"For God formed man to be imperishable; the image of his own nature he made him." (Wisdom 2:23.).
"And how could a thing remain unless you willed it; or be preserved, had it not been called forth by you? But you spare all things, because they are yours, O Lord and lover of souls, ..." (Wisdom 11:26.).
The Lord, the giver of Life, is Lord of all the cosmos. This may come as a surprise to the non-believers, who are still looking for a maker, who are searching for a different one, but it comes as no surprise to those of us who believe that science itself was intended by the Creator Himself, who divulges a little at a time as to what it is all about, beginning with the first knowledge of those whose records are kept.
He has made heaven and earth, and he has made us. Man's understanding has been strengthened with time; over the millenia mankind has come to understand more of what God the Father had intended for him to know. Man has followed through upon criteria and study, and he has come to know many things, but he has come to know yet so little. The search, by word of mouth, by pen on paper, through experiments and experience, shall go on ... and on. Man shall beat his brow trying to know.
In the search, there are the believers, and there are the non-believers. Both attempt to know and learn, but it is only when knowledge is grounded in His Truth, His Way, by which the Wisdom to "know" shall be brought forth in satisfactory light. Anything else is not of God, not of Truth, and it will not be authentic science in real form.
It goes to say that in all likeliness, if non-believers changed their own attitudes, they would see that to include God into their own finite existence, many of their problems relating to science and the self would be better understood. (They know this argument, but discard it, since they find it too easy to explain, and too difficult to follow.) They could study in peace knowing that He will bring them to His Truth. They would not be so hoodwinked and full of unrest, so fickle and changing, so lacking in Wisdom of judgments. Their prophecies would bear insight, not falsification of facts turned upside down. They would have a stationary Truth, and it would be the Loving Creator, and through this means, they would work to bring us all to a better tomorrow, rather than to destroy us through an illogical and warped "mad scientist" approach of experimenting in the most debased and unethical means.
Furthermore, it is true that believers themselves, who have held the Lord as their own firm foundation, have lost sight of Truth for belief in easily concocted solutions and answers, which are theirs uniquely, apart from God. They have found His ways to be less than Holy by this criteria, and to be more understood in their own likenesses. They have believed, and yet, they have failed due to cultivation which assists the demands of man, rather than turning on to knowledge by the light of God. We cannot worship both man and God, but it is God alone whom we adore. Just as the Truth makes itself apparent to us, so we abide. If this cannot be done, then we cannot pretend to His Justice, as we will not find it. Finally, he shall ask of those who call Him Lord but do their own wills, "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not put into practice what I teach you?" (Luke 6:46.).
Yea, there is much which is not known, even by those who suggest to know by clamoring to knowledge which they do not have. There are many points to explore as to exactly "what is" and "what is not," as to why and how everything would work to synthesize into "what is," and as to what actually is true. For the believer, it cannot be as complicated as it is for those who adamantly admire their own point of view, as if by trying to figure it all out, they themselves have also, in effect, created it all. The true believer knows, as by intuition, what really matters, that the Lord of the cosmos has not imprinted everything about "what is" into man's limited understanding, since "what is" resides wholly with God and only indistinctly with man. The true believer is not baffled or scared, and does not bluff, because the true believer has Faith in God, he trusts that His Way is mighty and true, no matter how difficult the engagement seems.
When we look out and we see the trees, we see "what is." When we experience strife, or woe, or joy, we feel "what is" going on inside of us. If we are building or constructing, then we are really doing it, and it is "what is." It all "is" as "is" because of the God who sustains, and yet, we have missed "what is" almost entirely, throughout our whole lives. We have not seen all of which resides with and in the one tree, or every tree in the world, at that single instant. We do not understand what has triggered each emotional trap which we find ourselves in, subjectively, or in the case of everyone else, in the entire world, at the same time, or all who have ever lived or ever will live besides. We can barely think about it, much less know and understand this sort of calculation precisely. We cannot know everything about all the molecules involved in our use of raw materials for constructing, easily having a knowledge of every single atom which has ever existed. No amount of study can bring us even remotely to God's knowledge, to His omnipotent knowledge. His way is not known to us. We can only vaguely understand that in all the cosmos, each and every particle, which He alone created, is seen in its entirety, everything that ever has, does, or will exist, is subject to Him, and it is, for Him, simple and pure.
In man's unbelief, He disbelieves, because he cannot grasp one Being with Omnipotent Intelligence, but rather, subscribes to his own antidote, that all somehow comes into being by a sort of step by step discovery. The unbeliever has created because he has discovered "what is" on this or that little point, and this has satisfied his need for the infinite, in this tiny, little baby step by tiny, little baby step manner. The unbeliever has not wanted to be, in those certain negative ways of which he is, moron, imbecile, and dummy, neither has the believer, albeit, but so he has had need of creating goods even while he discovers them, whether they are for evil purposes or not. This, in the free and fallen world of those who disbelieve and doubt, has given the feeling of omnipotence.
To create through and in unison with discovery can be justifiable, but to create parallel or in the face of it is that which is in fashion, although it goes against the grain of God's Love. The new way of creating is without foundation, as it is without the logic of Truth and Love in origin, but this is what modern man wants in his made up world of discovery, intuition, and clairvoyance. If sound insight is not built upon the firm foundation of Truth, then it cannot be brought to the justice of what is. All knowledge must start with a clear understanding of Truth, or it becomes fantasy, lies, inaccuracies, concoctions, blasphemy. It becomes, then, an accusation against God, as if it were He Himself who has held the grievance, He who has tampered with the Truth. It becomes a case of where God is made, by man, to be inferior to man. "Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us; he sets himself against our doings, reproaches us for transgressions against the law, and charges us with violations of our training." (Wisdom 2:12.). Although the ways of God are known, they are hidden too. God in His human glory, Jesus Christ, that is, has been rebuked and countered by those who have been given light to understand. These among us have crucified the Son. Likewise, these among us crucify His Truth by destroying the foundation which belongs to Him.
The sun, the moon, the stars, the night, the day, the earth and all that is in it -- the Lord God sustains by holding all in existence through His Divine Will. If He were to lift His hand and to Will that anything upon the earth should not exist, at any moment, then that material object, that creature, would not exist any longer, but would disappear as quickly for Him as a fleeting thought travels through our own minds and lies hidden, with only remnants of discovery that such a thing existed at all. Our thoughts can create stories, but we cannot create Truth by just thinking up a someone or something. God, however, is Truth. His thoughts obey His commands uniformly. He is Unity. In a thoughtful moment we might ponder that perhaps one fleeting thought in the Person of the Almighty God who Willed it away just as quickly as He created it produces complexities in science which baffle the brightest minds, since His thoughts align perfectly with His commands. How? Why? To know so, is to find out the thoughts of God Himself!
"Now we see indistinctly, as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. My knowledge is imperfect now; then I will know even as I am known." (1 Corinthians 13:12.).
Love works carefully. The Word is Love, and this Word has worked to produce heaven and earth and all that is in it. He sustains then, and holds into being deliberately, according to His Will and Love. Man -- man and woman -- is the crown of His glorious Work within the cosmos. We are created in His Divine image by Him, in Love, and we are sustained by Him, in Love. He has created us within the bounds of a time which He has created, and although He shall swipe time away with the stroke of His hand, He shall not do so for humanity, in the scope of eternal time. He shall hold you and I in existence forever.
"Those who have done right shall rise to live; the evildoers shall rise to be damned." (John 5:29.).
There is nothing which any of us can do to not exist. Whether debased, weeping and sobbing upon one's pillow in the darkest of nights, or gleefully flying across the great oceans to unknown territory for wonderful experiences, notions about life come down to one eternal matter -- spirit and life (John 6:63.) . Upon our earthly death, whether we should, regrettably forever, burn in the greatest fire in hell, through rejection of shame and rejection of longing for His Love, or share in the greatest glory in heaven, through repentance and adherence to His principles in the most profound manner, there will be one thing which will be the same for all of us: we will exist forever, because He has willed it, He who is master of the cosmos has willed it for His people, who are in this case, all people. He will always hold us in existence, and yet it is through His own Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity by which we are given over to eternal Life with Him, escaping definitively that final Death through His gift of Salvation. If one rejects Him, then he has chosen spirit and life away from Him -- his eternal Death has been chosen. Man, who cannot cease to exist, due to the eternal command of the Word, will live forever in Life or Death, after the material has passed. It will be the command of his own choice, bridged by his own thoughts and deeds, movements of his own will. Man's destiny for Life or Death will ultimately be eternal at his own command.
We cannot will ourselves out of existence through despair, or suicide attempts, or despondency in life. We must exist, because God Himself has willed that it be so, once He has created us. No chemical inducement, no prison sentence, no mercy killing can take away what the Almighty God has given to those who hurt or who are hurt: existence. Such may take away everything, and even the very lives of some, but it cannot take away the existence of persons. We may be willed out of existence on this earth, physically, but we cannot be willed out of existence itself. Why? It is so simple. It is because God loves each of us, and He wants us to exist.
Our Lord has ordained from the first moment of our conception, through the command of his Word, that we should now be eternal, that we should have that eternal seed, as it is called, and He will not take away from us the life He has given to each and all. The heavens and earth will pass away, but His Word shall not. He has created us in His own image, and that shall not pass.
`
Friday, November 20, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
The Function of Gifts Lie Intimately Between God and the Individual
Brief Analysis of the Meaning of Human Strength and Weakness as It Relates to God:
Each person is endowed with comparable gifts and abilities to what others possess, and still, each person is also given a unique structure which is made up of attributes including personality, personal bodily features, intellectual strengths and weaknesses, emotional energies, and intuitive perception. We are, each of us, alike in many ways -- as we are human -- and still we are, each, unique and special, regardless of the numbers of people who live and who have ever lived. With our Lord God, there is an expectation along with the traits which He has given and sustained in us. These traits He will use to pierce us, meeting us in the interior life, to determine who we are, to help us to become who we are, bringing us to fruitfulness as sons and daughters of Him, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers to each other, a family united in love and service.
It is the Self as gift, which brings each man, woman, and child into a thoughtful relationship with Almighty God, one in which He is served according to His Will, and which others are served according to His Will also. For man or woman to become truly gift, he or she needs to become that person who God created in originality and recreated in Baptism with His own Life. He uses the Self which we possess to bring us to Himself, with all our strengths and weakness in the workings.
To become truly gift our Lord will ultimately have the initiative. It will be through a relationship with Him by which we possess that which is able to be gift, and not curse or nuisance upon others. We become blessing through Him. In this sense, it matters not how much earthly support we achieve or entrust. He, in the end, will determine Gift in the course of our Salvation, and yet, it will become apparent through the course of time, enlightened for each and all upon an eternal destination, through the fruitfulness of works, whether they were perceived in a large way or not by individuals or masses. Gift in eternity will bear its name in accord with each person who resides with God.
We have the Saints who have shown, on a large scale of variety and works, what our Lord deems to be the best ways, and how He blesses and makes fruitful the works of those who take His call seriously, that call to become Gift to others, and to bear fruit from the vine, as the branches. "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5.). Through them -- the Saints -- in their enlightened ways, we see how they were immersed in God alone in the interior of their consciences, and how they thereby perceived that love of neighbor through His spoken Word which resided in them. We see that by His spoken Word He had made them who had washed their robes in His blood ( Revelation 13 ) fruitful, how He took what He wanted from them through their submission to Him, and how He exercised His own authority to receive and distribute their works and to answer their prayers, working through both their strengths and their weaknesses. He made them Gift by their cooperation with Him, by their immersion into His Blood, through Baptism and the Holy Spirit.
He alone acts with Justice and Equity toward all peoples. While He is rich in Mercy, His Justice is a path for the righteous. This path He leads, by entering into each person in the interior of their consciences, by harvesting the love of their hearts and the ascent to Him in their minds. He has let those who want to live lives of sin follow their own paths, in the depths of their free thinking consciences, in their own arrogance and misery. These have ended and will end in disaster, until they rely upon Him or choose their Hell.
Without Him, the gifts of humanity, in general, become arbitrary, they become nuisance, even evil, taking on the opposite protocol of what the intention had originally been. This happens frequently with those who forget God, forget to implore His mercy and blessings, whether or not they are working in His Name. God is the Author of all. "I am the alpha and the omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." (Revelation 22:13.). No gift can become Gift without He who Creates. Those who act apart from His ways will not work for the eventual and ultimate good. All good works must be rooted in Salvation, bringing them to their end, Salvation. Without Salvation as the aim, gift cannot be recreated to act as Gift, it will become an evil means to an evil end.
In giving of ourselves as gift, we become submissive to Him, we encounter Him, we desire to do His Will, since He alone knows us in our strengths and weaknesses, and desires to create for Himself, in us, the being formed into the wholeness and similarity of Adam and Eve before the fall. Since we have become a new creation through Baptism, Jesus Christ our Lord wishes to purify us and to make us fruitful. We will encounter Him in the depths of our hearts, in light, in our individual consciences, and there He will come to abide in us and to make us worthy for Heaven. It is within these depths by which He will form us as Gift. To release ourselves from His Word within us is to release ourselves from Him. His captivity alone knows no bounds, but sets us free.
A Short Evaluation About Gift As Function
With the present day stress upon the use of one's gifts, there has been a backlash which has come to bring tokenism into the exchange of the Self toward God and others. This token use of gifts and charity is not looked to be an option in the Christian life, for those who are able to help out and volunteer, but an alternative to living the true Christian life. This error of belief is great within society and among Catholics, and for the Catholic Faith to flourish it must be abdicated from it. Volunteerism, however gracious and noble -- and it is -- cannot be substituted for giving oneself over to God as gift, so that He might make of us one, true Gift presented to Himself through the Worthy and True Son. We simply cannot become fruitful without Him, and must seek His Will, striving for it and doing it, whether it is to our taste or not. We cannot know ourselves as He knows us, and yet He will demand an accounting on that Day, ironically. For this reason, we cannot make token volunteerism our guide in place of the One, True Faith and that which is required of us through our Faith.
With the pastoral renewal of Vatican II, new ideas emerged, right along with the industrial age of everybody getting off the farm and going out into the world together. It was as if the whole world was going out on its own debut, and the Church, through the leadership of Pope John XXIII, was going to be there to meet them. While goods abound from renewal within the Church, and while we have grown to see more clearly our obligations toward each other and the world, including the sense of a global humanity, insight into the religions of the world, models of fellowship and service now shared among peoples, there has been negative consequences too. There is much confusion, still, as to what constitutes our obligations as Catholics in a society of industry and commerce. New labels on everything from clothes to church fundraisers have enraptured consumers, organizations, and volunteers, and the attitude of being out there -- fitting right in -- has spun yarns which have turned obligations about sharing and charisma into fabrication. Right along with the overproduction of junk in contemporary society, faithful Servants of God have opted for an industrialized concept in the spiritual life. The more it sparkles, the more fruitful it will become, we think, whether it works or not, whether it brings peace of not, whether it brings us closer to God or not.
