Reflections Spring 2014

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...recognizing our gifts of time, talent and treasure

Spring 2014

reflections... a newsletter from the Stewardship and Development Office

Jesus’ FORTY DAYS AND NIGHTS OF FASTING AND TEMPTATION

We, the Diocese of Austin, through the Word and Eucharist, prayer, formation and education, social ministries and advocacy, embrace diverse cultures throughout the diocese so that together, as the Catholic Church, we may continue the mission of Christ in the world today.

Stewardship and Development Office Diocese of Austin

6225 Highway 290 E. Austin, TX 78723 (512) 949-2400

Most Rev. Joe S. Vásquez Bishop of Austin

Scott Whitaker Director of Stewardship and Development

Danielle Madrid Associate Director of Stewardship and Annual Appeal

Jean Bondy Associate Director of Catholic School Development

The Catholic Diocese of Austin

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By Sister Mary Clare Underbrink, IWBS Incarnate Word Convent, Victoria, TX In the Gospel, Jesus is led into the desert by the Spirit where he fasts and is tempted.

The 40 days in the desert are reminiscent of the many occurrences of the number 40 in Hebrew Scriptures: Noah on the ark, Moses on Mount Sinai, Elijah on Mount Horeb, and the Israelites in the desert. Here, because of the strong allusions to and explicit citations of Deuteronomy 6-8, there is a definite relationship between Jesus’ desert experience and that of the Israelites. These chapters of Deuteronomy begin with the shema — the great commandment to love God with one’s whole heart, soul, and strength — and end with the command to listen to and heed the voice of God. Jesus clearly knows and heeds the voice of God, as evidenced in his use of Scripture.

In contrast to the woman in the story of the fall, who does not know the Word of God, and to the devil (the serpent in Genesis 3 or the tempter in Matthew 4), who intentionally misuses the Scriptures, Jesus (the true Word of God) is so in tune with God’s word that he speaks it with authority against every temptation thrown at him.

Many have offered interpretations of these three temptations: in one explanation they represent the lure of money, sex, and power — distorted values against which stand in contrast to the three evangelical religious vows of chastity, poverty, {continued on page 2} and obedience.

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{continued from page 1}

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HE FIRST TEMPTATION:

“Command that these stones become loaves of bread” (Mt 4:3), on one level refers to sins of the flesh, such as lust, gluttony, and the immediate satisfaction of any desire. On a deeper level, it involves rebellion against the will of God, as if to say to God, “What you have to offer me is not enough.” When we succumb to this temptation, we attempt to nourish ourselves on things that ultimately do not satisfy our deepest hunger. It is also a temptation to violate the nature of things as God has created them. A stone is not bread; to try to make it into bread would violate the purpose for which it was created. Calling it bread or treating it as if it were bread does not change its essence, any more than calling an unborn child “simply tissue” or “the equivalent of a tumor that must be removed” would make the child any less human. Yielding to this temptation can also display itself in the denial of the objectivity of good and evil. If we can turn a stone into bread, everything becomes relative. Right and wrong become our own inventions, and we do not have to listen to the Word of God, but instead can follow our own fancy.

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HE SECOND TEMPTATION:

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HE THIRD TEMPTATION:

“Throw yourself down” (4:6) and God will catch you, begins like the first temptation with, “if you are the Son of God” asking Jesus to prove himself or to put God to the test, which he refuses to do. Again, this is a rebellion against God’s will.

Religious acts and/or prayers are not meant to control God or to get God to do what we want, as if God were a great gumball machine in the sky, so that by putting in our coins, saying the right prayers, and quoting the right verses we receive what we request. A true religion leads the believer to seek God’s will above all else, and to love God with all one’s heart, soul, and strength.

I will give you all the kingdoms of the world if you worship me (cf. 4:4-9), involves the quest for power and possessions as well as the lure of idolatry. Anything that takes on more importance than God and one’s relationship with God becomes an idol. Jesus’ response to the tempter is succinct: “Get away, Satan!” — the true believer will worship and serve God alone (cf. 4:10). Here is an allusion to just how far Jesus’ obedience and service will take him. The words “Get away, Satan” foreshadow his response to Peter (cf. 16:23) when he tries to dissuade Jesus from accepting the cross. In the end it is Jesus’ resistance to temptation and his obedience to God’s will that brings salvation to the whole human race and restores in us the image of God in whom we were created.

– For more Lenten reflections and commentary, visit www.disciplesonthejourney.org diocese of austin

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John I

(Died 526), Pope and Martyr Optional Memorial – May 18 As good stewards, we offer to God, the Giver of all, some share of our time, our talents, and our treasure.

