A River Runs Through It

There is a certain point when your kids are old enough to get their own breakfasts and lunches and you lose control of the kitchen inventory. No one tells you they are taking the last of anything ... and this goes for husbands as well as kids. If the item is something you never use yourself then it is sheer luck or habit to resupply in time.

There always is a crucial supply that you simply must have or the household grinds to a halt. So what is the crucial item in our household? Milk? Nope. I can't miss seeing when those huge gallons are diminishing. Cereal? Nope. It must be my guardian angel who suddenly makes me think to fling open the pantry door and see the empty shelf before we are absolutely out. In our case that essential, must-have, can't-live-without-it item is ... chocolate syrup.

Yep, chocolate syrup. A river of it flows through our house each week. Hannah has a huge glass of chocolate milk every night. Tom and Rose (usually) have vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup every night. This wasn't such a problem when I bought the big bottles. I curse the day I overheard a Central Market employee telling a customer that they only stock the cans of Hershey's chocolate syrup because it is the better old formula. I had to try it and see for myself. Drat! It is better. Thicker, different flavor, better. And now everyone in the house can tell the difference. If only I could remember to buy a bunch of those cans every time I go to the store but that habit isn't ingrained yet. Which explains why I found myself at Tom Thumb after Hannah's guitar lesson last night, stocking up.

So what's that essential, can't-keep-enough-of-it-in-the-house item at your place?

On Broadway

ALL THAT JAZZ
Hannah was telling me all about choreographer George Balanchine, his flamboyant life, his four wives, and great talent. This naturally led me to remember one of my very favorite movies, All That Jazz. A semi-autobiographical work by choreographer Bob Fosse, this film takes you close to the heart of the Broadway dance world. We follow successful, insecure, talented, lecherous choreographer Joe Gideon through his routine in getting a show underway. Along the way we learn about his flirtation with death (personified wonderfully by Jessica Lange), his inability to maintain any honest relationship, and watch some fabulous dance routines. It is dark but wonderful in its complexity and clarity. Considering that I usually prefer comedies I always am surprised that I love this film as much as I do. Parts are hard to watch, depending on your level of sensitivity, but really worth it. Highly recommended.

Levels of Truth

Our book club is reading Peter Kreeft's essays comparing Christianity with various other religions. One of the most interesting to me was Uniqueness of Christianity. He addresses the arguments used against considering Christianity, or indeed any religion as unique to itself. You can read those for yourself at the link but I especially appreciated the point that modern relativism likes to reduce religion to the level of relating to each other. It also was interesting to look at all religions based on how much truth they teach.

But any Christian who does apologetics must think about comparative religions because the most popular of all objections against the claims of Christianity today comes from this field. The objection is not that Christianity is not true but that it is not the truth; not that it is a false religion but that it is only a religion. The world is a big place, the objector reasons; "different strokes for different folks". How insufferably narrow-minded to claim that Christianity is the one true religion! God just has to be more open-minded than that.

This is the single most common objection to the Faith today, for "today" worships not God but equality. It fears being right where others are wrong more than it fears being wrong. It worships democracy and resents the fact that God is an absolute monarch. It has changed the meaning of the word honor from being respected because you are superior in some way to being accepted because you are not superior in any way but just like us ...

By Catholic standards, the religions of the world can be ranked by how much truth they teach.

• Catholicism is first, with Orthodoxy equal except for the one issue of papal authority.
• Then comes Protestantism and any "separated brethren" who keep the Christian essentials as found in Scripture.
• Third comes traditional Judaism, which worships the same God but not via Christ.
• Fourth is Islam, greatest of the theistic heresies.
• Fifth, Hinduism, a mystical pantheism;
• Sixth, Buddhism, a pantheism without a theos;
• Seventh, modern Judaism, Unitarianism, Confucianism, Modernism, and secular humanism, none of which have either mysticism or supernatural religion but only ethics;
• Eighth, idolatry; and
• Ninth, Satanism.

To collapse these nine levels is like thinking the earth is flat.

How Proud Can I Be?

Rose has a teacher who's very popular with the students. For many of these freshmen, its the first time they've come across a "college style" teacher. You know the kind I mean. He's funny, larger than life, and loves to break away from world history to riff about other things. Problem is that he's so busy riffing these days that very little teaching gets done. And the things he's "teaching" the kids boil down to 90 minutes of talking about his personal philosophy of life for way too many classes. I think that he thinks he's teaching the kids to "think outside the envelope." The fact that he's generally preaching to the choir with his liberal, culturally based agenda hasn't occurred to him, but whatever. Rose would rather have him actually spend time teaching but she'll let it flow over her. No one ever disagrees with him. Why would they? He's smart, he's the teacher and ... he'll take you down and make you look like a fool if you try it. So no one ever dares try that in front of the whole class. Except, of course, for Rose yesterday.

The teacher was using the Great Schism as a jumping off point to talk about why priests should be married and in the process asked the class, "Why are we here?" They had been primed by previous speeches and dutifully replied, "To procreate." Except for Rose who raised her hand to point out that we are here for much more than mere procreation. Battle was joined. It ranged over a wide field of religious subjects ... with Rose steadfastly resisting the teacher's declarations that humans are simply animals, the Bible can't be trusted because it was written by men, and the Church has no authority because it is run by men. They were about to tackle the subject of faith when she was saved by the bell.

This was no easy task for her. Rose is quiet and reserved. Certainly no 14-year-old willingly opposes one of the school's most popular teachers in front of a class of her peers. However, as she told me, she knows how influential this teacher is and it infuriated her for him to use his authority about matters of religion when he was not following Church teachings in her Catholic school. As she said, "This is important. It is the truth!"

Talking it over with us last night, only one thing bothered her. Carried away by the argument she had several times, "had a tone" with the teacher. Even though the teacher also had been carried away and less than respectful a few times, Rose wanted to make it right. "Even though he's wrong, he has the right to his opinion and I should have been more respectful." So today she is seeking him out to apologize. Not for the content but for the occasional tone of the argument.

How proud can I be? Rose stood up for the truth in daunting circumstances, she is self aware enough to see her flaws, and she is a big enough person to apologize when it may put her at a disadvantage. I'm thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis proud!

The Problem of Evil

Working my way through Peter Kreeft's Fundamentals of the Faith, I continue to be struck at how well he summarizes answers to common objections to the existance of God. While the existance of evil never particularly was something that struck me as a reason there could not be a God, it clearly is one of the main objections. In fact it is one of the only two objections that St. Thomas Aquinas could find. (The other was the apparent ability of natural science to explain everything in our experience without God.) You can find Kreeft's chapter on evil here. What I liked most were his comments on the philosophical problem of evil.

Finally, what about the philosophical problem? It is not logically contradictory to say an all-powerful and all-loving God tolerates so much evil when he could eradicate it? Why do bad things happen to good people? The question makes three questionable assumptions.

First, who's to say we are good people? The question should be not "Why do bad things happen to good people?" but "Why do good things happen to bad people?" If the fairy godmother tells Cinderella that she can wear her magic gown until midnight, the question should be not "Why not after midnight?" but "Why did I get to wear it at all?" The question is not why the glass of water is half empty but why it is half full, for all goodness is gift. The best people are the ones who are most reluctant to call themselves good people. Sinners think they are saints, but saints know they are sinners. The best man who ever lived once said, "No one is good but God alone."

Second, who's to say suffering is all bad? Life without it would produce spoiled brats and tyrants, not joyful saints. Rabbi Abraham Heschel says simply, "The man who has not suffered, what can he possibly know, anyway?" Suffering can work for the greater good of wisdom. It is not true that all things are good, but it is true that "all things work together for good to those who love God."

Third, who's to say we have to know all God's reasons? Who ever promised us all the answers? Animals can't understand much about us; why should we be able to understand everything about God? The obvious point of the Book of Job, the world's greatest exploration of the problem of evil, is that we just don't know what God is up to. What a hard lesson to learn: Lesson One, that we are ignorant, that we are infants! No wonder Socrates was declared by the Delphic Oracle to be the wisest man in the world. He interpreted that declaration to mean that he alone knew that he did not have wisdom, and that was true wisdom for man.

There's No Place Like Home ... for Celebrating the Liturgical Calendar

THE CATHOLIC HOME: Celebrations and Traditions for Holidays, Feast Days, and Every Day by Meredith Gould

Who better than a nice Jewish girl to tell Catholics how to celebrate their faith at home? Jews have always been known for a sensibly domestic-centered observance of their religion, and Gould, a Jewish-born convert to Catholicism, speaks from a unique dual perspective. Having lived in a Jewish home, she knows about lighting Sabbath candles, but also remembers when Catholics kept holy water and statues in their houses. In her own home, which she affectionately describes as "the Hermitage" and "Julian of Norwich goes suburban," she has revived traditions that fell by the wayside after changes wrought by Vatican II, and also established a multitude of new ones.

