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satire and charlie hebdo

deep respect for persons

a year of consecrated life

spiritual formation and grace

creation of a protestant liturgy

A Review of TopicalTheology 1

VOLUME FORTY-NINE — AUTUMN — 2015

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Editorial

Virginia Ingram

Bishop P.J. Cullinane

Berneice Loch rsm

Hans Kwakman MSC

Andrea M. Dean

Tom Ryan SM

Robert M. Andrews

Peter Gilfedder fsc

Neil Brown

Reg Naulty

Michael Trainor

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The Relevance of the Gospel ofMark

Satires of Love and Hate. FromJonah to Charlie Hebdo

When Respect for Persons GoesDeeper

A Year of Consecrated Life

Ovewhelmed by God's Love,Empowered by the Holy Spirit

Spiritual Formation and Grace

Our Pathway to God: Hearing

The Creation of a ProtestantLiturgy

Reading from the Bible at Mass

Faith and Civil Liberties

Book Reviews

Preparing to Celebrate theLiturgy of the Word

COMPASS

VOL. 49, No. 1 — AUTUMN 2015

Notice to writersCompass isintendedforatheologicallyliteratereadershipbutitisnotaspecialistortechnicaljournal;pleasepitchyourcontributionsaccordingly.Wepublishonlywhatweconsidertomeetreasonablestandardsofqualityinexpressionandcontent,andfinaljudgmentsconcerningthesewillbereservedtotheeditorwhoalsoreservestherighttomakecosmeticchangestomanuscriptspriortopublicationwithoutconsultingtheauthor.Whileallcarewillbetakentopublishonlymaterialthatisdoctrinallysound,weseektopreservefreedomofexpressionandfreedomtodiffer.

Format instructionsPleasefollowtheHarvardstylereferencesystem,especiallyinthefollowing:Length:therecommendedmaximumlengthofanarticleis3000words.Often1500wordswillbeaccept-able. Pleasesendonecopyofyourmanuscript,preferablyviaemail.

COMPASS—A Review of Topical Theology.P.O.Box229KensingtonNSW1465—http://www.compassreview.orgEDITOR:BarryBrundellMSC.Phone(02)95163542;fax(02)95163536;

email:barry@compassreview.org

Compass is a registered refereed review. It is published quarterly by the Australian Province of the Missionaries of the

Sacred Heart.

SUBSCRIPTION FORM FOR COMPASSTO: Compass, P.O. Box 229, Kensington NSW 1465Pleasefindenclosedmycheque/moneyorder/creditcarddetailsfortheamountof$40.00,aspaymentforaone-yearsubscriptiontoCompass,thequarterlyjournalpublishedbyChevalierResourceCentre.

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1

TERRIBLE THINGS are being done inour time. Our newspapers and newsbulletins are filled with accounts ofacts of terrorism, oppression, enslavement,human trafficking and other atrocities. Somethings that are done, by Boku Haram and Isisfor instance, seem to be more than inhuman.They seem quite demonic.

We are experiencing something of whatthe people in Mark's Gospel wereexperiencing: the people of Jesus' time werevery aware of evil spirits—they felt beset bydemons.

Hence the people came to Jesus in greatcrowds. They saw Jesus as the powerful onewho could cast out evil spirits. The evil spiritstried to control him, but they could not. Jesusdrove them out and brought goodness andpeace in place of evil. That was Jesus' mission- he came to defeat and drive out evil and torescue humankind from the powers ofdarkness and establish God's rule. He 'broughtus out of darkness into his own wonderfullight'. Jesus saves.

It is said that the missionaries in PapuaNew Guinea once asked the locals: 'What havethe missionaries brought you that you mostappreciate?' They were expecting them toanswer that they most appreciated schools andeducation, or hospitals and health. Instead theyanswered that they most appreciated how themissionaries had freed them from fear,meaning the fear of the powers of evil.

The Gospel of Mark is an account of theessential message of Christianity. Humankindneeded/needs to be liberated. The powers ofevil were so strong that it was necessary forthe Son of God to come to rescue humankindand to drive out the evil spirits. The power ofGod in Christ was needed to liberate us.

Mark's Gospel makes us aware of the

drama. When Jesus began his mission heentered into immediate conflict with thedemons that were possessing people. WhenJesus cast out the demon that was possessingthe man who came to Jesus in the Synagogue,the demon threw the man into convulsions andleft with a loud cry. The event made a deepimpression on everybody who witnessed it.

St Paul reflects on the blessing that isours because God is with us: 'If God is for uswho can be against?' With God on our sidewe are with the strength.

We can appreciate our baptism in the lightof these reflections. Baptism is the first ofthe sacraments of initiation. This sacramentbrings us into the Church community, intoGod's family; we become adopted sons anddaughters of God. We then dare to call God'Our Father'. But baptism is just the beginning,our initiation into the life of following Christ.God has done and continues to do great thingsfor us. While God does all, and we acceptwith open arms God’s gifts, we are not whollypassive in the relationship. It is for us to allowourselves to be drawn into union with God,and not to put resistance or obstacles in theway of drawing closer to God.

On Ash Wednesday we have ashes put onour foreheads as a sign of repentance, and wehear the command to ‘turn away from sin andbe faithful to the gospel’. Every year we enterinto this special season of repentance andconversion. At the beginning of every Masswe express our sorrow for our sins, ask forGod’s mercy and plead for God’s help to enterinto everlasting life. Truly, Christians are notconverts but people on a journey ofconversion.

Jesus, as in Mark’s Gospel, is theliberator. We must allow Jesus to liberate us.

—Barry Brundell MSC, Editor

THE RELEVANCE OF THEGOSPEL OF MARK

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COMPASS

ON THE SEVENTH of January 2015the Paris office of the satiricalmagazine Charlie Hebdo wasstormed by extremists who executed ninepeople associated with the magazine, andthree others who were caught in the crossfire.As the assailants left the premises they wereheard to shout, 'we have avenged the ProphetMuhammad.' It is thereby assumed that theviolent rampage had been carried out inresponse to blasphemous depictions ofMuhammad in the magazine.

Not surprisingly, these events have led toglobal condemnation of extremist violence.Fundamentalists of any religion must not betolerated, especially by the faith traditionsthey betray. However, less agreement hasarisen in the discussion concerning the rightto freedom of speech and, more broadly,freedom of expression.

This commentary will focus on a subjectwhich has not yet made its way into the publicdebate; the dangers of satire. In order to dothis, it is necessary to give an overview ofthe history and function of satire. There arisessatire which is known to be eitherconstructive or destructive. The differencesof these styles can be explained in acomparison of the story of Jonah in the Biblewith the cartoons of Charlie Hebdo.Discussing the merits and pitfalls of satiricalworks will weigh in on the argument for thefreedom of speech and expression.

Death and satire are no strangers. As earlyas the seventh century BCE it was thought thatArchilochus' satire was demonic and had thepower to kill its intended target. Satire was

then believed to have magical powers notdissimilar from ancient curses that werethought to be deadly. As the belief in magicand curses waned the satirist was no longerperceived to have supernatural powers.1 Yet,satire was still believed to be injurious to itsvictim. For instance, there are two reportedcases where Muhammad, who tended to avoidunnecessary bloodshed, executed popularfemale satirists. King Saul's demise wassignalled by the humiliating songs of the'dancing women'. Barak of the Bible story,only agreed to go to war against Sisera ifDeborah, a well-known satirist wouldaccompany him. Her satirical musings wereknown to rouse the otherwise apathetic tribesof Israel.2 The language we use to speak ofsatire today (venomous, caustic, cutting)preserves the dangerous origins of this formof discourse.3

The potential danger of satire should beknown to any satirist who is well versed inthe craft. It was certainly known to the satiristsof Charlie Hebdo, whose offices were fire-bombed after they published a controversialcartoon depicting the prophet Muhammad onthe cover of the magazine. However, CharlieHebdo persisted with their satirical attackregardless of the negative consequences. Itis difficult to suggest what their motivationwas for doing so. Indeed, Freud has evenwarned us to be suspicious of our ownintentions, which may not be consciouslyknown to us.4 Thereby, although CharlieHebdo waved the banner of the right to offendall people equally, other possible motivations,such as celebrity, and rebelliousness must

SATIRES OF LOVE AND HATEFrom Jonah to Charlie Hebdo

VIRGINIA INGRAM

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also be considered. Stephen Post'ssuggestion that the anti-religious nature of theFrench Revolution is still embedded in Francemay be another helpful avenue forunderstanding the motives of CharlieHebdo.5 Of greater interest to this discussion,however, is the discernment of the type ofsatirists these cartoonists were.

Gilbert Highet suggests that there are twotypes of satirists; the optimist and thepessimist. He argues that the optimist likespeople and hopes to cure them of their vices.The optimist uses frank and obscene words,however, he or she does so in order to shockpeople into facing the truth. The primaryfunction of this kind of satire is reform. Onthe other hand, Highet argues that thepessimist hates people, as he or she findsthem to be incurably evil and foolish. Thepessimist, thereby, does not hope for therestoration of the world, but converselyhopes to destroy the world through cruelwords.6

I would suggest that Highet's descriptionof the pessimist is too strong. A pessimist ismore aptly described as a person withouthope. Such people sense that they cannot offera workable solution to a social or politicalproblem. I would then argue that the cartoonsin Charlie Hebdo were closer to thedestructive, pessimistic style of satire. Thiswill become evident in the comparison withthe Book of Jonah that is a satire concerninga similar political difficulty.