But is suffering a treasure? The readings for the celebration of today’s steward saint suggest that it is! “Dear brothers and sisters, I pray God may open your eyes and let you see what hidden treasures he bestows on us in the trials from which the world thinks only to flee. Shame turns into honor when we seek God’s glory. Present affliction becomes the source of heavenly glory.” St. John I got caught in the crossfire at the end of the Arian heresy. Sent on a diplomatic mission by King Theodoric of Italy, to Justin, the emperor of Constantinople, John was warmly received by Justin. This, ironically, roused the jealousy of suspicion of Theodoric, and on his return Theodoric had St. John seized and thrown into prison.

Already ill and weak from his journey, he died of mistreatment and is celebrated as a martyr. In purely human terms, his best efforts ended in failure; but when we offer to God the sufferings endured for his sake, he will turn them into victory.

Adapted from Sharon Hueckel, Steward Saints for Every Day, Copyright © 1999, the National Catholic Stewardship Council, Inc., Washington, D.C. All rights reserved.

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E N T Why Do We Fast?

By: Danielle Madrid

When I was in college, a friend told me that he was going to give up Chinese take-out for Lent. I thought this was a great idea; it was a great weakness of his, and he used to order it every Friday night. His next sentence, though, was to explain to me that since Sundays are feast days, he didn’t have to fast on Sunday. So he was planning on ordering on Sundays, instead. I felt like this was cheating. After all, he was just changing his usual take-out day from Friday to Sunday. But, he was convinced; he had looked it up, and was following the rules.

All of this, of course, completely misses the point.

Despite the inevitable focus on what and when you can eat during Lent, Lent is not all about the food. Lent is and should be about more than just following the rules and arriving successfully on the other side. St. Basil the Great reminds us not to “define the benefit that comes from fasting solely in terms of abstinence from foods. For

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true fasting consists in estrangement from vices.”

Like Advent, Lent is a time of preparation. It is a season of repentance, cooling of the passions, and humility. Our Lenten fast should serve as an opportunity to unite ourselves to Christ and His passion. Although we commonly think of fasting as a penance, fasting is also a gift that God has given to us. Through fasting, we can learn to deny our own will and unite our will to God’s, preparing a place for his Son within each of us. As we prepare ourselves for Christ’s death and resurrection, let us consider not only what we can give up, but what we can add to our lives. If we spend less time with technology, will we have more time to spend with our family?

If we prepare simpler meals, will we have more time for prayer? As we change our perspective and think of fasting less as a burden and more as a gift, let us take time to consider how we are caring for this gift.

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Philanthropy “Love of Humanity” By: Bob Vallilee

“Philanthropy” is often used to refer to the charitable actions of the most wealthy, fortunate, and gifted in our society. However, this use of the term philanthropy misses out on a crucial portion of that word’s definition. Our English word philanthropy comes from the Greek words philos – love, and anthropos – man or human.

Philanthropy etymologically means “love of humanity.” By focusing on the origin of the term, we can shift our understanding of the word from the giving of large sums of money to giving that is the outgrowth of genuine care for our fellow men. This sort of giving nourishes, develops and enhances what is to be human for both the benefactor and beneficiaries.

Everyone, no matter how much wealth they have amassed in their

lives, should incorporate philanthropy in their way of life.

While instances of philanthropy may often include large gifts to charity, not all large gifts are motivated by a true spirit of philanthropy. Consider the following passage from the Gospel of Luke: “When he looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. He said, ‘I tell you truly, this poor widow has put in more than all the rest; for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.”

– Lk 21:1-4

We need to hear from you!

April 25 Catholic Charities Event, Providing Help, Creating Hope May 21 Assembly of Catholic Professionals, Hyatt Regency, Town Lake

Please complete the survey at:

http://bit.ly/DOApp2014G

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As you make decisions about your charitable giving, both now and in the future, take time to consider how you can be more philanthropic; recognize that your gifts can be used to lift up mankind and improve our world both materially and spiritually.

UPCOMING DIOCESAN EVENTS

Be a part of our Pastoral Plan and join us in our journey to Christ.

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Who among them was the most philanthropic? The wealthy people might have given more, but they gave only what they could easily spare. The widow, though she gives only two tiny coins, gives all that she has. Her gift is truly sacrificial: motivated not by a desire for fame or praise, or as a way to show off her wealth, but by a genuine response to her care for others.

