For today's post, I simply put this You-Tube video from the Diocese of Rockford. It is very eye opening. Warning: there is graphic content.
May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. May we pray for, in this month of the Holy Rosary, for all the unborn, for an end to abortion and a greater respect to human life. We also lift up in prayer all the abortionists, that they may realize they evil in which they are involved, repent, and live a life of Christ.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
Gift and Mystery
Dear friends,
I must stop offering excuses for the lack of writing on this blog. Now that I have access to a computer outside of work, I might be able to do some more writing on this blog.
I publish this post "Gift and Mystery", because I want to take on the theme of vocations. Now, when one educated Catholic hears these two together, they immediately think of Pope John Paul II's book, which is a book about his priesthood, and the priesthood itself. For the priesthood is both a gift and mystery. Of the many things on my list to read, this is one of those.
But today, I wish to share my joy about another vocation: the vocation of marriage. Less than a month ago, on August 22nd, I entered, in a very profound way, into this vocation. I married Angela, a very thoughtful, loving, caring and compassionate girl; a girl with a great sense of humor, and one that can really make me laugh.
The Nuptial Mass was something out of a liturgical guide for good liturgy. It was very solemn; there was a Latin choir, three priests, two deacons, and a number of altar servers. The music was beautiful, and everything about the Mass made me realize that the Mass is something other worldly, and that we experience, on that day, a taste of heaven, in a very literal way in the Eucharistic Sacrifice of the Mass.
So far, married life is good, although it has only been about a month. We have our things to work out, but we work them out with patience, love, and encouragement, or at least we try to. I am a faithful Catholic, who adheres to the teachings of the Church. Something that is hard for me is to live out that Catholic faith at all moments of the day. Do I proclaim to others the joy of the Risen Lord, by thought, word, and action? Do I pray as I ought? Do I love others before myself?
The thing is, that I truly believe that in matrimony, the spouse takes on the responsibility of getting the other to marriage. I now have a soul to care for: Angie. Marriage isn't just about the here and now; it is about the thereafter: heaven and eternal happiness.
Many people miss the true aim of marriage. Many people get married because of the sex and to have a good time. While the marital act is an essential part of marriage, it goes much further than that: the marital act is sacramental! Through love making, a married couple enters deeper into the sacrament of matrimony. The marital act is a prayer to God. Some Catholic priests and theologians are coming out now, saying that couples should pray during sex. They aren't far off. It is through this intense prayer, that they offer themselves for the other person.
Sex isn't only a prayer: it is redemptive. Christ offered himself on the Cross for the remission of sins, and married couples are called to enter into that union in the marital act. Just like the priest who offers Mass for the sake of his flock, man and woman unite, and they offer themselves in the sacrament for the sake of the other.
They totally give themselves to the other. There are examples though, when they turn away from the sacramental notion of lovemaking, and couples distort this true sacrifice. One such example of this is the use of contraception. Contraception is the exact opposite of love. It inhibits love. True love doesn't involve sole pleasure, but the laying down of one's life for the other. The man has a great gift to give to the woman, a life giving gift, but through the use of contraception and artificial forms of life-prevention, this gift, this love, is interrupted.
I hope, that in subsequent posts, I will dive deeper into the mystery of the marital union. What a great gift it is, that God has given us.
May you remain close and reside in the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
I must stop offering excuses for the lack of writing on this blog. Now that I have access to a computer outside of work, I might be able to do some more writing on this blog.
I publish this post "Gift and Mystery", because I want to take on the theme of vocations. Now, when one educated Catholic hears these two together, they immediately think of Pope John Paul II's book, which is a book about his priesthood, and the priesthood itself. For the priesthood is both a gift and mystery. Of the many things on my list to read, this is one of those.
But today, I wish to share my joy about another vocation: the vocation of marriage. Less than a month ago, on August 22nd, I entered, in a very profound way, into this vocation. I married Angela, a very thoughtful, loving, caring and compassionate girl; a girl with a great sense of humor, and one that can really make me laugh.
The Nuptial Mass was something out of a liturgical guide for good liturgy. It was very solemn; there was a Latin choir, three priests, two deacons, and a number of altar servers. The music was beautiful, and everything about the Mass made me realize that the Mass is something other worldly, and that we experience, on that day, a taste of heaven, in a very literal way in the Eucharistic Sacrifice of the Mass.
