Hard Sayings

Running in Circles

2011-08-24T17:34:00.000-07:00

A friend made the comment to me today that he needed to modify his Google+ account to divide his online aquaintences into a "profane circle" and a "non-profane circle".

I avoided facebook for a while for reasons similar to this. People from work would friend me, as would folks from church. These people may be unprepared for the fact that I associate with individuals who use foul language, see fornication and drunkeness as a recreation, and in on particular case, are evangelical athiests.

Is it better to avoid these people? Or is a mature christian filling the role of "salt and light" by associating with them and giving good example of himself?

The key is not who we associate with, but how we act. If we are uncompromising in our morals and manners, in what we say and what we do, we can be a friend to "publicans and sinners" like Jesus.

What we must avoid is a personal double-standard where we become a different person for each group. Actors, or "hypocrites" as Jesus referred to them in the Greek are condemned over and over again.

Peter even fell victim to this as we are told in Galatians 2:12. We can avoid this by remembering that the God we serve is One. He pours out his love on all, but changes for no one.

Storming the Gates

2011-08-22T14:53:00.000-07:00

Matthew 16:18 KJV
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
--

Reading some pieces on the internet that I can't find now, I was shown a facet of this verse that I've not seen until now.

Gates are not usually in the habit of attacking. So we are not the passive defenders being attacked in this saying.

We are the assaulting army. This is a call for the Church Militant to storm hell and bring the lost back out. And the gates will not prevail against us.

Limits

2011-06-26T16:52:00.000-07:00

12.9 Miles with well over a mile worth of elevation changes.
5 hours, 45 minutes.

I'm not saying it wasn't hard. But I used to get winded using the stairs at work. Our only limitations are the ones we set ourselves.

We know this because we have saints (and saints in the making) to show us that the impossible is, in fact, possible.

I offered up the suffering of my hike for a couple of causes in my life.

This guy wins forever, however.

Scars

2011-06-16T02:17:00.000-07:00

I'm paraphrasing here, but it's early and I can't find the actual quote.

Watched a Archbishop Fulton Sheen collection from Netflix on Sunday, and one thing he said has stuck with me.

He said that Our Lord ascended with wounds, but would return with scars. And by our scars he would judge us.

"Show me your hands. Do they have scars from giving? Show me your feet. Are they wounded in service? Show me your heart. Have you left a place for divine love?"

Currently reading: Man's Search For Meaning - Viktor Frankl

Behold, The Destroyer of Blogs!

2011-06-14T02:34:00.000-07:00

Posting should resume a regular pattern soon, with the format revolving around some recent epiphanies concerning my own spirituality.

Personal Goals

2011-05-26T18:28:00.000-07:00

I've set a goal of completing the Tough Mudder competition next February. This is going to require quite a bit of preperation between now and then, as it is a physically and mentally demanding course.

This is a step in a recent attempt to define my spirituality. I'm working on a manifesto of sorts that I intend to post pieces of on this blog. The main gist will be exploring prayer and mortification through physicallity, and manliness as central to masculine spiritual development.

The Essence of Scripture

2011-05-21T14:59:00.000-07:00

Not following the Family Radio / Rapture situation, but Shameless Popery has live-blog coverage.

He also has this great quote.

“And let them not flatter themselves if they think they have Scripture authority for their assertions, since the devil himself quoted Scripture, and the essence of the Scriptures is not the letter, but the meaning.” St. Jerome

Posting Frequency

2011-05-19T18:07:00.001-07:00

New baby less than a week away, garden freshly planted, new years home-school stuff to sort out for my son.

Posting will be infrequent, but not stopped completely.

The hard saying for today:

Matthew 24:36 - KJV
"But of that day and hour knoweth no [man], no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only."

Score!

2011-05-11T17:56:00.000-07:00

Thickened up the bookshelves yesterday at my favorite used-book store.

Beautiful copies of The Rule of St. Benedict and The Interior Castle by St. Therese of Avila. A hardback of Why Do Catholics Do That, and I finally broke down and picked up a copy of Did Adam and Eve Have Belly-Buttons.

Another great find was Annulments and the Catholic Church by Edward Peters, not for myself of course, but I've gotten several questions about this subject lately, so like the teen questions in Did Adam and Eve Have Belly-Buttons, I consider it training for ministry.