The Book of Jonah meets the criteria ofsatire, which includes: grotesqueries,distortions, ridicule, rhetorical features, andirony.7 Moreover, the narrative of Jonahshares another striking feature with the recentcartoons in Charlie Hebdo. It is a polemicagainst the Assyrians of Nineveh (present dayIraq), who were spoken of as being violentand immoral. At the core of this story is thehapless prophet Jonah. He is commissionedby God to preach against the atrocitiescommitted in Nineveh. Jonah famously runsin the other direction. A chain of fantastic

events bring him to Nineveh, nonetheless.There his mission is a success, as theNinevites change their ways and turn theirhearts and behaviour from violence. However,the instant transformation of these violentterrorists is not the greatest surprise, nor theclimax of the book of Jonah. Instead, thereader is shocked by Jonah's admission thathe fled from God's call, not because of fear,but rather because he knew God would bemerciful to the Ninevites. Jonah wished forvengeance, despite the peaceful outcome inthe story.

However, regardless of Jonah's angerthe message of this story is a clear narrativeof hope. God's abounding and unconditionallove can overcome the scourge of evil,where retributive justice andcombativeness fails. This message takesaway the edge or the danger of satire. Thissatire is plainly optimistic, as can beobserved by the English translation ofJonah's name ('faithless one').

On the other hand, Charlie Hebdo'scartoons are nihilistic. This destructivenessis best observed in the casual manner in whichMuhammad is depicted contrary to Islamicstandards of blasphemy. Representations ofMuhammad not only provoke extremists whoare certain to respond with violence, but alsovictimise mainstream Muslims. By offendingmoderate Muslims Charlie Hebdo exhibitedthe cruelty of the pessimistic satirist.Moreover, they alienated the community withthe best chance of finding a solution to theproblem at hand.8

Virginia Ingram is alecturer of academiclanguage and literacyat Murdoch University,Perth. She is theauthor of the bookGrace: Free, costly orcheap?

SATIRES OF LOVE AND HATE

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COMPASS

The severity of this cartoon attack is aplain provocation. Charlie Hebdo providedits readers with outrage but did not offer aconstructive outlet for this intense energy.From this perspective, the Pope's recentcomment that a provocation may be met witha 'punch' is correct. To enrage a personwithout offering a non-violent solution isreprehensible. The likely outcome in thisinstance is violence. The truth of this claim,sadly, is evidenced in the recent carnage inFrance. It may even be suggested that thesecartoons proved to be nihilistic and self-destructive.

The legal argument for the freedom ofspeech is complex. It is not the intention ofthis article to enter this discussion directly,nor to suggest legal boundaries for thefreedom of speech and expression. I suggestit is more profitable to focus our attentionon the constructive and destructiveoutcomes of satire. In doing so, we are awareof our freedom to speak and otherwiseexpress ourselves with the view to positivesolutions, or with foreseeable violentresults. Yet, the choices we make point toour intelligence, psychological health, andcivility. The optimistic satire in the book ofJonah offers us a message of love. It ispowerful and constructive. The pessimisticcartoons of Charlie Hebdo deliver thedestructive force of hate. Whether or not wepersonally accept the message of the bookof Jonah, or the destructiveness of CharlieHebdo is a matter of individual choice.However, pessimistic satire is limited; itcannot offer us a solution. On the otherhand, the function of optimistic satire isreform. The book of Jonah offers us asolution to extremist violence by encouragedreform in our god understanding. Todemonstrate this point, the interface oftheology and psychology needs to beinvoked.

Psychology can offer perspectives whichheal or conversely damage a human being. Theonly psychologically healing image of God,

is the God of unconditional, universal, andradical love; the Jonah message. If we refuseto see this we must cling to the outmoded anddangerous conception of a god who ispreoccupied with defensive-aggressiveness,vengeance, and retaliatory justice. This is theposition of the religious extremist. If this isthe choice we make, we resign ourselves to alife of fear and anxiety, as violence isdemonstrably harmful to human beings. Thisbelief structure cannot bring forth a feelingof peace, but only apprehension of the nextviolent encounter.9

If like Jonah, we are overtaken by a desirefor vengeance, despite the clear evidence thatit is love which heals and not violence, thenwe may be considered irrational andpathological. We are similarly so, if ourstance is an extremist anti-religious one asCharlie Hebdo appeared to be. It is extremistin so far as it refuses to comply with evenminimum standards of respect for whatreligion holds sacred.

Of course, a frank critique of religion isnecessary, as the Book of Jonah suggests.However, this is only constructive if it isbalanced with a sensitivity toward what is heldby the religious to be sacred and an opennessto the possibility that there are positivefeatures and outcomes of religion. At presentthe positive outcomes are evident in thedecision of faith leaders to unite in oppositionto extremism, and to alleviate suffering.Consider this statement from Bishop DavidMurray of Perth Australia,

Since our visit to Cairo a few years ago, theAnglican Bishop in Cairo now holds regularmeetings with the leaders of the other churchesand also Muslim leaders. There have been somebeautiful exchanges of mutual love. It could bethat the single mindedness of any fundamentalistgroups (Islamic, Christian, or Jewish) will drivethe moderates together and therein lies the powerof unity in The Spirit.

He also went on to speak of the work of theGlobal Freedom Network for the Archbishopof Canterbury and the Pope, which now

5

includes leaders of all faiths, who have cometogether, for example, to eliminate slavery bythe year 2020.10

'We are not Charlie', in as much, as weare not pessimistic satirists who have beenannihilated by the dangers of satire, andprovocation. Yet, this is no reason to abandonthe recent catchphrase Je suis Charlie. Thepress has touted this expression as a protestin favour of freedom of speech, yet, this isnot the case. Millions of people across theworld are not claiming the right to beblasphemous, nihilistic and destructivesatirists. If this were the case, the magazineCharlie Hebdo would have had a strongerreadership prior to the assault on theiroffices. Plainly, this style of satire is not,

1. Robert C. Elliot. The Power of Satire. (NewJersey: Princeton University Press, 1972), 4-6.2. S. D. Goitein. Jews and Arabs. Their ContactsThrough the Ages. (New York: Schocken Books,1964), 30.3. Robert C. Elliot. The Power of Satire. 4.4. Paul Ricoeur. Freud and Philosophy. (NewHaven: Yale University Press, 1970), 32-33.5. Stephen G. Post. Hope in Paris—An OpenLetter to Charlie Hebdo (New York: The Institutefor Research on Unlimited Love, 2015. Lastmodified January 26, 2015). http://

ordinarily, that popular, because people arenaturally more hopeful, and inclined topositive solutions. In this instance, whenpeople speak of freedom of speech, they arearguing for the freedom to express dismayat the injustices of the world. Moreover, wewant to put an end to these injustices.Freedom requires and wishes forresponsible action.

The scenes of unity, hand-holding and theoutpouring of love we encountered after therecent events in Paris are the real meaning ofJe suis Charlie . It is an expression oftransforming unity and love. The argument foran alleged moral right to speak with inflaminghatred appears contrary to this display ofsupport. 'Love never fails' (1 Cor. 13:8).

NOTES

www.unlimitedloveinstitute.org6. Gilbert Highet. The Anatomy of Satire. 21.7. David Marcus. From Balaam to Jonah. Anti-prophetic Satire in the Hebrew Bible. (Georgia:Scholars Press, 1995), 9-28.8. Stephen G. Post. Hope in Paris—An OpenLetter to Charlie Hebdo.9. J. Harold Ellens. Radical Grace. How Belief ina Benevolent God Benefits our Health. (London:Praeger Publishers, 2007). 1-1010.Bishop David Murray. Email Correspondence(January 18, 2015).

The Vatican and four prominent French imams issued a joint declaration thatdenounced the attacks but also urged the media to treat religions with respect.

Francis, who has urged Muslim leaders in particular to speak out againstIslamic extremism, went a step further when asked by a French journalistabout whether there were limits when freedom of expression meets freedom ofreligion.

Francis insisted that it was an ‘aberration’ to kill in the name of God andsaid religion can never be used to justify violence.

But he said there was a limit to free speech when it concerned offendingsomeone's religious beliefs.

SATIRES OF LOVE AND HATE

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THE NEED TO respect more radicallythe dignity of persons has been anemerging sign of our times. Thetheological significance of this will not belost on those of the Judeo-Christian traditionwhich teaches that each person is made inGod's image. Its ethical significance will berecognised by those who can agree that 'natu-ral law' means taking responsibility for mak-ing life, for ourselves and others, more au-thentically human.

Deeper recognition of personhood will alsorequire a modified style of exercising author-ity in the Church—a style based more oncatechesis than regulation; more akin to author-ising or en-abling others to flourish as persons.This might cause unease among some—whetherin authority or subject to authority—whounderestimate what it means to be fully humanand fully alive. This aspect of deeper respectfor persons is the focus of this essay.

