Faith On Fire » Sparks Newsletter

Dr. Sargent’s Reflection

admin — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:30:47 +0000

How can Catholic Social Teaching help us frame our Economic Priorities?

Even the most ordinary of human activities reveal to us something profound about the will of God in the context of daily life. For some, the need to work may not be considered a great blessing when the morning alarm clock goes off at 5 a.m. Yet, for most of us, after a good strong cup of coffee, our labor and our work gives us much satisfaction.

For those who work in factories as well as those who hold professional positions, work is an opportunity to express, in a fundamental way, who we are as human beings made in the image and likeness of God. My work reveals me to myself and the world around me. Through work I am able to build community with those with whom I collaborate. I am able to be creative and can actualize my freedom to find solutions to challenges which are presented.

Work is sacramental in that, by engaging and reflecting on the activity of work and labor, something of the will of God is made present. I find that work not only enables me to support and care for my family and contributes to the common good of society, but more importantly it enables me to become more fully alive, more fully human, and therefore more fully myself. There is a dignity inherent within work that enables us to realize that in and through our activity, a vocation of human life is made possible.

This new consciousness of work and labor as a life-giving vocation and a basic human right dawned after the rise of industrialism. And we can take pride that the prophetic voice of the Catholic magisterium helped shape the direction regarding the dignity and rights of labor.

Pius XI’s powerful encyclical letter, “After Forty Years” (Quadregismo Anno, 1931) commemorating the great letter of Leo XIII (Rerum Novarum, 1891), reflected on the morality of the socio-economic order and the oppression of dire poverty created by the new industrial economy: “This state of things was quite satisfactory to the wealthy… who looked upon it as the consequence of inevitable and natural economic laws, and who, therefore, were content to abandon to charity alone the full care of relieving the unfortunate, as though it were the task of charity to make amends for the open violation of justice, a violation not merely tolerated, but sanctioned at times by legislators” (QA, 4).

The paradigm shift in the moral vision which Leo XIII and Pius XI brought forward was that “humanity” does not serve the economy, but the economy is meant to serve “humanity.” All that is given to us in human life comes to us as gift that requires a profound sense of the responsible use of human freedom. Catholic social teaching reminds us that the state has a moral responsibility to insure that the economic order provide both business owners and laborers with an ability to support their families and contribute positively to the common good of society. Until the advent of modern human rights, especially those rights legislating safe work environments, limitation of work hours, days of rest, and the prohibition of child labor, Catholic social teaching served as an important source of hope for alienated and disenfranchised workers and a moral critique of the unbridled industrial society.

In 1981, John Paul II contributed to this ongoing reflection on the dignity of work and labor in his encyclical, “On Human Work,” Laborem Exercens. Work is not merely about the “objects” which are produced through our labor – rather, work is about the “subject” of labor. The priority, therefore, is on persons who do the work and only secondarily the objects produced

Commenting on the “subjective” dimension of work, John Paul II writes:

“This dimension conditions the very ethical nature of work. In fact there is no doubt

that human work has an ethical value all its own, which clearly and directly remains linked

to the fact that the one who carries it out is a person, a conscious and free subject, that is

to say, a subject that decides about himself.” (LE, 6)

The threat to the right order of values in regard to work is expressed by John Paul II when he states; “…the danger of treating work as a special kind of “merchandise” or as an impersonal “force” needed for production (the expression “workforce” is in fact in common use) always exists, especially when the whole way of looking at the question of economics is marked by the premises of materialistic economism.” (LE, 7)

The concern for a morally just economic system that cares for the rights and dignity of workers and the priority of labor over capital is a basic principle of Catholic Social Teaching. Our Catholic faith invites us to carefully consider how economic decisions and institutions are promoting or undermining human dignity and that socio-economic policies should have as their main concern the creation of jobs, safe and decent working conditions, and just wages for the maintenance of family life.

By Dr. Barry H. Sargent

Dear Friends of Faith on Fire,

As many of you already know, Sr. Ginger and I recently launched our new ministry formation program in August. Our first events were held at St. Thomas More parish in Glendale, San Francisco de Asisi in Flagstaff and All Saints in Mesa. We are so grateful to the pastors and parish staffs who showed us such an outpouring of support and good will. It was also wonderful to see the support from so many of our friends in ministry throughout the Diocese of Phoenix. Their prayers and presence really gave us a lot of strength and courage that will sustain us as we move forward in our ministry.