Readers seeking to reinforce Catholic identity on the home front will find plenty of ideas, among them a how-to for celebrating Christmas when it actually arrives, instead of weeks before, and making Halloween holy by embracing it as the eve of All Saints Day. Gould's writing is light and airy ... her ideas are well-grounded and refreshing. She wisely reinforces her suggestions with excerpts from the Catechism of the Catholic Church and uses the church's sacraments and elaborate calendar of feast days and liturgical seasons as the skeleton of her book, trotting out bits of history and legend for added interest. Gould's engaging enthusiasm will doubtless have readers asking, "Who knew Catholicism could be so much fun?" (From Publishers Weekly)

There is not much I can add to the above except to say, "Get this book!" Even if you are well versed in reinforcement of Catholic liturgy through home traditions I think it would serve as a good reminder of following the liturgical calendar through the year. I really appreciated having everything supported by a quote from the Catechism and Gould's Jewish heritage adds nice depth to showing the customs as completion of Jewish tradition. I would have loved to have a book like this when my kids were little ... well, if I had been Catholic then.

The Long Day Closes

LUKE 23:44-49
This passage covers the darkness falling over the land, the Temple veil splitting, Jesus' death, and the Centurion's words acknowledging Jesus' innocence. A lot of significance is covered in a small amount of writing.

1. The Temple veil. William Barclay tells us:

This was the veil which hid the Holy of Holies, the place where dwelt the very presence of God, the place where no man might ever enter except the High Priest, and he only once a year, on th great day of Atonement.

The Navarre Bible points out:

The tearing of the curtain of the temple shows the end of the Old Covenant and the beginning of the New Covenant, sealed in the blood of Christ.

2. Jesus' death. The details of Jesus' death, brief as they are reveal two things which William Barclay illuminates.

• Jesus cried with a great voice. Three of the gospels tell us of this great cry (Matthew 27:50; Mark 15:37). John, on the other hand, does not mention the great cry but tells us that Jesus died, saying, "It is finished." (John 19:30) In Greek and Aramaic It is finished is one word. It is finished and the great cry are, in fact, one and the same thing. Jesus died with a shout of triumph on his lips ... He shouted it like a victor who has won his last engagement with the enemy and brought a trememdous task to triumphant conclusion.
• Jesus died with a prayer on his lips. "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." That is Psalm 31:5 with one word added -- Father. that verse was the prayer every Jewish mother taught her child to say last thing at night. Just as we were tauight, maybe to say, "This night I lay me down to sleep," so the Jewish mother taught her child to say, before the threatening dark came down, "Into thy hands I commit my spirit." Jesus made it even more lovely for he began it with the word Father. Even on a cross Jesus died like a child falling asleep in his father's arms.

3. The Centurion's words. The Navarre Bible points out that his acknowledgment of Jesus is just one of many brought by the cross. I always had noticed these but never put them all together like this.

Jesus' redemptive death on the cross immediately begins to draw people towards God by way of repentance: as he made his way to Calvary there was the probable conversion of Simon of Cyrene and the lamentations of the women of jerusalem; at the cross, the repentance of the good thief, the effect of grace on the Roman centurion, and the compunction felt by the crowd reported in this verse. Jesus had prophesied, "When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men to myself" (John 12:32). this prophecy begins to come true on Golgotha, and it will continue to be fulfilled until the end of time.

This is the final entry I'll make from my study of Luke. I believe I'll be moving on to Genesis next. Some really great stuff there that you'd never expect, including good coverage of typology. More about that later.

Waiting for the Oven to Preheat

So I got up at 3:45 to start preheating the oven for two French Toast Casseroles. This weekend is the Women's CRHP ( prounounced "chirp") Retreat. They have to begin breakfast by 6:00 in order to be done in time for the hour fast before the 7:30 Mass that they'll attend. Our team serves breakfast this time and Joan and I have to be there by 5:15 to start the big 100-cup coffee pot perking. We're wondering if 5:15 is early enough but its too late to change it now as that is when the Kitchen Coordinator has her alarm set for and will unlock the back door for us.

Then we'll serve breakfast, clean up, attend that 7:30 Mass, and I'll do a 1 hour security shift beginning at 9:00. Yesterday, as part of the Continuation Committee, Joan and I were at the church at 6:00 making coffee, slicing bagels, making fruit salad, etc. for the welcoming breakfast buffet that kicks off the retreat. Short on sleep this weekend? Yes! But I remember how wonderful it was having a big, hot breakfast on Sunday. The retreat is intense and you get very little sleep attending it. You need that big, hot breakfast to keep going.

I never realized what someone else went through to give us that breakfast when we attended and on the one that we gave. It is worth it to offer it to these women as a small contribution to what Christ is doing in their lives this weekend. When I took coffee to one woman yesterday morning she sat all by herself at a table and shyly confided, "I don't know anyone else here," as we looked over the room of 70 other talking women. I told her, "Neither did I when I attended my retreat, but by the time you're done you'll know them all ... and you won't believe the difference this will make in your life." Just then four women pulled her into their conversation and I left. Those are the moments that make the early mornings worth it and take me back to what this all meant to me. How wonderful to be allowed to contribute to it happening in others' lives ... even if it is just making sure the coffee is made.

Funniest Family Ever

MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE - 1st Season DVD
We have watched Malcolm in the Middle from the very beginning. It consistently has been one of the most hilarious shows ever. Tom loves it because it brings back memories of growing up with his four brothers. Naturally it is way over the top but somehow the family gets into the most absurd situations in a perfectly natural way ... and we all laugh out loud. The last season went terribly astray and we quit watching. Our guess is that a key writer moved on. However, the show was fabulous for many years with dead on comic writing and the perfect acting required to bring these situations off naturally. Only the first season is out on DVD but if you haven't seen it this is the perfect chance to give it a try. We've been laughing ourselves silly watching every night during the last week and that puts you in a great mood for the end of the day.

The Promise of Paradise

LUKE 23:39-43
Like most people I always liked the fact that even in His utmost suffering Jesus so generously rewarded the criminal who stood up for Him. Think of it. That might have been the only good deed that man ever did but it was enough to get him into paradise. When we read William Barclay's explanation of what that promise really meant we see just how generous Jesus is.

It was of set and deliberate purpose that the authorities crucified Jesus between two known criminals. It was deliberately so staged to humiliate Jesus in front of the crowd and to rank him with robbers...

The word Paradise is a Persian word meaning a walled garden. When a Persian king wished to do one of his subjects a very special honor he made him a companion of the garden which meant he was chosen to walk in the garden with the king. It was more than immortality that Jesus promised the penitent thief. He promised him the honored place of a companion of the garden in the courts of heaven.

Very cool.

Charismatic?

Reading the excellent article about Discernment by Peter Kreeft, I was struck by this:

I assume that many readers of this page are (1) Catholic, (2) orthodox and faithful to the teachings of the church, (3) conservative, and (4) charismatic. I have had many friends -- casual, close, and very close -- of this description for many years. In fact, I fit the description myself.

I kept coming back to it. Peter Kreeft called himself charismatic? Wasn't that speaking in tongues, shouting "Hallelujah, Lord!" with hands in the air, possibly holy rolling? Snakes? No, probably no snakes ... that seemed too extreme. But, he had mentioned also being conservative, orthodox and faithful to the teachings of the church. That did not seem to go with being charismatic.

Worse, yet, when I thought about it, I suddenly realized that I might have some of those charismatic characteristics. I prayed out loud with my CRHP (pronounced "chirp) sisters, we would "pray over" someone who needed it for whatever reason by crowding around and laying our hands on her, we are very into the Holy Spirit ... I really didn't like where this seemed to be going. So I thought that I'd better get a few facts. A short Google later, I was in possession of some very interesting information ... a real definition of a charismatic Christian.

Charismatic is an umbrella term used to describe those Christians who believe that the manifestations of the Holy Spirit seen in the first century Christian Church, such as glossolalia [speaking in tongues], healing and miracles, are available to contemporary Christians and ought to be experienced and practiced today.

The word charismatic is derived from the Greek word charis (meaning a grace or a gift) which is the term used in the Bible to describe a wide range of supernatural experiences (especially in 1 Corinthians 12-14).

Often confused with Pentecostalism (which it was inspired by), Charismatic Christianity tends to differ in key aspects: Charismatics reject the preeminence given by Pentecostalism to glossolalia, reject the legalism sometimes associated with Pentecostalism, and often stay in their existing denominations ...

While Charismatic Christians are not exclusive to any single denomination, Charismatic theology is not uniquely Protestant. There is a burgeoning Charismatic movement within the Catholic Church, and Pope John Paul II is reputed to have a Charismatic Priest as his personal pastor. wordIQ Dictionary & Encyclopedia

So, not necessarily speaking in tongues but primarily very open to the graces, miracles, power and presence of the Holy Spirit. And even the Pope might be on board with this. Ok. I was feeling better, less freakish anyway. In fact, thinking about it, I realized that definition could be used on practically everyone who has gone through the Christ Renews His Parish retreat and formation.

Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP), to which I have referred repeatedly in this blog, is an amazing process. It begins with a two-day retreat held in isolation from the world, but on church premises. The main emphasis during that time is a series of witnesses telling of their personal encounter with Christ based on one of a series of topics, such as Renewal, Reconciliation, Discipleship, etc. There are various other activities that I won't go into here but suffice it to say that you almost can feel the Holy Spirit flowing during that time. The retreat participants can then go on with their "team" to a series of weekly meetings that go on for six months while they study Scripture and prepare to give the next retreat.