Progress in the direction of greater re-spect for persons has had a bumpy ride.Various human and civil rights that we nowtake for granted were originally condemnedby the Church, at highest level (Popes PiusIX and X). Closer to our own time, effortswere made by the Congregation for Rites(later called the Congregation for DivineWorship and Sacraments) to thwart the litur-gical reforms of the Second Vatican Council.Archbishop P. Marini, who as a young priestworked in the Congregation and saw thishappening, attributes it to a 'tendency tomistrust the episcopate and its genuineloyalty to the Holy See, and an obsessiveconcern to return to the previous centralisa-tion of all liturgical authority' (A Challeng-ing Reform p. 71). Other examples could begiven, but those two are recalled only to make

the point that obstruction to legitimate changedoes not necessarily come from ill-will.Rather, it is often well-intentioned, andcomes out of a highly protective mindset onthe part of churchmen who seem to havedifficulty moving away from social patternsmore typical of feudal societies.

They have first cousins in those who feel adeep need for law and order at all costs. Jesushimself was for such people first and fore-most a disturber of the peace and threat to es-tablished order. The law and order mindset ofour day still reports to higher authorities any-thing that deviates from their own rigid inter-pretations of the law and perceptions of order.This can lead to the life of the Church beinginfluenced more by their fears than by the faith,freedom and joy of the Gospel.

Devolution in the direction of greater per-sonal responsibility will be a little messy. It doesnot sit easily with those who prefer morepaternalistic ways of leading or of being led.But whether we like it or not, it is implicit, andeven explicit, in some of the teachings of theSecond Vatican Council, especially concern-ing religious freedom, and it echoes the teachingof Thomas Aquinas, J H Newman & othersconcerning the paramountcy of conscience.

The paternalistic way of helping peopleto choose right and avoid wrong tends to becontrolling—restricting people'sopportunities to decide for themselves. Bybeing restrictive and strongly regulating, italso contributes to a condition of over-dependency. On the other hand, a way ofexercising authority that fosters personalresponsibility prefers to offset the risk ofpeople making wrong choices by providing aformation aimed at helping them tounderstand the issues and to choose well.

WHEN RESPECT FOR PERSONSGOES DEEPER

P.J. CULLINANE

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Such formation includes catechesis, as wellas the other components of moral formation,the processes of listening and dialogue, anda supportive community.

Pope Francis rightly regrets the way sec-ondary matters tend to usurp centre stage onthe Church's public image as a result of beingmore talked about; (cf The Joy of the Gospel34-36). But perhaps the debates on 'hot but-ton' issues go around in endless circles be-cause they are wrongly framed as being aboutthe difference between right and wrong whenoften they are more directly about different'styles' of promoting right and discouragingwrong. The following examples might serveto illustrate the point:

1) Debate about general confession/absolution

Canons 960 and 961 concern the forgivenessof serious sins, for which individual confessionand absolution is 'the only ordinary way' of being'reconciled to God and to the Church'. In whatfollows, my premiss is that these canons mustbe fully respected. What is extraordinary shouldbe restricted to extraordinary circumstances,which is what the canons explain.

At the same time, fully respecting the can-ons includes not extending them to mean morethat they actually specify (canon 18 explicitlysays this). Sinning of the kind that does notresult in being un-reconciled to God and theChurch, and that does not result in being 'de-prived of sacramental grace or Holy Commun-ion ...' is not the subject of these canons, or ofpapal teaching supporting these canons. Evenallowing for the very real value of confessinglesser sins, there is no canonical obstacle togeneral confession/absolution for those whoseek the sacrament only 'out of devotion', asmany devout Catholics like to do especiallyduring the seasons of Advent and Lent.

Some will object that the availability ofpenitential services involving general confes-sion/absolution, even though advertised asbeing only for those who do not have gravesins to confess, might be seen as a soft option

by others who do have grave sins to confess.That is a risk, and a matter for proper pastoralguidance; however, it does not change the can-ons. Which brings me to the point of this es-say: one way of preventing that risk is to bangeneral confession/absolution for everybody(which the canons do not do) thereby denyingpeople who legitimately desire the experienceof communal forgiveness that opportunity.Another way of obviating the risk is to helppeople to understand the canons and underly-ing doctrines, and in this way prevent misuseof the sacrament. The former style takes theeasy way out: it does not even attempt thecatechesis. The latter style is more respectfulof the person and of personal responsibility.

2) Welcoming wrong-doers while notcondoning their wrong-doing.

It seems an obvious distinction, and one thatJesus himself lived by. Yet there are peoplewho seem to think that when Pope Francisencourages the Catholic community to be morewelcoming of all, including people of a samesex attraction, he is somehow compromisingCatholic doctrine. Similarly, there are Catho-lics who go beyond the disapproval of irregu-lar marital situations to presuming that all whoare in irregular situations are 'living in sin';(cf Corbett & others, in Nova et Vetera,English edition, Vol. 12, No. 3 (2014): 601-630.) This is not necessarily the case, due toinfluences affecting their thinking orpressures affecting their freedom;(knowledge and consent).

If people in these situations seek Holy

Bishop Peter Cullinanewas the first bishop ofthe Diocese of Palmer-ston North, N.Z. He wasPresident of the N.Z.Catholic Bishops' Con-ference 1997-2003; amember of the Epis-copal Board of ICEL1983-2003. He wasawarded Companion ofthe N.Z. Order of Merit.

WHEN RESPECT FOR PERSONS GOES DEEPER

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Communion, would allowing them to do sobe perceived as meaning the Church's teach-ing on marriage, or its teaching on receivingHoly Communion worthily, no longer matteras much? That is how it will be perceived ifthe Catholic faithful are left unaware of theChurch's moral tradition, which teaches thatsometimes people whose actions are objec-tively wrong can be subjectively in good con-science. Candidates for the priesthood aretaught this tradition; why would we not teachthe same to the Catholic lay faithful? Again,it comes down to the need for goodcatechesis, which both upholds the Church'steaching, and acknowledges thecircumstances that can diminish or evennullify culpability (cf Catechism of theCatholic Church, n. 1735).

Again, the substantive point: one way ofpreventing misunderstanding and scandal is toexclude such people from Holy Communionregardless of whether or not they are guilty ofserious sin. Another way, more consistent withthe Church's moral tradition, both upholds theChurch's teaching regarding marriage and al-lows for the possibility that at least some ofthese people might be in good conscience—which only they and God can judge! A profoundrespect for conscience will mean that even aswe justifiably judge between right and wrongactions, we desist from judging the person. Andall the more when there is so much otherevidence of their goodness. It might beobjected that such ones are not eligible to re-ceive Holy Communion because their objec-tive situation is in conflict with the full idealof Christian marriage and its significance forthe Church (Eph. 5:32). But the same could besaid where the objective lack of full ecclesialcommunion is the reason (even greater reason)for not sharing eucharistic communion. Andyet the Church allows this in particularcircumstances.

Nor does this amount to moral relativism,or to saying that there is one law for someand another for others. It simplyacknowledges that individuals' ability to live

up to the full requirements of the lawdevelops gradually, and that not everybody isat the same stage. That is the objectivesituation. Pope John Paul II was making thispoint when he affirmed the 'law ofgradualness', which he distinguished from anysupposed gradualness of the law. (FamiliarisConsortio n 34)

3) The Church's teachingon contraception

The Church's teaching on the relationship be-tween conscience and Church authority hasbeen pithily expressed by Pope John Paul II:'the Church puts herself always and only at theservice of conscience' (Veritatis Splendor n64). There are many married couples who haveconscientiously studied the Church's teachingon contraception, and nevertheless felt allowed,or even obliged, to practise contraception, atleast for periods of time. This simple fact doesnot make the Church's teaching wrong, nor makeit redundant; those who believe that life is a giftusually do not mind being reminded thatultimately our dominion over human life, andover the giving and the taking of a human life, islimited, not unlimited dominion. That is whythey include the Church's teaching in theirdiscernment process.

The difference between 'styles' of exercis-ing authority is more sharply illustrated in thematter of contraception outside of marriage.The Church's teaching that contraception iswrong concerns sexual intercourse freely en-tered into between husband and wife. Its teach-ing on contraception is not about activity out-side of marriage (or even forced intercourseinside marriage). Sexual intercourse outsideof marriage is wrong, but the use of contra-ceptives in that context is a different ethicalquestion. For example, when the Holy Seecondoned the use of contraceptive measuresby Religious sisters living in fear of beingraped (in the Congo), it was not even a matterof making an exception. It was simply that in-tercourse in those circumstances falls outsidethe Church's teaching on contraception. There

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was no marriage being contracepted.Whether and when contraceptives should

be used outside of marriage, i.e. when sexualactivity should not be taking place, is a matterfor prudential judgement, distinguishing be-tween circumstances in which their easyavailability will diminish people's incentivefor self-restraint (chastity) and increase therisk of promiscuity and of spreadinginfection, and on the other handcircumstances in which the use ofcontraceptives might be the only realistic wayof preventing the spread of infection.

The fact that the use of contraceptives canin some circumstances be moral means thatto speak of them as if their use were in all cir-cumstances wrong not only misrepresents theChurch's teaching, but also deprives people ofany scope for exercising their own judgementwhere they can be entitled to do so. The lesspaternalistic 'style' is equally opposed towrongful contraception, but seeks to preventit by means of good formation, helping peo-ple to understand the issues and make goodchoices.

