This blog, Heart Speaks to Heart, dedicated to St. John Henry Newman, is named from his motto, Cor ad Cor Loquitor. Therefore, I am delighted that Pope Leo XIV announced that he will declare St. John Henry Newman (1801-1890) as the 38th Doctor of the Church.​* Newman is one of my heroes, not just because of what he wrote, but because of the life he led. Yes, he was a brilliant theologian, but he was also a great saint. Although his life was filled with the pain of rejection and misunderstanding as a result of his conversion from Anglicanism to Catholicism, – (Anglicans reviled him as a betrayer, and early on, Catholics distrusted him) – it did not stop Newman from writing, praying, and living the faith. He was so influential that he was elevated from priest to cardinal by Pope Leo XIII, an honorary designation since Newman was already 78 years of age. As much as one could see this as a kind of vindication, he did not live as if it was, but rather, he lived with characteristic humility and wisdom, truly the mark of a saint.

​Given his subjection to ridicule, attack, and therefore, interior suffering, the sanctity of John Henry Newman is yet evident in his writing. He once wrote, “…as persons have deep feelings, so they will find the necessity of self-control, lest they should say what they ought not.…” ​** He recognized that while he was able to refute arguments theologically, something he did with brilliance and wisdom, he adhered to his Lord Jesus who taught that retaliation and retribution are simply not responses of love. What Jesus taught makes no sense to those who are ‘of the world;’ those without faith cannot fathom the mysterious justice of God and therefore they teach a justice that is based on ‘human-conceived fairness’ as opposed to what Jesus taught in loving our neighbor. Newman knew, and therefore taught, that people of faith know that love does not mean becoming a doormat, but rather, to respond as we ought; we beg for the grace of self-control, and after sufficient prayer, we then are able to do that which is ordinarily beyond us, offering a response guided by love.

​A little later in the text Newman wrote: “The world… cannot believe that men will deliberately sacrifice this life to the next; …. all the reasons which religious men allege, seem to the world unreal….”** Thus, he recognized that the core issue is the distinction between the values of the world and those of Jesus Christ. Beginning with Jesus, then the writings of St. Paul, there has been an emphasis on the life of the Christian as being different from those without faith. Indeed, the way we live is different; consequently, the values and actions of those who are of Christian faith can never be understood by the worldly, the forces which oppose God, because they do not accept Jesus and His teachings. And most certainly the world cannot understand that we put more value in the next life than in this one; we work not to gather up treasure on earth, but that which is “treasure in Heaven.” (Matthew 6:19-21) ​*** St. Paul wrote, “We look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Cor 4:18) 

We must always remember that this is not our home; our home is with God forever in eternal life. (Hebrews 13:14-16) Of course, we are to enjoy the good gifts of the earth, the beauty of creation, the love of family and friends, and all the wonderful gifts of God. And yes, we are meant to have pleasure enjoying experiences and the work of our hands. But we cannot cling to them, nor allow any of these things to become attachments such that the gifts are placed above the Giver of the Gifts. The world wants us to become attached so that we forget the Giver and place our attention on things that exclude God and His values. Further, the world will attack us whenever we do live the Christian life by placing our values not on that which is transient, but on the unseen and eternal. Therefore, we have people like the Doctors of the Church to turn to for theological insight, but let us not forget to look at the behaviors they exhibited throughout their lives which underscored their holiness. It is not by mistake that every Doctor of the Church was first declared a saint, then the extra title was added since they have so much to offer our understanding of the faith. 

It is important to ground ourselves in the Gospels and the Letters of St. Paul to deepen our sense of how we are called to live as Christians. It would also be beneficial to read some of the lives (and writings) of the Doctors of the Church. There are not a lot of books on some of them, but those such as St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, St. Therese of Lisieux and St. John Henry Newman, to name a few, are readily available. And finally, pray. It is the Lord Himself who is the source of all wisdom and of all grace. It is through consistent, daily dialogue with God that we grow in holiness and the wisdom which comes from Him. We are not at home here, and it is the Lord who shows us the way to get there through the wisdom needed to attain it. 

May we be inspired by the life and writing of St. John Henry Newman! May we live with humility and love as taught by our Lord! And may we take the time to read, reflect, and pray so that the Holy Spirit can guide us to our everlasting home! Let us meet in the Heart of Jesus! Peace!

