Lenten Book Study "Self Portrait" - Chapter 1

Once again, I am leading a book study. This time the book is Jim Sano's novel "Self Portrait", the 3rd 4th book in the Fr. Tom series. It is a mini-book study over 4 evenings - Feb. 13th, Feb. 20th, March 5th, and March 19th - covering 8 chapters during each meeting.

To help us with our discussions, I came up with questions for us to reflect on and prepare to share during the meeting. The questions are:

• Which character struck you the most in the chapter? Why?
• Which character reminds you of yourself or someone you know? How?
• Do you empathize or sympathize with any of the characters in the chapter? Which one? Why?
• Were there any teachings or references to the Catholic faith that you picked up in the chapter? If yes, what is it and what were your thoughts?
• What do you find most compelling about the chapter? Why?

Below are my thoughts on chapter 1.

Which character struck you the most in the chapter? Why?

In Chapter 1, we are introduced to Jessica (a young woman running through South End in Boston), Officer William (Billy) Patrick Quinn with Boston PD and his partner, Sean O'Donnell. Finally, there is Mary, who is Billy's wife of 35 years and they have lived in the same apartment their entire married life together. The character that struck me would have to be Billy. He is compassionate and protective as we can see in his interaction with Jessica. He is a devoted and loving husband married to his wife of 35 years. Mary is sick and needs surgery so he is concerned about her. Also, Billy suffered the loss of his son and is a mentor for Sean, who he and Mary took in as a teenager. Billy is no doubt one of the main characters with complexities that will undoubtedly unfold throughout the story.

Which character reminds you of yourself or someone you know? How?

I see myself in Billy because of the love that he has for his wife and how he worries about her health and well-being.

Do you empathize or sympathize with any of the characters in the chapter? Which one? Why?

I would say Billy again. He is a regular guy who goes to work to support his family. He loves his wife and has concern for others - Sean & Jessica.

Were there any teachings or references to the Catholic faith that you picked up in the chapter? If yes, what is it and what were your thoughts?

While not explicitly in the chapter, considering that Billy & Mary have been married for 35 years speaks to the Church's understanding of the permanence, unitive, and procreative purposes of marriage between one man and one woman as God intends. Billy is by Mary's side in sickness and Mary is by Billy's side in his career as a police officer.

What do you find most compelling about the chapter? Why?

I am asking myself, what happened to Billy and Mary's son? We are shaped by our experiences in life - the good and the bad. How is Billy affected by the death of his son? How does that play into the fear that he might have with his wife being sick and need surgery that he cannot afford? These are all intriguing storylines to follow.

Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-55) - Holy Desires

Dearest Goddaughter,

God does not tempt us, it is the Evil One - Satan - who tempts us in an effort to take us away from God and lead us astray. We read this in today's first reading from the letter of Saint James: ". . .God is not subject to temptation to evil, and he himself tempts no one."

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, and one of the readings we will hear is how Satan tempts Christ when Jesus is at his weakest after being in the desert for 40 days and fasting. The Father did not tempt His only Begotten Son; however, like He does with us, He permits, allows us to be tempted because God wants us to turn away from temptations and sin and turn to Him of our own freewill.

Moreover, Saint James did not mince words when he wrote: ". . .each person is tempted when lured and enticed by his desire. . ." Lent is a season of penance and the disciplines of pray, fast, and giving alms are meant to help us master our desires rather than allow our desires to have control over us. We speak of unholy desires that "conceive and bring forth sin, and when sin reaches maturity it gives birth to death." Just as anger leads to hate and hate leads to suffering; unholy desires lead to sin and sin leads to death.

Therefore, let our desires be for things of God because "all good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights. . ." When we desire things of God, God blesses us abundantly in the way that Jesus blesses the disciples abundantly in today's Gospel. The disciples gave what bread they had for the sake of others, Jesus took what they gave him and multiplied it, and returned to them more than that they had given him.

Jesus desires for us to have life and have it abundantly. Let us reflect on this through this Lenten season and desire Him above all through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: Jas 1:12-18 and Mk 8:14-21 (below).

. . .

The disciples had forgotten to bring bread,

and they had only one loaf with them in the boat.

Jesus enjoined them, "Watch out,

guard against the leaven of the Pharisees

and the leaven of Herod."

They concluded among themselves that

it was because they had no bread.

