CHRISTIAN LIVING MADE SIMPLE - PART ONE

 

WANT AN ANXIOUS-FREE LIFE? LEARN TO TRUST GOD!

Have no anxiety at all. Let the peace that God

gives, guard your hearts and minds.

Philippians 4

St. Paul has got to be kidding! No anxiety at all? With our Church at war with itself where even Pope Francis is being attacked by some Bishops and other self-claiming "true" Catholics, with an ever present vocation crisis, with religious communities either merging or going out of existence and with whole parishes either dwindling, merging or closing altogether, how can we not be anxious?

With our country at war with itself where congressmen and congresswomen are ripping one another to shreds publicly and threatening one another's lives out in the open, where voting restrictions on minority groups continues to tighten, where mobs of looters are invading stores, where the internet is filled with hate and lies and the validity of our elections are challenged, how can we not be anxious?

With dictators seizing power in more and more countries, with COVID variants continuing to spread and with global warming causing more and more natural disasters, how can we not be anxious?

How can Saint Paul’s words about not being anxious possibly fit those of us living in today’s Church and today's world? How can we possibly remain anxiety-free in the middle of all these situations?

“Anxiety” is a state of intense, often disabling apprehension, uncertainty, and fear caused by the anticipation of something threatening. The key word is anticipation. Anxiety is often not so much about what is happening or even what has happened, but about what might happen.

Have no anxiety at all. Let the peace that God

gives, guard your hearts and mind.

My dear mother comes to mind when I think of anxiety. It seems that she always had a thin stream of anxiety trickling through her veins. Even though she has been dead for forty-five years now, I can still see her in my mind’s eye picking at her lower lip, a nervous habit that always accompanied intense moments of anxiety. I can still remember one time when we laughed at her for being so anxious. She snapped back, “Well, somebody around here needs to worry!” Looking back, she had a lot to be anxious about: seven kids, a demanding husband and breast cancer, to name only a few!

When I was about to be ordained, anxiety was very much on my mind. I spoke about this a couple of weeks ago. The church was undergoing a great upheaval and priests were beginning to leave in significant numbers. I asked myself many times, in that year leading up to ordination, “How am I going to keep my cool in a fast-changing church and in a world coming unglued? How will I be able to stay focused when one problem after another is going to be hurled into my face from both inside and outside the church? How will I be able to calm others when I seem to be torn up all the time myself?”

I have spent my life as a priest searching for an inmost calm that no storm can shake. When I discovered and admitted to myself that I cannot control what happens "out there," I knew I must find a way to control my reactions to what happens out there. As one spiritual teacher said, “It is easier to put on slippers than it is to carpet the world.” I knew I was going to need, and certainly wanted to have, the peace that only a close relationship with Jesus could give me, that peace that Saint Paul invites us to embrace in our second reading today.

Have no anxiety at all. Let the peace that God

gives, guard your hearts and minds.

I spent most of my young adult life looking for an inmost calm that no storm could shake, an inner peace that would remain rock solid no matter what! I am, happy to say that I have found it. Sometimes I panic and sometimes I forget, but I always come back to it sooner or later. Once I discovered that a peaceful center is available to me, I know I can always come back to it.

How can one have that peace? A close relationship with Jesus brings that peace. If you truly believe that you are loved without condition, that God is on your side and holds no grudges, that in the end things are going to turn out OK because God has promised us so, then a great peace will come over you. You will know that no matter how bad things get sometimes, no matter how much you have to handle, no matter how great your losses, you will know in your heart of hearts that you are in good hands because you are in God’s hands. When you know these things to be true, a great peace begins to stand guard over your heart and mind! That is what St. Paul is talking about today when he tells us to “let the peace that God gives guard you hearts and minds.”

Once I began to live in the knowledge that, in spite of it all, things will ultimately be OK, I began to realize that many of my life’s greatest blessings have come out of what long ago seemed like an unbearable disaster. Looking back at the times in my life when God seemed absent, at the times when I was overwhelmed with anxiety, worry and panic, in hindsight I can see that the hand of God was actually bringing me to where I needed to go and teaching me what I needed to learn. Most of the things I have worried about never happened! Statistics even tell us that fully 90% of the things we worry about never happen! Most of my imagined tragedies have actually contained great blessings! It has happened too many times to dismiss as a fluke.

