The Immaculate Conception, John the Baptist, & Arresting Strangeness

This weekend the liturgy presents us with two striking figures: It’s the Third Sunday of Advent, so the Gospel focuses on John the Baptist, but this weekend is also the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, so we are encouraged to ponder the mystery of Mary who was conceived without original sin.

JRR Tolkien, the author of The Lord of the Rings, coined an interesting literary term: arresting strangeness (cf. Tolkien, Essay on Fairy-Stories). He says that one of the advantages of the fantasy genre is the ease with which an author can utilize arresting strangeness. This is when the oddity of a character or scene stops us in our tracks and we are forced to ask, “What is going on here?” This technique is used effectively when the arresting strangeness draws us into a deeper truth contained within the character or scene.

Although Tolkien coined the term arresting strangeness, God was using the technique long before The Lord of the Rings, which Tolkien himself points out. The Bible and our Tradition are filled with true stories that should continually make us stop and ask, “What is going on here?” The trouble is that we have gotten so comfortable with the strangeness of the stories that we are no longer arrested by them.

We have two big examples this weekend. The first is the Immaculate Conception. The tradition is that Sts. Anne and Joachim were married for forty years, but they had no children. They were ridiculed for their infertility, and they were told that God had cursed them, but then they conceived a child (cf. The Protoevangelium of James). Do you think the people of Nazareth shrugged their shoulders when they heard the news that Anne was pregnant? No. They stopped in their tracks and asked, “How can this be? What is going on here?” God chose Anne and Joachim in their old age to be the parents of Mary so that we would all know it was by His grace that she was conceived. They were forced to ask, “Who is this woman? How can this be?”

The story of the conception of St. John the Baptist follows the same pattern. The people of Bethlehem knew there was something special about John, and that continued to be the case throughout his life. St. Luke beautifully utilizes the technique of arresting strangeness. He sets the scene for his introduction to John’s adult ministry by listing the big names at the time: the emperor, the governor, the king, and the high priests. This was the standard way for a classical historian to set the scene for the triumphant introduction of a hero, but then St. Luke turns the technique upside down and says, “the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert” (Lk 3:2). Everything about John is meant to make us stop and ask, “What is going on here?” Why is he in the desert? Why is he at the Jordan? Why is he wearing camel skin and eating locusts? Why is he baptizing? And why is he calling people to repentance? Next week I will discuss some of the answers to these questions, but for now the point is that we must stop when we see strange things and look for an explanation to the strangeness. We must realize that God is offering us a window into His mystery.

The Church is full of strange things that are meant to make us stop and ponder a mystery: We walk through the doors of the church and the first thing we do (hopefully) is dip our fingers into a bowl of water and make the sign of the cross. That is a strange thing to do! Why do we do it? Then we walk up to our pew and we (hopefully) genuflect toward the tabernacle. What for?  Why do we have a huge statue of a dead man hanging on a cross? Why all the statues? Why an altar? Why is the altar higher than the rest of the church? There are, if the parish has kept the traditions of the Church, innumerable examples of strange things we do that should make us stop and ask, “What is going on here?” The problem is that we have become so familiar with these things we no longer stop to ask, “Why?” Unfortunately, because many priests and people don’t know the answers, they have also stopped the practices.

It’s been interesting in the past couple of weeks preparing for the Nativity pageant, which will take place prior to the Christmas Eve Mass. Almost all of the kids are completely unchurched, so they are constantly asking me questions about what things are and why I am doing certain actions. The Church isn’t anything like their normal experience. It’s sad to see that they haven’t learned these things, but it’s also exciting to see their openness to the mysteries that are being made available.

Now, we are in a difficult place today as a Church. The number of people practicing their faith is declining rapidly. It’s easy to blame others - the sins of priests and bishops, Hollywood, the schools, the internet, and I am not saying that there’s no fault in those places; however, improving the situation in our own parish won’t happen by complaining about things outside of our control. Therefore, I am going to give three simple examples of how reclaiming arresting strangeness in our own lives will make us holier and bring people back to the Church.

1. Make the sign of the cross and genuflect with reverence. When a non-Catholic sees us make the sign of the cross, it should prompt him to say to himself, “That really seemed to mean something. I wonder what?” Much of the time I think people see Catholics make the sign of the cross and they say to themselves, “That was a strange spasm. He might want to get that checked.” Similarly, the genuflexion is meant to be a sign of reverence for Christ, who is present in the tabernacle. Therefore, if you believe that He is present and you are able to get your knee to the floor, then please get your knee to the floor.

2. Go to confession. Has a non-Catholic ever asked you if you go to confession? Have your kids ever seen you go to confession? The Church recommends that we go to confession once a month. The minimum requirement is once per year to be considered a practicing Catholic. Confession is a gift that allows us to know without a doubt that we are forgiven of our sins and Christ is giving us His grace to avoid future sin, and yet most Catholics avoid the sacrament. Why? Sure, it takes humility to go to confession, but humility is the foundation of the spiritual life. The world needs to know that Christ offers the forgiveness of sins, and the only way they will learn that is if we actually live as though we believe it.

