SPIRITUALITY 101
SPIRITUAL REFLECTION- 93
Deacon Jim Breazile o.c.d.s.

While Saint John Chrysostom was saying a pontifical Mass in the cathedral of Constantinople, a man ran into the temple an embraced the altar stone. He was Eutropius, a persecutor of Christians, who had just lost favor with the Emperor, and believing himself ruined, sought refuge in the Church. The Christians in the cathedral immediately recognized their enemy, but Saint John said: "Everything at the altar belongs to Christ and is therefore exempt from the emperors' persecutions. Therefore Eutropius who has embraced the alter stone is free from the Emperor's persecution." He thus granted the right to asylum to his old enemy.

This is how it is today. All those who embrace the altar of Christ belong to Him. It is because of this that the Church is called Catholic. No one is excluded except those who will to exclude themselves. All who are baptized into the death of Christ are members of the Body of Christ and a part of the one, Holy Catholic Church.

DEVOTION - Growth in love- 3rd stage 
DEVOTIONALS- MEDITATION-SACRAMENTALS-THE ROSARY-19 
THE CREED-18 

The expression of the article of faith in the Apostles Creed, "I believe in the Holy Spirit" is immediately followed by a series of expressions of faith that are linked to faith in the Holy Spirit. The first is "the Holy Catholic Church." Any one who is interested in the Christian Church of today could review world history books and come to understand the Church that today is called the "Holy Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church," is the only Christian Church that has been in existence since the time of Christ. Worldly knowledge and logic however, does not suffice for faith. Unwavering believe in the Holy Catholic Church as an article of faith is dependent upon inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

The necessity of inspiration derives from the fact of the Church as a mystery. St. Thomas Aquinas explains this in his catechism on the Church. "As we see that in man there is one body and one soul, and yet this body has various members, so too, the Catholic Church is one body and has many members. The soul, which gives life to the body (of the Church) is the Holy Spirit. For this reason, after expressing our faith in the Holy Spirit, we are commanded to believe in the Holy Catholic Church." (cf. In Symbolum Apostolorum Expositio, art 9, Edit. Taur., n. 971). The mystery of the Church lies in the fact that its soul is the Holy Spirit, and as a soul, dwelling in those who believe, pervades and rules over the Church as a whole. The Holy Spirit therefore unites all persons of faith into the one body of Christ.

The Church is Holy by virtue of her origin and institution. Christ instituted the church and merited the gift of the Holy Spirit by His sacrifice on the cross. The Holy Spirit was sent on Pentecost to continually give life to and to sanctify the Church through the ages. The Church is Holy by virtue of her purpose which is to be the glory of God and the salvation of all men. Because the Church is the Body of Christ on earth, and Christ is one, there is only one Church. Thus in the Nicene Creed, we profess faith in "One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church". The Church is Apostolic, because Christ chose the 12 Apostles as the human instruments through which the Church received the divine truth revealed by and in Christ. The descendants of the apostles have maintained the apostolic character of the Church through the ages. They have preserved and guarded the articles of faith through their teaching to this day.

It is unfortunate that, due to a failure of the members of the one, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church to properly nourish all the faithful through the ages, that the Church has become fragmented. Thus it is that there has been misunderstanding and protestation of specific and sometimes general articles of faith expressed by the Catholic Church. The fragmentation did not end with simple separation from the Catholic Church. Once the Body was separated, the ability to live the life of unity in the Holy Spirit was diminished. Therefore today there are hundreds of separated Protestant Churches. It remains, however the responsibility of the one, Holy and Apostolic Church to recognize all baptized Christians as members of the Church established by Christ. Upon this recognition, it is also the responsibility that members of this Church do all that is possible for the restoration of unity in faith and body within the Church.

The restoration and maintenance of unity of faith and body within the Catholic Church depends upon the members of this Church living lives of holiness by following the foot steps of Christ in all that they do. This life of holiness can be achieved only through an acceptance and actuation of the continual outpouring of the gifts of the Holy Spirit through the Sacraments of the Church.

We are expected to live our life as Catholics. The word means universal. This means that we are to love all persons, regardless of their faith tradition, or lack of faith, as Christ loves them. Only in this way will the Church be seen in the world as One, Holy and Catholic.

THE NEW CATHOLIC CATECHISM: 
ARTICLE No. 1023 HEAVEN 

Those who die in God's grace and friendship are perfectly purified live for ever with Christ. They are like God for ever, for they "see him as he is," face to face: (1 Jn 3:1; 1 Cor 13:12; Rev 22:4) By virtue of our apostolic authority, we define the following: According to the general disposition of God, the souls of all the saints .. and other faithful who died after receiving Christ's holy Baptism (provided they were not in need of purification when they died, --- or, if they then did need or will need some purification, when they have been purified after death, …) already before they take up their bodies again and before the general judgment - and this since the Ascension of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ into heaven - have been, are and will be in heaven, in the heavenly Kingdom and celestial paradise with Christ, joined to the company of the holy angels. Since the Passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ, these souls have seen and do see the divine essence with an intuitive vision, and even face to face, without the mediation of any creature. "

SEEKING HEAVEN
Deacon Jim Breazile o.c.d.s .

I pray my Lord for a blessed death 
To share your likeness at my last breath 
To be so disposed to your Holy grace 
That I might see your hallowed face

I pray my Lord that my demise 
Might be followed by a rise 
To heaven where the angels sing 
And holy saints your praises bring

I do, Oh Lord Your heaven seek 
I solicit the blessing of the meek 
I hope to see you as you are 
And not just dimly from afar

I know that what I ask is dear 
The cost to your Holy Son is clear 
His Passion and His death Oh Lord 
Make possible this great award

Ó2001 DR. JAMES E. BREAZILE, deacon 
JOHN PAUL EVANGELIST OCDS