I went through one of those anxious periods again as I was going into retirement. The plans I had worked on for three years fell apart in three days. It may not be connected, but I ended up in the hospital a couple of days later with a blood clot in my left leg. I was grieving the loss of some of the things I expected to happen. If things had worked out the way I planned, I would have gotten on an airplane for France, not knowing about the clot, and died on that plane either on the way over or on the way back! I have recovered from the clot, but as it turned out God spared me from what I thought I wanted and offered me something even better.

For me, this seems to be the way it always happens - a big breakdown before a big break through! I look back now and I am happy that my original plans did not work out because something much better happened - my missionary work in the island country of St. Vincent and the Grenadines! When COVID hit and their volcano erupted, I was forced to end that work. Now I look back and I am OK with the fact that it no longer worked out because something else came along - the remodeling of my now closed-for-twenty-eight-years, Saint Theresa School, into a new Saint Theresa Family Life Center down in my home parish in Meade County. 

Peace, however, is not a time when there are no problems. Peace is a calm state of mind in the midst of problems and in spite of problems. Peace is a trusting state of mind that comes from a close relationship with Jesus whose name is Emmanuel, meaning “God with us.”

Brothers and sisters, we cannot control most of what is going to happen, so let us finish each day and be done with it. Let us do our best and then let go of it. Let us not anticipate trouble or worry about what may never happen. Our fretting anxiety has no power to affect tomorrow, but it can certainly ruin today. Let us thank God for how far we have come and trust God with how far we can go. This peace of mind is Jesus’ last gift to us.

Let me end with one of my very favorite prayers by St. Francis DeSales. “Do not look forward to what may happen tomorrow; the same everlasting Father who cares for you today will take care of you tomorrow and every day. Either He will shield you from suffering, or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace, then, put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations.

Friends, we will never be problem free, but we can be free of anxiety and needless worry!

 

STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT TO GIVE SOME PEOPLE FOR CHRISTMAS?

 HOW ABOUT A NICE DONATION TO THE NEW ST. THERESA FAMILY LIFE CENTER IN THEIR HONOR? 

I'll be glad to send a personal note acknowledging your gift on one of our logo cards to anyone you want to honor. Just tell me who you want to honor, how you want to honor them, where to send the card and who is making the gift. To speed up the process, simply e-mail me, text me or call me. I'll get right on it! My contact information is listed at the bottom of this page. 

(To view all our ST. THERESA HERITAGE PARTNERS NEWSLETTERS, click on the icon at the top, right, of this page or go to: www.FatherKnott.com.)

Sister Mary Ancilla - Sister Agnes Bernard - Sister Aloysius Gonzaga - Sister Rosalinda

A CHANCE TO EXPRESS YOUR GRATITUDE

A total of 97 Sisters of Charity served the Saint Theresa Community over 123 years. No, they were not all perfect! Yes, some of them were saints! Saints or not, every one of them gave their lives in service to our historic community! 

Think about the conditions they lived in, all the work they were asked to do and how little they were paid! We were certainly blessed to have had them as long as we did! 

Let's honor  their dedication to us by making a generous family donation this Christmas to help complete our new project which will enable us to carry on their work long after they are gone. What better way to show our appreciation, and to invest in the the health of today's families, than to insure that their work will be carried on for years to come! 

If you know friends who might be interested in this project, feel free to re-post this on your  FACE BOOK page, forward it to them by e-mail or print it off and mail it to them. Getting the word out is one of the most important steps to insure the success of this renewal project! 

SAINT THERESA FAMILY LIFE CENTER

Let's all work to get it finished so we can re-dedicate it on October 15, 2022

Feast of Saint Theresa of Avila 

GIVING OPPORTUNITIES 

The following project areas might be “adopted” by individuals, one family or several related families pooling their gifts together. These figures do not reflect actual costs. They are simply reflections of parts of the overall costs covering expenses for electrical, plumbing, lighting, finishes (flooring and painting) and furnishings.