SummaryIn the first of the above three examples, the'style' of exercising authority that requires goodcatechesis upholds the Church's law restrict-ing general absolution, but leaves the optionof communal forgiveness open for those incircumstances outside the restriction stipulatedin the canons. The paternalistic style removesthat option. It just excludes everybody.

In the second example, the catecheticalstyle upholds both the Church's teaching onmarriage and allows for what the Catholicmoral tradition teaches about subjective mo-rality and the law of gradualness. The pater-nalistic style puts that tradition aside, makingno allowance for any of those in irregularsituations seeking Holy Communion whomight be in good conscience.

In the third example, the Church's teachingon contraception within marriage is acknowl-edged, and is then distinguished from the use

of contraceptives in some circumstancesoutside of marriage. The paternalistic styleignores the difference and just makes a blanketban, leaving no room for personal judgementeven where the Church's own teaching does.

What these disparate examples all illustrateis a kind of clumsiness that results in somepeople being hurt or excluded. It is a lazy inter-pretation of canons 960 and 961 that ignoresthe difference between what the canons pre-scribe for the forgiveness of 'serious sin' andthe different situation of those who seek thesacrament only 'out of devotion'. There is a kindof convenient pragmatism about excluding fromHoly Communion all whose marital situationsare irregular regardless of whether or not theare 'living in sin'. And it is careless andmisleading to ascribe wrongness to contracep-tives themselves rather than to the contraceptingof marriage. A paternalistic style of exercisingauthority tends to acquiesce in thesemisunderstandings rather than correct them. Aleadership that intends to help people grow willpursue the truth that sets them free—free to bethemselves, and free to be for others.

Of course, there is always the risk thatsometimes people will 'get it wrong', or makewrong choices. But clearly God must havethought the benefits of creating us with the giftof free will far outweighed all the evils thathave ever come out of misusing that gift. Whoare we—made in God's image—to diminishothers' freedom when there are other ways,more respectful of personhood, to help themmake good choices?

Finally, perhaps there is a question herefor the psychologists: the propensity toinflate the Church's teaching oncontraception and to forbid more that theChurch forbids; and the propensity to inflatethe Church's teaching on general absolutionand to ban more than the Church bans; and thepropensity to inflate the Church's teaching onreceiving Holy Communion worthily and toexclude some who need not be excluded—what accounts for this propensity? And whataccounts for others' acquiescence in it?

WHEN RESPECT FOR PERSONS GOES DEEPER

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COMPASS

In 1964, the year I entered the Sisters ofMercy of Rockhampton, the Beatlestoured Australia and New Zealand, ournation was engaged in the Vietnam War, DawnFraser was named Australian of the Year, andThe Australian newspaper was first published.

The Mercies I joined was a vibrant groupof more than two hundred and sixty sisters,engaged mainly in education and health andaged care, but also conducting or involved innumerous other ministries.

At the time I made the decision to dedicatemy life in this way, it was a clearly madedecision, a choice among real options but notone to take lightly. I felt called to join a groupof women whom I saw as making a difference,doing a great deal of good.

It was at the time, however, a fairly simpledecision, one confirmed many times since.Few Religious I know would claim to havestayed on for the reasons they first came. Atthe very least, they have explored the depthsof that initial attraction and articulated muchmore clearly a theology that gives realmeaning to their life choice.

The Congregation I entered wasflourishing like many similar congregationsin Australia at the time. In the RockhamptonDiocese, a rural Diocese of only moderatesize, there were also numerous otherReligious from several congregations.

Others have explored this sociological andecclesial phenomenon at length and I will notattempt that here, but I think it is a reason forrejoicing that we have lived into an era in theChurch during which lay women in particular,but lay men too, are recognised as having areal part in being Church.

This will eventually help us all clarify theplace of Religious Life in the total Church.

The Pope's invitation to a Year ofConsecrated Life is very timely. Great changehas occurred since Vatican Council II and itis time to take stock of this particular aspectof Church Life.

At the heart of Religious Life in any ofits many forms is the call to seek God and beavailable to God's Mission. This is the centralfocus of the life.

For many it is strongly linked to supportfor a range of public ministries in the Church,or else to direct engagement in ministry onbehalf of the Church. In the wake of VaticanII, many religious set out to realise the visionof Church to which the council pointed. Justa little more than fifty years on, the conceptof Religious Life has expanded greatly evenwhile the numbers in the Western world atleast have decreased sharply.

So what are my hopes for the Year ofConsecrated Life? There are many but I willfocus on just two.

A YEAR OF CONSECRATEDLIFE

BERNEICE LOCH rsm

Pope Francis dedicated 2015 to the promotion of consecrated life,asking the Church's religious sisters, brothers, and priests to ‘wake upthe world’ with their testimony of faith, holiness, and hope. SrBerneice Loch, the president of Catholic Religious Australia, reflectson what that might mean.

11

In the first place, I would like to see a new,deeper understanding of what Church is andhow every baptised person is a herald of theGood News.

Religious Life can only be its best whenit claims its own place in clear relationshipto all others in the Church. It is not, as wasoften taught before Vatican II, a higher formof life than lay membership of the Church.

Some Religious are also clerics, but themajority (sisters and brothers) are not. All ofus, clerical Religious and other, have made apublic statement of our commitment toChristianity through our profession of vows.And that leasds me to another of my hopesfor the Year of Consecrated Life.

Much of the language around ReligiousLife is poorly understood, if understood atall, by the rest of the Church.

The vows of Poverty, Chastity andObedience are frequently perceived as vowsof having no money, having no relationshipsof any depth, and having no free will. Theperception is entirely negative.

Yet the vows properly understood areentirely positive in their orientation. Theyinvolve an attitude of joy in sharing ourmaterial goods and a spirituality of ‘enough’;a commitment to right relationships with allothers, with all that exists and with God; anda commitment to careful listening to the voiceof God in our lives through prayerfulattention.

It would be wonderful if we could findduring the Year of Consecrated Life, in thefirst instance a renewed understanding of thevowed life, and secondly a new language that

would speak to a wider world about whatReligious Life is about.

Do not expect that the Year ofConsecrated Life will lead to a sharp increasein vocations even though that is what somelong to see. ‘There are not enough vocations’is a constant cry but how many would beenough?

Many of us are observing not an increasein vocations as we have known them, butsomething new is happening.

There seem to be in our wider circlesmany women and men who are expressing adeep commitment to the message of Jesuslived through the charism of ourCongregations.

These people are responding to ‘a call’ butit appears not to be a call to a traditional formof Religious Life. Perhaps the Year ofConsecrated Life can take us some of the wayto the recognition of new ways in which theSpirit is active in our midst, inviting theemergence of new forms of Consecrated life,and indeed this is happening. Who knows whatwill be learnt and experienced by the end ofthis wonderful period of reflection?

Sr Berneice Loch rsmis the president ofCatholic ReligiousAustralia. Thisreflection was firstpublished in CathNewson 16th December2014

A YEAR OF CONSECRATED LIFE

Pope Francis announced that 2015 is a year dedicatedto the promotion of consecrated life, and is asking thechurch’s religious sisters, brothers and priests to ‘wakeup the world’ with their testimony of faith, holiness andhope.

11

In the first place, I would like to see a new,deeper understanding of what Church is andhow every baptised person is a herald of theGood News.

Religious Life can only be its best whenit claims its own place in clear relationshipto all others in the Church. It is not, as wasoften taught before Vatican II, a higher formof life than lay membership of the Church.

Some Religious are also clerics, but themajority (sisters and brothers) are not. All ofus, clerical Religious and other, have made apublic statement of our commitment toChristianity through our profession of vows.And that leasds me to another of my hopesfor the Year of Consecrated Life.

Much of the language around ReligiousLife is poorly understood, if understood atall, by the rest of the Church.

The vows of Poverty, Chastity andObedience are frequently perceived as vowsof having no money, having no relationshipsof any depth, and having no free will. Theperception is entirely negative.

Yet the vows properly understood areentirely positive in their orientation. Theyinvolve an attitude of joy in sharing ourmaterial goods and a spirituality of ‘enough’;a commitment to right relationships with allothers, with all that exists and with God; anda commitment to careful listening to the voiceof God in our lives through prayerfulattention.

It would be wonderful if we could findduring the Year of Consecrated Life, in thefirst instance a renewed understanding of thevowed life, and secondly a new language that

would speak to a wider world about whatReligious Life is about.

Do not expect that the Year ofConsecrated Life will lead to a sharp increasein vocations even though that is what somelong to see. ‘There are not enough vocations’is a constant cry but how many would beenough?

Many of us are observing not an increasein vocations as we have known them, butsomething new is happening.

There seem to be in our wider circlesmany women and men who are expressing adeep commitment to the message of Jesuslived through the charism of ourCongregations.

These people are responding to ‘a call’ butit appears not to be a call to a traditional formof Religious Life. Perhaps the Year ofConsecrated Life can take us some of the wayto the recognition of new ways in which theSpirit is active in our midst, inviting theemergence of new forms of Consecrated life,and indeed this is happening. Who knows whatwill be learnt and experienced by the end ofthis wonderful period of reflection?

Sr Berneice Loch rsmis the president ofCatholic ReligiousAustralia. Thisreflection was firstpublished in CathNewson 16th December2014

A YEAR OF CONSECRATED LIFE

Pope Francis announced that 2015 is a year dedicatedto the promotion of consecrated life, and is asking thechurch’s religious sisters, brothers and priests to ‘wakeup the world’ with their testimony of faith, holiness andhope.

