I've Never Been Into Pinup Calendars ...

... but I would make an exception for this one! Via American Papist.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

The 2006 Weblog Awards - Nominations Open

This has to be the most comprehensive blog awards ever ... just take a look at those categories. I found several very good blogs through the nominees' and winners' links last year so I'll let y'all know when they've sorted through everything and have the voting open.

I seem to remember that last year The Anchoress was nominated and also Flos Carmeli. And if not, well, they should have been!

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

My Signal Graces Today

I can't remember where I read about "signal graces" and now that I have gone looking around the internet I can't find a definition. As I understand it signal graces are sent by God to help us to make the right decisions in life. And my understanding is that they often appear in threes. I often think of them as those little markers to help keep us on the right path ... and I need three just to get my attention!

I've been so busy lately making hay while the sun shines on our little graphics farm that I haven't had the brain power to read anything but fluff. Now, I do try to make it good fluff, which is why I'm in the middle of Grace Will Lead Me Home, which is the third in Katherine Valentine's series of the Mitford gone Catholic books.

[Signal the first] This morning I was struck by one of the characters who began to pray about someone's car trouble, saying that there was no detail of life that God doesn't care about. Of course, I know this, but knowing and living something can be very different. I took it to heart, thinking of how tired and stressed I felt ... knowing that I can't be perfect but not wanting to take it out on those around me ... trying to live in the here-and-now instead of worrying about not making the deadline after Thanksgiving, about possibly having to work on Thanksgiving weekend when Hannah will be home for the first time since going to college ... and all that jazz.

Thinking back now, it strikes me that on the way to drop off Rose and the carpool gang at school I asked my guardian angel to give me some tips, give me a lift ... help me through the day.

As always, after they were dropped off, I turned on today's episode from pray-as-you-go. My mind kept drifting and I had to keep turning it back so I'd actually focus on the prayer instead of the long list of things that kept popping to the fore. I'm certainly glad I made the effort because [Signal the second] the final words told me to talk to Jesus, to tell Him whatever was on my mind, whatever was making me happy or worried. I suddenly thought of what I had read earlier and thought of all that work, stress, worry. So I told Him all those little details ... and asked for grace to live in the moment more. And then I moved on with my day.

Suddenly, my day was going better. An extra person had a lull and was able to help with some of the catching up ... I am not so tired now and the stress is gone ... not a small part of which I attribute to anybody who has seen my mention in the prayer request list and offered a prayer (which I so appreciate).

So I had a few minutes at lunch and was crusing a few blogs (man cannot live by work alone you know!) and [Signal the third] saw what Owen wrote.

... I can't tell you about the nature of it but know this, if you are needing a reminder that God cares for you in the smallest of details, please, let this be that reminder.

Eureka! That was the tap on the head that pulled it all together for me ... and I could see in my mind's eye the humorous smile that God was giving me with this one.

Once again I am so thankful for a God who cares about the smallest details and will go to such lengths just to get me to come to Him with my needs. Not to mention my guardian angel who is always with me and always looking upon God ... here to help us along.

Now ... I'm back to that hay field. This big project should be over in a couple more weeks ... I have numerous commentaries about books, tv, movies, etc. but they'll have to wait ...

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Poetry Thursday

We pause in the weekly presentation of Rose's poetry to present one of her very favorite poems by another author.

The Female of the Species
By Rudyard Kipling

WHEN the Himalayan peasant meets the he-bear in his pride,
He shouts to scare the monster, who will often turn aside.
But the she-bear thus accosted rends the peasant tooth and nail.
For the female of the species is more deadly than the male.

When Nag the basking cobra hears the careless foot of man,
He will sometimes wriggle sideways and avoid it if he can.
But his mate makes no such motion where she camps beside the trail.
For the female of the species is more deadly than the male.

When the early Jesuit fathers preached to Hurons and Choctaws,
They prayed to be delivered from the vengeance of the squaws.
'Twas the women, not the warriors, turned those stark enthusiasts pale.
For the female of the species is more deadly than the male.

Man's timid heart is bursting with the things he must not say,
For the Woman that God gave him isn't his to give away;
But when hunter meets with husbands, each confirms the other's tale—
The female of the species is more deadly than the male.

Man, a bear in most relations—worm and savage otherwise,—
Man propounds negotiations, Man accepts the compromise.
Very rarely will he squarely push the logic of a fact
To its ultimate conclusion in unmitigated act.

Fear, or foolishness, impels him, ere he lay the wicked low,
To concede some form of trial even to his fiercest foe.
Mirth obscene diverts his anger—Doubt and Pity oft perplex
Him in dealing with an issue—to the scandal of The Sex!

But the Woman that God gave him, every fibre of her frame
Proves her launched for one sole issue, armed and engined for the same;
And to serve that single issue, lest the generations fail,
The female of the species must be deadlier than the male.

She who faces Death by torture for each life beneath her breast
May not deal in doubt or pity—must not swerve for fact or jest.
These be purely male diversions—not in these her honour dwells—
She the Other Law we live by, is that Law and nothing else.

She can bring no more to living than the powers that make her great
As the Mother of the Infant and the Mistress of the Mate.
And when Babe and Man are lacking and she strides unclaimed to claim
Her right as femme (and baron), her equipment is the same.

She is wedded to convictions—in default of grosser ties;
Her contentions are her children, Heaven help him who denies!—
He will meet no suave discussion, but the instant, white-hot, wild,
Wakened female of the species warring as for spouse and child.

Unprovoked and awful charges—even so the she-bear fights,
Speech that drips, corrodes, and poisons—even so the cobra bites,
Scientific vivisection of one nerve till it is raw
And the victim writhes in anguish—like the Jesuit with the squaw!

So it comes that Man, the coward, when he gathers to confer
With his fellow-braves in council, dare not leave a place for her
Where, at war with Life and Conscience, he uplifts his erring hands
To some God of Abstract Justice—which no woman understands.

And Man knows it! Knows, moreover, that the Woman that God gave him
Must command but may not govern—shall enthral but not enslave him.
And She knows, because She warns him, and Her instincts never fail,
That the Female of Her Species is more deadly than the Male.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Infinite Greatness Through Small Things

The smallest tasks can take on infinite value when we offer them to God, when we carry them out as works of God. Holy ambition strives for greatness even in little things, but it is content with the earthly results that God wills or permits.

Thus, we can live with holy ambition even if our professional prospects are few. In holy ambition, there is none of the anxiety, disappointment, and dissatisfaction that cling to men and women as they strive to climb the corporate or social ladder. Holy ambition hopes for great things, but contents itself with whatever God wills. St. Josemaria urged Christians: "Do not lose that holy ambition of yours to lead the whole world to God, but ... remember that you too have to be obedient and work away at that obscure job, which does not seem at all brilliant, for as long as God asks nothing else of you. He has His own times and paths."