None of those were more than $3.

Mortification

2011-05-08T14:29:00.000-07:00

I loved the website GodSpy, which has unfortunately gone cold. There I found many excellent articles about boldly living the faith in our culture. My memory tells me that I was reading it during my conversion, though it may have just blended with the ongoing catechisis of those years.

My favorite article by far was "I Scourge the Body Electric", by Brian Pessaro. It framed bodily mortification in a way I had never considered. Specifically, it took an act that confused (and in some cases, disgusted) the world, and made it seem sensible in comparison to the tortures that people endure for the sake of vanity.

", the fact that this practice shocks people says something about our priorities. In our society, it’s considered perfectly normal to mortify our bodies so long as the reason is secular and the goal is physical. No one bats an eye at cosmetic plastic surgery, Botox, tattoos, and body piercing. Even physical fitness taken to extremes is looked upon as almost de rigeur. "
I highly recommend rooting this out of the archive.

Gardening

2011-05-05T18:24:00.001-07:00

Great post from Bad Catholic, with an even better video.

I read a piece on work, and how it was sanctified by Jesus working during the years before his ministry. The perfect work for man is of course gardening, since it is the only job that God gave us before the fall. Therefore it is the best job for holiness.

I'll be growing mostly heirloom vegetables this year. My apple trees are pruned and have bloomed nicely. The rasberries should be full, but this will be the first producing year for my tame blackberries. Indian corn probably will not support the heavy pole bean I plan on raising, so I may need to stake it seperately. I've got an awesome cherokee tomato, supposedly the native tomato in this region. Of course there will be plenty of squash, cukes, zucchini, and assorted melons, but if you can't grow those, you just aren't trying.

Get back to the garden, folks. It's where God wants you. You know, because that's where he put us originally.

Self- Abuse

2011-05-03T16:43:00.000-07:00

The world is full of double beds
And most delightful maidenheads,
Which being so, there’s no excuse
For sodomy of self-abuse.
--Hilaire Belloc

The sin of Onan is the same today as always. Masturbation and contraception are generally humorous topics in today's culture, but the fact is that both are grave matter and therefore possibly mortal sins if done willfully and with full knowledge.

Why have we decided that shameful self-pleasure is humorous, and we look with disdain and pity on those who seek self control and mortification?

Christ interpreted the 6th Commandment "that every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." These are strong words that call us to a faithful and pure existance. An existance that our modern culture refuses to understand. They point at the Church and call us "sex obsessed", all the while drowning in immoral media and celebrity gossip of the most sordid variety.

Let us return to the true meaning of love and sexuality. Easter is a time of rebirth and renewal. Those of us in the married vocation (and everyone for that matter) could spend some time studying Blessed John Paul II's Theology of the Body. If you are not ready for the whole thing, try the Beginner's book.

Z is for Zuhlsdorf

2011-04-30T05:54:00.000-07:00

Father Z's awesome blog is one of the first that I started reading. The motto there seems to be "Say the Black, Do the Red", a reference to the "rubrics", which are the red-lettered instructions in liturgical books that are to be followed, rather than read aloud.

Fr. Z is a front-line defender of the proper, a guardian of the sacred. If it is happening in the mass, and it isn't in the rubrics, perhaps you should look it up and get a better understanding of what is supposed to be going on there.

I've just picked Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger's (Il Papa) book "The Spirit of the Liturgy" back up off my shelf in honor of Fr. Z. That's the best end to the A-Z I've got. Peace.

Y is for Tetragrammaton

2011-04-29T05:36:00.000-07:00

Catholics have been directed not to use or pronounce the sacred name of God.

The tetragrammaton traditionally has been translated as Kyrios or Adonai in the Greek, and Lord or God in the English.

I have a small store-front church in my neighborhood who is a member of a Sacred Name Movement sect. I can't really get behind that, for the reasons of tradition that Cardinal Arinze uses, and out of respect for our Jewish brethren.

Modern society has no sense of the sacred. Crucifixes on pop-stars and in modern "art", church burnings, attacks on the Eucharist, sexuality, marriage, religious life, miracles, etc.