Now for some musings:

For those of us involved in evangelization and catechesis, we must always be mindful that it is always Gods’ action, presence and spirit which brings people to the place of knowing Jesus Christ. Part of the work of evangelization and catechesis is providing an environment in which the Word of God can be heard, nourished and celebrated. Thus, evangelization and catechesis requires a profound spirituality of humility, creating space for the activity of God in the lives of people. A spirituality of humility invites us to be prepared to accept and even embrace the messiness of human life as it grapples for meaning and purpose. Evangelization, as Pope Paul VI stated so powerfully, is the essential purpose for which the Church exists. Evangelization is the work of all baptized Christians…to seek opportunities to create space for the Word of God to enter into people’s lives. Evangelization is not about going around asking everyone you encounter whether or not they have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior…though it can be that! More often, it begins with hospitality, kindness, and a sincere concern for others. We become the context of invitation through our response of love and concern for the other. As St. Paul reminds us that without love we are simply noisy symbols clashing!

Perhaps the biggest challenge for Christian evangelization is the unfortunate reality that what is being proclaimed on Sunday from our places of worship, finds very little expression in the lived experience of many Christians. A separation exists between what is proclaimed at Church and what is being integrated in the lives of our Catholic people. This reveals, I believe, a crises in our catechesis. Christian life is a journey toward conversion, a life -long process of becoming fully human. So we must ask ourselves whether our catechetical programs are assisting persons in coming to know that Christian faith is a way of life, a way of standing in the world as a sign and witness to Christ in our lives. In our love for Christ are we aware of the needs of one’s neighbors, one’s community and in solidarity with concerns of the world. Are we helping people understand that Christian life is made known in the giving of one’s own life for others?

Too often, it is easier to identify a Catholic by what they are against. This is not to undermine the very serious assaults upon human dignity which we find prevalent throughout our society and culture. We need to realize, however, that personal moral indignation does nothing to change the world. Catechesis, therefore, must not only help people to understand the relationship between human life, doctrine and sacramental practice, but must also assist us in cultivating a deeply rooted spirituality that opens us to an awareness of the other.

At the heart of the “New Evangelization” is the call for renewal within our own Catholic lives. In order for an authentic invitation of sharing the Good News to take place, we must first have the ability to understand what it means to be saved! We must come to recognize the story of grace, salvation and redemption as a living story of Christ in our own lives! Until we can see our own lives as being radically dependent on God’s profound love and mercy, we will continue to view faith as moral indignation rather than a response to God’s loving presence in the world calling us always to become more and more generous, open hearted and compassionate. Let us be reminded by the words of Pope Benedict XVI in the encyclical Deus Caritas Est: “Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.”

If you would like to learn more about how to create a dynamic and inspiring process for your catechetical or adult education program, please contact faithonfirenow.org to arrange for a catechetical workshop or pastoral retreat.

Prayer

admin — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:22:13 +0000

Prayer for Lent

God of sack cloth and ashes,

You ask us to rend our hearts, not our garments. To offer contrite hearts, not burnt offerings.

During these forty days of fasting, prayer and alms giving may we turn away from the things that rupture and dissolve our relationship with you and turn again to foster a life giving friendship, built on trust, mercy and unconditional love.

We pray that we may come through this time of purification to be renewed and refreshed in the Easter Waters. We ask this all in the name of Jesus Christ Your Son and our redeemer. The one who lives in unity with you and the Spirit, now and forever.

Christmas 2010

God of Wonder and miracles,

In the marvel of the Incarnation of Your Son,

We celebrate not the prefect and the neatness of life, But the messiness, the doubts, and broken dreams of reality; We recognize the delicate bond that grows into the unwavering faith. A faith that is found only in a relationship with You. A faith that is fragile enough to realize its dependence on You and yet strong enough to endure all that will be asked.

Holy God of our dreams and unfailing trust, Of our hope and source of our love,During this season of Christmas, when we celebrate the birth of your Son,Help each of us to appreciate that it is not His birth that is our salvation, but his entire life, death and resurrection that invites us into freedom and eternal life with you.

We ask this in faith of the One who became human, so we could know You, Jesus Christ your Son, who is one with you and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen

Advent 2010

God of small things and insignificant places,

You choose a most unlikely village and an improbable person to be the heritage of Your Son and to nurture his fragile beginnings.

During this season of Advent, when the hustle of activity of our secular life becomes endless and the noise unending, gently remind us that it is the simple, yet genuine gestures that are most reminiscent of Your Son and of the gospel he will preach.

