Meet a Change Agent ( He Makes It 'Happen ')

Will you love  the 'you' you hide if  I but call your name ?

Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same ?

Will you use the faith you've found to reshape the world around,

Through my sight and touch and sound

In you and you in me

( from a Scottish traditional hymn; text by John L. Bell, tune by Kelvin Grove )

By  Robert R. Schwarz

     He says he's retired but chances are it'll  never happen . And he appears to have a love affair  with making good things happen .

     It's all about change. "I like to be where there is change, " he says in  a calm voice that belies the daily buzzing of his work  agenda. "If something needs to happen," he says, "I make it happen ,  then get out. "  ( Like a baseball pinch hitter ? )

 Jim Bannon refers to his mission as being a "change agent " , a sort of consultant  who often  implements what he advises people to do. For several years and while at his at the  St. James church  in Arlington Heights, Illinois ,  he used his skills being a  senior vice president of the largest publicly held investment  trust  in the U.S. , and later as director of a real estate investment and service company, then as director of operations for a large church parish in Inverness ,  Illinois.
     Today , at 58, he's still on a fast track,  but this time to bring about spiritual changes as  deacon at  his  St. James parish.   "I've made a career out of being good at analyzing situations and making connections and  plans  to get things done."

       Our conversation took place at a  kitchen table in Bannon's  modest and tidy  suburban home with a backyard populated with trees  he himself planted years ago.  Though  a  mild-mannered man who speaks softly and    weighs words  with the  same precision  as with  the occasional homily  he delivers at St. James,  you sense  a man  committed to a plan whose  goal he will  pursue aggressively  if necessary ; there is no disconnect between his  spirit of change agent  and the deacon's pin—the " fire of the Holy Spirit "— he wore on his  shirt when we talked.

        He daily looks forward to  "encountering Christ through  the people of God,"  he said. He explained: " A  good way to see God is through  the people of God   in my work . It can be a rational or emotional experience. " As an example, he recalled a Sunday Mass when,  during the communion , a girl approached  him at the altar. "I looked at her face and it was like a miraculous experience. "  At other times, he added, he  may be looking at how hard people work, like the  volunteers helping overnight  with the homeless in the church basement.

Jim in second grade

While  performing his deacon duties, Bannon  said he feels  the Spirit of Christ when  he        "opens " his heart . "A lot of times it’s being vulnerable…and putting down your guard and opening yourself  to humility. I think this is where you see the Spirit at work. "  Did he mean not being fearful of  "showing one's warts" ?    Yes, he said.   In a quiet moment  of the day , he often asks "where was God in my work today ?"   

     His favorite Bible verse is from James 2:18: Indeed someone may say  ' you have faith and I have works. ' Demonstrate your faith to me without works , and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works.   As for what he'd like as his  tombstone's epitaph, Bannon paused  before replying with  another verse  from Holy Scripture (Matthew 25:21 ) :  Well done , my  good and faithful servant…Come , share your Master's joy.

A Major Decision Sparked by a " Shadow "

What moved him to leave the secularized business world and undergo a year of discernment followed by careful screening —shared with his  wife  Laura—and three years of training by the archdiocese?  " I say it was a progression of moving deeper into the faith. "   Perhaps the defining moment of his decision ( and that of his wife and church  ) was after he mother had died and Bannon , along with a  former St. James priest and a current deacon ,  went on a pilgrimage to Ireland seven years ago.  During  his pilgrimage ,  he learned  much about the diaconate  from  these two men . Then at an old Irish graveyard, Bannon gazed upon  a Celtic High Cross ,  which was casting a long shadow across the ground.  " The shadow looked a lot like a human being , "  he recalled , and that his own shadow now  appeared next to  this other  shadow.     " And I said to myself, so what are you  going to do with the rest of your life ? " 

       He was officially ordained a deacon in May, 2013, when the late Cardinal Francis George laid hands upon him .

   

With wife Laura at Disney World circa 2005

His life, he said , has had no "aha !" moments , yet  has been shaped much by  marriage , friends and family, and life at St. James.  He could not recall any major challenges  beyond "the ordinary of suburban life of raising  children and trying to hold down a job. "  He and Laura  were college sweethearts and married in 1980. They have four children ,  all of whom attended the St. James school , and two grandchildren.  Bannon performed one of the marriages of his three children.  

     Bannon's goals are to grown in his spirituality and the  depth of his relationship  with God;  to become a better minister for the people, to be a better parent and grandparent; and "to help people experience more of the divine in their life through the sacraments and my preaching."