3. Keep the Lord’s Day Holy. This is so simple and it should be easy, and yet it’s not for most people. God has asked us to set aside a day for rest - a day to worship Him and to rest from work. That should be liberating news, but we so easily lose sight of what’s truly important. Missing Sunday Mass for anything other than serious illness or really bad weather, is a serious sin. If we miss Sunday Mass for work, vacation, preparing a meal, sports, or whatever it may be, we are saying that those things are more important than our relationship with God. I guarantee you, that if you are faithful to keeping the Lord’s Day Holy, people will think you are strange, but they will be intrigued. I can also guarantee you that if you aren’t faithful to keeping the Lord’s Day Holy every week, it’s unlikely that your family or friends will think much about you telling them that they should go to church.

I am not saying that we are doing any of these things for the sake of being seen or to draw attention to ourselves. We do these things because they are the means by which God makes us holy. We are all called to be holy, the Latin word for holy is sanctus, which means set apart. It’s a natural consequence of being set apart that people will think we are strange; however, in God’s providence that strangeness can be a means of drawing others into a relationship with God. This Christmas, don’t be afraid to be strange. “Prepare the way of the Lord.”

Perpetual Virginity of Mary, and the Birth of the Church

One of the often forgotten Catholic beliefs about Mary, the Mother of Jesus, is that she is “Perpetual Virgin” - virgin before, during, and after the birth of Jesus. Most non-Catholic Christians do not believe in the perpetual virginity of Mary. The obvious argument against the Perpetual Virginity of Mary is that there are a few references in the Gospels to the “brothers and sisters” of Jesus. Dr. Brant Pitre, in his book “Jesus and the Jewish Roots of Mary” gives a thorough explanation of our belief that Mary is “Ever-Virgin”, so if you’re interested in a longer explanation, please read his book. For my part, I want to give a simple defense of our belief and to explain why it is important.

Why do some of the Gospels refer to the brothers and sisters of Jesus, if Mary didn’t have any other children? The Greek words used to describe brothers and sisters in the Gospels are adelphoi and adelphe. These can be translated both as “brother and sister” and “male cousin and female cousin”. Even today in English we see a common parallel in our use of the words brother and sister to refer to those who are not biological brothers and sisters. Certain ethnic groups commonly use “brother and sister” in this way. As Christians we often use “brother and sister” to refer to other Christians, since God is Our Father and we are brothers and sisters in Christ. This simple argument is defended by the fact that some of those referred to as “brothers” of Jesus are also said to be the sons of “the other Mary” (Mt. 27:55-56). For more information defending the perpetual virginity of Mary, please refer to Dr. Pitre’s book.

Why does the perpetual virginity of Mary matter? Dr. Pitre gives three reasons. The first is because it’s the truth, and the truth always matters. Reality is reality and we must conform our thoughts to reality, not our own opinions and preferences. 

The second reason is that Mary’s virginity, like Jesus’ virginity, points forward to heaven. In heaven we are all married to God: “For when they will be resurrected from the dead, they shall neither marry, nor be given in marriage” (Mk. 12:25). This is not to say that marriage is bad. Marriage is a Sacrament that points ahead to the union we are meant to have with God in heaven. Mary was already living that union with God here on earth. As an aside, this is also the reason why priests don’t get married.

The final reason is that Mary is a symbol of the Church. This is also why I am writing on this topic on the Feast of the Presentation. Mary has no biological children, other than Jesus, so that she is clearly the spiritual mother of all Christians. Simeon says to Mary in today’s Gospel, “a sword will pass through your own soul” (Lk. 2:35). We believe that Mary was spared from labor pains when Jesus was born; however, she experienced those pains when Jesus was on the cross. Mary is the Church and the Church gives birth to new life by suffering with Jesus on the cross. The world wants to run from suffering, but Mary and Jesus show us the truth. Mary, with Jesus, is the most courageous person in the Bible because she most perfectly embraces the cross. By her union with Jesus on the cross, the Church was born, and Mary became the Mother of the Church. 

How long does it take to become a priest?

The answer to that question depends on a few factors (e.g. prior education and work experience, or whether one is studying to be a diocesan priest or a religious priest). The standard path of formation for a diocesan priest is to complete a BA in philosophy (3 years), an MA in theology (4 years), and one year of internship in a parish for a total of eight years.

Academic study, however, is only one aspect of formation for the priesthood. The post-synodal apostolic exhortation Pastores Dabo Vobis by Pope St. John Paul II lays out four pillars of priestly formation: human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral (see PV, 42). Preparing to be a priest isn't simply a matter of earning degrees in philosophy and theology. It is about being formed to be a shepherd like the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ. Before a bishop ordains a man to the priesthood he must be confident that the candidate is sufficiently prepared in all four pillars of formation.

Here I will only give a brief overview of the four pillars of formation. I strongly recommend reading all of Pastores Dabo Vobis if you are considering the priesthood or if you simply want to know more about priestly formation.

