tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76195293381919315972023-11-15T12:38:58.154-06:00Saint Paul CatholicThe postings on this blog are submitted by members of St Paul Catholic Church. May you come and go in peace. stpaulcatholic.netAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15598971587744219015noreply@blogger.comBlogger154125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7619529338191931597.post-71107413542809633172016-04-01T13:26:00.002-05:002016-04-07T02:32:12.945-05:00Where in the World is Emmaus?<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The Gospel reading for Easter <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_411194887" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Wednesday</span></span> was Jesus meeting up with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, one being Cleopas. Where in the world is Emmaus? There have been many assumptions as to where Emmaus was exactly located. It might be more prevalent what “Emmaus” means: Hot springs; in earnest longing.</span><sup><sup><span style="font-size: xx-small;">[1]</span></sup></sup><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> The two disciples were </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">in earnest longing</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> of the Messiah, of God. They were near the </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">hot springs</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;">, a nearness to, a yearning for, God. Fittingly, “Cleopas” means: the whole glory; renowned father; famed of all.</span><sup><sup><span style="font-size: xx-small;">[2]</span></sup></sup><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> The other disciple is not named. Assumptions have been made as to who the other disciple was; however, it may be, perhaps, more beneficial to us if we put our names for the other disciple. Then we would be walking and speaking with “Cleopas,” those exuberant for </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">the whole glory</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> of God. When we are increasingly being transformed, conformed, to the image of the Son, we are </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">famed of all</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;">, an image of the </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">renowned father</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Now, </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.</i><sup><sup><span style="font-size: xx-small;">[3]</span></sup></sup><i style="font-size: 14pt;"> </i><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> Why were they prevented from recognizing Him? Jesus desires that we believe </span><b style="font-size: 14pt;"><i>all</i></b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> of the Scriptures, not only those that gratify us. We must rejoice in the “bad” times as well as the “good,” just as Jesus, for we are part of the Church, the Body of Christ. </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">[The Sanhedrin had the apostles] flogged, ordered them to stop speaking in the name of Jesus, and dismissed them. So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.</i><sup><sup><span style="font-size: xx-small;">[4]</span></sup></sup><i style="font-size: 14pt;"> </i><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> The Church, the Body of Christ, must be visible; otherwise, it is not a body. There must be the unity that Jesus prayed for; it must be the visible Christ on earth. This is what is portrayed by the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. Jesus wants us beholden to each other, understanding that we cannot persevere on our own. </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">Two are better than one: They get a good wage for their toil. If the one falls, the other will help the fallen one. But woe to the solitary person! If that one should fall, there is no other to help. So also, if two sleep together, they keep each other warm. How can one alone keep warm? Where one alone may be overcome, two together can resist. A three-ply cord is not easily broken.</i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><sup><sup>[5]</sup></sup><i> </i></span><i style="font-size: 14pt;"> </i><span style="font-size: 14pt;">We can go to hell on our own; however, if we desire heaven, we need the Body—we need each other. Jesus wants us to see Him in each other, depending upon one another. He wants us to see Him in </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">the breaking of bread</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;">. The bread is Jesus—body, blood, soul, and divinity—Him giving Himself for us. However, the bread is also made up of many grains: each of us, because we are in Christ. We also must be broken; and, in our brokenness, we can see Christ and others will see Christ. Do we not see Christ in the brokenness of the apostles when they were persecuted and martyred? Did they not see Christ in their brokenness? </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">They left the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name. </i><span style="font-size: 14pt;">They were on the road to Emmaus.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">As mentioned previously, “Emmaus” means “hot springs, in earnest longing.” Because of Jesus’ resurrection and His promises, the apostles had an earnest longing for Christ and for the “hot springs.” They did not see the “hot springs” as themselves individually, but in the Church. In the first reading, Acts 3, when the crippled man asked Sts. Peter and John for alms, both of them looked intently at the man, and Peter said, “Look at us”—not “me.” The man </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">fixed his attention upon them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but I give you what I have; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” And he took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.</i><sup><sup><span style="font-size: xx-small;">[6]</span></sup></sup><i style="font-size: 14pt;"> </i><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The “hot springs” was in the name of Jesus Christ, the Church. The Church was visible in Peter and John. St. John Chrysostom, in his homily on Acts 3, relates:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">“He did not say, I give thee something much better than silver or gold: but what? ‘In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up.’ Such was also the way of Christ. Often He healed by word, often by an act, often also He stretched forth the hand, where men were somewhat weak in faith, that the cure might not appear to be spontaneous. ‘And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up.’ This act made manifest the Resurrection, for it was an image of the Resurrection.”</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">[7]</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></span></div>
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<i style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but I give you what I have; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”</span></i><sup><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><sup><span style="font-size: xx-small;">[8]</span></sup></span></sup><i style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">In saying, “I give you what I have,” St. Peter was not referring to himself individually but what all the apostles had received: </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">“Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”</i><sup><sup><span style="font-size: xx-small;">[9]</span></sup></sup><i style="font-size: 14pt;"> </i><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Now, one might object that Peter did not say anything about forgiving sins. I answer, “Which is more important to God: forgiving sins or just healing a body?” All of Jesus’ miracles are a result of forgiving sins; they are to show us what is occurring spiritually. That is what is occurring in Acts 3. This man is no longer able to beg for alms; now, he must begin working. This is why St. John Chrysostom is correct in saying that this healing is manifesting the Resurrection. Before we are healed from our sins, we are unable to do the works of God, which we are able to do when our sins are washed away in Christ through Baptism. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The two disciples were on their way to Emmaus, the “hot springs.” Where in the world do we find Emmaus, the “hot springs”? Where Jesus dwells Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity—the visible Church, the Catholic Church. </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">Give thanks to the Lord, invoke his name; make known among the peoples his deeds! Sing praise to him, play music; proclaim all his wondrous deeds! Glory in his holy name; let hearts that seek the Lord rejoice! Seek out the Lord and his might; constantly seek his face. Recall the wondrous deeds he has done, his wonders and words of judgment, you descendants of Abraham his servant, offspring of Jacob the chosen one! He the Lord, is our God whose judgments reach through all the earth. He remembers forever his covenant, the word he commanded for a thousand generations, which he made with Abraham, and swore to Isaac”…</i><sup><sup><span style="font-size: xx-small;">[10]</span></sup></sup><i style="font-size: 14pt;"> </i><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Yes, let us rejoice, for we have reached Emmaus, with an earnest yearning to come face-to-face with the Messiah, our Lord, becoming the image of Him.