Obedience: The Dirtiest Word in America

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:1-11

Let's stop for a second and consider the passage above.

Why did God highly exalt Christ Jesus? Why did God bestow on him the name above every name, that at that name every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth? Why shall every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father?

Obedience.

He took the form of a servant, did not count equality with God something to be grasped (even though he could have), and became obedient unto death.

Paul exhorts us to have "this mind" ourselves. In other words, to be like Christ. To love others so much that we are obedient unto death. (As Christ does us and also loves and trusts the Father.)

Christ undid the sin brought about by Adam's and Eve's disobedience and lack of trust in God with his own complete obedience and trust. Even unto death.

Let's all stop. Really stop. And read it again. Slowly, aloud, thinking about it.

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So. If we are to follow in Christ's footsteps, our love is the fruit of the Holy Spirit we should show each other. Our self-giving as a servant should be a complete pouring out of ourselves, an emptying, in complete obedience.

This is what the great saints have done.

Even the ones who were in disagreement with the Church teachings at the time still were obedient. To be less than that, while working for change, is to not trust God or the Holy Spirit. It is to make yourself too important. If Christ's bride is the Church, then shouldn't we also give the Church that respect?

That is why those saints are our models in tempestuous times. They help us walk as Christ did, with obedience.

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Contemplating this over the last year has helped me care immensely when I am disobedient. And I am disobedient, I am sorry to admit. Much more often than I care to say.

Aren't we all?

Beginning with Adam and Eve, disobedience is the original human sin. It is the one that makes us ignore our inner voice of "what is right" and do what we want anyway.

Obedience.

It sounds fine until it interferes with what we'd really like.

Then, in fine American independence we spit the word "obedient" as if it is a curse and defiantly stamp to emphasize our right to do what we like. If we have to stamp on the person next to us who doesn't agree, well then, so be it. That's what they deserve for trying to restrict my right to do whatever I like. I'd better tell everyone while I'm doing it so they may applaud my independence.

That is all very American.

But is it Catholic?

Is it Christ-like?

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This comes to mind with great force as I've been thinking about being Catholic and being American lately. In the last couple of days I've encountered a surprising number of Catholics rejecting pastoral direction* and recommendations. With great vigor and varying levels of rhetoric and skill, they have proudly (and loudly) pointed out their defiance. Some of this has been online and one, to my startlement, was to my face at a most unexpected time.

Interestingly, it has all been a rejection of advice on how to weigh issues' importance when voting.

In every case, people were offended by the manner, rhetoric, or tone with which they were advised. No one, however, stopped long enough to scrape aside the "tone" and look at the actual issues being propounded. "How dare they tell me how to vote!" is reason that needs no response. In America anyway.

I have come across this before and still find it perplexing.

Lest you think I am picking on one "side" or the other, rest assured I am not. I have had the same frigid silence come up when discussing voting for immigration and the death penalty as I have when discussing voting for an end to abortion or contraception.

But I just don't understand the triumphant tone and proud face that I am shown every time this sort of thing comes up. Despite what either "side" thinks, the attitude is identical on the surface.

We count on our pastors to advise us on practically everything in our lives. They are our shepherds. When we are running full tilt for a cliff, we need them to put out their shepherd's staff and turn us from the path of destruction.

Granted, some do a better job than others and we are out of practice after many years of some bishops and priests who have done a lackluster job of counseling.

Do we have to do what they say? No. We, in turn, have our own obligation to use the minds that God gave us and consider the facts and issues carefully.

Facts and issues.

Not tone. Not the "outrage" of being advised of what issues matter more than others.

I began wondering about my concept of priest as shepherd. And I found this wonderful statement from a recent shepherd.

One could say that by his own example Jesus himself, the good shepherd who "calls his own sheep by name" (cf. Jn 10:3-4), has set the standard of individual pastoral care: knowledge and a relationship of friendship with individual persons. The presbyter's task is to help each one to utilize well his own gift, and rightly to exercise the freedom that comes from Christ's salvation, as St. Paul urges (cf. Gal 4:3; 5:1, 13; Jn 8:36).

Everything must be directed toward practicing "a sincere and practical charity." This means that "Christians should be taught that they live not only for themselves, but according to the demands of the new law of charity; as every man has received grace, he must administer the same to others. In this way, all will discharge in a Christian manner their duties in the community of men" (PO 6). Therefore, the priest's mission includes calling to mind the obligations of charity, showing the applications of charity in social life, fostering an atmosphere of unity with respect for differences, encouraging programs and works of charity, by which great opportunities become available to the faithful, especially through the new emphasis on volunteer work, consciously provided as a good use of free time, and in many cases, as a choice of life.

Pope John Paul II, The Priest Is a Shepherd to the Community

General Audience, May 19, 1993

Our bishops and priests have the duty to show us the applications of charity in social life. To me, that includes advice on how to weigh issues when we vote.

They aren't going to follow us into the booth and pull the lever. Just like they don't come into our bedrooms and make sure we are living our marriage well. But it is their duty to advise, even if we don't like it.

Our duty, and we do have one here, is to carefully consider that advice.

Not to give a knee-jerk reaction of the usual sort because that advice may not fit what we want. Or the tone may not be right. We can be angry. We may even say something we regret. But we have to think further, go farther, and carefully consider issues, facts, and the Church's teachings.

If we don’t agree with Church teachings or pastoral advice, treat that disagreement as the important thing it is. Go to source materials, study the Catechism, read the Church Fathers, look at the 2000 years’ worth of discussion on the subject. Dig into it and don’t let go until you understand the logic that led the Church to that teaching.

So, yes, use your brain.

But also keep in mind that simply not “liking” something is not reason to disobey.

In that we also must keep in mind Paul’s counsel from the beginning of that passage. Are we showing the fruit of love, affection, sympathy? Are we humble, counting others better than ourselves, looking to the interests of others?

Can they tell we are Christians by our love?

I know. I have trouble with it too.

In today's Mass readings there was a line that I just can't shake. It echoes round and round in my head. I've learned to pay attention when that happens.

Jesus, speaking of being our good shepherd says:

"I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly." (John 10:10)

But to do that, we have to be the kinds of people our fellow Americans (and many fellow Catholics) may not understand. We have to follow our good shepherd.

We have to stop treating "obedience" like a dirty word.

* And I'm not talking about the sort of thing that led to the sexual abuse scandal. That's not the sort of thing the Church has ever taught was right and that no one in their right mind would expect to find justified anywhere.

Help a family adopt this precious little girl and enter a giveaway for a chance to win one of 34 great prizes

... including a Happy Catholic book signed by me as well as books by Amy Welborn, Mark Shea,  and Brandon Vogt (among others). Other giveaways include chocolates, jewelry, frames prints, rosaries, and more.

Susan Windley-Daoust (Ironic Catholic) has done a fantastic job of recruiting wonderful prizes. And the money all goes to a very worthy cause ... helping unite a little girl and the parents wanting to adopt her and give her the home she's been longing for.

Check out Ironic Catholic's Great Big Giveaway for New Life for details.

Weekend Joke

A man takes his Rottweiler to the vet and says, "My dog's cross-eyed. Is there anything you can do for him?"

"Well," says the vet, "let's have a look at him" So he picks the dog up and examines his eyes, then checks his teeth.

Finally, he says "I'm going to have to put him down."

"What?" asked the man, startled. "Because he's cross-eyed?"

"No, because he's really heavy"

The New Mother

Jesse from the SFFaudio podcast and I will be discussing The New Mother. We'll be joined by Heather Ordover from CraftLit, who read the story aloud for us. Jesse posted the audio of the story early for anyone interested.

Cooking the Books: Green Beans with Ginger

My new favorite cookbook? It isn't really new. And it has a simply amazing green beans recipe. All is revealed at Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen.

Resource: Catechism Class is Like Spark Notes for Catholic Books

Y'all know that I'm all about book reviews. But there is another way to evaluate a great many Catholic books.

We realize that the vast majority of Catholics want to read classic and contemporary Catholic books but due to time constraints, they are able to actually only read a small number of them. We have responded to this need by summarizing (not reviewing so that customers get the author's views and not our opinions) many great Catholic books.

Catechism Class has a really extensive list of books that they've done thorough reviews for. And when I say thorough, I ain't just a whistlin' Dixie.

I was stunned at how thorough the samples were. Not only an overall summary, but also a summary for every chapter. This is truly the way to quickly get the sense of a book that you need to evaluate before purchasing or cover for some reason but don't have time to read.