If we as Catholics begin treating the sacred as sacred, then the natural sense in those around us will pull in the same direction. Human nature was created with a sense of the sacred. We just need to re-awaken it.

X is for Xavier

2011-04-28T04:59:00.000-07:00

St. Francis Xavier was a missionary to the Japanese. Much can be read about him at New Advent.

I don't know much about this great saint, but there is a related subject I would like to discuss. Tempura.

You see, this popular Japanese dish was actually created, or at least inspired by the Catholics who were the earliest missionaries to Japan. The word tempura comes from "tempora", meaning either time, time period, season, etc. When Lent rolled around on these early missions, they did what comes natural to Catholics. The held a fish fry.

We are out of Lent now, but here is a recipe to hold on to for next year, or to use on Fridays as is proper. Vegetable tempura is excellent too, especially with a mix of broccoli and cabbage slices.

W is for Wine

2011-04-27T01:52:00.000-07:00

Wedding at Cana - Tintoretto

Wherever the Catholic sun doth shine,
There’s always laughter and good red wine.
At least I’ve always found it so.
Benedicamus Domino!

--Hilaire Belloc

V is for Venial

2011-04-26T01:41:00.000-07:00

1 John 5:16-17
If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly, he should pray to God and he will give him life. This is only for those whose sin is not deadly. There is such a thing as deadly sin, about which I do not say that you should pray.

All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not deadly.

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
1862 One commits venial sin when, in a less serious matter, he does not observe the standard prescribed by the moral law, or when he disobeys the moral law in a grave matter, but without full knowledge or without complete consent.

1863 Venial sin weakens charity; it manifests a disordered affection for created goods; it impedes the soul's progress in the exercise of the virtues and the practice of the moral good; it merits temporal punishment. Deliberate and unrepented venial sin disposes us little by little to commit mortal sin. However venial sin does not set us in direct opposition to the will and friendship of God; it does not break the covenant with God. With God's grace it is humanly reparable. "Venial sin does not deprive the sinner of sanctifying grace, friendship with God, charity, and consequently eternal happiness."

U is for Unblemished

2011-04-25T07:06:00.000-07:00

Exodus 12:3-11
Tell the whole community of Israel: On the tenth of this month every one of your families must procure for itself a lamb, one apiece for each household.
If a family is too small for a whole lamb, it shall join the nearest household in procuring one and shall share in the lamb in proportion to the number of persons who partake of it.
The lamb must be a year-old male and without blemish. You may take it from either the sheep or the goats.
You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, and then, with the whole assembly of Israel present, it shall be slaughtered during the evening twilight.
They shall take some of its blood and apply it to the two doorposts and the lintel of every house in which they partake of the lamb.
That same night they shall eat its roasted flesh with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
It shall not be eaten raw or boiled, but roasted whole, with its head and shanks and inner organs.
None of it must be kept beyond the next morning; whatever is left over in the morning shall be burned up.
This is how you are to eat it: with your loins girt, sandals on your feet and your staff in hand, you shall eat like those who are in flight. It is the Passover of the LORD.

How are we supposed to behave when we receive of the unblemished lamb, our paschal feast, our Christ? Are we done at that point, able to retire without further effort?

Let us receive Christ as the Hebrews received their Passover feast. Dressed and ready to go to our new homes. We have a journey ahead of us, and much to do on the way. Gird yourselves, put on your sandles, and pick up your staves.

We receive Christ here in Egypt, but we are not meant to remain here. We must head for Canaan.

T is for Tradition

2011-04-23T05:37:00.000-07:00

There are traditions, then there are traditions, and then you have traditions. Some are condemned in scripture, and some are exalted. The important thing is to separate one from another.

What is condemned is the traditions of man, the trappings of this world and our corrupt culture.
Col 2:8
See to it that no one captivate you with an empty, seductive philosophy according to human tradition, according to the elemental powers of the world and not according to Christ.

However, Jesus taught the apostles by preaching, and the apostles didn't write down everything that they were to hand down to us.

1Cor 11:2
I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold fast to the traditions, just as I handed them on to you.
2Thess 2:14

Therefore, brothers, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours

Blanket condemnations of "tradition" just won't hold water. Especially since everyone who claims to hold to "scripture alone" needs to accept at least one tradition before they can understand what "scripture" means.