© Sr Berneice Loch 2014. Reprinted with kind permission of CathNews, a service of Church Resources

12

COMPASS

IN THE LAST issue of Compass (Summer2014, pp.3-7) we reflected on Jesus’experience during his early years inNazareth. I noticed how Jesus’ heart wasshaped by a deep concern with the sufferingof people. Through observation and prayer, herealized that a lot of suffering was totallyunnecessary and contrary to God’s will,primarily caused by a false understanding ofGod’s will. Jesus noticed that the poor andthe sick themselves were powerless in copingwith their suffering, and that the spiritualleaders did not at all support them in carryingthe burden of life. On the contrary, peoplewere taught that severe illnesses and direpoverty were a punishment from God.

Jesus felt himself sent to reach out to thepeople in need. However, he did not immedi-ately take action to lighten people’s burden.He needed more time to prepare himself infinding the right way to carry out his mission.Therefore, Jesus entered into the desert fora time of reflection and discernment. In thedesert, he met John the Baptist.

Jesus shows his solidarity with the crowdOn one occasion, Jesus joined the crowdsnear the River Jordan. Many people came tolisten to the preaching of John the Baptist andto receive baptism from his hands. Marknotes: ‘From all Judea and Jerusalem crowdsof people went to John. They told how sorrythey were for their sins, and he baptized themin the Jordan River’ (Mark 1: 5). Accordingto Luke, even the soldiers and tax collectorscame to listen to John (Luke 3: 12-14).While standing in the middle of people fromvarious social classes and backgrounds, Jesus

waited for his turn to be baptized.We should not be too surprised finding

Jesus among the crowd waiting to be baptized.When still living in Nazareth, he had alsojoined the village community in their prayerservices in the synagogue. Now too, he joinsthe men and women, in search of a renewalof life, once again showing his solidarity withthe crowds. Moreover, Jesus himself was stillin search of a clearer understanding of hisvocation. Therefore, he too came to listen toJohn’s preaching, and asked to be baptized,just like the others. The evangelists report thatJesus had a great admiration for John theBaptist (Matt. 11: 7-15; Luke 7: 24-30).

Jesus’ Vision

Luke records that after having been baptized,Jesus was praying. While praying, he receiveda vision. He saw the heavens opening, and theSpirit like a dove coming down upon him. Atthe same time he heard a voice from heaven,saying: ‘You are my own dear Son. I ampleased with you’ (Luke 3: 21-22). At themoment Jesus heard his Heavenly Fathersaying: ‘You are my own dear Son. I ampleased with you,’ he felt himself totallyoverwhelmed by profound love. He was cap-tivated by the words he had heard: God is myFather and I am his beloved Son! I am dear tohis Heart! And this declaration of love wasaccompanied by a pouring out of the Spirit.In the depth of his heart he experienced a newpower in life. It was the power of divine love.

For us too, it is important to notice, thatthe Father does not only declare his love for

OVERWHELMED BY GOD’SLOVE, EMPOWERED BY THE

HOLY SPIRITHANS KWAKMAN MSC

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us through words, for example words spokenin Holy Scripture or in our hearts. The Fatheralso declares his love for us through a pour-ing out of the Spirit of love in our hearts.God’s love is never expressed by words alone,but always reinforced by the gift of the HolySpirit, empowering us from within, enablingus to experience love and to become a lovingperson by giving love.

Jesus Praying

The evangelist Luke has turned the story ofJesus’ baptism into an episode of prayer. Inhis whole Gospel, Luke connects the centralmoments of Jesus’ life and ministry to Jesuswithdrawing himself to pray: Luke 3:21; 5:16;6:12; 9:18, 28-29; 11:1; 22:32, 39-46; 23:34,46. Both in his Gospel and in the Acts of theApostles, Luke also emphasizes that the HolySpirit is given to Jesus’ followers in responseto prayer. Well known is Jesus’ saying, ‘Asbad as you are, you still know how to givegood gifts to your children. But your heavenlyFather is even more ready to give the HolySpirit to anyone who asks’ (Luke 11:13).

Luke clearly underlines that to carry outour mission in a productive way, we need tobe empowered by the Holy Spirit. And thisempowerment is the fruit of prayer. Also inthe Acts of the Apostles, before being filledwith the Holy Spirit, Luke notes that the firstcommunity in Jerusalem, including theApostles, Mary the Mother of Jesus and hisbrothers, ‘gathered frequently to pray as agroup’ (Acts 1:14 with 2:1-4. See also 2:21with 2:39; 4:23-31; 8:15-17; cf. 22:16).

In Luke’s Gospel, John the Baptist speaksof Jesus as the one who, ‘will baptize you withthe Holy Spirit and with fire’ (Luke 3:16). Thatexactly happened on the day of Pentecost, whenthe gathered community ‘saw what looked likefiery tongues moving in all directions, and atongue came and settled on each person there.’And so, ‘the Holy Spirit took control ofeveryone’ (Acts 2:3-4). The pouring out of theSpirit is a gift of the Risen Christ, empowering

the disciples for their ministry. While praying,not once but many times, Jesus himself had beenempowered with the Holy Spirit to carry outhis mission. Now, as the Risen Lord, he hasbecome the source of the Spirit for hisdisciples, gathered in prayer, by empoweringthem to carry out their mission.

Sharing his Experience with Others

Several times the evangelist Luke emphasizesthat the power of the Spirit was ‘with Jesus’and that Jesus ‘was led by the Spirit’ (Luke4:1, 4.18; 10:21, see also 1: 35). The baptis-mal experience kept burning in Jesus’ heart.The first words Jesus spoke in the synagogueof Nazareth, after returning from the desert,were: ‘The Lord’s Spirit has come to me...’(Luke 4:18). His entire ministry will be acontinuous testimony to that uniqueexperience of love. In fact, the ‘Good News’announced by Jesus was not just a ‘newteaching’ (Mark 1: 27), but a new experienceof a loving relationship with the HeavenlyFather, called the Reign of God by Jesus.After his resurrection, it will become a newexperience of the Spirit, sent by the Fatherand the Son, as the great gift of the powerfullove that fills our hearts.

Jesus was convinced that the declarationof love from his Father and the empoweringby the Spirit was not only meant for himself,but for every human being. Therefore, Jesusdesired to bring the Good News of God’s em-powering love to everyone. According to Je-sus’ vision, every human being could have this

Fr Hans KwakmanMSC is a member of theCor Novum team for theformation ofSpirituality of the Heartin Issoudun, France.

OVERWHELMED BY GOD’S LOVE, EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

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COMPASS

powerful experience of being accepted andempowered as God’s beloved son or daughter.If people really believed that ‘Good News’,they would feel strengthened both in ordinarylife and in time of hardship. The Good Newswould provoke in their hearts trust in God’spowerful loving presence. At the same time,they would feel empowered to deal with theirown suffering and to accompany other peoplein their sorrow as well.

Our Baptism

In fact, Jesus’ prayerful experience after hisbaptism reveals what already occurred at themoment of his incarnation as God’s Sonamong us. The angel announced to Mary: ‘TheHoly Spirit will come down to you, and God’spower will come over you’ (Luke 1:35). Atthe moment of his conception, Jesus wasalready filled with the Holy Spirit. In the sameway; from the moment of conception, theheart of every human being is enriched by theHoly Spirit. What took place at the Baptismof Jesus shows what also happens at our ownbaptism and confirmation. Our baptism andconfirmation are the moments that wecelebrate the powerful presence of God’sSpirit within us. Baptism and confirmation arean invitation to integrate the Gifts of the Spiritin our lives and ministries.

Different Experiences of God’s Love

Gratefulness to God for his love for us andfor the Gifts of the Holy Spirit formscertainly a core element of a Spirituality ofthe Heart. The greatest favors of God’s loveare the Gifts of the Spirit, poured out in ourhearts. St. Paul writes: ‘The Spirit produceslove, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness,faithfulness, humility and self-control.’ (Gal5:19-22) These gifts guide and strengthen uson a deeper level than our emotions are ableto do. For example, the Holy Spirit equipspeople with the capacity to love someonesincerely, despite not being moved by

affection for the person in question. Thanksto the Holy Spirit, we are able to forgive,notwithstanding still feeling hurt. It is alsothe Holy Spirit, who empowers us to keepperforming our ministry, in spite of feelingbored by what we are doing. Thanks to thegifts of the Spirit, we are able to takedecisions for the benefit of others, notbecause of being driven by superficialemotions or shallow considerations, butbecause of being guided by the Spirit ofwisdom and self-control.

The Gifts of the Spirit make us aware of thefact that ‘love’ is not only a superficial emo-tion, but a deeply rooted power in our hearts.The gift of the Spirit in our hearts is thefulfillment of God’s promise through the wordsof the Prophet Ezekiel: ‘I will take away yourstubborn heart and give you a new heart and adesire to be faithful…, because I will put mySpirit in you and make you eager to obey mylaws and teachings’ (Ezekiel 36:26-27).