Nothing I say here can adequately describe how close that CRHP team becomes and how God works in and through their lives. We shared miracles, graces, answered prayers ... and no speaking in tongues. During that time is when I realized that I suddenly felt about the Holy Spirit as I did about God and Jesus. He was an active participant in my life. The Holy Spirit used CRHP to change my life so much so that sometimes I feel like a different person ... and have had people who knew me before mention it independently.

Mulling all this over and continuing on my Kreeft readings in Fundamentals of the Faith, I came across this passage that pulled it all together for me.

When Paul visits the church in Ephesus (Acts 19), he notices something missing -- I think he would notice exactly the same thing in most of our churches and preach the same sermon -- and he asks them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" (Acts 19:2). Why would he ask that unless he saw a power shortage? Why did twelve fishermen convert the world, and why are half a billion Christians unable to repeat the feat? The Spirit makes the difference ...

We have received the Spirit by faith and baptism. "Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him" (Rom 8:9). But we need the release, the empowering, the anointing of the Spirit. Such empowerment is probably what the New Testament means by baptism in (or of or with) the Holy Spirit. It is supposed to happen at confirmation. Apparently, it usually does not. Millions of confirmed Catholics receive it afterward, usually in charismatic prayer meetings or seminars. The charismatic movement is obviously God's answer to Pope John XXIII's prayer for a new Pentecost. Popes Paul VI and John Paul II both blessed it but said that it will fulfill its purpose only when, like the early liturgical movement, it ceases to have a separate identity of its own and is absorbed into the whole Church. In other words, every Catholic should be a charismatic, baptized in the Spirit, empowered like the apostles.

The difference this baptism in the Spirit makes is not primarily in any particular charismatic gift, such as tongues. Paul clearly says not to get hung up on tongues (1 Cor 12-14). The difference is far greater: like the difference between a picture and a live person, between dead orthodoxy and living truth, between words and power. If we are not certain that Jesus Christ is present in us, working, acting, making a difference, rather than just being a teacher, an example, a lovely but remote historical figure, then we need Pentecost. And when that happens, the world will be won again.

What CRHP does is just what Kreeft describes above ... it brings a new Pentecost. No wonder people come out of there glowing. Like the apostles they just can't stop telling people the Good News. When you find something like that you want to share it with everyone. Now I finally understood why the apostles had to have the Holy Spirit before they could accomplish anything. It literally changes you from the inside out. No wonder it is called Christ Renews His Parish ... and our priest and deacon are 100% behind it. And I understood why Peter Kreeft could call himself orthodox, conservative, and charismatic. It turns out that is what I am myself.

Now we just need to find a new word that doesn't carry all those negative connotations ... because I know what I thought about charismatic Christians. "Spirit filled?" Kinda crazy but not as bad. "Full of grace?" Hmmmm, no one is going to understand that at all and ... still kinda wacky. Well, I'll keep working on that part. All I know is CRHP made me into a charismatic Catholic and I couldn't be happier. If this is the future of the Catholic Church I can't wait to see the day when all Catholics are charismatic Catholics.

UPDATE: I think the best alternative to the term charismatic is one that a CRHP sister suggested. How about a whole heartedly practicing Catholic?

UPDATED UPDATE: I have been pleased to get response from CRHPers in other parishes. And, I think we have a winner from a person who is familiar with CRHP and the Holy Spirit, "I think it's a Catholic who has finally stopped practicing and started really living it!" I like that ... fully living the faith!

This person went on to add: "I describe the process this way: think of a jar filled with water. Now, put a lid on that jar and put it under a flowing faucet. What happens to the flowing water? It does not enter the jar at all but bounces off. Unscrew the lid, however, and the constantly flowing water flows into the jar and the water in the jar overflows. The jar is constantly filled to thee brim and overflowing with fresh water.

We are the jar...the water is the Holy Spirit. The lid is how we close ourselves off to the workings of the Spirit. CRHP, the charismatic renewal, or any other kind of real and profound experience of God causes us to allow God to unscrew the lid and let the Spirit flow. For some of us, God has to take one of those instruments used for unscrewing a lid that is on real" tight! For others, the lid comes off easily."

There They Crucified Him

LUKE 23:32-38
This is the crucifixion where Jesus was between two criminals, the soldiers cast lots for his garment, and the inscription, "King of the Jews" was placed over him. William Barclay tells us the common way this was done. There was no new "aha" moment for me in reading this but it served to reinforce the horror of crucifixion. I have read that crucifixions commonly were done through the wrist instead of the hand but for all I know there may have been more than one way it was done.

When a criminal reached the lace of crucifixion, his cross was laid flat upon the ground. Usually it was a cross shaped like a T with no top piece against which the head could rest. It was quite low, so that the criminal's feet were only two or three feet above the ground. There was a company of pious women in Jerusalem who made it their practice always to go to crucifixions and to give the victim a drink of drugged wine which would deaden the terrible pain. That drink was offered to Jesus and he refused it (Matthew 27:14). He was determined to face death at its worst.

The victim's arms were stretched out upon the cross bar, and the nails were driven through his hands. The feet were not nailed, but only loosely bound to the cross. Half way up the cross there was a projecting piece of wood, called the saddle, which took the weight of the criminal, for otherwise the nails would have torn through his hands. Then the cross was lifted and set upright in the socket. The terror of crucifixion was this -- the pain of that process was terrible but it was not enough to kill, and the victim was left to die of hunger and thirst beneath the blazing noontide sun and the frosts of the night. Many a criminal was known to have hung for a week upon his cross until he died raving mad.

The clothes of the criminal were the perquisites of the four soldiers among whom he marched to the cross. Every Jew wore five articles of apparel -- the inner tunic, the outer robe, the girdle, the sandals and the turban. Four were divided among the four soldiers. There remained the great outer robe. It was woven in one piece without a seam (John 19:23-24). To have cut it up and divided it up would have ruined it; and so the soldiers gambled for it in the shadow of the cross. It was nothing to them that another criminal was slowly dying in agony.

The inscription set upon the cross was the same placard as was carried before a man as he marched through the streets to the place of crucifixion.

Miracles as Evidence of God's Existance

If I were an atheist, I think I would save my money to buy a plane ticket to Italy to see whether the blood of Saint Januarius really did liquefy and congeal miraculously, as it is supposed to do annually. I would go to Medjugorge. I would study all published interviews of any of the seventy thousand who saw the miracle of the sun at Fatima. I would ransack hospital records for documentated "impossible", miraculous cures. Yet, strangely, almost all atheists argue against miracles philosophically rather than historically. They are convinced a priori, by argument, that miracles can't happen. So they don't waste their time or money on such an empirical investigation. Those who do soon cease to be atheists -- like the sceptical scientists who investigated the Shroud of Turin, or like Frank Morrison, who investigated the evidence for the "myth" of Christ's Resurrection with the careful scientific eye of the historian -- and became a believer. (His book Who Moved the Stone? is still a classic and still in print after more than sixty years.) Peter Kreeft, Fundamentals of the Faith

Interesting idea isn't it? Just go check out the facts for yourself on those miracles and trust the evidence of your own eyes. It takes someone with a very open mind or a determination to prove the miracles false to go check them out. I think such people are much rarer than is commonly believed. Certainly, most atheists I know would not investigate but just argue from what they already know to be true.

The Road to Calvary

LUKE 23:26-32
Jesus carries his cross and Simon of Cyrene was impressed by the soldiers to assist. When I read the details about this I remember that when studying Acts it was mentioned that a certain Simon may actually have been the same Simon of Cyrene. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if what started out as a bad experience wound up being the saving of his soul. William Barclay tells us the history to go with this segment.

When a criminal was condemned to be crucified, he was taken from the judgment hall and set in the middle of a hollow square of four Roman soldiers. His own cross was then laid upon his shoulders. And he was marched to the place of crucifixion by the longest possible route, while before him marched another soldier bearing a placard with his crime inscribed upon it, so that he might be a terrible warning to anyone else who was contemplating such a crime. That is what they did with Jesus.

He began by carrying his own Cross (John 19:17); but under its weight his strength gave out and he could carry it no farther. Palestine was an occupied country and any citizen could be immediately impressed into the service of the Roman government. The sign of such impressment was a tap on the shoulder with the flat of the blade of a Roman spear. When Jesus sank beneath the weight of his Cross, the Roman centurion in charge looked round for someone to carry it. Out of the country into the city there came Simon from far off Cyrene, which is modern Tripoli. No doubt he was a Jew who all his life had scraped and saved so that he might be able to eat one Passover at Jerusalem. The flat of the Roman spear touched him on the shoulder and he found himself, willy-nilly, carrying a criminal's cross.

Fasting

I know that fasting is one of those things that is good for you. Jesus did it. The saints have done it. It is one of those voluntary mortifications that not only offers a chance to gain discipline but also to unite ourselves to Christ in suffering that can be offered up for an intention.

I'm probably like most people when it comes to fasting. No one likes to be hungry and no one I know looks forward to the Church's few fast days during the year. They make it as easy as possible with an allowance of one full meal and two small meals (which should not add up to one full meal). I've always taken full advantage of those loopholes. I never stopped to apply Father B's reminder from my RCIA classes, "Remember, the Church gives you the bare minimum of law. That doesn't mean you have to stop there." He was talking about the strictures to make a Mass "count" (you must get there when they begin reading the Gospel and you can leave after the Eucharist). As with most of Father B's reminders, this is one that applies to much more.