What is more important than self-based attitudes of doing, is our willingness to search for God's Will in our lives, and to do that with love. God's Will with our love becomes our willful love. It is so easy to tell ourselves and others about the importance of using gifts, and yet, through sin we often negate what is required of us, using only a few gifts which we decide upon arbitrarily, and yet at the same time, to reiterate, it is entirely possible to be relinquishing our true responsibilities. While the use of gifts, at the service of humanity, is that all important factor on the one hand, on the other, we as Christians need to take note, our gifts may be hidden to society at large, and they may still be pleasing to God. Also, our gifts may be flaunted, but used wrongly, and become odious to Him. The use of gifts cannot be tolerated as license to do our own wills.
However, still it is ascertained that there is within that seemingly limited scope endless possibilities and means for using our many and varied gifts wisely, prudently, and productively. It is a concern of prayer and discernment about when and how to use one's gifts, which are a very serious matter in the life of the Christian, and which should not be superficially produced or countered by controlling forces who look to protect their own interests. Conclusively then, it is God who is the giver and the director of gifts. Through careful discernment and proper care in delegating our talents and submitting them to His service, we can become pleasing to Him in the use of them. We are not mere arbitrators over our gifts or the gifts of others. We cannot appeal, force, and direct according to selfish means, or else gifts cannot be fruitful. They are that serious matter, not to be taken lightly, and yet, they are not to be arbitrarily put in place, as if we somehow matter in the process more than God himself matters about it. It is only with respect, truth, and love of each and every individual that this Truth can be realized, however, because one cannot know God's mind and Will without it. He alone has given the gifts, and He alone counts on what He has given to who. He will work with our weaknesses if that pleases Him for us. We cannot take away from God without consequences to ourselves and others. Gifts from God, then, are tantamount to what He requires from each of us personally and wholly, and involve much more depth than what the concept of mere function can produce. They involve the whole person, strengths and weaknesses alike. Gifts involve the total person and His Love for that person and others.
It is so important that as Catholics, as Christians, we are always on the look out for what others have to offer to us. If we would but look, we would see gifts abounding in everyday places and situations, even among those who seemingly have nothing important to offer. If we cannot see others' gifts, then perhaps prayer is in place. Gifts are not there only for "doing" by any means. They reside within the person night and day. They are a testament to who that person is as a living human being made by God, special and unique in his or her own right. Gifts emanate from a person. We do not make them up to use for ourselves or anyone else, rather, they are there, and we come to recognize them.
Here is a beautiful account, a reflection, pertaining to the use of gifts, and how we are to see and understand them in others. It is through an impartial reckoning by which we come to use the strengths of ourselves and others wisely. In the book, Joan of Arc, a well written and beloved account of St. Joan of Arc, written by Mark Twain, we read and reflect upon his thoughtful style:
"[T]he mightiest military genius must fail and come to nothing if it have not the seeing eye --- that is to say, if it cannot read man and select its subordinates with an infallible judgment. It sees as by intuition that this man is good for strategy, that one for dash and daredevil assault, the other for patient bull-dog persistence, and it appoints each to his right place and wins; while the commander without the seeing eye would give to each the other's place and lose. (Joan of Arc ... p. 132.)
In light of strengths, we also see how weaknesses can play into our own success in life, in all we do. If we know ourselves, and we can come to see how the strengths of others balance out our own weaknesses, then harmony, charity, and fruitfulness can all be achieved.
Even within the fairy tales of old, one can see, for instance in the story Puss 'n Boots, of how one man came to see that by opening up to another's gifts, he was able to find his own fame and fortune, living happily ever after, in fairy tale fashion, of course, since real life isn't quite so dreamy as those stories. While fairy tales have a certain mix of virtue and vice in their characters, which is somewhat realistic perhaps, a moral is drawn, since the greatest strengths and weaknesses make for the outcome. (Puss is a little much, but oh ... so clever he is, and how I enjoy him.) The morals of so many tales are timely always. They show us things. They show us that it is through the virtues by which we thrive, along with talent, since virtue puts weakness into its proper perspective, and relates to that as it does to strength for a balance of who we actually are in synthesis. Without virtue, talent becomes evil. Without trust in the strengths of others, our works cannot become rounded. It is all of us together who make up the Body of Christ.
Conclusively, we might be no better then than the wicked witches of the fairy tales if we come to reason that gifts are only for personal gain or clout which violates others, and decisively, the Truth of God cannot become secondary to our own instincts in theory or practice. Our works, our time given, our prayer, intentions, and even our weaknesses themselves have freedom for fruitfulness only when they correlate directly and intimately to Him, within the confines of Holy Mother Church who holds us in her bosom and offers us to Him as children. It is a grave mistake, in the end, to think that the arbitrary use of gifts becomes the essence of a Christian lifestyle, if in a theological aspect they are apart from the Faith in Truth and Charity. It is beyond the use of our faculties to understand the entire meaning of His Gift to us, and His great generosity in recreating us as Gift to Himself. And yet, it inspires us in love to go on serving Him, cooperating with His Truth, striving in patience where we are weak, and watching in awe as He manages to make the works of human hands fruitful in the parameters of His Justice.
`
Each person is endowed with comparable gifts and abilities to what others possess, and still, each person is also given a unique structure which is made up of attributes including personality, personal bodily features, intellectual strengths and weaknesses, emotional energies, and intuitive perception. We are, each of us, alike in many ways -- as we are human -- and still we are, each, unique and special, regardless of the numbers of people who live and who have ever lived. With our Lord God, there is an expectation along with the traits which He has given and sustained in us. These traits He will use to pierce us, meeting us in the interior life, to determine who we are, to help us to become who we are, bringing us to fruitfulness as sons and daughters of Him, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers to each other, a family united in love and service.
It is the Self as gift, which brings each man, woman, and child into a thoughtful relationship with Almighty God, one in which He is served according to His Will, and which others are served according to His Will also. For man or woman to become truly gift, he or she needs to become that person who God created in originality and recreated in Baptism with His own Life. He uses the Self which we possess to bring us to Himself, with all our strengths and weakness in the workings.
To become truly gift our Lord will ultimately have the initiative. It will be through a relationship with Him by which we possess that which is able to be gift, and not curse or nuisance upon others. We become blessing through Him. In this sense, it matters not how much earthly support we achieve or entrust. He, in the end, will determine Gift in the course of our Salvation, and yet, it will become apparent through the course of time, enlightened for each and all upon an eternal destination, through the fruitfulness of works, whether they were perceived in a large way or not by individuals or masses. Gift in eternity will bear its name in accord with each person who resides with God.
We have the Saints who have shown, on a large scale of variety and works, what our Lord deems to be the best ways, and how He blesses and makes fruitful the works of those who take His call seriously, that call to become Gift to others, and to bear fruit from the vine, as the branches. "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5.). Through them -- the Saints -- in their enlightened ways, we see how they were immersed in God alone in the interior of their consciences, and how they thereby perceived that love of neighbor through His spoken Word which resided in them. We see that by His spoken Word He had made them who had washed their robes in His blood ( Revelation 13 ) fruitful, how He took what He wanted from them through their submission to Him, and how He exercised His own authority to receive and distribute their works and to answer their prayers, working through both their strengths and their weaknesses. He made them Gift by their cooperation with Him, by their immersion into His Blood, through Baptism and the Holy Spirit.
He alone acts with Justice and Equity toward all peoples. While He is rich in Mercy, His Justice is a path for the righteous. This path He leads, by entering into each person in the interior of their consciences, by harvesting the love of their hearts and the ascent to Him in their minds. He has let those who want to live lives of sin follow their own paths, in the depths of their free thinking consciences, in their own arrogance and misery. These have ended and will end in disaster, until they rely upon Him or choose their Hell.
Without Him, the gifts of humanity, in general, become arbitrary, they become nuisance, even evil, taking on the opposite protocol of what the intention had originally been. This happens frequently with those who forget God, forget to implore His mercy and blessings, whether or not they are working in His Name. God is the Author of all. "I am the alpha and the omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." (Revelation 22:13.). No gift can become Gift without He who Creates. Those who act apart from His ways will not work for the eventual and ultimate good. All good works must be rooted in Salvation, bringing them to their end, Salvation. Without Salvation as the aim, gift cannot be recreated to act as Gift, it will become an evil means to an evil end.
In giving of ourselves as gift, we become submissive to Him, we encounter Him, we desire to do His Will, since He alone knows us in our strengths and weaknesses, and desires to create for Himself, in us, the being formed into the wholeness and similarity of Adam and Eve before the fall. Since we have become a new creation through Baptism, Jesus Christ our Lord wishes to purify us and to make us fruitful. We will encounter Him in the depths of our hearts, in light, in our individual consciences, and there He will come to abide in us and to make us worthy for Heaven. It is within these depths by which He will form us as Gift. To release ourselves from His Word within us is to release ourselves from Him. His captivity alone knows no bounds, but sets us free.
A Short Evaluation About Gift As Function
With the present day stress upon the use of one's gifts, there has been a backlash which has come to bring tokenism into the exchange of the Self toward God and others. This token use of gifts and charity is not looked to be an option in the Christian life, for those who are able to help out and volunteer, but an alternative to living the true Christian life. This error of belief is great within society and among Catholics, and for the Catholic Faith to flourish it must be abdicated from it. Volunteerism, however gracious and noble -- and it is -- cannot be substituted for giving oneself over to God as gift, so that He might make of us one, true Gift presented to Himself through the Worthy and True Son. We simply cannot become fruitful without Him, and must seek His Will, striving for it and doing it, whether it is to our taste or not. We cannot know ourselves as He knows us, and yet He will demand an accounting on that Day, ironically. For this reason, we cannot make token volunteerism our guide in place of the One, True Faith and that which is required of us through our Faith.
With the pastoral renewal of Vatican II, new ideas emerged, right along with the industrial age of everybody getting off the farm and going out into the world together. It was as if the whole world was going out on its own debut, and the Church, through the leadership of Pope John XXIII, was going to be there to meet them. While goods abound from renewal within the Church, and while we have grown to see more clearly our obligations toward each other and the world, including the sense of a global humanity, insight into the religions of the world, models of fellowship and service now shared among peoples, there has been negative consequences too. There is much confusion, still, as to what constitutes our obligations as Catholics in a society of industry and commerce. New labels on everything from clothes to church fundraisers have enraptured consumers, organizations, and volunteers, and the attitude of being out there -- fitting right in -- has spun yarns which have turned obligations about sharing and charisma into fabrication. Right along with the overproduction of junk in contemporary society, faithful Servants of God have opted for an industrialized concept in the spiritual life. The more it sparkles, the more fruitful it will become, we think, whether it works or not, whether it brings peace of not, whether it brings us closer to God or not.
What is more important than self-based attitudes of doing, is our willingness to search for God's Will in our lives, and to do that with love. God's Will with our love becomes our willful love. It is so easy to tell ourselves and others about the importance of using gifts, and yet, through sin we often negate what is required of us, using only a few gifts which we decide upon arbitrarily, and yet at the same time, to reiterate, it is entirely possible to be relinquishing our true responsibilities. While the use of gifts, at the service of humanity, is that all important factor on the one hand, on the other, we as Christians need to take note, our gifts may be hidden to society at large, and they may still be pleasing to God. Also, our gifts may be flaunted, but used wrongly, and become odious to Him. The use of gifts cannot be tolerated as license to do our own wills.
However, still it is ascertained that there is within that seemingly limited scope endless possibilities and means for using our many and varied gifts wisely, prudently, and productively. It is a concern of prayer and discernment about when and how to use one's gifts, which are a very serious matter in the life of the Christian, and which should not be superficially produced or countered by controlling forces who look to protect their own interests. Conclusively then, it is God who is the giver and the director of gifts. Through careful discernment and proper care in delegating our talents and submitting them to His service, we can become pleasing to Him in the use of them. We are not mere arbitrators over our gifts or the gifts of others. We cannot appeal, force, and direct according to selfish means, or else gifts cannot be fruitful. They are that serious matter, not to be taken lightly, and yet, they are not to be arbitrarily put in place, as if we somehow matter in the process more than God himself matters about it. It is only with respect, truth, and love of each and every individual that this Truth can be realized, however, because one cannot know God's mind and Will without it. He alone has given the gifts, and He alone counts on what He has given to who. He will work with our weaknesses if that pleases Him for us. We cannot take away from God without consequences to ourselves and others. Gifts from God, then, are tantamount to what He requires from each of us personally and wholly, and involve much more depth than what the concept of mere function can produce. They involve the whole person, strengths and weaknesses alike. Gifts involve the total person and His Love for that person and others.
It is so important that as Catholics, as Christians, we are always on the look out for what others have to offer to us. If we would but look, we would see gifts abounding in everyday places and situations, even among those who seemingly have nothing important to offer. If we cannot see others' gifts, then perhaps prayer is in place. Gifts are not there only for "doing" by any means. They reside within the person night and day. They are a testament to who that person is as a living human being made by God, special and unique in his or her own right. Gifts emanate from a person. We do not make them up to use for ourselves or anyone else, rather, they are there, and we come to recognize them.
Here is a beautiful account, a reflection, pertaining to the use of gifts, and how we are to see and understand them in others. It is through an impartial reckoning by which we come to use the strengths of ourselves and others wisely. In the book, Joan of Arc, a well written and beloved account of St. Joan of Arc, written by Mark Twain, we read and reflect upon his thoughtful style:
"[T]he mightiest military genius must fail and come to nothing if it have not the seeing eye --- that is to say, if it cannot read man and select its subordinates with an infallible judgment. It sees as by intuition that this man is good for strategy, that one for dash and daredevil assault, the other for patient bull-dog persistence, and it appoints each to his right place and wins; while the commander without the seeing eye would give to each the other's place and lose. (Joan of Arc ... p. 132.)
In light of strengths, we also see how weaknesses can play into our own success in life, in all we do. If we know ourselves, and we can come to see how the strengths of others balance out our own weaknesses, then harmony, charity, and fruitfulness can all be achieved.
Even within the fairy tales of old, one can see, for instance in the story Puss 'n Boots, of how one man came to see that by opening up to another's gifts, he was able to find his own fame and fortune, living happily ever after, in fairy tale fashion, of course, since real life isn't quite so dreamy as those stories. While fairy tales have a certain mix of virtue and vice in their characters, which is somewhat realistic perhaps, a moral is drawn, since the greatest strengths and weaknesses make for the outcome. (Puss is a little much, but oh ... so clever he is, and how I enjoy him.) The morals of so many tales are timely always. They show us things. They show us that it is through the virtues by which we thrive, along with talent, since virtue puts weakness into its proper perspective, and relates to that as it does to strength for a balance of who we actually are in synthesis. Without virtue, talent becomes evil. Without trust in the strengths of others, our works cannot become rounded. It is all of us together who make up the Body of Christ.
Conclusively, we might be no better then than the wicked witches of the fairy tales if we come to reason that gifts are only for personal gain or clout which violates others, and decisively, the Truth of God cannot become secondary to our own instincts in theory or practice. Our works, our time given, our prayer, intentions, and even our weaknesses themselves have freedom for fruitfulness only when they correlate directly and intimately to Him, within the confines of Holy Mother Church who holds us in her bosom and offers us to Him as children. It is a grave mistake, in the end, to think that the arbitrary use of gifts becomes the essence of a Christian lifestyle, if in a theological aspect they are apart from the Faith in Truth and Charity. It is beyond the use of our faculties to understand the entire meaning of His Gift to us, and His great generosity in recreating us as Gift to Himself. And yet, it inspires us in love to go on serving Him, cooperating with His Truth, striving in patience where we are weak, and watching in awe as He manages to make the works of human hands fruitful in the parameters of His Justice.