​                             ©Michele L. Catanese

Note 1: Ironically, even with a blog dedicated to St. John Henry Newman, I have only written about him once before, in June, 2018. In that entry I gave a fair amount of information on his life, and I provided a few links, one to a short biography, and one to his most famous poem which was highlighted in the entry. (Lead Kindly Light) The entry was titled Hope: The Heart of the Good News. Here is the link: https://www.catanesesd.com/micheles-blog/hope-the-heart-of-the-good-news
Note 2: Here are some Scripture references which highlight the teaching that this life is not our home: Colossians 3:1; Matthew 5:38-42; Romans 8:18-25; John 18:36; Matthew 26:52-53; Matthew 10:28-31; 1 Peter 2:13-17; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.
​
* The title Doctor of the Church is an official designation that is “bestowed by the Pope in recognition of the outstanding contribution a person has made to the understanding and interpretation of the sacred Scriptures and the development of Christian doctrine.” 
** The first quote is from page 325, section 1, in an essay found in The Heart of Newman, A Synthesis Arranged by Erich Przywara, SJ (Ignatius Press, reprinted 2010, originally printed in 1963). The second quote is from the same essay, same page, section 2. Newman wrote the essay in a compilation he called Sermons Bearing on the Subjects of the Day. 
*** I am referencing the focus of another essay found on page 331 of the book quoted above, writings which come from Newman’s Parochial and Plain Sermons. 

Images:
1. Print; St. John Henry Newman's Coat of Arms. This coat of arms with the motto, Cor ad Cor Loquitor was what he chose when he was elevated to Cardinal.
2. My photo; By the River in Cascade Canyon, Colorado.
3. Oil painting; The Angelus, 1857-59, by Jean-Francois Millet. These workers in the field stopped work to say the Angelus prayer. Christians do behave differently! 
4. My photo; Crypt chapel in the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Colorado. This mosaic and chapel seemed to capture the reality that our home is in the next world, that is, Heaven. It is as if everything here draws one's eye upward, as if ascending.
5. Fresco painting; Doctors of the Church, by Luca Signorelli (1499-1502). Found at WikiArt.org, public domain.
6. Icon; Saint John Henry Newman by Fr. William Hart McNichols. You can find this at fineartamerica.com/featured/blessed-cardinal-john-henry-newman-221-william-hart-mcnichols.html

Note: In compliance with GDPR rules, I wish to make it clear that I do not gather any information on any of my readers at any time.

​The Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, celebrated liturgically on August 6, “reveals the fullness of the life destined to be ours.” (Magnificat Publication) This description is accurate as the glory of God in the Trinity was clearly manifested during the Transfiguration, providing a beacon of encouragement for the apostles present. The Gospel that is proclaimed at that Mass was from Luke, and while all of the synoptic Gospel writers recount it, Luke emphasized that the end of Jesus’ ministry is nearing: during the event, Elijah and Moses spoke of “His exodus that He was going to accomplish in Jerusalem,” and therefore Jesus “resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem….” (Luke 9:31;51) We are meant to see that the Transfiguration marked a turning point in Jesus’ ministry and consequently He began preparing to bring it to a conclusion. Strangely, however, at the end of the experience, the Father specifically addressed a message to the three apostles who were there, Peter, James, and John: “This is my chosen Son, listen to Him.” Had not Peter already declared aloud that Jesus was the Son of God? (Luke 9:20) Were these closest friends of Jesus not already listening to Him? Or perhaps it was that the Father was warning them about the trials that lay ahead. Whatever it was, we would be wise to heed the Father’s advice to listen to Jesus especially when we are challenged.

​The Transfiguration, like His baptism, was of major significance in the ministry of Jesus. We must also note that these events are the only times in the Scriptures in which the entire Trinity is revealed and manifested together. Both times, Jesus (the Son) is presented, the voice of the Father is heard by witnesses, and the Holy Spirit is seen as a dove descending in the former, and in the cloud which descends in the latter.* Also, after both events a major change in the life of Jesus occurs. The Baptism of Jesus is the transition point from His hidden life to public ministry; it was the occasion at which the Father revealed that Jesus possessed His authority.** Therefore, the Baptism was the inauguration of what Jesus came to do, and so Jesus’ life changed dramatically in order to do His work. At the Transfiguration, the ‘resolute determination’ of Jesus to journey toward Jerusalem for ‘His exodus’ is evidence of another major turning point. That is, in Jerusalem He will enter into the events that lead to His Passion, death, and Resurrection which liberate us from sin and death. 

