Although Dom Aelred Graham is claiming to be a religious conservative there is nothing conservative in addressing the reality of spiritual experience. In addressing Buddhism in a compassionate and inclusive manner, he reminds me of the best qualities of the second Vatican council (Vatican II)-an openness to dialogue, a willingness to find the good and the true in the Other,
seeking ways to discover the working of the Spirit ever omnipresent.
I would agree that the use of Zen in the west has sometimes involved a nihilistic expression of moral indiffentism; this is, as Aelred shows, off the mark and
inauthentic. However, to call his approach albeit with Imprimaturs and Nihil Obstats, conservative is true only in the sense that he is faithful to his spiritual tradition. In another sense, conservative Catholics might find fault with him for even thinking on, much less writing with gravity and respect about a non-Catholic religion.
We can be glad he was not limited by such scruples. I might add that I would not know of this book were it not mentioned in Thomas Merton's ZEN AND THE BIRDS OF APPETITE. Birds of a feather flock together.
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Saint of the Week
St. Cristóbal Magallanes and
Companions: May 21. Between 1015 and 1937.
Like Blessed Miguel Agustín Pro, SJ, Cristóbal and his 24 companion
martyrs lived under a very anti-Catholic government in Mexico, one determined to weaken the Catholic faith of its people. Churches, schools, and seminaries were closed; foreign clergy were expelled. Cristóbal established a clandestine seminary at Totatiche, Jalisco. He and the other priests were forced to minister secretly to Catholics during the presidency of Plutarco Calles (1924-28).
All of these martyrs, except three, were diocesan priests. David, Manuel and Salvador were laymen who died with their parish priest, Luis Batis. They all belonged to the Cristero movement, pledging their allegiance to Christ and to the Church that he established, to spread the Good News in society—even if Mexico’s leaders had made it a crime to receive baptism or celebrate the Mass.
These martyrs did not die as a single group but over 22 years time in eight Mexican states, with Jalisco and Zacatecas having the largest number. They were beatified in 1992 and canonized eight years later.
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"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not
seen" (Heb. 11:1). It is synonymous with trust. It is a divine gift (Rom. 12:3) and comes by hearing the Word of God (Rom. 10:17). It is the means by which the grace of God is accounted to the believer who trusts in the work of Jesus (Eph. 2:8).
A woman went to the beach with her children. Her 4-year-old son ran up to her, grabbed her hand, and led her to the shore where a dead seagull lay in the sand. "Mommy, what happened to him?" the
little boy asked.
"He died and went to heaven," she replied. The child thought for a moment and said,