So far, married life is good, although it has only been about a month. We have our things to work out, but we work them out with patience, love, and encouragement, or at least we try to. I am a faithful Catholic, who adheres to the teachings of the Church. Something that is hard for me is to live out that Catholic faith at all moments of the day. Do I proclaim to others the joy of the Risen Lord, by thought, word, and action? Do I pray as I ought? Do I love others before myself?
The thing is, that I truly believe that in matrimony, the spouse takes on the responsibility of getting the other to marriage. I now have a soul to care for: Angie. Marriage isn't just about the here and now; it is about the thereafter: heaven and eternal happiness.
Many people miss the true aim of marriage. Many people get married because of the sex and to have a good time. While the marital act is an essential part of marriage, it goes much further than that: the marital act is sacramental! Through love making, a married couple enters deeper into the sacrament of matrimony. The marital act is a prayer to God. Some Catholic priests and theologians are coming out now, saying that couples should pray during sex. They aren't far off. It is through this intense prayer, that they offer themselves for the other person.
Sex isn't only a prayer: it is redemptive. Christ offered himself on the Cross for the remission of sins, and married couples are called to enter into that union in the marital act. Just like the priest who offers Mass for the sake of his flock, man and woman unite, and they offer themselves in the sacrament for the sake of the other.
They totally give themselves to the other. There are examples though, when they turn away from the sacramental notion of lovemaking, and couples distort this true sacrifice. One such example of this is the use of contraception. Contraception is the exact opposite of love. It inhibits love. True love doesn't involve sole pleasure, but the laying down of one's life for the other. The man has a great gift to give to the woman, a life giving gift, but through the use of contraception and artificial forms of life-prevention, this gift, this love, is interrupted.
I hope, that in subsequent posts, I will dive deeper into the mystery of the marital union. What a great gift it is, that God has given us.
May you remain close and reside in the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Double Standard
It was an interesting day on Thursday, June 25, 2009. This is the day that the famous actor Farrah Fawcett passed away from cancer after a long, much publicized battle. The death was somewhat expected. We had been hearing some time about her health problems, and that the prognosis was not good. It is quite sad to hear she has passed.
But the news that really got my attention yesterday was the death of another famous person, a man who defined a generation of music, that being Michael Jackson.
Personally, I loved listening to his music. He had a really good sound, especially his stuff from the 1980s (I admit not knowing anything recent of his regarding music, if there way any).
But there is a problem. People tend to look at him as a king, or even a god here on earth. His music was good, but putting that aside for a moment, take a look at his life. The plastic surgery aside, who considers it acceptable to bring 13 year old boys into his Neverland ranch to have sleepovers? This is a grown man, but his psychological problems of not having a childhood should not allow him to exhibit many of the behaviors that he showed. Yet, despite this action, which is inexcusable, people are flocking to show support and sympathy for him. True, we should, but during his entire life, many people looked the other way regarding his actions, and nobody held him accountable.
Now we look at the current situation in the Catholic Church. There have been digressions of some of our clergy. A very small percentage of priests were accused, and charged with similar acts. There is a call (and rightly so) to shore up child protection policies within the Church to make sure that it doesn't happen again. So, why is it that it is so acceptable for Michael Jackson that throngs of supporters shower him with love and tears over the news of his death, yet a priest is spit on, mocked, and people, for Halloween dress up as priests with dolls doing unspeakable things? Shouldn't the same standard be held by Michael Jackson, and all the other entertainers out there?
If I were to go as Michael Jackson for Halloween and do things the people who go as priests do, how many comments will I get, saying it is inappropriate and wrong, and that I should change? How many will the dressed up "priest" get? I will be willing to bet that he won't get any comments. People like Michael Jackson should be treated with the same tenacity as others.
I can see a couple of reasons why many turn the blind eye. The first is that he is black, or at least, he was black. I am not a racist; one of my best friends is black. For many in the black community, he was one of them. Its great for people to look up to stars like Jackson and emulate them. But for Jackson, it came to the point that his avid listeners turned a blind eye and lacked discernment about the man off the stage. This is why even when he was formally charged with molesting a boy and he went to court five years ago for it, thousands of fans lined the streets in support of Jackson, and they attested to his innocence. If there was true discernment there, people would have seen there was something wrong with his actions. If I was an avid fan of Jackson, I would have expected better from him when he was offstage, setting a positive example for the community, not having sleepovers with young boys, something totally and absolutely inappropriate.
The second is that he was an entertainer. Somehow, entertainers seem to get the benefit of the doubt in most circumstances, whereas everybody else gets the guilty stare. If Michael Jackson were to molest a child, everybody would be supportive of him, but if a priest was accused of doing that, he would be cursed at, spit on, and assaulted as he made his way to the courtroom.
