Wanted: One Good Man

Kat is using all resources at her disposal to find herself a man. I've gotta admire that initiative.

Funny, smart, orthodox , good housekeeper, lousy cook, and I love monthy python movies and sports. I am the whole package. Who wouldn't want me as their loving loyal wife?

And she's not kidding ... check it out y'all!

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

St. Joseph says construction takes patience

Get the scoop on Monday.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

St. Ignatius encourages Mass transit

What is this?

Find out Monday...

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Whoop!

We're back ... not quite bleeding maroon when we're cut yet but not because the A&M Freshman Orientation didn't do their best.

A quick tour of the highlights and then I'm outta here ... probably until Monday (anyone who I responded to about links, etc. don't worry ... they will happen but next week).

A&M ... Gig 'Em!

• Texas A&M has a great campus and everyone was so friendly that I began to liken it to Hannah's high school mentally ... that good culture being aggressively cultivated so it actually works. I can't count how many times I was surprised to be just passing people on the sidewalk and have them look over, smile, and say "Howdy." (The official Aggie greeting and one which Hannah may eventually say naturally but I never will.)
• The weight of tradition is heavy there. It is almost Catholic in their number of devotions, probably multiplied by having the Corp of Cadets there. However, like Catholicism it seems that one can pick and choose favorite devotions and they all contribute well to making you an Aggie (although that "12th Man" thing about standing through an entire football game? That's just nuts...).
• Hannah spent most of the time wanting to go home, except when she was choosing classes ... her philosophy teacher will be ecstatic to get Hannah's email about her planned minor in philosophy. Zoology and philosophy from a traditional Catholic ... now that's gonna be an interesting mix. We likened her lack of enthusiasm to that first huge plunge into the cold pool. A big dose of "really leaving home" reality. Rose told me, "Mom, you've been too nice to us and made it too cushy." New resolve: begin cruelty measures to make her want to leave. (ha!)
• However, on the way home, Hannah became more cheerful as we talked about all the things to do to make a dorm room more homey ("I saw a 'Hello Kitty' body pillow when I was working the remodel at Target," she said.), the high school friends that are also going there, and her excitement over getting to take rock climbing for PE.
  

Traveling Notes

• A sock is indeed the perfect "road" knitting project (even for a total newbie like me) except don't rush off so fast that you leave all your instructions and any extra yarn. You then stall after finishing the ribbing and heel flap, remaining frustrated until you can begin turning the heel.

Auto Notes

• Note to self: when both you and your husband are having niggling "maybe we should check the oil" thoughts, especially for no apparent reason ... just go ahead and check the damned oil! That way you might not wind up stranded in Waxahachie with the motor frozen up because the (again damned) oil light didn't light up until after the oil was all gone.
• The good news is that we made it to a gas station, coasting in as the motor seized ... thanks for those prayers answered, guardian angel mine!
  
• More good news is that when no one was home who we called for a ride, there was a wrecking service very close by with a tow truck ready for the next assignment with no waiting.
  
• Extra good news was that he had a double cab and could give us all a ride home (we were about 30 miles out of Dallas). He was one of those good, old country boys who are my favorites ... laconic but smart and with a wry sense of humor that deliver low key punchlines and watch with a twinkle to see if you get it. We did and had a great trip home.
  
• Of course, the bad news ... the van is 10 years old and according to our mechanic it is a toss-up as to whether it is worth spending $3,500 on a new engine. So now we have to begin trying to decide what to do.
• Luckily, the immediate solution to such an adventure after being gone is to order a large pizza and watch last week's taped Hell's Kitchen and a few of the Ghost Hunter episodes (1st season DVD lent by a friend). While grabbing sock instructions and turning the heel, y'all!
  

UPDATE
Yesterday morning we discovered that Tom's car won't start either. Good thing we have the car formerly known as "Hannah's car" ... now known as OUR ONLY car.

The Demands of Christ and Joy of Heart

This is worth keeping in mind for every time one encounters the reasoning that Jesus wouldn't hold us to particular standards because he was so loving.

Dear Youth, you tell me that you often think the Church is an institution that does nothing but promulgate rules and laws... And you conclude that there is a deep discrepancy between the joy that issues from the word of Christ and the feeling of oppression that the Church's rigidity gives you.. But the Gospel shows us a very demanding Christ who invites to a radical conversion of the heart, to detachment from the goods of the earth, to forgiveness of offenses, to love of the enemy, to patient acceptance of persecutions and even to the sacrifice of one's own life out of love for our neighbor. Where the particular area of sexuality is concerned, we know the firm position he took in defending the indissolubility of marriage and his condemnation even as regards the simple adultery committed in the heart. And could anyone not be impressed when faced with the precept to "tear out one's eye" or to "cut off one's hand" when these members are an occasion of "scandal"? ...

Moral licentiousness does not make people happy. Similarly, the consumer society does not bring joy of heart. The human being only fulfills himself to the extent to which he is able to accept the demands which flow from his dignity as a being created "in the image and likeness of God" (Gen 1:27). That is why, if the Church today says things that are not pleasing, it is because it feels obliged to do so. It does so out of a duty to fidelity...

So is it not true that the gospel message is a message of joy? On the contrary! It is absolutely true. And how is that possible? The answer can be found in one word, one single word, one short word, but its contents are as vast as the sea. And that word is love. It is perfectly possible to reconcile the stringency of the precept and joy of heart. The person who loves does not fear sacrifice. And he even seeks in sacrifice the most convincing proof of the authenticity of his love.

John Paul II
Discourse to young people in the Netherlands, May 14, 1985
Via The Daily Gospel

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Strength, Security, and the Beatitudes

For all our technological advances, people haven't really changed much since the time of Jesus. Nowhere is this more evident than in the way most people view the Beatitudes. Then as now, they represent what the world would consider weakness and softness. After all, who wants to be poor, meek, and persecuted? ...

But when we look at Jesus, we realize that he is the both the perfect example of the Beatitudes lived out and also the strongest and most secure person who walked the earth. Jesus was nobody's fool and he was certainly no shrinking violet. At the same time, he was constantly mourning over those who didn't know God. In silent strength -- meekness -- he taught his disciples by example, by parable, by reaching out to everyone who would accept him.

Perhaps if we thought more about Jesus, or tried to place ourselves among the crowds who heard him teach and saw him minister, we would change our point of view... We might see that living the Beatitudes requires a good amount of strength and decisiveness.

Word Among Us

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Set Your Drinks Down ...

... and go visit Upper Canada Catholic for these two gems:

• Stupid People Ask Dumb Questions (I like his slow and slower typing.)
• I Believe It's Spelled with a "P" Though (I don't think I have to spell out what I like about this one ... get it? ... spell out ...)

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

2,996

2,996 is a tribute to the victims of 9/11.

On September 11, 2006, 2,996 volunteer bloggers will join together for a tribute to the victims of 9/11. Each person will pay tribute to a single victim.

We will honor them by remembering their lives, and not by remembering their murderers.

... the tributes should celebrate the lives of these people–kind of like a wake. Over the last 5 years we’ve heard the names of the killers, and all about the victim’s deaths. This is a chance to learn about and celebrate those who died. Forget the murderers, they don’t deserve to be remembered. But some people who died that day deserve to be remembered–2,996 people.

