Extravagant Love

"O Soul,
redeemed by the most precious Blood of Jesus the redeemer,
at this point,
lift up your thoughts
and realize that this ineffable benefit
and august mystery,
together with the incarnation of the Son of God,
was a flaming outburst of love:

exinanivit semetipsum forman servi accipiens.
Phil 2:7 “he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave”

His submission to so many pains and trials
was a flaming outburst of love,
finally expiring in a sea of sorrows
and on the infamous scaffold of Calvary.
It was a flaming outburst of love
to leave himself entirely in the Eucharistic banquet.
It was a flaming outburst of love
for him to find his delight in US.....

deliciae meae cum filius hominum
Prov. 8:31 “rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the human race.”

and that burning wish of his
for our eternal salvation
in the beloved homeland of heaven.

O Soul,
plunge yourself deeply
into these moving thought
and you cannot but help to repeat with the Apostle:

Caritas Christi urget nos!
2 Cor 5:14 “ For the love of Christ urges us on”

It is not so much what Jesus suffered
as it is the love that he demonstrated
in his suffering for us
that obliges us
and even forces us
to love him in return."

St. Gaspar del Bufalo, from Letter No. 57 to Countess Lucrezia Ginnasi, April 14, 1813

posted by Fr. Jeffrey Keyes, C.PP.S. on 5:02 PM link

. . .

Do Christians Fast?

Luke 5:33-39, today’s Gospel

Do Christians fast? Yes, but differently. Some may entertain the practice of fasting in order to get God to hear them. We, on the other hand, fast in order that we might listen to God. The striving to gain God’s ear is tantamount to putting a band-aid on a gaping wound, or a new patch on an old wine skin. Getting us to listen is harder work. Then we have to realize that we are a new creation, new wineskins filled with a stunning new wine.

Fasting is only important if it gets us to listen to God, to hunger for God, to thirst for God alone. Fasting form food is nice, but fasting from other pursuits, media, activities, radios, TVs, etc is also important. If we do not hunger for God, we are only depriving our bodies and going hungry. If we hunger for God, he is already there.

posted by Fr. Jeffrey Keyes, C.PP.S. on 9:37 AM link

. . .

Gaspar's advice on Prayer

Here, then, is the method which I would like to have you adopt:

1. After the noon meal, no application of the mind. Rather, a visit to the church, a bit of a walk into the countryside at a scheduled time, and a few soft, ejaculatory prayers will be sufficient, or, a brief glance into your relationship with God as seen through all things. It will be useful for you to sing the praises of the things of God, as found, for example, in the Psalms etc.; but also, a bit of the customary repose, since you are obliged likewise to preserve your health.

2. Meditations made from books are no longer your thing, but, rather, at an opportune time in the morning to place yourself in a state of silence. Do nothing, but only listen to the voice of God. You might say: "Lord, here I am at your beck and call." Allow your heart to speak with God, uttering its deep affection; do not get into reflective thoughts, except those that God himself arouses; rather, say: Lord speak to your servant ... oh would that I had always loved you." Then, look with tender glances at the crucifix and be filled with sentiments of confidence and trust in the Lord.

3. Offer only a few vocal prayers. Maintain a continuous realization of the presence of God; utter continual stream of aspirations as an incessant plea in the presence of God.

4. However, be occupied also in external works ... the Oratory ... the sick. All of this, of course, depending on your strength. Try this method for a bit, and you will begin to see the effects.

(to Mr. Giovanni Francesco Palmucci, June 28, 1826, letter 1451)

posted by Fr. Jeffrey Keyes, C.PP.S. on 11:05 PM link

. . .

Happy Birthday


Happy Birthday, Mom!


Anybody wishing to leave Birthday greetings for Mom, leave them in the Conversation area and I will forward them, or make sure she gets to see them.

posted by Fr. Jeffrey Keyes, C.PP.S. on 12:53 PM link

. . .

I'm Home

Sometimes it does not pay to go away. To greet me on my return home was this pile of snail mail. Many of them will be bills that need to be paid soon. I will deal with the stack in the morning. I opened the two boxes. One was a bottle of wine sent by a friend. The other was a book I had ordered from Amazon, "The Courage to be Catholic" by George Weigel.

posted by Fr. Jeffrey Keyes, C.PP.S. on 9:52 PM link

. . .

On The Road Again

Wednesday will be a travel day for me, flying to Chicago. See you tomorrow.

posted by Fr. Jeffrey Keyes, C.PP.S. on 12:46 AM link

. . .

Welcome

Wow, there have been a lot of visitors today. Welcome! Welcome especially to all the visitors from Onerock.com. I answer a bunch of questions over there for Catholic Teens.

posted by Fr. Jeffrey Keyes, C.PP.S. on 9:34 PM link

. . .

The Profile

PROFILE OF THE MISSIONARY OF THE PRECIOUS BLOOD

The Society of the Precious Blood is a Society of Apostolic Life. It is dedicated to the apostolic and missionary ministry of the word (C3). Our mission and our community life are sustained and directed by the spirituality of the Precious Blood.

This profile lists the qualities of a Precious Blood missionary. It serves as an aid to envisioning the ideals toward which we strive. A profile is general in nature and is intended to be developed in each concrete cultural circumstance. This Profile of the Missionary of the Precious Blood will help vocation directors and prospective candidates discern their call to our Congregation. It serves to guide formation directors and candidates in elaborating programs of formation. This profile is seen within the context of the spirit of our Founder, St. Gaspar, our C.PP.S. heritage, the Normative Texts, and the General Formation Program.