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><sup><sup><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">[1]</span></sup></sup> Stelman Smith and Judson Cornwall, <i>The exhaustive dictionary of Bible names</i>, 1998, 68.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><sup><sup><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">[2]</span></sup></sup> Stelman Smith and Judson Cornwall, <i>The exhaustive dictionary of Bible names</i>, 1998, 54.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><sup><sup><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">[3]</span></sup></sup> <i>New American Bible</i>, Revised Edition., (Washington, DC: The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2011), Lk 24:15–16.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><sup><sup><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">[4]</span></sup></sup> <i>New American Bible</i>, Revised Edition., (Washington, DC: The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2011), Ac<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_411194888" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">5:40</span></span>–41.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><sup><sup><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">[5]</span></sup></sup> <i>New American Bible</i>, Revised Edition., (Washington, DC: The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2011), Ec 4:9–12.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><sup><sup><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">[6]</span></sup></sup> Catholic Biblical Association (Great Britain), <i>The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition</i>, (New York: National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, 1994), Ac 3:5–8.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">[7]</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Chrysostom, St. John (2010-03-19). Saint Chrysostom: Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistle to the Romans (Kindle Locations 2139-2142). Kindle Edition.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><sup><sup><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">[8]</span></sup></sup> Catholic Biblical Association (Great Britain), <i>The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition</i>, (New York: National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, 1994), Ac 3:6.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><sup><sup><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">[9]</span></sup></sup> Catholic Biblical Association (Great Britain), <i>The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition</i>, (New York: National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, 1994), Jn <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_411194889" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">20:21</span></span>–23.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><sup><sup><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">[10]</span></sup></sup> <i>New American Bible</i>, Revised Edition., (Washington, DC: The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2011), Ps 105:1–9.</span></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7619529338191931597.post-35935283081055814202016-03-09T20:33:00.002-06:002016-03-09T20:42:27.230-06:00God's Ongoing Creation of the Universe, As Verified by Hubble and "Hubble"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When Pope Francis was in America he became engaged in a charming and somewhat humorous conversation with a six-year old boy at the front of a huge crowd, who asked Pope Francis, "Mr. Pope, what did God do before he created the universe?" The boy's mother instantly put her hand over her son's mouth in order to keep him from saying anything else she judged to be scandalous. However, the Pope started to chuckle and patted the boy on the head, as he said, "Do you know, I haven't the slightest idea what God did before He created the universe!" Yet, today, Pope Francis is a staunch supporter of the Church's positive relationship with modern science ("modern" for this article is 1914-2016). This is shown by his backing the 20th Century Church's promotion and full acceptance of a marvelous scientific accomplishment called "The Catholic Astronomer," located at the University of Arizona and supervised by a Jesuit Brother.<br />
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<b><u>The Expanding Universe, Still Being Created, As Announced by Hubble and "Hubble"</u></b><br />
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This is an article on previously incredible advances in the exploration of the universe led by Professor Edwin Hubble and by the creation of his Super-Telescope, named "Hubble" by the world's scientific community. The second half of this article, then, shows the world's scientists, who were largely, previously opposed to anything religious -- especially including Catholicism -- have started considering God's role in astronomy and astrophysics (defined in Part 2). But before we get to the 25 years of "Hubble's" amazing discoveries (1990-2015), we must first present where the Catholic Church generally stood on scientific discoveries seventy-six years before Edwin Hubble. We cannot discuss "The Church's Relation to Science" without first understanding Catholicism's negative and backward stance on not only science, but on politics and culture before the year 1914.<br />
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<b><u>Pre-1914 Catholicism's Rejection of Modern Science</u></b><br />
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So let's balance comments about the Church's negative views on scientific progress in the 19th (1800 & up) Century & pre-1914, 20th Century, with science as an independent discipline. Science had sometimes led the world, not just to negativity and backwardness as some 19th Century popes did, but to the most heinous of crimes (these popes, of course, did not commit heinous crimes) resulting in mass murders of large numbers of innocent people. The Nazi regime in Germany for example, was made up of many distinguished scientists and intellectuals, who had no hesitation in carrying out the genocide they practiced against the Jews. We can think, for example, of Hitler's propaganda minister, Joseph Goebbels (1897-1945), who earned two Ph.D.'s from the best German universities. Yet, he and his wife murdered their six children before taking their own lives. Intellectual advancement regarding science hardly deterred him from living an absolutely evil and demonic life. Hence scientific progress in the 20th Century, in the western democracies at least, led to great advances in people's lives, especially in the medical and psychological sciences. Nonetheless, science had its charlatans and deceivers that characterized a minority of scientists who contributed to the abuse of human beings.<br />
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The principal horror within the mid-20th Century was Fascism and Communism, (1.) Nazi Germany, which was condemned by the Catholic hierarchy in Germany, with a letter written to all German churches by Pope Pius XI (1857-1939), delivered by Eugenio Pacelli, Papal Secretary of State and successor Pope (1939-1958) to Pius XI. The letter was duly read in all German churches on Palm Sunday, 1937. It condemned Nazism in no uncertain terms, thereby causing Hitler to regard Catholicism as anti-Nazi (which of course it was). (2.) Franco's Spain (backed by the Spanish Catholic Church, was largely made up of Catholic bigots against Jews and Moslems in Spain.), Stalin's Russia, led to his murder of all the original Communists, Communism, including all military figures, except for General Zhukov, who led the Russian Army to victory in WWII. In addition, when Russian peasants refused to be "Communized," because for centuries they had always owned their farms independently and as neighbors one to another. This was conduct threatening to Stalin, who interpreted Communism as having only one leader over millions of pawns in a totally unified humanity (contrary to the theories of Marx and Lenin). Stalin then had a huge number of peasants murdered, ranging from 18 million to 20 million.<br />
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Why do we say this in an article on science? It is because the 20th Century was the Century of science overtaking so many vestiges of earlier theories of state. However, on the Catholic scene, a new momentum took place that supported scientific achievements, especially as these achievements led the Church to faith in God's creation of the ongoing creation of universe. However, we would be re-writing history if we did not discuss the Church's starchy backwardness in the growth of the coming modern science-- prior to 1914 and earlier for at least three-hundred years. Yet the new science was coming to birth everywhere in the democratic West. The problem of the Church's hostility to and disregard for the growth of positive scientific movements paralleled its consistently negative view toward such things as the new democracies appearing in various countries, which had long been subjected to rule either by monarchs or dictators. This political hardline that the Church took against newly developing democracies and republics even marked Catholicism's negative attacks on the very country in which the Vatican existed: namely, the newly united nation of Italy.<br />