Sign up here. Via My Domestic Church.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

How to be a Good [and Happy] Blogger

I have been hanging onto this link to My Domestic Church until I could get a few minutes to jot some thoughts down. She has eight basic guidelines for effective blogging.

As opposed to the blogging tips that you usually read that are designed to get you the most page hits (as if we're getting paid for each hit or something), Elena has really hit the nail on the head. Her reward? I'm shamelessly stealing them and then going to adapt them. Sorry girl! But thanks for the idea!

1. If you have comment sections - MANAGE THEM!
   Don't let commenters beat each other up, and don't let the majority opinion beat up on a dissenter. If someone is being inappropriate and rude, delete their entries, edit them or and ban them. Have a comments guideline and stick to it.


2. If you don't have a comments section ... for Pete's sake make your email easy to find.
   Or make it clear that you're incommunicado with no email at all. When I think of the time I've wasted looking for email addresses ... usually to simply ask a question or give a compliment. And if you have a separate email address for your blog, CHECK IT often. Don't make correspondents wait for weeks until you remember that other address.


3. Don't keep changing your URL.
   It's fine to do it every two years or so if you absolutely have to, but other than that it's a pain to keep changing the dead links and keeping up with you!


4. Have a sense of humor.
   There's a reason Jeff Miller has 92 blogline subscribers. He takes the news and finds the humor to it. Remember it's just a blog...


5. Share a bit from your life.
   I'm always fascinated when The Anchoress gives us the scoop on Buster. Everyone in St. Blog's was able to watch with pleasure while Dom Bettinelli got engaged, married, and became a new father. Mike Aquilina recently broke away from the Church Fathers to talk about his own father. It doesn't have to be a lot but that is what gives dimension to the blogger behind the posts.


6. Write about what you want to and damn the hits counters.
   I see people agonizing over their status in the Ecosystem or worrying about hits on the site meters. Again, people, it's not as if we're getting paid for these things. If you love the blogging then it doesn't matter if you have 1 regular visitor or 100. It is not a popularity contest and although some people seem to be keeping score I find that they tend to be the less happy bloggers out there.


7. Have a point.
   I can't believe Nehring had to mention this one but he's absolutely right. Whether your passion is movies, your family, geeky gadgets, or .... hmmm, let's see ... your faith, you need a focus. You can veer away or come back to it but your interest or passion for your subject is what will make your blog interesting and worthwhile for you to spend time on (and for others who drop by to read it). Oftentimes in watching people find their "blog voice" aka the focus of their blogs, you will also be watching them realize what adds zest to their lives. It's interesting that way...
   


8. Have fun!
   If you're not enjoying blogging then quit or change what you're doing. But don't sit around complaining about it. Your blog is entirely in your control and life is too short to let it control you.

I'm sure I'll be adapting these myself somewhat but that's a start...

Hot on the Trail of Malachi 1:11

For from the rising of the sun, even to its setting, my name is great among the nations; And everywhere they bring sacrifice to my name, and a pure offering; For great is my name among the nations, says the LORD of hosts.

NAB, Malachi 1:11

Who knew that Malachi 1:11 was so popular? Not me, considering I never heard of it until I went to see where one of the new pieces of the liturgical translation might originate.

However, I inadvertently hit upon a favorite of the early Church Fathers and that leads us to ... Way of the Fathers, where else?

You'd think it would end there with Mike Aquilina's interesting observations, but no. He, in turn, influenced biblicalia who is now busy translating Malachi.

I'm almost afraid to see if the trail goes anywhere else ... eventually I'm not going to be able to keep up with all this high-level thinking! Do go check those blogs out though.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

We're on a First Name Basis 'Round Here

Specifically, Cathy Ward is asking do know your guardian angel's name?

Why yes. Yes, I do. Though I don't think I'll be broadcasting his name.

In fact, I believe may even have met him once.

Go give Cathy the scoop on angel names.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Like sands through the hourglass ... so are the Days of Our Lives

PHASE ONE

Joey: Look, there's nothing I can do for him right now, he's still in his sweat pants, that's still Phase One. Y'know? I'll be back for Phase Two, I would never miss Phase Two.
Monica: What's Phase Two?
Joey: Gettin' drunk and going to a strip club.

Without delving into painful details let it just suffice to say that Hannah was thrust into Phase One about a week ago. Seeking to provide distraction, the rest of us were struck by the realization that it is quite difficult to find a movie that doesn't contain some sort of love story. They do exist but they are few and far between. For our own convenience we made a list of "safe" movies in the house:

• Hunt for Red October
• Ghostbusters*
• Cowboy Bebop
• Men in Black*
• School of Rock
• Aliens
• Indiana Jones (Rose was quite annoyed that Hannah and Boyfriend had just watched the first movie a couple of days before the break-up ... "now we can't even watch The Last Crusade," she lamented.)
  
• Galaxy Quest*
• Toy Story*
• Monsters Inc.*
• Apollo 13
• The Incredibles
• Iron Giant
* The token romance was deemed comic enough not to count.

I know there are others but the staggering amount of stories with love at the center really surprised me (yes, I'm slow). Even when the romance is so slight it is hardly worth noting (just take a gander at all those asterisks in the list) it is still included. Talk about evidence that we are programmed to find the ultimate love (and yes for me it always comes back to God ... so sue me).

PHASE TWO

God gives us a heart, a human heart like Christ's. I don't have one heart for loving God and another for loving people. I love Christ and the Father and the Holy Spirit and Our Lady with the same heart with which I love my parents and my friends. I shall never tire of repeating this. We must be very human, for otherwise we cannot be divine.

Human love, the love we experience on earth when it is really genuine, helps us to savor divine love. That is how we grasp the love by which we rejoice in God and which we will share in heaven when the Lord is "everything to everyone." If we begin to understand God's love, we will feel impelled to become increasingly more compassionate, more generous, more dedicated.

We must give what we receive, we must teach what we learn. Very simply, without any kind of conceit, we must help others to share in the knowledge of God's love.

St. Josemaria Escriva

I saw this vividly displayed in Hannah's friends' generous behavior. These kids have got heart y'all! They rallied round to distract her, support her, and keep her too busy to dwell on her problems too often. Just when she'd be sinking very low, one of them would be on the phone or at the door with another plan of action ... a movie, a cd made just for her, swing dancing lessons, going shopping, whatever it took. I was so grateful that she had such good friends who obviously cared so much. (Because, let's face it, nothing her family could do was going to have the same effect.)

SECOND VERSE SAME AS THE FIRST...
We're back where we started before Phase I thanks to Boyfriend seeing what a fool he'd been and contritely coming back. Smart boy that he is he seems rather afraid of us right now but he needn't worry. We knew he wasn't malicious, just clueless.

However, the mark has been left on our family because we're still asking that question as we watch movies, "Is it safe?"

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Mind's Eye Moment: Transformation from Geography to Time

From age to age you gather a people to yourself, so that from east to west a perfect offering may be made to the glory of your name...

Becomes in the new translation:

…you never cease to gather a people to yourself, so that from the rising of the sun to its setting a pure oblation may be offered to your name”

In Mass this week I noticed a few of spots that will be changed when the new liturgical translation is used. One was the above quoted "east to west" line.