We ask this in authentic Advent faith as we wait to once again celebrate the miracle of the Incarnation in the season of Christmas. Amen

Prayer in Remembrance

Holy God, Sustainer of all Life,

Through the voice of your Son, Jesus Christ,

You have drawn many men and women to give themselves to the needs of others with loving and generous hearts.

As we celebrate this month of remembrance,

we call to mind all those people who have gone before us marked by the signs of faith;

especially those who have been our, parents, family, friends and companions.

May they now, enjoy a life with all the saints in Your holy presence.

Amen

Prayer for the change of Seasons

In the Northern Hemisphere autumn has come to the calendar and as the days shorten there is a crispness that returns to the air. For our brothers and sisters in the Southern Hemisphere, spring returns, the days lengthen and the warmth arrives once again.

The time of harvest is upon us and the time of rest for the land is near and yet for others it is the time of planting and rebirth. It is in these moments that we stop to reflect on the life cycle of the earth, how we live the paschal mystery through the change of seasons each year.

So we pause to lift our minds and hearts to the God of all creation.

God of wonder,

Your creation is ever dying, ever rising.

Be with us as we learn to die and rise and live the paschal mystery

not only in our faith but with our very lives.

May the change of season remind us that although the change is unavoidable, there is always You.

You who guide and strengthen us, because you first loved us continue to be the one constant in our life.

This we ask in faith and hope.

Morning Prayer

As my day begins, O Gracious God;

Let all my work be done as prayer And done as one with you.

As my day begins, may I, like your son Jesus, be Emmanuel,

“God with us”in my place of work, in my home and with my friends.

As my day begins, may I carry your presence as I respond to all with kindness and warmth joy and humility

Grant me the grace to show my love for you by my attitude toward all who will share my life this day

I ask this Gracious God, in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, who shares life with you and with the Holy Spirit.

Amen

Prayer for the Summer

God of sunsets and starry skies,Your beauty and elegance can be seen in the Summer ablaze with color, Reds, pinks and purple.

You graciously embrace us at night bright and twinkling stars.

That same embrace that has been guiding people through ages, and will continue to guide the generations to come.

Thank you for this time of summer, to slow down, enjoy your splendor

And be rejuvenated in your Glory.

May we, like Irenaeus so long ago, realize that your glory is in us, being fully alive!

We ask this in faith, because we have seen your signature in the sky.

Amen

Prayer for Fathers

Eternal God and Creator of all,

You have called into life all things

And given some the special invitation to

Be fathers to your children.

We pause today to recognize the special gifts

And blessings these men are in the lives of their sons and daughters;

But also the wonderful witness of unconditional love, and consistent faith to all those who they come in contact.

We ask you to bless each of them with your continuing love and guidance.

Bless them with good health in body, mind and spirit so that they have the strength and courage to face the challenges of their lives.

Bless them with patience, peace and joy as they watch their children grow and the grace to let them go to follow their own call.

Bless these fathers with love and respect from their children and grandchildren now and always.

We ask this in faith, Holy God, Father of us all, through Jesus your Son and in the love and unity of the Holy Spirit now and forever.

Amen

Prayer for Graduates

God of Wisdom and knowledge,

You have guided these people during their time of study

They have completed their course work and are now ready to graduate.

Bless them with courage to face the future,

With confidence to meet the challenges

And with appreciation for the gifts you have given, especially their education.

As a faith community, we celebrate their accomplishments

And pray for their continuing success.

Watch over them and bless them with peace and joy, faith and love.

This we ask in the Name of Jesus the Teacher, who lives with you and the Holy Spirit now and forever. Amen

Prayer for Mother’s Day

Comforting and Nurturing God;

Holy One who gives life to all,

Bless these women, our Mothers,

Who not only gave us life,

but nurtured and cared for us, their sons and daughters.

They comfort us in our disappointments and sorrows

and love us through all things.

May each of them know peace as they grow in relationship with you,

Understanding as they watch us change and develop

And grace to let us let go when the time comes.

We ask this in faith and in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ Our Lord.

Amen

Prayer for the Easter Season

God of Darkness,

As we begin this sacred time of Triduum,

You invite us into the darkness of waiting.

So we can come to a deeper understanding of the gift you gave us in the person of Jesus.

As we celebrate his life by having our feet washed,

may we understand that it is only an invitation to go and do the same.