`
Friday, October 30, 2009
The Tooth Fairy Offsets Vampires, But the Winnowing Fan Belongs to Jesus Christ
A very short time ago our youngest, Marcus, lost his first tooth. It had slowly been coming out for some time, and was hanging by a thread at the end, when it finally did come once and for all.
Thereupon we got a pretty glass, made of glass. He filled it with water and dropped the tooth into it. He sprinkled the water which the tooth was soaking in with salt and pepper, a little trick which had come from my own childhood. Then he and two of his siblings had gotten out a TV tray, and had placed the glass upon it, and it became as a centerpiece over near to the kitchen. The tooth was looked upon with anticipation, for the kids knew that the tooth fairy would be bringing money in exchange for the tooth.
The next morning we all got up, and I happened to walk by and look upon the TV tray, as it was almost directly sitting in front of me as I walked along. I stopped short. "Oh, shoot," I thought with a hasty panic. "The tooth fairy forgot to come." I looked at the kids, who were sitting and standing there, looking at the cup of water, tooth at the bottom, and salt and pepper floating on the top.
" .... Ah ... the ... tooth fairy ..." I nonchalantly remarked.
"She didn't come," my nine year old informed me, matter of fact, as usual. "She comes in the morning, and we got up too early, so she couldn't."
"How do you know that?" I asked, challenging him. They explained to me that it had happened before. I should have remembered.
"She'll come later, when we're not around," Matthew concluded, dogmatically.
Later, as it happened, Tooth Fairy was alone in the kitchen area, and as fast as she could, she ran to her wallet and got out a dollar bill, thankful that one had been in there. She emptied the water, discarded the tooth, and slam dunked a dollar bill into the glass, just in time.
As I turned around to lay bacon out on the griddle (for a lunch of BLT's which I had been wishing and wishing for), little Marcus seemingly appeared out of nowhere, dashing across the room, straight for the glass. He whipped the dollar out of the cup so fast that I was taken aback by the speed of it all. He had come in right behind the slam dunk of the dollar going in, and I barely had had time to get out of the way.
"The tooth fairy!" he exclaimed with glee. "She came and brought me a dollar bill. I thought she would bring quarters, but she brought this dollar."
As I began frying the bacon, he was much admiring the green dollar bill and was looking it over and feeling it with great interest. Then he looked up at me with bright, loving eyes, and a big grin. Inside the frame of his wide smiling lips I could see the large gap where the little white tooth had been just the day before. He slowly shook his head from side to side, saying, with a drawl, "And I don't think a-n-y-b-o-d-y else brought this dollar, either."
I began to speak gibberish. The sweetness of his smile had melted my heart, and I was left speechless.
What is it that becomes so enchanting about little children? They certainly are of the human family, and share the traits. They certainly can be hard to bear at times. They will imitate the bad that they see, they will harass each other if it serves their own purposes; they will tussle over something that neither of them wants only a few moments later. They are without the will to carry out responsibility unless coaxed, they are loud and obnoxious at the wrong times. They definitely have their ungrateful and sullied moments. Why then, little children? What is it that makes them so special to those who see them for what lies beyond their childish antics?
With little children it is this: they are yet untouched by the sin of pride in any significant manner. They have within them the power to believe, to share what they believe so spontaneously, to tell the truth of the moment as they see it, with complete innocence and forthrightness. Little children imagine and dream, and they mix their little imaginations into each moment, which in essence becomes their moment of awakening, because the moment depicts the truth about them and what they know and where they stand, and who they are. Their little minds are not highly developed, and they are not civilized fully. For this nuance, they have nothing to obscure, nothing to twist for meeting societal standards, nothing to lose or to gain. They see the situation in the truth of how they really see it, and they are able to dream details into that, with the God given gift of their thought. This makes little children unique and adorable, so sweet and approachable. If only we could be more like them!
Whether they are dressing up as the most sinister ghost on Halloween or the most prolific Saint on all Saints Day, little children can imagine what it would be like. They have not been chiseled down to a dull, mediocre range of thought, developed but thwarted, and do not brandish darkened suspicions. They can play into an evening of suspense at will, and can imagine in innocence, because they have soft hearts and an effervescent spirit. Their hearts love and desire to be loved. Their enjoyment of life captures whatever it is that they do. This is their view of the world out there, whether on the coldest, darkest drama filled Halloween night of trick or treating, or whether they are safe in their own comfy beds, being tucked in by Mommy or Daddy after sincere prayers to their guardian angels for help in life. In any instance, they shall find a certain contentedness and peace which we could only hope for. If only we could be more like them!
It is a wicked age, throughout the ages, which takes away from children the softness of their hearts, the height of their imaginations, the wonder of their deductions about life. In our wickedness we take away from others that we might replace our own image upon them. This "taking away and replacing with our own masks" we do through the sin of pride, in imitation of what the serpent did to Adam and Eve. He too, managed to take away from them, and reduce God's image by magnifying his own. This we do to children too, in so many different ways. If only we could be more like them instead, the world would be a better place!
Halloween cannot be measured by masks, or spells, or the occult. Evil happens all days out of all years. We cannot give one day over to Satan, as if he somehow has a right to his own day. Jesus Christ came to conquer sin and death. He will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and he will thoroughly clean out his threshing floor, and gather wheat into the barn; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. (Matthew 3:12.).
Evil shall happen on that evening, unmistakeably; masks shall be worn, and the drama shall be played out in fairy tale fashion by children, not unlike a large theatrical performance. It was my own mother who taught me the response to ugly attitudes in the world, although this did not come naturally to me, daughter of Eve, who has had a few myself. She had, and still does have a way of "seeing" which impresses me to this day.
My mother has always been patient and mellow. Her words are both soft and shrewd. She had always loved Halloween, because she loves both children and candy a lot!
A few years ago, she found herself in the hospital, in bed, on Halloween. I was speaking to her on the phone.
"Mom," I said. "You know, it is Halloween tonight."
"Yes," she responded over the line. "Your dad has the candy all ready. It's been ready for a long time."
"I'm sure you wish that you could be there."
I could feel Mom's pleasant disposition over the lines.
"Yes, Halloween ... I cannot think of a more joyful evening than to have children coming to the door -- all dressed up."
My mom, and certainly my dad too, saw darling children behind those masks. Whether scary or not, they saw their little innocent faces and soft hearts through their costumes, and they saw that it was all good. It warmed their own hearts. They did not think about evil or good as some abstract concept to be taken lightly; they believed deeply in both. Therefore, on Halloween, they would be looking forward to the final Judgment too, and would hope to be included in the throngs of the Saints. Until that time they would live the part of Hope and Love in a darkened world, ever so glad that sweet little children, dressed in so many themes, had come to their home to share friendship and joy.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Genesis we read:
The woman answered the serpent: "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; it is only about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, 'You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.' "(Genesis 3:2-3.).
The woman saw that the tree was good for food, pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it ... (Genesis 3:6.).
In Revelation we read:
When the dragon saw that he had been cast down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the boy. (Revelation 12:13.).
Enraged at her escape, the dragon went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep God's commandments and give witness to Jesus. (Revelation 12:17.),
It is by Halloween that we might be reminded of Eve, who became the mother "of all the living" (Genesis 3:20.), and who is our mother in the natural sense, in the sense of inherited flesh and blood, and all that makes us human. This mother, who was tested, brought sin, suffering, and death into the world through a proud, blasphemous spirit of disobedience, brought on by Satan -- the serpent of Genesis. She spoke of life, briefly, but begot sin for years to come, in succumbing to the serpent's word, rebelling violently against God from the depths of what had entered her heart. It was Satan who would find his place on this earth through her evil work, through the work of that mother of ours, Eve, who entrenched us in our human misery. We have all inherited her mistaken judgments and her proud spirit, because she is mother to us according to our human condition, in spite of our subsequent redemption, which has healed us but still left us weak and in need of God. (Let us not be so quick to blame others, then, this Halloween, making nasty accusations about all the evil out there, as if we cannot understand it for the life of us, because we have all, according to the Holy Bible and Church teaching, had a share in it through our very substance.)
It is by Christ's redemption that we were brought Salvation. We could not have had it the way in which it came, had it not been for our spiritual Mother, Mary, who heard God's Word and kept it. Her choice was to receive the Word. It was she who said, "I am the servant of the Lord. Let it be done to me as you say." (Luke 1:38.). Immaculately conceived through a singular grace, her whole life was enacted upon this singular grace. She did not sin, ever, but she suffered in ways of which we could never dream of. Her spiritual cross bore for us the Savior of the world.
She was the Mother who closed in on the rebellion, through grace and suffering, and brought newness by her perfect obedience, which cost her immensely, in the depths of her heart, entangled with thorns and pierced with a lance. She was the mother who sought not for herself, but for God in all things. She humbled herself, and in this way, she was able to avert herself from Satan, in all ways: in her thoughts, in her deeds, and in her words. Her keen humility was her freedom from him, as opposed to Eve's arrogant pride, which was her beckoning toward him.
It is by Halloween then too that we might be reminded of Mary, our Mother in the spiritual realm. We belong to the world, but she has delivered us from it, just as she delivered the suffering Christ into this world of woe to save us from it. She has brought forth the feast of the Saints, the offspring of God, through her perfect obedience to His Word. In the midst of disobedience, division, and scorn, Mary's humility shines. We have belonged to the world, but through her great obedience we have been delivered from it, through Christ our Lord, the Son of God, who came to us through her.
`
Thereupon we got a pretty glass, made of glass. He filled it with water and dropped the tooth into it. He sprinkled the water which the tooth was soaking in with salt and pepper, a little trick which had come from my own childhood. Then he and two of his siblings had gotten out a TV tray, and had placed the glass upon it, and it became as a centerpiece over near to the kitchen. The tooth was looked upon with anticipation, for the kids knew that the tooth fairy would be bringing money in exchange for the tooth.
The next morning we all got up, and I happened to walk by and look upon the TV tray, as it was almost directly sitting in front of me as I walked along. I stopped short. "Oh, shoot," I thought with a hasty panic. "The tooth fairy forgot to come." I looked at the kids, who were sitting and standing there, looking at the cup of water, tooth at the bottom, and salt and pepper floating on the top.
" .... Ah ... the ... tooth fairy ..." I nonchalantly remarked.
"She didn't come," my nine year old informed me, matter of fact, as usual. "She comes in the morning, and we got up too early, so she couldn't."
"How do you know that?" I asked, challenging him. They explained to me that it had happened before. I should have remembered.
"She'll come later, when we're not around," Matthew concluded, dogmatically.
Later, as it happened, Tooth Fairy was alone in the kitchen area, and as fast as she could, she ran to her wallet and got out a dollar bill, thankful that one had been in there. She emptied the water, discarded the tooth, and slam dunked a dollar bill into the glass, just in time.
As I turned around to lay bacon out on the griddle (for a lunch of BLT's which I had been wishing and wishing for), little Marcus seemingly appeared out of nowhere, dashing across the room, straight for the glass. He whipped the dollar out of the cup so fast that I was taken aback by the speed of it all. He had come in right behind the slam dunk of the dollar going in, and I barely had had time to get out of the way.
"The tooth fairy!" he exclaimed with glee. "She came and brought me a dollar bill. I thought she would bring quarters, but she brought this dollar."
As I began frying the bacon, he was much admiring the green dollar bill and was looking it over and feeling it with great interest. Then he looked up at me with bright, loving eyes, and a big grin. Inside the frame of his wide smiling lips I could see the large gap where the little white tooth had been just the day before. He slowly shook his head from side to side, saying, with a drawl, "And I don't think a-n-y-b-o-d-y else brought this dollar, either."
I began to speak gibberish. The sweetness of his smile had melted my heart, and I was left speechless.
What is it that becomes so enchanting about little children? They certainly are of the human family, and share the traits. They certainly can be hard to bear at times. They will imitate the bad that they see, they will harass each other if it serves their own purposes; they will tussle over something that neither of them wants only a few moments later. They are without the will to carry out responsibility unless coaxed, they are loud and obnoxious at the wrong times. They definitely have their ungrateful and sullied moments. Why then, little children? What is it that makes them so special to those who see them for what lies beyond their childish antics?
With little children it is this: they are yet untouched by the sin of pride in any significant manner. They have within them the power to believe, to share what they believe so spontaneously, to tell the truth of the moment as they see it, with complete innocence and forthrightness. Little children imagine and dream, and they mix their little imaginations into each moment, which in essence becomes their moment of awakening, because the moment depicts the truth about them and what they know and where they stand, and who they are. Their little minds are not highly developed, and they are not civilized fully. For this nuance, they have nothing to obscure, nothing to twist for meeting societal standards, nothing to lose or to gain. They see the situation in the truth of how they really see it, and they are able to dream details into that, with the God given gift of their thought. This makes little children unique and adorable, so sweet and approachable. If only we could be more like them!
Whether they are dressing up as the most sinister ghost on Halloween or the most prolific Saint on all Saints Day, little children can imagine what it would be like. They have not been chiseled down to a dull, mediocre range of thought, developed but thwarted, and do not brandish darkened suspicions. They can play into an evening of suspense at will, and can imagine in innocence, because they have soft hearts and an effervescent spirit. Their hearts love and desire to be loved. Their enjoyment of life captures whatever it is that they do. This is their view of the world out there, whether on the coldest, darkest drama filled Halloween night of trick or treating, or whether they are safe in their own comfy beds, being tucked in by Mommy or Daddy after sincere prayers to their guardian angels for help in life. In any instance, they shall find a certain contentedness and peace which we could only hope for. If only we could be more like them!
It is a wicked age, throughout the ages, which takes away from children the softness of their hearts, the height of their imaginations, the wonder of their deductions about life. In our wickedness we take away from others that we might replace our own image upon them. This "taking away and replacing with our own masks" we do through the sin of pride, in imitation of what the serpent did to Adam and Eve. He too, managed to take away from them, and reduce God's image by magnifying his own. This we do to children too, in so many different ways. If only we could be more like them instead, the world would be a better place!
Halloween cannot be measured by masks, or spells, or the occult. Evil happens all days out of all years. We cannot give one day over to Satan, as if he somehow has a right to his own day. Jesus Christ came to conquer sin and death. He will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and he will thoroughly clean out his threshing floor, and gather wheat into the barn; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. (Matthew 3:12.).
Evil shall happen on that evening, unmistakeably; masks shall be worn, and the drama shall be played out in fairy tale fashion by children, not unlike a large theatrical performance. It was my own mother who taught me the response to ugly attitudes in the world, although this did not come naturally to me, daughter of Eve, who has had a few myself. She had, and still does have a way of "seeing" which impresses me to this day.
My mother has always been patient and mellow. Her words are both soft and shrewd. She had always loved Halloween, because she loves both children and candy a lot!
A few years ago, she found herself in the hospital, in bed, on Halloween. I was speaking to her on the phone.
"Mom," I said. "You know, it is Halloween tonight."
"Yes," she responded over the line. "Your dad has the candy all ready. It's been ready for a long time."
"I'm sure you wish that you could be there."