I suddenly thought of "from the rising of the sun to its setting." In my mind's eye I could suddenly see the Earth as a globe, slowly turning with continents coming under the sun's glow and fading away as they went into night. It turned that prayer for a moment into the eternal Church, praising God around the globe without ceasing.

It was a beautiful image and one that I hope will be merely the first of many when we actually begin using the new translation.

For from the rising of the sun, even to its setting, my name is great among the nations; And everywhere they bring sacrifice to my name, and a pure offering; For great is my name among the nations, says the LORD of hosts.

NAB, Malachi 1:11

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Father's Day Movie List

On Father's Day, let Dad have a movie he can really enjoy. Nehring the Edge has a nice little selection to choose from. What will the dad in your household choose? The Great Escape or The Magnificent Seven? The Shining or The Fugitive? Dirty Harry or The Dirty Dozen?

I have a feeling at our house it will be a choice between two that I don't see on that list but that are among Tom's favorites ... Apollo 13 or Hunt for Red October.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Corpus Christi

Last year's Corpus Christi procession in Rome. From The Commonplace Book of Zadok the Roman

SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST

This Solemnity goes back to the thirteenth century. It was first established in the diocese of Liége, and Pope Urban IV instituted it in 1264 for the whole Church. The meaning of this feast is the consideration of and devotion to the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. The center of the feast was to be, as Pope Urban IV described it, a popular devotion reflected in hymns and joy. In the same year Saint Thomas Aquinas, at the Pope's request, composed for this day two Offices which have nourished the piety of many Christians throughout the centuries. In many different places the procession with the Monstrance through specially bedecked streets gives testimony of the Christian people's faith and love for Christ, who once again passes through our cities and towns. The procession began in the same way as the feast itself.

In places where the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood is not observed as a holy day of obligation, it is kept on the Sunday after the Most Holy Trinity as its proper day.

For many years God fed manna to the people of Israel as they wandered in the wilderness. This was an image and symbol of the pilgrim church and of each individual who journeys towards his or her definitive homeland -- Heaven. That food given in the desert of Sinai is a figure of the true food, the Holy Eucharist. This is the sacrament of the human pilgrimage ... Precisely because of this, the annual feast of the Eucharist that the Church celebrates today contains within its liturgy so many references to the pilgrimage of the people of the Covenant in their wanderings through the wilderness (John Paul II)....

Today is a day of thanksgiving and of joy because God has wanted to remain with us in order to feed us and to strengthen us, so that we many never feel alone. The Holy Eucharist is the viaticum, the food for the long journey of our days on Earth towards the goal of true Life. Jesus accompanies us and strengthens us here in this world, where our life is like a shadow compared to the reality that awaits us. Earthly food is a pale image of the food we receive in Holy Communion. The Holy Eucharist opens up our hearts to a completely new reality.

In Conversation With God Vol 6
Daily Meditations, Special Feasts: January - June

Some excellent historical information can be found at The Way of the Father about this feast and about the reality for the Church from the beginning.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

I'm Finally Ready to Tackle Those Socks!

I have my yarn. Yes, it's for striped socks because I'm nothing if not foolhardy in taking up a challenging activity.

I have my new double pointed knitting needles.

And I have my wonderful step-by-step Knitting Socks Online Class all printed out and ready to follow.

Much thanks to Julie for sending me the link. Not only am I using this but I'm posting it specifically for two ladies in the yarn store who want to get started on socks too ... ladies, if you don't like the lessons go tell Julie all about it!

Now, here's my next question. I also want to knit an afghan for Hannah to have when she begins A&M (if I knit at my usual pace she'll have it just in time to graduate). However, no one has any maroon yarn. Lots of purples, lots of reds, but no maroons. Any tips? Of course, I may just wind up making one for Rose. Bishop Lynch colors are always in stock ... black and white.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Happy Birthday Ma Beck!

Source

Go wish Cathy a happy birthday!

Back to Basics: Justice

Continuing that examination of the cardinal virtues.

Justice is the virtue that seeks to promote fair play. It's the desire and resolve to give each person his due. It demands that you reward goodness and punish evil. Justice can be one of three different types: commutative. Distributive, and social.

Commutative justice concerns the relationship between equals -- between two people, such as a customer and a merchant. [This involves fair prices and honesty about merchandise, not cheating the merchant, and restitution in case of theft of damage to property.]

Distributive justice involves the relationship between one and many -- between an individual and a group. This kind of justice is most obvious in the relationship between a citizen and his or her government [such as charging fair taxes or knowing where one's taxes go].

Social justice concerns the relationship of both individuals and groups between one another and everyone. The bottom line is the common good -- the public welfare of all. Social justice is concerned with the environment, the economy, private property, civil rights and church-state relations.

Catholicism For Dummies by John Trigilio

Recommended reading: Back to Virtue by Peter Kreeft. He examines the virtues in depth and also looks specific virtues and Beatitudes as antidotes to each of the seven deadly sins. Not a new concept but one that he writes about superbly (as always).

Next up: Temperance.

UPDATE
Once again Father Stephanos has words of wisdom that round out our contemplation of this subject.

Sometimes people set up a false dichotomy between justice and charity. Read the following.

----
Catechism of the Catholic Church
1807 Justice is the moral virtue that consists in the constant and firm will to give their due to God and neighbor. Justice toward God is called the "virtue of religion." Justice toward men disposes one to respect the rights of each and to establish in human relationships the harmony that promotes equity with regard to persons and to the common good. The just man, often mentioned in the Sacred Scriptures, is distinguished by habitual right thinking and the uprightness of his conduct toward his neighbor. "You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor." "Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven."
----

Justice makes charity a duty, not an option. Charity serves the glory of God and the authentic good (not necessarily convenience) of my neighbor. Justice is, in the words of the CCC above, "the constant and firm WILL to give" glory to God and to do what is authentically good for my neighbor. It is justice that receives charity as an OBLIGATION. As Jesus put it:
"I give you a new COMMANDMENT-- love another as I have loved you."

When we behave without justice, charity is already dead.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Back to Basics: Prudence

Examining the cardinal virtues a little more in-depth.

Prudence is basically practical common sense. It's saying or doing the proper thing, at the proper time, and in the appropriate manner. It's also the ability to know and judge whether to say something or do nothing at all...

Prudence takes time and practice, In the olden days, when good manners were more important than income, portfolio, or net worth, noblemen and peasants alike strove to show respect for their fellow man through the practice of prudent speech. Today, manners come in two extremes: The politically correct fear of offending anyone and saying nothing controversial -- even when someone is in danger, and alternatively, the shock-jocks who bluntly bludgeon you over the head with the raw, unadulterated truth, hoping to hurt your feelings and get a violent reaction rather than help you. Prudence, on the other hand, is in the middle of the two extremes. Prudent people speak the truth when needed and appropriate and in a way that doesn't offend, but they never lose their force and conviction.

Acting prudently requires mature deliberation [thinking carefully before acting or not acting], wise choice [determining which option is feasible and appropriate], and the right execution [swiftly and thoroughly follow through without procrastination and haste].

Catholicism For Dummies by John Trigilio

Recommended reading: Back to Virtue by Peter Kreeft. He examines the virtues in depth and also looks specific virtues and Beatitudes as antidotes to each of the seven deadly sins. Not a new concept but one that he writes about superbly (as always).