Ordinary Work, Extraordinary Grace by Scott Hahn

The Bible is full of examples of this very thing, culminating in the Holy Family's example. God uses holy garbagemen, store clerks, toll road workers, etc. just as much as He ever did a carpenter and housewife from an obscure town. The question is, as I suppose it always is, can we be holy in our places through the small things as were Mary, Joseph and Jesus?

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Jeremiah, tell me 'bout the fire ...

... come stir up these coals in my soul, in my soul
till it burns out of control

More info is in the comments box.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

A Sweet Story of Love for Christmas

CHRISTMAS TURTLES by Sara Ann Denson

This is a charming book about a grandmother's love for her grandchildren told from the children's point of view. The children experience the annual magic of having "Christmas turtles," (the candy) show up in the freezer. Is it made by elves? By Santa? As it turns out, the candy is made by Grandmother and as the children watch how it is made they come to realize how much she loves them. The book comes with a recipe and a wooden spoon so you can get to work on your own holiday turtle tradition after reading it.

I happen to know that if we had this book when the girls were younger we'd have been making Christmas turtles every year. As it is, a certain young lady of my acquaintance will be receiving this book for Christmas (get that apron on, Little John!).

Highly recommended.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Let's Get Real

It's the little things that count, even for God. For in our attention to little things, we imitate Him most perfectly. Our God is the master of the universe, whose mind and power are evident in the formation of the Himalayas, but also in the movement of subatomic particles. And He doesn't move mountains without moving a whole lot of electrons in the process!

Thus, there is a hidden grandeur in the most ordinary things. St. Josemaria saw this, and he had little patience for those would-be saints with romantic inclinations who saw ordinary life as merely an obstacle to true greatness. He called this attitude "mystical wishful thinking." We should not sit around whining: "If only I hadn't married; if only I had a different job or qualification; if only I were in better health; if only I were younger; if only I were older." Instead, St. Josemaria said, we should "Turn to the most material and immediate reality" -- and get to work.

Ordinary Work, Extraordinary Grace by Scott Hahn

The desire to wish "if only" is one that is so easy to fall prey to. If you have as active an imagination as I do it can slow you down to doing nothing. I think that some of the best advice I ever read (and followed) was to rein in my imagination and focus on the here and now instead of indulging my imagination thinking about possible bad things that could happen or wishing my life away on things that were highly unlikely to occur.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Advent Reading Suggestions?

Yes, it's a bit early to be thinking of this. However, I am trying to think of something for our Catholic women's book club to read during December. I have some ideas but am specifically looking for something:

• Short enough to be read in a month.
• Widely available so everyone can pick it up from a major bookstore ... or something that we can access online.
• Suitable for Advent reading

We may wind up simply beginning a larger work that will be discussed over a few months but I thought I'd see what ideas anyone out there has.

By the way, if any local readers are interested in coming to this book club, they are welcome. Just email me for the information (julie [at] glyphnet [dot] com).

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Kent Brockman here ...

... with the best one line election summary yet. Via Dom.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Poetry Thursday

Parents

Walking contradictions
Never making sense
"Because I said so"
In their defense
The statement spreads all over
Appearing like a cancer
Weren't they ever told?
"Because" isn't an answer!

Rose Davis

I read this and looked at Rose who hastened to say, "You never used that answer ..."

Dang right we never did ... for that very reason.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Screwtape on Pleasure

Our Catholic women's book club is reading The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. I read this long ago when I was in high school and, although I recognized it as being very cleverly written, since I wasn't a Christian the full meaning was appreciated but not felt If you know what I mean.

I am now struck by Lewis' depth of perception and really think that all Christians should read this book every year or two as it is so full of good insights about how to live our every day lives as Christians.

In the following excerpt, keep in mind that this was written during World War II as a series of letters being written by a senior demon advising his nephew on how best to gain souls. Therefore the perspective is topsy-turvy. For example, "The Enemy" is God and "Our Father" is the devil.

... Never forget that when we are dealing with any pleasure in its healthy and normal and satisfying form, we are, in a sense, on the Enemy's ground. I know we have won many a soul through pleasure. All the same, it is His invention, not ours. He made the pleasures: all our research so far has not enabled us to produce one. All we can do is to encourage the humans to take the pleasures which our Enemy has produces, at times, or in ways, or in degrees, which He has forbidden. Hence we always try to work away from the natural condition of any pleasure to that in which it is least natural, least redolent of its Maker, and least pleasurable. An ever increasing craving for an ever diminishing pleasure is the formula. It is more certain; and it's better style. To get the man's soul and give him nothing in return -- that is what really gladdens Our Father's heart...

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Secretary of Defense ... Gig 'Em!

Robert M. Gates, 63, a national security veteran, family friend and currently president of Texas A&M University, would be nominated to replace Rumsfeld.

AP Wire

My reporter in the field got first hand information on this in the form of an email from Gates.

By the time you read this, the President of the United States will have announced that he will nominate me to be the next Secretary of Defense. I am deeply honored, but also deeply saddened.

As most of you know, almost two years ago I declined an opportunity to become the first Director of National Intelligence. I did so principally because of my love for Texas A&M and because much of the program we had initiated to take A&M to a new level of excellence had only just started...

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Mac and PC Ads

I keep meaning to bring this ad campaign up.

They're pretty entertaining and make the point in a low key way ... looks like Mac is finding a way to capitalize on iPod's coolness. These are some of the very few ads that we will back up the VCR to watch when we're fast forwarding past commercial breaks ... and we watch everything on tape ya know.

And, as long time Mac users, we knew they were cool the whole time ...

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Meanwhile, Try These Cream Biscuits

You can get this essential and simple recipe, right here.

Find a Penny, Pick It Up

I have seen this modern day parable/reminder around before, most recently at A Wing and a Prayer. Corny as it seems, it has been some time since I've seen a penny lying on the ground without "getting the message" and that usually lightens my day. So I'm passing it along to y'all.

You always hear the usual stories of pennies on the sidewalk being good luck, gifts from angels, etc. This is the first time I've ever heard this twist on the story. Gives you something to think about.

Several years ago, a friend of mine and her husband were invited to spend the weekend at the husband's employer's home. My friend, Arlene, was nervous about the weekend. The boss was very wealthy, with a fine home on the waterway and cars costing more than her house. The first day and evening went well, and Arlene was delighted to have this rare glimpse into how the very wealthy live.

The husband's employer was quite generous as a host, and took them to the finest restaurants. Arlene knew she would never have the opportunity to indulge in this kind of extravagance again, so she was enjoying herself immensely!

As the three of them were about to enter an exclusive restaurant that evening, the boss was walking slightly ahead of Arlene and her husband. He stopped suddenly, looking down on the pavement for a long, silent moment. Arlene wondered if she was supposed to pass him. There was nothing on the ground except a single darkened penny that someone had dropped and a few cigarette butts.

Still silent, the man reached down and picked up the penny He held it up and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he had found a great treasure! How absurd! What need did this man have for a single penny? Why would he even take the time to stop and pick it up?

