JMJ. Just when I think that the culture of death had lost its power to nauseate me any further than it has already done, along comes report of a new chic trend amongst those who have no sense of the value of a human life. It was reported in the Catholic newsletter "Catalyst" that there is a growing prevalence of an atrocity which results in "pregnancy reduction." I can't remember the buzz term they've given it but it is the abortion of a baby when a woman is pregnant with multiple children--usually twins.
Now as if it were not enough to burden a woman's psyche with the emotional trauma of having murdered her infant, the medical establishment adds another insult to her shoulders--deciding which child to abort. If the twins are a boy and a girl, does on murder the heir or his sister? And what of the possibility that in the future the child learns that he or she has "dodged the bullet?" I can't think of anything more horrid than the guilt of the survivor!
I'm praying now for a young woman and her husband who are weighing the possibility of aborting their baby because of professional inconvenience. Talk about conflicted!! I don't know whether to doubt a couple's humanity or to feel sorrow at their anguish. Or both. I'm forever amazed at man's inhumanity to his fellow man--or in this case his or her unborn child. And then I am forced to face my own culpability in the past when I assisted with these unholy procedures. Daily I thank God for being so merciful to this poor sinner who has so much trouble forgiving himself.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Saturday, January 21, 2012
"Running From Jesus"
JMJ. Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen once said, "the truth is still the truth even if nobody believes it; a lie is still a lie even if everybody believes it." (Forgive me, but I'm quoting from memory in case one or two words are wrong.) Arguably the greatest evangelist of the 20th century, he had a way of imparting things that stick with one forever. And he stated things in terms that folks of all walks of life could understand and grasp. During his prime in radio and television, everyone knew Archbishop Sheen, regardless of his or her religion.
Anyway, I had no sooner read those words than I thought of the myriad times I've heard (and I'm sure you have, too) someone say that they don't believe this or that aspect of the Catholic Christian faith. Shoot, I've even heard a lot of Catholics say it, it's that prevalent. D'you want an example? Ok. Many fundamentalist Protestants put a lot of emphasis on being "born again" or having "a personal relationship with Jesus." There's nothing bad about this; in fact it's salutary. Let's say the topic of confession comes up. What's the response on their part? "I don't believe a human being can forgive sins. Only God can do that--that's why I go straight to Jesus."
In striving to know Jesus intimately, the Protestant is, in fact, running away from Him and His Word. Remember when He said to the apostles after His resurrection, "Whose sins you forgive are forgiven; whose sins you hold bound are held bound. Couldn't get any plainer than that. Now before you object, sure, you can pray directly to Jesus--explain your sin and talk to Him about it. He'll give you whatever help you need. But you still need to go to a priest to be shriven and it's into Jesus' ear you're really whispering. And it's He that actually does the absolving since the priest is in loco Christi.
You get the idea. There are as many examples as there are stories in the Naked City. Jesus said, "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life." There is only one truth and He died on a cross for our sins. To deny Him and His truth is like running away from a sticky situation. We may not understand Him but but we can't claim we're trying to draw closer to Him by turning our backs on the only Truth that really exists.
Anyway, I had no sooner read those words than I thought of the myriad times I've heard (and I'm sure you have, too) someone say that they don't believe this or that aspect of the Catholic Christian faith. Shoot, I've even heard a lot of Catholics say it, it's that prevalent. D'you want an example? Ok. Many fundamentalist Protestants put a lot of emphasis on being "born again" or having "a personal relationship with Jesus." There's nothing bad about this; in fact it's salutary. Let's say the topic of confession comes up. What's the response on their part? "I don't believe a human being can forgive sins. Only God can do that--that's why I go straight to Jesus."
In striving to know Jesus intimately, the Protestant is, in fact, running away from Him and His Word. Remember when He said to the apostles after His resurrection, "Whose sins you forgive are forgiven; whose sins you hold bound are held bound. Couldn't get any plainer than that. Now before you object, sure, you can pray directly to Jesus--explain your sin and talk to Him about it. He'll give you whatever help you need. But you still need to go to a priest to be shriven and it's into Jesus' ear you're really whispering. And it's He that actually does the absolving since the priest is in loco Christi.
You get the idea. There are as many examples as there are stories in the Naked City. Jesus said, "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life." There is only one truth and He died on a cross for our sins. To deny Him and His truth is like running away from a sticky situation. We may not understand Him but but we can't claim we're trying to draw closer to Him by turning our backs on the only Truth that really exists.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
"The Priest"
JMJ. I was watching the celebrant at Mass this morning and marvelled at how little like an alien he looked; remarkable, really, that he looked so much like me--and as a consequence of that alienness of his how deserving he is of our sympathy, prayers, our gratitude and loyalty.
Consider that each man voluntarily undertakes a journey of many years' duration. He leaves family and friends and sets out to follow in blind faith the commanding call of One whom he can neither see nor hear but Who exists as surely as do the seasons. And with each year the path he follows leads him further and further away from the familiar. With each step he severs one more of the ties that bound him to the world.
It's a journey fraught with danger and glory and sorrow and tears and laughter and a larger communion with our God Who alone can supply the strength and sustenance necessary for so arduous a trek. And when this man's time is fulfilled he prostrates himself before the throne of our King and His viceroy utters the words that will sever the last earthly tie and mark him forever as an alien set apart from the rest of humanity.