Father Stephanos adds:

Of those for "hinge" or "pivotal" virtues, the one that is the "coordinator" of all other virtues is the virtue of prudence.

Prudence even governs our exercise of charity.

CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH:
1806 Prudence is the virtue that disposes practical reason to discern our true good in every circumstance and to choose the right means of achieving it; "the prudent man looks where he is going." "Keep sane and sober for your prayers." Prudence is "right reason in action," writes St. Thomas Aquinas, following Aristotle. It is not to be confused with timidity or fear, nor with duplicity or dissimulation. It is called "auriga virtutum" (the charioteer of the virtues); it guides the other virtues by setting rule and measure. It is prudence that immediately guides the judgment of conscience. The prudent man determines and directs his conduct in accordance with this judgment. With the help of this virtue we apply moral principles to particular cases without error and overcome doubts about the good to achieve and the evil to avoid.

Good stuff, eh?

Next up: Justice.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Start Spreading the Word ...

The buzz is all over St. Blog's but for those who actually come here for their Catholic news (which would be my husband) ...

The new translation of the Mass has been approved with an overwhelming vote of 173-29! Woohoo!

Want to know what that means? Here are some links.

• The language lover's speech that swayed the naysayers among the bishops.
• Dom Bettinelli's commentary on the changes as well as his excellent cautionary example of what happens when self-appointed experts jump to conclusions.
• An interview with Bishop Trautman, chairman of the conference's Committee on Liturgy.

  It will take time for the Vatican to evaluate and, presumably, approve the text. Because translations of other prayers are still under way, it will be at least two years before parishioners experience these changes, he said.

  Via Whispers in the Loggia.
• American Papist (my linky-soul mate) has plenty of other links to reactions and commentary.
• On the lighter side, Ironic Catholic shows the results of following the new liturgy literally. Too, too funny!
  

The vote was 184-8 for the adaptations for use in the United States. I'll be curious to see that list when it is released.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

For Language Lovers Everywhere

Here is a link to the full text of the address to the bishops made by Bishop Arthur Roche of Leeds, chairman of the Vatican group which composed the Mass translation that will be voted on later.

His discussion of language, the varieties of English heard round the world and round our country, as well as examples of the liturgical richness and fullness that would made available through this new translation literally thrilled me. It goes hand in hand with some of the richness and depth that we are being exposed to in the weekly Bible study taught by our priest. Seeing the connections between Old and New Testament effected simply by use of language and imagery is a new way to understand Scripture. This example by Bishop Roche spoke to me particularly.

Another example is found in the Fourth Eucharistic Prayer in the phrase the fruit of the vine in the Institution Narrative. Currently we say he took the cup filled with wine, as you know, and some argue that the fruit of the vine means the same as the single word wine, and that the simpler expression should be preferred. But we hear the words the fruit of the vine on the lips of the Lord himself in all three synoptic Gospels – which I would consider as being more than enough reason to respect their form. Moreover, though the two expressions refer to the same substance, they do so in an entirely different way. The difference between the single word and the richer phrase is the difference between reading the label on the bottle and actually enjoying a glass-full of the wine itself. Furthermore this phrase has a powerful salvific resonance because of the symbolic value accorded to the vine plant and the vineyard in scripture, as recalled by Jesus’ elaboration in John 15 of the image of Himself as the true vine, His Father as the vinedresser, and ourselves as the branches. This picks up on an even earlier usage in Isaiah 5 – the famous “Song of the Vineyard” - and the Lord’s lament at the degeneracy of his once choice vine in Jeremiah 2. Of course, the word wine connects with this scriptural patrimony, but it does so less evidently, less directly than does the phrase fruit of the vine which, upon each hearing, encourages us in our imaginations to see the particular Eucharistic event as part of the unfolding of God’s universal plan within history to rescue us from the destruction and chaos occasioned by our sinfulness and bring us into communion with Himself and with each other in Christ.

Do read the entire thing. Via Whispers in the Loggia.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

It's That Time Again ... American Bishops Meet

The Spring Meeting of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops began this morning.

It is of special interest this year for liturgical reasons this year. The bishops will be voting on a new translation that has been in the works for some time and should bring the order of the Mass back to mirroring the Roman missal. You can read more about those revisions here.

For those who want up-to-the-minute reports, Rocco at Whispers in the Loggia is all over this. Other than the liturgical revisions decision I am fairly disinterested in this meeting, however, as I see things coming up I'll direct you to them.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

A Double Shot: Media Bias

Here's an interesting contrast ... media bias shown quite clearly as practiced two very different ways in two very different cultures:

SAUDI ARABIA
Very old-syle with scissors, black markers and the works.

AMERICAN NEWS MEDIA
Bias by careful word selection as prescribed in the AP style manual.

It seems pretty obvious that the way the news media does it is by far worse than that described in Saudi Arabia. It is much easier to fight what you can see especially when the clumsy tools used are in themselves reminders of what is being censored. Subtle rewording, as demonstrated in the AP example, can be virtually invisible and do far greater damage.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Gettin' Jiggy With It

We just happened to be watching The Tonight Show when Jay Leno mentioned that the pope has an iPod and then went on to show the newest "ad." Too, too funny...who knew B-16 had that kinda footwork?

You can check it out on YouTube now . Via Jimmy Akin.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Preparing for the After-Life

When I am about to die, I take leave of all from which I must part. I take leave of Holy Church. I thank God I was called to be a Christian and have found real Christian belief. If I were to remain longer here, I would try to help Holy Church, which has many sins.

I take leave of all poor souls now in purgatory. If I were to remain here longer, I would gladly help expiate their sins. I thank God they will find mercy.

I take leave of all those in hell and thank God that he exercises his righteousness on them. If I were to remain here longer, I would wish them well.

I take leave of all penitents working out their penance. I thank God I am one of them. If I were to remain here longer, I would always love them.

I take leave of all my enemies. I thank God that they have not conquered me. If I were to remain here longer, I would lay myself under their feet.

I take leave of all earthly things. I am sorrowful before God that I never used them according to his holy ordinances.

I take leave of all my dear friends. I thank God and them that they have been my help in need. If I were to remain here longer, I should always be ashamed of the lack of virtue they must have seen in me.

I take leave of all my wickedness. I am sorrowful before God that I have so greatly spoiled his holy gift to my soul, so that no sin is ever so small that it could be hidden in heaven. Even though the sin was paid for, the stain remains. I am sorrowful for you, Lord Jesus, for you bear the shame of my sin.

I take leave of my suffering body. I thank God he has preserved me in many things from many sins. Even if I were to remain here longer, the sins of the body are so numerous that I could never be free of them.

Mechthild of Madgeburg, d. 1282
(She was a Beguine and later a nun in Helfta, Germany)
Magnificat June 2006

Just reading this is humbling. I'd like to have it read at my funeral but will have to do much personal improving to live up to it first.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

There Once Was a Man From Nantucket

The winners are up from Ironic Cathoic's haiku contest (so sue me, I like limericks better). Also, don't miss his "I just like them" winners (so much better than saying "runners up" isn't it?).

I am not the poetry writing sort but in honor of the occasion I will now post for your enjoyment one of my favorite evocative haikus by my favorite living poet, Monkey.

folding tiny crane
papercuts can cause much pain
i must take more care.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Monty Python, King Arthur, Indiana Jones, and the Da Vinci Code

What is the common element?