Throughout dinner, the entire scene nagged at her. Finally, she could stand it no longer! She causally mentioned that her daughter once had a coin collection and asked if the penny he had found had been of some value.

A smile crept across the man's face as he reached into his pocket for the penny and held it out for her to see. She had seen many pennies before! What was the point of this?

"Look at it," he said. "Read what it says."

She read the words, "United States of America."

"No, not that; read further."

"One cent?"

"No, keep reading."

"In God we Trust?"

"Yes!"

"And?"

"And if I trust in God, the name of God is holy, even on a coin. Whenever I find a coin I see that inscription. It is written on every single United States' coin, but we never seem to notice it! God drops a message right in front of me telling me to trust Him.

"Who am I to pass it by? When I see a coin, I pray, I stop to see if my trust IS still in God at that moment. I pick the coin up as a response to God; that I do trust in Him. For a short time, at least, I cherish it as if it were gold. I think it is God's way of starting a conversation with me.

"Lucky for me, God is patient and pennies are plentiful!"

When I was out shopping today, I found a penny on the sidewalk. I stopped and picked it up, and realized that I had been worrying and fretting in my mind about things I cannot change.

I read the words, "In God We Trust," and had to laugh. Yes, God, I get the message.

It seems that I have been finding an inordinate number of pennies in the last few months, but then, pennies are plentiful!

And, God is patient.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Dorsetville = Mitford - Sappiness + Catholicism

A MIRACLE FOR ST. CECILIA'S
by Katherine Valentine

Most people know of the books about Father Tim set in the tiny mountain town of Mitford by Jan Karon. Featuring a lovably eccentric crew of regular characters, they explore faith as Father Tim goes about ministering to his little Episcopalian flock through the trials and joys of daily life. However, they are something of a guilty pleasure for me as the level of sappiness is enough to put a diabetic into sugar shock and there is a definite air of unreality since every other person in town seems to have a lot of money tucked away ... so handy in case of emergencies. This doesn't keep me from reading these books as I have grown quite fond of Father Tim and environs. It simply propels me to seek out possible alternatives. (The first book in the Mitford series is At Home In Mitford.)

The Anchoress pointed me toward this book by Katherine Valentine as a Catholic alternative to the Mitford books. I was delighted and partway through the second chapter when Steven Riddle sounded a warning about the soundness of the Catholicism contained therein ... which he later retracted for reasons you can read here. His warning to remain vigilant was largely unnecessary for me. Expanding on Fr. B's wise advice in RCIA ("don't get your theology from movies or television") I quickly learned that one must be discerning about reading a new author no matter how "Catholic" the comments trumpeted on the book jacket. As a new Catholic I eagerly went to the bookstore and became more and more shocked as I looked over the books by Garry Wills, Sr. Joan Chittister, et al, and discovered that there was a loudly dissenting arm of the Church that I had struggled so much to enter in full faithfulness.

At any rate, I plucked this book from the "return to library" stack where I had deposited it upon reading Steven's first warning (I simply don't have time to spend reading junk) and began reading again. I am certainly glad that I did.

Set in the small town of Dorsetville, where residents have fallen on hard times since the wool mill closed, we see Father James struggling with a very modern problem. The bishop plans to close the church right after Easter because it can't support itself any more and has a huge burden of debt. This will leave the many elderly and needy parishioners without any nearby support. Meanwhile, we are introduced to locals with a variety of problems ranging from a teenager suspended from school because of computer hijinks to a young family fighting cancer.

Valentine's writing is less sentimental than Karon's and the characters, though with the requisite eccentric folks included, include many who are simply real people struggling with the same often overwhelming problems that many of us face. I particularly enjoyed the way that one woman found God's message of hope while praying in the church. It echoed the real life stories that I have heard time and again from trusted friends. Another point I appreciated is Valentine's inclusion of real angels at one point, as well as the reactions of the person who saw them. She is not afraid to use all the methods that God speaks to people in her work and it is handled quite well.

Valentine also painted a realistic scenario with the seemingly insurmountable plight of Father James in trying to figure out how to save the church or provide realistic alternatives for his flock. His realization that he has strayed from trust in God to trying to do everything himself is one that is echoed in various ways by other characters throughout the book. When reading Valentine's afterward and her reasons for writing the book it becomes even more understandable that that specific message is true to life.

However, I did look in vain for any mention of the one thing that sets a Catholic church and, indeed, the Catholic faith apart from others. There were a few mentions of the Mass but none that I could see of the Eucharist. When Father James reinstates morning Mass it is done to return the old folks' much needed routine and give them a sense of purpose in their lives. There is no mention of that touch of grace provided by receiving the Eucharist at the Mass. Similarly, when he goes to visit a cancer patient, Father James does not take him the Eucharist. He simply goes to visit and winds up cleaning the kitchen. And so it goes throughout the book. I realize this is straining at a gnat for some. However, all true Catholicism comes from that one central point which is the body and blood, soul and divinity of Jesus present in the Eucharist. Any Catholics as devout as those portrayed would not ignore that fact even if it were to be portrayed in a fleeting thought. In this way, Valentine does lean more toward portraying the trappings of Catholicism (rosary, statues, etc.) in a sort of Episcopalianism as Steven Riddle mentioned.

The above mentioned problem is not at all reason to avoid the book. On the contrary, I thoroughly enjoyed it and stayed up much too late for several nights in a row, racing to see the conclusion. Valentine handles her plotlines and characters very well indeed. Before I finished I had requested the sequel from the library. Highly recommended.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Sure, you can use a tennis ball on a string ...

... but that solution has a distinct lack of lasers. Thanks to Tom for this little bit of geek heaven.

Gargoyle Central: Look to the Skies

Anyone who has been to my house knows that I love gargoyles. Our living room table sports a gargoyle engrossed in a book, a Green Man hangs on a connecting wall and our guest bathroom has a little gargoyle keeping away the bad spirits in there.

Naturally I was delighted to find Monster Walks which highlights some good gargoyle walks in New York. Not that I'll be there any time soon but I thoroughly enjoyed the photos.

As happened after reading The Cloudspotter's Guide, this is another reminder to me that we look down too much and forget to look up. I can't tell you how often lately I have been enjoying the various cloudscapes as they have scudded across the skies on an otherwise unremarkable morning. There is not much chance of spying gargoyles in Dallas but you can be sure I'll be glancing upwards more often just in case.

I found this site via this delightful Dallas Morning News article (free registration required) which also informed me that:

A gargoyle is a drainpipe, even a plain one, its name taken from the French word gargouille, meaning throat. In common usage, people refer to any ornamental architectural carving as a gargoyle.

Interesting. Maybe "gargle" came from gargouille also?

If There Was No Purgatory, We'd Have to Invent It

So often Heaven is spoken of in Scriptures as being a great feast. I like to think of that. All of us hallooing down the table to friends who we just have seen, everybody as happy as they could possibly be, having a wonderful time at this blowout celebration.