When he became aware of this he said to them,

"Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread?

Do you not yet understand or comprehend?

Are your hearts hardened?

Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear?

And do you not remember,

when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand,

how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?"

They answered him, "Twelve."

"When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand,

how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?"

They answered him, "Seven."

He said to them, "Do you still not understand?"

Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-54) - Signs

Dearest Goddaughter,

What signs do you seek from God? For me, I ask God to help me know that I am doing His will. I understand this to be discernment - when I align my will with His will. I discerned the Diaconate for 6 years before Ordination.

I tell the engaged couples who come to us for marriage class that, while the man had already "popped the question," their engagement period is a time of discernment. A time to pray together and for each other for God's blessing on their relationship and ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen their bond, forgive where there is unforgiveness, and for Jesus Christ to show them how to love each other in a deeper way, renewed in their faith in the Father.

This is the sign that we ought to ask from God, "thy will be done" as we pray in the Lord's Prayer. When our will is align with God's will for us, we will feel a supernatural peace and joy in our lives.

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: Jas 1:1-11 and Mk 8:11-13 (below).

. . .

The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with Jesus,

seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him.

He sighed from the depth of his spirit and said,

"Why does this generation seek a sign?

Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation."

Then he left them, got into the boat again,

and went off to the other shore.

Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-53) - The Eucharist and the Priesthood

Dearest Goddaughter,

Today's Gospel, in which Jesus fed 4,000 people reminded me of this "Prayer for Vocations" that the Diocese of Austin distributed.. It starts like this: "Jesus our Savior, your Sacred Heart felt compassion where you looked upon the crowd and saw that they were like sheep without a shepherd. . ." In today Gospel, Jesus said: "My heart is moved with pity for the crowd. . ."

Jesus instituted the priesthood at the Last Supper so that we may have the Eucharist - the Bread of Life - to nourish and strengthen us in our journey in life. However, without priests, there is no Eucharist. We must pray for vocations to the priesthood, that the Holy Spirit opens the "hearts of my brothers and sisters to your will and raise up abundant faithful servants of the Gospel - devoted and holy priests, sisters, and brothers who will spend themselves for your people in the Diocese of Austin."

The prayer concludes with "May none of your flock, won at the price of your blood, be without a shepherd to guide them. . ." We must pray for parents to foster vocations in their domestic church. When parents are faithful to Jesus Christ and his Bride - the Church - they will raise children who are also faithful to Jesus Christ and desire to serve his Church. 

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: 1 Kgs 12:26-32; 13:33-34 and Mk 8:1-10 (below).

. . .

In those days when there again was a great crowd without anything to eat,

Jesus summoned the disciples and said,

“My heart is moved with pity for the crowd,

because they have been with me now for three days

and have nothing to eat.

If I send them away hungry to their homes,

they will collapse on the way,

and some of them have come a great distance.”

His disciples answered him, “Where can anyone get enough bread

to satisfy them here in this deserted place?”

Still he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?”

They replied, “Seven.”

He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground.

Then, taking the seven loaves he gave thanks, broke them,

and gave them to his disciples to distribute,

and they distributed them to the crowd.

They also had a few fish.

He said the blessing over them

and ordered them distributed also.

They ate and were satisfied.

They picked up the fragments left over–seven baskets.

There were about four thousand people.

He dismissed the crowd and got into the boat with his disciples

and came to the region of Dalmanutha.

Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-52) - Ephphatha!

Dearest Goddaughter,

I love baptizing babies and toddlers. I also pray for them and their parents and godparents because it is the responsibility of the parents (with the help of the godparents) to teach and form their children in the Catholic faith. I tell parents that the greatest legacy and gift that they can leave their children is a robust faith in God through Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit. This means that the parents and godparents must also be strong in their Catholic faith.

One of my favorite parts of the Rite of Baptism is the Ephphatha, which has its origin from today's Gospel. The people brought to Jesus a "deaf man who had a speech impediment." Jesus "put his finger into the man's ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, "Ephphatha!" (that is, "Be opened!"). . . immediately the man's ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed. . ."

After I do the Sign of the Cross on the ears and mouth of the child, I invite the parents and godparents to do the same. I share with them this story in the Gospel and explain that their (god)child's  ears are now open to hear God's words through His Word and speak His Truth for others. But, first, the parents and godparents, along with their families and the support of their parish family, must form the child in the Catholic faith. The parents are the heads of their family - the domestic church - in communion with the Catholic Church. 