Now someone might say:"we expect more of priests." Well, we should, but just because we expect more of priests doesn't mean that everybody gets a free ticket, a free pass. If we start labeling certain groups as groups from which we expect more, isn't that a dangerous road of sectarian discrimination?
This brings me to another point. In the United States, Catholicism is the last acceptable prejudice. Every race, religion, sexual orientation etc., is accepted and society opens their arms to them for a big hug. But not for Catholics. This double standard plays into that. Because of the prejudice against the Church, and the way society puts celebrities on pedastools, there is, in essence, a different set of laws that pertain to each group. For the big names in Hollywood, there is a level of acceptance which is different, and higher, than members of the clergy regarding promiscuity. Now, I am not advocating that the tolerance level for priests should go up to what Hollywood is, but the opposite.
We need to hold Hollywood accountable for what they do. We need to hold the Michael Jacksons, the Lindsay Lohans, and all the other big name celebrities who give themselves a bad name, while being a role model to children, responsible and accountable for what they do.
God bless you, and may you have a blessed weekend.
But the news that really got my attention yesterday was the death of another famous person, a man who defined a generation of music, that being Michael Jackson.
Personally, I loved listening to his music. He had a really good sound, especially his stuff from the 1980s (I admit not knowing anything recent of his regarding music, if there way any).
But there is a problem. People tend to look at him as a king, or even a god here on earth. His music was good, but putting that aside for a moment, take a look at his life. The plastic surgery aside, who considers it acceptable to bring 13 year old boys into his Neverland ranch to have sleepovers? This is a grown man, but his psychological problems of not having a childhood should not allow him to exhibit many of the behaviors that he showed. Yet, despite this action, which is inexcusable, people are flocking to show support and sympathy for him. True, we should, but during his entire life, many people looked the other way regarding his actions, and nobody held him accountable.
Now we look at the current situation in the Catholic Church. There have been digressions of some of our clergy. A very small percentage of priests were accused, and charged with similar acts. There is a call (and rightly so) to shore up child protection policies within the Church to make sure that it doesn't happen again. So, why is it that it is so acceptable for Michael Jackson that throngs of supporters shower him with love and tears over the news of his death, yet a priest is spit on, mocked, and people, for Halloween dress up as priests with dolls doing unspeakable things? Shouldn't the same standard be held by Michael Jackson, and all the other entertainers out there?
If I were to go as Michael Jackson for Halloween and do things the people who go as priests do, how many comments will I get, saying it is inappropriate and wrong, and that I should change? How many will the dressed up "priest" get? I will be willing to bet that he won't get any comments. People like Michael Jackson should be treated with the same tenacity as others.
I can see a couple of reasons why many turn the blind eye. The first is that he is black, or at least, he was black. I am not a racist; one of my best friends is black. For many in the black community, he was one of them. Its great for people to look up to stars like Jackson and emulate them. But for Jackson, it came to the point that his avid listeners turned a blind eye and lacked discernment about the man off the stage. This is why even when he was formally charged with molesting a boy and he went to court five years ago for it, thousands of fans lined the streets in support of Jackson, and they attested to his innocence. If there was true discernment there, people would have seen there was something wrong with his actions. If I was an avid fan of Jackson, I would have expected better from him when he was offstage, setting a positive example for the community, not having sleepovers with young boys, something totally and absolutely inappropriate.
The second is that he was an entertainer. Somehow, entertainers seem to get the benefit of the doubt in most circumstances, whereas everybody else gets the guilty stare. If Michael Jackson were to molest a child, everybody would be supportive of him, but if a priest was accused of doing that, he would be cursed at, spit on, and assaulted as he made his way to the courtroom.
Now someone might say:"we expect more of priests." Well, we should, but just because we expect more of priests doesn't mean that everybody gets a free ticket, a free pass. If we start labeling certain groups as groups from which we expect more, isn't that a dangerous road of sectarian discrimination?
This brings me to another point. In the United States, Catholicism is the last acceptable prejudice. Every race, religion, sexual orientation etc., is accepted and society opens their arms to them for a big hug. But not for Catholics. This double standard plays into that. Because of the prejudice against the Church, and the way society puts celebrities on pedastools, there is, in essence, a different set of laws that pertain to each group. For the big names in Hollywood, there is a level of acceptance which is different, and higher, than members of the clergy regarding promiscuity. Now, I am not advocating that the tolerance level for priests should go up to what Hollywood is, but the opposite.