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Yet, the Church's rejection of scientific advancements had grown out of the starting point of the Church's threats to the very lives of new scientists, as shown 383 years ago through the terror of the Inquisition. We will discuss these Church-directed threats below with the cases of Copernicus and Galileo in the 16th and 17th Centuries, respectively. Beginning with those two major innovators, the Church took a suspicious position in its relationship to nearly every major scientific achievement. That had tended to cause the Church's hierarchy to question science as a whole when they thought it contradicted the Church's teaching of its dogma. However the Church gradually succeeded in allowing the modernizing of scientific advances, in spite of the fact that the popes during the years 1846 through 1903 (see below) were mainly atavistic Catholic fundamentalists.<br />
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<b><u>Pope Pius IX: "Pio No-No," "Prisoner of the Vatican"</u></b><br />
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The most reactionary fundamentalist of popes, possibly in the entire history of Catholicism, was Pope Pius IX (pope from 1846 to 1878). He made his pockmarked reign even worse by living as pope for thirty-two years -- the longest papacy in the history of the Church. Only one ruler in all of European history, Queen Victoria of England and Empress of India, reigned longer than Pius IX -- for sixty-four years, doubling Pius IX's reign. Pius IX was as unscientific a man as can possibly be imagined. He prohibited Cardinals, bishops, and all priests in the world from committing the horrible crime of installing electricity or Alexander Graham Bell's newly invented telephone (1875) in any of their buildings, and not to ride on trolley cars or trains, especially those with steam engines. Likewise, Pius feared for his life the lightning rod, and thus had to command that no Churchman would stick one on the roof of a church. He then transferred his fear of "modern" inventions to another enemy -- the newly progressive political and societal realities for which people, including Catholics were voting.<br />
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The land in which Pius lived had finally, after centuries of attempts, succeeded in uniting its scattered provinces into a single nation called Italy. But Pius refused to recognize the new nation because it practiced democracy in a new Republic. He did this because he considered the United States as the leading example of "heretical democracy" in the world, which, worse than Communism according to Pius, would outlaw Catholicism in all countries that were democratic republics. This anti-American bias certainly created misgivings and unrest among bishops and other American servants of the Church, mostly in religious congregations, particularly Jesuits and Dominicans. These "surreptitious infidels" started referring to him as Pius "No-No." This was not offensive to him because he was too dim-witted to know that the "No-No" he kept hearing was not a tag on his papacy. He thought he was being called nono in Italian, which meant nine. He thus liked the idea that clergy and religious were adding nono after his name.<br />
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Yet, because of the massive number of rejections he placed on people, events and institutions, which in turn were lobbied back against him, he feared leaving his Vatican apartment. He then gave himself a nickname, referring to himself as "The Prisoner of the Vatican." All of this led, in the latter part of the 19th Century, to a movement within the American Church started by Isaac Thomas Hecker (1819-88), who was ordained a priest under Pius' rule in 1849, and who founded a new religious congregation called the "Paulists" Hecker greatly extended Catholicism in America, through his efforts to democratize Catholicism. The Prisoner of the Vatican fumed about Hecker's democratic motives, for the American Church, root and branch, including the activities of Catholic scientists and intellectuals becoming too independent of the Church, when their academic research and publishing turned out to be accurate.<br />
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Pius looked again at the now "apostate" American Church and coined a new synonym for heresy which he labelled "Americanism." The American Catholic hierarchy felt deserted by Church leadership in Rome. Notice that none of them was appointed as a Cardinal. The first American theologian to become a Cardinal, and the first Jesuit, would be Avery Dulles, S.J.(Cardinal from 2001 to his death in 2008). He was chosen by his friend and fellow intellectual, Pope St. John Paul II. Dulles wrote a popular book on Catholicism called Models of the Church. In that popular book, which was easy reading, he described the six models or active examples of Catholicism: (1) Institution; (2) Mystical Communion; (3) Herald; (4) Sacrament; (5) Servant; (6) (added later to another publication of the book; (Community of Disciples.)<br />
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It is doubtful that anyone could have detested the United States as greatly as Pius IX. He evidently intentionally decided to show American Church leaders who was boss. In 1854, he instituted as a dogma of faith in the Virgin Mary, the Immaculate Conception. This was the first time a pope had ever instituted a major dogmatic belief and devotion all by himself, without first calling a Council to approve his doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. He acted individually again at the First Vatican Council, leading the bishops at that Council to promote him as Infallible.<br />
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<u><b>Vatican I</b></u><br />
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Pius also convened The First Vatican Council, held at Rome in 1869-70, at which some 700 bishops attended. The major issue of the Council was whether papal infallibility was to be considered and voted upon. On July 13, 1870, the infallibility document was voted on. It passed under the title, Pastor Aeternus. The document stated plainly the Infallibility of the Roman Pontiff (not just Pius, but all future popes as well). The doctrine stressed that papal definitions are "irreformable of themselves, and not from the consent of the Church." But it restricted this infallibility only to those occasions "when he speaks ex cathedra. That meant, when he speaks in discharge of the office of Pastor and Doctor of all Christians. He was given this power by virtue of his supreme Apostolic authority, and, importantly, when he defines a doctrine regarding faith or morals to be held by the Universal Church."<br />
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<b><u>Finally, and at Last, What has 1914 Meant In All these Discussions?</u></b><br />
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After Pius IX, Pope Leo XIII served as Pope (1878-1903. Leo had followed many of Pius IX's decrees and commands, and even helped him write some parts of them. However, he was not an enemy of democracy. He praised and favored the Catholic Labor movement, and looked closely at the new political reality on the scene -- Socialism. To address the conditions of the working class and encourage them to support the Church and be paid a living wage, he debunked Socialism, but instead wrote his most famous encyclical, Rerum Novarum. It reaffirmed traditional Catholic teaching that the family was the basic unit of society. But the encyclical's most daring innovation was its support for workers' associations and collective bargaining. This was not a call for unions, but was a step on the road for the Church eventually to support them.<br />
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Following Leo XIII Pius X served as Pope (1903-1914). Like Pius IX before him, Pius X was a thoroughgoing reactionary. Also, he condemned "Modernism" and "Americanism." In 1911 he wrote that "the error spreading these days is much more murderous than that of Luther."<br />
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<b><u>At last, a thaw:</u></b> Beginning in 1914 there were three popes entering the modern age: Benedict XV (1914-1922), who guided and directed the Church through the worst war of any preceding 1914, WWI. He adopted a policy of strict neutrality, and ministering to the victims.<br />
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After Benedict came Pope Pius XI (1922-39), who had to deal carefully with the dictators who were preparing for World War II. We have already discussed Pius XI's letter to be read to all German churches on Palm Sunday, 1937, in order to condemn Nazism. Pius XII (1938-58) succeeded Pius XI. Pius XII wrote two pivotal, important encyclicals: (1) Divino Afflante Spiritu (1943), in which he encouraged modern biblical scholarship and (2) Munificentissimus Deus, (1950) in which he taught as a matter of infallible dogma that Jesus' mother, Mary, "having completed her earthly course, was in body and soul assumed into heavenly glory."<br />