Catholic Bible, with deuterocanon?
Protestant Bible, deuterocanon removed?
Book of Mormon?
The Koran?

Does sola scriptura include the table of contents?

S is for Saints

2011-04-22T04:27:00.000-07:00

Jesus calls us to be "be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect".
Is there a harder saying in scripture?

We are to become everything that God intends for us. We have a lifetime to accomplish this, a lifetime that could end at any minute. It's not an out-of-date concept, and it is not impossible in our day and age. There are many saints from our age, and the Church points out a few to help us understand that.

The only other real option is martyrdom. Who was it that said, "Don't aim for purgatory, you might miss"?

R is for Reconciliation

2011-04-21T02:54:00.000-07:00

John 20:23 is another scripture that is commonly glossed over, or reinterpreted to mean something vague.

John 20:21-23
(Jesus) said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you."
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained."

It's a hard spot for many. Here is the Catholic take from the Catechism:

1441 Only God forgives sins. Since he is the Son of God, Jesus says of himself, "The Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins" and exercises this divine power: "Your sins are forgiven." Further, by virtue of his divine authority he gives this power to men to exercise in his name.

1442 Christ has willed that in her prayer and life and action his whole Church should be the sign and instrument of the forgiveness and reconciliation that he acquired for us at the price of his blood. But he entrusted the exercise of the power of absolution to the apostolic ministry which he charged with the "ministry of reconciliation." The apostle is sent out "on behalf of Christ" with "God making his appeal" through him and pleading: "Be reconciled to God."

Q is for Quo Vadis

2011-04-20T05:09:00.000-07:00

Domine Quo Vadis by Annibale Carracci

There is a legend recounted in the Acts of Peter. It says that as Peter was fleeing persecution in Rome, he met Jesus heading the other way. Peter asks the Lord, "Quo Vadis", or "Where are you going?". Jesus answers "I am going to Rome to be crucified again".

Peter returned to Rome to continue his ministry, and was eventually crucified. He requested to be crucified head-down, because he did not feel worthy to die in the same manner as the Lord.

If you heading in any direction other than exactly where God wants you, you need to stop and ask it yourself.
Quo Vadis?

P is for Purgatory

2011-04-19T04:02:00.000-07:00

Purgatory as a doctrine is often misunderstood as a third destination in addition to Heaven and Hell. What it actually refers to is the “state” of purgation that burns away our impurities and heals our damaged and imperfect souls before we can actually face God.

1Cor 3:9-15
For we are God's co-workers; you are God's field, God's building.
According to the grace of God given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But each one must be careful how he builds upon it, for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there, namely, Jesus Christ.
If anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, the work of each will come to light, for the Day will disclose it. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire (itself) will test the quality of each one's work.
If the work stands that someone built upon the foundation, that person will receive a wage.
But if someone's work is burned up, that one will suffer loss; the person will be saved, but only as through fire.

The scripture is commonly used by Protestants, but rarely associated with the Catholic understanding of Purgatory.

I read a bit of Fr. Benedict Grochel’s “After this Life” recently, and he quotes the The Dream of Gerontius. It framed Purgatory as healing and cleansing waters, rather than punishment. I had never thought of it that way before, but perhaps it makes it more understandable than to focus more on the burning, and less on the rebuilding.

"…. Praise to His Name!
The eager spirit has darted from my hold,
And, with the intemperate energy of love,
Flies to the dear feet of Emmanuel;
But, ere it reach them, the keen sanctity,
Which with its effluence, like a glory, clothes
And circles round the Crucified, has seized,
And scorch'd, and shrivell'd it; and now it lies
Passive and still before the awful Throne.
O happy, suffering soul! for it is safe,
Consumed, yet quicken'd, by the glance of God."

O is for Offering It Up

2011-04-18T01:50:00.000-07:00

It is important to remember that our own suffering can have redemptive value to others. We are to unite our suffering here on earth to Christ on his Cross.
Joyfully.

Col 1:24
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church,

The Black Cordelias explain this one best I think, with a quick Q&A.