But before the celebration, we have to clean up (yes, behind the ears too), put on our finest clothes and properly adorn ourselves ... and that is where purgatory comes in, as our dear Papa points out to us.

I would go so far as to say that if there was no purgatory, then we would have to invent it, for who would dare say of himself that he was able to stand directly before God. And yet we don't want to be, to use an image from Scripture, "a post that turned out wrong," that has to be thrown away; we want to be able to be put right. Purgatory basically means that God can put the pieces back together again. That he can cleanse us in such a way that we are able to be with him and can stand there in the fullness of life. Purgatory strips off from one person what is unbearable and from another the inability to bear certain things, so that in each of them a pure heart is revealed and we can see that we all belong together in one enormous symphony of being.

Pope Benedict XVI

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Jack, the Depressed Pumpkin

Father Roderick has put together a really wonderful Halloween movie. And, being the good movie maker that he is, Fr. R. made sure it can be viewed beyond Halloween ... even on to All Souls Day!

The movie stars Jack, a pumpkin with a severe Halloween depression. He visits a shrink, but the nightmares keep coming back, despite the tranquilizers. Jack ends up in the gutter after a night of booze, drugs and partying. Who can help him?

Via The Curt Jester.

Poetry Thursday

Again, an offering from Rose.

Kipling

Because Rudyard Kipling grew up in the Far East
That is what he wrote about until he was deceased
For the smog of London never did look quite so fine
When he thought back to the jungles of Indian design.

But his poetry would speak about whatever he could see
And what he would say never left a mystery
For what he said, he said quite plainly, stating all in black and white
Which is why some critics said that he never got it right.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

This is Just Too Funny!

I have been fairly disinterested in John Kerry's latest gaffe. This made me laugh out loud though. Get it at Cafe Press.

Bridget and Rick pointed me toward this which is drop dead funny ... the blogger and his readers were puzzling over whether it was real or not and finally decided it was real. It certainly seems like something my brother and his pals would get in on humor-wise.

Some Good History Podcasts

These podcasts are like having that favorite professor talk to you, the one who was so passionate about his specialty that class was a pleasure instead of a chore.

MY HISTORY CAN BEAT UP YOUR POLITICS

History can smash and bash the politics of today. Much of what we think are new events have occured over and over again, though often in different ways and with different outcomes. My History Can Beat Up Your Politics is a podcast that examines the historical foundation behind today's politics and provides layers and layers of historical insight to help you better understand current events.

This speaker is an expert at raising a current area of political contention and then going back over American history to look at what the historical record shows is a real trend or possibility. He manages to do so without taking one side or the other and the analysis is so clear it makes even thorny issues such as immigration much easier to understand.

HISTORY ACCORDING TO BOB

Professor Bob Packett has been teaching history for thirty-one years. His passion for history permeates his entire life, from the thousands of primary resource materials in his personal library, to his collection of historical artifacts.

Professor Bob loves to tell stories of the real people behind the often sterile descriptions found in history texts. His conversational style, filled with anecdotes, quips, and humor, will bring to life the characters of history.

Bob usually has several series going at once. Lately I have heard several biographies of important Russian rulers, key events in the French Revolution, and, events from the life of Alexander the Great, bios of notable Egyptian rulers ... as well as the stray pirate biography thrown in here or there just for the heck of it. Bob makes it all fun to listen to.

MATT'S TODAY IN HISTORY
Once or twice a week Matt takes a topic that happened on that day in history (as you'd expect) and discusses the events that surrounded a key situation or person. I have learned about people that I never heard of (such as George Pullman, Igor Ivanovich Sikorsky or Colonel Petrov) and gotten the low down on events that I knew a bit about but never really thought about before (surrender at Yorktown or the first Liberty ships being launched). Matt set the gold standard in history podcasting as you will hear him mentioned time and again on other podcasts. Each episode is fairly short, around 6 minutes, but is well researched and presented without bias. He has four different intros of famous historical sound clips that he varies and I never fail to feel a thrill when I hear Ronald Reagan saying, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Today is a Holy Day of Obligation

College Catholic points out that Stephen Colbert sums it up like this, "Tomorrow is all Saints Day, a Holy Day of Obligation and if you’re Roman Catholic and you don’t go to Mass you’ll go to Hell."

Or as it is so well put in The Bad Catholic's Guide to Good Living:

This feast is a Holy Day of Obligation, which means you are obliged to go to Mass. Yes, skipping church today is in fact a mortal sin -- and one of the dullest in the book. Can you imagine being damned for blowing off the twenty-six-minute lturgy at your parish? You'd be the laughing stock of hell. Personally, we believe in making each of our mortal sins count; each one had better be worth the risk to our souls, the trip to Confession, the time spent purging our sins by reliving Groundhos Day over and over again. You get the idea.

Besides all that, you can't foresee what graces you might gain from going ... aside from being with the body and blood, soul and divinity of Jesus in the Eucharist, which is good enough in and of itself.

Is it a pain to work that mass time into your weekday schedule? Not only yes, but hell yes (for me anyway) ... but it isn't about what is convenient in the end. It is about doing what God asks and that is little enough considering all He does for us each and every day.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Solemnity of All Saints

Korean Martyrs

SOLEMNITY OF ALL SAINTS

We remember in a special way that sanctity is accessible to everyone in their various jobs and situations, and that to help us reach this goal we ought to put into practice the dogma of the Communion of Saints. The Church invites us to raise our hearts and minds to the immense multitude of men and women from all walks of life who followed Christ here on earth and are already enjoying his presence in Heaven. This feast has been celebrated since the eighth century.

In Conversation with God, Vol. 7

Last year, Jean at Catholic Fire expressed gratitude to her favorite saints for their help on the way by listing them with a few of the traits she admires most. I'm going to do it again this year ... here's my list.

1. St. Augustine - his life long search for truth, his defense of the truth once he found it


2. St. Martha - her practicality, she was such a good friend to Jesus


3. St. Paul - his stubborn adherence to doing the right thing and honesty in admitting when he failed


4. St. Peter - his sheer humanity, his true love of Jesus


5. St. Joseph - obedience in following God's will when reason had to be saying otherwise, his love and care for his family


6. St. Teresa of Avila - her sassiness, perseverance, obedience, and sheer intelligence


7. St. Pio - his obedience, his laughter and humor, his humility


8. St. Catherine of Siena - her determination in the face of amazing obstacles, her letter writing to make others face the truth, and she also was pretty sassy
   


9. St. John Vianney - his love of the Eucharist, determination, battling with the devil, humble - ordained in spite of severe misgivings over his intellect and sent off to a tiny village in the middle of nowhere.
   


10. Blessed Solanus Casey - obedient, humble, with a true love of Jesus and of serving others - also ordained in spite of severe misgivings over his intellect and was the porter (door keeper) of his order.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Embryonic Stem Cell Research

Mike and I have a conversation going in the comments about embryonic stem cell research. He is being a complete gentleman and I only bring the conversation up here because his points are those which I see time and again in discussions. This is by no means a complete response to those points because I truly am inadequate to that task. However, by putting a few resources I have come across in the past I hope it will help to show another side to the argument.