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<b><u>Copernicus and Galileo</u></b><br />
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The first time the Church, by way of the Inquisition three centuries before Pius IX, had tried to stifle two newcomers who were founding geniuses in the world of science. Consider for example, the first two astronomers in history: First was Nicolas Copernicus (1473-1543), the founder of modern astronomy, who was born in Poland. He wrote a treatise entitled, On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres, in which he put forward the theory of the Earth rotating daily about its own axis and annually about the Sun. This discovery received a hostile reception from the Church when this treatise was published in the year of his death, 1543, as it challenged the Church's ancient teaching of the Earth as the center of the universe. The Church's conclusion was, of course, inaccurate about the Earth's central location in outer space, and Copernicus' treatise was condemned by the Inquisition. Although his theory was condemned by the Church, his death and his great geographical distance from Rome prevented his punishment by the Inquisition.<br />
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On the other hand, consider the unfortunate Galileo Galilei (1564-1642), who taught mathematics at the University of Padua. He improved the refracting telescope (1610), and was the first to use it for astronomy. He advanced Copernicus' theory by studying the paths of the heavenly bodies, and developed mathematical calculations of the movements of such bodies as he could see through his telescope. He Nevertheless, he was forced to retract his theories by the Inquisition and was sentenced to indefinite imprisonment, under house arrest. He was ordered to perform no more studies of the heavenly bodies -- which he continued to do secretly anyway -- after being warned of his death. This act of disobedience nonetheless found Galileo colleagues who supported his investigation of the universe.<br />
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Thankfully, the Church, although consigning Galileo to the ranks of scientific heretics 383 years after his astonomical findings, the modern Church finally stated that Galileo, a good Catholic, should have been permitted, all during his 383 years of ouster, to practice his Catholic faith. The Holy Office formally recognized Galileo and his scientific conclusions, one of the most important of which was proof of the existence of Jupiter's four moons -- still valid today. His work was then expressly praised by the Church in 1993, when Pope Saint John Paul II, in essence, virtually "apologized" to Galileo posthumously. He then confessed that the Church had erred in its treatment of him by rejecting his great scientific achievements. Saint John Paul II, of course, who held two Ph.D.'s from the finest Polish universities, was much too intelligent and educated to have this anti-intellectual stupidity endorsed any further by the Church. However, the Church as a whole could hardly be praised for keeping Galileo's name in a fallen state of abuse for 383 years, after the Inquisition threatened to kill him for teaching his scientific discoveries in Padua.<br />
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This late verification of the Church's revolution in thinking about vastly important scientific discoveries, such as Galileo's, has resulted in the 20th Century Church's promotion and full acceptance of a marvelous scientific accomplishment called "The Catholic Astronomer." The Catholic Astronomer is operated under the management of a "Catholic Scientific Foundation" located at Castle Gandolfo. It oversees operation of "The Vatican Observatory," a 1.8 meter telescope (large for earth-bound telescopes), which is located at and largely staffed by professors of the University of Arizona. However, the leader of the Observatory team is a Jesuit brother. His name is Brother Guy Consolmagno, S.J. Brother Consolmagno is likewise President of the Catholic Scientific Foundation.<br />
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If one were to study the gender of the professors running The Vatican Observatory, one would find that likely a majority of them are women, such as Dr. Brenda Frye, a cosmologist with a Ph.D. in Astrophysics (more about that title below) from the University of California at Berkeley. What a change in the Catholic Church: From Pius IX to Dr. Brenda Frye!<br />
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<b><u>Who and What Has Created The Incredible Probing of the Observable Universe</u></b><br />
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Actually we can answer both the "who and what" questions above with absolute certainty. And it is a certainty that today's Church has completely withdrawn wholeheartedly from its ancient rejection of science to today's complete acceptance of the best advancement of that discipline. We have pointed out that the first revolution of the study of astronomy was created by both Copernicus and Galileo. Fortunately scientists after Galileo followed his findings, gradually developing what today has grown into the major scientific study ever undertaken of our universe. At this point we need to recount the long and difficult work performed by one of the world's greatest scientists<br />
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His name was Edwin Hubble (1889-1953). He first received a law degree, but then shifted his vocation to astronomy. Eventually he got permission to use the Mount Wilson Observatory in California. He spent his entire nights for years peering through Mount Wilson's powerful earth-bound telescope into the distant reaches of space inside of the earth's atmosphere. He would soon push astronomy and astrophysics forward into an exciting, revolutionary new era. Astronomy has to do with attempting to study the universe from earth, using the large number of powerful earth-bound telescopes scattered around the world. Astrophysics has to do with the major innovation in astronomy that Hubble's pioneering, eye-straining, back-stiffening career eventually brought about -- as he looked outward in the eyesight lens of the Mount Wilson Observatory -- .<br />
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Let's look first at what Hubble accomplished through his ground-breaking discoveries, as in the future such discoveries had huge ramifications for the role that Christianity was to play in the lives of the greatest astrophysicists in the world. These great scientists for years had little or no place for God in their scientific study of the universe. But by using their backgrounds in engineering and construction of Hubble's recommended powerful instruments to push our observation of outer space farther out than ever before in the earth's history, they would soon open up an era where science and religion meet each other. Hubble's measurements and calculations of the activity of stars and planets, which he discovered existing far beyond visibility by the use of earth-bound telescopes, led to the invention of what many scientists have considered the greatest technological invention in history.<br />
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The principle achievement of "Hubble" insofar as Astronomy and Astrophysics are concerned is that Edwin Hubble single-handedly overcame the enormous rejection by mainstream scientists of Hubble's argument for developing "Hubble" -- not called that at first. "Hubble" is the first observatory object to look into the deep university beyond the Earth's atmosphere, which had always kept all Astronomy on earth restricted to peering through a choking gaseous dust from exploding stars. "Hubble's" invention has taken humankind beyond Earth's atmosphere to look at far-distant stars as something of a "neighbor" to them. As a result, the puny efforts of previous Astronomy has now -- with "Hubble" -- ceased straining at star-gazing from earth and instead is discovering, photographing and naming not just trillions of stars, but trillions of galaxies and constellations. (See definitions of "galaxies" and "constellations" in the following paragraph). We human beings as a whole otherwise have absolutely no awareness of the size of the universe in which we live.<br />
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Hubble's discoveries also opened up for scientists the concept of the "pillars of creation." That was because Hubble's images showed much of the creation and status of the trillions of stars in the universe to be an enormous stacking of stars and galaxies on top of each other (galaxies are a group of related stars clumped together on top of each other, resembling millions of combinations of elongated pillars.) Groups of these related galaxies are called constellations. We here on earth live in an even smaller unit -- our solar system of nine planets, and then in a grander phenomenon -- the Milky Way Galaxy. Next, our Galaxy is part of the Andromena Constellation, named after the Andromena star, which is the closest star to Earth except of course our Sun, which is an unbelievably close to Earth at a mere 93 million miles.<br />