An obsession with the Holy Grail. Honestly I never would have made that connection or realized how ingrained the whole concept of the grail is in our culture if I wasn't reading Grail Code.

The subject seems daunting. Who really wants to read an entire book about the Holy Grail? Not me. How about a book looking for King Arthur? Hmmm, that's a bit more interesting but still no sale. At least, that is, until I was shown that we really are not merely talking about the grail or King Arthur but a much bigger story, something divine really.

If there was a real Holy Grail -- a cup venerated by the early Christians as the cup used at the Last Supper -- then it would eventually have become so encrusted with jewels and precious metals from the far corners of the earth that the original object would be hard to recognize. The cup would have been unchanged in essence but surrounded by a superstructure of ornamentation designed to draw attention to the beauty of its holiness.

All this is simply speculation. In spite of the strong claims about some relics in various parts of Europe, we really have no idea what became of the cup that Jesus used. Whether or not the object still exists, the veneration and ornamentation that might have happened to the Holy Grail is exactly what did happen to the story of the Holy Grail. One generation after another added jewels from all kinds of unlikely sources until the thing seemed to have a completely different shape. But the essence -- the original meaning of the Eucharist -- was unchanged. The added layers of ornament only expressed centuries of veneration for the truth of the Eucharist...

Interesting concept isn't it? Certainly it is one that never occurred to me but is fascinating in the implications. Just to make sure I don't lose the trail, the authors then go onto King Arthur and work the same magic ... making connections I didn't know existed.

It's a lot of fun to chase bits of historical evidence hither and yon, and to pounce on them when they seem to support our favorite theory. But to us, the historical truth about King Arthur is almost irrelevant. What's much more important is what people have believed about King Arthur for most of the last millennium and a half.

The story of King Arthur is the story of the creation of a terrestrial paradise -- a paradise that was destroyed by sin. It is also a story of longed-for redemption, the hope that some miracle could restore the perfect world that sin destroyed.

Wow! I'm just at the beginning of this book but can assure you that it is neither boring nor difficult to read. I'm sure more excerpts will follow as I follow the interesting historical trail the authors have laid out for us in this book.

For a sample of the authors' writing, check out their blogs.

Mike Aquilina shows how the Church fathers mean something to us today at Way of the Fathers as he writes about archaeological findings, how the Church fathers dealt with teenagers, whether Church fathers used Mac or PC (duh, gotta be Mac, right?), and more.

Christopher Bailey writes at Grail Code about the search for King Arthur, Merlin, and (most interestingly to me and to anyone who has had to argue against the "facts" in Da Vinci Code), shows exactly how easy it is to create verifiable but false "historical facts".

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Solemnity of The Blessed Trinity

El Greco. The Holy Trinity. 1577.

Today the Church celebrates the feast of the Blessed Trinity. This, the ineffable mystery of God's intimate life, is the central truth of our faith an dthe source of all gifts and graces. The liturgy of the Mass invites us to loving union with each of the Three Divine Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This feast was established for the Latin Church by Pope John XXII, to be celebrated on the Sunday after the coming of the Holy Spirit, which is the last of the mysteries of our salvation. Today we can say many times, savouring it, the prayer: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit...

[St. Teresa] writes: Once when I was reciting the "Quicumque vult," I was shown so clearly how it was possible for there to be one God alone and three Persons that it caused me both amazement and much comfort. It was of the greatest help to me in teaching me to know more of the greatness of God and of his marvels. When I think of the most Holy Trinity, or hear it spoken of, I seem to understand how there can be such a mystery, and it is a great joy to me.

The whole of a Christian's supernatural life is directed towards this knowledge of and intimate conversation with the Trinity, who become eventually the fruit and the end of our whole life (St. Thomas). It is for this end that we have been created and raised to the supernatural order: to know, to talk to and to love God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, who dwell in the soul in grace.

In Conversation With God Vol 6
Special Feasts: January - June

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Animation Versus Animator

Don't miss this ... too, too clever!
Click "watch this movie" next to this symbol on the right side of the page
(please note that the site has some ads that may offend some people ... just click fast and you can move on).

Thanks to Tom for passing this on.

I'm Not So Interested in Cars ...

... though we definitely will be checking out the movie. Tom's been waiting for a year for it. However, I am interested in Paris, fine food, restaurants, and Brad Bird's brilliant humor. This is the Pixar movie I'm waiting for.

Scientific Concept of Beauty, Part III

Continued from yesterday.

Brilliance is the third element in science's view of the beautiful. Augros and Stanciu explain that "a theory with this quality has great clarity in itself and sheds light on many other things, suggesting new experiments. Newton, for example, astounded the world by explaining falling bodies, the tides and the motions of the planets and the comets with three simple laws." George Thomason adds that "in physics, as in mathematics, it is a great beauty if a theory can bring together apparently different phenomena and show that they are closely connected; or even different aspects of the same thing." This is exactly what Einstein did with his theory of general relativity, and it helps to explain his religious attitude toward the universe, and why he marveled at its comprehensibility, namely, that the human intellects can make sense of it and understand it.

Evidential Power Of Beauty by Thomas Dubay

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Forecast: Sunny

You Are Storm

Exotic and powerful, Storm descended from a line of African priestesses. Emotions can effect your powers, but you are generally serene. Powers: controlling weather, creating winds that lift you into flight, generating lightning

Which of the X-Men Are You?

Via Discernment Dilemma.

Mad Scientists, Diet Coke, and Mentos

Boys will be boys after all and it don't get much better than this!

Via Steven Riddle, who knows what I love to see!

Scientific Concept of Beauty, Part II

Continued from yesterday.

The second scientific element is harmony. Albert Einstein went so far as to assert that "without belief in the inner harmony of the world there could be no science." This harmony is a satisfying accordance and combination or differing elements making up a whole or found in a whole. There will likewise by symmetry as a solid scientific theory "will harmonize many previously unrelated facts." Werner Heisenberg adds that "the symmetry properties always constitute the most essential features of a theory." We obviously have here what philosophers have through the centuries called proportion: in actuality the two ways of speaking are identical. Science, like metaphysics, sees the universe saturated with beauty.

Evidential Power Of Beauty by Thomas Dubay

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Novena of Confidence to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

O Lord Jesus Christ, to your most Sacred Heart I confide this intention. Only look upon me, then do what your love inspires. Let your Sacred Heart decide. I count on you. I trust in you. I throw myself on your mercy. Lord Jesus, you will not fail me.

(Mention your request)

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in you.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I believe in your love for me.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, your kingdom come.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I have asked you for many favors, but I earnestly implore this one. Take it, place it in your open heart. When the Eternal Father looks upon it, he will see it covered with your Precious Blood. It will no longer be my prayer, but yours, Jesus. Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. Let me not be disappointed. Amen.

This is my very favorite novena. There is something about this especially, "When the Eternal Father looks upon it, he will see it covered with your Precious Blood. It will no longer be my prayer, but yours, Jesus" that is such a beautiful thought to me. I began it tonight for a special intention for a friend.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Blogger Status

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

This morning, a hardware problem we had been struggling with over the past several days suddenly worsened. As a result, and to stave off future downtime, we have had to take Blogger down for an extended period of time as we address the problem. We will continue to update this blog and the homepage with more information.