Human formation is fundamental. As the medieval saying goes, "grace builds on nature." "The whole work of priestly formation would be deprived of its necessary foundation if it lacked a suitable human formation" (PV, 43). The Holy Father goes on to say, "The priest, who is called to be a "living image" of Jesus Christ, head and shepherd of the Church, should seek to reflect in himself, as far as possible, the human perfection which shines forth in the incarnate Son of God and which is reflected with particular liveliness in his attitudes toward others as we see narrated in the Gospels" (PV, 43). Obviously, each of us will always have some human weaknesses that hinder our ability to live out the Gospel. The Church doesn't expect her priests to be humanly perfect, but all major obstacles (e.g. addictions to drugs, alcohol, pornography, video games, etc., uncontrolled temper, licentious behavior, excessive laziness) should be overcome prior to ordination. The need to overcome these obstacles may require extra time being added to the formation program for some candidates. Prior to ordination the cardinal virtues (i.e., prudence, temperance, justice, and fortitude) should be well established and visible in the candidate's life, he should have a well-formed conscience, and he should be able to live out the freedom he has gained in Christ with maturity and responsibility. 

Though human formation is foundational in preparing for the priesthood, spiritual formation is central. It is the heart that pumps life to the other pillars. The spiritual life - our relationship with God - is the end and the beginning that should be a candidate's motivation in preparing for the priesthood. Of course, all Christians are called to cultivate a deep relationship with the Lord; however, the priest, since he is to act in persona Christi capitis must live in such a way that he leads all of his people to closer union with God. He does this particularly through his devotion to the Divine Office, which is the universal prayer of the Church, through the Sacraments (especially the Eucharist and confession), Scripture, Our Blessed Mother and the saints. Seminarians are to be trained in various forms of prayer and integrate them into their life.

The third pillar is intellectual formation. The Pope says, "[intellectual formation] can be seen as a necessary expression of, both human and spiritual formation: It is a fundamental demand of the human intelligence by which one "participates in the light of God's mind" and seeks to acquire a wisdom which in turn opens to and is directed toward knowing and adhering to God" (PV. 51). God is Truth, and the role of the intellect is to grasp and adhere to truth. Through his study of philosophy the seminarian should, if he is in a good philosophy program, learn to love wisdom. God reveals Himself to us in many ways, and our intellect must be formed in such a way that we are more readily able to perceive Him in all areas of study. Of course, the culmination of intellectual formation is the study of Sacred Scripture. God has revealed Himself to us in the Divine Word, so priests must be educated in such a way that they are able to share the Word with their parishioners.

Finally, there is pastoral formation, which seeks to integrate the reality that God is love into the life of the seminarian. The relationship that the seminarian develops with God through his spiritual and intellectual formation is one that is diffusive - it must be shared. Pastoral formation is more than simply learning some techniques of parish ministry. Through an integral pastoral formation the seminarian becomes more like the Good Shepherd and is able to apply the truths of the faith with prudence, justice, temperance, fortitude and love in any situation.

The primary setting for these pillars of formation is a seminary. Like the apostles, who left the normal routines of life to follow Jesus as a group, seminarians enter a community that is dedicated to following Christ and teaching them to be true disciples. The faculty of the seminary are specially chosen to foster this goal.

Despite the brevity of this overview of priestly formation, it should be clear that there isn't really a simple answer to the question, "how long does it take to become a priest?" It takes as long as is necessary for an individual candidate to be prepared. There are certain benchmarks that must be met, but formation isn't simply a matter of "checking off boxes". The goal is to form candidates to be like Christ, the Good Shepherd, and with the help of God's grace that goal is possible for those who have been called.

Vocations Director vs. Spiritual Director

The role of neither the vocations director nor a spiritual director is to tell you what to do with your life. Their job also isn't to tell you what God wants to do with your life. Only you and God know what God is saying to you in the silence of your heart. Their job is to help you in the process of understanding God's will and to give you the tools to act.

The vocations director helps with matters in the external forum (i.e., information regarding the applicant and the process of formation that may be discussed with the bishop) as a mediator between you and the Church. He connects you with the bishop. He helps facilitate retreats, pilgrimages, vocations events, etc. He also assists you with your educational process and pastoral assignments. These are all external realities that applicants to the priesthood experience. These realities are necessary, but they shouldn't be unnecessarily burdensome or complicated. Bureaucracy shouldn't get in the way of an applicant's formation, so the vocations director intercedes on behalf of the applicant to the Church. He also intercedes on behalf of the Church to the applicant. Depending on the size of the diocese, it can be difficult for a bishop to be well acquainted with all of his seminarians. Therefore, the vocations director is delegated to give the bishop an accurate report on your formation, so that, if the day comes for your ordination or consecration, the bishop is confident that you have been well formed.

A spiritual director, on the other hand, assists you in the internal forum (i.e., those things that, if you choose, are known only to you, him, and God). Ideally your spiritual director is also your confessor. This helps with transparency and gives him a window into your struggles so that he can effectively help you accept God's call, whatever that may be. The spiritual director does not speak to the bishop about your formation; he does not have a "vote" on whether or not you should be ordained or consecrated. 

That's a simple overview of two important figures in the process of formation to the priesthood.