I. MISSION

Missionaries of the Precious Blood evangelize through the apostolic and missionary ministry of the word. The Precious Blood missionary hears the cry of the Blood. Our mission calls us:

• to be evangelized by the revealed Word of God in Jesus Christ and by the living Word of God present in the people and in the values of the culture to whom we are sent
• to evangelize
• in the ministry of the Word
• in witnessing by life-style
• in promoting peace, justice, and reconcilation
• in human promotion
• in defending human rights and dignity
• to read the signs of the times and to hear the cry of the Blood
• to defend life in a culture of death
• to respect and promote the inculturation of the Church in every society
• to collaborative ministry with all the faithful
• to intercultural and international sensitivity
• to educate ourselves in other cultures and languages
• to allow God’s Word to transform the patterns of human living
• to an ecumenism disposed to dialogue (S13) and to collaboration with other religions
• to stand in solidarity with those who suffer: the alienated, the poor, the disempowered, victims of oppression, the marginalized
• to work with perpetrators and victims to recover their full humanity
• to be prophetic: to resist deceit, injustice, and whatever is contrary to God’s reign
• to mobility, flexibility, and availability to various situations and cultures

II. COMMUNITY

We embrace community life which supports our mission. Our community life is sustained and directed by a spirituality of the Precious Blood. In community we pursue the perfection of charity through the bond of charity as sons of St. Gaspar. Our community life is characterized by:

• the bond of charity
• living together, as long as the needs of the apostolate do not demand otherwise (C7)
• a spirit of dialogue
• a sharing of personal faith, gifts, and talents
• mutual encouragement
• a simple lifestyle
• reconciliation
• conversion
• hospitality
• shared meals, prayer, ministry, and study
• embracing intercultural, international, and intergenerational community living
• an exchange of candidates and members in the international community

III. SPIRITUALITY

The spirituality of the Precious Blood motivates us and focuses our mission. The missionary finds at the center of his vocation the Blood of Christ. The spirituality of the Precious Blood includes:

• individual and communal prayer and study, especially with the Sacred Scriptures and C.PP.S. heritage
• our gathering at the Eucharistic table where our bond of charity is celebrated, and we are healed and strengthened for mission, and where the Cup of the Covenant creates communion and calls us to places that would challenge us
• reconciliation
• inclusivity and multicultural diversity
• openness
• interior freedom and poverty of spirit
• celibate loving
• a radical response to the call of the Blood
• renewal of person, culture, society, and Church
• humility which recognizes our interdependence
• our Gasparian charism
• deepening of our spirituality with others who share it

We seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance and grace in all the dimensions of our apostolic life as Missionaries of the Precious Blood. Those involved in the ministries of vocation animation and formation offer this profile of the Precious Blood missionary to guide and assist the Congregation in vocation and formation work. It represents our understanding of the realization of the charism of St. Gaspar at this point in time.

Giano, Abbazia di San Felice
July 8, 1999

posted by Fr. Jeffrey Keyes, C.PP.S. on 5:52 PM link

. . .

Our Mission

Mission Statement Province of the Pacific

We are a Congregation of Missionaries of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, living the spirit of Gaspar del Bufalo our founder.

We accompany one another in the bond of charity.

We dedicate ourselves to proclaim the redeeming love of God which we experience in the mystery of the Blood of Christ.

We stand with all who have been "brought near by the Blood of Christ."

We stand also with those who remain afar that we might be a prophetic voice and a healing presence to the Church and the World.


Proclamacion de Mision de la Provincia del Pacifico

Somos una congregacion de Misioneros de la Mas Preciosa Sangre de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo viviendo el espiritu de Gaspar del Bufalo nuestro fundador.

Nos accompañamos unos a otros en el vinculo de caridad.

Nos dedicamos a proclamar el Amor de Salvacion de Dios el cual experimentamos en el misterio de la Sangre de Cristo.

Estamos con todos los que han sido "Unidos por la Sangre de Cristo."

Estamos, tambien con esos que aun se mantienen alejados que lleguemos a ser una voz profetica y una presencia de alivio para la Iglesia y el Mundo

posted by Fr. Jeffrey Keyes, C.PP.S. on 5:22 PM link

. . .

Samuel Adams Boycott Still On

Samuel Adams apparently in more hot water.

posted by Fr. Jeffrey Keyes, C.PP.S. on 10:22 PM link

. . .

Finally!!

I went back to the National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi in San Francisco, this time with my sister, and with two friends. The main draw was the music ministry, but there was hope that a different presider might provide a bit of reverence and devotion to this whole experience. We were certainly gratified with today's presider. He sang most of the liturgy with great warmth and grace. And it was an excellent homily. It was worth the wait after the disappointment of the last two weeks.

The music of this place has the extraordinary ability to lift us up and transport us to a different place. It was truly inspirational. Again my favorite moment was the psalm. The choir sang the verses in four parts and every word was exceptionally clear. Singing the Credo was a moment of real faith. The Agnus Dei was sung with such care and devotion it was truly uplifting and gave us a glimpse of the heavenly table. Next time I am back home, this will be the place I will frequent.

Church building: A+
Liturgy: A++
Lectors: A++
Choir: A++++
Music Ministry: A++++
Preaching: A++
Presiding, A++
Hospitality: A++

posted by Fr. Jeffrey Keyes, C.PP.S. on 1:10 AM link

. . .