Update: We've brought up new hardware which has allowed us to restore the site. We try hard to avoid downtimes of this length and apologize for the inconvenience.

Blogger Status

I've got news for them ... inconvenient isn't the word and it ain't over yet. Let's see if this gets posted or disappears into the ether.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Scientific Concept of Beauty, Part I

... So we ask: What, according to our best scientific minds, are the traits of this omnipresent splendor in our universe? The most concise and clear answer to this question that I have seen occurs in the study by Robert Augros and George Stanciu, The New Story of Science. We can do no better than to summarize their thought and add a few of our own reflections.

For contemporary science the first trait of beauty is an elegant simplicity. In this context simplicity refers to an essential purity, a freedom from superfluities, useless accretions, and needless complications. Einstein's theory of gravitation possess this grace and proprietary, whereas competing theories do not, and thus "none of them are taken seriously." Astronomer Roger Penrose commented that "no rival theory comes close to general relativity in elegance or simplicity of assumption." For the scientist simplicity implies both completeness and economy: "It must take into account all the facts and must include only what is necessary. Nothing lacking, nothing superfluous." Notable in the field of mathematical physics, Henri Poincare commented that "it is because simplicity and vastness are both beautiful that we seek by preference simple facts and vast facts." We notice in this requirement for valid scientific discoveries, namely that they be elegantly simple and yet vast, the classical philosophical traits of the beautiful: unity and wholeness.

Evidential Power Of Beauty by Thomas Dubay

I came to this book with a great deal of trepidation, knowing Dubay's reputation for high level theological thinking. I was surprised and pleased to find that I had inadvertently prepared myself, at least in part, to follow his train of thought by reading two very different books.

The first was Aristotle for Everybody by Mortimer J. Adler. Although presented in their own beautiful simplicity in mentally "bite-sized" chapters this book was a challenge for me. However, I retained enough that when Dubay began talking about various philosophical concepts, especially that of "form," I was able to follow with relative ease.

The second was The Case for a Creator by Lee Strobel which I reviewed for Spero News. Whether one agrees or not with the beliefs of the scientists interviewed for that book, one can't help but come away with a certain understanding of how they see and define beauty within the discipline of science. Again, I didn't realize that I had absorbed something of that understanding until I encountered it in the pages of this book but it did smooth the way for me somewhat.

I am still working my way through this and may hit the really difficult concepts later on. Also, I don't wish to give the impression that you must have a lot of preparation to even begin reading this book. It is merely interesting to me that I recognized these concepts as building blocks learned from previous reading.

You can go on to Part II here.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Having Christ as Our Cornerstone

A Christian, who will have built his life upon the cornerstone who is Christ, has his own personality, his own way of seeing the world and its happenings. He has a scale of values very different from that of the pagan, who does not live by faith and who has a purely worldly conception of things. A weak and lukewarm Christian faith, however, which exerts very little influence on ordinary life, can provoke in some people that kind of inferiority complex which manifests itself in an immoderate desire to "humanize" Christianity, to "popularize" the Church, to make it somehow seem to conform to the value-judgments prevalent in the world at a given time (J. Orlandis).

That is why, as well as being immersed in our secular activities, as Christians we need to be immersed in God, through prayer, the sacraments and the sanctification of our daily work. We need to be faithful disciples of Jesus in the middle of the world, in our ordinary everyday life, with all the constant effort and hard decisions this entails. In this way we will be able to put into practice the advice Saint Paul gave to the first Christians in Rome when he alerted them to the risks of accommodating themselves to the pagan customs of the day: Do not be conformed to this world (Rom 12:2). Sometimes this refusal to conform will lead us to row against the current and run the risk of being misunderstood by many of our contemporaries. The Christian must not forget that he is leaven (Matt 13:33) hidden in the lump of dough that has to be fermented by him...

Jesus of Nazareth continues to be the cornerstone of every man's life. Any building constructed without Christ is raised in vain. Let us think as we finish our prayer, whether the Faith we profess is coming to bear more and more influence on our existence, on the way we view the world and mankind, and on the way we behave.

In Conversation With God Vol 3

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

The Mark of the Beast ... 616

Rose filled us in on this recently, thanks to her thorough theology teacher. However, rather than write it all, I will rely on Rick Lugari's post, via Jay Anderson. Suffice it to say that whatever it is the numerology signified Nero and I think we're way past worrying about him.

However, if you really want to get into the spirit of the day, check out these surprising facts about 666. Here are my favorites:

6. The world did end on June 6, 2006, but on that date according to the Julian calendar. So, like 10 days ago. Didn't you notice? There were dragons and fire and everything.

10. If you call the telephone number 666-666-6666, you get Satan's house. His Infernal Majesty becomes particularly irate when contacted by telemarketers during the dinner hour.

11. Speculation that the "mark of the Beast" will take the form of bar codes or computer chips is incorrect. The mark of the Beast is actually conferred by Livestrong bracelets.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Happy Catholic in Your Ears at TWICC

Father Roderick, that priest who must never sleep because he is always podcasting, has a group venture launched ... TWICC: This Week in the Catholic Church. It has an interesting combination of folks including Greg and Jennifer from the Rosary Army Podcast; George Leite from Catholic Rockers and Fr. Bill Holtzinger from St. Anthony’s podcast.

Also, I contributed my first attempt at truly "talking" the talk, a variation of my Surprised by Jesuits post. So if you want to hear what I sound like just hop over and download it or listen on your computer.

Thanks to Father Roderick for this idea. It was really interesting to try the podcasting. For one thing, Tom proved you can podcast using Garage Band and the free podcasting kit that comes with it. It isn't many people who can boast their own techie to edit out the worst of the barking dogs ...

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Recognizing Truth

Error is often presented decked out in the noble garments of art, science or freedom ... But faith has to be, indeed is, stronger than error. It is the powerful light that enables us to see, lurking behind what appears to be good, the evil that lies hidden beneath the surface of an otherwise good literary work, of a beauty that conceals ugliness. It is Christ who must be the cornerstone of every building.

Let us ask Our Lord for his grace so that we may live in a way totally compatible and utterly coherent with our Christian faith. In this way we will never think of our faith as a limiting factor -- I can't do this, I can't go there. Rather it will be a light that enables us to recognize the reality of things and events, without ever forgetting that the devil will try to make an ally of human ignorance, (which cannot see the complete reality contained in this ordinary work or in that doctrine) and of the pride and concupiscence that all of us drag along behind us. Christ is the crucible that assays the gold there is in all human things. Anything that does not stand up to the testing clarity of his teaching is a lie and deceptive, even though it may be adorned with the appearance of some attractive good or perfection.

In Conversation With God Vol 3

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Tender, Loving Care ... This Doesn't Sound Right

Especially when I read that quote (gag me). However, when I read the actual description ... well, I think it might be me after all. Especially in the routine, routine, routine part.

Your type is:
isfj —The “Tender Loving Care” Mother

“I want my children to feel they have an ally, someone who knows them completely. I want to be a haven for them.”

• Gentle and kind, the ISFJ mother provides her children with generous amounts of tenderness, affection, and the comfort of daily routine. Her aim is to “be there” for her children, physically and emotionally. She is sensitive to their feelings, offering closeness, understanding, and quiet support.