Cathechism Class describes their summaries here and has a list of books covered here. As a bonus, I asked them to provide a sample pdf of a representative book so that you could see for yourselves how thorough these are. They generously came forth with Scott Hahn's Hail Holy Queen.

Give it a try and check out their site.

Americans are Alright

Getting ready to visit home (America) after a living in Asia for a long time and seeing American businessmen at their worst, the EatingAsia folks asked themselves, "Ugh, Americans. Are we really that obnoxious?

What they found on their whirlwind trip to the U.S. was that we're alright.

I know, I know -- there's the vitriolic backdrop, especially now that we're heavy into a presidential election cycle. It's everywhere, and hard to ignore. But day to day we Americans are generally pretty nice folks. We smile, we say "hi", we hold doors open for each other and yes, we queue ("line up" in Americanese). We are welcoming. We help strangers. We offer sympathy and aid to people in trouble even if we don't know them. We're curious about others and we chit-chat, exchange pleasantries and make small talk with just about anyone.

And that's not all. Yes, we've got our problems as any people do, but it's nice to read something so positive for a change.

Go read the whole thing at EatingAsia and soak up the gorgeous photos.

Joan of Arc Series on History According to Bob Podcast

The Joan of Arc series has just begun but Bob doesn't keep his episodes up for more than a few weeks.  Although in looking through the archive I see he has a few months worth of episodes. He sells CDs of his series later so he takes episodes down fairly soon.

If you think you might be interested, grab these now. In the past, I have found Bob to be very fair and even-handed, giving careful consideration to all points of view and usually choosing the most reasonable.

Pick up episode at the History According to Bob archives or via iTunes. The first episode is an overview, posted on April 11 and there has been one other episode since then.

If you look through the existing archive, Bob also has part of a series about the crusades and the Teutonic Knights and such matters so you may want to try those also.

Word of the Week:

Ever since I read about the Dictionary of American Regional English, I've been itching to get my hands on a volume. There are six volumes, with the last finally being published after decades of work being done. Loving words the way we do around here it is hard to imagine a more wonderful book for browsing than one featuring all sorts of obscure regionalisms.

Here's the DARE website where you can find out more and from which I'll be pulling a word now and then for our edification and entertainment.

Let's begin with DARE's word of the month:

Rusticator

A vacationer, esp a summer boarder.

Where does it come from? How do you use it? What examples from the past can you see? DARE has it all for you. Go and enjoy!

UPDATE
Tim Canny mentions something that I meant to tell you. You can follow them on Twitter (twitter via @darewords) and get words much more frequently. Thanks Tim!

Web could vanish for hordes of people in July, FBI warns

If your computer is infected with the DNSChanger virus, your summertime Internet activities will be seriously curtailed -- as in buh-bye. But a special Web site can help you fix the problem.

This looks like one of those spam scares that I often debunk using Snopes.com.

However, Tom was telling me all about it yesterday morning. This is a real thing.

Here's an article he recommends.

Weekend Joke: So a guy goes to a psychiatrist ...

Via Data's Jokes.

A guy goes to a psychiatrist. "Doc, I keep having these alternating recurring dreams. First I'm a teepee; then I'm a wigwam; then I'm a teepee; then I'm a wigwam. It's driving me crazy. What's wrong with me?"

The doctor replies: "It's very simple. You're two tents."

1st Corinthians and the LCWR: Mourning and a Wake Up Call to Repentance

A few thoughts, not necessarily strung together in the best way, but I wanted to get these out there for consideration before my day got away from me.

Frankly, the Vatican's document and reprimand to the LCWR was not really on my radar. Like many Catholics I vaguely knew there were some orders of religious who liked to style themselves "progressive" and skirt Vatican teachings when it didn't suit their ideas of service. In this, I am thinking more of a particular priest I know from another city. He'll never know how much he shocked me (as a fairly new Catholic) when he confided, with a twinkle in his eye about breaking some rules which he didn't think were all that important because he was the best judge of such things. That moment and his attitude always came to mind when I'd hear reports of orders flouting Church teachings. So I may, perhaps, have gotten it wrong a few times when thinking that such flouting was deliberate rather than sheer ignorance. Honestly, I'm not sure which is worse when considering a whole order's behavior. But that is a matter for further pondering, especially with concern to my own life. Where do I leave myself (or those around me) ignorant and where do I ignore what I should obey?

Reading 1st Corinthians this morning was especially enlightening as Paul is dealing with a scandalous situation being tolerated in the church. Chapter 5: 1-5 from the NAB:

It is widely reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of a kind not found even among pagans—a man living with his father’s wife. And you are inflated with pride. Should you not rather have been sorrowful? The one who did this deed should be expelled from your midst. I, for my part, although absent in body but present in spirit, have already, as if present, pronounced judgment on the one who has committed this deed,b in the name of [our] Lord Jesus: when you have gathered together and I am with you in spirit with the power of the Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.

Careful reading and the accompanying commentary makes two things very clear. First, the community is so "puffed up" (literal translation of "inflated") that they not only tolerate the immoral situation but either consider themselves spiritually advanced or they think it doesn't affect them as a community. The community should have been sorrowful or, as other translations say, have been "in mourning."

This says something to me about those orders, true, but it says more to me about those who are triumphant about the reprimand. People have been angry about such laxity but have we been mournful for these, our sisters, who have gone astray? Have we felt sorrowful for the probable outcome to them? Whether as a reprimand or for the ill being done in their lax attitudes, should we not have cared as much as we would for a dear friend or family member? Have we prayed or offered up fasting or some similar sacrifice to God on their behalf, as I myself have done for a beloved atheist family member?

Where is our sense of unity? Where is our response to the great commandment of love that Christ gave us?

You notice I include myself. I can say these things because I am guilty. Paul is talking directly to me on this.

Second, the immoral man is excommunicated from the community by Paul. Note that this is not intended to be permanent but it is "a therapy of privation that hopefully will wake the man up and lead him to repentance and readmission to the community" (from the commentary).

Sometimes we need a spiritual awakening administered through severe action because it is only then that we pay attention. We've all experienced this from time to time. It is when we ignore the increasingly strong reprimands that it becomes necessary to take drastic measures to get our attention. I'm thinking here of the prodigal son.

In 1st Corinthians it is both to save the man and safeguard the community from the bad example that the action is taken.

It seems shocking from the outside but in the end could save them all.

From personal experience, I'd say that a good many problems of the sort we see in the Corinthian community and in this situation come from insularity. We don't go outside our comfortable bubbles enough to get another perspective.

In this case, I would like to offer the LCWR a modern example of someone they could emulate. Not a long-ago saint or far away person from the "other side" but someone who feels their pain and yet will take the hard steps to offer that pain to God and ask for enlightenment and growth.

Joanne McPortland blogs with her whole heart at egregious twaddle. I like her even though she often is approaching Catholic things from the opposite viewpoint than I am. I like her because she is honest, because she is trying, because she is sticking with her recent return to the Catholic church and struggling with the things that don't seem to make sense. But offering herself to God so that she may understand.

As a former agnostic, child of atheists, even more a child of our modern society, I too have had similar struggles that hurt me to the very bone.

Her response the the Vatican reprimand of the LCWR was angry. An honest anger that stormed questions at God on behalf of people she loved. Go read An Uppity Woman Prays for Answers. I believe that God doesn't mind those angry shouts because, like Job's, they are honest and heart-felt. Though they may be filled with pain, they are turning to Him. It is a trust that there is an answer. It is a personal response in a personal relationship with Him.

Joanne helped me see the other side and reminded me of a place I love that can sometimes be outside my own comfort bubble, which is my Catholic women's book club. I absolutely love every woman who comes to it.

And yet. And yet we are a very diverse group. We do our best to stay from controversial topics and yet we can't sometimes. I sometimes mourn for some of my sisters from that group and I always pray that we may all know truth. And they keep me centered. They help me see the heart of those I don't agree with sometimes. Am I right when I disagree with them? I think so, obviously. However, we keep each other close to the middle of the road marker, where we may reach over and hold hands, understanding each other's hearts. Sometimes, we will even step across and be together on either side. And that's the right way to be, after all. Because that's where the Church is. Not on the fringes, but in the middle. But, again, that concept provides enough pondering for another day, so we will move on.

Joanne does that for me. As did that post.

The next day, Joanne wrote Fleeing Babylon: The Old Order(s) Changeth. She'd had time to think, to pray, to listen for answers, to hear what kind friends were not saying (out of kindness) and to know it for a hint of the truth. She has been able to gain clarity and relinquish her anger. She remains sad but also joyful.

