"Welcoming an Angel?"

JMJ.

I had to run into the hospital today.  Just picked up a prescription, but I ran up to the endoscopy unit where I used to work to say "hi" to anyone still at work but everyone had gone home.  I passed a guy in the hall who was walking out.  Hobbling, actually.  He was probably about forty but looked sixty and was barely mobile with a cane.  He looked as if walking were the ultimate torture and I admit to wondering what had happened.

Well, some twenty minutes later I'd completed all I had to do and collected my car from the parking garage.  I hadn't gone more than a quarter mile from the hospital when I passed this poor guy making his painful way.  I had not but passed him when my dear guardian angel, Cornelius, kinda poked me in the ribs to get my attention so I turned the car around and headed back.

I don't normally make a point of picking up strangers but I doubted that even if he meant me ill that he could do anything serious.  Frankly, he looked like a good stiff wind could blow him over.  I hollered out the window to ask if he needed a ride and he nodded with apparent relief.  He labouriously got in and stuck out his hand and introduced himself as Kevin.  I asked how far he was going and it turned out to be right up the street.  Turns out he'd been involved in a bad accident 8 1/2 years ago and he said most of his spine was either fused or metal. 

I told him that my wife has M.S. and that I try to be aware of others with disabilities which was why I picked him up.  As he was getting out of the car he told me how much he appreciated the lift and said, "I'm sorry about your wife."  Now the reason for this story is not to make myself out to be someone I'm not but to point out how sometimes heaven puts folks in our paths as an opportunity for us to do something nice for others.  Was he an angel I ministered to?  I doubt it.  I'm not that fortunate.  But he COULD have been.  I remember thinking how heavy his cross seemed to be and how heavy my wife's is.  And then I thought, "If I want to see heavy, all I have to do is look at a crucifix."

"Walking the Dog"

JMJ. 

Every night I do the same things--I give our boy Tully (the ferret) his medication, I put him in a carry-sack around my neck, and then he and I walk Linus.  Linus gets to smell other dogs and water the trees, Tully gets a ride and the smell of the outdoors in his nose, and I get a little exercise.  At midnight it's a peaceful and serene time. 

It's been cloudy here in Berea the last few nights and generally rainy, too.  Imagine my surprise when I exited the garage and was met with a comparatively well-lit neighborhood.  I had completely forgotten the imminence of a full moon!  There she was, hanging brightly above the branches of a nearby maple.  The moon was so bright that the night was a supernal indigo.  Like a lens will focus and burn a hole in a piece of paper during the day, the majesty of our Blessed Mother seemed to have burnt a huge hole in the very fabric of the sky.

From where She might be seated next to Her Son, She had focused and reflected His Divine Light upon a hushed world.  Wow!

"It's Simple Arithmetic"

JMJ. 


      Pro-Choice
      Pro-Gay Marriage
      Pro-Euthanasia
      Pro-Fetal Stem Cell Research
  + Pro-Infanticide
________________________
      Anti-Christ

"The True Presence Revisited"

JMJ.  I was involved in something the other day and in the course thereof I had a thought.  (I do that from time to time when I've nothing better to do.  I try not to do it too often because it sometimes leaves a funny odour.  Besides, I don't want my wife thinking I'm trying to get above myself.) 

Anyway, since I was reading the Beginning Apologetics booklet dealing with explaining the True Presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament I imagined myself talking to a hypothetical Protestant about that topic.  In my head I said something like, "Well, Mr. Protestant, you've told me that the words of our Lord at the Last Supper, 'Take, eat.  This is my body which will be given up for you...this is the chalice of My Blood, the Blood, etc.' were only meant symbolically.  I'm really not sure how you know this because Christ's words seem to be quite emphatic.  You leave me in a pickle.  I either believe you--or Jesus.  There is no other choice really.  Hmmm.  I'm sorry, Mr. Protestant.  I'm gonna have to go with the Lord on this one."