• Loyal and devoted, the ISFJ mother has a strong sense of duty and consistently puts her children’s needs first. She delights in taking care of the little things that matter to a child, making each one feel loved and special.


• To provide her family with security and warmth, the ISFJ mother tends to the practical and domestic, aiming for a smooth-running household and an attractive home. She also observes and conveys the value and importance of family traditions.

Find your mothering style.

Via that "love of learning mother," a.k.a. Mrs. Darwin.

Rose Thought Her Heart Was Going to Stop ...

... last week when they had some extra time in theology and she happened to walk by her teacher's desk where she was reading a ... blog. As Rose whispered to her friend, it was the worst sight possible. Her teacher was reading Happy Catholic! Oh, the horror, the embarrassment!

Luckily, I was able to put her fears to rest by saying that I'd sent the school an email complimenting that teacher and so copied her on it. Whew! She had only followed the link in the email and wasn't reading it independently.

Although I was stoked by the fact that the teacher actually could see the blog at school. Usually it is blocked as all blogs are to keep questionable materials away from young minds. Maybe I've written so many nice emails they unblocked it?

Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin

El Greco. Visitation. c. 1607-1614.

From the moment when Mary conceived the Son of God, filled with the Holy Spirit, wherever she went, there is also the presence of Jesus and the Spirit. Just look at what Elizabeth immediately experienced as soon as her very young cousin set foot in her house and greeted her. I have no idea of the timbre of Mary's voice, but I know well the efficacy of her presence. And this is not the only first for Elizabeth who has had many others: she is the first who, in the presence of Mary, is filled with the Holy Spirit; she is the first to exalt Mary on account of her maternity: "Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb!"; she is the first to recognize in Mary the Mother of God, calling her "the mother of my Lord"; she is the first to announce an evangelical beatitude: "Blessed is she who has believed."...

About Mary - She is the true and enduring Ark of the Covenant, that is, the dwelling place of God; actually she is more, because it is she from whom god assumed our human nature to live in our midst as our brother. To welcome Mary is the way to receive Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The first beatitude of the Gospel, "Blessed is she who has believed" is the beatitude of faith; to it corresponds well the last beatitude proclaimed by the risen Christ to Thomas: "Because you have seen and yet believed!" (Jn 20:29). Mary is the model of those who believe without having first seen.

About us - Perhaps we have not yet understood who Mary is; the various firsts of Elizabeth are our help and guide. To delude ourselves into thinking we can have Jesus and the Holy Spirit without going through Mary is not in conformity with the way established by God. Faith, not sensibility, tells us that salvation begins by welcoming Mary.

Father Gabriele Amorth, via Magnificat magazine. Father Amorth is the Chief Exorcist of Rome, Italy, and the author of four books about the Blessed Virgin Mary.

I love thinking about this because it is just the way that my friends and I are with each other. Rushing to each other to share joys and sorrows. It is a very "womanly" thing to do and not only does it exemplify all the things in the above excerpt but it shows Mary's and Elizabeth's humanity to me when they rejoice for each other's good fortune in being blessed by God.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Lost Podcast Scoop

A few things from listening to the producers on the finale wrap-up podcast.

• They weren't sure if it came across but it was supposed to be clear that when the magnetic surge was allowed to happen was the only time that the island was visible. Interesting eh?
• They also have been lobbying to remove reruns during the season and show the episodes in blocks. Beginning next September the show will run 6 episodes which will run until the beginning of November and end in a mini-cliffhanger. Then they will go off the air for about twelve weeks and come back in February. After they come back the show will be on straight through with 17 straight episodes to the finale with no repeats.
• For those of us who missed the monster in the last part of the show (and I know that I was one of those people) they give us the enigmatic statement, "There's a good chance that you guys saw the monster this year but just didn't realize that you were looking at the monster...by the end of next year you will realize what that means."
• A fundamental rule on Lost is that they don't introduce anything until they know how it will resolve. (So much for the theories that they are seeing what their fans say and writing the show based on feedback.)

The Power of Advertising

Lest anyone doubt it, consider the reaction of one of Rose's friends upon hearing that Hannah and Rose landed jobs at Target. "Cool! I wish I had a job somewhere great like that!"

Rose was dumbfounded. "Debbie works at an amusement park and gets to go on the rides free after each shift. Now that is a great job!"

Thanks to their truly inspired ad campaign, Target is the "in" place for Hannah's friends to shop. Tom and I admire that campaign. It is endlessly inventive and somehow they manage to keep changing the styles while retaining the overall feel so that it is instantly identifiable. Obviously it is doing a good job at changing public perception. Too bad for Hannah and Rose that we have been teaching them to see through ads since they were tiny ... they know Target is simply a discount store.

I wonder if Debbie would think the mandatory drug test within 24 hours of getting the job was glamorous also. The time limit meant that Tom had to hustle Rose down there promptly when they opened this morning so that she could make it to her last finals this morning on time. An interesting way to end the school year if nothing else ...

Of Knitting and Kings

On January 30, 1649, King Charles I thought so highly of a particular knitted bodice that he wore it to the scaffold on the day of his public execution so that it might be recorded for posterity in the inevitable paintings of the event. London was covered in about six inches of snow on that day, and the king was anxious to keep warm so that he would not shiver in the cold and be thought a coward.

Knit Bits: 2006 day to Day Calendar

Surprised by Jesuits

MY LIFE WITH THE SAINTS
by James Martin, SJ

An elderly Jesuit who had spent many years in "the missions" smiled slyly when I mentioned the last rationale.

"You know," he said, "part of coming to know the international Society is discovering that Jesuits from other countries can be just as much of a pain in the ass as the American ones!"

In my six years as a Catholic I have heard one consistent thing about the Jesuits which is accurately echoed by the excerpt above. They always seemed to be the progressive trouble makers in any story, unless there was a stalwart traditional Catholic Jesuit in which case he was the target of the other trouble making Jesuits. More often than not when I had personal encounters and arguments spirited discussions about Catholic doctrine with other much more progressive people they would cite being taught by Jesuits to "question everything" as their authority. I found this just plain annoying when I had struggled my way through many questions of my own to get precisely to the traditional Catholicism that they had been handed on a platter and seemed to be spurning. None of this added up to making me very open to the way that Jesuits practiced the Faith.

Of course, the Jesuits did have those aforementioned stalwart traditionals that I could admire. They had staunch supporter Karen Hall who I have admired for some time so I felt I could trust her judgment. I even have come across blogging Jesuits who seemed like pretty good guys. However, this really did not sway my overall judgment of cautious observation and keeping an arms length from anyone who seemed too swayed by this group with dangerous tendencies.

Then I began reading this book and it literally and seemingly effortlessly brought me back to a place with God that I had been floundering trying to reach on my own.

In a way my floundering was brought on by too much information. Reading around St. Blog's one will see various devotions to different orders and their own individualized sorts of prayer and living. These would be written about with such affection that it seemed only natural to give them a try. After some time I discovered that none of these served me very well. Not only that, but somehow I had forgotten how to pray in the way that I used to when it was so effortless and fruitful. Thus began a period of that "floundering," of trying to remember what it was that I used to do to see God in everything and to pray without worrying about the mechanics.