This was heartening and also a wonderful look at the spiritual wrestling we must all do with the messengers of God. Like Jacob, we may be left wounded. It may be a wound that, like his, we carry our whole lives. But it changes us.

I so appreciate Joanne sharing her personal struggle because of her honesty and commitment to truth.

It helps me to remember that unity, helps me begin to truly mourn and pray for these sisters of Christ, and to examine myself for blind spots and pride.

I hope and pray that the sisters of the LCWR may go through the same process as we all limp, joyfully (!), toward God together.

NPR Reporter Understands the Church Better Than the Nun They Are Interviewing

Just heard from Hannah, our roving reporter in the DFW Metroplex, who is making the arborist rounds of the Dallas areas. She listens to NPR a lot while driving and called to tell me that she was livid after listening to a particularly unhelpful interview with Sister Simone Campbell.

The reporter was attempting to get her to talk realistically about the Vatican finding that the Leadership Conference of Women Religious had serious doctrinal problems. Here's NPR's blurb and the link if you want to listen (or read) for yourself.

The Vatican has reprimanded the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, saying the group has "serious doctrinal problems." The Vatican assigned an archbishop to reform the conference. The group has taken controversial stances on issues including health care and gender matters. Melissa Block speaks with Sister Simone Campbell, executive director of NETWORK, a national Catholic social justice lobbying group which works closely with the LCWR.

Unfortunately, Sister Simone unhelpfully kept saying that the report simply meant the women in the Church needed to educate the men in the Church on how things work in the real world. Hearing Hannah tell me all this made me happy that I have a discerning daughter who loves her faith and quite sorry for Sister Simone. She is either being disingenuous or really believes what she is saying. And it is to weep. Obedience and charity are integral to us all as Catholics and especially for a religious sister.

We all find ourselves at odd with the Catholic Church sometime or another, sometimes over very big issues. But we are all called to practice obedience, charity, forgiveness, and following Christ's example while we do so. I pray for Sister Simone and those like her who may be smarting, frustrated, and upset by the report.

Hannah gave full props to the reporter who, she said, kept trying to bring Sister Simone back to the real questions and seemed fairly well educated about the issues.

Hannah also wanted me to let any NPR listeners know that Sister Simone was not someone they wanted to trust for their Catholic opinion making.

Job done!

As is so often the case, I turned to GetReligion for their take on the story and the media coverage which looks as if it were quite good actually. I definitely recommend you go there and read it and the linked stories if you want the full picture. Mollie read the 8-page Vatican document and points out that it praises as well as reprimands.

In fact, on the first page alone is this line, “The Holy See acknowledges with gratitude the great contribution of women Religious to the Church in the United States as seen particularly in the many schools, hospitals, and institutions of support for the poor which have been founded and staffed by Religious over the years.”

As I mentioned, she looks at reporting across all media, including bloggers like Whispers in the Loggia (Rocco's always on top of these sorts of stories). I hadn't had a chance to even look at my RSS reader today so was glad Hannah prompted me to look into the story more.

Be sure to read the GetReligion story if you are at all interested in this story.

Flannery O'Connor at A Good Story is Hard to Find Podcast

Julie talks Scott's leg off, but since it isn't wooden he gets to keep it? Confused? So are we, but we bravely discuss three of Flannery O'Connor's stories: A Good Man is Hard to Find, The River, and Good Country People.

And find out what happens when we leave the recorder running for another five minutes after signing off.

Come and listen at A Good Story is Hard to Find.

Joe Ledger's Back in Town and This Time He's Got Ninjas! (New on the shelf.)

Assassin's Code by Jonathan Maberry

I'm sorry Doctor Esterhazy. It isn't that I find you boring, though you are a bit more difficult to follow on audio than ordinary books, but it's just that Joe is back in town. And ... well ... gotta put you down and go get me some Joe!

When Joe Ledger and Echo Team rescue a group of American college kids held hostage in Iran,the Iranian government then asks them to help find six nuclear bombs planted in the Mideast oil fields. These stolen WMDs will lead Joe and Echo Team into hidden vaults of forbidden knowledge, mass-murder, betrayal, and a brotherhood of genetically-engineered killers with a thirst for blood. Accompanied by the beautiful assassin called Violin, Joe follows a series of clues to find the Book of Shadows, which contains a horrifying truth that threatens to shatter his entire worldview.

Although, a beautiful assassin named (really? seriously?) Violin had better have a darned good story behind the name or I'll never be able to stop laughing.

And it wouldn't be a Joe Ledger book without genetic engineering rearing its ugly head somewhere nearby.

But on the other hand ... ninjas!

Reviewing "The Gospel of Mark: Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture" by Mary Healy

Gospel of Mark, The by Mary Healy

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a really great commentary. Healy combines a lot of the information that I have in a variety of other commentaries (both Catholic and Protestant), but then pulls it all together with additional observations that make it very accessible while still being scholarly. She follows up many sections with items for reflection. Her style is very easy to read and you never feel as if she's talking over your head.

The structure is such that you are generally covering just a little scripture at a time. Each reading is followed with cross references to the Old Testament, New Testament, Catechism, and Liturgy. These are followed by the commentary, in which words from the scripture reading are bold whenever they are used. Although I saw some people complaining about that practice, I found it useful. Sometimes a bold word would make me suddenly pay attention and go back to the scripture, thinking, "Did it really say that? Why haven't I ever noticed before?"

There are also a few maps, occasional photos when they'd be helpful, and sidebar boxes with Biblical background and living tradition (Catechism, Fathers of the Church, saints) information that enriches understanding. The boxes can be difficult to read because they are a medium gray text on a light gray box which doesn't provide much contrast. (Later editions seem to have fixed this problem as 1 Corinthians has a much darker text in the boxes.)

Healy is excellent at putting the scripture in context, whether in reference to the context of people of the time, to other scripture, or for our own lives. Sometimes I was enlightened by the factual information which gives me new insights into the text. Sometimes it is from the material for reflection. However, it is a rare day that I failed coming away with an insight that I pondered the rest of the day. In fact, it set me thinking so much that I revived my Mark Bible study for this blog so that I could share some of these insights with others. It is in the early parts of Mark at this point, but check that out for a few short excerpts that you can use to see why you should read the entire book.

Highest recommendation.

You can see more about the series at their website and ... I bought this with my own money and will be buying more. Yes, that's how much I liked this book.

Speaking of "Awake" ...

I completely approve of the penguin. Not enough of them on TV these days, especially helping solve crimes. And have I said that I feel sorry for anyone stuck in "blue filter" universe? They are always going to look sickly and tired.

And, did anyone else groove the way I did when Michael, held hostage in the mental ward, reassured crazy Gabe that his sister was free? Free to be happy, not held captive anymore, and so forth (I can't find the quote for this speech.)In other words, no grave can hold her.

Anyone paying attention to Easter that week could immediately see a parallel, which the blue-filter therapist points out by saying rather disparagingly that the world's major religions came up with eternal life for much the same reason (to fool themselves, she means. I say "Boo!"). But Gabe's relief and happiness for his sister are perfectly appropriate for any Christian who really "gets it."

Of course this was that That's Not My Penguin episode.

My Life in the Buffy-Verse: 3.11

My life in the Buffy-verse (by request) - season 3. Got this far and then had to stop to catch up on Awake. "Gingerbread" -- After two children are mysteriously killed, apparently as part of a cult sacrifice, Joyce (Kristine Sutherland) leads the town in a witch hunt - but all is not quite as it seems." As if we didn't know those kids were not what they seemed. Right.

Though I never really trusted Buffy's mother to handle the whole Hell-mouth thing well. And we can see that she doesn't really, deep down.

Catholic Church's "social magisterium" informed House GOP budget

About time.

Although never in a thousand years did I think I'd be glancing through Daniel Henninger's piece about  President Obama's war of "rhetorical destruction" (what the heck did he say now? something worse than that comment to the Supreme Court?) and then suddenly see:

In an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network, he [Paul Ryan] said that in fact the Catholic Church's "social magisterium" had informed his House budget. One goal of that teaching, he said, is to prevent the poor from staying poor. Nor, he added, should individuals become lifelong dependents of their government.

Now that's a little bit of info that made me sit up straight and cough on my coffee this morning. I suddenly started reading every word.

What Mr. Ryan actually said is worth quoting, because it should revive the debate over the proper relationship between individual citizens, including the poor, and the national government:

"A person's faith is central to how they conduct themselves in public and in private. So to me, using my Catholic faith, we call it the social magisterium, which is how do you apply the doctrine of your teaching into your everyday life as a lay person?