After doing a real fast for 24 hours I've gotta say, what a sissy I've been. It was much easier to go cold turkey than do those "two small meals." The only problem I had was that because Alexa's inspiration was so sudden I had no "gearing up" time as I usually do for regular fast days. I kept forgetting I was fasting ... reaching involuntarily for that chip or finding myself getting ready to pop that bit of cheese in my mouth. The amount of nibbling I barely stopped in time was very revealing ... way too much between meal snacking going on here! Just because of the timing of Rose's drum lessons, I wound up going over the 24 hours but it was no big deal. I found that once I was in the zone there might be hunger pains (which are reminders to pray) but even grocery shopping was no big deal. This time at least the key was my mental attitude and, no doubt, some extra grace.

I'm glad I did this not only because of the opportunity to sacrifice something for Terri Schiavo. I learned some things about myself as well and it took some of the dread out of the idea of fasting in general. The next time I'm inspired to fast or a regular fast day comes up I'll remember this time and just plunge in (at least I hope so).

A Well Designed Logo

BL logo
Originally uploaded by Julie D..

I always wondered why the BL school colors are black and white. Its a nice combination and stands out among the other schools but it is odd. It never occurred to me to wonder about the logo itself until Hannah told me that a teacher actually filled them in on the origin.

Bishop Lynch High School originally was founded by Dominicans. In the winter they wear white robes with a black cape, fastened at the throat (see the resemblance in the logo?). I bet you can guess the colors ... that's right, black and white. I just love it when a logo design actually means something!

Fasting for Terri

Alexa at Domestic Excellence and Specialty Housekeeping talks about fasting in general and the fact that Terri Schiavo's husband again has the legal nod to starve her to death. Alexa is fasting for Terri and invites anyone so inclined to join her. Time to put my prayers where my mouth is ... from 1:00 p.m. today to 1:00 p.m. tomorrow. Anyone else?

The Traitor's Kiss

LUKE 22-47-53
This scene is the famous betrayal by Judas. William Barclay tells us just how significant the traitor's kiss was.

When a disciple met a beloved Rabbi, he laid his right hand on the Rabbi's left shoulder and his left hand on the right shoulder and kissed him. It was the kiss of a disciple to a beloved master that Judas used as a sign of betrayal.

This makes Jesus' words, "Judas, would you betray the Son of man with a kiss?" even more poignant. The Navarre Bible points out that there also is an implication of trying to save Judas in these words. I never had contemplated Judas' long companionship with Jesus in terms of the constant forgiveness that Jesus was offering but it becomes clear when reading this.

In contemplating this sad betrayal by an apostle, Jesus treats Judas in a very gentle way and yet shows up the malice and ugliness of his treachery; for the last time he tries to win Judas back.

... "Even to Judas," St. Thomas More comments, "God gave many opportunities of coming to his senses. He did not deny him companionship. He did not take away from him the dignity of his apostleship. He did not even take the purse-strings from him, even though he was a thief. He admitted the traitor to the fellowship of his beloved disciples at the last supper. He deigned to stoop down at the feet of the betrayer and to wash his feet with his most innocent and sacred hands Judas' dirty feet, a fit symbol of his filthy mind [...]. Finally when Judas, coming with his crew to seize him, offered him a kiss, a kiss that was in fact the terrible token of his treachery, Christ received him calmly and gently ... if we see anyone wandering wildly from the right road, let us hope that he will one day return to the path, and meanwhile let us pray humbly and incessantly that God will hold out to him chances to come to his senses, and likewise that with God's help he will eagerly seize them..."

What Happens When You ...

1) have nothing to do

2) own a sharp knife

3) have a large lime

4) own a patient cat

5) drink too much tequila

6) and it's football season?




Originally uploaded by Julie D..

Conscience

I'm working my way through Fundamentals of the Faith by Peter Kreeft. This book is a series of essays in Christian apologetics. I'm toward the beginning but so far I believe it would be valuable to every sort of Christian, not just Catholics.

ARGUMENT FOR GOD'S EXISTANCE
I always perk up my ears most at arguments to prove God's existance. As the daughter of two atheists I'm always looking for that key bit of logic that will open their minds just a little to even bother to wonder if God is real. I hadn't read the argument about conscience before but it really hit home. Conscience, God's little internal beacon of right and wrong, is an interesting angle and one that hadn't occured to me before.

Nearly everyone will admit not only the existance of conscience but also its authority. In this age of rebellion against and doubt about nearly every authority, in this age in which the very word authority has changed from a word of respect to a word of scorn, one authority remains: an individual's conscience. Almost no one will say that one ought to sin against one's conscience, disobey one's conscience. Disobey the church, the state, parents, authority figures, but do not disobey your conscience. Thus people usually admit, though not usually in these words, the absolute moral authority and binding obligation of conscience.

Such people are usually surprised and pleased to find out that Saint Thomas Aquinas, of all people, agrees with them to such an extent that he says if a Catholic comes to believe the Church is in error in some essential, officially defined doctrine, it is a mortal sin against conscience, a sin of hypocrisy, for him to remain in the Church and call himself a Catholic, but only a venial sin against knowledge for him to leave the church in honest but partly culpable error...

Of course, we do not always hear that voice aright. Our consciences can err. That is why the first obligation we have, in conscience, is to form our conscience by seeking the truth, especially the truth about whether God has revealed to us clear moral maps (Scripture and Church). If so, whenever our conscience seems to tell us to disobey those maps, it is not working properly, and we can now that by conscience itself if only we remember that conscience is more than just immediate feelings.

INFORMED BY TRUTH
I think its interesting that once we admit our conscience is so important our first obligation is to ensure it is informed by truth. It makes me think of a brother-in-law who left the Church and is obviously still angry at it, seeking confrontation about religion at every opportunity within the family. It also makes me think of people I know who vehemently disagree with those Church teachings that are most at odds with modern society (I'll bet you know which ones). They are constantly trying to change things to be more up to date and then complaining and disgruntled when that doesn't happen.

In these cases it seems as if they are acting based on what they want not over what they have found to be true through study and seeking. I also have a friend who is a self described "liberal" but who is an honest seeker. She disagrees with some Church teachings but couldn't bring herself to leave the Eucharist, something I am totally in sympathy with. In an effort to reconcile her conscience with her Church she started reading various apologetic works by faithful Catholic authors. Now she is much more at peace with the Church teachings. She has an understanding of the logic that led to them. She no longer rails against them but can see them more as a legitimate viewpoint, even if she does not fully agree.

God speaks to each of us in different ways but the constant is that internal beacon, our conscience. Our obligation is to make sure we give it the full truth upon which to act. That is the only way we will each find our own way of following that beacon homeward.

Interesting Reading

Pillars of Unbelief

Just as we have pillars of Christian faith, the saints, so are there individuals who have become pillars of unbelief. Peter Kreeft discusses six modern thinkers with an enormous impact on everyday life, and with great harm to the Christian mind:

* Machiavelli - inventor of "the new morality"
* Kant - subjectivizer of Truth
* Nietzsche - self-proclaimed "Anti-Christ"
* Freud - founder of the "sexual revolution"
* Marx - false Moses for the masses, and
* Sartre - apostle of absurdity.

(Originally written for National Catholic Register, Jan-Feb. 1988)

I just found these at Peter Kreeft's website. I don't know much about these philosophers beyond the average stereotypes so this is going to be an interesting overview.

The Jews' Blackmail of Pilate

LUKE 23:13-25
It is crystal clear from this reading that Pontius Pilate did everything in his power to keep from condemning Jesus to death. However it is equally plain that the Jews were able to force Pilate to do their will in this matter. How was that possible? What did they have on him? William Barclay explains.

It is literally true that the Jews blackmailed Pilate into sentencing Jesus to death. The basic fact is that, under impartial Roman justice, any province had the right to report a governor to Rome for misgovernment, and such a governor would be severely dealt with. Pilate had made two grave mistakes in his government of Palestine.

In Judaea the Roman headquarters were not at Jerusalem but at Caesarea. But in Jerusalem a certain number of troops were quartered. Roman troops carried standards which were topped by a little bust of the reigning emperor. The emperor was at this time officially a god. The Jewish law forbade any graven image and, in deference to Jewish principles, previous governors had always removed the imperial images before they marched their troops into Jerusalem. Pilate refused to do so; he marched his soldiers in by night with the imperial image on their standards. The Jews came in crowds to Caesarea to request Pilate to remove the images. He refused. They persisted in their entreaties for days. On the sixth day he agreed to meet them in an open space surrounded by his troops. He informed them that unless they stopped disturbing him with their continuous requests the penalty would be immediate death. "They threw themselves on the ground and laid their necks bare, and said they would take death very willingly rather than that the wisdom of their laws should be transgressed." Not even Pilate could slaughter men in cold blood like that, and he had to yield. Josephus tells the whole story in The Antiquities of the Jews, book 18, chapter 3.

