle is too ambitious because she even wanted to be a lawyer someday.

Here is a young girl who is practically prolonging her life through dialysis, but unaffected. She is showing us great strength. She is bringing us hope in the midst of a miserable condition. What a young girl! She is sick, maybe dying. But she lives her life as if it will be a century. God bless her!