Kitchen and Cafe/Lecture Hall - $20,000.00 -ADOPTED 

Hallway Photo Gallery - $10,000.00 - ADOPTED 

New flagpole - $1,000 - ADOPTED

7th and 8th Grade Classroom (Museum Space) - $10,000 - ADOPTED 

1st and 2nd Grade Classroom (Meeting Room) - $10,000 

3rd and 4th Grade Classroom (Meeting Room) - $10,000 

5th-6th Grade Classroom (3 Staff Offices) - $5,000 each - ONE STAFF OFFICE ADOPTED

 

Men’s Restroom - $10,000 

Women’s Restroom - $10,000 

Remodel of Storage and Supply Annex - $1,000 

Pastor’s Office and Furnishings - $10,000 

Parish Secretary’s Office and Furnishings - $8,000 

Entry Reception-Waiting Area - $1,000 

Large Flat Screen TV for the Café/Lecture Hall - $2,000 

Audio-Visual Equipment for 3 Classroom - $1,500 each 

Assortment of small kitchen appliances - $1,500 

Assortment of commercial pots and pans - $1,500 

Assortment of commercial dishes, glassware and flatware - $1,500 

New Saint Theresa Family Life Center Sign - $1,000 (ADOPTED)

5 Porch Planter Boxes - $300 each (1 ADOPTED)

6 Sidewalk Path Lights - $200 each 

10 Porch rockers - $200 each (6 ADOPTED)

GENERAL CONSTRUCTION AND FURNISHING EXPENSES 

Gifts can be as small or large as one is capable. 

OPERATIONAL ENDOWMENT AFTER COMPLETION 

Gifts can be as small or large as one is capable.

__________________________________________________________

To Get the Job Done We Need All Hands on Deck

Our new Saint Theresa Family Life Center is about to go into a critical second stage. Phase One (the outside) is basically finished and paid for and the plans for Phase Two (the inside) will be ready to go to construction soon, but we do not have all the funds needed. The Archdiocese will not give its approval to proceed until we have the funds in hand.

We need some large, medium and small donors. Consider donating personally and, if you cannot donate much, ask others you know with, or without, connections to St. Theresa to help us out. Try pooling your gifts with your extended family to “adopt” part of the project as a group. If your family is not that big, partner with other families to whom you are related. Usually, all it takes is for a couple of people to lead the process of contacting and asking the others.

I have done, and will continue to do, my part. Help us out here by doing your part in talking it up and doing as much asking as you can until we reach our goal. We have had a marvelous start. The families of this community need what our new Saint Theresa Family Life Center will be offering. Let’s all get behind protecting our rich history and securing its future. Yes, we can do this!

Make checks payable to ST. THERESA CHURCH and send to:

Rev. Ronald Knott

1271 Parkway Gardens Court #106

Louisville, KY 40217

1-502-303-4571

jrknott@bellouth.net

A VERY SPECIAL PROJECT REMEMBERED

In Honor of Today's Marian Feast of the Immaculate Conception 

A PROJECT OF

R J MISSION PROJECTS 

(Ron and Jim)

Several years ago, my friend Jim Patterson II and I partnered to support several charitable projects: from helping international seminarians get through seminary, to building a "teaching kitchen" at Saint Meinrad Seminary to teach young priests to cook for themselves, to many projects in the Caribbean Missions (including sending island youth to World Youth Day in Poland, the renovation of the Pastoral Centre, the renovation of a couple of churches and vehicles for the Bishop and the Orphanage), to now helping get the St. Theresa Family Life Center established.  

One of our proudest achievements was the restoration of the Marian Shrine of Monte Cassino at Saint Meinrad Archabbey. (in honor of his mother) and a new Prayer Garden next to it (in honor of my mother). This little video explains it all.  Copy and paste in search box, if necessary. 

