Several weeks ago, I read an article in the local Catholic paper that astounded me. It was all about how public displays of private prayer are unhealthy. Perhaps what surprised me the most was that the article was written by the Catholic priest, Fr. Ron Rolheiser, who should know better. Since his columns are syndicated, he has now, most probably, created much confusion among the faithful. He cites Matthew 6:5-6 where Jesus says, “…but when you pray, go to your private room, shut yourself in, and so pray to your Father who is in that secret place,” as the text to justify, in a fundamental way, his arguments for believing the way he does. He claims that Jesus “doesn’t distinguish as to whether these acts come from a sincere heart or a false one” in an attempt to convince the reader that all public acts of private prayer are bad. He says they are “bad art, art that irritates more than it inspires,” and that all such displays are “unhealthy exhibitionism.” He even says that private devotions and private acts of penance when done in public are “unhealthily exhibitionistic.” Fr. Rolheiser misses the whole point of Jesus’ warning against hypocrisy and His attempts to call people to repentance and to true love even while admitting that that was Jesus’ main point. “But,” says Fr. Rolheiser, “He (Jesus) is also warning against the public display of private devotion itself, no matter how sincere.” While it is true that Jesus wants to be in communion with us in our hearts, where we continually love each other in secret, He didn’t intend for us NEVER to show any expression of that love in public. If fact the entire Bible is filled with example after example of people using their very bodies to thank, praise and give expression to the gift of love they have received from the Lord. Not only in scriptures do we find example after example of people showing their love for God in gestures and prostrations, in tears and in reverential bows, but our whole Catholic Tradition is filled with story after story of worshiping God with our whole selves from the Apostles all the way down to present day pilgrims who sometimes travel on their knees as an act of love for our Lord and to call upon His great mercy. St. Peter fell to his knees in the boat and begged the Lord to depart from him. St. John laid his head on the heart of our Lord during the first Holy Mass! St. Mary Magdalene wept all over the feet of the Savior and dried His feet with her hair and anointed them and kissed them. The Lord certainly didn’t tell her she was an unhealthy exhibitionist…instead He praised her love and I’m sure He delighted in her actions and in her.
How glad I am, then, that our own good priest gave a wonderful catechesis this weekend on genuflection. In just a few minutes he encapsulated the teaching of the Church on why we genuflect and how good it is for us. He quoted St. Paul and how “every knee must bend at the Name of Jesus” and how genuflecting in front of the Holy Eucharist reminds us of the Lord of Heaven and Earth who is Present with us and how the humble posture of genuflecting increases our humility and our belief in the Real Presence. It reminds us of who God is and who we are. He spoke of many things and ended by pointing out that worshipping God with our whole selves (minds, hearts, souls AND bodies) is what Catholics do. I was very proud at that moment to BE a Catholic. What a beautiful and rich faith we have been given by God!
We learn though our senses and it is so important to see people in love with God for the building up and passing on of the faith. We learn love through the example of others especially our parents. When we see that they love each other we are somehow more secure…we have a greater sense of well-being. Fr. Rolheiser would probably have benefited to see my own parents dancing in the kitchen while dinner was cooking… I know I did. If we never see expressions of love, disorders are bound to occur. And if we never see them in Church, heresies are bound to occur. Just look at Jansenism or any other heresy; we are people with bodies and souls and we need healthy examples to thrive. To see our priests and religious in prayer is one of the best examples of increasing our belief in God…Our hope in Him and our love for Him. An eloquent homily does far less than to see the change in a priest’s face or voice as he realizes he is speaking of his beloved God. To see authentic and healthy love is contagious and spreads to our hearts like fire. And it is fire…the fire of God’s love. On Good Friday every year, the Church asks her priests to prostrate themselves at the beginning of the service. It is always a powerful moment for me and while our priest is down prostrate on the floor in body, the congregation should all be down there with him in spirit…The whole body of Christ. We should never be put out to see others loving God. It is our mission to make Him more loved and when we see someone come and display their private feelings of love towards God, we should be uplifted and edified that He is loved more. Sadly, there are so few who love him and fewer still who show Him. “Behold this Heart which has loved so much, yet is so little loved.” When our Lord said this to St. Margaret Mary, He must have wept. He so wants our love and affection and we still refuse His tender appeals. May we never be ashamed of our love for Him; He will never be ashamed of us before His Heavenly Father and the Holy Angels.
Oh, my sweet Lord! Thank you for your love and for teaching me how to be me in your presence. My body sometimes acts of its own accord when we are together. If you didn’t have work for me I would always be kissing the ground and thanking you for your great mercy toward me. In the silence of my heart I am with you always and gazing upon your beauty. I forget myself sometimes in your presence and I just see you and your need for love and the tears come. Thank you for the gift of yourself in the Holy Eucharist…it is a miracle of love. A love that lowers itself to folly! I love you so much and want to love you even more…to be a fool for love. Thank you for all the examples you have given to your Church to show us all the many ways you are loved and glorified. Thank you for the martyrs who were, and are, never ashamed to show you their love with their very lives. Thank you for the Holy Virgins who give you their entire selves as your brides…may the fragrant purity of their lives inspire us all to keep our lamps lit and ready for you. Thank you for the gift of the Priesthood and the gift of Spiritual Fatherhood. You choose the weak and make them strong. You are present among us in your priests and I beg you to make them all faithful to the teachings of your Church. Bring back the lost and keep your faithful sons true. Thank you for all your saints who became as children in your sight. How they trusted in you! When they raised their hands, you picked them up and carried them. When they cried, you comforted them. When they needed your power, you gave it to them. What a good Father you are and a good friend and a good lover! May the passion of the saints inspire us to cling to you and to never give a thought to human respect when it comes to showing you love. May all of us forget ourselves entirely and live only for you….like your holy mother Mary. Thank you for giving us such a selfless mother who shows us how to be a Christian. She shows us what it means to be Church and to be one with you. Oh, my mother, please obtain the grace of love for Fr. Rolheiser. Teach him how to fall in love with Jesus…real, mad, and crazy love that thinks only of the beloved and when he finds him, just like the bride in the Song of Solomon, he “would not let Him go.” Good and gentle Jesus, give your special help to all your chosen sons that they may bring your love and your truth to your people. And may we all respond to that love and return it to you with every action of our lives…with every breath we take, with every beating of our hearts, with every step we take…with all. May we always be grateful for all of the blessings of our lives especially your beautiful life-giving love! Amen.
Recommended Reading:
- The Better Part by Fr. John Bartunek, LC
- 20 Holy Hours by Fr. Mateo Crawley-Boevey, SS.CC.