"To me, the principle of subsidiarity . . . meaning government closest to the people governs best . . . where we, through our civic organizations, through our churches, through our charities, through all of our different groups where we interact with people as a community, that's how we advance the common good. By not having big government crowd out civic society, but by having enough space in our communities so that we can interact with each other, and take care of people who are down and out in our communities.

"Those principles are very, very important, and the preferential option for the poor, which is one of the primary tenets of Catholic social teaching, means don't keep people poor, don't make people dependent on government so that they stay stuck at their station in life. Help people get out of poverty out onto a life of independence."

Subsidiarity—an awful but important word—attempts to discover where the limits lie in the demands a state can make on its people. Identifying that limit was at the center of the Supreme Court's mandate arguments.

The first major use of subsidiarity as a basis for public policy was in Pope Leo XIII's famous 1891 encyclical "Rerum Novarum" (though the word itself doesn't appear). Leo was seeking a way to protect the dignity of human beings caught during those years in the tension between unfettered capitalism and unfettered government. "The State," he wrote, "must not absorb the individual or the family." Arguments over where the balance sits have raged since.

What kind of a crazy, mixed-up world is it when "Pope Leo XIII" and "Rerum Novarum" pops up in the editorial columns of the Wall Street Journal?

A really glorious world, I'd say.

Read it all.

Bishops propose: "fortnight for freedom"—a great hymn of prayer for our country

The Catholic bishops Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty have an impressive document posted, Our First, Most Cherished Liberty: A Statement on Religious Liberty. You may read it at the USCCB site or they have a pdf you can print out.

I have only glanced through it but was really struck by the numerous, bullet-pointed concrete examples of religious liberty under attack. I had no idea there were so many. I am intrigued to read the details and other information in it. (I've got a pdf print-out to read this evening at home.)

I also was very struck by their proposal for two weeks of prayer, to begin with the vigil for some of the best known and loved martyrs for religious liberty (St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More) and ending with Independence Day. If there is one thing I love about the Catholic Church (and we all know there is more than one thing) it is the way they do symbolism with style.

This year, we propose a special "fortnight for freedom," in which bishops in their own dioceses might arrange special events to highlight the importance of defending our first freedom. Our Catholic institutions also could be encouraged to do the same, especially in cooperation with other Christians, Jews, people of other faiths, and indeed, all who wish to defend our most cherished freedom.

We suggest that the fourteen days from June 21—the vigil of the Feasts of St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More—to July 4, Independence Day, be dedicated to this "fortnight for freedom"—a great hymn of prayer for our country. Our liturgical calendar celebrates a series of great martyrs who remained faithful in the face of persecution by political power—St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More, St. John the Baptist, SS. Peter and Paul, and the First Martyrs of the Church of Rome. Culminating on Independence Day, this special period of prayer, study, catechesis, and public action would emphasize both our Christian and American heritage of liberty. Dioceses and parishes around the country could choose a date in that period for special events that would constitute a great national campaign of teaching and witness for religious liberty.

In addition to this summer's observance, we also urge that the Solemnity of Christ the King—a feast born out of resistance to totalitarian incursions against religious liberty—be a day specifically employed by bishops and priests to preach about religious liberty, both here and abroad.

To all our fellow Catholics, we urge an intensification of your prayers and fasting for a new birth of freedom in our beloved country. We invite you to join us in an urgent prayer for religious liberty.

Almighty God, Father of all nations,
For freedom you have set us free in Christ Jesus (Gal 5:1).
We praise and bless you for the gift of religious liberty,
the foundation of human rights, justice, and the common good.
Grant to our leaders the wisdom to protect and promote our liberties;
By your grace may we have the courage to defend them, for ourselves and for all those who live in this blessed land.
We ask this through the intercession of Mary Immaculate, our patroness,
and in the name of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
with whom you live and reign, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Go read it all and share it with your friends. (Via New Advent).

All Hell is Breaking Loose. With Hilarious Results.

In the beginning
-------------------

It was a nice day.

All the days had been nice. There had been rather more than seven of them so far, and rain hadn't been invented yet. But clouds massing east of Eden suggested that the first thunderstorm was on its way, and it was going to be a big one.

The angel of the Eastern Gate put his wings over his head to shield himself from the first drops.

"I'm sorry," he said politely. "What was it you were saying?"

"I said, that one went down like a lead balloon," said the serpent.

"Oh. Yes," said the angel, whose name was Aziraphale.

"I think it was a bit of an overreaction, to be honest," said the serpent. "I mean, first offense and everything. I can't see what's so bad about knowing the difference between good and evil, anyway."

"It must be bad," reasoned Aziraphale, in the slightly concerned tones of one who can't see it either, and is worrying about it, "otherwise you wouldn't have been involved."

"They just said, Get up there and make some trouble," said the serpent, whose name was Crawly, although he was thinking of changing it now. Crawly, he'd decided, was not hint.

"Yes, but you're a demon. I'm not sure if it's actually possible for you to do good," said Aziraphale.

"It's down to your basic, you know, nature. Nothing personal, you understand."

"You've got to admit it's a bit of a pantomime, though," said Crawly. "I mean, pointing out the Tree and saying 'Don't Touch' in big letters. Not very subtle, is it? I mean, why not put it on top of a high mountain or a long way off? Makes you wonder what He's really planning."

"Best not to speculate, really," said Aziraphale. "You can't second-guess ineffability, I always say. There's Right, and there's Wrong. If you do Wrong when you're told to do Right, you deserve to be punished. Er."

They sat in embarrassed silence, watching the raindrops bruise the first flowers.

Eventually Crawly said, "Didn't you have a flaming sword?"

"Er," said the angel. A guilty expression passed across his face, and then came back and camped there.

"You did, didn't you?" said Crawly. "It flamed like anything."

"Er, well-"

"It looked very impressive, I thought."

"Yes, but, well-"

"Lost it, have you?"

"Oh no! No, not exactly lost, more-"

"Well?"

Aziraphale looked wretched. "If you must know," he said, a trifle testily, "I gave it away."

Crawly stared up at him.

"Well, I had to," said the angel, rubbing his hands distractedly. "They looked so cold, poor things, and she's expecting already, and what with the vicious animals out there and the storm coming up I thought, well, where's the harm, so I just said, look, if you come back there's going to be an almighty row, but you might be needing this sword, so here it is, don't bother to thank me, just do everyone a big favor and don't let the sun go down on you here."

He gave Crawly a worried grin.

"That was the best course, wasn't it?"

"I'm not sure it's actually possible for you to do evil," said Crawly sarcastically. Aziraphale didn't notice the tone.

"Oh, I do hope so," he said. "I really do hope so. It's been worrying me all afternoon."

They watched the rain for a while.

"Funny thing is," said Crawly, "I keep wondering whether the apple thing wasn't the right thing to do, as well. A demon can get into real trouble, doing the right thing." He nudged the angel. "Funny if we both got it wrong, eh? Funny if I did the good thing and you did the bad one, eh?"

"Not really," said Aziraphale.

Crawly looked at the rain.

"No," he said, sobering up. "I suppose not."

Slate-black curtains tumbled over Eden. Thunder growled among the hills. The animals, freshly named, cowered from the storm.

Far away, in the dripping woods, something bright and fiery flickered among the trees.

It was going to be a dark and stormy night.

Good Omens is the book that put The Apocalypse back on the map for our popular cultural imagination. It is fairly ubiquitous now (650 reviews on Amazon can't be wrong) but there's always the off chance that people haven't tried it yet. I can't believe I've never reviewed it, but here's no time like the present so let's get to it.

Fast-paced, witty, and slightly sadistic, Good Omens was written in 1990 by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett at a golden time when both had nothing else going on. One tries to imagine a time like that at any other point in their very busy careers and ... no, you can't do it. Both authors are prolific, clever, and have a way with twisting fantasy that appeals to the book reading public. Gaiman is darker and Pratchett is punnier, but both clearly worked well together and this book is a true classic.

But what's it about, I hear some asking.

Aziraphale and Crowley (who did wind up changing his name after all) have been hanging around Earth since the beginning and the constant association over 6000 years has turned them almost into friends. When Crowley receives the infant Antichrist with instructions to watch over him, they agree that they prefer living on Earth to what they'd find after the apocalypse. The two enter into a pact to keep the Antichrist perfectly balanced between good and evil. Which might work. If someone hadn't misplaced the Antichrist so that Crowley and Aziraphale have been working on the wrong child. Meanwhile, 11 years later it is hard to imagine anyone more human than the Antichrist, who has been living in a normal home in the countryside. It's up to plain old human nature and free will to see whether the apocalypse will begin.