Stumbling Blocks He Sees  for Christians

        We talked about  the stumbling blocks which sincere Christians experience.  " Well,  everyone is looking for meaning and worth in life , but we often spend  lot of  time looking in the wrong places. " He listed some of those places as  sex, power, drugs, gambling , and possession of material things.  Bannon said he also has observed a "restlessness in everyone for God  "  and then quoted St. Augustine's reflection about our hearts remaining  restless until they rest in God. 

     Many of the young people who come to him in preparation for marriage   are fairly un-churched, he said.   " But I am always impressed  on how they see God through each other. I always learn something from them. I see their hunger for reaching beyond the banal and  the ordinary and the secular  , even if their families   were not particularly religious or church-going."  Asked for his opinion of  the new pope,  Bannon said: " He has set a very good tone for people  , and I think his message about mercy and forgiveness has been   welcomed. "

      As for recreation, Bannon will watch sports events on television, " Duck Dynasty " and  "Pawn Stars " . He doesn't see many movies. His favorite food is his wife's lasagna .   For sheer fund and relaxation,  this deacon fishes for bass  on a small southern  Wisconsin lake , where the Bannons have a lake house they visit weekly—time permitting.  He's also made happy by being with people of "all types" , solving problems for them, and helping churches with financial problems  "so they can better work on spiritual problems. "  Sadness comes to Bannon at  funeral Masses  but,  he says, they  can also be  joyful occasions to know that the deceased will " join Christ in heaven. "  He  is also saddened by " God being made irrelevant today  in our two-dimensional  society , which has moved far way from acknowledging or appreciating the spiritual or the divine."

     

Those shadows in the Irish graveyard

Nowadays Bannon is applying his change agent skills  to the 11-session ,  church-sponsored " Alpha Program."   He calls it " Christianity 101 "  for adults, young or old;  it  focuses on the meaning of life and explores common questions like who's God ?  or why did Jesus die for us ?  "It's not apologetics.  It  tries to open the heart. "

            "Lay people can do a lot in the church, " Bannon concluded. Part of his role as deacon, he                explained ,  is " to live in  that world between the laity and the clerical."

THE END

All comments are welcome.

rrschwarz7@wowway.com

© 2015 Robert R. Schwarz

                                                       

Body of Christ ? Definitions Vary Yet Agree It's Vital and Awesome

By Robert R. Schwarz

Call it a doctrine,  a religious entity  or metaphysical  concept,  the  term Body of Christ has been infused into Christendom  for centuries without  unanimity  about its meaning and how it functions.  This is expected , considering  the  two billion Christians  in the  world  ( according to the Pew Forum on Religion and Public  Life  )  make up an estimated 41,000 denominations world-wide ( according  to  the Center for the Study of Global Christianity ) .  Nevertheless, there appears to be common agreement among church leadership that   every Christian should be aware  that he or she is a  member of this Body and of the role he has in it.

What  will follow  are comments  of several active Christians who take their given role in  this Body seriously.  First, we should perhaps cite from Webster's  New World College Dictionary  two of its definitions of a Christian:  1 )  a person professing belief in Jesus at the Christ, or in the religion based on the teachings of Jesus;  2) having the qualities demonstrated and taught by Jesus , as love, kindness, humility, etc. 

And second, we  cite  these  few Biblical verses so you  know  the sources from which these inspired  comments come.  ( As  for an analogy these individuals  might use to explain the benefits of "membership" in this Body  of Christ where each members knows his role and carries it out for the common good,   think  of a champion athletic team—say, this year's  Chicago Blackhawks. )

For as in one  body we have many parts, and all the parts do not have the same function, so      we, though many, are one body in Christ. (Romans 12: 4, 5 )

Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us,let us exercise them. (Romans 12: 6)

For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, as we were all given to drink of one Spirit. (I Corinthians 12: 13 )

The eye cannot say to the hand," I do not need you, " nor again the head to the feet, " I do not need you. "  Indeed, the parts of the body that seem  to be weaker are all the more necessary, and those parts of the body that we consider less honorable we surround with greater honor, and our less presentable parts are treated with greater propriety, whereas our more presentable parts do not need this. (I Corinthians 12: 21-24 )

Living the truth in love, we should grow in every way into Him who is the head, Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, with the proper functioning of each part, brings about the body's growth and builds itself up in love. ( Ephesians 4: 15, 16 )

     