We need to hold Hollywood accountable for what they do. We need to hold the Michael Jacksons, the Lindsay Lohans, and all the other big name celebrities who give themselves a bad name, while being a role model to children, responsible and accountable for what they do.
God bless you, and may you have a blessed weekend.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Ave Maria- Biebl
Here is a beautiful rendition of the Ave Maria, but really more the Angelus, a traditional Catholic Prayer:
Chris Dodd: Stop Receiving Communion
To Chris Dodd:
For the sake of your soul and for the sake of the people of God, stop receiving communion.
For those unaware of Senator Chris Dodd (D) from Connecticut, he is one of a growing number of "Catholic" politicians who thinks it is ok to dissent from major teachings of the Catholic Church.
For more information on Senator Chris Dodd, read this article by LifeSite News that talks about his dissent.
According to this article, Chris Dodd has a 100% pro-abortion rating by NARAL, a political organization which is a big pro-abortion lobby.
If his abortion record wasn't bad enough, he has now switched his position, arguing for the legalization of same-sex "marriage".
We also read Dodd comparing same-sex marriage as archaic, like laws we had against inter-racial marriage. In this statement, Dodd seems to equate same-sex marriage with interracial marriage. The problem with this is that it isn't something to be equated. One is between a man and a woman, and the other between a man and a man, or between two women. The two aren't equal.
Pro-choice politicians, and those who actively campaign against the teachings of the Catholic Church, should not then be allowed to receive communion. Its a controversial subject, but the likes of Chris Dodd and other "Catholic" politicians are only committing sacrilege when they receive the Holy Eucharist at Mass.
This is the Body and Blood of Jesus, and somehow they should receive Him, even though they teach contrary to what the Church teaches. These senators are in formal cooperation regarding abortion and same-sex marriages.
This should cause faithful Catholics to be upset. There are many Catholics out there who are faithful to the Church and the Gospel, and they approach the Blessed Sacrament with awe and reverence. They should be upset when they see someone in sin receiving the Eucharist. I know I get upset when I see practicing Protestants receiving the Eucharist at special family Masses. It comes down to a lack of reverence when at Mass.
I can't judge the individuals of Chris Dodd or anybody else; I can judge their actions, and their actions are contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I can also judge my actions, and despite my daily attempt to follow Christ, I know I sometimes fail to follow Him as well.
My point is that it is easy to do what is popular, but it is not always easy to do what is right. Chris Dodd, and all you other anti-life senators, take the higher road and protect the sanctity of human life and protect the sacrament of marriage.
For the sake of your soul and for the sake of the people of God, stop receiving communion.
For those unaware of Senator Chris Dodd (D) from Connecticut, he is one of a growing number of "Catholic" politicians who thinks it is ok to dissent from major teachings of the Catholic Church.
For more information on Senator Chris Dodd, read this article by LifeSite News that talks about his dissent.
According to this article, Chris Dodd has a 100% pro-abortion rating by NARAL, a political organization which is a big pro-abortion lobby.
If his abortion record wasn't bad enough, he has now switched his position, arguing for the legalization of same-sex "marriage".
We also read Dodd comparing same-sex marriage as archaic, like laws we had against inter-racial marriage. In this statement, Dodd seems to equate same-sex marriage with interracial marriage. The problem with this is that it isn't something to be equated. One is between a man and a woman, and the other between a man and a man, or between two women. The two aren't equal.
Pro-choice politicians, and those who actively campaign against the teachings of the Catholic Church, should not then be allowed to receive communion. Its a controversial subject, but the likes of Chris Dodd and other "Catholic" politicians are only committing sacrilege when they receive the Holy Eucharist at Mass.
This is the Body and Blood of Jesus, and somehow they should receive Him, even though they teach contrary to what the Church teaches. These senators are in formal cooperation regarding abortion and same-sex marriages.
This should cause faithful Catholics to be upset. There are many Catholics out there who are faithful to the Church and the Gospel, and they approach the Blessed Sacrament with awe and reverence. They should be upset when they see someone in sin receiving the Eucharist. I know I get upset when I see practicing Protestants receiving the Eucharist at special family Masses. It comes down to a lack of reverence when at Mass.
I can't judge the individuals of Chris Dodd or anybody else; I can judge their actions, and their actions are contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I can also judge my actions, and despite my daily attempt to follow Christ, I know I sometimes fail to follow Him as well.