 

https://www.facebook.com/SaintMeinrad/videos/monte-cassino-shrine-restoration/10155869730400586/

The Patterson Family at the Dedication

My Youngest Brother, Mark, and Myself

If you have never seen this place, think about making a pilgrimage to Saint Meinrad to visit the Monte Cassino Shrine in person. Maybe you have a special "prayer intention" you would like to take with you.

FROM SAINT NICHOLAS TO SANTA CLAUS

Who is St. Nicholas?

The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara in Asia Minor. At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus’ words to “sell what you own and give the money to the poor,” Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships.

Under the Roman Emperor Diocletian who ruthlessly persecuted Christians, Bishop Nicholas suffered for his faith, was exiled and imprisoned. The prisons were so full of bishops, priests, and deacons, there was no room for the real criminals—murderers, thieves and robbers. After his release, Nicholas attended the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. He died December 6, AD 343 in Myra and was buried in his cathedral church, where a unique relic, called manna, formed in his grave. This liquid substance, said to have healing powers, fostered the growth of devotion to Nicholas. The anniversary of his death became a day of celebration, St. Nicholas Day, December 6th (December 19 on the Julian Calendar).

Through the centuries many stories and legends have been told of St. Nicholas’ life and deeds. These accounts help us understand his extraordinary character and why he is so beloved and revered as protector and helper of those in need.

One story tells of a poor man with three daughters. In those days a young woman’s father had to offer prospective husbands something of value—a dowry. The larger the dowry, the better the chance that a young woman would find a good husband. Without a dowry, a woman was unlikely to marry. This poor man’s daughters, without dowries, were therefore destined to be sold into slavery. Mysteriously, on three different occasions, a bag of gold appeared in their home-providing the needed dowries. The bags of gold, tossed through an open window, are said to have landed in stockings or shoes left before the fire to dry. This led to the custom of children hanging stockings or putting out shoes, eagerly awaiting gifts from Saint Nicholas. Sometimes the story is told with gold balls instead of bags of gold. That is why three gold balls, sometimes represented as oranges, are one of the symbols for St. Nicholas. And so St. Nicholas is a gift-giver.

One of the oldest stories showing St. Nicholas as a protector of children takes place long after his death. The townspeople of Myra were celebrating the good saint on the eve of his feast day when a band of Arab pirates from Crete came into the district. They stole treasures from the Church of Saint Nicholas to take away as booty. As they were leaving town, they snatched a young boy, Basilios, to make into a slave. The emir, or ruler, selected Basilios to be his personal cupbearer, as not knowing the language, Basilios would not understand what the king said to those around him. So, for the next year Basilios waited on the king, bringing his wine in a beautiful golden cup. For Basilios’ parents, devastated at the loss of their only child, the year passed slowly, filled with grief. As the next St. Nicholas’ feast day approached, Basilios’ mother would not join in the festivity, as it was now a day of tragedy. However, she was persuaded to have a simple observance at home—with quiet prayers for Basilios’ safekeeping. Meanwhile, as Basilios was fulfilling his tasks serving the emir, he was suddenly whisked up and away. St. Nicholas appeared to the terrified boy, blessed him, and set him down at his home back in Myra. Imagine the joy and wonderment when Basilios amazingly appeared before his parents, still holding the king’s golden cup. This is the first story told of St. Nicholas protecting children—which became his primary role in the West.

Another story tells of three theological students, traveling on their way to study in Athens. A wicked innkeeper robbed and murdered them, hiding their remains in a large pickling tub. It so happened that Bishop Nicholas, traveling along the same route, stopped at this very inn. In the night he dreamed of the crime, got up, and summoned the innkeeper. As Nicholas prayed earnestly to God the three boys were restored to life and wholeness. In France the story is told of three small children, wandering in their play until lost, lured, and captured by an evil butcher. St. Nicholas appears and appeals to God to return them to life and to their families. And so St. Nicholas is the patron and protector of children.