I could feel Mom's pleasant disposition over the lines.
"Yes, Halloween ... I cannot think of a more joyful evening than to have children coming to the door -- all dressed up."
My mom, and certainly my dad too, saw darling children behind those masks. Whether scary or not, they saw their little innocent faces and soft hearts through their costumes, and they saw that it was all good. It warmed their own hearts. They did not think about evil or good as some abstract concept to be taken lightly; they believed deeply in both. Therefore, on Halloween, they would be looking forward to the final Judgment too, and would hope to be included in the throngs of the Saints. Until that time they would live the part of Hope and Love in a darkened world, ever so glad that sweet little children, dressed in so many themes, had come to their home to share friendship and joy.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Genesis we read:
The woman answered the serpent: "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; it is only about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, 'You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.' "(Genesis 3:2-3.).
The woman saw that the tree was good for food, pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it ... (Genesis 3:6.).
In Revelation we read:
When the dragon saw that he had been cast down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the boy. (Revelation 12:13.).
Enraged at her escape, the dragon went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep God's commandments and give witness to Jesus. (Revelation 12:17.),
It is by Halloween that we might be reminded of Eve, who became the mother "of all the living" (Genesis 3:20.), and who is our mother in the natural sense, in the sense of inherited flesh and blood, and all that makes us human. This mother, who was tested, brought sin, suffering, and death into the world through a proud, blasphemous spirit of disobedience, brought on by Satan -- the serpent of Genesis. She spoke of life, briefly, but begot sin for years to come, in succumbing to the serpent's word, rebelling violently against God from the depths of what had entered her heart. It was Satan who would find his place on this earth through her evil work, through the work of that mother of ours, Eve, who entrenched us in our human misery. We have all inherited her mistaken judgments and her proud spirit, because she is mother to us according to our human condition, in spite of our subsequent redemption, which has healed us but still left us weak and in need of God. (Let us not be so quick to blame others, then, this Halloween, making nasty accusations about all the evil out there, as if we cannot understand it for the life of us, because we have all, according to the Holy Bible and Church teaching, had a share in it through our very substance.)
It is by Christ's redemption that we were brought Salvation. We could not have had it the way in which it came, had it not been for our spiritual Mother, Mary, who heard God's Word and kept it. Her choice was to receive the Word. It was she who said, "I am the servant of the Lord. Let it be done to me as you say." (Luke 1:38.). Immaculately conceived through a singular grace, her whole life was enacted upon this singular grace. She did not sin, ever, but she suffered in ways of which we could never dream of. Her spiritual cross bore for us the Savior of the world.
She was the Mother who closed in on the rebellion, through grace and suffering, and brought newness by her perfect obedience, which cost her immensely, in the depths of her heart, entangled with thorns and pierced with a lance. She was the mother who sought not for herself, but for God in all things. She humbled herself, and in this way, she was able to avert herself from Satan, in all ways: in her thoughts, in her deeds, and in her words. Her keen humility was her freedom from him, as opposed to Eve's arrogant pride, which was her beckoning toward him.
It is by Halloween then too that we might be reminded of Mary, our Mother in the spiritual realm. We belong to the world, but she has delivered us from it, just as she delivered the suffering Christ into this world of woe to save us from it. She has brought forth the feast of the Saints, the offspring of God, through her perfect obedience to His Word. In the midst of disobedience, division, and scorn, Mary's humility shines. We have belonged to the world, but through her great obedience we have been delivered from it, through Christ our Lord, the Son of God, who came to us through her.
`
Friday, October 23, 2009
Our Work is Fruitful When Done in the Practice of Faith
"After hearing his words, many of his disciples remarked, 'This sort of talk is hard to endure! How can anyone take it seriously?' Jesus was fully aware that his disciples were murmuring in protest at what he had said. 'Does it shake your faith?' he asked them." (John 6:60-61.).
Although this verse is taken from Jesus' discourse on the Eucharist, which seemed preposterous to many of his disciples, we find that in Catholic thought, there is more than a little which is capable of "shaking our faith." Let us willingly submit, no matter how hard, as this will be the true test of our faith, to submit to the teachings of Holy Mother Church, finding Truth through belief and practice.
In light of the new encyclical Caritas in Veritate, we might want to go back to some of the sources from where it was taken, and to look at what has been said in regard to Catholic teaching in society. In particular, we might want to look at the encyclical Populorum Progressio, and make some dictates of conscience in what has been promulgated in regard to property rights. Being that I am not a scholar, or a paragon of perfection in judgment, I can only conjecture and work with what the Lord God has given to me, as a common bystander, to see and to look from a distinct angle. This I will do with gratitude as a response to the gifts that He has given to me. I would welcome comment and discussion, as well as disagreement.
An encyclical is a teaching tool. It is not declared an infallible document, and yet, the wisdom of the Doctors and Saints is defined, but not always justified by those who purport to be the executors of the works which come from them. In other words, we tend to want to read into documents our own wishes, but are held in responsibility to come to the nearest interpretation possible of what the intent behind the writer actually was. The latter course is that which I will try to take in my short discourse.
Here are two paragraphs which I have found interesting for discussion in accord with the social conditions in our own present day society. Below, then, these two, in red, are taken from the encyclical Populorum Progressio by Pope Paul VI:
22. "Fill the earth and subdue it": the Bible, from the first page on, teaches us that the whole of creation is for man, that it is his responsibility to develop it by intelligent effort and by means of his labor to perfect it, so to speak, for his use. If the world is made to furnish each individual with the means of livelihood and the instruments for his growth and progress, each man has therefore the right to find in the world what is necessary for himself. The recent Council reminded us of this: "God intended the earth and all that it contains for the use of every human being and people. Thus, as all men follow justice and unite in charity, created goods should abound for them on a reasonable basis". All other rights whatsoever, including those of property and of free commerce, are to be subordinated to this principle. They should not hinder but on the contrary favor its application. It is a grave and urgent social duty to redirect them to their primary finality.
In the above paragraph, Pope Paul VI is clearly speaking about appropriation for the common good in general and for those poor peoples of the world who are undernourished, underdeveloped, underestimated in worth. He is speaking of the materially poor who have no control over their situations, due to unjust distribution, or rather, the taking of a massive amount of goods by few people who are not willing to procure development with it. Here he is looking out for those poor who are unable to help themselves. Here he is exhorting humanity to justice and service.
In paragraph 22 it is interesting to read, "If the world is made to furnish each individual with the means of livelihood and the instruments for his growth and progress, each man has therefore the right to find in the world what is necessary for himself." In paragraph 23 he goes on to say, "[P]rivate property does not constitute for anyone an absolute and unconditioned right."
We see that Pope Paul VI is alluding to that callous attitude of ownership, the attitude that "I own by my own right everything of which I have, without gratitude." Such ownership cannot be so only because the Maker of this world's goods has given all as gift, whether or not we have worked to attain, or whether or not we deserve all that we have. Absolute ownership precludes me from responsibility toward others. However, graciously acquired and rightful ownership of individuals and families in the general sense of the term has always been allowed and propagated by Church teaching. In general, it is a right and also an obligation to acquire goods sparingly -- meaning here to use restraint rather than indulgence into a lifestyle of intemperance and unending luxury for oneself -- and to use those goods responsibly.
23. "If someone who has the riches of this world sees his brother in need and closes his heart to him, how does the love of God abide in him?."It is well known how strong were the words used by the Fathers of the Church to describe the proper attitude of persons who possess anything towards persons in need. To quote Saint Ambrose: "You are not making a gift of your possessions to the poor person. You are handing over to him what is his. For what has been given in common for the use of all, you have arrogated to yourself. The world is given to all, and not only to the rich". That is, private property does not constitute for anyone an absolute and unconditioned right. No one is justified in keeping for his exclusive use what he does not need, when others lack necessities. In a word, "according to the traditional doctrine as found in the Fathers of the Church and the great theologians, the right to property must never be exercised to the detriment of the common good". If there should arise a conflict "between acquired private rights and primary community exigencies", it is the responsibility of public authorities "to look for a solution, with the active participation of individuals and social groups".
In regard to private property, then, there is a stipulation about "absolute" private ownership. That stipulation is not that private ownership is a bad thing -- rather, it is certainly a good thing -- but it cannot be absolute. The reason for this is simple: everyone has a right to this world's goods, and if the goods of human beings are being taken away from them by the usurpation of a few, then there is gross injustice. We all belong to the earth, and care for it, and live from it. That is as our Creator has intended. Simultaneously, we all have a right to the yield which comes from it, in one form or another. We have a right to fresh clean air, to clean water, to the abundance which comes from crops, and from the ocean. We, ourselves, are not property, we are the masters who have dominion over the earth. For those on earth to be put into a position of having no property, because others have it and have them as property -- that would entail a gross injustice against them.
Many of us would do well to remember the economic battles of these less fortunate peoples throughout the world, and to work toward justice for them to the best of our abilities. If we ourselves have only looked to our own needs, and have not done what we could in prayer and in service to the underdeveloped, then we shall have to make our accounting before God on the Day. And yet, it seems that for many of us, there is very little that can actually be done. In this case, prayer might be a main resort, along with other inspiration for helping which comes from the Lord. Upon a reflective note, one might insist upon the daily Rosary, which is so efficacious. It can reach all over the world because it implores God for all His children wherever they may be. It brings to us and them a spiritual closeness which can be felt through God's love.
And still, more needs to be done. There are many ideas about how to go about helping the poor, especially the most deserted poor who live in other lands. The recent encyclical, Caritas in Veritate has promulgated much food for thought about justice and charity in these matters. These are being studied, and through the goodwill of civil folk, fruit will come with the labor. Directives of charity in purpose mingled with incentive for profit will prove true, for sure. It will be a matter of time, but surely, it will be His Will.
In philanthropy today, there are programs which look good on the surface, and yet if one scratches beneath the outer layer, one finds philosophy and ideology which cannot be tolerated in regard to our Faith. Some programs which speak of setting up farms in poor countries, sounding to be a wonderful endeavor, become feminist, environmentalist, and even communist when one searches into the pillars of their belief systems. These are certainly to be avoided by Catholics, and yet are touted by many Catholics to be fine charities, another example of the confusion which emanates from our almost heretical Catholic society in America.
In the Catechism it states:
2403 The right to private property, acquired by work or received from others by inheritance or gift, does not do away with the original gift of the earth to the whole of mankind. The universal destination of goods remains primordial, even if the promotion of the common good requires respect for the right to private property and its exercise.
2404 In his use of things man should regard the external goods he legitimately owns not merely as exclusive to himself but common to others also, int he sense that they can benefit others as well as himself." The ownership of any property makes its holder a steward of Providence, with the task of making it fruitful and communicating its benefits to others, first of all his family.
It is interesting to note here that the Catechism speaks of one's own family as being first and foremost among the recipients of the goods of what Providence has given to persons. It is an error in judgment to assess that charity is something which is done outside of the home only. It is biblical that we must give and direct our wealth in a sacrificial manner. St. Paul himself, who exhorts giving to the Church and to the benefit of all, who also exhorts us most emphatically into service throughout our lives and in all facets of our lives, says, "Let us not grow weary of doing good ..." (Here though, we might debate about what good actually means!). Still, he states, In 2 Corinthians 8:13, after exhorting generous giving: "The willingness to give should accord with one's means, not go beyond them. The relief of others ought not to impoverish you; there should be a certain equality." We can see that our Lord is not asking us to give ourselves into complete poverty ourselves, as if that is what we deserve too, unless He has specifically called us to it by means of sacramental orders which require it, or by a special and blessed life lived for His sake. Yet, we are called to give all over to Him in spirit, so that He might use from us whatever it is that He needs. This is the total affirmation that all belongs to Christ.
Pope Paul VI was concerned about morality and honesty in dealings, first and foremost, in light of the truth that the goods of the earth must not perish before the many and be given to only the few. As pope he was passing on the Faith as such, whether we would like it or not. He did not treat, in his encyclical, Populorum Progressio, the evils of government as much as he tried to appeal to the ingenuity of those who were in industry and in the financial world. He appealed to them to care about those who were in poverty, to avoid using their sources in selfish ways, for individual gain only. He tried to get them to expand their thinking to include the firm conviction that economic wealth would be used properly when it worked to build on economic flourishing for future generations, throughout the whole world, and not only in certain parts or corners. He looked to the socialization of peoples as a means to further their own advancement.
And yet, In the Catechism of the Catholic Church we read both the positive and the negative sides about socialization, with the negative as presenting real dangers into society:
1883 Socialization also presents dangers. Excessive intervention by the state can threaten personal freedom and initiative. The teaching of the Church has elaborated the principle of subsidiarity, according to which a "community of a higher order should not interfere in the internal life of a community of a lower order, depriving the latter of its functions, but rather should support it in case of need and help to co-ordinate its activity with the activities of the rest of society, always with a view to the common good." (quotes from Quadragesimo anno I, Pope Pius XI.).
We read in paragraph 2429:
2429 Everyone has the right of economic initiative; everyone should make legitimate use of his talents to contribute to the abundance that will benefit all and to harvest the just fruits of his labor. He should seek to observe regulations issued by legitimate authority for the sake of the common good.
In paragraph 2425:
2425 The Church has rejected the totalitarian and atheistic ideologies associated in modern times with "communism" or "socialism." She has likewise refused to accept, in the practice of "capitalism," individualism and the absolute primacy of the law of the marketplace over human labor. Regulating the economy solely by centralized planning perverts the basis of social bonds; regulating it solely by the law of the marketplace fails social justice, for "there are many human needs which cannot be satisfied by the market." Reasonable regulation of the marketplace and economic initiatives, in keeping with a just hierarchy of values and a view to the common good, is to be commended.
It is telling from the above paragraph that while the Church has rejected modern communism and socialism as atheistic forms, with capitalism it is only in part that there is rejection -- that of an individualism which excludes the framework of solidarity, by instead holding to the market place as having absolute finality in determining how economic wealth is distributed. "Unbridled capitalism" is what John Paul II called it when the market place becomes more powerful than the humans who cannot contain it, but who must ride on it or be trampled by it. When individualism is carried to extremes, the human factor is undermined by economic forces which seek to be served, rather than to serve. It is not that the individual cannot be free, and cannot be innovative, and cannot prosper or succeed, rather, unbridled capitalism, a facet of individualism, inhibits refined development of those who work in solidarity in lieu of strenuous competition for gain. An individual, then, should rightly be able to use God given talent, however common or rare, and should succeed from that, but individualism thwarts in order for a few to succeed. It reaches to destructive ends through excessive competition which is accelerated by market practices rather than being in accord with a constancy in human development, a more moderate flourishing which takes deeper root and brings more stability to the common people.
Giving myself over to a form of socialized government, I become lazy, without creed, without purpose. I exist to serve not God but man's ideals, whatever they may be; I work to serve not the common good, but man's ideals, whatever they may be. I become subservient to that large looming entity which consumes me should I buck. I shall ride quietly, holding onto not the reigns, but the horn of the saddle into which I am slumped, as I am reluctantly or willingly steered. Major decisions will ultimately be made for me, as I shall become a passive partaker in my own life. Some will be forced to give to what they don't believe in, others will receive only if they do the will of those who oppress. Tyranny is evil, and it is a great threat today, even in our present society. It excludes conscience because there is no room for that in the efficient utility which it seeks, even while it is most clumsy, overgrown, and downright unproductive.