Similar in style to Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the story turns on one ludicrous misunderstanding after another. It is those misunderstandings that make us laugh and also are the points upon which satire is presented to skewer the religious and unbelievers alike. Gaiman and Pratchett are like a modern-day Jonathan Swift and Mark Twain and we are the better for it. Certainly we have been laughing more because of their book, while at the same time we've been made to think a bit about what we believe, how we live our faith, and why it matters.

Crowley had got a commendation for the Spanish Inquisition. He had been in Spain then, mainly hanging around cantinas in the nicer parts, and hadn't even known about it until the commendation arrived. He'd gone to have a look, and had come back and got drunk for a week...

And just when you'd think they were more malignant than Hell could ever be, they could occasionally show more grace than Heaven ever dreamed of. Often the same individual was involved. It was this free-will thing, of course. It was a bugger.

Hugo Nomination Finalists Have Been Announced

SF Signal has the listing with the free fiction links so you can snap up as many as possible and read them.

Congratulations also to SF Signal, a particular favorite of mine, for their two Hugo nominations. Well done and well deserved!

Easter Reflections

Two things resonated and keep floating back into my mind.

During Saturday morning's practice of RCIA candidates (and catechumen) and sponsors, our priest did a spectacular job of explaining why everything was happening. More than that, and this was what made it spectacular, he continually reminded us of how we should think about our place in salvation history. He continually reminded us that our internal disposition was what would make the difference between those who say about mass "it's just the same thing over and over" and those who continually come away with some new insight or encounter with the risen Christ. It amounted to a wonderfully deep overview of the mass and the difference it makes.

During this overview he said something like, "I say the prayers out loud up here because that's my job. But Christ is praying them for you while I am praying them aloud."

That jolted me. I knew that Christ prays for us but had forgotten it. Now, with it called to the front of my mind, I treasured that idea. Christ prays for us. We matter that much to him. What a gift.

The other thing that struck me came that evening, when the church was dark and the Easter candle was lit. We saw the Easter candle light the little candles of the first candidates and catechumens who stood in the center aisle of the church. They in turn passed the light down the aisle and stood serenely, waiting.

We waited for the next "Lumen Christi" so we could respond "Deo gratias."

("Light of Christ. Thanks be to God.")

It was pitch black except for those tiny candles and I was really struck by how much they illuminated. We could see each person's face and the gentle glow bathing their shoulders and a bit of the night around them. The absolute truth of the symbolism was unmistakable. The darkness of the world except where Christ's light shines. The darkness of our souls except where that light blazes in our hearts. The fact that light is a thing which is never lessened when divided. When we share Christ's light it multiplies. And illuminates. And pushes back the dark.

"Lumen Christi." "Deo gratias."

The light was passed from one to another. I, in my turn, passed it on.

Perhaps it seems a cliche when reading it here. But the reality of smelling the wax burning, the wisps of smoke rising, seeing the light spreading was vivid in a way that burned itself into my mind and soul. As Christ has.

Lumen Christi. Deo gratias.

Three Easy Pieces: Recently Read

Prove It! God by Amy Welborn

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was recommended to me when I was asking for good books that might help questioning atheists. It is aimed at a young audience (meaning teenage, I assume, from the way it was written). Although I found the arguments didn't change in substance from those I already am familiar with, they were substantially easier to understand in some cases. Welborn does a good job of breaking down the logic and showing where questioners' assumptions may be based on faulty premises. Overall a good resource even for adults, if they are willing to overlook the spots where it is specifically using language to make teens comfortable with it.

Vanished by Joseph Finder

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Where did I first hear of this? I'd have thought Brandywine Books which keeps my mystery/thriller "to read" list filled. But I don't see it there in my extremely casual search. Perhaps it was via The Curt Jester.

Wherever I found it, this book is a really enjoyable, fast-paced thriller. Here's some of the description.

Nick Heller is tough, smart, and stubborn. And in his line of work, it's essential. Trained in the Special Forces, Nick is a high-powered intelligence investigator--exposing secrets that powerful people would rather keep hidden. He's a guy you don't want to mess with. He's also the man you call when you need a problem fixed.

Desperate, with nowhere else to run, Nick's nephew, Gabe makes that call one night. After being attacked in Georgetown, his mother, Lauren, lies in a coma, and his step-dad, Roger, Nick's brother, has vanished without a trace.

I particularly enjoyed the dichotomy of how Nick loves his brother deep down and struggles with whether to trust what appears to be unfolding as he investigates. But without whiny angst one sometimes finds in these books (yes, even from big, strong men). I myself not having Nick's childhood traumas to hold me back rarely trusted anyone in the book (aside from Nick, Gabe and Dorothy) to be who they said they were. Which sometimes paid off and sometimes didn't. A great book and I have requested the sequel from the library.


The Secret Country by Pamela Dean

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I discovered this trilogy in the best way - at the book store long ago when the first book had just come out. So as the story unfolded I was left on tenterhooks until each book came out. Frequent rereading has done nothing to dim my enjoyment. Here's the brief summary.

For the past nine years, cousins Patrick, Ruth, Ellen, Ted, and Laura have played at "The Secret"-a game full of witches, unicorns, a magic ring and court intrigue. In The Secret, they can imagine anything into reality, and shape destiny. Then the unbelievable happens: by trick or by chance, they find themselves in the Secret Country, their made-up identities now real. They have arrived at the start of their game, with the Country on the edge of war. What was once exciting and wonderful now looms threateningly before them, and no one is sure how to stop it . . . or if they will ever get back home.

.I particularly enjoy the fact that when they arrive in the Secret Country much of what they imagined doesn't match the Secret Country's "reality." People look different, the story goes off target occasionally, and so forth. That makes it all the more disconcerting when it is exactly right. Great fun, an imaginative "country" and I highly recommend it.

Real Christianity in Action: Path to Conversion of Heart is Through Actions Inspired by Love

I'm staying off the internet for the most part until after Easter, but wanted to drop in to share this story.

You may recall last week I pointed out a story about an atheist who was dumbfounded by Christians who offered to help pay for his vision problems despite the fact that he'd been on the opposing side in a struggle over having a Nativity scene at the local courthouse.

It has borne fruit in a most unexpected way. Thus does God work in hearts when we have done our part to show His true nature through our actions.

A few months ago Patrick Greene was an atheist who was threatening to sue Henderson County, Texas, if the county didn’t remove a Nativity scene from its courthouse lawn. Today he is a believer in Christ who underwent a radical change of heart that was catalyzed by the compassion of one Christian woman.

In late 2011, Greene joined the fight against a Nativity scene that had been set up outside the courthouse in the town of Athens, Texas, threatening to file a lawsuit over it. Shortly after he made his threat, however, he discovered that his ability to see was rapidly deteriorating and he would soon be blind, so he withdrew his threats and left the Nativity alone.

That’s when Jessica Crye, a Christian woman from Athens, asked her pastor, Erick Graham of Sand Springs Baptist Church, if they could help Greene. As a result of her kindness, thousands of dollars in donations have gone toward helping Greene, who has reconsidered his view of God as a result.

“There’s been one lingering thought in the back of my head my entire life, and it’s one thought that I’ve never been able to reconcile, and that is the vast difference between all the animals and us,” Greene told The Christian Post on Tuesday, as he began to explain his recent transformation from atheist to Christian. The theory of evolution didn’t answer his questions, he says, so he just set those questions aside and didn’t think about them anymore.

But when the Christians in a town that had reason to be angry with him showed him a gesture of love, he began reconsidering his beliefs altogether. He eventually began to realize that evolution would never have the answer to his questions, he says, and it was at that time he began to believe in God.

“I kind of realized that the questions I [was] asking you just had to accept on faith without doubting every period and every comma,” he said. He later began studying the Bible, both the Old Testament and the Gospels, and also discovered his belief that Jesus is the Son of God.

Read the whole story. Again, this is via The Deacon's Bench.

Today is Good Friday when Christ showed his love for us through His own self-giving and sacrificial love, even unto death. We are called up on to follow in His footsteps for thus shall others know our Master.

This is the Christianity that made  Romans say, "How they love one another."

Truly actions speak louder than words. May we all translate our love into such self-giving action as Holy Week ends and Easter comes.