My point is that it is easy to do what is popular, but it is not always easy to do what is right. Chris Dodd, and all you other anti-life senators, take the higher road and protect the sanctity of human life and protect the sacrament of marriage.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
New Look
As a result of current things happening in the United States, I have decided to give my blog a new look and a new goal. I will still be offering reflections on Jesus, Mary and the Catholic Church. I will be diving into the realm of pro-life work, which is desperately needed right now. Every time I turn around there is another attack on the pro-life movement, and I hope that in some small way I can counter that.
God bless.
God bless.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Saint Patrick's Day
Dear friends in Christ,
One of the most popular days of celebration is Saint Patrick's Day. It is a day where people where green; it is the day where everybody is Irish, even if you aren't; it is the day where people celebrate Irish Heritage. But when celebrating Saint Patrick's Day, are we celebrating Saint Patrick, or are we using the day as an excuse for excessing partying?
Saint Patrick was an evagelist. He was born in England, and when he was 16 he was captured by Irish raiders and taken back to Ireland. After several years he escaped and returned to England. After becoming Christian he returned to Ireland as a missionary. He used the three leaf clover to explain the mystery of the Trinity to the Irish: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
So how do we go from a man who lived a life of great penances to the modern ideal of celebrating Saint Patrick's Day, drinking excessively and partying? When I was in college, Saint Patrick's Day was a great excuse for indulgence for many people. Last night I walked by a local Irish tavern, and the parking lot was full. I can't judge those people, but I wonder how many drank excessive amounts. I also wonder what Saint Patrick thinks of what has happened to his feast day; instead of going to Mass to give thanks to the patron saint of Ireland, and the reason why Ireland and the Irish have been traditionally Catholic, people would rather give thanks at the bar. People's priorities are backward; instead of giving thanks for the life of Saint Patrick, they use the day as an excuse to indulge in activities that can be contrary to what Saint Patrick stood for.
And I am talking about indulgence; there is nothing wrong with celebrating the life of Saint Patrick with a Guiness, but multiple Guinesses? And drinking into the early morning? Is this what St. Patrick would like to see? Probably not. I had a beer last night, and I don't always have a beer, but to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, I had one. I didn't drink into the early morning, nor did I get beligerently drunk. And despite that, I still had a very nice Saint Patrick's day.
One of the most popular days of celebration is Saint Patrick's Day. It is a day where people where green; it is the day where everybody is Irish, even if you aren't; it is the day where people celebrate Irish Heritage. But when celebrating Saint Patrick's Day, are we celebrating Saint Patrick, or are we using the day as an excuse for excessing partying?
Saint Patrick was an evagelist. He was born in England, and when he was 16 he was captured by Irish raiders and taken back to Ireland. After several years he escaped and returned to England. After becoming Christian he returned to Ireland as a missionary. He used the three leaf clover to explain the mystery of the Trinity to the Irish: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
But little is known about the life of Saint Patrick. If he followed the example of other contemporary saints, we can assume that he practiced a life of penance and sacrifice. By the time Patrick was around, it was after the Edict of Milan in the early fourth century, which legalized the practice of Christianity in the Roman Empire. One couldn't be martyred as a way to show his or her devotion to their faith, so the practice of self denial and sacrifices developed as a way to become more Christ like. Most likely, Saint Patrick lived a life of great penances for the Irish people.
So how do we go from a man who lived a life of great penances to the modern ideal of celebrating Saint Patrick's Day, drinking excessively and partying? When I was in college, Saint Patrick's Day was a great excuse for indulgence for many people. Last night I walked by a local Irish tavern, and the parking lot was full. I can't judge those people, but I wonder how many drank excessive amounts. I also wonder what Saint Patrick thinks of what has happened to his feast day; instead of going to Mass to give thanks to the patron saint of Ireland, and the reason why Ireland and the Irish have been traditionally Catholic, people would rather give thanks at the bar. People's priorities are backward; instead of giving thanks for the life of Saint Patrick, they use the day as an excuse to indulge in activities that can be contrary to what Saint Patrick stood for.
And I am talking about indulgence; there is nothing wrong with celebrating the life of Saint Patrick with a Guiness, but multiple Guinesses? And drinking into the early morning? Is this what St. Patrick would like to see? Probably not. I had a beer last night, and I don't always have a beer, but to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, I had one. I didn't drink into the early morning, nor did I get beligerently drunk. And despite that, I still had a very nice Saint Patrick's day.
Let us try to remember the real life of Saint Patrick, and let's try to celebrate the day with reverence towards Saint Patrick. And instead of worshipping the tavern ale, let's try to worship Christ, since this is the greatest tribute to Saint Patrick.
St. Patrick, ora pro nobis.
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