We cannot underestimate the ingenuity of persons, and there is no direct and insightful way to do it all for others -- they must do it for themselves to a large extent, providing that a just atmosphere has been established. This is what we work for -- an atmosphere of justice. Inequality in practice is one of the cruel truths of sinful humanity.
It is not so much about intellect, or ability, or manner of knowing what to do as it is about giving one's hope over to trust in God alone, in habits, perseverance, and even largely it is about charity toward one's own family, developing and allowing development of those individuals closest to us, working our way out into the world from there.
Left to myself and my possessions as absolutes, I become selfish. Given over to ideology I become disconnected from myself. Much in the way of the common good does depend upon the common individual who acts in consistent manner toward one's own family and society, so we must never forget that each of us bears, in private and in public, responsibility before others and before God; we bear our part in that work and in that charity which begins in the home and moves outward, even to the ends of the earth.
As with all things we would do well to remember the words of our Lord which were spoken in the Catechism, "Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well." (Matthew 6:33.). In other words, let's implore the righteousness of God, on behalf of ourselves and the world. And then, let us work as if it all depends upon us too.
`
Friday, October 16, 2009
The Blood of the Martyrs is the Seed of Our Own Faith Too
A Preface
Almost a few weeks ago my husband's mother died unexpectedly, and we made a long trip back home to help bury her and to give to her, on this earth, our last regards. Mary had lived a long life, almost 85 years, and had been in pretty good shape for most of that, having had open heart surgery some years back, but having recovered from it well. It was an aneurysm/stroke which took her quite suddenly, so up until the last days, she had tread the waters of life in pretty good shape. She was active at Church, and had left a host of friends and family descendants.
The priest came a day ahead of funeral time to visit the family. He seemed apt in what he did, in how he listened and responded, being warm and caring, yet matter-of-fact. He was there at the Rosary to conduct the service, allowing after wards time for a eulogy and reflection about her life as wife, mother, grandmother. In his sermon at the funeral -- in which he alluded to spiritual realities -- he spoke of the mysteries of the Rosary, and tied those into her life. My husband's and my three older daughters sang solemn but uplifting hymns from the balcony in the back, quite beautifully, to lead the congregation, and the Eucharist was celebrated on the altar in a setting which was both simplistic and ornate together, with lovely rich woods and intricate artwork and design in beautiful statues, formidably, two magnificent angels, which brought the eyes upward to the tabernacle and then to Jesus on the cross. The large, well-kept and lovely 100 year plus church, which had been refurbished with all the original transcending spirit, the stained glass windows and the exquisite interior paintings of things holy, was warm and inviting, with touches of modern amenities such as carpets and a good sound system. Mary's body was finally laid to rest in a cherry wood casket which had been put inside a vault, and set in the ground space next to her husband, who had died many years before. She looked serene, as if she had been ready to meet her Maker; her rosary was woven through her fingers as a sign of the faith to which she confessed. May God rest her soul. She has left her life's work: her family of children, and grandchildren, and darling little great grandchildren, who will hopefully inherit that great Faith with which she was graced from her own cradle, and in which she died peacefully and willingly in her old age.
Something about Mary which was intriguing to me since I had found out about it, was that she was descended from Guillaume Couture, and personally carried the Couture name before her marriage. Guillaume had made the journey over from Normandy in France around the same time as the great Jesuit martyrs, Saints Isaac Jogues, Daniel Brebeuf, Rene Goupil, and their holy and martyred companions, those who died violently trying to bring the grace of Jesus Christ to native warriors, with nothing else but Love for them as God's children who were also deserving of eternal Life. Guillaume Cou(s)ture had gone along, as one of the lay missionaries in company with the rest, to help and labor where he could. There had been frightful and stirring moments for all of them, even before the martyrdom of the great Saints of North America, and Guillaume himself had come into a short but fatalistic battle with one of the Iroquois, shooting him in what was spoken of to be self-defense, and thereby killing him. This episode is well documented in historical texts. He himself was subjected to beating and torture by the Iroquois, a violent tribal nation. These most unfriendly avengers, angry now about European immigration, were unlike the Huron tribal nation -- more meek and friendly -- who married into the French of North America to the point of producing with them the present day people of Quebec.
Surely, the whole situation during this awakening period was one not only of mission, but of honing new paths, of risk, gallant bravery, and with mistakes in the making too. If one who found himself attacked, suddenly, did not take to defense, then he was likely to die in the same vein as the heroic martyrs did, who were both tortured and put to violent deaths in the course of their torture, proclaiming the Love of Christ to the end, unfailingly, and forsaking all violence in return themselves. The heroic martyrs did not defend, they offered up their lives in service to Christ willingly.
It could be supposed that Guillaume was destined to marry, or, perhaps he married subsequently through what had proceeded in his life. By 1646 or '49, within a decade of coming over to New France, he was officially relieved of his service as a lay missionary and married Anne Aymart, who bore ten children in her union with him. That clan is now one of the largest in North America, if not the largest, and many do trace their roots back to the marriage of this French Canadian national hero who had been in personal combat with the Iroquois, who had been tortured by them, and who had been put into service for the dead man's widow for a period of years, according to agreement, as recompense for shooting the man. In later life, he was of service in a variety of civil affairs; still he retained and passed down the inheritance of his Faith, as he had presumably, throughout the years, complied with his obligations in accord with Mother Church. This fulfillment of obligations, mainly by way of the sacraments, is the means of the Faith being able to be passed down through familial generations. Without the sacraments in unity of their purpose, the Faith subjectively becomes lost in its integrity.
The Glory of the Great North American Martyrs
"Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for those whom he loves." (John 5:13).
We might pause for a moment and reflect upon the great Light which comes from the Church. She asks for us as Martyrs, but She does not command that we cannot kill as an act of self-defense. To set matters aright, She raises to the loftiest degree those Martyrs, those who do not act in self-defense at the most critical times, but who submit to their own deaths in the Name of Christ, of He who died on the cross, violently, as the supreme Sin Offering, the one which was Worthy to the Father. And yet, these Martyrs have imitated Him most closely. They submitted and they died violently for Peace. Their bloodshed has graced our country and the Natives who found Christ in them; their zeal has graced our souls throughout the world. Our life long vocations, our sacrifices, our rosaries, our prayers, our charitable works, and the Masses heard are our good works; they are pleasing as incense to our Lord if done in a state of His grace, and they are full. Yet, for many of us, who do not perform to heroic degrees the love practiced by the Saints, our works are in comparison less full, even though full, and even in each their own stunning beauty and unique character. When put next to the glorious works for Christ that the Martyrs have brought in His Name -- those giants of Love -- there is a softer glimmer in the masses of ordinary but well loved servants of Christ.
The great North American Martyrs went the whole way for Christ, to the fullest extent possible. They gave up all, and will be honored for all eternity for their own bloodshed, and for acts of cannibalism against them too, in which heart matter was consumed by the native warriors, in their belief that they might too become brave as these priests were. These martyrs followed Christ with perfection; they did it Christ's way. These ones have set out to bring the Faith in all its fullness. They have denied themselves abundantly, giving all to Him so that He might be tasted and consumed in the Eucharist, on the day of rest, by future generations, by the posterity of those who did not want to hear the proclamation of His glorious Gospel of Life. Long live Christ in His Martyrs, those luminous beings who are honored on earth now, and who shall be honored so for all eternity as faithful sons and daughters!
Below, I have posted the names and dates of those most glorious spiritual pioneers of our great land, who stood the test of bravery for Christ himself, and not for any earthly personal gain but that of finding the great "Treasure in Heaven" which was promised to the rich man in the parable, upon a calling from Christ. (But the rich man had refused to submit, he would be good on his own terms, in his own way.) May we know how to imitate Christ in His Own Way, which is the true giving up of all that we possess, should He want it, according to how He calls each one of us.
It is of paramount importance that we come to know our Faith. One way in which to learn it is to study about the great feats of our holy Saints and Martyrs. There is much material on the internet itself in regard to them. Their holiness far surpasses that of the present day Pharisees, which are rampant in society. Let's try to imitate the holy ones more, and bad societal example less.
The feast for all these Saints is celebrated on October 19. Here are the dates of their glorious deaths.
St. Rene Goupil: September 29, 1642
St. Isaac Jogues: October 18, 1646
St. John de Laland: October 19, 1646
St. Anthony Daniel: July 4, 1648
St. John de Brebeuf: March 16, 1649
St. Gabriel Lalemant: March 17, 1649
St. Charles Garnier: December 7, 1649
St. Noel Chabenel: December 8, 1649
A prayer from Collect:
Father, you consecrated the first beginnings of the faith in North America by preaching and martyrdom of Sts. John and Isaac and their companions. By the help of their prayers may the Christian Faith continue to grow throughout the world. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
`
Almost a few weeks ago my husband's mother died unexpectedly, and we made a long trip back home to help bury her and to give to her, on this earth, our last regards. Mary had lived a long life, almost 85 years, and had been in pretty good shape for most of that, having had open heart surgery some years back, but having recovered from it well. It was an aneurysm/stroke which took her quite suddenly, so up until the last days, she had tread the waters of life in pretty good shape. She was active at Church, and had left a host of friends and family descendants.
The priest came a day ahead of funeral time to visit the family. He seemed apt in what he did, in how he listened and responded, being warm and caring, yet matter-of-fact. He was there at the Rosary to conduct the service, allowing after wards time for a eulogy and reflection about her life as wife, mother, grandmother. In his sermon at the funeral -- in which he alluded to spiritual realities -- he spoke of the mysteries of the Rosary, and tied those into her life. My husband's and my three older daughters sang solemn but uplifting hymns from the balcony in the back, quite beautifully, to lead the congregation, and the Eucharist was celebrated on the altar in a setting which was both simplistic and ornate together, with lovely rich woods and intricate artwork and design in beautiful statues, formidably, two magnificent angels, which brought the eyes upward to the tabernacle and then to Jesus on the cross. The large, well-kept and lovely 100 year plus church, which had been refurbished with all the original transcending spirit, the stained glass windows and the exquisite interior paintings of things holy, was warm and inviting, with touches of modern amenities such as carpets and a good sound system. Mary's body was finally laid to rest in a cherry wood casket which had been put inside a vault, and set in the ground space next to her husband, who had died many years before. She looked serene, as if she had been ready to meet her Maker; her rosary was woven through her fingers as a sign of the faith to which she confessed. May God rest her soul. She has left her life's work: her family of children, and grandchildren, and darling little great grandchildren, who will hopefully inherit that great Faith with which she was graced from her own cradle, and in which she died peacefully and willingly in her old age.
Something about Mary which was intriguing to me since I had found out about it, was that she was descended from Guillaume Couture, and personally carried the Couture name before her marriage. Guillaume had made the journey over from Normandy in France around the same time as the great Jesuit martyrs, Saints Isaac Jogues, Daniel Brebeuf, Rene Goupil, and their holy and martyred companions, those who died violently trying to bring the grace of Jesus Christ to native warriors, with nothing else but Love for them as God's children who were also deserving of eternal Life. Guillaume Cou(s)ture had gone along, as one of the lay missionaries in company with the rest, to help and labor where he could. There had been frightful and stirring moments for all of them, even before the martyrdom of the great Saints of North America, and Guillaume himself had come into a short but fatalistic battle with one of the Iroquois, shooting him in what was spoken of to be self-defense, and thereby killing him. This episode is well documented in historical texts. He himself was subjected to beating and torture by the Iroquois, a violent tribal nation. These most unfriendly avengers, angry now about European immigration, were unlike the Huron tribal nation -- more meek and friendly -- who married into the French of North America to the point of producing with them the present day people of Quebec.
Surely, the whole situation during this awakening period was one not only of mission, but of honing new paths, of risk, gallant bravery, and with mistakes in the making too. If one who found himself attacked, suddenly, did not take to defense, then he was likely to die in the same vein as the heroic martyrs did, who were both tortured and put to violent deaths in the course of their torture, proclaiming the Love of Christ to the end, unfailingly, and forsaking all violence in return themselves. The heroic martyrs did not defend, they offered up their lives in service to Christ willingly.
It could be supposed that Guillaume was destined to marry, or, perhaps he married subsequently through what had proceeded in his life. By 1646 or '49, within a decade of coming over to New France, he was officially relieved of his service as a lay missionary and married Anne Aymart, who bore ten children in her union with him. That clan is now one of the largest in North America, if not the largest, and many do trace their roots back to the marriage of this French Canadian national hero who had been in personal combat with the Iroquois, who had been tortured by them, and who had been put into service for the dead man's widow for a period of years, according to agreement, as recompense for shooting the man. In later life, he was of service in a variety of civil affairs; still he retained and passed down the inheritance of his Faith, as he had presumably, throughout the years, complied with his obligations in accord with Mother Church. This fulfillment of obligations, mainly by way of the sacraments, is the means of the Faith being able to be passed down through familial generations. Without the sacraments in unity of their purpose, the Faith subjectively becomes lost in its integrity.
The Glory of the Great North American Martyrs
"Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for those whom he loves." (John 5:13).
We might pause for a moment and reflect upon the great Light which comes from the Church. She asks for us as Martyrs, but She does not command that we cannot kill as an act of self-defense. To set matters aright, She raises to the loftiest degree those Martyrs, those who do not act in self-defense at the most critical times, but who submit to their own deaths in the Name of Christ, of He who died on the cross, violently, as the supreme Sin Offering, the one which was Worthy to the Father. And yet, these Martyrs have imitated Him most closely. They submitted and they died violently for Peace. Their bloodshed has graced our country and the Natives who found Christ in them; their zeal has graced our souls throughout the world. Our life long vocations, our sacrifices, our rosaries, our prayers, our charitable works, and the Masses heard are our good works; they are pleasing as incense to our Lord if done in a state of His grace, and they are full. Yet, for many of us, who do not perform to heroic degrees the love practiced by the Saints, our works are in comparison less full, even though full, and even in each their own stunning beauty and unique character. When put next to the glorious works for Christ that the Martyrs have brought in His Name -- those giants of Love -- there is a softer glimmer in the masses of ordinary but well loved servants of Christ.
The great North American Martyrs went the whole way for Christ, to the fullest extent possible. They gave up all, and will be honored for all eternity for their own bloodshed, and for acts of cannibalism against them too, in which heart matter was consumed by the native warriors, in their belief that they might too become brave as these priests were. These martyrs followed Christ with perfection; they did it Christ's way. These ones have set out to bring the Faith in all its fullness. They have denied themselves abundantly, giving all to Him so that He might be tasted and consumed in the Eucharist, on the day of rest, by future generations, by the posterity of those who did not want to hear the proclamation of His glorious Gospel of Life. Long live Christ in His Martyrs, those luminous beings who are honored on earth now, and who shall be honored so for all eternity as faithful sons and daughters!
Below, I have posted the names and dates of those most glorious spiritual pioneers of our great land, who stood the test of bravery for Christ himself, and not for any earthly personal gain but that of finding the great "Treasure in Heaven" which was promised to the rich man in the parable, upon a calling from Christ. (But the rich man had refused to submit, he would be good on his own terms, in his own way.) May we know how to imitate Christ in His Own Way, which is the true giving up of all that we possess, should He want it, according to how He calls each one of us.