To Be Or Not To Be raises more than one question ... our most controversial episode yet.

It's the sign of a good satire and also of our times when the 1942 classic movie To Be Or Not To Be turns our conversation to politics and Catholicism in America. Get it at A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast.

"Thou"

My contribution to Sarah Reinhard's ongoing series which considers the Hail Mary, word by word. There's a surprising amount to reflect upon in that simple "thou" or so it seemed to me.

We're Alive! Updated.

Sorry that I didn't let everyone know we managed to duck 12 tornadoes, but you never realize when national news is going to pick up your local weather (while it's happening ...what a newfangled world this is)!

Our part of town was never in danger after the Lancaster tornado got done tossing trucks and decided to withdraw into the clouds while moving east. Our big concern was Hannah who, as an arborist, was driving all over creation yesterday. She was in Frisco, which was a comfort because it was far away from the bad weather ... until the Arlington tornado began hotfooting it up there. At which point she called to say that she had taken shelter in a SuperTarget, her boss was holed up in  church bathroom somewhere, and the other salesperson was driving around the deserted countryside looking for somewhere to take shelter. At that point, other than succumbing to buying too many movies, she was out of danger.

It is nice to see how many concerned friends I have all over the country! Thank you so much for your emails checking on our well being. :-)

UPDATE
A friend mentioned that national news made it look as if Dallas were laid waste with few survivors. I consider the miracle to be that no one was seriously hurt. Even at the nursing home that had a wing ripped apart. Minor injuries yes but no one was killed or really injured. Even the 18-month-old boy whose grandmother clung to him by his ankles to keep him from being sucked into the storm (while sheltering with the other grandchildren in the bathtub).

A miracle. I'm just sayin'.

Although my friend says:

There are natural explanations. Because your airport is the only airport on earth that has no free wi-fi, Dallas-area tornadoes are more predictable. They're not bouncing off errant email waves and hitting cars and houses. So write a note of thanks to the airport authority.

And not a trace of bitterness toward the airport. Another miracle?

Worth a Thousand Words: Pure Enjoyment

Kaylee Gets a Treat

Hannah caught this on her phone. It captured our newest dog's enjoyment perfectly. We were able to let Wash and Kaylee play together on Saturday and little Kaylee fell right into line. She seems to relish her spot at the bottom of the pack ... or for that matter belonging to any pack ... and the household feels right again. Not that Kaylee hasn't begun trying to move up a bit, but that's par for the course and will keep us in line as strong leaders.

She's a doll. Sunny, cheerful, and mostly just wanting to be sure everyone's happy. Just like the original Kaylee on Firefly, so she's well named.

A Free E-Book Per Week for 10 Weeks: SF From Phoenix Pick

Not only are we offering a free book from one of true greats in science fiction (Locus Magazine lists him as having won more awards for short fiction than any other writer, ever), but we are going to significantly expand our Amazon program. We will be offering 10 titles absolutely free over the next 10 weeks via Amazon.

Starting April 3rd, we will offer a book absolutely free for two days (Tuesday and Wednesday) for the next ten weeks (a new book every week, free to download that Tuesday and Wendesday),Many of the books will be accompanied by additional promotions.

To get details of this promotion (including specific titles and dates) please go to:
http://www.phoenixpick.com/KPromo.htm (KPromo.htm is CASE SENSITIVE).

What about those who don’t own Kindle Devices? Unfortunately to offer these promos through Amazon we have had to de-list the book in other format…but THE BOOKS ARE DRM FREE. So  most of you should be available to download the book and convert it using any one of the myriad of free applications available on the web (like Calibre).

For  your own use only, of course…the free books are offered only for your own use. Please respect the rights of authors who have agreed to have their books provided to you for free.

And it looks as if there will be nice extras each week also. The first book has the next two book in the trilogy available for only 99 cents each. That is a great deal.

This is in addition to Phoenix Pick's usual monthly free e-book, which this month is from one of science fiction's great writers, Mike Resnick.

Our Free Ebook for April is Mike Resnick’s ‘Adventures: The Chronicle of Lucifer Jones, Volume I. Yes, Mike has won more awards than anyone else (living or dead) for short fiction (as least as per Locus magazine’s count) and he’s near the top for novels as well. He is also this year’s Guest of Honor at the Worldcon being held in Chicago.

Of all the characters that Mike has created, Lucifer Jones remains his favorite. We are proud to republish this hilarious series of adventures starring a most unique character.Adventures is the first volume of the Chronicles.

Being a Stirring Chronicle of Intrigue, Romance, Danger, Hairbreadth Escapes, and Thrilling Triumphs over Fierce Beasts and Fiercer Men in the Mysterious and Exotic Dark Continent, as Recounted by the Daring, Resourceful, Handsome, and Modest Christian Gentleman Who Experienced Them.

It really is a fun book.

Find out how to sign up for free e-books here.

Weekend Joke for Palm Sunday

It was Palm Sunday but because of a sore throat, 5-year-old Johnny stayed home from church with a sitter. When the family returned home, they were carrying several palm fronds. Johnny asked them what they were for.

"People held them over Jesus' head as he walked by," his father told him.

"Wouldn't you know it," Johnny fumed, "the one Sunday I don't go and he shows up."

It's All Downhill From Here: A Little Humor to Get Us Through the Rest of the Week

From the brilliant Doug Savage at Savage Chickens

Short Pasta with Cauliflower

Another of the recipes that Rose tried out when she was our nightly cook. (Oh, those were the days!). This was really tasty and comes in handy for meatless Fridays.

Get it at Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen.

Palm Sunday is Coming. Is It Personal For You?

Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:6-11

I love this. It keeps me really grounded.

And I had it in mind the whole time I was watching this video about What the Father Saw . Made by Patrick, a youth minister (and future friar), at make a friar.

This is going to keep you grounded too, next Sunday when the Church, around the world, is reading the Passion narrative aloud at Mass. It's a little emotional, a little over the top, you might say.

Maybe.

But think about the readings for Palm Sunday. A lot of people today say that's a little over the top. Who'd believe all that anyway?

Right. You and me. Or you wouldn't be here and neither would I.

It brings it home, makes it personal, when we think about what Christ's obedience cost him ... and why He did it.

Blogging Around: "Too Good Not to Share" Edition

Links to full stories are in the titles.

Dr. Boli's Complete History of the World - Chapter 1

At a certain point in time—in fact, at the very first certain point of time in the history of time—this primordial unity gave birth to multiplicity with a tremendous racket. There is some disagreement as to why this event occurred: theologians believe it happened because God willed it; scientists believe it happened for no reason at all; and Dr. Boli, whose opinion must be allowed to count for something in his own book, believes it was the result of deliberate sabotage. The matter thus set loose in the previously tidy universe busily set about forming itself into galaxies, stars, planets, and other detritus, so that today there is little hope of ever getting the place cleaned up. This should be a valuable lesson for us all on the tragic consequences of slovenly habits.

It was hard to choose what to use to lure you to reading the entire thing, but do go do so. Too, too wonderful.

Christians Raise Money to Help Atheist Have Eye Surgery

Patrick Greene says he has always been “treated like dirt” by Christians because of his atheistic beliefs.

That recently changed, leaving Greene “completely flabbergasted.”

It happened when some Henderson County Christians offered Greene financial assistance with a medical problem despite his opposition to a nativity scene on the courthouse square.

To which I thought, "Yes, this is just as it should be." Sadly, it is rare enough to flabbergast people and raise a lot of notice. This should be the norm not the oddity. However. We are all to blame for that. For inspiration in doing better, let's all go read the entire story. Via The Deacon's Bench.

It's Better to Light One Candle Than Curse the Darkness

A young adventurer risks his life to reunite trafficked children with their families; African-American maids in the South reclaim their dignity through sharing their stories; a priest travels around the world to explore the history of the Catholic Church. These stories and more are told in the 22 feature films, TV/Cable programs, and books for adults and young people being honored with Christopher Awards in New York on May 24th, 2012.

There is a wealth of good reading, watching, and inspirational lives to read about at The Christophers where their most recent award winners have been announced. I can vouch for Little Princes by Conor Grennan which is an engrossing memoir tracing the young man's growing maturity as he helps reunite trafficked Nepalese children with their families.

Father Dwight Longenecker Moves to Patheos
I've long been a fan of Father Longenecker, way back from the days when I nervously typed my first "fan" email (before he converted) to the author of Adventures in Orthodoxy (which I still recommend). Reading his blog was just more of a daily dose of goodness and now he's at Patheos. Drop by and tell him hello!