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Incredibly, the ancient Greeks saw all of these pillars with absolutely no observatory, whether Earth-bound, or, of course neither beyond Earth's atmosphere. When astronomers in the past have looked, these pillars were the very foundation that held up the world and all that is in it. "Hubble's" discoveries reverberated significantly with the Christian tradition. William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925) in 1906 wrote his The World's Famous Orations in which he included an 1857 sermon by London pastor, Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892), entitled The Condescension of Christ. In that sermon he wrote a phrase that conveyed not only the physical world but also the force that keeps it all together emanating from the divine with the birth of Chris, as follows:<br />
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<b>"And now wonder, ye angels, the Infinite has become an infant; he upon whose shoulders the universe doth hang, hangs at his mother's breast; he who created all things, and bears up the pillars of creation." (Emphasis added).</b></blockquote>
The redshift is a staggeringly accurate method of calculating both the distance and the velocity of stars. Now we know that the redshift's distance from Earth is useful for calculating the distance of the stars from Earth. If the redshift doubles, the distance to the star has doubled, and so on. This discovery came to be called, "Hubble's Law." What's more, Hubble calculated that the redshift's distance also gives us the velocity of the star as it zips outside of the "dark energy," which pulls the star into "dark matter." "Hubble's Constant" tells us the velocity of the star, as well the velocity of "dark matter" at the outer reaches of the universe, where objects simply leave the universe. Then what happens? Do the stars going into "dark matter" blow up after exiting our universe, creating a "black hole," which Einstein said was just the function of gravity, where the gravitational energy of the black hole even bends light.<br />
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Or do they find more dark-matter after they leave the universe? Or here's a real conundrum. What if after they zip out of our universe they get sucked into another universe? And how many universes are there? Even "Hubble” can’t answer that question because it doesn't have a gigantic "Spotlight" to follow a star through dark matter. This "universal" (a pun) question came to be estimated by "Hubble's Constant," These are important means of calculations. Have you ever wondered how an astronomer can say that one star is 2,000 or some other number of "light-years" from Earth, and another one is 1,000 light-years from Earth. Well, "Hubble's Law" and "Hubble's Constant," should teach you how it's done. What is a "light-year?" It's a combination of the speed of light and the passage of time, multiplied together. It's the number of years you'll spend going at the speed of light squared, times your mass. "Mass" means more than weight. Actually to call mass "weight" would drive Einstein bats.<br />
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By the way, the heavenly object suggested that only by sending a super-telescope into space beyond the earth's atmosphere, at some 430 miles above that atmosphere, and created to rotate with the earth at the same speed as the earth rotated on its axis, namely 24 hours per day, would let mankind finally study the outer vistas of the universe. Copernicus and Galileo, both good Catholics, would have cheered Hubble's scientific conclusions. Only his solution would allow the possibility for study of the previously considered, infinitely universal outer reaches of the universe, opening up the heretofore absolutely unknown universal boundaries previously theorized -- and guessed at -- by earth-bound scientists. Hubble knew that his namesake the super-telescope, in order actually to study the fringes of the universe, was the only solution to getting observers on earth the observational power to penetrate enormously farther than anything scientists had previously studied, or even considered studying.<br />
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Fortunately for astrophysicists, the United State government got in on this movement. In 1958 a new government agency was formed to encompass Hubble's argument for finally seeing the ends of the universe -- if it even had an end. This agency was the National Aeronautics and Space Administration ("NASA"). Hubble, by 1946, had convinced a leading astrophysicist, Lyman Spitzer, a 75-year old astronomer, to lead the charge for the construction of Hubble's brainchild. Bringing NASA's acceptance of Hubble's founding leadership into the dream of penetrating outer space, instantly overcame one impediment to starting such an enormous super-telescope: money. Before NASA, only the U.S. government could afford the project. After NASA the astrophysicists no longer had any doubts that Hubble's dream could be achieved.<br />
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All the scientists involved in this project, like all good Americans, had to give the super-telescope a name. Can you guess what they named it? Of course they unanimously named it "HUBBLE." So the answers to the above questions heading this section, namely, "Who or What Was and Still Is Responsible For the Incredible Probing of the Farthest Limits of the Observable Universe," are as follows. The "Who" was Edwin Hubble. The "What" was "Hubble." And so America had found another Thomas Edison, another Wright Brother(s), another Henry Ford, and like those men of genius, America had embarked on a radically new scientific era, thanks to Professor Hubble. The super-telescope promoted by him through much argument, and through his years of weary eyes staring through the Mount Wilson telescope, and his stiff back, from sitting in a plain brown card-table chair every night for years of his life, allowed Hubble to achieve what he predicted it would -- namely, opening up humanity to the far reaches of a universe that conceivably had life just as planet Earth had.<br />
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So, now after all this moaning and complaining about Pius IX and his apartment with no electricity nor telephone in the middle of winter, let us wave good-bye instead to a truly good man who happened to be a very good scientist, of which we need more in this world. Now, speaking of the world, it's time to get back to the main subject of this article, i.e., namely, that God is continually creating the universe/world (call it what you want) with the help of His good servant, Edwin Hubble, and Professor Hubble's masterpiece, the super telescope that has pulled us closer to the end of the universe.<br />
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--Tony Gilles</div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7619529338191931597.post-89948464883428028242016-02-19T06:00:00.000-06:002016-02-19T06:00:11.868-06:00Protector, Deliverer, and God<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">I have covered Verse 1 in another posting, <u>“I” doesn’t want to be in Christ</u>. I do not desire to rehash that, but I do desire to touch upon a couple of things.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">Some of the astute teachers of our Church that have gone before us have seen this psalm as a dialogue between God and the “just” man, e.g. GOD: “He that dwelleth (constantly dwelling) in the aid of the most High, shall abide under the protection of the God of Jacob;” JUST MAN: “He shall say to the Lord: ‘Thou art my protector, and my refuge: my God, in him will I trust, for he hath delivered me from the snare of the hunters: and from the sharp word’.”<a href="https://d.docs.live.net/e0e15e3b97fc143b/Ps%2091.3.docx#_ftn1" name="-1932351806__ftnref1" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank" title=""><sup><sup><span style="font-size: 14pt;">[1]</span></sup></sup></a> For this reason, I am utilizing the Douay-Rheims (D-R) rather than the NAB or the NRSV. I believe the D-R makes things more practical to us, and it is more in line with the references that I will be using. I, of course, am not stating that the NAB, NRSV, or RSV are incorrect; I am just saying that the D-R is more beneficial. For instance, in Verse 3 (which we will get to in another posting), the D-R has “and from the sharp word,” whereas the NAB has “from the destroying plague” and the NRSV, “from the deadly pestilence.” Both the NAB and NRSV appear redundant in that a plague is deadly and a pestilence is deadly. Also, since I don’t at the moment have to dread a plague or pestilence, they are not relevant to me at this time. However, “the sharp word” is something that occurs frequently. Therefore, I am utilizing the D-R for this portion.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">We have already cover in the previous posting who it is that “dwells in the shelter of the Most High,” or the D-R version, “He that dwelleth in the aid of the Most High,” he that “shall abide under the protection of the God of Jacob.” I do desire to spend a little more time on Verse 2 to cover something I omitted in the other posting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">In Verse 2, we have the “just” man saying to God, “Thou art my protector, and my refuge: my God, in Him will I trust.” Where the NAB and NRSV have “my refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust,” the D-R has “Though art my protector and my refuge: my God, in Him will I trust.” In other words, where the NAB has “refuge,” it will be “protector,” and “fortress” in the NAB will “refuge” in the D-R. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">St. Bellarmine tells us: “These words represent three of God’s favors, for which the just man returns thanks; one, a past favor; the second, a present; and the third, a future favor.”<a href="https://d.docs.live.net/e0e15e3b97fc143b/Ps%2091.3.docx#_ftn2" name="-1932351806__ftnref2" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank" title=""><span style="font-size: 14pt;">[2]</span></a> The first favor, protection, St. Bellarmine says, is the mercy of God through which he supports man after falling into mortal sin, e.g. David and Peter. He says that the just man mentions this favor first because he says to himself, “If God be so good as to protect the enemy who does not confide in him, and to inspire him with penance and confidence, how good and kind must He not be to the friend and child who does confide in Him.” Although the saint does not say it, I would also think that this includes Baptism because it is God who makes the first move of causing the person to become repentant, including infant Baptism. In infant Baptism, God is calling the child through the parents, thereby protecting it. Hence, we are thankful that God calls us through Baptism and when He absolves us during the Sacrament of Reconciliation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">The second favor, according to St. Bellarmine, is contained in the words “my refuge” because it is present time. When God protects us through Baptism and the Sacrament of Reconciliation—when we have committed a mortal sin—He does not immediately assume us into heaven, but “places [us] in the line of His soldiers who are fighting here below and, if the individual trusts in the Lord as we discussed in the earlier posting, God will prove to be a “refuge” to the person “in every temptation and difficulty, and a most safe and secure refuge, as the Hebrew word for refuge implies.”<a href="https://d.docs.live.net/e0e15e3b97fc143b/Ps%2091.3.docx#_ftn3" name="-1932351806__ftnref3" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank" title="">1</a> We see this plainly as God placing us into the Catholic Church for security and for increase of faith.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">For the third favor, the saint instructs us: “The third favor is a future one, and the greatest of all, and is contained in the words, ‘my God,’ for God is the supreme good, and God is always God in himself, and, therefore, the supreme good; and he will be peculiarly so ‘when we shall see him as he is,’ for then we shall enjoy the supreme good. The just man, therefore, reflecting and allowing that God was one time his protector, then his refuge, and, after this life, will constitute his happiness, comes to the conclusion, ‘in him will I trust;’ that is, I am firmly determined to put my trust in him, through every danger and temptation, as did holy Job, when he said, ‘Although he should kill me, I will trust in him’.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">To summarize: When an individual desires to have a thorough trust in the protection of God, where he is abiding in that protection, by going to God in prayer, continuously asking to enter His secret place, the place of protection, “he then who so imitates Christ as to endure all the troubles of this world, with his hopes set upon God, that he falls into no snare, is broken down by no panic fears, he it is "who dwelleth under the defense of the Most High, who shall abide under the protection of God."<a href="https://d.docs.live.net/e0e15e3b97fc143b/Ps%2091.3.docx#_ftn4" name="-1932351806__ftnref4" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank" title="">1</a> That individual will then say to God, “Thou art my protector, and my refuge: my God, in Him will I trust. This shall be our prayer at home, during Mass, and while receiving the Eucharist, constantly recalling that He is Protector, Deliverer, God. We must remember that we can only be delivered when we are actually between the proverbial rock and a hard place. It is then that He becomes our Fortress, for we do not need a fortress if we are not in danger. Jesus promised us persecutions, hardships. Our first pope, Peter, was crucified; St. Paul was beheaded; and we have a myriad of martyrs of the faith. Nevertheless, they persevered and endured because God was Protector, Deliverer, and God of their souls.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">--Tommy Turner</span></div>
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<a href="https://d.docs.live.net/e0e15e3b97fc143b/Ps%2091.3.docx#_ftnref1" name="-1932351806__ftn1" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank" title=""><sup><sup><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">[1]</span></sup></sup></a> <i>The Holy Bible, Translated from the Latin Vulgate</i>, (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009), Ps 90:1–3.</div>
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<a href="https://d.docs.live.net/e0e15e3b97fc143b/Ps%2091.3.docx#_ftnref2" name="-1932351806__ftn2" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank" title=""><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">[2]</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> Saint Robert Bellarmine (2015-05-11). A Commentary on the Book of Psalms (Illustrated) (p. 422). Aeterna Press. Kindle Edition</span>.</div>
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<a href="https://d.docs.live.net/e0e15e3b97fc143b/Ps%2091.3.docx#_ftnref3" name="-1932351806__ftn3" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank" title="">1</a> Saint Robert Bellarmine (2015-05-11). A Commentary on the Book of Psalms (Illustrated) (p. 423). Aeterna Press. Kindle Edition.<br />
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<a href="https://d.docs.live.net/e0e15e3b97fc143b/Ps%2091.3.docx#_ftnref4" name="-1932351806__ftn4" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank" title="">1</a> St. Augustine (2010-03-28). St. Augustine: Exposition on the Book of Psalms (Kindle Locations 21558-21559). . Kindle Edition.<br />
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7619529338191931597.post-53568822331597712222016-02-18T09:06:00.001-06:002016-02-18T09:15:59.592-06:00“I” Doesn’t Want to be in Christ“I” doesn’t want to be in Christ. You probably caught the improper grammar. It is not that I don’t want to be in Christ—because I do; however, I have a problem: I am not content with Christ; I want to fulfill the desires of the flesh. I can identify with Apostle Paul: “We know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold into slavery to sin. What I do, I do not understand. For I do not do what I want, but I do what I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I concur that the law is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that good does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh. The willing is ready at hand, but doing the good is not. For I do not do the good I want, but I do the evil I do not want. Now if [I] do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. So, then, I discover the principle that when I want to do right, evil is at hand. For I take delight in the law of God, in my inner self, but I see in my members another principle at war with the law of my mind, taking me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Miserable one that I am!”[1] This brings me to the first two verses of Psalm 91.<br />
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He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, who abides in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.” Every time I have read passages like 91, I really just ignored them because I did not see them as being true in my life. I knew God did not lie; hence, this must be true. However, I did not see it as applicable to my life. I considered myself as dwelling “in the shelter of [God], but I knew these things were not true for me. Therefore, passage such as this went in one proverbial ear and out the other.<br />
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The human being who has been baptized, because of concupiscence, is truly a fickle creature. He is “in Christ;” nevertheless, he does not desire to remain in Christ at all times; he is distracted. He is caught in a revolving door, in-and-out constantly. He wants to stand on the running board of a vehicle, holding onto Christ with one hand while grasping for the world with the other. I am reminded of movies/TV shows in which one character would tell another to stay put or stay out of danger; however, they would get scared or thought they knew better and dart out; and, very often, they would get injured or killed. This is how we are more times than not. <br />
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Saint Robert Bellarmine (4 October 1542 – 17 September 1621), in his commentary on Psalm 91, explains: “‘He,’ no matter who he may be, rich or poor, learned or unlearned, patrician or plebeian, young or old, for ‘God is no respecter of persons,’ but he is ‘rich to all that call upon him’—‘that dwelleth,’ to give us to understand that this liberal promise does not apply to those who put only a certain amount of trust in God, but that this trust must be continuous, constant, and firm (emphasis added) so that man may be said to dwell in God, through faith and confidence, and to carry it about with him, like a house, like a turtle, ‘in the aid,’ for God’s aid is not like one of the strongholds of this world, to which people fly for defense, but consists in an invisible and most secret tower that can be found, and entered by faith alone.<br />