It is of paramount importance that we come to know our Faith. One way in which to learn it is to study about the great feats of our holy Saints and Martyrs. There is much material on the internet itself in regard to them. Their holiness far surpasses that of the present day Pharisees, which are rampant in society. Let's try to imitate the holy ones more, and bad societal example less.
The feast for all these Saints is celebrated on October 19. Here are the dates of their glorious deaths.
St. Rene Goupil: September 29, 1642
St. Isaac Jogues: October 18, 1646
St. John de Laland: October 19, 1646
St. Anthony Daniel: July 4, 1648
St. John de Brebeuf: March 16, 1649
St. Gabriel Lalemant: March 17, 1649
St. Charles Garnier: December 7, 1649
St. Noel Chabenel: December 8, 1649
A prayer from Collect:
Father, you consecrated the first beginnings of the faith in North America by preaching and martyrdom of Sts. John and Isaac and their companions. By the help of their prayers may the Christian Faith continue to grow throughout the world. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
`
Friday, September 25, 2009
Justification is Through Christ's Merit and Our Baptism
In the Catechism it states:
The grace of the Holy Spirit has the power to justify us, that is, to cleanse us from our sins and to communicate to us "the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ" and through Baptism ... (CCC 1987.).
It is the Holy Spirit who cleanses us from sin, by the merits of Jesus Christ, Son of God the Father. We are made clean through His grace, through Baptism we are united to God by our very lives. Yet, we know that God's power can only work in us to the extent that we allow, to the extent that we are docile to Him. He has cleansed us, and made us instruments of His grace, and in addition to being docile we must bear witness by living within the confines of His Law with courage.
In paragraph 1989, we read:
The first work of the grace of the Holy Spirit is conversion, effecting justification in accordance with Jesus' proclamation at the beginning of the Gospel: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 4:17.) Moved by grace, man turns toward God and away from sin, thus accepting forgiveness and righteousness from on high. "Justification is not only the remission of sins, but also the sanctification and renewal of the interior man." (Council of Trent, 1547.).
Original Sin has existed in all human beings born of woman and man. It is that brokenness which has been handed on to us from our first parents who willingly disobeyed God in search of becoming gods themselves. Christ came to restore us and to make us, furthermore, the very children of God through His Divine Life. The Father loved us too much to abandon us. Let us be grateful.
Infant Baptism, in correlation to Grace, heals the soul. The soul cannot know old age because it is eternal. This eternal soul will no longer need to taste a certain darkness at the end of bodily life, but will be offered the hope to eternal Life with God, in His Glory. All have been redeemed by Christ, and we shall pray for the Salvation of all besides.
There, in Baptism, in union with Christ's very death, which pierced heaven for an outpouring of Grace, our souls are made fertile for fruitful works, for prayer, for study of the ways of God. The newly Baptized person is open to receive God, to manifest that Grace on earth, from that outpouring of heaven, which was obtained by the piercing death of Christ. In infants who are Baptized, God's Grace, also, is poured into their souls, a new heavenly creation. The fruits of Christ's merits, then, are poured into their souls, regardless of age or status. The Faith of the parents themselves, within the bosom of Holy Mother Church, Christ's bride, passes naturally to the child, provided that there is a living Faith and ample instruction in the home, the domestic Church. This is the working of Grace upon natural man. It is, ultimately, an article of belief, of whether or not we believe in our hearts, and confess with our lips, and love God willfully, passing that belief system on to the next generation in a most natural manner.
In the Catechism we read:
1990 Justification detaches man from sin which contradicts the love of God, and purifies his heart of sin. Justification follows upon God's merciful initiative of offering forgiveness. It reconciles man with God. It frees from the enslavement to sin, and it heals.
Through grave sin, the living Grace which connects the human person to God becomes cut away, "through my own fault". Yet, through the Sacrament of Penance, Christ forgives sins from the hand of the ordained priest, who will, in a bestowing of God's Grace, bring man and woman back to the fertile state of original Baptismal sanctification. For those who remain united to God, and yet who ultimately need forgiveness for daily wrongdoing in lesser areas and in general lack of charity, the Sacrament of Penance is still a requirement for spiritual growth to flourish. Forgiveness for even seemingly small offenses is brought to the individual, and the person is allowed to reconcile spiritually with God at deeper levels of participation. Yes, the Catholic Church, in her Sacraments, has had the effect of producing the great Saints who were supreme Servants of Christ, who were able to partake of God's mercy at profound levels. Our Pope, Benedict XVI, has given us short lessons on these great men and women regularly in his talks, edifying us gracefully, especially in temptations toward hopelessness. We have seen in them examples of unending mercy and forgiveness, and have been given theretofore the trust to request forgiveness from God himself, who is their source.
1991 Justification is ... the acceptance of God's righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ. (...) With justification, faith, hope, and charity are poured into our hearts, and obedience to the divine will is granted us.
In living out our daily lives, we are now predisposed to God and to His commandments and precepts. He shall discover the meaning for our lives in service to Him. We shall look, and we shall find His Will for our lives, one day at a time, by fruitfully following in His footsteps to Calvary when necessary and to climbing the heights in search of His Ways. We are able to seek Him in prayer, in Spirit, in study, in works, and in love at any and all moments. Our lives might then become a living example of His love to humanity. We shall obey Him to death. This obedience lies deep within our hearts. It is not superficial acts, or jumps and starts, but a profound, abiding grace.
1992 Justification has been merited for us by the Passion of Christ who offered himself on the cross as a living victim, holy and pleasing to God, and whose blood has become the instrument of atonement for the sins of all men. Justification is conferred in Baptism, the sacrament of faith ...
Baptism has brought us into His death, and now we must eat of His new Life. The Eucharist is food for our souls, which are fully alive and restored, ready to receive from God a nourishment of Life for eternal salvation.
Christ was the living Victim, the paschal Lamb who was slain, and now we shall partake in the sacrifice by eating His Body and drinking His Blood. His Body and His Blood will make our souls like His. Just as He has become like us, so might we become like Him. The Gift is unfathomable. How can God love us that much? His Divine food will nourish us forever. We will become like Him as sharers in His Divine Life.
1993 Justification establishes cooperation between God's grace and man's freedom. On man's part it is expressed by the assent of faith to the Word of God, which invites him to conversion, and in the cooperation of charity with the prompting of the holy Spirit who precedes and preserves his assent ...
After receiving Baptism, the first seal on our souls, Eucharist, and Confirmation, that Sacrament of the Holy Spirit which seals our souls a second time, God has not left us to ourselves. We have the other Sacraments too, but even in addition to them, God continues to inspire us to make choices in keeping with His divine Grace and Gift. We invariably turn away, and He calls us back, and it is through this conversion back to him by which we attain understanding of what He expects out of us. Conversion renews us and strengthens us at deeper levels of understanding, that we might grow in charity. It is an effort on our part to do His Will with more love, more precision, more care, and more prayer. Good works cannot be accomplished without our own cooperation in God's mighty work within us. He has given it all, and yet we are to turn, to hear, to work ourselves in light of what He shows to us, bearing upon us His Truth.
In the Catechism we read:
1994 Justification is the most excellent work of God's love made manifest in Christ Jesus and granted by the Holy Spirit ...
1995 The Holy Spirit is the master of the interior life. By giving birth to the "inner man," justification entails the sanctification of his whole being ...
It is not solely in the insignificant details of our day to day living which concerns God. Rather, He is looking, on the whole, to bring us in movement toward Himself for our own sanctification, and is using every opportunity to move us in that direction. This, He desires because He desires us intensely and completely. He will use our shortcomings, our nuisances, our gifts, our accomplishments, and our own desires to manifest Himself in our mundane daily lives, or in our spectacular eventful moments. He will use whatever we give Him and whatever He can get, so that we become fruitful in Him. Thus, our great need for daily prayer, for the Eucharist which unites us to Him in substance, for an understanding heart willing to serve and to be open to avenues which invite Him to share more fully in our own lives at each prescribed moment. Our Lord Jesus Christ has accomplished it, and yet this one act lives abidingly in us even as we live and breathe 2000 years later.
`
The grace of the Holy Spirit has the power to justify us, that is, to cleanse us from our sins and to communicate to us "the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ" and through Baptism ... (CCC 1987.).
It is the Holy Spirit who cleanses us from sin, by the merits of Jesus Christ, Son of God the Father. We are made clean through His grace, through Baptism we are united to God by our very lives. Yet, we know that God's power can only work in us to the extent that we allow, to the extent that we are docile to Him. He has cleansed us, and made us instruments of His grace, and in addition to being docile we must bear witness by living within the confines of His Law with courage.
In paragraph 1989, we read:
The first work of the grace of the Holy Spirit is conversion, effecting justification in accordance with Jesus' proclamation at the beginning of the Gospel: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 4:17.) Moved by grace, man turns toward God and away from sin, thus accepting forgiveness and righteousness from on high. "Justification is not only the remission of sins, but also the sanctification and renewal of the interior man." (Council of Trent, 1547.).
Original Sin has existed in all human beings born of woman and man. It is that brokenness which has been handed on to us from our first parents who willingly disobeyed God in search of becoming gods themselves. Christ came to restore us and to make us, furthermore, the very children of God through His Divine Life. The Father loved us too much to abandon us. Let us be grateful.
Infant Baptism, in correlation to Grace, heals the soul. The soul cannot know old age because it is eternal. This eternal soul will no longer need to taste a certain darkness at the end of bodily life, but will be offered the hope to eternal Life with God, in His Glory. All have been redeemed by Christ, and we shall pray for the Salvation of all besides.
There, in Baptism, in union with Christ's very death, which pierced heaven for an outpouring of Grace, our souls are made fertile for fruitful works, for prayer, for study of the ways of God. The newly Baptized person is open to receive God, to manifest that Grace on earth, from that outpouring of heaven, which was obtained by the piercing death of Christ. In infants who are Baptized, God's Grace, also, is poured into their souls, a new heavenly creation. The fruits of Christ's merits, then, are poured into their souls, regardless of age or status. The Faith of the parents themselves, within the bosom of Holy Mother Church, Christ's bride, passes naturally to the child, provided that there is a living Faith and ample instruction in the home, the domestic Church. This is the working of Grace upon natural man. It is, ultimately, an article of belief, of whether or not we believe in our hearts, and confess with our lips, and love God willfully, passing that belief system on to the next generation in a most natural manner.
In the Catechism we read:
1990 Justification detaches man from sin which contradicts the love of God, and purifies his heart of sin. Justification follows upon God's merciful initiative of offering forgiveness. It reconciles man with God. It frees from the enslavement to sin, and it heals.
Through grave sin, the living Grace which connects the human person to God becomes cut away, "through my own fault". Yet, through the Sacrament of Penance, Christ forgives sins from the hand of the ordained priest, who will, in a bestowing of God's Grace, bring man and woman back to the fertile state of original Baptismal sanctification. For those who remain united to God, and yet who ultimately need forgiveness for daily wrongdoing in lesser areas and in general lack of charity, the Sacrament of Penance is still a requirement for spiritual growth to flourish. Forgiveness for even seemingly small offenses is brought to the individual, and the person is allowed to reconcile spiritually with God at deeper levels of participation. Yes, the Catholic Church, in her Sacraments, has had the effect of producing the great Saints who were supreme Servants of Christ, who were able to partake of God's mercy at profound levels. Our Pope, Benedict XVI, has given us short lessons on these great men and women regularly in his talks, edifying us gracefully, especially in temptations toward hopelessness. We have seen in them examples of unending mercy and forgiveness, and have been given theretofore the trust to request forgiveness from God himself, who is their source.
1991 Justification is ... the acceptance of God's righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ. (...) With justification, faith, hope, and charity are poured into our hearts, and obedience to the divine will is granted us.
In living out our daily lives, we are now predisposed to God and to His commandments and precepts. He shall discover the meaning for our lives in service to Him. We shall look, and we shall find His Will for our lives, one day at a time, by fruitfully following in His footsteps to Calvary when necessary and to climbing the heights in search of His Ways. We are able to seek Him in prayer, in Spirit, in study, in works, and in love at any and all moments. Our lives might then become a living example of His love to humanity. We shall obey Him to death. This obedience lies deep within our hearts. It is not superficial acts, or jumps and starts, but a profound, abiding grace.
1992 Justification has been merited for us by the Passion of Christ who offered himself on the cross as a living victim, holy and pleasing to God, and whose blood has become the instrument of atonement for the sins of all men. Justification is conferred in Baptism, the sacrament of faith ...
Baptism has brought us into His death, and now we must eat of His new Life. The Eucharist is food for our souls, which are fully alive and restored, ready to receive from God a nourishment of Life for eternal salvation.
Christ was the living Victim, the paschal Lamb who was slain, and now we shall partake in the sacrifice by eating His Body and drinking His Blood. His Body and His Blood will make our souls like His. Just as He has become like us, so might we become like Him. The Gift is unfathomable. How can God love us that much? His Divine food will nourish us forever. We will become like Him as sharers in His Divine Life.
1993 Justification establishes cooperation between God's grace and man's freedom. On man's part it is expressed by the assent of faith to the Word of God, which invites him to conversion, and in the cooperation of charity with the prompting of the holy Spirit who precedes and preserves his assent ...
After receiving Baptism, the first seal on our souls, Eucharist, and Confirmation, that Sacrament of the Holy Spirit which seals our souls a second time, God has not left us to ourselves. We have the other Sacraments too, but even in addition to them, God continues to inspire us to make choices in keeping with His divine Grace and Gift. We invariably turn away, and He calls us back, and it is through this conversion back to him by which we attain understanding of what He expects out of us. Conversion renews us and strengthens us at deeper levels of understanding, that we might grow in charity. It is an effort on our part to do His Will with more love, more precision, more care, and more prayer. Good works cannot be accomplished without our own cooperation in God's mighty work within us. He has given it all, and yet we are to turn, to hear, to work ourselves in light of what He shows to us, bearing upon us His Truth.
In the Catechism we read:
1994 Justification is the most excellent work of God's love made manifest in Christ Jesus and granted by the Holy Spirit ...
1995 The Holy Spirit is the master of the interior life. By giving birth to the "inner man," justification entails the sanctification of his whole being ...
It is not solely in the insignificant details of our day to day living which concerns God. Rather, He is looking, on the whole, to bring us in movement toward Himself for our own sanctification, and is using every opportunity to move us in that direction. This, He desires because He desires us intensely and completely. He will use our shortcomings, our nuisances, our gifts, our accomplishments, and our own desires to manifest Himself in our mundane daily lives, or in our spectacular eventful moments. He will use whatever we give Him and whatever He can get, so that we become fruitful in Him. Thus, our great need for daily prayer, for the Eucharist which unites us to Him in substance, for an understanding heart willing to serve and to be open to avenues which invite Him to share more fully in our own lives at each prescribed moment. Our Lord Jesus Christ has accomplished it, and yet this one act lives abidingly in us even as we live and breathe 2000 years later.
`
Friday, September 18, 2009
Some members of the Sanhedrin, a Governor, and Some Criminals Support Truth
(Scriptural reflections with prose in fictional style.)