God has planted his Holy Spirit right in-side our hearts and the gifts of the Spirit, arethe clearest sign of God’s love for each ofus. However, God’s love does not necessarilyresult in a felt emotion or affection of lovein our hearts. Every person will experienceGod’s love in a different way, according tohis or her own condition. But everyone maydiscover in him or herself an ability to givelove, to serve, to forgive and to carry outresponsibilities. Such a capacity is the fruitof the Spirit in our hearts.

Belief in God’s Unconditional Love

Do we really believe that God loves us per-sonally, with an unconditional love? That Godtakes delight in creating us every moment?Or do we belong to the people, who, becauseof being aware of their sinfulness, feel them-selves unworthy of being loved by God? Dowe feel as if we do not deserve to be loved byGod? St. Paul’s experience shows us what itmeans to be loved by God unconditionally,when he writes, ‘God has shown us how much

15

he loves us—it was while we were stillsinners’ (Romans 5:8). St. John writes inhis first letter: ‘But even if we don’t feel atease, God is greater than our feelings, and heknows everything’ (1 John 3:20). And hisknowledge is not condemning but loving.

Darkness of the Heart

There are people who sometimes feel over-whelmed by God’s love. That is a great gift.Other people however, may believe in God’slove for them, but never feel ardently touchedby God’s love. Sometimes people are cravingfor a sign of God’s love, but find themselvesin total darkness. One recent example isBlessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta. For yearsshe experienced a total darkness of faith. Onceshe wrote: ‘Where is my faith, my trust? Evenin the depths of my heart I experience nothingbut emptiness and darkness.’ Nevertheless,wholeheartedly she continued to serve themost destitute and needy people, empoweredby the Gifts of the Spirit in her heart.

Doubting God’s Love

Many people are not able to believe in a Godof love, or doubt the existence of God, dueto the great number of men, women andchildren, who become victims of natural dis-asters, violence and war. Moreover, peoplefeel scandalized, because often violence iseven carried out in the name of God andreligion. Or people feel themselves severelytraumatized in their private lives by a painfulloss of a loved one or a terrible accident. Theyno longer feel capable of believing in the loveof God for themselves, or they feel as if Goddoes not care about the fate of humankind.

People’s conscience guided by the SpiritNevertheless, all people are animated byGod’s Spirit. Therefore, even those, who donot believe in God’s love, are still doing theworks of the Spirit. Many of them are stillwilling and able to reach out to people inneed; they remain faithful to their family andtheir responsibilities. Think of the

humanitarian aid organization Medicins sansFrontieres. Such people live and actaccording to their conscience, often unawareof the fact that they are guided by the Spiritof God in their hearts. They draw compassionfrom the source of love in their hearts, notrealizing that through their commitment tomedical care in acute crises, it is God whomanifests his care and love. As St. Paul saidto the citizens of Athens, ‘You have beenworshiping ‘the Unknown God’ without evenknowing it’ (Acts 17:23).

Our Mission

Unfortunately, many people, both believersand nonbelievers, do not draw from the ‘life-giving water flowing from deep inside’ theirhearts (John 7:38). They are not aware of thewealth of their hearts. It belongs to our mis-sion to let people enjoy the riches hidden intheir hearts. That means that first of all weourselves enjoy and develop these Gifts ofthe Spirit planted in our hearts. Jesus’ Heartwas also shaped by the Holy Spirit and em-powered by his Gifts.

St. Paul considered the gifts of the Spirit,particularly the gift of love, to be God’s great-est gifts, superior to any other blessing (1Corinthians 13: 1 and Galatians 5: 22-23).These gifts are the treasures of our hearts.They are often concealed as burning coalsunder the ashes of daily routine, bad habits,or unhealed inner wounds. The best way tobecome aware of these treasures in our heartsis, as Jesus shows us in Luke’s Gospel, bypraying. Through reflective prayer, webecome aware of who we are. By acceptingour weaknesses and shortcomings, we alsobegin to realize how much we need thepowerful gifts of God’s Spirit. Despite ourwounds and pain, we will become attentive tothe fact that we are a beloved son or daughterof God. As once to Jesus, God also says tous: ‘You are my own dear son/daughter. I ampleased with you’ (Luke 3: 22). And God isalways ‘ready to give the Holy Spirit toanyone who asks’ (Luke 11:13).

OVERWHELMED BY GOD’S LOVE, EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

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COMPASS

The spiritual life is really about one thing: it's aboutour cooperation with grace….Grace-God's love-is surging into the world at all times, according toGod's purposes, God's will. Our job is prettysimple: it's to notice it and once we notice it tocooperate with it, get on board with it. Cooperate.Whether that grace is coming directly to me, orto someone else. Whether it is according to myexpectations or outside myexpectations…Wherever it appears, get on board,cooperate with it!When the ego takes over, the flow of grace isblocked. That's the central tragedy of sin. God'slove wants to surge into the world, but He givesus the privilege of cooperating with it. We canblock it if we make our own ego central.

—(2013, a sermon by Robert Barron quotedby L.Michael, 2013)

This extract from a sermon by Fr RobertBarron speaks to the essence of this topicSpiritual Formation and Grace. Simply put,grace is God's love in the world. The goal ofa Christian person and of spiritual formationis for every person to live in a way that theyare awake to God in their heart and in theworld around them. To enlarge ourunderstanding of the significance of theseconcepts let us first look at an understandingof God that underpins these two concepts andinvites us to 'an embodied and fulfilledspiritual life'. (Nouwen, 2006) Second, wewill expand on the meaning of grace. Third,we will develop an understanding of spiritualformation and indicate the practical ways thatwe may encounter grace.

This topic is relevant for all Christians.Many Catholic organisations are taking anexpress interest in spiritual formation. Oftenthis is a component of broader programs tomaintain or foster the character or ethos of

schools, hospitals and other such ministries orservices. An investigation into these programsis a topic for consideration in the future.

What is God Like?

Despite recent positive experiences ofreligion and religious education, the commondepiction of God in Western society is of anunreal, remote, distant and problematicfigure.(Borg, 1997) I have a page of cartoonswhich depict caricatures of a 'God figure' whois on a cloud and variously acting like apoliceman who shakes a finger and noticeswhen we do wrong, a puppeteer who controlsour lives by pulling strings, a disconnectedfigure who does not care to intervene in crisissituations, and so on.

These limited images of God areinadequate for adult Christian faith. They aremisunderstandings of God and make itimpossible for contemporary Christians togenuinely believe that God is real. MarcusBorg helpfully names this way of speakingabout God as distant and remote, as'supernatural theism'. This 'God is 'out there',created the universe a long time ago and nowwatches over it. Occasionally God intervenesin the world, especially in the events reportedin the Bible.' (Borg, 1997) This is at the basisof a style of Christianity which is aboutbelieving in God in order to go to heaven,anticipating a judgement at the end of life onearth that involves weighing up good deedsand faith in order to access eternal reward.

Fortunately, the Christian tradition hasconsistently affirmed a more comprehensiveunderstanding of God as 'the encompassingspirit'. We, and everything else, are in God.

SPIRITUAL FORMATIONAND GRACE

ANDREA M. DEAN

17

The sacred is a nonmaterial layer ordimension of reality all around us. God is'right here' rather than 'out there'. God isimmanent, dwelling with and within us. Godis also transcendent. This means that God isbeyond the universe, more than the universe.Affirming both the otherness and closenessof God, acknowledging God as transcendentand immanent, is termed panentheism.'Panentheism' affirms that God is both morethan the cosmos and everywhere present.(Borg, 1997) This 'Spirit model' promotes away of living the Christian life that stressesrelationship, intimacy and belonging.

Within the Scriptures there are a numberof specific metaphors for God that explainhow God engages with the world. Theseinclude the key spirit metaphors of wind andbreath, and other non-anthropomorphicmetaphors of rock, pointing to God as a placeof safety and refuge, of fire which warms,protects and purifies, and of light, whichguides and reveals.

Sometimes God is envisaged as a mother,creating and nurturing. The quality of God ascompassion is related to the Hebrew word forwomb. God as compassionate spirit feels forus as a mother feels for the children of herwomb. A common Christian metaphor forGod is father. The scriptural roots of the termdescribe an intimate father who is close athand and who may be trusted to give goodgifts to his children.

The wisdom of God is personified as awoman, Sophia. This wise woman is importantin Proverbs, Wisdom and Sirach. Sophia isespecially associated with the Spirit'spresence in the world right now. For theIsraelites she was also Shekinah, the divineindwelling who accompanied them in theirhistory. Sophia as a metaphor for Spiritsuggests closeness and presence, guidanceand nourishment. (Borg, 1997)

Images of God as lover or spouse and of usas God's beloved are found in both the HebrewBible and the New Testament. Hosea and Songof Songs use the lover-beloved imaginary to

portray the relationship between us, the belovedand God, the lover. This is an arresting imagefor the divine-human relationship as it indicatesa relationship of extraordinary intimacy,involving delight and yearning.

A group of images describes God as acompanion who travels with us. In Exodus weread of the pillar of cloud and pillar of firethat led the Israelites through the desert. Godas shepherd is another such example as theshepherd travels with his or her sheep but alsoleads them to water, food, and shelter,protecting them and seeking out the lost.