One point that is mentioned is that scientists assure us the most promising advances in stem cell therapy will result from research with embryonic stem cells. There are really two issues here. One is that we still are talking about human life when we discuss embryonic stem cells; life that must be sacrificed in order to make medicine. The other issue is that one must trust those scientists' promises. With that in mind, I repost this information from a while back.

Clay Randall at Mental Pompeii has a fabulous post about embryonic stem cell research. As a doctor on his hospital's Ethics Committee he has the opportunity to live his convictions.

Note how NIH tries to minimize the fact that you're taking stem cells from an unborn person while at the same time trying to make the artificial distinction between fertilization occuring through sexual intercourse and fertilization occurring in the lab which is...well.....artificial. Perhaps they're hoping the the terms "trophoblast", "blastocoel", and "blastocyst" will disguise the fact that we're talking about a human being? While there is indeed "potential" in these embryonic stem cells, there is also potential in adult stem cells (umbilical cord, bone marrow, etc) which do not carry with it the same ethical considerations. Is it coincidence that rarely does the media discuss the problem of stem cell rejection by the immune system or the malignancies that can result?

Here are a wonderful article that Randall linked to which point out what I had read elsewhere but couldn't find lately ... adult stem cells are getting good results in research while embryonic stem cells have major problems, like a tendency to cause cancerous tumors. I have to echo Randall's questions on this. Why don't we ever hear this from major media?

The Wrong Tree: Embryonic stem cells are not all that by Wesley J. Smith

A more succinct discussion comes from Catholic and Enjoying It.

Basically, there are two sources of stem cells: embryos and Other (such as cord blood). To get stem cells from embryos you must kill the embryo. It's a form of cannibalism. I don't oppose stem cell research. I oppose *embryonic* stem cell research. The real reason ESCR is vaunted is not because of it miraculous healing powers (there is yet to have been a single cure for anything) but because there's big money to be made in an industry where embryos are manufactured and then cannibalized for medical use.

The only advances that have not come unstuck through side effects that in turn are debilitating seem to be those from adult or umbilical cord stem cells ... that I have read of anyway. In fact, just today The Curt Jester draws our attention to a case where umbilical cord stem cells will be helping mightily, without loss of life or limb to anyone.

Mike brings up the possibility that a loved one or I might get Alzheimer's and that is rightly a concern in our family where both a great-grandmother and a grandmother died after suffering a long bout with that illness. Naturally it was quite distressing to everyone involved. So I have faced that for some time as a possibility for my future.

However the embryonic stem cells are obtained, it means the destruction of a human life. I can't imagine choosing my comfort whether mental or physical over the life of another human being.

The Anchoress echoes my own attitude toward any medical treatments that I might ever have cause to use.

I’m sure I’ll hear, “Anchoress, you’re so mean! What about if someone can be cured of diabetes thanks to Embryonic research?” Really? Is it worth it? As I wrote here, we’ve lost touch with the idea that maybe we’re supposed to play a hand we’re dealt and grow from it. We don’t want to know, anymore, from suffering. Which means we don’t want reality in our lives. I think John Paul II was zreally trying to teach that to us, in his later years. Contrary to the collective wisdom, there is power in, and value to, suffering. It actually may be more important to “be” than to “do.”

And I say that as a woman dealing with a chronic blood illness, and waiting to hear - finally - about a diagnosis that has taken a great deal of time to pinpoint. Both health issues are being looked into with ADULT stem cells, and that’s good news…I wouldn’t want any treatment derived from EMBRYONIC stem cells.

Given the choice, I’ll take the harder road, and keep faith with the Creator. If you think I’m a fool, then so be it, I’ll be a fool. I won’t live my life at the expense of a life not allowed to live. Maybe - as this 16 year old has figured out, the time I get is all the time I’m supposed to have.

I tend to want as little government involvement as possible in funding such things because I think that tends to make quite a few scientists jump on the funding bandwagon and forget their objectivity in order to get the bucks. I think of the global warming debate and how I have learned to distrust scientists precisely because they are going for the funds before the objectivity.

Yes, much has come from government programs such as NASA. However, many of those results that we now enjoy in regular life (from such mundane items as Velcro on up to medicines) were not the point of the funding. The funding was to promote space exploration, going to the moon and various other astronaut-ly activities. The benefits to us much of the time were an application in a new area of things developed for other uses. I'm as happy as anyone to benefit from them. However, there is a world of difference between trying to explore space and destroying babies (a.k.a. embryos) for experimentation in medicine.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

2 Corinthians Study: We Each Suffer in Our Own Way

2 Corinthians 4:8-17
Sometimes it is hard to remember that suffering hurts. By which I mean that we sometimes fool ourselves into thinking that if we really trust in God we will float past our sufferings; they won't bother us. At least I sometimes fall into this mistaken frame of mind. And then we wonder, where is our faith? What are we doing wrong? Nothing at all, as Paul reminds us.

Paul rates his afflictions as "slight" compared to the joy of God's kingdom (4;17). Nevertheless, he does not give the impression of being a person who finds afflictions easy to bear (4:8-9). A man who sometimes feels "crushed" and driven almost to despair (1:8) has not found a formula for rising above his problems. Paul does not float peacefully over troubled waters. Sometimes, perhaps, the evidence of God's power at work in him is simply that he doesn't throw in the towel.

A philosopher in Paul's day named Epictetus wrote that hardships show what a person truly is -- they expose the person's inner character. In Paul's view, difficulties reveal not so much our inner character as that of God. Our hardships are an opportunity for God to show his power (4:7, 10). This is not to deny the importance of human strength of character. From the hardships that Paul endured, it is obvious that he was a man of determination, endurance, and courage. But Paul recognizes that such human qualities are not enough. On a recent occasion, he admitted, he would have despaired if God had not intervened (1:8-9). He talks about God's encouragement frequently (1:4-7; 7:6-7; 13) because he needs it.

2 Corinthians: Power in Weakness (Six Weeks With the Bible)

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Do You Know What Time It Is?

Just a public service announcement, we're off of Daylight Savings Time and can "fall back" to our usual time.

Ahhh, that extra hour never looked better than when we got up at 8:30 and realized it really was 7:30! Oh, the luxury!

This feeling of general good will might have been enhanced by the fact that Rose spent yesterday evening and the night with a friend. Tom and I went to Kebab 'N Curry, rented the second dvd of Michael Palin's Himalayas, and just generally had a date evening which we really needed.

It does sound as if we picked the most "old folks" dvd possible except that we also rented We Were Soldiers. However, after a very high intensity work week (with most of yesterday also spent at work), the last thing we needed was to see actual bloodshed which was how the movie opened. We opted for the peaceful route and I can highly recommend the series thus far for vicarious travel to fascinating places.