          Last,  a few words  from theologians to help not only to visualize the  Body but also to explain,  again by analogy, how God can respond  simultaneously to the prayers of millions of Christians who live and breathe in this Body.  In his book, " My Meditations of Saint Paul ," The Rev. James E. Sullivan, writes: " When one of their [ Paul and Barnabas ] fingers was infected , their whole body went into a fever to help the injured finger fight the infection.  That's how a living, healthy body reacted…Distance meant nothing. "  Another Christian  made the case of    God's ability to  instantly orchestrate the unified functioning of millions of cells in one human body .  He gave the example of how a loving  touch of a mother upon her baby's body can, with the speed of light, communicate joy, love , and comfort  to the entire body and mind.  As for  how God can and  does reply simultaneously to an infinite number of prayers,  this Christian gave the example of an employee at an electrical power plant who ,  with one tug on a master switch, lights up an infinite  number of light bulbs. 

            Here, in alphabetical order ,  are the thoughts  of individuals who were asked to  contribute—in brief or in length—to this article: 

Diane Adam, long-time, very  active member,  St. James Catholic Church, Arlington Heights,  IL … God has told us we are all one with Him. He is the vine and we are His branches.  We are one with all of our brothers and sisters in Christ living and dead. Thinking about and then believing these words is comforting. We are never alone and with Christ in us we become stronger. The Eucharist is our and my identity. It centers me and joins me with Catholics all over the world and even in heaven with my parents and other loved ones.

Dr. Mike Atella,  Christian psychotherapist,  Schaumburg , IL… The concept of the Body of Christ hasn't nearly achieved its potential. It has an amazing potential, more  than any other organization in the world. There is plenty of room for the  church to  flex its muscles constructively to help our world become a better place for  us all. 

Julia DesRochers, PhD , food scientist , Downers Grove, IL… I think of the body of Christ ….[as]  the body that extends to all Christians who proclaim Jesus as Lord and follow Him.  I believe it also helps us have tolerance for  people who do this  in  many different ways.  Paul's description as the body parts all having different but equally important roles is a very good way to grasp that.  When you understand what your role is in the body of Christ, it allows you  to lose  envy of others because we each have separate gifts to bring, and they are all important, no matter how small or big, subtle or well- recognized. This understanding helps us be humble and also more loving and tolerant. The hard part is discerning what your "body part" is! If you're an arm, but convinced you're the eyes, well ...many things can lead you off course if  you think eyes are more important than an arm. While you may compensate and learn to be a decent eye, you'll never fulfill the full potential that God created for you.  

Another thing that makes it hard [to  discern our particular part ] is that God places us in situations to use our gifts, and perhaps those roles change over time and with different circumstances. Praying  to discern this is critical.  Be open to how He wants to use you as a part of the Body of Christ to further His kingdom!  My role continues to grow and unfold, which is pretty cool.

Fr. Matt Foley, pastor , St. James, Arlington Heights…

Q. How do you visualize the Mystical Body of Christ in human terms ?

A. We are all connected  through Christ and the Sacraments.  When I look out into the congregation during Mass , I see the face of God collectively as all the individuals at Mass.

Q. Who's in it,  who's not ?

A. For me,  I include everyone  . I believe in Matthew 25;  Jesus is the ultimate judge of who will be in  the eternal Body of Christ.  My role is to make sure all are welcome to be with Christ and in Christ.

Q. Is it important for all   " bona fide" Christians to  know that they exist in  this body and also to know what their role or function is in it ?

A. The mystical lends me to believe that not all is answered during our life on earth.  I prefer to live in the mystery.

Q. Can you describe any experience in your life—pastoral or not—where you were an active member in this body and how it might  have achieved its goals—secular or spiritual—more effectively ?

A. Every time I have the honor to celebrate Mass I feel connected on various levels with the community of believers.  When I invite the worshippers to go in peace, I feel we are sending each other out to be the body of Christ in our world today.  Being nourished and fed by the Word and Eucharist compels us to go out and create a new world.  

Sr. Joanne Grib, Sisters of the  Living Word … 

Q. How  do you visualize the body of Christ in human terms?

A.  You're talking about 3 different  bodies: When He was His physical body;  then as  us Christians—every last one of us— the communion of saints ;  and also the Eucharist ,  the real Presence of Him.