The Spirit model of God and the variousscriptural metaphors, affirm a very ancientmodel of God and a heartening vision of theChristian life. These metaphors emphasizethe nearness of God, evoking closeness,relationship and connection. The use ofhuman images of the sacred, for examplemother and father, suggest that there is apersonal dimension to the relationship withGod. The non-human images, for examplerock, fire and breath, maintain that God is notsimply a person. Drawing on the two sets ofimages suggests that God is personal, whileat the same time more than a person.

Unlike a set of intellectual conclusionsabout God, metaphors have an affectivedimension. Imaging God as lover, shepherd,companion or breath has an impact on us. As aresult, the central dynamic of the Christian lifebecomes relationship- with God, the world, andeach other. 'The Christian life is about turningtoward and entering into relationship with theone who is already in relationship with us- the

Andrea Dean co-ordinates the YoungCatholic Women’sInterfaith Fellowship, aproject of the Aus-tralian CatholicBishops Conferenceand works independ-ently through her ownbusiness, FutureMatters, as a coachand consultant.

SPIRITUAL FORMATION AND GRACE

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COMPASS

one who gave us life, who has loved us from thebeginning, who loves us whether we know it ornot, who journeys with us whether we know itor not.' (Borg, 1997)

What is Grace?

Christians believe that God has been presentand active in the lives of the people whosestories form the basis of the Scriptures.Christians believe too that the action of Godcontinues to be experienced in human life.The words of Rahner eloquently describe howa person experiences grace.

When someone experiences laughter or tears,bears responsibility, stands by the truth, breaksthrough the egoism in his or her life with otherpeople; where someone hopes against hope,faces the shallowness and stupidity of the dailyrush and bustle with humour and patience,refusing to become embittered; where someonelearns to be silent and in the inner silence lets theevil in his or her heart die rather than spreadoutwards; in a word, where someone lives as heor she would like to live, combating his or herown egoism and the continual temptation to innerdespair—there is the event of grace. (Rahner,1971)Grace operates in people and is manifest

in their lives.Grace is … a divine life source, a source of God'srevelation, life, and love communicated andoffered to all human beings freely by a God wholongs for human beings and communities to loveGod back in all ways at all times. (Ekstrom, 1995)There are a great variety of ways in which

individuals experience God's grace. Grace isGod's love for human beings, a love thataffects, converts and transforms humanfreedom and loving into a love that isaccepting and forgiving. This love enables aperson to live with more depth and capacity.This love is offered to all and operates in allpeople. God's grace is at work transformingindividuals and through people's actions, theworld is being transformed. (Haight, 1979)

As a concept, grace emphasizes thequalities of the love of God for human beings.

This love is experienced as merciful andforgiving. God's love is a positive force thatheals and cures selfishness and enables oneto love God in return. The effect of God'slove is transforming and enriches life as aresult of being touched with God's love. God'sgrace frees people from their sin, from fearand from the limits that they can put onthemselves. Experiencing God's loveengenders a security that frees a person forothers and the world. Grace liberates peoplefrom a terror of death and releases aconstructive energy for hope in people'shearts. (Haight, 1979)

The effect of grace is essentially socialand urges the human person towardexpansiveness and self-transcendence. God'sgrace is driving and sustaining all humangoodness and love. God is at work in the worldin loving human freedom and in the lives ofself-transcending persons, thus God's actionbecomes visible and real in the world. Thosewho are dedicated to the concerns of the poorand those who are neglected are effectiveagents of God's action in the world. God'saction in and through human loving is movingtoward the goal of creating a world orkingdom of communion, harmony, peace andreconciliation. (Haight, 1979)

What is Spiritual Formation?

The goal of spiritual formation is that the personlives in such a way that he or she is awake toGod in his or her heart and in the world aroundhim or her. The heart is the place where theessence of the person exists. 'The heart is ourhidden centre…the place of decision, … theplace of truth…the place of encounter, …theplace of covenant.' (Catholic Church., 1994)The heart is that secret, deepest place within uswhere our spirit, soul, and body come togetherin a unity of self.

Spiritual formation involves an inwardjourney to the heart. The first task is to lookwithin, reflect on life and seek God and God'sactivity right there. People who identify andarticulate the movements of their inner lives

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are able to slowly remove obstacles to seeingand responding to the presence of grace intheir day to day experiences.

Similarly, Borg speaks of the purpose of thespiritual life as 'the opening of the heart.' (Borg,2004) To understand what it means to have anopen heart, let us look firstly at the metaphorof the closed heart. Borg expands on what itmeans in human experience by makingconnections with other key biblical metaphors.

When we have a closed heart we are blind,that is we have limited vision. We are closedin our own world and we do not perceiveaccurately.

• A closed heart affects the mind and thereasoning process. We can deceiveourselves and justify positions thatsupport our own self-interest.

• A closed heart lacks gratitude and isinsensitive to wonder and awe. Theworld looks ordinary when our heartsare closed.

• A closed heart and exile go together. Self-centred, the heart is cut off from the largerreality. Separated and disconnected, it isestranged and in exile.

• A closed heart lacks compassion and isunable to feel the suffering of others.Similarly the closed heart is insensitiveto injustice.

To a certain degree, and at particular times,we all experience 'closed hearts'. On somedays we sense we are more open than others.Busyness, tiredness, preoccupation may limitour capacity to be open. The mild form ofclosed heartedness results in a critical stance,insensitivity, self-centeredness and self-interest. The more extreme expressions ofclosed or hard hearts are seen in violence,brutality, arrogance and greed.

The opening of the self to God, the sacred,is the essential task of the Christian life. Howdo hearts become open? Hearts become openthrough the grace of God, through the actionof the Spirit of God. The Spirit of Godoperates in 'thin places'. This term comes tous from Celtic spirituality and the belief that

God is right here where we are as well asbeyond us. The Celts named particulargeographic places as 'thin places' because thatwas where had they experienced God asparticularly close, suggesting that the divinereality broke through into the ordinary world.'Thin places are places where the veilmomentarily lifts, and we behold God,experience the one in whom we live and moveand have our being.'(Borg, 2004)

Thin places can be physical places suchas the traditional places for pilgrimage in theChristian tradition, including Jerusalem andRome. Mountains and high places are alsoimportant in many religious traditions. Ingeneral people are aware of environmentallocations that are significant because they areassociated with their own encounters withGod, for example, waterfalls, the seaside, thedesert, the night sky.

The concept of a 'thin place' refers tomore than a physical location. 'A thin place isanywhere our hearts are opened' (Borg, 2004).Thus a thin place is any means by which webecome present to the sacred. This caninclude music, poetry, literature, visual artsand dance as they can all mediate an encounterwith God. The encounter can happen anywhereand at any time. Moments of grief, hardshipand illness can become thin places.

Particular people can be thin places.Persons through whom we experience thepresence of the Spirit of God are a thin placefor us. Jesus, the saints and the many admiredpeople of all faiths are thin places.

Many Christian practices, serve tomediate an encounter with God. The use ofsacred words and rituals in liturgy andsacramental actions serve to awaken us toGod's action and to separate us from theeveryday. Within liturgy, music can becomea thin place, sometimes this it is through theperformance of music or it may be inparticipatory singing.

All the sacraments are means of grace,symbols of how we encounter God. Homiliestoo can be thin places. The preaching of the

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Word is meant to create a place where ourhearts can open. The Scriptures themselvesare a thin place for individuals and groups.When read well, the readings can becomesacramental. Key words of the liturgy are thinplaces. It may be that The Lord's Prayer orother phrases that we know 'by heart' moveus and open our hearts. Repeating words atthe level of our hearts and not our heads canshift us into a thin place. The liturgicalseasons and celebrations of the Church yearalso have great power using symbols andrituals to awaken us to God's action.

Individual spiritual practices also help usto become receptive. Personal prayer,meditation, times of silence, journaling,retreats and fasting all bring our attention tothe opening of our hearts or the action ofgrace.

When formal opportunities are providedfor Christian spiritual formation, participantsare introduced to practices and disciplinesthat enable the journey to the heart or theopening of the heart. Particular traditionsoffer a range of practices that suit particularpersonalities. Throughout life's journeycertain practices may become helpful for atime. The important thing is that the peoplelive in a way that they are awake to God intheir hearts and in the world around them.

Conclusion

Cooperation with grace, opening ourselves toGod's love, is essential not only for the

spiritual life but for life itself. As humans westruggle to keep our hearts open to God'saction, we struggle to cooperate with grace.'The problem is not to make a spiritual lifehappen but to see where it actually ishappening'. (Nouwen et al., 2010) Our taskis to recognize that God acts in such a way asto enrich and nourish us and that we are alreadyin the spiritual life. Once we accept thereality that God is speaking to us, that God ispresent to us we begin to see the greatnessof God in daily events.