N is for Nuns

2011-04-16T04:59:00.000-07:00

The Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament outside of Hanceville Alabama is an otherworldly place. When you enter or leave the grounds, you can almost feel the edges of it, like stepping out of a cool house into a warm day.

The shrine itself is a work of art. Made from materials and by craftsmen from all over the world, it definitely fulfills the purpose of a church structure, which is to turn your thoughts toward heavenly things.

The youth of the nuns is particularly notable. A look at the photo gallery shows their youth and excitement, and most of all the joy that these brides of Christ have.

They are even fellow bloggers!

M is for Mary

2011-04-15T04:49:00.000-07:00

From The Last Judgement, by Michelangelo

Hail Mary, Full of Grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death.
Amen.

Marian doctrines, devotions, and Dogmas can be divisive, and there is too much to cover in a single blog post. I will revisit it after the A-Z, but for now I will recommend Mark Shea’s new series for anyone interested.

The one and only thing I want to cover this time is a small piece of apologetics concerning devotion to Mary. I’ve tried explaining to people that Catholics don’t worship Mary, but I’ve heard too many Baptists, Pentecostals, and Seven-day Adventists argue my own beliefs with me.

I want to catch someone during the Pledge of Allegiance and then go off telling everyone that they worship a flagpole, and any protests to the contrary can be dismissed as them being ignorant of their own denomination’s teachings.

Here is the actual teaching, from the Catechism, always a "A sure norm for teaching the faith,".

Pay close attention to the part that says, "This very special devotion . . . differs essentially from the adoration which is given to the incarnate Word and equally to the Father and the Holy Spirit, and greatly fosters this adoration."516".

Humility

2011-04-14T17:58:00.000-07:00

When I had a Facebook page, I make no issue about posting my weight-lifting numbers. I'm a beginner, and at 6'1, 205lbs I have no excuse for my weakness. I've been lazy most of my life. But I improve by inches.

When I see a new bit of definition, or when my abs finally emerged from under the flab, I've had a tendency to get a bit proud.

Folks like this keep me humble.

9 year old girl squats 187lbs.

L is for Laity

2011-04-14T03:26:00.000-07:00

Levite Holds Up Holy Hands, by James Tissot

We are all priests, with Jesus as our High Priest. But as in the days of Aaron, there are two orders of priesthood. Peter describes our role (the baptized laity) as a “Royal Priesthood” (1Peter2:9).

Like the Levites, we do the work of the temple. This means that we minister, teach, and council. We carry the candles and curtains, serve at alter, pour the water for washing, tend to the offerings.

The second order of priesthood is the Sacrificial Priesthood. These are the ordained ministers who are properly of the order of Melchisidek, but for the purposes of this analogy are similar to the Aaronic priesthood. The offer the sacrifice of Christ’s Body and Blood, as they were instructed to do at the Last Supper. They are ordained by the laying on of hands by a successor of the Apostles, just as Paul was. They are fallible men, with a very special and exclusive role within the Church. To them was given the authority to forgive sins and anoint for healing.

I am unable to be a member of the ordained clergy in the Roman Rite, because as the head of a household I already have a family that needs to be my priority. Women may not be ordained due to the priest’s role representing Christ as bridegroom to the Church as bride. Men without thumbs have been historically excluded due to the possibility of dropping the Host. Those of us excluded should not covet the role of the priest. If we have time to, we probably are not fulfilling our role as laity to its fullness.

Just remember Jude’s admonition:
Jude 1:10-16
But these people revile what they do not understand and are destroyed by what they know by nature like irrational animals. Woe to them! They followed the way of Cain, abandoned themselves to Balaam's error for the sake of gain, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.

These are blemishes on your love feasts, as they carouse fearlessly and look after themselves. They are waterless clouds blown about by winds, fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead and uprooted. They are like wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shameless deeds, wandering stars for whom the gloom of darkness has been reserved forever. Enoch, of the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied also about them when he said, "Behold, the Lord has come with his countless holy ones to execute judgment on all and to convict everyone for all the godless deeds that they committed and for all the harsh words godless sinners have uttered against him."

These people are complainers, disgruntled ones who live by their desires; their mouths utter bombast as they fawn over people to gain advantage.