Q. So, all Christians of all denominations  belong to this body of Christ ?

A. That's right. 

Q. Then, this body  is a universal body , and baptism is sort of a credential to enter it?     

A.  That's right. 

Q. Does it really matter whether  a Christian is aware of  being a member of the Body of Christ?

A. It's important to remember because we are carrying Christ into the world . And whatever we do, people [ if they know we are Christian ] see the act as being done by Christ.  It's one of the most essential beliefs of the church. 

Q. Is  it also  important to know what your role is in this body,   so you can work  for the common good ?   For an analogous example, think of the  Blackhawks winning the Stanley Cup: Surely, it was vital for everybody on that team to know his precise role and how  to  coordinate it with all the other team member roles.

 A. Well, the Body of Christ does have so very  many members. But I believe that if we are following the Ten Commandments, we are functioning in Christ's name. Though not all of us may not be aware of being  in His Body, nevertheless  this is    the   truth , which takes hold of us whether we believe it or not.

Q. Can you describe  any personal experience where you behaved as a member of the Body of Christ?

A.  At Mass every morning. We  are a community there. I feel that I'm a part of the life of everyone of those people. There's no doubt about it !

Matthew Hahn , deacon at St. James , Arlington Heights, scout leader,  and former U.S. Marine Corps sergeant…A former commandant of the Marine Corps was fond of saying "Marines do the right thing, especially when they know nobody is watching. We teach the same principle  in scouting: "On my honor, I will do my best , to do my duty to God and my country…to help other people.  " Working together in this way,  both the Marine Corps and    scouting produce fine examples of people who make up the Body of Christ. And, when this happens, wonderful,  marvelous things happen .

Don Knorr, Certified Public Accountant , Christian mentor and member of Opus Dei… The unity of the mystical body , which derives from a  single  life-principle, the Holy Spirit, and tends towards a common same goal, that is, the building up of the Church, means that all its members, whatever their position, have the same basic dignity and the same importance.

St. Paul uses a literary device by personifying the members of the human   body and imagines the nobler members with the lesser ones. This serves to reaffirm the truth,  that members are to  have the same care for one another.

Jesus Christ is the head of the  body, the Church. This image shows the relationship of Christ with the Church, to which he sends his grace in abundance, bearing life to all its members. "The head," St. Augustine says, "is  our very Savior, who suffered under Pontius Pilate and now, after rising from the dead, is seated at the right hand of the Father. And His Body   ( the Body of Jesus Christ ) is the Church. ..For the whole Church, made up of the assembly of the faithful—for all the faithful are Christ's members—has Christ as its head, who rules  His Body from on high. " (Enarrationes in Psalmos, 56, 1 ).

Brian Reynolds, musician and secretary of Foundation for Children  in Need (FCN), an expansive outreach program   serving the needs of  the rural poor in India…

Q. How do you visualize the Mystical Body of Christ, in human terms?

A. The visual I see when witnessing the Mystical Body of Christ is when “love in action” is exercised. Love exercised through prayer, compassion, kindness, patience, tenderness, mercy and in loving service to others. We all have been blessed with many gifts and power from God, Our Father,  and as I understand it, someday these special gifts we have today will come to an end, but “love” goes on forever.

Q. Is it important for all Christians to know that they exist in this body and also to know what their role or function is in it?

A. I believe that that knowing we are all one in His Body brings all believers closer together. (It also strengthens our desire to evangelize to those who may not be part of His Body… and, as St. Francis said,  if necessary , use words.) Our awareness of being one in His Body helps each of us recognize the love of Christ in ourselves and within others. As I attempt to live my life out in the Body of Christ, I believe my role or function is continuously being shaped and directed through every interaction God Blesses me to experience. Our Father in Heaven is constantly pouring His love into our hearts,  and it is up to each one of us to decide how to share our abundance.

Q. How does FCN function as the Body of Christ?

A. Well … we are using our God given gifts to help support the poorest of the poor in Southern India. Each volunteer, board member, sponsor and employee is working to help improve a child’s life through the gift of an education and needed healthcare. As each staff member fulfills their mission role, God’s love is realized through our collective efforts to reach out and help these poor people. For any person that has ever felt alone, afraid or challenged by life circumstances, the living Body of Christ brings believers together in prayer and unity for that person in need. This sincere response from others confirms that God is present in our world and He is realized through our love for one another.

The Rev. Eldor "Rick" Richter, celebrated author of the book "Comparing the Qur'an  and the Bible " and executive pastor emeritus of St. Peter  Lutheran  (Missouri Synod ) church, Arlington Heights…

[ excerpts from a   previous sermon of his  ]

            The church is not an human institution . It is a living    reality. It is alive, because the living Christ is its head and lives in and through its members...