Worse still was the fact that without any motivation I really was caring less and less if I prayed at all. Oh, I knew that was the way back to God and that personal relationship that I should be trying to nurture. However, with so many other things to attract my attention, not least of all this blog, it grew harder and harder to carve out that private, personal time. Added to this was the fact that, once I had accepted God's existence, I always had seen evidence of Him reaching out to me through all the encounters of my day and the things in my life. However, I had read several cautions about this sort of faith and trusting too much to our imaginations and so had been pulling back from that also. In short, I didn't know what to think or how to connect any more.

Then, one of my very best friends generously surprised me with some books from my Amazon wish list and included My Life with the Saints. (If you're not reading her blog then you're missing some of the most sincere and insightful writing around.)

The initial interest that made me include this book on my wish list had waned and honestly I began reading it mostly because the other book she sent was a much more challenging looking read. However, I soon became caught up in Martin's excellent story telling. He wove the saints' stories around his own progress through answering a call to the priesthood and the personal challenges it entailed. I will vouch for his skill in communicating enthusiasm by telling you that I actually wrote one of Thomas Merton's books on my "to read" list after reading the chapter about Merton's life. I have always thought Merton was quite a whiner and this was the first account that made me interested in trying one of his books beside The Seven Storey Mountain which I loathed. (Please don't tell me all the reasons I am wrong about Merton ... I honestly believe that he has a lot of value for all his devotees. We can't all like everyone and I venture to guess that there are saints I love who many would not like.)

Where the personal aspect in this book came in, however, was when Martin began writing about Ignatius of Loyola and explaining the precepts of Jesuit prayer and theology.

In an Ignatian contemplation we attempt to place ourselves in a particular scene, often from the Gospels. In the story of the Nativity, for example, Ignatius asks us to imagine ourselves with Mary and Joseph on their way to Bethlehem: "to see with the sight of the imagination the road from Nazareth to Bethlehem, considering the length and breadth, and whether the road is level or through valleys and hills; likewise looking at the place or the cave of the Nativity, how large, how small, how low, how high, and how it was prepared."

I don't know how to express what a sense of homecoming and joy I felt at reading this. It was how I had prayed from the beginning, imagining how the dew on the grass felt when Mary arose from traveling overnight on the caravan to Elizabeth's, how the sunshine would have hit both of them warmly as they embraced at the Visitation. This was right. This was me. It was cemented by Martin telling how he had been unable to get into using his imagination in this way.

"Isn't it all just in my head?" I asked. "Won't I just make the people in my fantasy do what I want them to do?"

"Not necessarily," he said.

I sat there, confused.

"Let me ask you something," David said. "Do you believe that God gave you your imagination?"

"Sure," I said.

"Don't you think that God could use your imaginations to draw you closer to him in prayer?"

Yes! And Amen!* Though in the back of my mind I was finding it tremendously ironic that the order whose spirituality seemed to speak to me most was one that I distrusted. But that is in line with my experience also. Not only do I know much less that I usually think but God often is making a joke out of it at the same time. Which came home again just a couple of pages later.

Theologians often describe Ignatian spirituality as "incarnational." In other words, while it recognizes the transcendence of God, it is also grounded in the real-life experiences of people living out their daily lives.

It is a spirituality that reminds us that God speaks to us through prayer -- but also through our emotions, our minds, and our bodies. God can communicate through sexual intimacy, romantic love, and friendship. God can be found in Scripture and in the sacraments. God can show his love through your sister, your coworker, your spouse, your next-door neighbor, a teacher, a priest, a stranger, or a homeless person. Finding God in all things. And all people.

And through prompting a loving friend to give a book that leads someone back to the path she has wandered far from when she has lost her way. Just the way I experienced this morning and have recognized since God began calling me to him. Gosh darn it ... I think I have a Jesuit soul. For all the reasons I mentioned above, that ain't easy to admit, y'all!

For the first time in I don't know how long I was actually excited about prayer. I couldn't wait to get back to my "mind's eye" realizations, through God speaking to me through Bible flips. Just in case, I didn't get the point, today's morning psalm in Magnificat was one that Third Day had made into one of my very favorite songs, one that is on practically every Godmix playlist I make.

To you, O Lord, I lift my soul
In you, O God, I place my trust
Do not let me be put to shame
Nor let my enemies triumph over me

My hope is you
Show me your ways
Guide me in Truth
In all my days
My hope is you

I am, O Lord, filled with your love
You are, O God, my salvation
Guard my life and rescue me
My broken spirit shouts
My mended heart cries out...

Topping it off, with this song ringing through my head, I turned to the reading from Hebrews which spoke both to my feelings and to this book about saints which brought me to that point. It was to me that final push to point out that I was back on track.

Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen. Because of it the ancients were well attested.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us 2 and persevere in running the race that lies before us.
Hebrews 11:1-2; 12:1

Of course, this is much more a personal testimony than a book review. I am not yet done but have had my eyes opened wide. Most likely that will not happen for most people reading this book. However, I can promise you a well told tale of Jim Martin's life and faith so far, always surrounded by that "cloud of witnesses" who watch, applaud, and help all of us on our way to our ultimate goal. You will find saints and people who are saintly but not yet accorded that spot on the calendar by the Church (such as Mother Teresa). You will find an inspirational story to help remind all of us that our searching is not in vain. If you are very, very lucky, you will find a nugget directed right at you that will help get you on track and turned in the direction you need to go.

*Updated
I occasionally have been surprised by my own imagination enough to realize that God uses it to get your attention. From the time that I was idly wondering whether I was making something up or whether a thought came from God and had, "YOU SHOULD KNOW MY VOICE BY NOW!" sternly thunder through my stunned mind ... to the time that I was imagining myself on the hillside listening to the Beatitudes when meditating on the Luminous Mysteries and was startled to suddenly see in my mind's eye Jesus looking over at me and saying, "Come little sister" and patting the ground next to him so that I would learn more about the Beatitudes that I found so boring and uninspiring. These are things that it never occurred to me to invent ...
Tags: Christianity

Memorial Day: All the Things I Never Knew

Today our nation celebrates Memorial Day. Originally called Decoration Day, the holiday started spontaneously in 1866, when a drugstore owner in Waterloo, N.Y., sought to honor those who died in the recent Civil War. Townspeople joined Henry Welles' cause to commemorate the fallen, and they decorated the graves with flowers, wreaths and crosses.Today our nation celebrates Memorial Day. Originally called Decoration Day, the holiday started spontaneously in 1866, when a drugstore owner in Waterloo, N.Y., sought to honor those who died in the recent Civil War. Townspeople joined Henry Welles' cause to commemorate the fallen, and they decorated the graves with flowers, wreaths and crosses.

In short order, others joined around the country and by 1868, according to the History Channel: "Children read poems and sang Civil War songs, and veterans came to school wearing their medals and uniforms ... Then the veterans marched through their hometowns followed by the townspeople to the cemetery." Soon enough, heroes from other wars were honored as well, and the day became Memorial Day.

Abraham Lincoln described our country, in his message to Congress in 1862, as the "last best hope of earth."
Dallas Morning News

Well, I never knew all that! Maybe I should have but better late than never eh?

If you want to look at a good way to connect this day to our faith, Way of the Fathers has just the ticket.

Here's a really touching post about the day from an American living in Saudi Arabia.