The sins of Korah are detailed here, but basically amount to the Levite priesthood trying to usurp the Aaronic.

Numbers 16:1-3
Korah, son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, (and Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, son of Pallu, son of Reuben) took two hundred and fifty Israelites who were leaders in the community, members of the council and men of note. They stood before Moses, and held an assembly against Moses and Aaron, to whom they said, "Enough from you! The whole community, all of them, are holy; the LORD is in their midst. Why then should you set yourselves over the LORD'S congregation?"

We are the Church, members of Christ's Body. We are a royal priesthood. Why should the bishops and priests set themselves over us?

Because that is how God wanted it done. Then, and now.

K is for Karol

2011-04-13T01:21:00.000-07:00

Karol Wojtyla.

I've only known two popes in my lifetime, and only one since becoming Catholic.

Pope John Paul II was instrumental in ending communism, dealing with the sex abuse scandal, and promoting unity with other faiths. He was the right man, at the right time.

To be honest, I prefer to read Benedict XVI. I love The Theology of the Body, but JPII writes a bit above my level.

J is for Jerome

2011-04-12T01:24:00.000-07:00

St. Jerome Writing, by Caravaggio

Ignorance of the scriptures is ignorance of Christ. - href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08341a.htm">St. Jerome

There stands my definition of a "Hard Saying". Bible illiteracy is rampant these days and contributes to too many unnecessary and useless pseudo-theological debates. I'm all for actual theology, and vigorous debate. But I don't want to see two people arguing about scriptures that just arn't there, or mean something completely different when read in context.

If the Scriptures are not read as a whole work, then all manner of error can spring from a limited or uninformed reading.

For example, Exodus 20:4 forbids carving of graven images, while 20:5 forbids worshiping them as idols. Often Exodus 20:4 is used to forbid images all together, though God almost immediatly commands the creation of graven images such as cherubim on the Ark, and the brass serpent.

So read in context, we can see that the correct reading of this passage must include Exodus 20:4 and 20:5 and therefore just become a continuation of Exodus 20:3, "Thou shalt not have other gods besides me."

I is for Immaculate Conception

2011-04-11T03:27:00.000-07:00

From Tiepolo. His article at Catholic Encyclopedia and Wikipedia. I love the expression she has here. Click for bigger.

The Immaculate Conception is commonly misunderstood to mean the conception of Jesus. However what it actually describes is the singular event of Mary being conceived normally, but being preserved from the stain of Original Sin. A good defense of this doctrine is here at Catholic Answers.

I guess the most common objection I've heard to this would be "why is it necessary". I'm not a theologian, but to me the simplest reason is this: Jesus was born of a woman, not created whole-cloth by the Father. Like all men, he took his human nature from his human parent (we have two, he has one). Since Original Sin is transmitted from our parents as part of our human nature, then his origin was preserved immaculate to be a proper source and vessel for his sinless human nature.
But, I could be wrong.

Bottom line is that she was chosen and prepared to be a proper Ark of the New Covenant in His Flesh and Blood. Saved by the Grace of Jesus, as we all are. She was just saved by His will before she was ever conceived.

H is for Holy Water

2011-04-09T04:16:00.000-07:00

Water has many purposes in the Church. Holy water has a place in every Catholic home, but I don't see it used nearly as much as it should be. I don't use it as much as I should now, though I have been better in the past.

From the Catechism

1667 "Holy Mother Church has, moreover, instituted sacramentals. These are sacred signs which bear a resemblance to the sacraments. They signify effects, particularly of a spiritual nature, which are obtained through the intercession of the Church. By them men are disposed to receive the chief effect of the sacraments, and various occasions in life are rendered holy."

Approved Apparitions

2011-04-08T15:03:00.000-07:00

For a lengthy answer to a comment on my Fatima post.

The Church goes through a (very) slow process of discerning the authenticity of any apparitions. They examine the message and compare it to Scripture and Apostolic teachings. They look at the visionary and examine them for outside influence or evidence of deceit. The local ordinary (read: Bishop of the Diocese where the apparition took place) is primarily responsible.