At the Transfiguration event the Father again spoke, but this time the emphasis was on listening to Jesus. It wasn’t that God had forgotten that Peter already had recognized Jesus was His Son or that He thought none of them were truly paying attention; after all, Jesus had handpicked all His apostles after praying to the Father. And in this case, He had selected Peter, James, and John specifically to go up Mt. Tabor with Him, a choice that evidences His belief in their commitment, good intentions, and love. No, God said to listen (to Jesus) because what they witnessed would be important to them later, though they could not fully understand at the time. Jesus would continue to instruct them right up until His arrest, and therefore, they needed to listen so that after all was accomplished, what they had witnessed as well as what He said, would guide them into the future. Unbeknownst to them at the time, all of it would provide deeper understanding in order to evangelize with wisdom and instill courage under persecution.***

​It would be good to ponder the Transfiguration moments in our life. In utilizing our memory, we can look with gratitude at the ways in which God has worked in our lives, especially if we are in a time of challenge or are in great need presently. We remember, and thus claim now, that though His glory is not seen at the moment, not only is God with us in our labors, but we are surrounded by it. We are reminded of how God spoke in our heart or worked with us through His grace. Indeed, we live in a time in which our morals, values, and Christian way of living God’s love are continually under attack. (Of course, this has always been true, though it seems to have ramped up in recent years.) Therefore, heeding the Father’s message about listening to Jesus is incredibly important and prudent. With temptations coming from many voices seeking our attention and so many trends seeking our adherence, we would do well to listen to the voice of Jesus and none other.  

​'Going up the mountain’ in which we are in the presence of the glory of God is as important for us as it was for the three apostles. But even they could not stay there in that moment. As glorious as it was, it proved to be temporary as they had to come back down the mountain into a turbulent reality. But by listening, they eventually learned that what awaited them at the end of their mission was to be surrounded by the glory of God forever, that is, to enter into the life destined to be ours. We, too, can do this if we trust Him. Jesus will give us what we need if we listen and draw courage from Him. We do not need to understand now, but we will at the end. (1 Corinthians 13:8-13). Let us ponder the glory of God that He might “reveal the fullness of the life destined to be ours.”

May we always look to Jesus and study His words in the Gospels! May we pay attention to our call, listening to God and trusting in Him! And may we reflect upon how God’s glory has been present in salvation history, striving for the “fullness of the life destined to be ours!” Let us meet in the Heart of Jesus! Peace!

                             ©Michele L. Catanese

* Both the dove and the cloud are signs of the presence of the Holy Spirit, as well as wind, fire, and bright light. Remember how Moses’ face shone so radiantly after being in God’s presence that he had to veil his face. The light of holiness is also what is symbolized in the nimbus (halo) that is painted around saints, and which is sometimes visible at moments in some of the saints’ lives!
** There is so much more to the Baptism of Jesus, of course, but I am highlighting this one area. Jesus had no need of Baptism as a cleansing from sin, since He was without sin. But He did it for us to have understanding of it as an entrance into a new relationship with God as adopted sons and daughters, as a cleansing of original sin, as the promise of salvation, and as the start of our lives in the Body of Christ.
*** Remember, the Transfiguration prefigures the Resurrection: at the Transfiguration the glory of Jesus as divine, sharing the glory of the Father, is a revelation that occurs in a temporary event, foreshadowing the glory to come. The Resurrection, on the other hand, is for all time. The apostles would understand all these things better after Jesus resurrected, ascended, and the Holy Spirit came upon them. We are called to share in that glory.

Images:
1. Painting; The Transfiguration by Duccio Duccio di Buoninsegna.
2. My photo: Lost Maples Natural Area, Vanderpool, TX.
3. My photo; Church of the Transfiguration, Mt. Tabor, Israel.
4. Image; Viriditas Triptych by Fr. William Hart McNichols. If you are interested in purchasing a copy this can be found at fineartamerica.com/featured/viriditas-triptych-william-hart-mcnichols.html
5. My photo; from atop Sandias Mts., near Albuquerque, New Mexico.
6. Painting; Trinity by Taddeo Crivelli, (1460-1470) J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, CA.

Note: In compliance with GDPR rules, I wish to make it clear that I do not gather any information on any of my readers at any time.