Other stories tell of Nicholas saving his people from famine, sparing the lives of those innocently accused, and much more. He did many kind and generous deeds in secret, expecting nothing in return. Within a century of his death he was celebrated as a saint. Today he is venerated in the East as wonder, or miracle worker and in the West as patron of a great variety of persons-children, mariners, bankers, pawn-brokers, scholars, orphans, laborers, travelers, merchants, judges, paupers, marriageable maidens, students, children, sailors, victims of judicial mistakes, captives, perfumers, even thieves and murderers! He is known as the friend and protector of all in trouble or need. Several stories tell of Nicholas and the sea. When he was young, Nicholas sought the holy by making a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. There as he walked where Jesus walked, he sought to more deeply experience Jesus’ life, passion, and resurrection. Returning by sea, a mighty storm threatened to wreck the ship. Nicholas calmly prayed. The terrified sailors were amazed when the wind and waves suddenly calmed, sparing them all. And so St. Nicholas is the patron of sailors and voyagers.

Sailors, claiming St. Nicholas as patron, carried stories of his favor and protection far and wide. St. Nicholas chapels were built in many seaports. As his popularity spread during the Middle Ages, he became the patron saint of Apulia (Italy), Sicily, Greece, and Lorraine (France), and many cities in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Russia, Belgium, and the Netherlands (see list). Following his baptism, Grand Prince Vladimir I brought St. Nicholas’ stories and devotion to St. Nicholas to his homeland where Nicholas became the most beloved saint. Nicholas was so widely revered that thousands of churches were named for him, including three hundred in Belgium, thirty-four in Rome, twenty-three in the Netherlands and more than four hundred in England.

Nicholas’ tomb in Myra became a popular place of pilgrimage. Because of the many wars and attacks in the region, some Christians were concerned that access to the tomb might become difficult. For both the religious and commercial advantages of a major pilgrimage site, the Italian cities of Venice and Bari vied to get the Nicholas relics. In the spring of 1087, sailors from Bari succeeded in spiriting away the bones, bringing them to Bari, a seaport on the southeast coast of Italy. An impressive church was built over St. Nicholas’ crypt and many faithful journeyed to honor the saint who had rescued children, prisoners, sailors, famine victims, and many others through his compassion, generosity, and the countless miracles attributed to his intercession. The Nicholas shrine in Bari was one of medieval Europe’s great pilgrimage centers and Nicholas became known as “Saint in Bari.” To this day pilgrims and tourists visit Bari’s great Basilica di San Nicola.

Through the centuries St. Nicholas has continued to be venerated by Catholics and Orthodox and honored by Protestants. By his example of generosity to those in need, especially children, St. Nicholas continues to be a model for the compassionate life.

Widely celebrated in Europe, St. Nicholas’ feast day, December 6th, kept alive the stories of his goodness and generosity. In Germany and Poland, boys dressed as bishops begged alms for the poor—and sometimes for themselves! In the Netherlands and Belgium, St. Nicholas arrived on a steamship from Spain to ride a white horse on his gift-giving rounds. December 6th is still the main day for gift giving and merrymaking in much of Europe. For example, in the Netherlands St. Nicholas is celebrated on the 5th, the eve of the day, by sharing candies (thrown in the door), chocolate initial letters, small gifts, and riddles. Dutch children leave carrots and hay in their shoes for the saint’s horse, hoping St. Nicholas will exchange them for small gifts. Simple gift-giving in early Advent helps preserve a Christmas Day focus on the Christ Child.

If you want to know how we got from St Nicholas to Santa Claus try saying this as fast as you can - 

"Sint-Nich-O-Laus!" = "Santa Claus!" 

