PTC: Scouting in the Catholic Church

The conference is going quite well. It has been a blast to discuss scouting with INTERESTED and DEDICATED CATHOLIC scouters. I think we will all be going back to our dioceses with renewed energy and ideas to build up CATHOLIC Scouting. I am already looking forward to the Biannual meeting in April! I am going on a Chaplain trip in the morning with the other seminarian, two priests and the Padre. Write more later.

July 31, 2007: St. Ignatius of Loyola

Readings: Ex 33:7-11; 34:5b-9, 28, Ps 103:6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13, Mt 13:36-43

In the Gospel from todays readings, we hear the disciples asking Jesus to explain the parable of the sower. Think about the humility of the disciples asking him to explain what he meant with the parable. This I think shows several things that we can look at in our own lives.

1. Are we humble enough to ask Christ to clarify things for us?
2. Are we open to hear the response even if it is not what we want?
3. Are we ready to act on what we hear the Lord telling us or clarifying for us?

I think we can take a lesson from the disciples and not rely just on ourselves for knowledge, information, or anything else. Instead, we should be relying on Christ and listening to what he wants us to do and acting on what he wants us to do.

St. Ignatius of Loyola is a perfect example of listening and following the will of God in his life. Have a great day!

July 28, 2007- Saturday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time

Readings: Ex 24:3-8, Ps 50:1b-2, 5-6, 14-15, Mt 13:24-30

In the gospel today, we hear of the sower who planted his field and the enemy who came and laid his field with weeds. The sower let the two grow side by side and then at the harvest seperated them out. This parable is so applicable into today's world. Just look around and see the weeds that try to choke out the faith, from media to the aclu to modernism, all are there and we must be aware and not let them affect us as much as possible. The risk remains that we can forget that these aspects are weeds and not just the way things should be. Thus, let us be vigillant and protect ourselves from being corrupted by the weeds around us.

July 27, 2007- Friday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time

Readings: Ex 20:1-17, Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11, Mt 13:18-23

Going Deeper, How do you do it? When you look at the readings for today we have the ten commandments from Exodus and the parable of the sower in the gospel from the Gospel of Matthew. I think that faith is something that has to be cultivated and worked on for its roots to grow deeper. The way we can work on it is through the ten commandments as a start point and then moving out to the living out the Gospel. That is the task of our faith journey, to grow deeper in love with Christ. This is only possible if we get on our knees, examine our life and work on ourselves. As we go through the day, what can we do to grow our roots deeper?

July 26, 2007- Sts. Joachim and Anne

Readings: Ex 19:1-2, 9-11, 16-20b, Daniel 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56, Mt 13:10-17


In the gospel today, Christ speaks of hearing and not understanding. Looking but not seeing. He states this because his disciples were asking about why he was speaking in parables. The truth behind his genius is making the message of the Gospel relavent to them in a way that they understand. For example, if you look at the image of the Good Sheperd (John 10:1-20). One of the important jobs was that of the sheep herder. Thus, the people that he was talking to understood well the role of the sheperd and the importance of the sheperd for the flock. The people understood and what he said would stick with them.



Today, we are challenged to help the modern world understand the parables and incorporate their truths into our lives. The Word of God is made present to us when it is proclaimed. It is made and alive and new when proclaimed at Mass. Thus, the homily is a key part of the Good News and must be treated as the sacred duty it is. Future priests must strive to bring the sound doctrine to the world. All of us in the pews must be attentive to the voice of the Lord in the scriptures and what the homily states and dwell on them. This is how we grow we listen to the Lord and the Church and we work to perfect and change our lives into lives of service to Christ and his church.

July 25, 2007- St. James

Readings: 2 Cor 4:7-15, Ps 126:1bc-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6, Mt 20:20-28

Today we celebrate the feast of St. James. He was the first apostle that was martyred for the faith. The gospel today states that his mother asks for her two sons, James and John, to sit at the right and left hand of God. Christ responds with,

“You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?”

James and John respond immediately "we can." The truth is that they received what their mom asked for. They became martyrs for the Church. Their blood lost for the Gospel helped to spread the word of God and strengthened the Church. Martyrdom continues today in the Church and we must be ready and willing to lay down our life, if it is the will of God, for the sake of the Gospel. Are you ready? What do we need to do to get ready? Study, pray, work for the kingdom of God?