Living with an open heart is a pathway toan embodied and fulfilled life. When we haveopen hearts we can see more clearly. We arealive to wonder, we are full of gratitude. Withan open heart we are capable of compassionand have a passion for justice. We are alivewith grace and in relationship with our God.By following the inner movements of thespiritual life, we are led by the Spirit of God,again and again, to the place of the heart wherewe can be made whole. (Nouwen et al., 2010)

For those involved in the work of spiritualformation it is essential that programsinclude opportunities to clarify and developan understanding of God that is informed bytradition and that promotes 'an embodied andfulfilled spiritual life'. (Nouwen, 2006)Spiritual formation and spiritual formationprograms ultimately affirm that all of life, allof Christian spiritual formation is reallyabout one thing, our cooperation withgrace….'Grace-God's love surging into theworld at all times.' (Michael, 2013)

Borg, M. J. 1997. The God we never knew, SanFrancisco, Harper.B 2004. The Heart ofChristianity, San Francisco, Harper.Catholic Church. 1994. Catechism of the CatholicChurch, Homebush, N.S.W., St Paul's.Ekstrom, R. 1995. The new concise Catholicdictionary, Mystic, Twenty Third Publications.Haight, R. 1979. The experience and language ofgrace, New York, Paulist Press.Michael, L. 2013. Cooperating with Grace~The Already Not Yet Journey~ [Online]. Available:

REFERENCEShttp://lucemichael.wordpress. com/2011/04/16/cooperate-with-grace-find-the-unexpected-grace-and-get-on-board/ [Accessed 23/03/2013 2013].Nouwen, H. C., M. & Laird, R. 2006. SpiritualDirection: Wisdom for the long walk of faith, NewYork, HarperOne.Nouwen, H. J. M., Christensen, M. J. & Laird, R.2010. Spiritual formation following the movementsof the spirit, New York, HarperOne.Rahner, K. 1971. ‘Secular Life and the Sacraments’.TheTablet, 225, 3.

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Let’s start by doing a brief exercise.Think back to an occasion when someone

confided in you. It may be a family member, afriend, colleague at work, even a stranger sit-ting next to you on a plane. They may tell youof a loss they have had recently, or of a disap-pointment in their job or of hurt caused bysomeone close.

As you reflect on that incident, considerthese questions for a moment. Perhaps jotdown a few words or phrases as you do so.

• What did I feel as that person sharedsomething painful with me?

• Was I different at the end of the conver-sation and how?

• Was the other person different and how?• What does this incident tell me about shar-

ing of personal confidences?There will be as many answers to these

questions as there are readers of this article.But it would be a safe bet we can find somecommon threads.

• Part of me would probably resonate withthe person’s hurt. Perhaps a memory from myown life would hover in the background. I mayfeel something of the other person’s anger. Butmost of all, I think I would feel trusted. Theother person felt safe enough to reveal some-thing of their personal and inner self.

• Looking back I may see how I had shiftedeven slightly in my attitude to the other per-son. I tried not only to hear. But I tried to ‘hear’in the sense of listen and understand. I think Ihad more sympathy and understanding of her.I can see that I was a bit more sensitive andcareful about not judging people too hastilyor putting them into compartments.

• I am also aware that sharing the burden

meant that my conversation partner felt bet-ter. Talking about what happened, without re-moving it as an event in life, lightened its im-pact in some way. It was summed up in ‘thankyou for listening.’

• As for being a partner in confidences, twothings stand out.

First, in a strange way, listening to thesharing of the pain nourishes us. My horizonsand my heart expand just a little. I sensesomehow I am more human and even betterfor the experience. I feel that in ‘hearing theword’ from another I am ‘not living on breadalone.’ Moments of personal revelation, evenwith a stranger, touch and feed our innerdepths.

Second, a condition must be fulfilled forsuch disclosures to happen. The person mustfreely choose to do so. A personal revelationcannot be demanded or forced. It is a gift thatis offered (which tells us something very im-portant about God and Revelation). It is a riskwhich involves being vulnerable. There is thepossibility of rejection. Patrick O’Sullivansums this up neatly:

When vulnerability meets power the result isalienation; but when vulnerability is met byvulnerability, the result is intimacy. The onlyway into intimacy is through vulnerability.1

What does this have to do with the senseof Hearing and God? I will explore this in fourstages: hearing and listening to God in theScriptures; call and response in Jesus and thenin Mary; finally, God’s listening and silenceas presence and absence.

Hearing and Listening to GodRead Mark 12: 29-34 (Jesus and loving God

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with all one’s heart). Note the first two wordsin Mark: ‘Listen Israel.’ Jesus’ reply is fromDeuteronomy 6:5, one of the three texts ofthe Shema—the principal expression of Jew-ish faith—which His listeners, and all observ-ant Jews, recited each morning and evening.This expressed faithfulness by acts of remem-bering regularly what was most important—what was dear and near to one’s heart. It wasalso a practice that constantly reminded themof God’s fidelity in what He had given them(His Torah or Way) and what God had donefor them (past and present).

But Jesus goes further by combining Deut.6:5 with Leviticus 19:18 ‘The second resem-bles it: You must love your neighbour asyourself.’ Jesus is saying that neither com-mandment can find its full meaning withoutthe other. Further, in combining these two‘laws’, some scholars consider that Jesus isdoing something that seems to be distinctiveto him in his time.2 To love God and to loveone’s neighbour are two wings of theCovenant. They are far more important than‘holocaust or sacrifice’ since they animate anddirect our worship and actions (Mark 12: 33).

As we know, talking and listening are atthe heart of an oral culture. Until the adventof printing, for Jesus and the bulk of humanhistory, most communication has been throughspeech. In an oral society, then, listening in-tently is important. There are no typed ver-sions, recordings, YouTube or computer stor-age to double check what is said.

In the Christian tradition, the culminationof our spiritual quest is expressed predomi-nantly in terms of sight, i.e., the beatific vi-sion. Nevertheless, there is something aboutthe sense of hearing (and associated speech)that makes it a particularly apt metaphor forbeing open to God. Even in regard to humanvirtue, Aristotle held that, in relation to wis-dom, hearing makes the largest contributionindirectly since it serves as means of verbalcommunication.3 Listening and being recep-tive are, to a large extent, then, the heart ofprayer. This is seen as a quality both of God

and ourselves. The Psalmist prays ‘I call withall my heart, Lord hear me…I rise before dawnand cry for help. I hope in your word’ (Ps. 118):Two- way listening and responding is seen aspart of the relationship with God.

Foundationally, it is captured in the firstBeatitude. ‘How happy are the poor in spirit,theirs is the kingdom of heaven’ (Matt. 5:3). Ionce saw that translated as ‘happy are thosewho admit their need for God.’ Brendan Byrneis helpful here when he notes ‘while the senseof economic poverty is not excluded, Mat-thew’s formulation reflects a biblical traditionin which the ‘poor’ is an honorific name forthe faithful of Israel, who, conscious of lackof resources on their own part, look toYHWH for salvation.’4

This admission of need for God findsresonances of the summons to ‘choose life’by a love that obeys God and ‘clings’ to Himin trust (Deut. 30: 19). This puts the spotlighton one aspect of the personal relationshipwith God that characterizes faith. We haveseen earlier that faith can entail sight andlight. Faith can be understood as believingwhat God reveals or objective faith. But thereis also subjective faith, namely, that ‘by whichwe believe.’ Since faith is about God, then, tosay yes to God we need God to give us the‘yes’ to do so.

But Aquinas also defines faith, in a thirdsense, as personal trust in, and surrender to,God.5 This is faith understood as a form ofwilling or desire, namely, as an affectivemovement, which underlies faith as acognitive reality. Faith as trust, then, is even

Tom Ryan, a Maristpriest, is an HonoraryFellow of theAustralian CatholicUniversity and anAdjunct AssociateProfessor of theUniversity of NotreDame Australia.

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more basic. ‘I believe in you’ can be saidabout someone else, even when they haverevealed nothing of themselves norcommunicated something they claim to betrue. In other words, we trust someone (‘Ibelieve in you’) even before we say ‘I believeyou.’ Admitting our need for (‘clinging to’)God seems to underpin prayer as a cry to beheard, for God to ‘hear the cry of the poor’.

Attentive listening, then, is a mark some-one who is faithful whether we are speakingof God or a disciple. Deafness denotes hard-ness of heart and unfaithfulness. Just as beingprofoundly deaf isolates a person, so it is inour relationship with God and with life itself.Genevieve Lacey captures what is means tolisten and to hear, for a musician and artistand, more generally in everyday life:

Listening is an activity that connects us deeplywith others. It can change how we perceive theworld, and then, how we decide to live in it. Tolisten suggests an open, receptive stance, with-out necessarily knowing what will arrive. It sug-gests alertness, willingness. Listening is essen-tially an act of respect and generosity…6

Let’s probe this a bit more in relation toJesus and Mary.

Call and Response: Jesus the Word

Anthony Kelly points out that Aquinas, forinstance, ‘insists on the biblical priority ofhearing, for, in all revelatory experiences, hear-ing precedes the seeing—even in the originalexperiences of seeing related to the risen Je-sus.’7 While, at times, hearing the Word of Godis superseded by a seeing and a touching (as in1 John 1:1-3), Kelly continues with an impor-tant observation in the light of our discussion:

It remains, however, that the experience of hear-ing is still basic in the economy of faith since,while sight and touch play their parts, they areless able to register either the excess of God’sself-giving or to underline the essential self-surrendering receptivity of faith. To hear theword of God places the hearer in a profoundlyinterpersonal context of relationships whichoccur in time, as a call and response.8

We have a variety of theological modelsto understand Jesus and also the Christian Life.When we discussed ‘sight’ the emphasis wason Jesus as Logos, the Incarnate Word or thePrototypical Image for all creation. Growingin our relationship with God was growing‘into’ the likeness of Jesus, sharing in the di-vine life through seeking and seeing the ‘face’of Jesus