WARMING UP TO JOHN THE BAPTIST

Reprinted From

AN ENCOURAGING WORD

A Collection of Cathedral Homilies Given by Father Ronald Knott

Cathedral of the Assumption

Published in 1995

John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan,

proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

Luke 3:1-6

He had a beard, so he can't be all bad. In spite of his beard, John the Baptist has never been one of my favorite saints. Screaming men who wear fur coats and eat bugs make me very nervous. He was not the type of person you sit out on the deck and have a beer with. Before you could pop the top, he'd be giving you a lecture on the evils of drinking. He has always reminded me of those people who have just gotten back from making a Cursillo or a trip to Medjugorje and can’t wait to get in your face and redo your life for you. You know that condescending attitude that says; "I know the truth now and I’m sorry you're so defective." As soon as they start talking, I look for the nearest exit. I've always wanted to say to him: "John, buddy, lighten up! 

But as I have gotten older and wiser; I have begun to appreciate John a little more, In fact, maybe he could be a role model for today's American Catholic. John the Baptist stands out as a believer who is both critical and committed, the two essential ingredients most needed in today's church. He, above all, seems to have found a balance between those two poles.

As our church continues to undergo massive transformation, the tension between the left and the right continues to produce anxiety in the hearts of believers everywhere. It seems that zealots at both ends of the spectrum are claiming to own the truth. Somehow, we must cooperate and give up our competition, separatism, and fragments of the truth. Maybe John the Baptist can teach us to ignore zealots of every stripe and listen to the less shrill voices of reason and joy. Maybe we can find some common ground between the hypercritical and the blindly committed. Maybe John can teach us to be both critical and committed.

Criticism, without commitment, is cruelty. There is a growing number of Catholic people who have moved to the edges or left the church altogether to take potshots at the church from their safe positions of smug superiority. They have their well-documented lists of flaws and sins to justify their withdrawal from active church life and are willing to point them out on cue. They are like the people who look at a thorny bush with a single flower and see a thornbush rather than a rosebush. Behind their superior attitude is a belief that others are responsible for the health of the church, and they will not grace the church with their presence until it conforms to their point of view.

Just as dangerous are those who are committed without being critical. Even Pope John Paul II, when he was still Cardinal Wojtyla, wrote in 1969: “Conformism means the death of any community; a loyal opposition is a necessity in any community.” Blind commitment without question is also unhealthy for the church. There are those among us who would have us believe that anything our leaders say or do should be followed without question, without hesitation.

Sometimes the church's best friends are those who criticize it. A very respected spiritual writer in our church, Louis Evely; far from being a radical, has written: "The church is dying, and her murderers are those clerics who spend their lives repeating what was said before their time and redoing what was done when they were young. True fidelity is inventive. A faith that asks no questions is not faith. A faith that is not able to put up with questions is not faith. To have faith means to have enough light to be willing to tolerate certain areas of darkness." 

Read church history. Its history is darkest when its prophets were silenced. Prophets challenge too much belief in the status quo. Those who question some of the positions of the church may be its best friends. A case in point: the Vatican defended slavery during the American Civil War. Would disagreement with that position then make you a bad Catholic? No! It would actually make you a real Catholic! Our history is full of cases where we were saved from our own foolishness and cowardice by people who made waves. those who made "good trouble." 

Criticism without commitment is cruelty. Commitment without criticism is lazy, sentimental, and infantile. What is needed is the spirit of John the Baptist. He was both critical and committed. What we really need today is people who care enough and love enough to raise some questions. We need committed people who are willing, in the words of Saint Paul, to "profess the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15). Those who drop out and attack from the outside are no help.  Those who stay and bury their heads in blind conformity are dangerous and destructive. What we need is people who are committed but vigilant and attentive, knowing in their hearts that this old church requires, in the words of Pope Paul VI, “that continual reformation of which she always has need.” What we need are people who are committed, not to forms and old ways of doing things, but to the gospel itself; people who understand that if we are too concerned with preserving our old wineskins, then we shall inevitably lose the new wine.

As a pastor, I was sometimes caught in a tug of war between the critical and the committed. I tried to model myself after John the Baptist. I have tried to model for you the marriage of those two perspectives. I have tried, especially in my preaching, to be both carefully critical and deeply committed. It's not always a comfortable position, but I believe it is a spiritually healthy position. After all, there is "this treasure we possess in earthen vessels" (2 Corinthians 4:7), and we need to know the difference between the treasure and the crock.