Pilate followed this up by bringing into the city a new water supply and financing the scheme with money taken from the Temple treasury. (This was referred to in Luke 13:1-5. Pilate had decided rightly that Jerusalem needed a new and improved water supply. He proposed to build it and, to finance it with certain Temple monies. It was a laudable object and a more than justifiable expenditure. But at the very idea of spending temple monies like that, the Jews were up in arms. When the mobs gathered, Pilate instructed his soldiers to mingle with them, wearing cloaks over their battle dress for disguise. They were instructed to carry cudgels rather than swords. At a given signal they were to fall on the mob and disperse them. This was done, but the soldiers dealt with the mob with a violence far beyond their instructions and a considerable number of people lost their lives.)

The one thing the Roman government could not afford to tolerate in their far-flung empire was civil disorder. Had the Jews officially reported either of these incidents there is little doubt that Pilate would have been summarily dismissed. It is John who tells us of the ominous hint the Jewish officials gave Pilate when they said, "If you release this man you are not Caesar's friend" (John 19:12) They compelled Pilate to sentence Jesus to death by holding the threat of an official report to Rome over his head.

It is also clear that Pilate had a record of making terrible decisions and the way he handled Jesus' case was just such another example.

An Intrepid Captain, A Spunky Girl Reporter, and Some Rockin' Robots

SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW
I'm not sure what to say about this movie that hasn't already been said better movie critics. How about this: GO SEE IT!

This has to be one of the best movies of the year. For those who don't know, it is a loving homage to the long ago Saturday morning serials such as Buck Rogers. It is exciting, funny and thoroughly enjoyable. It has been compared to Indiana Jones but I think that's unfair as it is a totally different style of homage. I especially liked the details that kept it true to the "Buck Rogers" genre: the sepia tones, Polly always wearing high heels because that's how they did it back then, the way characters communicated emotions through glances without having to talk us to death explaining how they feel, the fact that The Wizard of Oz was on screen at Radio City Music Hall ... oh, and did I mention the coolest robots ever? My favorites were the ones with the wiggly arms. I know that sounds weird but you'll know what I'm talking about when you see this movie ... and you will go see it, right?

If you want more detailed reviews, go to Jeffrey Overstreet or Roger Ebert. But you don't need them. Just go and enjoy.

Doesn't Everybody Read While Brushing Their Teeth?

I just got an Amazon box full of exciting books ... just take a look at the sidebar (except for the David Weber book - that's a reread). All are so good I am buzzing like a bee to each and then back again.

That made me think of Zelie at A Call to Adventure who recently had a good series of posts pondering the usefulness of giving up things in order to concentrate on reality and, ultimately, be more in touch with God. If we make ourselves too busy, too involved with things then it is very hard to hear God. She made some great points and it all sounded good except the main thing she was talking about giving up was books. *blink in astonishment*

When I get a little money, I buy books. And if there is any left over, I buy food.

Desiderius Erasmus

This is the story of my life. I actually do read while brushing my teeth. As my family and friends will tell you, I am passionate about books. I get embarrassingly enthusiastic when telling about the greatest book I just read.

Is is possible to read too much? Absolutely. I'm no stranger to putting something off so I can read just one more chapter. And, there is a real value in just doing what you're doing as Zelie kept bringing up. My problem is that I find that impossible. My mind always is thinking, thinking, thinking. If I ask someone what they're thinking and they say, "Nothing" (which actually happens a lot), I am dumbfounded. How can this be? Is this even possible?

My "reading and brushing" confession brought up a lot comments at Zelie's place but it didn't bother me a bit. I have problems with balancing my life just like everyone. It used to be reading, then it was playing Baldur's Gate I and II (Shadows of Amn is addictive and has no specific ending point so it just sucks you on forever), and right now ... well, its blogging and surfing the internet ... oh, and trying not to buy every book I want. It all goes back to finding that balance of moderation. None of these things are bad ... just as with alcohol or the other "baddies" that some faiths forbid in an attempt to control them ... but moderation is key.

The questions that Zelie and other commenters raised are all good ones because without evaluating your life and habits you can't be aware of where you should focus effort ... in work, with your family, and most importantly in your "walk with the Lord" (that always sounds so corny to me but its perfectly right here). We should always be open to the nudgings of the Holy Spirit and where God is moving us. We have to do the work but He'll give us all the help we need.

Also, we must keep in mind that God knows how to use the things we love to reach us. In fact, he may well have given us this love to use somehow for His glory ... we just have to figure out how to use it properly. I can't tell you how many times I've flipped the Bible open when pondering a serious question and had my eyes fall on the perfect guidance. I know how weird and coincidental that sounds but I've had this happen so many times that coincidence has nothing to do with it. With that in mind, I'll leave you with the results of my latest Bible "flip" ... the one I did when pondering this question of loving books and finding balance in our lives.

Like a stream is the king's heart in the hand of the Lord;
wherever it pleases him, he directs it.
All the ways of a man may be right in his own eyes,
but it is the Lord who proves hearts.
Proverbs 21:1-2

Progressive Bifocal ... er, Trifocal ... er, Eyeglasses Progress

Ok its been two weeks now since I got the bifocals that I hoped would make life easier but that were making me (literally) sick to my stomach. I realized a couple of days ago that I even could use the computer without taking my glasses off. Evidently I adjusted when I wasn't noticing (very sneaky, those eyes). Alexa, you were right. I do love them! It really was great to be able to hem Hannah's jazz pants without having to take my glasses off to see up close and then not being able to see Futurama (although I don't think that Alexa would count Futurama as progress!)

Jesus' Trial Before the Sanhedrin

LUKE 22:63-71
Anyone who is at all familiar with the Gospels knows that the Sanhedrin told half-truths and lies to Pontius Pilate to get him to consider Jesus' execution. What I didn't realize until now is just how far the Sanhedrin subverted their own judicial policies in order to do this. It becomes crystal clear when we compare Jesus' treatment with William Barclay's explanation of typical court procedures.

The Sanhedrin was the supreme court of the Jews. In particular it had complete jurisdiction over all religious and theological matters. It was composed of seventy members. Scribes, Rabbis and Pharisees, priests and Sadducees, and elders were all represented on it. It could not meet during the hours of darkness. That is why they held Jesus until the morning before they brought him before it. It could meet only in the Hall of Hewn Stone in the Temple court. The High Priest was its president.

We possess the rules of procedures of the Sanhedrin. Perhaps they are only the ideal which was never fully carried out; but at least they allow us to see what the Jews, at their best, conceived that the Sanhedrin should be and how far their actions fell short of their own ideals in the trial of Jesus.

The court sat in a semi-circle, in which every member could see every other member. Facing the court stood the prisoner dressed in mourning dress. Behind him sat the rows of the students and disciples of the Rabbis. They might speak in defense of the prisoner but not against him. Vacancies in the court were probably filled by co-option from these students. All charges must be supported by the evidence of two witnesses independently examined. A member of the court might speak against the prisoner, and then change his mind and speak for him, but not vice-versa.

When a verdict was due, each member had to give his individual judgment, beginning at the youngest and going on to the most senior. For acquittal a majority of one was all that was necessary; for condemnation there must be a majority of at least two. Sentence of death could never be carried out on the day on which it was given; a night must elapse so that the court might sleep on it, so that perchance, their condemnation might turn to mercy. The whole procedure was designed for mercy; and, even from Luke's summary account, it is clear that the Sanhedrin, when it tried Jesus, was far from keeping its own rules and regulations.

Unappreciated Comedy Detected

WITHOUT A CLUE
Friday we watched Without a Clue which we all know so well we can almost say the lines along with the characters. I'm always surprised at how many people have never heard of this comedy much less seen it.

Without a Clue features stellar teamwork by Michael Caine and Ben Kingsley, who are at their best here. Kingsley is Dr. Watson who actually is the genius at deduction. He has written his adventures as stories with a fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes, so as to not hurt his chances at being named to a prestigious board. When the stories got so popular that people wanted to meet Holmes he hired actor, Reginald Kincaid to act the part. The problem: Kincaid is a two-bit, drunken, skirt-chasing actor (Caine) which causes no end of trouble and comic delight whenever "Holmes" tries to improvise his way through a case. Watson is ably assisted by Mrs. Hudson and the Baker Street Irregulars who all know that he is the true genius and barely tolerate Holmes' shortcomings.

It is a real delight to watch these two great actors throw themselves into their parts with wonderful comic timing. Caine gets a lot of mileage out of Holmes' efforts to appear a genius. This movie is especially good for any children who understand how twist works on the classic detective stories.

New Age Grannies

THE LADIES OF COVINGTON SEND THEIR LOVE by Joan A. Medlicott
This book often is compared to the Mitford series by Jan Karon and it is easy to see why. Both are gentle stories set in small towns that dwell on small adventures that allow personal growth. I can heartily recommend the Karon books, particularly the first four. Sadly, I cannot do the same for The Ladies of Covington.

On the surface this is a gentle story of three widows in their 60s who band together to make a new, better life in a house that one has inherited. The ladies all grow in unexpected ways, each has personal moments of experiencing God, and the story moves along pretty well. So why did I feel like a prude by the time I finished the book? Basically, this book is a package of modern morality charmingly presented through three old ladies who are learning to spread their wings.