            As an institution or human organization,  the church can be efficient, successful, well organized ; but unless Christ is its Savior and Head, unless Christ, by faith is living in its members, it is not the church, the Body of Christ…

            You were   born—reborn, once and for all—when you were  united with Christ's death and resurrection in Holy Baptism. There is   one Baptism, one faith, one Lord, one God and Father. That is what the Scriptures say. This is our   unity in the  Body…

            We should say to ourselves,  [ our church  ] is  the Body I belong to. The Body needs me. I may be only a little finger, but  I am important to the Body. We are not to consider ourselves inferior or inadequate. We are not to   despise our gift and be discontent with our contribution. The Lord has place you in the Body and He wants you to exercise your gift for the good of all. We are interdependent ! …

            This calls for appreciation of gifts which we have among  yourselves.  Some of us are  good at exhortation…acts of mercy and compassion…service…leadership…financial support…evangelism…teaching…craftsmanship…interpretation of the Scripture…hospitality. These are  all gifts mentioned  in the Scriptures. All of us have the gift of love, which is the most important gift of all.

Fr. Paul Wachdorf…pastor, St. Gregory the Great , Chicago…

Q. How do you visualize the Mystical Body of Christ in human terms ? Who's in it,  who's not ? Does it have any real form ?

A. The Church , which is the Mystical Body of Christ , can be found in three different forms. It exists on this earth and is called the "Church Militant" because its members struggle against sin, evil and injustice in the world. The Church suffering refers to the souls in Purgatory who await the fullness of redemption. The "Church Triumphant "is the Church in heaven. The real form of the Mystical Body of Christ is the people who make up the Church and who seek to build up the Mystical Body of Christ in our world.

Q. Is it important for all " bona fide" Christians to know that they exist in this body and also to know what their role or function is in it ?

A. I believe that it is important for all Christians to claim membership in the Mystical Body of Christ and to claim ownership for seeking to build up the Mystical Body of Christ by their words and their actions. Every Christian needs to discern how he or she is a part of the Mystical Body of Christ and what he or she can contribute to building it up. The image of the Mystical Body of Christ reminds us that we are all in this together. We are not lone wolves. We journey towards the Kingdom of God together, and we have an obligation to partner with our Christian sisters and brothers on this journey. I think it is very important for all “bona fide” Christians to internalize this and live it out. 

Q. Can you describe any experience in your life—pastoral or not—where you were an active member in this body and how it could  have achieved its goal—secular or spiritual—more effectively ?

A. As a Catholic priest for the past 40 years and as the pastor of a parish, I have dedicated my life to being an active member of the Mystical Body of Christ; and through my preaching and teaching, through my witness and example, I have sought to encourage my parishioners to do the same. Over the past 40 years, I have had countless experiences where this has been the case. And I am always looking for new and creative ways in which I can be a member of the Mystical Body of Christ myself and in which I can encourage my people to do the same. Right now I think that Pope Francis has the right idea … that as good Christians, we need to look out for one another and to pay special care to the least of our sisters and brothers.

Rick Warren, celebrated author of the "Purpose Driven Life"and  founding  pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA…

One reason you need to be connected to a church family is to fulfill your calling to serve other believers in practical ways. The Bible says, “All of you together are Christ’s body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27 ).

Your service is essential to the Body of Christ—just ask any local church. Each of us has a role to play, and every role is important. There is no small service to God; it all matters.

There are no insignificant ministries in the church. Some are visible and some are hidden behind the scenes, but all are valuable. Small or hidden ministries often make the biggest difference. In my home, the most important light is not the large chandelier in our dining room but the little night light that keeps me from stubbing my toe when I get up at night.

There is no correlation between size and significance. Every ministry matters because we are all dependent on each other to function.

What happens when one part of your body fails to function? You get sick. The rest of your body suffers. Imagine if your liver decided to start living for itself: “I’m tired! I don’t want to serve the body anymore! I want a year off just to be fed. I’ve got to do what’s best for me! Let some other part take over.”

What would happen? Your body would die. Today thousands of local churches are dying because of Christians who are unwilling to serve. They sit on the sidelines as spectators, and the Body suffers.

God calls you to a service far beyond anything you could ever imagine. He created YOU for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for you to do (see Ephesians 2:10). Whenever you serve others, you are actually serving God. 

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All comments are welcome.

rrschwarz7@wowway.com

© 2015 Robert R. Schwarz