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However, the expression in the Greek as well as the Latin conveys, that we must place the most entire confidence in God (emphasis added), but still we are not to neglect the ordinary means that man can avail himself of. The husbandman puts his trust in him who gives the rain from heaven, and makes his sun to rise, but in the meantime he will be sure to plough, to sow, and to reap, knowing that God helps those who help themselves…Those in power spend much money on their fortresses and body guards, and yet are often betrayed by them; but here it is not frail and deceitful man, but the Almighty and truthful God that says, ‘Trust in me, and I will protect you,’ and yet scarce can one be found to trust himself to God as he ought.”1 <br />
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He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High is he who “sits in the secret place of the Most High,” trusting God no matter the circumstances, no matter what is occurring around them. The individual understands that, in his life, because he is Baptized, in Christ, there are no coincidences, no “bad” things, for all things are either ordained by the Father or allowed by Him for our good, to mold us more into the likeness of the Beloved, His Son. Jesus lived in the shelter of the Father regardless of the circumstances; He abided in the shadow of the Almighty. Because of Baptism, we too should dwell in the shelter of the Most High; however, we do not—we do not totally, absolutely, trust Him. We know that we should, that He is dependable; nevertheless, we are afraid to be put in the position to trust Him completely. We are fearful of the circumstances we may be put into. In the military, you can prepare your mind for combat, have an idea of what to expect. To dwell in the shelter of the Most High, we go into it blind, not knowing what to expect. However, we must imitate Jesus. St. Augustine puts it in plain words: “He then who so imitates Christ as to endure all the troubles of this world, with his hopes set upon God, that he falls into no snare, is broken down by no panic fears (emphasis added), he it is ‘who dwelleth under the [defense] of the Most High, who shall abide under the protection of God’.” 2 <br />
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In Old English, the word that is translated as “dwells” for us is translated “dwelleth,” which means a constant, a continuous dwelling. This is consistent with how St. Augustine translates the verse. We are no longer in that revolving door, rotating in and out; we are in the Body of Christ, our will consistent with His will, allowing the Body to carry us where He wills.<br />
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“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” I believe most people will recognize these as words contained in the Declaration of Independence. I do not think Thomas Jefferson, in drafting up the Declaration, was thinking of God. All Catholics know that Life, Liberty, and Happiness are all found in Christ. Nevertheless, because of concupiscence, we often look for these things outside of God. We know better; we are “bent.” In order to constantly dwell in the shelter of the Most High, to be one of those who abides in the shadow of the Almighty, to be one of those who will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust,” we must give ourselves over to God, dwelling in His defense. Only then will we be able to say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.” We have to stop looking for happiness outside of Christ. Christ gives us all He has, including His life. He suffered all that we may have all. Why do we desire to grasp at straws? Why do we desire to possess straw?<br />
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How do we arrive at the state where we able to know we dwell in the shelter of the Most High? We must pray for it, confessing our fear in asking for the petition, but knowing that that is what we need. Then we must brace ourselves for the trials and temptations that will necessarily beset us. This was one reason why Jesus was “driven” into the wilderness to be tempted. In order to enter the dwelling of that secret place, all hindrances must be removed. “Iron sharpens iron.” St. Paul recognized this: Miserable one that I am! Who will deliver me from this mortal body? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.1 We do not have the strength to enter on our own; we must ask. Ask (and keep asking), and you shall receive. The question that remains: Do we desire, do we want, to dwell in the shelter of the Most High?<br />
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--Tommy Turner</div>
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[1] New American Bible, Revised Edition., (Washington, DC: The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2011), Ro 7:14–24.<br />
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1 Saint Robert Bellarmine (2015-05-11). A Commentary on the Book of Psalms (Illustrated) (p. 422). Aeterna Press. Kindle Edition.<br />
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2 Augustine of Hippo, Saint Augustin: Expositions on the Book of Psalms, 1888, 8, 446.<br />
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1 New American Bible, Revised Edition., (Washington, DC: The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2011), Ro 7:24–25.</div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7619529338191931597.post-3463180249620842972016-02-12T19:57:00.001-06:002016-02-12T19:57:11.481-06:00Lent and TemptationsI believe that all Catholics (Christians) desire to do good, to do what is pleasing to God, to be molded into the image of the Beloved, His Son, Jesus Christ. As for myself, many times I know what to do but find myself unable to do what I should do. It is not as if I am incapable; it is as if I am mired in a tar pit, everything little thing requiring the utmost of energy. Many times, seeing little to no fruit for my labors, I resignedly think, “What is the use; how is this going to benefit anyone?” For Lent this year, I am reading Michael Aimino’s book,<i> A Journey into the Wilderness: Forty Days of Lent. </i>Included in his meditation for today, the day after Ash Wednesday, he wrote: “…there are times when we wonder if our efforts really make any difference.<div>
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On those days when we wonder if our work matters, it helps to remember that it is not so much the results that count, but that we make the effort to work in cooperation with a much greater plan and design, for a much greater purpose than we realize.” It is something that I knew; however, I often let the visual, or perception, inundate truth. We are responsible for the labor when it comes to the Kingdom; we are not responsible for producing the fruit. That is up to the Holy Spirit. As Mr. Aimino surmises, “When we place our work in the context of God’s kingdom, a kingdom of justice and love, then every little effort, no matter how seemingly insignificant, is helping to build something that really, truly matters.”<br /><br />As an individual, we are not the Church; nonetheless, we are a microcosm of the Catholic Church. Therefore, when we repent of one sin as an individual, it has a tremendous effect upon the universal (redundancy intended) Catholic Church. Although sin is a personal act, it affects more than the individual. Our Catechism defines “sin:”<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
“Sin is an offense against reason, truth, and right conscience; it is failure in genuine love for God and neighbor caused by a perverse attachment to certain gods. It wounds the nature of man and injures human solidarity. It has been defined as ‘an utterance, a deed, or a desire contrary to the eternal law’ (St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas). </blockquote>
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Sin is an offense against God: ‘Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in your sight’ (Ps 51.4). Sin sets itself against God’s love for us and turns our hearts away from it. Like the first sin, it is disobedience, a revolt against God through the will to become ‘like gods,’ knowing and determining good and evil. Sin is thus ‘love of oneself even to contempt of God.’ In this proud self-exaltation, sin is diametrically opposed to the obedience of Jesus, which achieves our salvation.” (Para 1849, 1850)</blockquote>