He has been tried in the furnace of God's love and majesty as few others have been. He can stand before the altar of the Lord and bring forth the eternal Creator from mere food and drink by the power of his words and the working of the Holy Ghost! He can take my sins and cast them far from me and can restore me to the sight of the God I have offended and feed a part of my humanity that some insist does not exist. Acting in persona Christi he will know many sleepless nights, the Evil One will target him with his darkest works, and he will never know the comfort of a wife and children of his own.
That was the being who evoked my awe this morning and I will aspire never to fail to express my gratitude to him and his brother priests for the sacrifices that they make for me. I am their spiritual child and I glory in calling them "Father."
Consider that each man voluntarily undertakes a journey of many years' duration. He leaves family and friends and sets out to follow in blind faith the commanding call of One whom he can neither see nor hear but Who exists as surely as do the seasons. And with each year the path he follows leads him further and further away from the familiar. With each step he severs one more of the ties that bound him to the world.
It's a journey fraught with danger and glory and sorrow and tears and laughter and a larger communion with our God Who alone can supply the strength and sustenance necessary for so arduous a trek. And when this man's time is fulfilled he prostrates himself before the throne of our King and His viceroy utters the words that will sever the last earthly tie and mark him forever as an alien set apart from the rest of humanity.
He has been tried in the furnace of God's love and majesty as few others have been. He can stand before the altar of the Lord and bring forth the eternal Creator from mere food and drink by the power of his words and the working of the Holy Ghost! He can take my sins and cast them far from me and can restore me to the sight of the God I have offended and feed a part of my humanity that some insist does not exist. Acting in persona Christi he will know many sleepless nights, the Evil One will target him with his darkest works, and he will never know the comfort of a wife and children of his own.
That was the being who evoked my awe this morning and I will aspire never to fail to express my gratitude to him and his brother priests for the sacrifices that they make for me. I am their spiritual child and I glory in calling them "Father."
Friday, January 13, 2012
"Ferrets"
JMJ. I'm glad that this blog is my own, to do with as I please. It is of no interest to anyone, with the possible exception of my friend, Bonnie. We (my wife, Linda, and I) put our dear Casper to sleep on Christmas day. He'd been ailing for some time and we knew that he would be leaving us soon. It was our privilege and our duty to help him to the Rainbow Bridge even though it was such a wrench in our hearts to do so.
I had taken another one of our boys, Kermit, in to see the vet today and met a lady and her daughter whose ferret, Daisy, had just been diagnosed with diabetes and maybe was in imminent danger of dying. The daughter was sad but her mother was just barely hanging on although she put a brave front on it. I could tell that she was distraught and asked what was going on. She told me of the diagnosis and said, "I can't get another one. I can't lose them so quickly. She's only 6!"
I knew exactly how she felt. No matter the age, the loss of a loved one is a terrible tragedy whether furry with four feet or furless with two. What matters is the love that they bring to our lives and into our hearts. Any loss hurts but how sterile our lives would be without those pesky intrusions that mean so much to us, regardless of how long they last. Our loves, furry or hairless, define us and make us more than we could have ever been without them.
I had taken another one of our boys, Kermit, in to see the vet today and met a lady and her daughter whose ferret, Daisy, had just been diagnosed with diabetes and maybe was in imminent danger of dying. The daughter was sad but her mother was just barely hanging on although she put a brave front on it. I could tell that she was distraught and asked what was going on. She told me of the diagnosis and said, "I can't get another one. I can't lose them so quickly. She's only 6!"
I knew exactly how she felt. No matter the age, the loss of a loved one is a terrible tragedy whether furry with four feet or furless with two. What matters is the love that they bring to our lives and into our hearts. Any loss hurts but how sterile our lives would be without those pesky intrusions that mean so much to us, regardless of how long they last. Our loves, furry or hairless, define us and make us more than we could have ever been without them.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
"My Conscience"
JMJ. God gives each of us a conscience. Pinocchio's conscience was named Jiminy Cricket. Mine, at least as far as this blog goes, is a silver-blonde pixie with a pony tail named Bonnie. My internal conscience frequently reminds me that I've been overly lazy and haven't up-dated this site in some time but we've worked together for so long that it doesn't mind if I don't act on his nudges for some time. Bonnie's not so easy to ignore. She'll fix me with a gimlet look and tell me how much she liked my last entry. With the emphasis on last.
Well, about a month ago she sent me a short e-mail containing the question, "What if all you had today was what you thanked God for yesterday?" I've never been hit before physically but I can imagine that it feels a lot like this did. An amazing epiphany of a sort. Do you remember Christ healing the ten blind men? Only one returned to say "thank you." I like to think that I'm a grateful guy, especially where God is concerned. I say grace before each meal and before I go to sleep at night.
But this question forces us to take a step back, inspect our lives, and really think about all that God has done in our lives. Because if we truly appreciate all He does for us then it behooves us to focus on His every blessing. When we do, our whole world expands and we look on life with new eyes, grateful eyes. Bonnie, thanks for all you do for me. Amen.
Well, about a month ago she sent me a short e-mail containing the question, "What if all you had today was what you thanked God for yesterday?" I've never been hit before physically but I can imagine that it feels a lot like this did. An amazing epiphany of a sort. Do you remember Christ healing the ten blind men? Only one returned to say "thank you." I like to think that I'm a grateful guy, especially where God is concerned. I say grace before each meal and before I go to sleep at night.
But this question forces us to take a step back, inspect our lives, and really think about all that God has done in our lives. Because if we truly appreciate all He does for us then it behooves us to focus on His every blessing. When we do, our whole world expands and we look on life with new eyes, grateful eyes. Bonnie, thanks for all you do for me. Amen.
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