As we come to hear the story of your Son’s death and then venerate the cross,

may each of us hear the words more clearly and recognize that the cross is the way to salvation.

Then as we wait in vigil to see the darkness turned to light

and hear the story of salvation told through the readings of the Easter vigil,

may we realize that we too are taken down into the waters of baptism,

to die with Christ so that we may rise with Christ.

Gracious God, help us to celebrate these three days with open hearts.

We ask this through Jesus Christ, Your Son and our Salvation.
AMEN

Prayer for Lent

God of sack cloth and ashes, You ask us to rend our hearts, not our garments. To offer contrite hearts, not burnt offerings.

We pray that we may come through this time of purification to be renewed and refreshed in the Easter Waters.

We ask this all in the name of Jesus Christ Your Son and our redeemer.

The one who lives in unity with you and the Spirit, now and forever.

New Year’s Prayer

God Of Wonder and everlasting Peace,

You have given us Your Son,

born of a woman, yet the Incarnation of your Love.

As we celebrate, this great act of love

let us be mindful of the great promise his birth proclaims,

continue to work to make this promise a reality

and be strengthened by his presence in our lives.

We ask this in faith and in name your Incarnate love,

Jesus Christ our Lord.

AmenAdvent Prayer

God of Hope and joyful waiting, We stand in need of your healing presence. Our world is ravaged by war and famine,natural disasters and violence.

Yet, You promise to take away our old ways and give us new ways to live, in justice, peace and equality. You promise to strengthen our hearts so we can love one another in truth, tenderness and honesty.

In these days of Advent, may we recognize that what we are most longing and earnestly desiring is to know that you are near. You are here among us, in our midst and there is nothing to Fear.

You have fulfilled the promise and continue to bring it about by guiding us to live, not in human ways, but in Your ways. Then we can leap for joy and know: Our God is here.

Our God is Emanuel

November Prayer

God of loving gentleness, we commend the souls of all those who have died, to Your merciful care.We remember especially those who we have loved and hold in the silence of our hearts.

We believe that we will see them again, yet now we must rely on our memories of love, friendship and joy.

So we pray, that each of them may be in the company of the angels and saints and enjoy for ever Your heavenly banquet.

We ask this as we do all things, in the name of Your beloved Son. Amen

October Prayer

God of wonder and mystery

You created us male and female,

Both in Your image,

Neither image completely reflects You

Neither image is less than the other,

But we are distinct in our diversity.

In Your wisdom and grace you have given us

The ability to know the wonders of life

and to cherish it from conception to natural death

Grant us the strength to be the voice of those who have no voice:

The poor, the marginalize, the unborn, uninsured and those on death row.

May others know we hold all of life as sacred by our actions,

our words and the prayers we speak.

We ask this in the name of the one we follow, You Son, Jesus the Christ. Amen

September Prayer

God of Wisdom,

Send us Your Spirit to be with us during this school year so that we can all

Devote ourselves to learning and share that knowledge with others.

Bless all students that they may enjoy school, delighting in the discoveries that await them, persisting in their studies and desiring to explore new ideas.

Bless all teachers, with patience, and enthusiasm for their students as they encourage them to dream their dreams and challenge eager minds.

We ask this in faith and in the name of Jesus the teacher.

Who said, I am the way, the truth and the life, now and forever.

AMEN

August Prayer

Holy One,
You who have always walked with pilgrims, Send Your Spirit to ignite the faith in our heart, So that we can accept Your invitation to: embrace the challenges before us, recognize the blessings in our lives, and share Your message of love with others. We ask this in the name of the One, who lives with you in union with the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ our Lord.

AMEN

Faith On Fire Launch

admin — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 02:46:20 +0000

Faith on Fire is more to me than just the name of this new adventure I have set out on with two other people. It is something I have held deep in my soul for a long time. When I was discerning about religious life, one of the focuses of my discernment was my desire to bring other people into a deeper relationship with God. I found that I enjoyed talking about my relationship with God and helping others to see that God doesn’t have to be kept in a neat box, but could be experienced in many different ways.

Sr. Ginger Downey OLVM

Today after almost 25 years in religious life and the on-going formation and education opportunities; I still want to help people deepen and broaden their experience of faith. That is why I am setting out on upon this adventure of being an active part of Faith on Fire, llc. I hope to be, as the book of Wisdom suggests, a spark darting amidst the stubble and hopefully it may help to ignite the faith of others and deepen their experience of God.