Enjoy the extra hour!

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Halloween Countdown

Time to buy the candy you'll be giving out next week. You will be giving out candy right? You're not one of those kill joys who hands out toothbrushes or boxes of raisins are you?

And if you are then I just know that you either had a joyless childhood or have totally forgotten the fun of trick or treating. Here are a few of my favorite things to skip ... you can see the complete list at the source listed. They also tell you what you should give.

Apples
... or any other fruit for that matter. Not only is it disappointing as hell for a little kid expecting a Snickers, but there's a good chance it'll get smashed under the heft of the rest of the candy, leaving brown mush all over the candy they got from people who aren't total kill-joys.

Those crappy lollipops they have at the bank
They're free at the bank for a reason. Well, several reasons actually. The first being that they're almost free. You can get a two-ton bag of them at your local warehouse store for less than the price of one real Twix bar. The second reason is because they taste like crap.

Anything you made yourself
In your eyes, you're going out of your way to give kids a special and unique treat that goes above and beyond the normal fare. In their eyes you're giving them a crappy cookie that their parents will throw away as soon as they get home for fear of it containing razor blades. So, we guess this one is all right if you only give them to kids with neglectful parents. Or orphans.

Raisins
Possibly the crappiest item on the list, those little boxes of raisins never get eaten. People generally give them out under the pretense that they want to make kids healthier. In reality, they give them out because they hate fun. It's Halloween, let kids eat a friggin' Milky Way.

Stuff Magazine

New to the Blogrolls

Actually, most are new, one is raised from the ashes, and a few had been inadvertently dropped during a blogroll rearrangement. Whatever. Enjoy!

Brandywine Books

Cardinal Sean's Blog

Evangelical Catholicism

Fast Forward Film Reviews

In the Light of the Law

Luminous Miseries

Old Testament Space Opera

Shouts in the Piazza

Standing on My Head

Trousered Ape

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

I Do Love Corny Jokes ...

Your Halloween Costume Should Be

Candy Corn

What Should You Be For Halloween?

Via Elvis.

Abandoning Yourself to God's Will ... When You're in a Really Bad Mood

Y'all may remember that I told you Jen has some very good questions. She has one now ... go read it.

Here's my answer:

Having been in this situation just two days ago, and yesterday ... I am THERE on this feeling.

In my case, abandoning myself to God means a couple of things. First, once I have realized the problem, I tell Him I need help (and yes, I tell ... not ask ... so you can see how much help I need!).

Secondly, I turn to one of several prayers that I repeat like a mantra when I am feeling like that. Sometimes it is: "Jesus give me your strength."

Sometimes it is a Hail Mary because I know she had days like this too.

Sometimes it is: "Lord have mercy on my and bless (insert name of person I am annoyed at)." This prayer especially has the tendency to make me remember how I have habits that are JUST LIKE the ones that are annoying me in the other person. That goes a long way to making me calm down.

Which prayer? Whichever comes to mind and it is usually one of these. But I hang onto it like a lifeline, over and over, until the moment (or moments) pass and I don't need it any more.

That is the help that God gives me ... the right prayer to help me put my head down, BITE MY TONGUE, and get through it. And when I fail to do the above (sadly, this is often also but gradually getting less), He gives me the grace to recognize it and go apologize.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Halloween Countdown

DON'T FEAR THE REAPER: Jules has a few choice pumpkins as well as excellent quotes to help you combat the fear. Now that's my kinda post!

FEAR THE MARTIANS: Librivox has two recordings of War of the Worlds available. One is solo, one has the chapters read by different people. I am listening to the group read. What can I say? I'm a groupie of various different voices ... Kara, Alex Foster (British accent y'all!) and ... Chip who can read the heck out of a story (try his reading of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and you'll see what I mean).

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Halloween Countdown

Go ahead ... eat a spider. Gourmet magazine shows you how.


If you're not in the mood to make or eat spiders, check out hi monkey where everything is Halloween-y right now.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Poetry Thursday

Back by popular demand here is another of Rose's poems. If I may say so, it is a perfect description of Rose who is always viewed as so quiet and expressionless by people she doesn't know well.

A Song of Myself
The notes all twine together, forming into song
And though the beat keeps going, the melody seems wrong.
The major chords are cold, boring, distant at their core
But if you listen longer, you may hear something more.
Almost nonexistent against the unmarked tune
There’s a trill of something different making its debut
Maybe a quiet laugh or a glint in the eye
Then it disappears as if awaiting a reply.
And if you sit quite still and listen hard so you can hear
The notes will play again, this time with some good cheer.
At first it just repeats as the volume starts to climb
But the right kind of listener knows that good songs can take time.
Then the pattern starts to change and the rhythm will increase
As we begin to come to the crescendo of the piece.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

The Very First Christian Missionaries

In those days Mary arose and went with haste
into the hill country, to a city of Judah.

Luke 1:39

In the scriptures Mary is a person of action but not frivolity; she does not pursue activity for its own sake. Rather she acts with God at His prompt and pace. Why did Mary decide to go to the home of Elizabeth? Undoubtedly the Holy Spirit, who had come upon her (Lk 1:35), unfolded the reason for the angel's reference to Elizabeth's pregnancy. Her state, as she considered what she should do was described by St. Peter Julian Eymard:

The Word was in Mary's womb. He inspired His Mother to visit Elizabeth; Mary carried to John his Master and King. John could not come, for his mother was too old to undertake that journey; Jesus Christ went to him. He did the same for us: we could not go to God; God came to us."

... This is the first Christian missionary journey undertaken for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Unborn Jesus initiates it, He and his mother go out prefiguring the missionary journeys initiated by Jesus, when He sent out first the twelve apostles and then the seventy disciples two by two (Mk 6:7 and Lk 10:1). Christians traveling on mission, in pairs, had not only a spiritual and psychological purpose, but also an ecclesiastical one; the two together are in communion one with the other, experiencing Christ's power acting through them and their different gifts and talents. In the case of pregnant Mary, here we have the quintessential communion, the epitome of communion with Christ. Two lives intertwine in the messianic mission and the world's greatest love.

Unborn Jesus Our Hope by George Peate

Now that is a concept that never occured to me for all that I have been used to the idea of thinking of Mary as the first Christian. I am already quite fond of the rosary mystery where Mary goes to visit Elizabeth. It may be my second favorite, right after the wedding at Cana. But this adds a whole new dimension for meditation. Wow!

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Halloween Countdown

Miss Cellania is having a Halloween countdown of her own which means loads of photos and links ... and jokes. I must recommend the one on the pumpkin post of a few days ago but I'll warn you that it is definitely rated R.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Odds and Ends

What's happening in the HC household?

ROSE - following the smashing success of their Julius Caesar musical, she and her friends have decided to make a musical about The Scarlet Letter. A school assignment? Nope. They're just doing it. So Rose has been writing songs (her lyrics set to Disney tunes) for a couple of weeks.