Every personal problem always is someone else's fault, usually involving male bashing. In varying degrees, each was the victim of a neglectful, selfish husband who sacrificed the wife's individuality and desires to their own needs. This excuse is treated as carte blanche for the wives to do whatever makes them happy in the name of finally getting to express their individuality. As soon as these decisions are made, immediate gratification is the reward. There is no such thing as weighing consequences or responsibility, except in one situation with a grandchild who drinks. Grace is the poster child for this philosophy. Her feelings of having been trapped in a bad marriage lead her to reject an offer of marriage from the man she loves. Instead they agree to become lovers, leading Grace to the first satisfying sexual experience of her life. This pattern is echoed in practically every relationship in the book.

Although each "experiences" God once during the book (whatever that is supposed to mean), it is evidently so that the Lord may reassure them to find themselves. In what is meant to be a climactic foot washing scene, two women marvel that they both realized how much they love each other as friends. I suppose God already gave them the seal of approval earlier so He's staying out of the way.

As sappy as the Mitford books can be, there at least is honest examination of the consequences of one's actions. God is never viewed as a supporting character who encourages everyone to do whatever feels good at the time. I certainly don't require this from every book I read but, no matter how light the fiction, I do require honesty and a sense of responsibility. This is the essence of good story telling. Some of my favorite "popcorn for your brain" books such as the girl, bounty hunter Stephanie Plum series or the wizard, detective Dresden Files series have the characters giving in to extreme, feel good temptation (or, to be honest, sometimes casual temptation). However, it is never without a price and the characters always come to grips with the consequences of their actions. Without these conflicts, The Ladies of Covington are nothing but navel-gazing indulgence. Avoid this book at all costs.

The Value of Life

JOHN DAVIS, d. June 2002
Today is the 4th anniversary of they day my father-in-law had a stroke. His struggle with that Cross lasted for nine long months. During that time I saw his suffering used to raise him and his family to heights I had never dreamed of seeing in people so close to me. A lesson I will never forget is my dear mother in law's total devotion and unwavering love shown through every sort of trial and pain. It was a time of suffering but a time of great blessing also.

When I think of that time, I realize part of what I gained was a respect for life in all forms, even if we can't see the immediate benefit. I also gained a much deeper understanding for the value of suffering. Never have I been more thankful to be Catholic than during that time when I could see that the Church's emphasis on uniting our suffering to Christ on His Cross is what gives meaning and redemption to pain.

What we experienced during that time is nothing compared with this story, courtesy of Alexa at Domestic Excellence and Specialty Housekeeping. However, our experiences opened a window through which I can see and appreciate the truth of what that story teaches: we are not wise enough to weigh the value of a life and God's plan for us.

The revelation Alexa shares in that story about what is being done to our youth is one that transcends that story and circumstance. I believe what she felt at that moment is what God feels when He looks at our society and how lightly some parents take the awe inspiring responsibility of caring for the souls He has entrusted to us.

I was flooded with sadness that this innocent and intelligent young man with such seriousness and such a thirst for truth, for THE TRUTH sat there in front of me; I saw him as a child raped by the menacing Father of Lies who prowls the ranks of the society in which we live. In that short moment a holy anger overpowered me that Satan would dare infiltrate the precious mind and supple heart of this innocent youth, probably through the media, and through the mindset of this Culture of Death that we live in.

Is Man Good or Evil?

Neil at Digitus, Finger & Co. has one answer.

If I have a purpose in life, a story that I want to tell the world it's this: people are not "basically good", they are "basically evil". It's not because I hate people that I want to tell them this (because, I would have to hate myself), but because every wrong turn and dead end in the political, religious, theological, philosophical, and sociological spheres, from education, to gun control, to the justice system, to the justification for war, is directly attributable to the idea that people are "basically good".

It is a well written, scholarly article. There is so much to it that you really must read it for yourself to understand the depth of his argument. Neil elaborates in the comments boxes.

I believe humanity is qualitatively "totally" depraved, but obviously does act with civility and relative goodness quite often, so we are not "absolutely" depraved. Meaning, I don't believe we do all the evil we possibly can all of the time. I have a saying about this: "Not all rancid meat stinks, but all stinky meat is rancid." I believe that all of humanity is all rancid meat, whether we stink or not.

However, I disagree passionately with Neil. I have another answer. Man is not wholly good or wholly evil. Man is both.

Man is not evil by his nature, which God created, but by his own free choice. Human nature is the best of all God's creations, for it is made in his image...

Both the cause of evil (man's misuse of his free will) and the cure of evil (the death of Christ on the Cross) are deep mysteries, not simple problems. They are not wholly transparent to human reason. Peter Kreeft, Catholic Christianity

I have a feeling that a good deal of my disagreement with Neil's viewpoint comes from the fact that he is Protestant and I am a traditional Catholic. But when have I ever let that stop me? So I will just forge ahead as best I can from the Catholic point of view. I am leaning a good deal here on Peter Kreeft as I find it hard to improve on the way he explains concepts.

Neil's examination does not go far enough because it stays firmly in this world. It is not really possible to examine the question of man's nature and, ultimately, the question of evil, without using a supernatural point of view. There must be less psychology and more theology to understand ourselves. We must look farther than what we can see, touch, and understand because our vision is not big enough. We must look, as best we can, from God's angle. When man submits to the temptation to do evil there are two reasons. The first is original sin.

Original sin does not mean that we are "totally depraved" (Calvin's term) or wholly evil or more evil than good (how could that be measured?) or that our very being is evil or that we are no longer infinitely valuable and infinitely loved by God. It means that we are mortally wounded, a defaced masterpiece. The greater the masterpiece, the more terrible its defacement.

Original sin is a difficult concept for us because we cannot appreciate the great difference between our present state and mankind's first state of fallen innocence, which we have never experienced. Our instincts spontaneously take our present state of selfishness as the norm rather than the abnormality. But our faith and our reason tell us that the good God could not have created us selfish by nature; that we are all now "abnormal".

Original sin, the inborn state of all humanity, explains why all of us commit actual sins. If we were all born sin-free and innocent like Adam, surely some of us would have chosen to remain so. Yet none does. (And the better and more saintly we are, the more readily and clearly we admit it.) Why?

Because we were not born innocent of original sin, only innocent of actual sin. And our original sin leads us to commit actual sins. Our being conditions our actions. We sin because we are sinners, just as we sing because we are singers. Our nature conditions our acts, as an alcoholic's brain chemistry and chemical dependency condition his act of drinking.

This does not mean we are not responsible for actual sins, for the will's choice is also involved in the act - sometimes a lot, sometimes a little. We are not determined, but we are conditioned - led, pulled, influenced - by our sinful nature and instincts. But we also are free to choose to obey our instincts -- for instance, when we fast or sacrifice...

The origin of sin may be mysterious, but its existence, its reality and presence now, in our individual and social experience, is very clear. The dogma is confirmed by the data. "What Revelation makes known to us is confirmed by our own experience. For when man looks into his own heart he finds that he is drawn towards what is wrong and sunk in many evils which cannot come from his good creator" (GS 13), or from the wholly good world he created; so it must come from man's own free 'fall' ". Peter Kreeft, Catholic Christianity

The second reason we do evil is not popular today. We must not forget that we are not just struggling with our own fallen nature. There is a supernatural element to all this. Satan is our implacable and steadfast enemy. He will not sit idly by without trying to influence us to do evil. In fact, the mere idea that I am slightly embarrassed to write about Satan is proof of how well he has managed to disguise himself in today's world; a real triumph for evil.

Christ took Satan very seriously (though not obsessively). If we do not, how can we say or minds are on line with the Lord? If we claim to have matured beyond belief in Satan, we claim to have matured beyond Christ. If we scorn the fear of Satan as foolish, we are calling Christ a fool, for he told us to fear him (Mt 10:28). And if we think of Christ as in any way a fool, we are either denying the Incarnation, denying that Christ is God, or else saying that God is a fool. For if fear of Satan is foolish, and if Christ taught it, and if Christ is God, then God is foolish.

Christ commanded us to conclude the only prayer he ever gave us, the model prayer, with "Rescue us from the evil one" (Mt 6:13). The Greek word is a singular noun, not a plural or a participle, and it has a definite article. The proper translation is not just "evil" but "the evil one." Peter Kreeft, How to Win the Culture War

What is the answer to the problem of evil and sin? We must be Christians as fully as possible. That means we must strive to be saints. One of the main points in Neil's argument, in fact his launching point, is his belief that Hitler was not the monster that everyone makes him out to be. We are happy to elevate Hitler to a monstrous level because it makes us feel better by comparison. We are not so evil as Hitler after all. In answer to this I can only say that every person is more complex than history would have us believe. I can perfectly well believe that a hideously evil person loved dogs or enjoyed dinner with friends. That does not make them less monstrous. In fact, that almost makes them more so by contrast as they have absolutely no common feeling with their fellow men after exhibiting perfectly well that they have such feelings themselves.

Neil says that Mother Teresa is not really a saint. We idealize her and elevate her to the level of nearly perfect behavior in order to make our ordinary, fallible selves feel better by saying that no one can be as good as she is. The quote by Kierkegaard used as evidence of this really does not support this hypothesis. He merely is defining what we know to be true of human nature. This goes back to our fallen nature (original sin) that insists on the pride of wanting to think ourselves better than we are (I'll be like God? Gimme that apple!).