Let us compare and contrast to find God's Truth to the best of our abilities. Let us see that love is stronger than death, bringing life and freedom, that perfection comes through our own weakness, but with God's strength, that human power flourishes for a short time, and then without love it dies. Let us know the voice of God from St. Paul himself, who described that folly of the cross so well, "When I am powerless, then I am strong."
Pilate asked him, "Do you not know that I have the power to release you and the power to crucify you?" Jesus answered: "You would have no power over me whatever unless it were given you from above. That is why he who handed me over to you is guilty of the greater sin." (John 19:10-11.).
"One of the criminals hanging in crucifixion blasphemed him: "Aren't you the Messiah? Then save yourself and us." But the other one rebuked him: "Have you no fear of God, seeing you are under the same sentence? We deserve it, after all. We are only paying for what we've done, but this man has done nothing wrong." He then said, "Jesus, remember me when you enter upon your reign." And Jesus replied, "I assure you: this day you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 22:39-43.).
Jesus is outside of the political atmosphere of his time. He is overtaken by the Romans, and yet, they would have no interest in Him if it were not for the members of His own People. Through the warfare of religious division, Jesus is given over to His political enemy for a solution -- the man who cared little about the whole matter, who had much more important things to tend to -- but who in the end would order the death sentence. It was needed in the name of religion, by those who had felt threatened of His Word and His Works. He had caused an uprising within the ranks of those who knew and served the Almighty God, but who could not accept Him as their King, the Messiah which they had hoped for, since He was a disappointment, not serving in any sound political capacity, nor having any astute authority given to him by men, although he was "Rabbi". As for the leaders of this religious people, Jesus brought into the midst of their hope a paradox, a God who was somehow lowly. This was an enigma, not what they had anticipated and they could not accept it as it was. He imposed himself onto them as Truth would have it, and they rejected Him and what He was doing to them. He was taking away a certain grandeur of power and hope which the Jewish people had felt in their hearts and in their heritage so gladly, this spilling out into nationalistic leanings by necessity and by choice. These people had marveled at the magnificence of their Creator, the One God, and the promises He had given to them, and they wanted it to be shared in their national sense as well as in their own blood lines.
God had not changed, but He was doing what He does more magnificently than the human mind was able to grasp. The Son of God was bending to the lowliest in deep and tangible ways. He loved the people, the crowds, and the glory and honor was His for this, and He accepted it as the worthy Son who had come through the insignificant little handmaid, Mary. The leaders could not accept it. Their jealousy escalated. Their concerns were many, but their own healing was void. They wanted not Christ, the Messiah, but a political magnate; their nation was strong but needed a leader to let them go and become powerful. They wanted -- in sentimental ways -- Moses to lead them, but this Jesus, He was a curse to their hope for a worldly status of power.
Since they could not control the situation, being of the Chosen People who were living and loving the true God, some of those who were underhanded in spirit and deed finally pounced on the situation, to bring this lowly God-Man, who spoke with perfect authority, under their own sinister yoke. They would have to turn to political causes to do so, since this was their way, and so, they opened the doors, bringing darkness into the Light they had received from the One Lord. They brought the State directly into their affairs to straighten the situation out, since they could not do it without political backing, and since they were too weak to do it themselves. They were weak, and they needed help. Help was on its way.
Jesus, the King, would now be turned over to Pontius Pilate, who would take control of the situation as a political authority. He was a man well disposed toward observation and was esteemed for correct judgment, and had moved up into the ranks by his own merits. But how to do it? He would allow a certain amount of dialogue, he would contact those other important authorities, he would make compromises, and then he would like to let him go ... Pontius Pilate was a man governed by a sense of proper justice. He saw the innocence of Jesus and knew that such a shedding of blood could not be found justifiable. He wanted Him scourged, for the appeasement of the people, to be taught a lesson, but he wanted to save Him in the end.
He met with Jesus, and this sufficed his curiosity. Pilate made his own importance felt as Jesus sat before him, a mocked man, the scourge of His people. Pilate found nothing, really, to say, except that he himself had been endowed with power over Jesus. He failed to recognize Jesus Christ while he lorded it over Him. Pilate, it seems, would have the final say about what Is and who Is, ignoring his own wife's cautions in the process, since she had had that disturbing dream. He was mighty and severe, and would not listen to women folk, even while he was reserved and looked to sound judgment in discourse.
Unfortunately for Pilate, though, the obvious circumstances began to impose themselves upon him. He became enmeshed in his own fear. He did not believe Jesus to be guilty of anything that amounted to much, but still, he was fearful of the outcome of what his own decision might do. Pilate, at heart, was afraid of the very people he ruled.
An angry mob was after Jesus, the King, who had entered Jerusalem shortly beforehand with cheers and gladness coming from those of His People who loved and even adored their Savior. It was this angry mob which threatened Pilate's self-confidence, not the other. He had wanted some peace, and was in a position to thereby gain respect, and more power, and he wanted to do something to make that mob happy. He could not lean on his own governance any longer, but must concede to the angry crowd he ruled. To keep his power, Pilate must obey, he must become weak for the men he ruled, even as he placed himself in apposition to the gods and the mighty.
These few angry men would resort to a justification for themselves by the very works which they hopelessly performed for themselves only, a demand of the very Life of Jesus. They would get rid of Jesus so that the status quo could resume. His religious significance, His love for the people who followed Him and believed in Him as the Messiah, His teaching of God's unbounded Truth -- none of it opened their eyes or brought insight. They could not dialogue, or learn anything from Him. They could see no good in the Man. They could not open their ears to hear His parables and to understand. They were, in our Lord's words, white washed tombs, beautiful to behold, but with nothing on the inside. And while their interior lives were empty, their pride thrived. They would take the law of Moses to their own ends, relying not even upon his ancient teaching in Truth.
They would find a weak lover of money to perform their deed, since this means was a cinch in working over those who have no sense, but who will work with Satan for even a small prize. They would turn to the impulsive Judas Iscariot, a man of low means, who wanted a cash flow, who wanted fame and fortune, and wasn't getting it properly in Jesus' group. When Judas came to his senses, he regretted and went into despair, knowing that he could not obtain the means to save Jesus, and knowing that for the love of money he had handed Him over. He feared the outcome and his own blasphemy, killing himself despite Jesus' constant teaching of forgiveness.
And so Jesus, King of the Jews, was marched up Calvary with the weeping and tears of many of the lowly and devout Jewish believers. There He was crucified with the two thieves. Those insurrectionists who brought about political and religious unrest were crucified next to the Man who had brought strength to all capacities and to grateful religious and political leaders.
It was fear which made the difference, after all.
No, the criminal on the cross had not feared man. He had little fear, one might say. He had stirred up unrest in despicable ways. He was full of passion and ideas, acting upon that. But the criminal was brought low. He was made to wallow in his vain works; all the incitement brought no justice, but only widespread terror among innocent bystanders. Now he too was on the cross, in the day's justice. He could not sit on high seats making judgments upon Christ in his lowly position. He was rather dying with Him, but in his own sins, and for that, he found Christ and His strength, at that bleak moment. Miraculously, his eyes were opened, and he feared -- God -- and He feared what was to come when he was to come into the presence of God, soon, very soon. He turned to our Lord in love and humility, and requested salvation with a contrite heart, a sorrowing heart. His sins did not outweigh God's mercy, and it was granted from a suffering, disfigured Christ, who had the Power to do it, to bring him Life forever.
`
Let us compare and contrast to find God's Truth to the best of our abilities. Let us see that love is stronger than death, bringing life and freedom, that perfection comes through our own weakness, but with God's strength, that human power flourishes for a short time, and then without love it dies. Let us know the voice of God from St. Paul himself, who described that folly of the cross so well, "When I am powerless, then I am strong."
Pilate asked him, "Do you not know that I have the power to release you and the power to crucify you?" Jesus answered: "You would have no power over me whatever unless it were given you from above. That is why he who handed me over to you is guilty of the greater sin." (John 19:10-11.).
"One of the criminals hanging in crucifixion blasphemed him: "Aren't you the Messiah? Then save yourself and us." But the other one rebuked him: "Have you no fear of God, seeing you are under the same sentence? We deserve it, after all. We are only paying for what we've done, but this man has done nothing wrong." He then said, "Jesus, remember me when you enter upon your reign." And Jesus replied, "I assure you: this day you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 22:39-43.).
Jesus is outside of the political atmosphere of his time. He is overtaken by the Romans, and yet, they would have no interest in Him if it were not for the members of His own People. Through the warfare of religious division, Jesus is given over to His political enemy for a solution -- the man who cared little about the whole matter, who had much more important things to tend to -- but who in the end would order the death sentence. It was needed in the name of religion, by those who had felt threatened of His Word and His Works. He had caused an uprising within the ranks of those who knew and served the Almighty God, but who could not accept Him as their King, the Messiah which they had hoped for, since He was a disappointment, not serving in any sound political capacity, nor having any astute authority given to him by men, although he was "Rabbi". As for the leaders of this religious people, Jesus brought into the midst of their hope a paradox, a God who was somehow lowly. This was an enigma, not what they had anticipated and they could not accept it as it was. He imposed himself onto them as Truth would have it, and they rejected Him and what He was doing to them. He was taking away a certain grandeur of power and hope which the Jewish people had felt in their hearts and in their heritage so gladly, this spilling out into nationalistic leanings by necessity and by choice. These people had marveled at the magnificence of their Creator, the One God, and the promises He had given to them, and they wanted it to be shared in their national sense as well as in their own blood lines.
God had not changed, but He was doing what He does more magnificently than the human mind was able to grasp. The Son of God was bending to the lowliest in deep and tangible ways. He loved the people, the crowds, and the glory and honor was His for this, and He accepted it as the worthy Son who had come through the insignificant little handmaid, Mary. The leaders could not accept it. Their jealousy escalated. Their concerns were many, but their own healing was void. They wanted not Christ, the Messiah, but a political magnate; their nation was strong but needed a leader to let them go and become powerful. They wanted -- in sentimental ways -- Moses to lead them, but this Jesus, He was a curse to their hope for a worldly status of power.
Since they could not control the situation, being of the Chosen People who were living and loving the true God, some of those who were underhanded in spirit and deed finally pounced on the situation, to bring this lowly God-Man, who spoke with perfect authority, under their own sinister yoke. They would have to turn to political causes to do so, since this was their way, and so, they opened the doors, bringing darkness into the Light they had received from the One Lord. They brought the State directly into their affairs to straighten the situation out, since they could not do it without political backing, and since they were too weak to do it themselves. They were weak, and they needed help. Help was on its way.
Jesus, the King, would now be turned over to Pontius Pilate, who would take control of the situation as a political authority. He was a man well disposed toward observation and was esteemed for correct judgment, and had moved up into the ranks by his own merits. But how to do it? He would allow a certain amount of dialogue, he would contact those other important authorities, he would make compromises, and then he would like to let him go ... Pontius Pilate was a man governed by a sense of proper justice. He saw the innocence of Jesus and knew that such a shedding of blood could not be found justifiable. He wanted Him scourged, for the appeasement of the people, to be taught a lesson, but he wanted to save Him in the end.
He met with Jesus, and this sufficed his curiosity. Pilate made his own importance felt as Jesus sat before him, a mocked man, the scourge of His people. Pilate found nothing, really, to say, except that he himself had been endowed with power over Jesus. He failed to recognize Jesus Christ while he lorded it over Him. Pilate, it seems, would have the final say about what Is and who Is, ignoring his own wife's cautions in the process, since she had had that disturbing dream. He was mighty and severe, and would not listen to women folk, even while he was reserved and looked to sound judgment in discourse.
Unfortunately for Pilate, though, the obvious circumstances began to impose themselves upon him. He became enmeshed in his own fear. He did not believe Jesus to be guilty of anything that amounted to much, but still, he was fearful of the outcome of what his own decision might do. Pilate, at heart, was afraid of the very people he ruled.
An angry mob was after Jesus, the King, who had entered Jerusalem shortly beforehand with cheers and gladness coming from those of His People who loved and even adored their Savior. It was this angry mob which threatened Pilate's self-confidence, not the other. He had wanted some peace, and was in a position to thereby gain respect, and more power, and he wanted to do something to make that mob happy. He could not lean on his own governance any longer, but must concede to the angry crowd he ruled. To keep his power, Pilate must obey, he must become weak for the men he ruled, even as he placed himself in apposition to the gods and the mighty.
These few angry men would resort to a justification for themselves by the very works which they hopelessly performed for themselves only, a demand of the very Life of Jesus. They would get rid of Jesus so that the status quo could resume. His religious significance, His love for the people who followed Him and believed in Him as the Messiah, His teaching of God's unbounded Truth -- none of it opened their eyes or brought insight. They could not dialogue, or learn anything from Him. They could see no good in the Man. They could not open their ears to hear His parables and to understand. They were, in our Lord's words, white washed tombs, beautiful to behold, but with nothing on the inside. And while their interior lives were empty, their pride thrived. They would take the law of Moses to their own ends, relying not even upon his ancient teaching in Truth.
They would find a weak lover of money to perform their deed, since this means was a cinch in working over those who have no sense, but who will work with Satan for even a small prize. They would turn to the impulsive Judas Iscariot, a man of low means, who wanted a cash flow, who wanted fame and fortune, and wasn't getting it properly in Jesus' group. When Judas came to his senses, he regretted and went into despair, knowing that he could not obtain the means to save Jesus, and knowing that for the love of money he had handed Him over. He feared the outcome and his own blasphemy, killing himself despite Jesus' constant teaching of forgiveness.
And so Jesus, King of the Jews, was marched up Calvary with the weeping and tears of many of the lowly and devout Jewish believers. There He was crucified with the two thieves. Those insurrectionists who brought about political and religious unrest were crucified next to the Man who had brought strength to all capacities and to grateful religious and political leaders.
It was fear which made the difference, after all.
- The insurrectionists were deplorable, and they were now beside Jesus. They were trouble makers, who had not a faith filled existence, but who had been working within the realm of a political atmosphere to bring about an unknown justice, which they were seeking without a civil system to back them up. They would do it themselves, take law into their own hands, even resorting to murder. And yet, we find that the criminal on the one side of Jesus scolded and chided Him, while the other refused to demean Him. The other, instead, opened up his heart and received, miraculously, the grace to fear the Lord God. This was all done at the late hour, on his death bed of straw deeds.
- Those few but vociferous proud and haughty religious leaders of the day had preserved God's Truth as sacrament, but they had not lived it out from their own beings. It had been an external justification only, relying not on God, but their own might and works. They had hearts of stone, not love. They feared for their own safe keeping and values, and acted on that. They paid lip service to the end, but their works were of no importance, except that which they are remembered by, the crucifixion of our Lord.
- The political leader, Pontius Pilate, was a man of honor who was skeptical of Truth. Truth to him was a relative thing. He was more inclined to be happily favored as a good governor. His works brought him success and opportunity, and it seemed good, although he feared the people, and an uprising, and acted on that. Jesus was handed over to Him out of fear, and was put to death by him, out of his own fear. He wanted to be spared for his works in the government, in politics, but yet, his works did not stand. They ignited and burned with Rome. Rome perished then, except for what Christ and His Church preserved of that ancient empire, as an everlasting tribute to the might of a God who mysteriously brought down the most powerful empire of the west by dying on the cross.
