Do Blessings Really Work? And A Question About Board and Bread Breaking.

(Yes, this is SPAM, but in French it’s called “KAM!” Why not just call it Spamé?)

This week, I offer two unique e-mails. One came from a vineyard I visited during the “Fruit of the Vine Retreat” I offered in Napa Valley last June.

(Some of the pilgrims from the tower of Castello di Amorosa Vineyard in Napa Valley.)

This trip was a highlight of the summer. The pilgrims who came along experienced incredible faith opportunities, complemented with food and wine, exquisite views, and fantastic people. I can’t say enough about it! I’ll just have to leave up to you take advantage and truly understand for yourself when we offer this trip again next year. So many people are already calling/e-mailing me about when we’ll go to next year. Let’s just say the plans are in the works. So stay tuned!

(A top of the mountain view of Napa Valley from Hall Winery.)

One of our stops took us to the beautiful home of the Taylor Family, with a vineyard of the same name. While we never discussed the specifics of faith in detail, the family definitely had plenty of it as they embarked on this new venture to produce high quality wine with a personalized, family touch. While I was there, I blessed the vineyard (at their request). So after getting drenched I prayed for God’s protection on this land, with the hopes that the land, like our souls, will be fruitful, productive, and yield a harvest to be shared with a hungering and thirsting world.

(Getting a hands-on lesson about growing grapes.)

Here’s a pleasant and surprising e-mail from the owner. You’ll read how blessings DO work! You better believe that the next time I lead a group there, we will go back and visit this family and celebrate God’s blessings around our table and in the Lord’s vineyard!

Fr. Leo,

It was such a pleasure hosting and meeting you and your entire group during your recent Napa visit. Thank you for taking the time to visit us and for the vineyard/estate blessing. Several weeks ago while our fruit was in bloom we had a very strong storm come through Napa that caused a lot of damage in the vineyards. I am convinced that your blessing protected our vineyard from damage as miraculously we escaped major “shatter” from the 1 1/2″ downpour. Many of our neighbors had considerable loss in their vineyards. Thank you so very much.

I hope that you decide to return to Napa. I would love the opportunity to cook alongside you in our new wood fired oven.

Warm regards,

Sandy

–

Sandra Taylor Carlson

Taylor Family Vineyards

sandy@taylorfamilyvineyards.com

(Our Lady blessing the vineyard of Meritage Winery and Resort – our hotel with a chapel!)

And now for a completely unrelated question/topic about the martial arts, and its connection to my faith and my spirituality that also promotes peace. It’s a question I receive regularly. Most recently I reflected on it as I participated in my sister’s 4th Degree Black Belt test. There, I had a reunion with my former instructor and my students. I even had a chance to “spar” against a few of the testers. Yes, it brought back memories and reminded me of how God worked even in the midst of my martial arts training.

Hello Fr. Leo,

I had a quick question about the Catholic faith and learning martial arts. If man is ordained a Catholic priest, could he still learn/practice a martial art? If not, why can lay Catholics engage in the martial arts but not Catholic priests?

Thank you,

NICK,

Dear Nick,

A Catholic Priest IS permitted to practice martial arts. I still do, to some degree. As a former instructor, I taught my students – no matter what religion they professed – the need to practice natural virtue while engaging in martial arts training. To be a good and effective practitioner of martial arts, you have to be humble, obedient, and disciplined. That doesn’t sound bad, does it?

(Me and my former instructor, Mr. Fred Ocampo.)

The popularized/Hollywood impression of martial artists is that they’re all tough guys who go around bullying people. In fact, the opposite is true. Most of the traditional practitioners were monks, who were willing to defend their country and culture if necessary.

For most modern practitioners, martial arts is a sport. It gives training to the body and mind. Some people make it a “religion,” which, at my school, we heartily rejected. While we could be considered “masters” of the art, we all preferred to just be called “teachers,” as humble martial artists recognize there is only one trust Master: God of the Universe!

As a sport, you can approach it with humility or pride. I’ve seen more violent basketball, baseball, and football players than martial artists.

(“Great in the Lord Conference” – The “Bread Breaker” now “Board Breaking.”)

My suggestion: take martial arts training for all the right reasons. Do it for exercise, for toning, strengthening muscles, and gaining flexibility. Study and respect the antiquity of the Asian culture, which has produced incredible inventions and unique techniques that still work today! Practice this skill with the intent to be humble.

If you have the opportunity to use it to defend yourself or your family, then thank God you know how to. The fact is God gives us strength, wisdom, and a right mind to avoid situations where we will have to use it. In other words, martial artists don’t frequent rough and tough places. Our skills teach us to avoid problems and to only use the skills as a last resort.

To help you formulate a better understanding of the art, I offer you the “creed” students said before every class:

The Martial Arts is: A peaceful life secret, only to be used in defense. It is a commitment to develop and succeed for the good of society. It’s a way of life, following our positive natural virtues, of courtesy, perseverance, and self-control and indomitable spirit.

(Using martial arts techniques for a popular youth conference talk called “Spiritual Combat,” for about 5,000 teenagers at the Eucharistic Congress in Atlanta, Georgia, 2010.)

Let us pray: Father in Heaven, teach us humility so that we, like vineyard workers will depend on You; and, as soldiers, we will hear the command and be willing to fight – not with weapons but with faith – against forces that want to harm our souls. Give us Grace, Lord, to put all things in Your hands – our food, our sports, our hobbies, so as to transform these into gifts, rather than weapons! Amen.

Let us know: Did you ever have something blessed and then afterwards truly feel that the blessing worked, like the Taylor Vineyard blessing? Do you practice a martial art, and how would you reconcile your spiritual commitments with this potentially deadly skill? Do you have any questions for which Fr. Leo can offer a perspective – a “food for thought?” Your communication encourages our efforts. Please post your comments and questions below.

And be sure to check out a new webisode, when Fr. Leo visits Auntie April’s Soul Food for some Chicken and Waffles while out in San Francisco.

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