HANNAH - too much science can force big decisions. She's changing her major from zoology to wildlife and fisheries. Other than that she's having a grand time at A&M, although still counting down the weeks to Thanksgiving (as am I, truth be told).

TOM AND I - this is our very, very, very busy time of year at work. We're trying that duck trick of looking serene while paddling like hell below the surface.

HOUSEHOLD FAVORITE QUOTE OF THE MOMENT - "Grant stood by me when I was crazy, and I stood by him when he was drunk. Now we stand by each other always." Sherman (Can you tell that Rose had to do a paper on Sherman and a powerpoint report on Grant? We are well schooled and quite a bit fonder of both those guys now that we have been inundated with information for some time.)

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Some Gems for You

GOD OR THE GIRL
I mentioned before that I was working my way through the episodes. I have gotten to the end and can highly recommend this DVD. It has a very inspirational view of the discernment process and the problems that people encounter along the way, whether it be well-meaning family members, friends, circumstances, or their own fears. I also especially appreciated the extra features which showed an episode about a candidate whose discernment process didn't get aired. It was just as interesting as the others and I was just as involved as I was with the other guys in seeing what his decision would be. The commentary from the priest who worked with the show about different aspects to the priesthood from faith to celibacy were good and I think would be reassuring to family and friends of someone who was interested in discerning a call to the priesthood. Highly recommended.

UNBORN JESUS OUR HOPE by George Peate
I usually don't recommend a book that I have not read but must make an exception in this case. I received this wonderful book yesterday and can tell after simply reading the first chapter that it is a real treasure. The premise of the book is to carefully and prayerfully consider the fact that Jesus spent 9 months in utero ... and that Jesus' time there still echoes throughout our lives today. I'm not sure how else to describe it and I know that sounds rather dry, so will direct you to The Pew Lady's glowing review which was what made me interested in the book to begin with. The author has a way of bringing forth ideas that make so much sense but that never occurred to me that you can be sure I will be sharing excerpts in the future. Definitely I will be recommending this to our Perpetua & Felicity Book Club as an Advent selection to read.

101 STORIES OF THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION by Sister Patricia Proctor
While I'm making one exception of raving about a book I haven't read completely I might as well make another ... this book is a gem. The 101 stories that Sister Patricia has gathered range from short and simple to longer tales but all of them bare the writers' souls in one way or another in telling how reconciliation has set people free and filled their lives with grace. These are interspersed with various articles by more professional writers that offer insight from personal perspectives as well. This all adds up to a very practical book that can be read through or dipped into for goodies on a regular basis as I am doing in the evenings before I go to bed. I am sure you'll be seeing excerpts showing up here from this book as well. Highly recommended.

GREAT BOOKS FOR CATHOLICS
Jen has a very good basic list of Catholic books in pdf format. It is a compilation of the recommendations made to her of good reading for RCIA. I have read a surprising number of the books on that list and congratulate her and her advisors for coming up with such a solid list.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Quick Book Reviews

ISN'T IT ROMANTIC?: An Entertainment by Ron Hansen
Natalie is a French girl who is enchanted by all things American and takes a sight seeing trip designed to show her the real America. She is pursued by Pierre, her boyfriend, who is definitely not a fan of America but who is determined to get her to decide if she will marry him. They wind up in the tiny town of Seldom, Nebraska, where a comedy of language, relationships, and cultures ensues. Light, frothy, and a very quick read. I wouldn't buy it but I definitely would recommend it for checking out of the library and losing touch with reality for a little while.

THE HISTORIAN by Elizabeth Kostova
SPOILERS at the bottom
I really enjoyed this book about various people, all historians, on the hunt of the infamous vampire Dracula. It is difficult to believe that this was the author's first book. She deftly managed to contantly keep the reader on tenterhooks between two or three intertwined stories through the entire 600 page length. As befits a book with such a title there is plenty of history, especially of the Ottoman empire and the Balkans. I literally raced through the last hundred pages to see the outcome of the various groups' convergence on their goal.

However, upon reflection after finishing the book I have two big problems which possibly other readers can help me resolve ... I do so want to love the book in its entirety. And this is where the spoilers come in.

First - I feel that to have a book given to the daughter at the end is cheating. Did they not watch Dracula turn to dust before their eyes? I think they did. It would have been much stronger to leave it that way.

Second - it seems to me that the main premise of the book is actually a huge hole in logic. For Dracula to deliberately give various historians that dragon book and then go to such lengths as killing those near to them in order to dissuade them from following up any research ... and then for the distribution of books to have the ultimate goal of luring historians to him to catalogue his treasure? No, no and no. Supposedly he was brilliant. If his agents are indeed all over the world, watching those promising specimens of historians to see which would serve his purposes best ... then why not just make off with whichever seems best at the time, discarding them once they have done all they can? That is the vampire way. Certainly it is Dracula's way.

Although I must say that I truly enjoyed the overall reason Dracula turned to vampirism ... because he despaired of salvation and then turned to surrounding himself with things. Very fitting.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

FEARLESS

Rose really wanted to see this one on the big screen so she and I went this weekend. It was a very straightforward story and not too difficult to see where it was going. However, we enjoyed it nonetheless. The film captured the feel of China in the days when only the Chinese held sway and the lush photography filled the eye (especially in the countryside scenes).

It is the story of a Chinese hero and martial arts fighter, Huo Yuanjia, who discovers that he must conquer his pride to truly understand what it is to be a great man. Wanting to follow in his father's footsteps as a martial arts expert, he is denied training because of his asthma. After he grows up, Huo takes great pride in defeating enemies but his pride is his undoing as he thinks that the measure of a champion is mere physical prowess. This attitude brings great tragedy upon his head and, broken, he winds up in the countryside among the simple people. Naturally, they teach him (blessedly without "wise man" style platitudes) to find himself and to know what is truly important in life. He goes from being a braggart to being wise and peaceful. Upon returning to his home, he finds that the British have been demeaning the Chinese as "weak men of the East" and takes on four of their champions to show that is not the case. Oh, after founding a premier martial arts school which promotes oneness and self knowledge ... natch.

Standout performances come from Sun Li as a blind girl in the countryside and Dong Yong who portrays Huo's best friend. It is no Hero, but then, what is?

Also, Rose and I perhaps had a different context when viewing this than other people in the theater with us. I was thrilled because, after doing ChinesePod lessons daily for some time, I actually understood many words and phrases of the dialogue. Sometimes even entire sentences! Woohoo! Rose recognized several kung fu moves that she has learned. Also the weapons used in the challenge scenes matched those that hang on the wall of her kung fu school.

Bottom line: there is much to be enjoyed about this film but it all is right on the surface. Don't go looking for too much more than what you see. Highly enjoyable nonetheless.

(HC rating: Good despite lack of flubber)

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Halloween Countdown

Georgette gives us two good Halloween preps with Hauntings and Catholic Ghost Busters and then follows it up with Catholic Ghost Stories. Check it out!