- Judas Iscariot, the betrayer, feared the outcome of his actions, and so he went into despair.
No, the criminal on the cross had not feared man. He had little fear, one might say. He had stirred up unrest in despicable ways. He was full of passion and ideas, acting upon that. But the criminal was brought low. He was made to wallow in his vain works; all the incitement brought no justice, but only widespread terror among innocent bystanders. Now he too was on the cross, in the day's justice. He could not sit on high seats making judgments upon Christ in his lowly position. He was rather dying with Him, but in his own sins, and for that, he found Christ and His strength, at that bleak moment. Miraculously, his eyes were opened, and he feared -- God -- and He feared what was to come when he was to come into the presence of God, soon, very soon. He turned to our Lord in love and humility, and requested salvation with a contrite heart, a sorrowing heart. His sins did not outweigh God's mercy, and it was granted from a suffering, disfigured Christ, who had the Power to do it, to bring him Life forever.
`
Friday, September 11, 2009
When Faith and Politics Meet and Cross
God is the giver of all good things. He alone is good to us, whether we recognize Him or not. When we give good things to other human beings, we are in fact being moved by the Spirit. All goodness is of lasting value, and yet, that which is not good cannot stand up to reason and faith. It will fall below the standards of love and will not be of lasting benefit to the human person.
Faith and reason are those spiritual and human movements of the mind and heart, of the will, which cause us to seek God and goods for another human being.Without them, we become lost. A stubborn arbitrariness of will cannot allocate goodness; a human person made in the Divine image and likeness of God seeks for fruitfulness, not control. The faith filled human condition seeks for God's grace while abiding in moral and natural law. All is sought through these. To take to task "ideas" which do not fit into God's plan is to work against Him and ultimately against ourselves.
In the Catechism, it speaks of God's apparent powerlessness, and in the pain of suffering through the crosses in our lives, those crosses which cannot be obliterated once and for all on the face of this earth. We read:
"Faith in God the Father Almighty can be put to the test by the experience of evil and suffering. God can sometimes seem to be absent and incapable of stopping evil. But in the most mysterious way God the Father has revealed his almighty power in the voluntary humiliation and Resurrection of his Son, by which he conquered evil. Christ crucified is thus 'the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.' (Eph 1:19-22.) It is in Christ's Resurrection and exaltation that the Father has shown forth 'the immeasurable greatness of his power in us who believe.' (CCC 272.).
The wisdom and the folly of the cross certainly represents an entering in and a passing through to find God. He is not to be found in material benefits alone, as if they have the power to make our lives good and right. As Catholics, we must never confuse helping the poor with simple forms of ideology, as if that is what will save. Suffering must be a part of life, and in it, we find salvation. We can work to make our lives move forward into the future, but we must never go outside the scope of moral and natural law in doing so, that God might be with us as we move along, therefore providing and helping us. To look to the outside and to think, "He is there!" is to move away from Him. If we do not abide in Him, we will not inherit the Kingdom. We must abide in moral Truth. Our Pope, our Holy Father, Benedict XVI has just written it for us in his latest encyclical.
If we look into the health care debate, we see all sorts of danger signals coming from the national health care portfolio. There are warnings, if we open our eyes, to see that pregnant mothers will be watched and encouraged to space children according to government funded program availability. There is the imminent danger of euthanasia, and there is that same old evil of killing the unborn, even if it is slipped through unnoticed. It is an evil plan, morally, whether that word "evil" is politically correct or not, and it is doubtful that it could be fixed. I want to say that I, for one, do not want nationalized health care anyway, and still feel that I am a Catholic in good standing with the Faith, at least objectively speaking. I think that there does need to be reforms, but this is a step in the wrong direction, and could become one of the greatest blunders for the good of man once we all start to become burdens on the system. And now, with all the hubbub coming from our country's bishops, who seem to know what is best for us on these material matters, and who seem to be pushing for it (at least some of them), since some of them jump on the bandwagon for any socialized institution which comes along, I am downtrodden and feeling as if I'm a bad Catholic, although I do not think that this is true. As for myself, I have had a number of babies without health care benefits, and God was particularly good to me through it all. After having good births, without any cesarean sections, I came to understand natural childbirth, and the power of how a mother is to give birth. Yes, I had a midwife who saw me through, and I put my trust in God, and it was He who was there for me, it was He who I turned to as a beggar, rather than to benefits and "health care". Oh yes, I know it was risky, but it taught me a lot about putting my trust into Him, rather than into those institutions and ideology, rather than making coverage a god. And although my family is presently covered by insurance benefits, (I am certainly not against health benefits) I still opt for God as the One to put my trust into. Furthermore, I do know that something could have gone wrong in those ordeals, and something did, but God saw us through and we were able to pay for it too. For us, and for many, all turns out well in the end, and the catastrophes are, in fact, few.
Doctors, institutions, and even good health care benefits are not infallible either; life can go wrong and is truly full of crosses and sufferings, no matter what, but God is always there, and He is always good amid trial and chaos. I have never found Him not to be good! And yet we see constantly how institutions fail and become evil in their designs by bringing the common people to a starvation of solid help and values, left in wontedness, but drugged into believing that their poverty is a good. To depend upon an imagined utopia as if that will save us is equal to wishing away those inevitable crosses which cause us to mature and which deepen our understanding about life and purpose, since there is value in suffering. Of course, I do wish for a good life for all, and do not want evil and avoidable suffering to happen to any either, and I would like to see health care reformed so as to be more affordable to the average patient. Yet, surely in a diverse society, a looser knit is a better quality.With the present health care plan, I think that we will most certainly encounter the gravest of evils eventually, since man, by man, will become dispensable and burdensome.
We Catholics need to ask ourselves, "Do we believe?" Those of us who are Christians may not have the faith which we speak of with our lips, we may be speaking of faith on the one hand, and still putting our faith in human entities alone on the other. How many of the bishops in this country, one must seriously wonder, spend as much time invoking God as they do in convoking, and in evoking our government officials for sustenance? For years, their paradigms and solutions to ending abortion never made their way into churches on Sunday mornings, at all, and now we hear incessantly about their concern for a good government health care plan. Whereas before, they would have been fulfilling their moral duty, now, it seems, that they are plastered with affection for political entrepreneurship. Possibly they have confused their roles as Servants of God with that of legislation lobbyists.And now I want to say something which sounds not nice, but which will make me feel better and worse: Mr. Bishop, please don't expect politics to do your job of ministering to the poor, so that you might spend more time cavorting in rich environments. Get out there and do it yourself. Be a bit more like the holy and good Mother Teresa, and a bit less like a politician who is looking for justification and approval. Preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, pray for God's blessings on this country, and be there for us in Moral teaching and Faith instruction. Find ways within the Catholic environment and the concerns of Faith to help your poor. You might be surprised at the fruits of your own labors. You are not a health care politician, part of the government staff in working for its own benighted justice, but a Moral guide. You were chosen to spread the Gospel of Life, and to minister to the poor within that very context, thereby working for real justice and fruit. Make the Faith and Morals your priority, Your Excellency. Then you will see clearly enough to feed the poor in ways which actually benefit them spiritually and materially, just as our Lord Jesus Christ so instructed and showed by His own example.
Today, it seems, even heavily among Catholics themselves, there is a reasoning of "faith" put into the politics themselves, as if they are coming from some mighty and understanding spirit, and which we are somehow beholden to adoring. There is that attitude which says, "god saves", although we are speaking here of politics and not the Almighty Creator, or our Savior, Jesus Christ. We have replaced God with mere mortal man, with man alone, but backed up by a mighty institution, man who neither sees nor hears God and institutions which have faulty programs. We have wanted for security, and we have found it in the political world, whether it works or not. Catholics have become political entities in the name of religion.
Love cannot endure, cannot manifest itself when all is being lost through certain key manifesto practices without being beholden to Faith and reason, to the Church of Christ. We cannot know the happiness and the peace to come when we seek for good apart from God, as if He is only a bystander, and not really to be invoked, since we imagine that He cannot hear us anyway, and therefore we must move ahead into the future ourselves without Him. We can hope for Providence to supply food and shelter, through the work of our human hands, or we can be waiting for politicians and institutions to do it all for us. Politics itself is necessary for a healthy society, but it must not replace God and His Law, or replace what is required of us. To do so is to undermine His plan for our lives.
`
Faith and reason are those spiritual and human movements of the mind and heart, of the will, which cause us to seek God and goods for another human being.Without them, we become lost. A stubborn arbitrariness of will cannot allocate goodness; a human person made in the Divine image and likeness of God seeks for fruitfulness, not control. The faith filled human condition seeks for God's grace while abiding in moral and natural law. All is sought through these. To take to task "ideas" which do not fit into God's plan is to work against Him and ultimately against ourselves.
In the Catechism, it speaks of God's apparent powerlessness, and in the pain of suffering through the crosses in our lives, those crosses which cannot be obliterated once and for all on the face of this earth. We read:
"Faith in God the Father Almighty can be put to the test by the experience of evil and suffering. God can sometimes seem to be absent and incapable of stopping evil. But in the most mysterious way God the Father has revealed his almighty power in the voluntary humiliation and Resurrection of his Son, by which he conquered evil. Christ crucified is thus 'the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.' (Eph 1:19-22.) It is in Christ's Resurrection and exaltation that the Father has shown forth 'the immeasurable greatness of his power in us who believe.' (CCC 272.).
The wisdom and the folly of the cross certainly represents an entering in and a passing through to find God. He is not to be found in material benefits alone, as if they have the power to make our lives good and right. As Catholics, we must never confuse helping the poor with simple forms of ideology, as if that is what will save. Suffering must be a part of life, and in it, we find salvation. We can work to make our lives move forward into the future, but we must never go outside the scope of moral and natural law in doing so, that God might be with us as we move along, therefore providing and helping us. To look to the outside and to think, "He is there!" is to move away from Him. If we do not abide in Him, we will not inherit the Kingdom. We must abide in moral Truth. Our Pope, our Holy Father, Benedict XVI has just written it for us in his latest encyclical.
If we look into the health care debate, we see all sorts of danger signals coming from the national health care portfolio. There are warnings, if we open our eyes, to see that pregnant mothers will be watched and encouraged to space children according to government funded program availability. There is the imminent danger of euthanasia, and there is that same old evil of killing the unborn, even if it is slipped through unnoticed. It is an evil plan, morally, whether that word "evil" is politically correct or not, and it is doubtful that it could be fixed. I want to say that I, for one, do not want nationalized health care anyway, and still feel that I am a Catholic in good standing with the Faith, at least objectively speaking. I think that there does need to be reforms, but this is a step in the wrong direction, and could become one of the greatest blunders for the good of man once we all start to become burdens on the system. And now, with all the hubbub coming from our country's bishops, who seem to know what is best for us on these material matters, and who seem to be pushing for it (at least some of them), since some of them jump on the bandwagon for any socialized institution which comes along, I am downtrodden and feeling as if I'm a bad Catholic, although I do not think that this is true. As for myself, I have had a number of babies without health care benefits, and God was particularly good to me through it all. After having good births, without any cesarean sections, I came to understand natural childbirth, and the power of how a mother is to give birth. Yes, I had a midwife who saw me through, and I put my trust in God, and it was He who was there for me, it was He who I turned to as a beggar, rather than to benefits and "health care". Oh yes, I know it was risky, but it taught me a lot about putting my trust into Him, rather than into those institutions and ideology, rather than making coverage a god. And although my family is presently covered by insurance benefits, (I am certainly not against health benefits) I still opt for God as the One to put my trust into. Furthermore, I do know that something could have gone wrong in those ordeals, and something did, but God saw us through and we were able to pay for it too. For us, and for many, all turns out well in the end, and the catastrophes are, in fact, few.
Doctors, institutions, and even good health care benefits are not infallible either; life can go wrong and is truly full of crosses and sufferings, no matter what, but God is always there, and He is always good amid trial and chaos. I have never found Him not to be good! And yet we see constantly how institutions fail and become evil in their designs by bringing the common people to a starvation of solid help and values, left in wontedness, but drugged into believing that their poverty is a good. To depend upon an imagined utopia as if that will save us is equal to wishing away those inevitable crosses which cause us to mature and which deepen our understanding about life and purpose, since there is value in suffering. Of course, I do wish for a good life for all, and do not want evil and avoidable suffering to happen to any either, and I would like to see health care reformed so as to be more affordable to the average patient. Yet, surely in a diverse society, a looser knit is a better quality.With the present health care plan, I think that we will most certainly encounter the gravest of evils eventually, since man, by man, will become dispensable and burdensome.
We Catholics need to ask ourselves, "Do we believe?" Those of us who are Christians may not have the faith which we speak of with our lips, we may be speaking of faith on the one hand, and still putting our faith in human entities alone on the other. How many of the bishops in this country, one must seriously wonder, spend as much time invoking God as they do in convoking, and in evoking our government officials for sustenance? For years, their paradigms and solutions to ending abortion never made their way into churches on Sunday mornings, at all, and now we hear incessantly about their concern for a good government health care plan. Whereas before, they would have been fulfilling their moral duty, now, it seems, that they are plastered with affection for political entrepreneurship. Possibly they have confused their roles as Servants of God with that of legislation lobbyists.And now I want to say something which sounds not nice, but which will make me feel better and worse: Mr. Bishop, please don't expect politics to do your job of ministering to the poor, so that you might spend more time cavorting in rich environments. Get out there and do it yourself. Be a bit more like the holy and good Mother Teresa, and a bit less like a politician who is looking for justification and approval. Preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, pray for God's blessings on this country, and be there for us in Moral teaching and Faith instruction. Find ways within the Catholic environment and the concerns of Faith to help your poor. You might be surprised at the fruits of your own labors. You are not a health care politician, part of the government staff in working for its own benighted justice, but a Moral guide. You were chosen to spread the Gospel of Life, and to minister to the poor within that very context, thereby working for real justice and fruit. Make the Faith and Morals your priority, Your Excellency. Then you will see clearly enough to feed the poor in ways which actually benefit them spiritually and materially, just as our Lord Jesus Christ so instructed and showed by His own example.
Today, it seems, even heavily among Catholics themselves, there is a reasoning of "faith" put into the politics themselves, as if they are coming from some mighty and understanding spirit, and which we are somehow beholden to adoring. There is that attitude which says, "god saves", although we are speaking here of politics and not the Almighty Creator, or our Savior, Jesus Christ. We have replaced God with mere mortal man, with man alone, but backed up by a mighty institution, man who neither sees nor hears God and institutions which have faulty programs. We have wanted for security, and we have found it in the political world, whether it works or not. Catholics have become political entities in the name of religion.
Love cannot endure, cannot manifest itself when all is being lost through certain key manifesto practices without being beholden to Faith and reason, to the Church of Christ. We cannot know the happiness and the peace to come when we seek for good apart from God, as if He is only a bystander, and not really to be invoked, since we imagine that He cannot hear us anyway, and therefore we must move ahead into the future ourselves without Him. We can hope for Providence to supply food and shelter, through the work of our human hands, or we can be waiting for politicians and institutions to do it all for us. Politics itself is necessary for a healthy society, but it must not replace God and His Law, or replace what is required of us. To do so is to undermine His plan for our lives.
`
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