Mother Teresa left her comfortable teaching job at a private school in order to rescue dying people from the gutter and give them death with dignity, picking maggots out of their flesh if necessary. To define that as "not doing all the evil we possibly can all of the time" is an almost willful denial of evidence. There is nothing to make anyone do such a thing but the deliberate desire to positively act for the common good, to die to self, to serve God. Yes, Mother Teresa was human and not perfect. However that only serves to make the testimony to the fact that man's soul contains good all the greater. Evil is not all that we are; it can be overcome by our good.

We must remember that saints are striving to be the ultimate Christians. It means being like Christ as much as humanly possible. Christ is perfect. He is Kierkegaard's ultimate "ethical man". He was the most humble man who ever lived, constantly doing everything for the glory of God and deferring His will to His Father's. He was loved by multitudes. He was passionately hated by those who did not want to hear that they could be like him if they gave up their preconceived ideas of who God is and what he wants.

The example of saints that Neil uses is the real life example that knocks the legs out from under the argument. The very fact that people do exist who can mirror Christ well enough for us to recognize them as saints speaks volumes to the fact that we are not "basically evil", "rancid meat" if you will. For anyone to achieve those heights of mirroring the ultimate good that is God the Son means we also are good in our selves ... not "all good" but that if we really try and unite ourselves to Christ on His Cross, we can be good enough to serve God as fully as possible.

This is Why We Fight

11 September 2001
Dedicated to the men, women and children who lost their lives;
those brave people who gave their lives,
and the Heroes that responded to the emergency.

I will never forget.

Leaving Nothing to Chance

LUKE 22:7-23
I really never thought of Jesus making arrangements ahead of time for the Passover until I read what William Barclay had to say about the arrangement for the upper room. Then I wondered why I never noticed it before.

Once again Jesus did not leave things until the last moment; his plans were already made. The better class houses had two rooms. The one room was on top of the other; and the house looked exactly like a small box placed on top of a large one. The upper room was reached by an outside stair. During the Passover time all lodging in Jerusalem was free. The only pay a host might receive for letting lodgings to the pilgrims was the skin of the lamb that was eaten at the feast. A very usual use of an upper room was that it was the place where a rabbi met with his favorite disciples to talk things over with them and to open his heart to them. Jesus had taken steps to procure such a room. He sent Peter and John into the city to look for a man bearing a jar of water. To carry water was a woman's task. A man carrying a jar of water would be as easy to pick out as, say, a man using a lady's umbrella on a wet day. This was a prearranged signal between Jesus and a friend.

More Favorite Goofy Movies

A few more favorites that I remembered. I can't believe I forgot Monty Python yesterday.

• All of Me


• Strictly Ballroom


• Crocodile Dundee


• The Man with Two Brains


• Monty Python's Life of Brian


• Monty Python and the Holy Grail


• The Nutty Professor (Eddie Murphey)


• Stripes

These Old Books

TIME-LIFE FOODS OF THE WORLD SERIES
One of the best things about sorting through books to donate to the school carnival is the rediscovery of books that I haven't read in a very long time. In this case, I'm enjoying rereading the Time-Life Foods of the World series. Believe me, I have looked at a lot of current cookbooks that purport to cover different countries and none do a better job than this series. These books are around 30 years old but they still are au courant in telling the foods and customs of practically every cuisine that exists. Each country has two books, a large hardback book and a smaller spiral-bound book that only contains recipes. Different authors were used for each book and they lend their own special styles to each. Most libraries have a set of these classics and you can often find various volumes in used book stores. If you are at all interested in either reading or cooking food from other cuisines, these are the books to go to.

My Favorite Goofy Movies

I was surprised at the response to my School of Rock review. It seems that everyone has a favorite dumb comedy. Except I can't really call them dumb because I almost didn't mention some of these (like Mars Attack) because I thought they were too smart to include (that's right, too smart, which tells you how I justify it!). So I'm going to call them goofy comedies. These movies are the ones that get you a funny look or that you have to explain when you mention them. Some are classics but that doesn't make them any less goofy. Here, in the order that they sprang to mind, is my list of favorite goofy movies:

• School of Rock


• The Blues Brothers


• Young Frankenstein


• Mars Attack


• My Blue Heaven


• This is Spinal Tap


• Waiting for Guffman


• Beetlejuice


• Caddy Shack


• Shanghai Noon


• Ghostbusters


• The Princess Bride

Passover

LUKE 22:1-6
This passage deals with Satan entering into Judas. However, from a historical point of view what I find most interesting is Barclay's description of Passover preparations.

There were elaborate preparations for the Passover. Roads were repaired; bridges were made safe; wayside tombs were whitewashed lest the pilgrim should fail to see them, and so touch them and become unclean. For a month before, the story and meaning of the Passover was the subject of the teaching of every synagogue. Two days before the Passover there was in every house a ceremonial search for leaven. The householder took a candle and solemnly searched every nook and cranny in silence, and the last particle of leaven was thrown out.

More importantly, William Barclay sets the scene of why the Romans were worried about the possibility of a riot after Jesus' arrest.

Every male Jew, who was of age and who lived within 15 miles of the holy city, was bound by law to attend the Passover. But it was the ambition of every Jew in every part of the world to come to the Passover in Jerusalem at least once in his lifetime ... Because of this vast numbers came to Jerusalem at the Passover time. Cestius was governor of Palestine in the time of Nero and Nero tended to belittle the importance of the Jewish faith. To convince Nero of it, Cestius took a census of the lambs slain at one particular Passover. Josephus tells us that the number was 256,500. The law laid it down that the number for a Passover celebration was 10. That means that on this occasion, if these figures are correct, there must have been more than 2,700,000 pilgrims to the Passover. It was in a city crowded like that that the drama of Jesus was played out.

Rock On

SCHOOL OF ROCK
I don't like dumb comedies. I'm not particularly a Jack Black fan, although I loved him in Mars Attack. I'd heard so much from so many different people praising School of Rock that I went ahead and rented it this weekend. (Also, Rose told me in the video store that all the kids played their own instruments ... very important to me as one of the things that I hated about Freaky Friday was watching that girl pretend to play her guitar twice as fast as the music was going. Thinking about this I just realized I constantly am asking Hannah to tell me if guitar players are really playing or Rose to do the same with the drums whenever we watch movies. I loved About a Boy but would have loved it much less if Hannah had told me that Hugh Grant was faking the guitar ... which he didn't and which was why the music was so simple I'm sure.)

What surprised me was that it was not what I expected at all. I expected the vulgarity and stupidity of Orange County with attempts for a laugh a minute. School of Rock actually was a sweet movie with rockin' music and ultimate respect for the characters. Yes it was a little stupid and predictable but those are forgivable faults compared to the entertainment we got from watching it. Most of all I liked the stubborn adherence to the purity of rock. Dewey Finn (Black) repeatedly gets the kids on track when they don't remember what rock is all about (scoring chicks? getting wasted?) ... rock is about "stickin' it to the man" and "givin' an awsome, rockin' show." Can't argue with that.

Doctor My Eyes Have Seen the Years

Many, many years ago my opthamologist told me that everyone in their 40s winds up with reading glasses or bifocals. I held it off pretty well but on Saturday picked up my progressive bifocals. I am very willing because for the last few months I couldn't see when I was writing a check but *ughhhh!* the adjustment period. I'm not one to wish my life away but I can't wait for the next two weeks to go by so I'm used to them. My head is like one of those car ornaments bobbing up and down trying to find the right range. There's nothing so annoying as trying to get a really, really good look at Aaragorn and Legolas and tilting my head the wrong way so I miss them altogether. Oh, the pain! Good thing I'm Catholic so this annoyance isn't wasted ... something else to offer up!

ALSO: I can't believe I forgot to say that I have motion sickness which starts up at the drop of a hat so you can imagine just how much fun I had at the bookstore and grocery store where there is a lot of back and forth looking. I could tell it was time to go when the nausea would set in. On the plus side, I didn't buy any books and wasn't tempted with forbidden foods.

If You Ever Need to Know

Tom stuck his head in my office this afternoon and said, "If I'm ever in a situation like happened in Russia, just tell them to storm the building. I'd rather take the bullet than let terrorists get away with anything."

Its funny how we run these scenarios through our heads that never would have occurred to us a few years ago. First I think of them as "what if" situations and then it gets brought up by someone.

"If your children were at Columbine would you have wanted them to say they were Christians?" [yes]

"If you were in the towers would you have stayed behind to help someone in a wheel chair?" [yes]

"If you had to choose between leaving one child behind and taking one to safety, would you do it?" [That's my question to myself after reading this morning about a Russian mother who was allowed to take only one child out of the school and left her 6 year old with her sister in law in the building. Answer: No. I'd stay with both children.]

Of course, none of us know what we'd do until we are put to the test. Those answers are what I hope I'd do. I'd want to be noble. I'd want to do the right thing. I sincerely pray none of us ever are put to that test. Its a sign of the times that these sorts of conversations go hand in hand with thoughts about refilling the 3/4 empty gas tank, "Just in case ... terrorists."

I used to play "what if" games like this after reading some of my favorite end-of-the-world books like Lucifer's Hammer or Alas Babylon. It was fun. I still love those books but I don't play that game any more. Its too real. I don't dwell on it because I suppose it still doesn't seem really real, but in the back of my mind "what if" comes and goes.