If an apparition is condemned, it is to be shunned. If no statement is made, it should be suspect. (1 John 4:1) If the Church makes a judgement that the apparition is valid, then they have judged it authentic, and therefore appropriate for devotions or pilgrimages.

Here is a nice video and post about the first apparition to be approved in the United States.

From Catholic Answers

Apparitions and locutions are considered "private revelation," and while some have been recognized by the Church, they do not belong to the deposit of faith. Catholics are not bound to believe Church-approved private revelations. The Catechism explains the role of private revelation as follows:

It is not their role to improve or complete Christ’s definitive revelation but to help live more fully by it in a certain period of history. Guided by the magisterium of the Church, the sensus fidelium knows how to discern and welcome in these revelations whatever constitutes an authentic call of Christ or his saints to the Church. Christian faith cannot accept "revelations" that claim to surpass or correct the revelation of which Christ is the fulfillment, as is the case in certain non-Christian religions and also in certain recent sects that base themselves on such "revelations." (Catechism of the Catholic Church 67)

I have not read the book yet, but concerning private revelation, A Still Small Voice by Fr. Benedict Groeschel comes highly recommended.

G is for God

2011-04-08T08:14:00.000-07:00

I’ve heard a lot of individuals condemn muslims as idolaters for worshipping “Allah”. But there are plenty of Christians who use the same word. It’s just a matter of language.

God is an early germanic word, used in the first translations from the greek Theos, or latin Deus. It is only a word if we leave it unattached to meaning. The early hebrew words for God were many, but in meaning they could never be more than one.

God is infinite, immutable, eternal, omni-present, all-good, creator, one in three persons. God is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Image from here.

F is for Fatima

2011-04-07T08:05:00.000-07:00

I don’t know enough about Fatima. It’s on my to-do list, I promise.

I’ve stayed out of any Medjegoria debate by the simple assertation that since Fatima is an approved apparition, I should learn more about it first. Once I make my way through the apparitions approved by the Church, then we can actually look at making judgments on the ones that are not. Until then I have too much left to learn about my faith that is good old-fashioned Public Revelation.

E is for Esther

2011-04-06T06:44:00.000-07:00

I really thought about posting a screen cap from One Night with the King. But while the movie wasn't really bad, I figured I would try to continue with the finer art.

An interesting fact about the Book of Esther, is that the protestant version doesn't include any mention of God. The passages that do (mostly chapter 16) were removed because St. Jerome took them from the Septuagint version of the Old Testament, instead of the scaled down Hebrew version. There is more than a little evidence that Luther would have rather the book was excluded altogether.

I for one am grateful for the entirety of the book and planning on a Purim celebration next year. Keep in mind I'm not trying to abscond with the festival of another religion. It's just that I live in an area pretty much devoid of Jewish population, and therefore cannot befriend anyone who might invite me to a traditional celebration.

D is for Dali

2011-04-05T06:56:00.000-07:00

I never considered Salvador Dali a religious painter. He was always the guy who painted melting clocks. A friend enlightened me a couple years ago.

Another one of his I like is The Discovery of America by Christopher Columbus. It made me question the middle-school version of events I had been taught and do some more research into the life and motivations of Cristoval Colon.

C is for Caravaggio

2011-04-04T07:40:00.000-07:00

I wanted to do Judith Beheading Holofernes, but it is a bit intense for first-timers. In case anyone is wondering, I've only developed an art habit in the past couple years, courtesy of the Crescat's site. John 20:25-28 Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe." Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe." Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!"

B is for Bouguereau

2011-04-01T22:01:00.000-07:00

William Bouguereau. You've seen his art, even if you don't know his name. He was nearly forgotten at one point.

He is the centerpiece at A.R.C., a virtual museum I urge you to explore.

A is for Annunciation

2011-03-31T17:13:00.000-07:00

Image by Henry Ossawa Tanner, from here. Joining the A-Z Blog Challenge, almost too late. I'm pumped, because I think it will keep me motivated to write. Not that I write much on this blog, but even so.

I think I will open up with some of my favorite art, and see how that goes. Hail Mary, Full of Grace.

Halfway

2011-03-31T15:46:00.000-07:00

Halfway through Lent Coming back from break, a little earlier than anticipated. Blogging, it seems, is better for my time and mental state than not blogging.