"Another Lent"

JMJ.  Ash Wednesday.  Another Lent is upon us.  I'm reading a great book called Biblical Evidence For the Communion of Saints by Dave Armstrong.  (Don't worry, I'll tie this all together in just a minute.)  Anyway, not only does it discuss the doctrine itself, it also shows how efficacious it is to make use of our relations to those who are now either in heaven or purgatory. 

For some reason known only to themselves, Protestants believe in praying for each other and to God but leave out those who have "fallen asleep in the Lord" and now are either with Him and seeing Him face to face or who are darned close to that blessed state.   Go figure.
Sure, we can still pray directly to God, but just think about how much extra clout we gain by going to those closest to Him for their help.

St. James in his epistle tells us that the prayer of a righteous person is very effective.  It stands to reason, doesn't it, that the more righteous that intercessor is, the more effective their prayer is, too.  That's the whole idea behind prayers to our holy guardian angels and to the Blessed Mother.  Who could possibly be more righteous than she?  Taking that a step further, prayers to St Joseph and to the Blessed Apostles would be a great idea.

Ok.  Here's the tie-in with Lent.  God chose the Blessed Virgin out of millions of women to carry God Incarnate and to bring Him to us.  Thus, She's the prime intercessor.  And then He chose St. Joseph to be Her spouse and Jesus' adoptive father.  (And don't forget that in Jewish society adoption carried the same strength that blood ties did.)  Out of millions of men He chose Joseph, surely a supremely righteous man to guard them both. 

Who else was chosen for a unique relationship with our Lord?  Simon of Cyrene.  Out of untold men, the Roman soldiers, guided I'm sure by the hand of the Holy Spirit, chose St. Simon of Cyrene.  He (in my humble opinion) epitomises mankind's coming face to face with Divinity.  Afraid, frightened...and finally awestruck. 

Unfortunately I still have somewhat of the Protestant hidden in my genes.  It's hard to over-come built-in habits.  But I'm trying.  That's why I have just a few favourite intercessors--our Blessed Mother (of course), St. Joseph, St. James, St. Martin de Porres, and Pope St. Pius X.
And St. Simon of Cyrene who stood in for me when He helped our Lord carry His cross.  Pray for us, holy one!

"Lighthouse Catholic Media"

JMJ.  I think I've mentioned Lighthouse Catholic Media before.  If you haven't heard of them, they're a group which produces CD's of a variety of different speakers on a variety of different topics some of which are apologetics, the pro-life movement, faith journeys, etc.  Plus they're available in both English and Spanish. 

Two that I must heartily recommend are "Abba or Allah" by Scott Hahn and "Answering Atheism"  by Ken Hensley.  Both are outstanding and between them cover the two most dangerous forces in our modern society--militant atheism.  Both CD's cover their topics well and are not only educational but also informative on how to deal with Muslims and atheists.  Militant Islamism and atheism/secularism are serious matters and the chances of making a convert of either is slim but you DO have to know what they believe and why they believe it.

As in apologetics generally, it isn't necessary that the average joe become an authority on each and every religious topic.  Most importantly you must realise in your bones that the Catholic Church DOES have all the truth and all the answers.  All you have to do is become conversant on a few subjects and know that there's a darn good answer to any question someone throws at you!

"Pain"

JMJ.  I can't believe it's been so many months since my last post!  September?  Holy cow.  No wonder my friend Bonnie's been giving me dirty looks.  Well, I have to admit that my last post had absolutely no effect on our last election.  Surprise, surprise.  Mostly I'm angry.  Disappointed, yes.  Amazed, certainly.  But mostly just angry.  Angry at my fellow Catholics, many of whom disregarded the clear instruction of the US bishops, angry at fellow Christians who couldn't care less about being part of the culture of death.  And supremely angry at the black Christian community, almost all of them so devout.  All of these folks who made themselves "anti-Christs" for the sake of electing a black president who would lick the boots of the labour unions and supply their luxuries to the large "you owe me" segment of our society.

I just realised that my greatest anger is reserved for the American people who have betrayed our Founding Fathers by sitting back in their warmth and satiety and have belched in their contentment as our federal government has eroded our Constitutional rights.  Thanks to Obama and crew.