For event information, visit www.austindiocese.org

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CONNECTING

Through Play Therapy

By: Brittany Holan, LPC-Intern Office of Catholic Family Counseling When I first met John*, he would not look me in the eyes. He barely spoke above a whisper, and for a 6 year-old, was very still and passive. His body language read: defeated. Speaking with his parents, I learned that John had some struggles growing up. He became easily frustrated, often to the point of yelling and throwing objects, while at school. This frightened his teachers and classmates; as a result, John did not make many friends easily. John also struggled with homework, and would trying anything to get out of it. He would kick, scream, cry, or even run and hide.

John grew up hearing adults label him as a “difficult” child with “behavior problems.” Adults would get frustrated trying to help him, and John only felt their disappointment.

I spent the first several play sessions with John just being in the play room with him. I let him choose what toys or games he liked best, and I just accepted him for who he was in that moment, in that room with me.

I would set limits, gently and compassionately, when needed, which wasn’t very often. Otherwise, I would smile with him when he found something fun, I would feel sad with him when he felt sad. While John didn’t say much in those early sessions, he gradually began to make more eye contact and volunteer more commentary as he played.

Then one day after John’s parents reported he had a particularly rough day, he came into my play room and chose to do sand tray (a form of expressive therapy that involves placing figurines in the sand). I watched in amazement as John built a world in the sand: he had soldiers on one side, and “bad guys” on the other. He took one soldier and walked him across to the other side, and then would have the bad guys knock him over and bury him. He did this over and over and over again.

“He’s really trying hard, isn’t he?” I motioned towards his soldier.

John paused and said, “That’s Jesus and his friends keep hurting him.”

“Oh no, that’s so sad!” I replied.

John sighed, “That’s how I feel at school.”

I watched in awe as John continued to play with the soldiers, narrating his feelings of sadness and loneliness diocese of austin

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With Children

at school. This was the first time John volunteered information and talked openly about how he felt.

We spent the rest of the session processing his school experience, and coming up with ways to handle strong feelings without hurting others.

For John, it was his turning point. Every session after that, he came into the therapy room quietly smiling, often bringing in a picture or toy to share with me. The once timid, soft spoken boy became a boy who would look me in the eye, smile when he was proud of himself, or express sadness or anger when appropriate. He learned to label his feelings, and he learned to like himself.

John eventually was referred on for more specialized care, but I will never forget his last session. He was sad to leave, but was able to express things he liked about himself. We made a scrapbook of everything he learned, and everything I learned about him, things like, “John is strong” and “John is smart.” He took that book with him, and went on to the next stage of his healing process.

Play therapy isn’t about “fixing” kids or “solving their problems.” Play therapy is about creating a loving, unconditionally accepting space for kids to realize their own potential. By letting John be who he was, by working with him through his struggles with a caring and nonjudgmental attitude, he was then able to move away from the negative feelings that so often got him in trouble. He was able to use the tools and gifts he already possessed. He was able to grow. If kids are plants, then play therapy is the gardener; all we have to do is give them the love and space they need to let grow in their own way. God does the rest. *Some information has been changed to provide confidentiality.

Brittany is a professional counseling intern in the Office of Catholic Family Counseling. This story is about one of the many children the counseling office helps every day.

Your gift to the Catholic Services Appeal helps “John” and many other children seeking a new start in life.

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LEAVING A LEGACY R E M E M B E R I N G GLADYS AND REUBEN GREBE have been members of St. Mary Immaculate Conception Parish in Brenham for the past nine years. Both Gladys and Reuben are extraordinary ministers of holy Communion, greeters, and gift bearers. Reuben is a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus and has held many officer positions in the Knights. He serves as a lector and served on the parish finance council for six years. Gladys volunteers in the parish office occasionally and also serves on the funeral meal committee.

They also participate weekly in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

For the past 12 years, Reuben and Gladys have been involved in the ACTS Community. They have served on retreat teams that facilitate weekend retreats. Reuben is a past retreat director and is presently on an ACTS retreat team in a neighboring parish.

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Y O U R

C H U R C H

Texas natives, Gladys and Reuben met in Houston while they were both seeking careers. They have been married for 47 years and are blessed with two sons and five grandchildren. Reuben was raised as a member of the Czech Brethren Church and converted to the Catholic Faith several years after marriage. Reuben is a retired city police officer. He presently works part time as a Deputy Sheriff and as an assistant at a funeral home. Gladys is a retired hairdresser and retail sales person.

Gladys and Reuben generously support the Catholic Services appeal and other Catholic organizations. They were honored to receive the Lumen Gentium award in 2013. They serve the Church because Christ is the center of their lives, and they pray daily that they will be led to do God’s will.

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