I was listening to Adrian Rogers on the radio this morning (We don't have Catholic radio around my area, and I'm tired of secular music at the moment.)

He was speaking about persecution, and how it comes hand in hand with faithfulness to Jesus Christ. I can't find the verse he used specifically, but he compared joy in the Lord to the thermostat, and persecution to the themometer. Everything considered, not a sermon.

His last point, before I arrived at work was to comment that the first seven beatitudes must be developed, before you will be rewarded with the eighth. I like this man.

BadCatholic had a similar subject recently, concerning being hated.

If you are not being persecuted, you are doing something wrong.

Matthew 5:2-12

He began to teach them, saying:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you (falsely) because of me.

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Lenten Reading

2011-03-03T04:19:00.000-08:00

I've decided to go through "The Imitation of Christ" again for this Lent. It's a book full of hard sayings that I need to hear again.

"What good does it do to speak learnedly about the Trinity if, lacking
humility, you displease the Trinity? Indeed it is not learning that makes a man holy and just, but a virtuous life makes him pleasing to God. I would rather feel contrition than know how to define it. For what would it profit us to know the whole Bible by heart and the
principles of all the philosophers if we live without grace and the love of God?
Vanity of vanities and all is vanity, except to love God
and serve Him alone."

Exoneration

2011-03-02T15:57:00.000-08:00

One of us is misunderstanding that word. Don't they have to be convicted first?

Romans 5:8
But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave 7 his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.

For further reading, check Nostra Aetate. This ground has been covered over and over.

Holiness

2011-03-01T20:14:00.000-08:00

I've got to read Splendor of Truth and get some notes ready for our book study. I'm still trying to get into the groove of writing more often, hopefully I don't drop this blog before I actually get it started.

Brief text concerning works and the call to holiness. Christ puts a tall order on us, that is only possible through his grace. Lean on him, but pull your part of the yoke and don't disappoint. There are no runners-up in the race Paul repeatedly refers to in his letters. Just those who finish and those who don't.

Hebrews 12:14-17
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

Matthew 5:48
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Purgatory

2011-02-25T14:54:00.000-08:00

Listening to a radio preacher yesterday, I found myself cheering him on in his defense of the doctrines of hell as a reality. However, in his discussion of the fact that Hell is final, and there is no looking back, he took it upon himself to condemn the doctrine of purgatory as a "lie straight from hell".

Like many things the protestants decide to take offense to, this man's definition of purgatory is far from the actual Catholic teaching.

1Cor3:11-15
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

The "loss" suffered by the "saved" here is what the Catholic Church means when they say purgatory. Those imperfections that we have built into our souls must be burned away before we see the face of God, and that purification might sting a little.

From the Catechism:
III. The Final Purification, or Purgatory

1030 : All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.

1031 : The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned. The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. The tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire:⁶⁰⁷

As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire. He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come. From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come.⁶⁰⁸

Transubstantiation

2011-02-24T15:30:00.000-08:00

During a conversation with a friend this afternoon, he expressed his discomfort at the thought of Transubstantiation. On the drive home, I gave this some thought, and have to agree.

Anyone who doesn't have some emotional response to the Eucharist needs to review the facts. It is definitely a cause for fear and trembling, and paradoxically, profound peace and comfort.

John 6:53-68
Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.

Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.
For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.

Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.

Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever."

These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
Then many of his disciples who were listening said, "This saying is hard; who can accept it?"
Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, "Does this shock you? What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

But there are some of you who do not believe." Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him. And he said, "For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father."

As a result of this, many (of) his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. Jesus then said to the Twelve, "Do you also want to leave?" Simon Peter answered him, "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

Flannery O' Connor says it best.

"Well, toward morning the conversation turned on the Eucharist, which I, being the Catholic, was obviously supposed to defend. Mrs. Broadwater said when she was a child and received the host, she thought of it as the Holy Ghost, He being the most portable person of the Trinity; now she thought of it as a symbol and implied that it was a pretty good one.

I then said, in a very shaky voice, Well, if it's a symbol, to hell with it.

That was all the defense I was capable of but I realize now that this is all I will ever be able to say about it, outside of a story, except that it is the center of existence for me; all the rest of life is expendable. "