The fact is that in the United States, we will probably not die a martyr, but we are called to be a martyr of charity. The white martyrdom. Every day we should be becoming more like Christ, reaching out to others and growing in our relationship with God. We might not spill blood, but we can spill ourselves out completely for God.

July 24, 2007- St. Sharbe Makhluf

Readings: Ex 14:21—15:1, Exodus 15:8-9, 10 and 12, 17, Mt 12:46-50

Obedience, the word that connects both the first reading and the gospel. Who are Christ's mother, brother or sister? Those that do the will of the father. When we are obedient to God, we become a new creation of his love. When we are not obedient we get ourselves bogged down in the muck and mire of our own sinfullness. This is shown in the first reading in the scene from Exodus where the Egyptians are chasing the Isrealites after agreeing to let them go. What happens is that they are killed when the Red Sea closes after the Isrealites pass through. It is quite an image to think about when we are not obedient.

July 23, 2007- St. Bridget of Sweden

Readings: Ex 14:5-18, Exodus 15:1bc-2, 3-4, 5-6, Mt 12:38-42

In today's gospel, the pharisees ask for a sign. Christ's response is that of honesty.

“An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so for three days and three nights the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth. "

He is in these few lines telling them that they would not believe it and that the uber sign is that of his own death and resurrection. For it is these few that want a sign because they want to use it against him. Not because they want to come to faith.

In our own life, how often we ask for signs from God without thinking. If we have the faith of a mustard seed, how needless signs would be. As we go forward this day let us find the faith and ask God to increase our faith so that we do not need signs but that we only trust in him and his promise.

July 22, 2007- 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Readings: Gn 18:1-10a, Ps 15:2-3, 3-4, 5, Col 1:24-28, Lk 10:38-42

This sunday we are called to focus on our call to discipleship. We are called to be open to serve God and others, regardless of who they are. Look at Abraham in the first reading, he had his wife sarah prepare food for three strangers and they were blessed by God for their faithfullness.
In the second reading, we hear about the sufferings of Paul for the Church, for his faith. This suffering comes out of not wanting to get ahead and show the world how good he was but his freely taking on that suffering out of love for God and love of the Gospel. This is what we are called to do.
In the Gospel once again we are shown what is better, to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen. This is not to say that we do not offer hospitality as Martha does, but we must make sure that Christ is at the center of our life and reason for our actions. We do not do acts for the sake of recognition, attention or any other reason except for the love of God and witness to our faith. This is the gospel that was preached by St. Francis. He stated "Preach the gospel always and use words only when necessary." This is only possible when Christ is at the center of our life. Thus, every act of service, every part of suffering that we experience can be a moment of conversion for us and for others.
Let us take our place in the world and show the faith by our love and quiet suffering that we endure for Christ who will be with us always until he comes again.

July 21,2007- Saint Lawrence of Brindisi

Saint Lawarance of Brindisi was a powerful preacher who was Capuchin friar. He wrote many books about the faith and helped people to see their faith and live their faith.

In the Gospel of Matthew, from the mass of the day, we hear a quote from Isaiah,

18 “Here is my servant, whom I have chosen,
my beloved, with whom my soul is well pleased.
I will put my Spirit upon him,
and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
19 He will not wrangle or cry aloud,
nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
20 He will not break a bruised reed
or quench a smoldering wick
until he brings justice to victory.
21 And in his name the Gentiles will hope.”

Matthew 12:18-21

Everyone one of us is chosen by God to do something with our life. Each one of us has a vocation. When the time is right God reveals to us what our vocation is through other people, through our own desires, through his guiding spirit. The test is to be patient, listen and be obedient.

St. Lawarence is an example of following his vocation and bringing people closer to Christ. It may not have always been easy for him, however he peserved and was faithful to his vocation. Let us each be faithful to our vocation and bring about the kingdom of God! God works through us, it is not our work but his.

St. Apollinarius

Today we celebrate St. Apollinarius, bishop and martyr. He was a missionary bishop to Ravenna and was exiled, imprissoned, tortured and eventually martyred for the faith. If we had the faith like St. Apollinarius how far we could go and witness to the world. The whole point of the christian life is to grow closer to Christ and become more like him. Let us pray for an increase in faith, hope and love.
Arthur Nave Jr.