Illustrations for Vox Clara Pontifical
I've long been a fan of artist Daniel Mitsui, who blogs at The Lion and The Cardinal, and was so pleased to see he had been commissioned to do these illustrations, which are simply wonderful. Check his newletter for more of his creations, which you may have for your very own.

A Thread for Weaving Joy

Catholics need to wake up from the illusion that the America we now live in – not the America of our nostalgia or imagination or best ideals, but the real America we live in here and now – is somehow friendly to our faith. What we’re watching emerge in this country is a new kind of paganism, an atheism with air-conditioning and digital TV. And it is neither tolerant nor morally neutral.

[...]

My point is this: Evil talks about tolerance only when it’s weak. When it gains the upper hand, its vanity always requires the destruction of the good and the innocent, because the example of good and innocent lives is an ongoing witness against it. So it always has been. So it always will be. And America has no special immunity to becoming an enemy of its own founding beliefs about human freedom, human dignity, the limited power of the state, and the sovereignty of God.

A friend of mine has a son with Down syndrome, and she calls him a “sniffer of souls.” I know him, and it’s true. He is. He may have an IQ of 47, and he’ll never read The Brothers Karamazov, but he has a piercingly quick sense of the people he meets. He knows when he’s loved -- and he knows when he’s not. Ultimately, I think we’re all like her son. We hunger for people to confirm that we have meaning by showing us love. We need that love. And we suffer when that love is withheld.

These children with disabilities are not a burden; they’re a priceless gift to all of us. They’re a doorway to the real meaning of our humanity. Whatever suffering we endure to welcome, protect and ennoble these special children is worth it because they’re a pathway to real hope and real joy. Abortion kills a child; it wounds a precious part of a woman’s own dignity and identity; and it steals hope. That’s why it’s wrong. That’s why it needs to end. That’s why we march.

Charles J. Chaput addressed the Cardinal O’Connor Conference on Life and spoke from the heart. It needs to be read from beginning to end and taken to heart.

"All right, Mr DeMille, I'm ready for my close up."

This little lady is now our Boxer, Wash's, new little sister. She's smaller than she looks but makes up for it with huge personality. Unfortunately, so huge that she thinks she should run the household. Did we mention she's a lot more Pitt Bull than Boxer (or maybe Bulldog, we're thinking).

We got her at the SPCA where she could show her sweet, loving side. She'd been adopted and returned once because of an illness in the home that wouldn't allow taking care of a new pet. They also mentioned her fear of doors / doorways and extreme shyness.

We're wondering just what dog they took home. True enough, she doesn't like being taken by the collar and pulled anywhere. But walking through a doorway? No problem. Because maybe there's a camera waiting to take her confident photo.

And, if she gets through that doorway ahead of you it means that she is top dog, not you. Oh yes. There is that.

She has bonded very well to me and either waits to let me walk first or if she "forgets" (ha!), then when I clear my throat or tap my foot or ... yes sometimes she makes me order her ... clap my hands at her, then she comes contritely back (Oh, I didn't see you back there the two times I looked over my shoulder! So sorry!) and very properly follows me down the hall.

Biggest problem so far?

She began a fight with Wash within minutes of meeting him and still would like to settle it. Up went the dog gate (which she can knock over or climb ... what a little darling) and then began the two-dog tango to give each dog plenty of people time but keep them separated. We're going to take them for a walk this evening which should help the bonding because she was trying to get him to play with her through the gate this morning. (In between growls. Talk about mixed messages.)

Keeping in mind that we got her home around 2 p.m. on Saturday, that is not bad progress.

And, when we returned from Mass on Sunday, we discovered she's a little escape artist.

"Wire crate? Ha, ha! I laugh at them!" she chuckled gleefully as she greeted us at the door when we returned.

Thank goodness we had also crated Wash. Our gentle giant was sitting in the far corner of his crate, thanking his lucky stars she was outside and he was inside. And wondering just why we brought her home.

How she squeezed through that little opening she forced between the top and side, we'll never know. Oh, wait, we do know. Because Tom reinforced all gaps yesterday. When we put her in the crate so Wash could have an hour in our company while we were watching TV, we watched with bemusement as she tested every join, tried the wire with her excellent teeth (which are long and sharp and Tom said remind him of Alien), and then moaned with frustration. (Zoe and she could hold lovely concerts with their moaning.)

This makes her sound terrible, but it is really just adjustment pains being felt all around.

She is a little sweetie pie who wants noting more than to sit in your lap while her tummy is being rubbed. And then run 10 circles around the living room at the speed of light. (Which is very much like a Boxer.)

Her name?

We're sticking with the Firefly theme.

Think of a homegrown beauty, from a hardscrabble planet, delighted to see the big, wide world.

Yep, Kaylee.

That parasol makes me think of our Kaylee's spiffy new pink collar. Just the thing for a little lady.

Eternal Rest Grant Him, O Lord ... for Gregg Margarite

I had the privilege of "meeting" Gregg on SFFaudio and he seemed larger than life somehow, so it was with great shock that I heard via SFFaudio that he died of a sudden heart attack.

This is such a shock and I am really sad because I’m going to miss Gregg so much. He was pervasive in my life, whether via his many LibriVox readings, hearing his conversations on the SFFaudio podcast, or our sparring on the occasional SFFaudio podcasts we were on (as is only natural for an outspoken Catholic and an outspoken existentialist). I am doubly sad because I always cherished the hope that I would get to New York City and be able to have cocktails with him.

Maureen commented at SFFaudio that she suspected Philip K. Dick is now showing Gregg around the afterlife and that made me laugh. It made me hope that that stubborn existentialist took the chance offered at the last second to grasp Christ's hand and get to meet all those fine authors who have gone before him and whose work he read so well for LibriVox. And I am praying that when I get to Purgatory, they'll either tell me he's gone on ahead ... or he'll wave a hand at the chair next to his.

Gregg, we will all miss you very much.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

And may Gregg see your face, Lord. This I pray.

This Just In: Sense Nonsense - Updated

Sense Nonsense: Fundamental Propositions Not Too Good to Be True, Just Too Hard to Accept by Francisco J. Garcia-Julve


Can I tell you that I was sitting at the Sense Nonsense book website just chuckling at the sayings rotating? (You can't yet, but go take a look and you'll see what I'm talking about.)

They're funny because they're true (as wise man Homer Simpson has often told us). Although they aren't always funny ... anyway it was enough to interest me in opening the review pdf I received.

And then I read the first paragraph of the Forward and had to laugh again. Can't wait to read this.

UPDATE
And here's a review from Maureen at Aliens in This World.

It's a romance, it's a ghost story, it's like Oliver Twist: Jane Eyre at A Good Story is Hard to Find

Scott and I discuss whether men can read Jane Eyre, Jane Eyre versus The Hunger Games ... and Scott's one big question. All on A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast.

Words Matter ... Especially When We're Hurling Them at Others

I remember years ago my brother was in an altercation with the owner of a parking lot. They managed to exchange loud greetings that sounded to all those in hearing distance like ‘go to hell.’ I remember when I heard them, I suddenly got chills. I thought to myself, “Who the hell wants to go to hell.” Neither one of them I believe, was really thinking that they wanted the other to go to hell. They were simply expressing their feelings at that moment. To understand just the basics of hell would stop all of us from wishing it on anyone else.

[...]

I will never forget in a biography of Bishop Fulton J. Sheen, he commented about praying for your enemies. He said he offered prayers up every day for Adolf Hitler, until the moment he learned of Hitler’s death. So it should be for all Catholics. Pray for your enemies and remember that you don’t want anyone going to hell.

Sammy John preaches it at Catholics on the Edge. And while he's at it, he spares some thought and prayer for prominent Catholics much in the news these days. Go. Read. And let us all do likewise.

Live in Dallas? I'll Be Speaking March 20. Hey - that's today!

Just a reminder that I'll be sharing my story From Atheist to Happy Catholic (and what I learned along the way) with the Altar Society at their evening meeting. And you're invited too!

Tuesday, March 20
7:00 p.m. (following 6:00 p.m. Mass)
St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, St. Anne Hall
(6306 Kenwood Avenue,  Dallas, TX 75214)

You do not have to be a member of the Altar Society to attend.

I will have copies of my book, Happy Catholic, available afterward for anyone interested. If you already have a copy, I'd be happy to sign it.

Rally for Religious Freedom - Nationwide - Friday, March 23 - Noon

Here's the scoop for Dallas (including a map at the link):

Rally for Religious Freedom
Friday, March 23, Noon to 1 p.m. CST
Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.