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Halloween Countdown

We'll put a "two-fer" out there for the weekend.


Savage Chickens, which is a daily "must" for me, will be featuring Halloween cartoons every day until Halloween as well as have a contest.

DARK GATE HORROR PODCAST

Ellen has been a fan of all things horror since she was small. She discusses classic and modern horror movies, literature, etc. including related genres of thrillers and mystery. She does a very good job of looking at these. Give her a listen.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Halloween Countdown

Where better to prepare for Halloween than at All Halloween Blog which is where I found this delightfully seasonal poem.

A haunted hallway with candles a glow
A secret door to where? no one knows
Candy by the door, lightning all around
Mist becoming thick slowly moving all through town
And suddenly we hear them, singing in their way
Moaning, screaming, laughing...bleeding on the hay
The laughter ends abruptly, with the sounds of screams
On a night such as this, we celebrate Halloween

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

The Devil Has Quoted Scripture

You know, in all the arguments I have heard for why the Magisterium and Tradition are a must in conjunction with Scripture ... I have never heard it put this way. And yet it makes more sense to me in a very basic way than those other arguments. Brilliant. Leave it to David Scott, eh?

Early church leaders insisted that the Scriptures be read and understood within the context of the church's tradition. They had learned by experience. Many of the problems and heresies of the early church had stemmed from a rejection of this principle, as charismatic leaders and sects advanced wild theories and fanciful speculations they said were based on the Bible.

"The Devil himself has quoted Scripture texts," Jerome noted ruefully, referring to Satan's temptation of Jesus in Matthew's Gospel. "We could all, while preserving the letter of Scripture, read into it some novel doctrine."

But God did not send his word into the world only to leave it alone to be interpreted according to the whims, dictates, and tastes of whoever heard it. That is why the word was given to us in the church. This is the message of a dramatic scene in the Acts of the Apostles. The Holy Spirit tells the apostle Philip to strike up a conversation with an official of the queen of Ethiopia's court. Seated in his chariot, the official is reading the prophet Isaiah. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asks. The official replies, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" So Philip interprets the Scriptures -- "starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus." Then the man asks to be baptized.

For the early church, and for Catholics today, the Bible was meant to be read with the apostles, in the church. As Peter said bluntly, "No prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation." The apostles alone had learned the proper reading of Scripture from the mouth of the Master. They alone had been given what Paul called "the mind of Christ" and the Spirit to guide them deeper into its truths and mysteries. This understanding in the Spirit had been passed on to the bishops, who were entrusted with the apostles' "own position of teaching authority," as St. Irenaeus, the great apologist and bishop of Lyons, said in the second century.

Catholic Passion by David Scott

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Reality Check

This should be shown to every girl you know ... and some of the boys too. We all need a shake up to understand what is real.

Via The Daily Eudemon.

Halloween Countdown

Tweedlesketch is celebrating 31 days of Halloween with original monster cards. These are really great! Via No Blasters.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Marriage and Self-Sacrifice

I think my relationship with my wife is the best chance I will ever have to love my neighbor as myself. My success or failure as a lover will show most clearly with her. She is my best occasion for self-sacrifice, the bloodless martyrdom of daily life. My children also demand self-sacrifice, and on a greater scale, but there is a mandatory element to my fatherly efforts. They are my children; their dependence on me is nearly total. To neglect them would be an obvious moral failure. Even when they are at their worst, I do not wish they would raise themselves. Deirdre is another story. She is far more autonomous; she took care of herself before we married. I sometimes wish that she would do for herself some of the things she asks of me. I like to sit and read and be left alone. Overcoming that wish to the point of granting her requests cheerfully, or even anticipating them, is a small but constant opportunity for charity.

She is my best lesson in the pain of sin. The relative innocence of children may make them ideal candidates as earthly stand-ins for God. When you sin against them, the injustice of it shines forth -- they're just kids. But Deirdre loves me as on other, and I her. When I sin against her -- when I break a promise, speak a cutting word, or fail in my duty -- I see the pain in her face, and the ingratitude of it hits home. How can I wound one who loves me so well? I see the wild incongruity of it: I love her so much in my better moments, the good she does is the source of so much of my happiness; how can I forget this?

Swimming with Scapulars by Matthew Lickona

Anyone who has been married for any length of time knows this one, kids or no kids. But Matthew Lickona puts it so clearly and so well that it was a really good reminder for me of the fact that we are living our faith every day, all the time, with the people who are closest to us.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Halloween Countdown

(source)

(Because there's nothing for kicking off a Halloween countdown like some really bad jokes...)

How do you fix a broken pumpkin?
With a pumpkin patch.

What do you get when you cross a vampire and a snowman?
Frostbite...

How do witches keep their hair in place while flying?
With scare spray...

Do zombies eat popcorn with their fingers?
No, they eat the fingers separately...

What did one ghost say to the other ghost?
"Do you believe in people?"

What do you call someone who puts poison in a person's corn flakes?
A cereal killer...

Why do mummies have trouble keeping friends?
They're so wrapped up in themselves...

What kind of streets do zombies like the best?
Dead ends...

What is a ghost's favorite mode of transportation?
A scareplane...

What type of dog do vampire's like the best?
Bloodhounds...

What does a vampire never order at a restaurant?
A stake sandwich...

What is a skeleton's favorite musical instrument?
A trombone...

What do birds give out on Halloween night?
Tweets...

Why do vampires need mouthwash?
They have bat breath...

Why did the Vampire subscribe to the Wall Street Journal?
He heard it had great circulation...

Learning From Our Family

*headslap* This is so basic but makes so much sense. Why has it never been explained to me this way before? That family example may be the best I have ever heard.

Establishing a canon did not mean the bishops started handing out Bibles. Most people in the fourth century did not know how to read, and it would be another thousand years before the technology for mass-producing books was developed. For centuries the Scriptures were circulated in hand-copied manuscripts and guarded lovingly by local churches.

But even if they could have put a Bible in each person's hands, the successors of the apostles would never have thought that to be sufficient. Scripture was never envisioned as standing apart from the church in which it was born, apart from the tradition -- the new way of life handed on by the apostles.

The Catholic does not limit the word of God to only the words found in the Bible. As St. Bernard of Clairvaux said, the word is "not a written and mute word, but the Word which is incarnate and living." Catholics are not "people of the book." We are children of the witnesses, begotten of the words and deeds of those who first saw the Lord.

Parents do not raise children only by lecturing them about right and wrong and repeating stories and words of wisdom handed down from long-dead relatives. Instead, they build a home life in which the family's character and values are passed on as much by shared experience and example as by words. It is the same with the family of God, the church. Our life in Christ grows not only through reading the words of our ancestors in the faith, but also by doing the things they did, sharing in the rituals and practices they received from Christ.

Catholic Passion by David Scott

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity

Chock Full of Songs That Makes Us Roll Our Eyes

Sent to me by ever so insightful, Laura H.

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity