“Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth—in a word, to know Himself—so that, by knowing and loving God, men and women may also come to the fullness of truth about themselves.”
–St. John Paul II Preface to Fides et Ratio
Fides et Ratio Reflections
Early last Sunday morning, we returned to Central Standard Time, having set our non-connected devices back an hour manually. It’s certainly an easier shift that setting them an hour ahead in the spring.
Regarding the Christian conception of time, Pope St. John Paul II reflected in Fides et Ratio that “God’s Revelation is therefore immersed in time and history. Jesus Christ took flesh in the ‘fullness of time’ (Gal 4:4); and two thousand years later, I feel bound to restate forcefully that ‘in Christianity time has a fundamental importance.’ It is within time that the whole work of creation and salvation comes to light; and it emerges clearly above all that, with the Incarnation of the Son of God, our life is even now a foretaste of the fulfilment of time which is to come (cf. Heb 1:2)” (Fides et Ratio, no. 11).
The Holy Father continued his meditation on the uniquely pivotal significance of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ by noting, “The truth about Himself and his life which God has entrusted to humanity is immersed therefore in time and history; and it was declared once and for all in the mystery of Jesus of Nazareth” (ibid).
We therefore take time—past, present, and future—seriously because God did in Creation and the Incarnation. “It’s about time.”
It’s About Time
Veterans Day/Martin of Tours
Today is Veterans Day and fittingly, the memorial of St. Martin of Tours, Patron Saint of Soldiers. Throughout this week, each of our schools remembers, honors, and celebrates our nation’s veterans—including displays, art work, Mass, prayers, programs, etc.
Holy Spirit School and Trinity School had Veterans Day programs this afternoon, while Nativity School’s was yesterday. Note Nativity’s “Living Flag” photo from earlier this week—students arranged in red, white, and blue—white stars included.
Shanley and Sacred Heart paused today for school-wide prayer and reflection just before the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.
Thank you to all veterans for yourself-giving service! St. Martin of Tours: “Pray for us.”
Go Deacons!
Tonight at approximately 6:40 pm in the Fargodome, the third-seed Shanley Deacons will play the eighth-seed Bismarck Century Partiots for the state 11AA football championship. (Checking my notes)…Weather in the dome should not be a factor.
Significantly, this is the first time since 1983 that Shanley has played in the ultimate game at the highest level of North Dakota high school football—that’s 39 years. Since we opted up to the highest level four years ago, Coach Troy Mattern, his associate coaches, and our players and their families have steadily risen to the top. Congratulations on all their efforts and the virtues that have been taught and embraced in our program. All the best to the talented, hard-working, united Deacon football team. Go Deacons!
The game will be broadcast live on TV WDAY and WDAY Sports+ as well as on the radio at AM1100 The Flag WZFG.
Sixth World Day of the Poor
St. Martin of Tours’ conversion began when he shared his cloak with a beggar and later had a dream that it was Christ Himself (cf. Matthew 25:31-46).
Pope Francis instituted the annual “World Day of the Poor” in 2017 to be celebrated each November on the Thirty-third Sunday of Ordinary Time. In doing so, he invites us to encounter the poor, walk in solidarity with them, and respond concretely to their needs—just as St. Martin of Tours did.
The Holy Father chose a verse from St. Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians as the theme for this year: “For your sakes Christ became poor” (2 Cor. 8:9).
Pope Francis explained, “With these words, the Apostle Paul addresses the first Christians of Corinth in order to encourage their efforts to show solidarity with their brothers and sisters in need. The World Day of the Poor comes this year as a healthy challenge, helping us to reflect on our style of life and on the many forms of poverty all around us.”
May we heed this “healthy challenge” by coming to the aid of our neighbors in need. For the full message from Pope Francis, click here:
President’s Proverb
“The biggest disease today is not leprosy or tuberculosis, but rather the feeling of being unwanted, uncared for, and deserted by everybody.”
–St. Teresa of Calcutta
Hagstrom’s Attempt At Humor (HAAH!)
Sunday Psalm Sampler
Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
“Everything written about Me in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.”
–Luke 24:44b
Lectionary Readings: Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time | USCCB
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 98: 5-9
Responsorial Refrain: “The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.” (cf. Psalm 98:9)
Chris Brunelle’s YouTube recording: R&A Psalm 33rd Sunday Ordinary Time 2022, Psalm 98 Cycle C – YouTube
Psalm 98 (verses 1-4) was used just a few weeks ago in the Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time. I noted then: “A victorious song proclaiming the glorious, universal reign of God, Psalm 98 is used often in the Christmas and Easter liturgies. It is also used for the Feasts of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I continued, “Its use this Sunday amplifies the universality of the message of the saving power of God found in the readings of the day.”
Now in the Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, verses 5-9 continue that expansive, joyful praise of the Lord’s mighty power since “He will rule the world with justice and the peoples with equity” (Ps. 98:5).
This week, as we participate in the penultimate Sunday Mass of the liturgical year—with its last Sunday the next week with Christ the King Sunday—we do well to sing and recall the coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, for “The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.”
mike.hagstrom@jp2schools.org