Bleg: Good writing about the relationship between reason and Catholic faith

A good friend asks:

For years now I've been waiting for someone to preach to Catholics that philosophy reinforces rather than challenges our faith. I picture it like what Scott Hahn did for Catholics and popularizing the Bible (embrace it, don't fear it).

I have not devoted the time to read up on the topic to see what is already out there but I imagine it would use JPII's Fides et Ratio and personalism as a jumping off point (basically Thomast). Kind of allowing church-going Catholics to more firmly occupy the shifting ground between fundamentalism and materialism, without criticizing either or apologizing but rather celebrating the richness of our own faith.

Do you know anyone out there who is writing like that now?

I don't, though I am now going to print out Fides et Ratio which I may have read before but can't remember. Just reading the first few paragraphs was pretty exciting. (No, I'm not kidding. That's how I roll.)

Any suggestions for my friend?

Montmartre: a favorite Paris neighborhood and a new favorite cocktail

Check it out at Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen.

Bleg: Book Suggestions for 13-year-old Girl

A reader asks:

Can you suggest a couple of book titles for my 13-year-old granddaughter? They must be audiobooks as she is dyslexic and mostly listens to books on tape.

I thought, perhaps, you might have some thoughts about good, wholesome books for early Teen girls; I fear that my granddaughter, who will be 13 this month, is already into those Twilight books (on tape) and somehow I don't think they're terribly appropriate, based on what I've heard and read! I always prefer the classics, myself, and if you have any particular audio versions that you like, I would love to hear about that.

Now I had a few thoughts, but they were very few, so I also turned to a couple of readers I trust.

Sarah Reinhard says:

• Regina Doman books -- ALL of them (I once called her books the "answer" to the Twilight books)
• The Eragon books (four in the series, I just read the last ones...I've heard less-than-glowing reviews, but I liked them)
• Book I haven't had a chance to review loudly yet (but will start next week at CatholicMom.com) - The Dragon's Tooth
• Michelle Buckman has a YA series of two books which are GREAT w/ Catholic worldview but no PREACHY (and really, you couldn't tell they were Catholic if you didn't know, which I LOVELOVELOVE): titles are Maggie Come Lately and My Beautiful Disaster

Rose says:

• The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
• Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman
• Princess Diaries
• Pride & Prejudice

My thoughts:

• Genesis by Bernard Beckett (SF novella)
• Neeta Lyfe, Zombie Exterminator by Karina Fabian
• To Kill a Mockingbird (I know a couple of these are "classics" which can be a turn-off, but they are classics because they are great stories. It might be that if she heard a good audiobook version the story would be gripping enough, with a great enough heroine, to make her forget the damning "classic" label)

I know there are lots of you out there with other great ideas. Please do chime in!

Weekend Joke: Sherlock Holmes

Thanks again to Seth for this one!

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson went camping in the forest. After a good dinner and a bottle of wine, they went to sleep in the tent.

Several hours later, Holmes awoke and nudged his faithful friend, Watson.

"Look at the sky and tell me what you see."

Watson answered: "I see millions and millions of stars."

"And what does that tell you?"

Watson thought a minute and answered: "Astronomically, that tells me that there are potentially billions of planets. Astrologically, I see that Saturn is in Leo. Chronologically, I deduce that it is approximately three ten AM. Theologically, I see that God is all powerful and that we are small and insignificant. Meteorologically I suspect that we shall have a beautiful day tomorrow."

Holmes was quiet for a minute and then said: "Watson, you are an idiot. Someone stole our tent."

Who Else is Watching "Awake"?

I haven't seen the most recent episode but just finished up watching the second one recently.

How do I say this with no spoilers?

The moment at the end ... with the motorcycle ... was so wonderful.

But the moment after that, in the park on the bench, almost spoiled the whole thing for me. I thought, "Oh no, really? Do we need this? I know it's a thing right now, but this story already has so much in it that we don't need that too."

Did anyone else feel that way?

Spoilers allowed in the comments box ... so we can talk!

Let's Talk Chicken ...

... Palaver Chicken, that is. Over at Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen.

John Allen Makes Me Laugh

Not most of the time.

But did you see this?

One month from today, Benedict XVI will turn 85. He's now the oldest pope in the last 109 years, since Leo XIII died in 1903 at 93, and will shortly become one of only six popes in the last 500 years to reign past the age of 85. That list includes three pontiffs (Pius IX, Innocent XII and Clement X) who died within a year of turning 85, so if Benedict's basic stability holds up, he'll surpass them in 2013.

As the saying goes, German machinery is built to last!

I heard that!

You laughed too!

Worth a Thousand Words: La Patisserie Gloppe

La Pâtisserie Gloppe aux Champs-Élysées, Jean Béraud (January 12, 1849 – October 4, 1935) 

via French Painters

What good is a Catholic presence in the land if it isn't Catholic?

In reading Joanne McPortland's honest, angry open letter to President Obama, one part stayed with me.

You have managed this really well from your end, manufacturing a "war on women"--Catholics want women to be pregnant or die!--while waging war on the First Amendment. I sometimes wish the Catholic bishops hadn't jumped at the bait, too (because I truly don't think this is the hill we want to die on)...

"Jumped at the bait" puzzled me because I truly couldn't see what other choice Catholics, including their bishops, had at this point.

As Tom said when I asked him about this, "If not now, then when?"

The only other choice was to let it lie which is unacceptable from a purely American point of view because religious liberty is so bred into our national identity. Not to mention defending our faith as Catholics.

If the Bishops, our fathers in the Church, had not let so many small fights go by with little more than a disapproving glance, then we would not be in the position of having to defend our faith in this way. We wouldn't have to defend it not only to the government but to our fellow Catholics. However, none of us is perfect and nothing is as simple as fingerpointing, especially at those in charge. I do not say this in anger, but just as one looking back on the road that got us to this point. Honestly, I am simply happy that they are standing up in unison.

I think that this is a hill that we must take a stand on, and not simply as Americans, but as Catholics one to another. After I entered the Church, I found I had to do great internal struggling to come to terms with many of the Church's teachings about how to live out the ten commandments and Jesus' two great commandments.

It's trendy to call them "life issues" and "social justice issues," but let's say what we mean. It is about the ten commandments, Jesus Christ, and getting to heaven. If that is in the center of our lives then the fruit will be enough to make "life issues" and "social justice issues" fade because we will be loving our neighbors as ourselves. Old, young, poor, rich, unborn, homeless ... everyone.

Here's one of the big realizations that I had during that process: you can't be really Catholic and be a card-carrying Democrat or Republican. There is no political party on earth that truly lives God's laws.

To say anything else is to fool yourself. It is to be blinded by our own desires and to put the golden calf of politics and controlling things "our way" ahead of the commandments and Jesus Christ.

It is to define, explain away, and excuse ourselves until we are a shadow of what we should be, which is authentically Catholic.

Do we believe the Catholic Church is the bride of Christ? Do we believe that her mission is to get each one of us ... you and me ... to heaven?

Then why aren't we listening? Why aren't we pulling out our Catechisms to examine the places where we oppose Her teachings. Why aren't we delving deep into the "why" of what the Catechism contains and holding our own "golden calves" up to see what needs to go in order to bring us closer to God?

I am not perfect, believe me. Plenty of my family and friends can testify to that. But I do keep getting up and trying again. And God keeps pointing out where I thought I was right but I had it all wrong.

My goal?

I want to be Catholic ... without any adjectives. Just plain Catholic is enough.

I am not a liberal Catholic, orthodox Catholic, conservative Catholic, cafeteria Catholic, or traditionalist Catholic: I am, simply, a Catholic (Roman Rite). That should be enough for you to know where I stand and what I believe about most issues. At least, it used to be.

Thomas L. McDonald

I can tell from Joanne McPortland's blog that she has done the same struggling. She and I may vary in how we try to apply the Church's teachings to ordering our lives or our voting or where we choose to volunteer, but we are not apart at the center. I know that she is honestly trying to do God's will with all her heart and mind and strength. By changing her long-held beliefs, even when it hurt.

She's had to move from her comfort zone to a place where both sides feel self righteous about attacking. Welcome, sister! Here I am too, although I think that I had to come from the other side of the road to meet you here.

In this particular case, on this particular hill, I think we have no choice but to take a stand and politely but firmly explain the truth. My prayer is that hearts and minds are opened, especially those of Catholics who dissent from Church teachings about contraception and abortion.