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: 1 kgs 11:29-32; 12:19 and Mk 7:31-37 (below).

. . .

Jesus left the district of Tyre

and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee,

into the district of the Decapolis.

And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment

and begged him to lay his hand on him.

He took him off by himself away from the crowd.

He put his finger into the man's ears

and, spitting, touched his tongue;

then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him,

"Ephphatha!" (that is, "Be opened!")

And immediately the man's ears were opened,

his speech impediment was removed,

and he spoke plainly.

He ordered them not to tell anyone.

But the more he ordered them not to,

the more they proclaimed it.

They were exceedingly astonished and they said,

"He has done all things well.

He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."

Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-51) - Love God Above All

Dearest Goddaughter,

God asks of us two things and these are the two Commandments that Jesus teaches us: to love God with all our heart, mind, and soul, and to love our neighbors.

When I first met Theresa, I was not a Catholic, but I saw in her how much she loved her faith. As we prepared for marriage and took the #Unitas marriage classes, the couples teaching the class challenged me not just to allow her to grow in her faith, by not being an impediment or obstacle, but also to grow in my own faith with her as a married couple. I had no doubt that I would support her by attending Mass with her on Sundays. However, God placed on my heart what it truly means for the two to become one flesh, to be united as a married couple. The rest, as they say, is history - my story woven into His story of redemption.

Today's first reading - of how "when Solomon was old his wives had turned his heart to strange gods, and his heart was not entirely with the LORD, his God. . ." - reminded me of my own story. While I am so blessed and happy that Theresa took a chance, followed her heart, and married a unbaptized, non-Catholic,, I would encourage all Catholics to take into consideration not only the faith of the person that they want to start a relationship with, especially if they love their Catholic faith, but also how devoted they are to the practice of their faith because disunity can be painful in a marriage.

I have witnessed this a lot while working with couples preparing for marriage. Certainly, the "heart loves what the heart loves;" however, if our hearts love God above all, then our days will be filled with peace and harmony - in our hearts, marriage, and family.

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: 1 Kgs 11:4-13 and Mk 7:24-30 (below).

. . .

Jesus went to the district of Tyre.

He entered a house and wanted no one to know about it,

but he could not escape notice.

Soon a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him.

She came and fell at his feet.

The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth,

and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter.

He said to her, “Let the children be fed first.

For it is not right to take the food of the children

and throw it to the dogs.”

She replied and said to him,

“Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps.”

Then he said to her, “For saying this, you may go.

The demon has gone out of your daughter.”

When the woman went home, she found the child lying in bed

and the demon gone.

Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-50) - Breathless

Dearest Goddaughter,

Two young men - who were in R.C.I.A. preparing to receive the Sacraments at the Easter Vigil that following week - came up to me after my Ordination Mass (March of 2019). They were left "breathless" by their experience of their first "major" Mass.

There were KofC Sir Knights, altar servers, deacons, priests, the men to be ordained, and, of course, our Bishop. It was a beautiful Mass. Everyone lifted up their voices giving God praise and worship. Who would not be left "breathless" by the beauty of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass?! I remember my first time experience the Triduum, it left me breathless to think that we get to experience the heavenly banquet right here on earth at Mass.

When I hear how some people "do not get anything out of Mass," I pray for them because, as Jesus tells us in today's Gospel, their hearts are not in the right place. When they prepare their hearts for Mass, through prayer, meditating on the readings for Mass, and falling in love with Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, then the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass will leave them breathless in the same way that Queen Sheba was left breathless by what she witnessed.

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: 1 Kgs 10:1-10 and Mk 7:14-23 (below).

. . .

Jesus summoned the crowd again and said to them,

“Hear me, all of you, and understand.

Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person;

but the things that come out from within are what defile.”

When he got home away from the crowd

his disciples questioned him about the parable.

He said to them,

“Are even you likewise without understanding?

Do you not realize that everything

that goes into a person from outside cannot defile,

since it enters not the heart but the stomach

and passes out into the latrine?”

(Thus he declared all foods clean.)

“But what comes out of the man, that is what defiles him.

From within the man, from his heart,

come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder,

adultery, greed, malice, deceit,

licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.

All these evils come from within and they defile.”