"Would you want them to storm the school if you were inside?" [yes]

Jesus' Anger

LUKE 19:45-46
I have to back up for a minute in the progression through Luke as I realized I forgot to include a very interesting bit of historical clarification. This is when Jesus cast out those who were selling in the Temple. When we know how things really worked, then we can see why Jesus reacted with such violence to the money changes and sellers of animals. Again it is William Barclay who provides these historical insights.

First, let us look at the money changers. Every make Jew had to pay a Temple tax every year of half a shekel ... it must be remembered that it was equal to nearly two days' pay for a working man. A month before the Passover, booths were set up in all the towns and villages and it could be paid there; but by far the greater part was actually paid by the pilgrims in Jerusalem when they came to the Passover Feast. In Palestine all kinds of currencies were in circulation, and, for ordinary purposes, they were all -- Greek, Roman Tyrian, Syrian, Egyptian -- equally valid. But this tax had to be paid either in exactly half shekels of the sanctuary or in ordinary Galilean shekels. This is where the money changers came in. To change a coin of exact value they charged one maah, [1/6 of a shekel]. If a larger coin was tendered a charge of one maah was made for the requisite half shekel and of another Maah for the giving of change ... it was an imposition on poor people who could least of all afford it.

Second, let us look at the sellers of animals. Almost every visit to the Temple involved its sacrifice. Victims could be bought outside at very reasonable prices; but the Temple authorities had appointed inspectors, for a victim must be without spot or blemish. It was, therefore, far safer to buy victims from the booths officially set up in the Temple. But there were times when a pair of doves would cost over fifteen times inside the Temple as they did outside. Again it was a deliberately planned victimization of the poor pilgrims, nothing more than legalized robbery. Worse, these Temple shops were known as the booths of Annas and were the property of the family of the High Priest. That is why Jesus was brought first before Annas when he was arrested (John 18:13). Annas was delighted to gloat over this man who had struck such a blow at his evil monopoly.

A Favorite Poem

I'm not fond of most poetry and the sort I do like is either funny or tells a story, which probably is akin to admiring Elvis painted on black velvet. Nonetheless, I muster courage to offer a favorite.

MY RULES
If you want to marry me, here's what you'll have to do:
You must learn how to make a perfect chicken-dumpling stew.
And you must sew my holey socks,
And soothe my troubled mind,
And develop the knack for scratching my back,
And keep my shoes spotlessly shined.
And while I rest you must rake up the leaves,
And when it is hailing and snowing
You must shovel the walk ... and be still when I talk,
And -- hey -- where are you going?

Shel Silverstein

The Sadducees' Question, Part II

LUKE 20:27-40
So now that we know that the Sadducees believed that Mosaic law says nothing about resurrection, it is easy to see that they hoped to make a fool of Jesus with their question of the wife who married the seven brother in turn. The Ignatius Study Bible states Jesus' response in a nutshell.

Jesus deals with his objectors on their own terms: first, by denying that marriage exists in the next life and, second, by deliberately citing the Mosaic law against them. The burning bush episode shows that Yaweh identified himself with the patriarchs long after their death (Ex 3:6). If Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are still with God, then life must endure beyond death and a future resurrection is implied in the Pentateuch.

William Barclay makes an important point about what we learn about Jesus in this session.

It may well be that we find this an arid passage. It deals with burning questions of the time by means of arguments which a rabbi would find completely convincing but which are not convincing to the modern mind. But out of this very aridity there emerges a great truth for anyone who teaches or who wishes to commend Christianity to his fellows. Jesus used arguments that the people he was arguing with could understand. He talked to them in their own language; he met them on their own ground; and that is precisely why the common people heard him gladly.

It occurred to me that this also is why when God speaks to someone individually it is often in a way that only that person can understand. It might not seem significant to anyone else but that is because God's message is tailored specifically for each person.

Thoughts After a Funeral

Tom and I went to a funeral on Friday. It was an especially sad occasion. One of Rose's friends had her mother die suddenly the weekend before. She left behind her husband and their four children, of whom Rose's friend is the oldest at 14. This is the third funeral I have attended in my life. My parents are not religious and three of my grandparents were in their charge when they died, so no observance was made of their passing. One funeral was that of my mother's mother and was really a memorial service more than anything. The second funeral was that of Tom's father and it was glorious in the fullness of tradition with a rosary the night before, visitation, and an open casket funeral. I have rarely found anything so satisfying on so many levels. It doesn't sound proper but you probably know what I mean when I say that it was a wonderful funeral. The funeral on Friday had no rosary or open casket but was also wonderful as a celebration of this mother's life. I was left with two new "funeral observations" afterward.

First, understandably, the Gospel reading was about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Both our priest and the guest speaker mentioned something that had never occurred to me as a lesson from this passage. When Lazarus comes forth from the tomb he is covered with the winding cloths. Jesus tells Mary and Martha to unbind him, to set him free, and to feed him. This is an illustration of what happens after we die. Jesus meets us and we are set free from all that bound us in our earthly life. So simple but I just never looked at it this way. It was particularly apt in this mother's case but there is no one who would not enjoy such a welcome.

Second, as I sang "On Eagles Wings" I started thinking about Tom's mother. She had me pick the readings and songs for his father's funeral, "Nothing from after Vatican II" (no "On Eagles Wings" for him). Ok, I converted only 4 years ago but I knew what she meant. Then she told me to keep the notes and use them for her funeral whenever it should be.

I began contemplating what I would want to happen during my funeral. First of all, no songs later than the 1900's. Have everyone recite the St. Michael prayer before the final benediction (Rose's idea, she was thinking these sorts of thoughts also). Sing the "Ode to Joy" as everyone leaves. Definitely have everyone go to the house for an old fashioned wake, or is that held the night before? Then who would I have speak? Not a family member, that is too hard for them. I thought maybe my best friend, Joan, would be good. She knows me like no other in many ways.

I told Tom about all these ideas on the way to work afterward. He didn't like thinking about it. I think it was because he strongly identified with the plight of the widowed father who now would have to carry on, "One day at a time," as he told us, raising his children alone. For me it was a more academic idea. I found I wasn't the only one like that. When I told Joan my idea, it started a flurry of back and forth emails that detailed what we'd like and what we'd say in tribute of each other. Then she told me about a great PBS special she'd seen recently about dying at home. She's going to rent it and we'll watch it together.

I thought it was interesting that we got pulled into the details so easily. Maybe its because we are both planners. Maybe its a girl thing. Maybe its because we both have seen the power of a good funeral. I'm not sure. But it is interesting.

Attitude is Everything ... Again

I know I'm starting to sound like a broken record, but Bishop Lynch High School continues to impress. A friend of Rose's had her mother die last weekend. It is a very sad situation and everyone is much shocked. However, it is during this time when BL's care and support of their students really shines.

Hannah had a friend in the same tragic circumstances last year. That was when we discovered that whenever there is such a tragedy the school goes all out to make sure that student is supported.

The funeral is announced on BL Live a few days in advance; a bus is provided to transport students; extra time is given on homework to anyone who attends so they have time to make it up; the head of the school, administration, and many teachers always go. In this instance, as Rose's friend is a freshman and school just began last week, the school also had a couple of teachers go to every freshman class and explain the procedure so the students wouldn't hesitate to attend. Rose said her French teacher asked who would be gone on Friday (Rose and her friend are in the same class) and then said she'd be gone as well to support her. What a caring and supportive environment.

I shouldn't be surprised but this extra effort is not the sort of thing I have been led to expect by our society in general. This is why we pay the tuition for this particular private school. Yes, the academics are wonderful, but its the culture that we value. This school actively supports a living Catholic culture of caring for each other ... and by living it they reinforce it for their students. Our children will not always be in such a supportive environment but what a blessing that they have it now.

Magic. It can get a guy killed.

THE DRESDEN FILES SERIES by Jim Butcher

Harry Dresden--Wizard
Lost items found. Paranormal investigations.
Consulting. Advice. Reasonable rates.
No Love Potions, Endless Purses, Parties, or Other Entertainment.

Harry Dresden is the best at what he does. Well, technically, he's the only at what he does. So when the Chicago P.D. has a case that transcends mortal creativity or capability, they come to him for answers. For the "everyday" world is actually full of strange and magical things--and most of them don't play too well with humans. That's where Harry comes in. Takes a wizard to catch a--well, whatever.

I first saw this series mentioned at Scattershot Direct and couldn't resist. I love funny dialogue, mysteries, and good modern/urban fantasy. This covers it all. Harry is the archetypal tough talking, wise cracking PI with a heart of gold that gets him into trouble every time. One of Harry's skills is the ability to alienate almost everyone from his friend on the police force to the Wizard's Council. I especially like the couple of books where Harry works with Michael, a Templar Knight, who not only swings a wicked holy sword but spends most of his time shaking his head over Harry's lack of faith in God.

Most importantly, Jim Butcher has the ability to ratchet the pace up to the point where you just can't quit reading, as I have discovered to my dismay every night for the past two weeks. These books are like popcorn ... light, easy to digest and hard to put down. I'm almost done with the fifth book and then what will I do? Book 6 isn't at the bookstore yet and the library doesn't plan to order it. Being a good Catholic girl, I'll guess I'll just have to offer it up until it does come in.