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Therefore, every sin we commit, we are sinning against God, human nature itself, and against the Church. Contrariwise, every act of good (holiness) praises God and helps heal human nature and the Church. We are a functioning part of a living organism, the Catholic Church, the Body of Christ. The Church is not an organization; it is a living organism, the visible Christ on earth.<br /><br />We are in the second day of Lent. Lent consists of giving up something and doing something good. Some people give up chocolate, candy, soda, etc. When they desire the substance, they should turn their minds to God and pray instead of partaking in the thing they desire. What I would exhort people to do is: Do not only stop partaking during Lent, but completely, because the thing they are doing is fulfilling a desire of the flesh, turning their free will to satisfy themselves instead of God. We cannot honor God by honoring ourselves, which we do by fulfilling our desires. “<i>Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.</i> “On earth” means our bodies, which come from the earth. “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.” When we no longer desire the thing we have given up, let us do some introspection and give up another desire of the flesh.<br /><br />“Desires of the flesh” make me think of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness. Jesus, after His baptism, was driven into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to be tempted, tested. Satan tempted Him. Was Satan visible to Jesus or invisible? Satan is a spirit. He can enter a person, but I do not know whether he is able to assume the likeness of a human body—unless, of course, God granted it. For me, personally, it aids me when I think that Satan tempted Jesus through His mind, His thoughts—remembering that Jesus was also wholly man and was tempted in every way that we are tempted. St. Thomas Aquinas believed, I think, that Satan was physically present to Jesus; however, he says that others believe otherwise. I don’t know; but, because Satan does not appear physically to me but tempts me many times through my mind, my thoughts, it helps me to think of Jesus being tempted in the same fashion.<br /><br />Now, eating to stay alive is not a sin. When the disciples were walking through the grain fields and eating the grain because they were hungry, Jesus did not rebuke them; He rebuked the religious leaders. He did say to His disciples, “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every words that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Likewise, He did not think this when He fed the five thousand. If we went one day without eating, having the power to convert a stone into a pepperoni pizza, what would we do? Turn the stone into a pepperoni pizza. Why was it wrong for Jesus to turn stone into bread? Jesus went without food and water for forty days. It is my understanding that it is impossible for a man to live forty days without water, let alone food—without the intervention of God. Jesus knew His mission; He knew why He was being tested; therefore, He knew His Father would keep Him. Nevertheless, He was starving because He was a man.<div>
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Because Jesus knew the Father’s will, that He was sent to redeem mankind, He knew that the Father was not going to let Him die of thirst or starvation. If we tried to go forty days without drinking or eating, we would be tempting God. Jesus needed to undergo severe temptations, more than any single individual would undergo in order that He would understand “firsthand” the temptations that a human being undergoes. He now “knows” how weak we are. He “knows” how to help us, when to actually deliver us and when to just give us grace to endure. We no longer can blame God. We see the Son of God, who is also Son of Man, overcoming the most brutal of temptation in another Garden, the Garden of Gethsemane. Last but not least—really, most importantly—He underwent the temptations as part of our salvation. Humanity had to overcome everything that humanity succumbed to in the Fall.<br /><br />Where the Head goes, the Body must follow. Jesus forewarns us that because He was persecuted we must also be persecuted. Likewise, if He was severely tempted, at times the Church—and her members—must also be severely tempted. It is only because Jesus persevered through the severest of trials that the martyrs of the Church were able to endure their martyrdom. God <i>will</i> give us the grace to endure and to persevere. Are we not willing to give up one desire of the flesh at a time? The desires of the flesh are burdens that keep us from up the “ladder of Ascent.” The more burdens we relieve ourselves of, the higher and faster we will be able to ascend.</div>
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--Tommy Turner</div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7619529338191931597.post-58529027582792623312016-02-10T09:55:00.000-06:002016-02-10T10:02:16.480-06:00Psalm 84 and Being Stuck on the Ladder of AscentFor those of us who have watched the TV series, Monk, during the intro we see a clip of Mr. Monk stuck upon a ladder due to his acrophobia. Although we are not “stuck” due to fear, oftentimes I feel as if I am “stuck” upon the “ladder of ascent” to heaven. It very well could be that, instead of being “stuck,” I am in all actuality descending the “ladder of ascent.” I sincerely hope not for I keep, by the grace of God, my mind upon the heavenly. Be it what it may, the fact of the matter is: I perceive that I am not ascending, that I am “stuck.” For what reason? I am thinking of two. There are, perhaps, many more; but I am thinking of two: 1) desires of the flesh, and 2) contentment. If I am desiring things that are not of God, I am seeking to pacify the flesh, the five senses; therefore, I am unable to ascend. If I have all the corporeal and temporal things that I perceive I need and/or want, it very well may be that I am content, satisfied with the status quo; hence, I do not aggressively seek to ascend, my going to Mass, prayers, and deeds amounting to “fulfilling obligations.” Now, what does this have to do with Psalm 84?<br />
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For Tuesday, Fifth Week of Ordinary Time, Year C, in the responsorial Psalm, Psalm 84, the Church has us focusing upon Verses 1-4 and 9-10. However, in order to receive a clearer understanding, it might help to read the title, “For the leader; ‘upon the gittith;’ a psalm of the Korahites.” “Gittith” means winepresses. St. Augustine, in his<i> Exposition on the Book of Psalms,</i> interprets what the NAB has as “upon the gittith” as “for the winepresses. He correctly ascertains that there is nothing in the text of the Psalm which refers to “any press, or wine-basket, or vat, or of any of the instruments or the building of a winepress.” Therefore, the Saint asserts, “Therefore, let us recall to mind what takes place in these visible winepresses, and see how this takes place spiritually in the Church.” The description St. Augustine gives paints a pretty vivid picture:<br />
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“The grape hangs on the vines, and the olive on its trees. For it is for these two fruits that presses are usually made ready; and, as long as they hang on their boughs, they seem to enjoy free air; and neither is the grape wine nor the olive oil before they are pressed. Thus it is with men whom God predestined before the world to be conformed to the image of His only-begotten Son, who has been first and especially pressed in His Passion as the great Cluster. Men of this kind, therefore, before they draw near to the service of God, enjoy in the world a kind of delicious liberty, like hanging grapes or olives: But, as it is said, ‘My son, when thou drawest near to the service of God, stand in judgment and fear, and make thy soul ready for temptation:’ So each, as he draweth near to the service of God, findeth that he is come to the winepress, he shall undergo tribulation, shall be crushed, shall be pressed, not that he may perish in this world but that he may flow down into the storehouses of God. He hath the coverings of carnal desires stripped off from him, like grape skins: for this hath taken place in him in carnal desires, of which the Apostle speaks, ‘Put ye off the old man, and put on the new man.’ All this is not done but by pressure; therefore, the Churches of God [all the parishes of the Catholic Church] of this time are called winepresses.”<br />
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Oftentimes, we focus more upon the “pressure” itself more than we do on the<i> purpose </i>of the pressure. It is true that often we do not know the purpose of the trial; however, we must always force ourselves to recall that nothing happens to us without God desiring it to occur or allowing it to occur. All of this is for the purpose of our salvation and sanctification. When we forget to bring this to mind, we very well might be tempted to relieve ourselves of pressures that are needful. Of course, I am not referring to those instances that we have done something wrong and need to correct in order to relieve hardships, nor of not relying upon the advice of professionals, e.g. doctors. Mostly, I am referring to temporal and corporeal things, status, etc. When we fight to hold onto these things, it may impede our progress up the “ladder of ascension.” Just as a rock climber must relieve himself of all nonessentials, likewise must we relieve ourselves of all nonessentials in order to make our ascent. Sometimes this must be a literal relief, for there are many things we rely on subconsciously. This is why it is important for us to be in the “winepress.” Many people get out of the winepress (the Catholic Church) because they find a “church” which tolerates their “beliefs,” which really may be a “pet” sin.<br />
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What the NAB interprets as “a psalm of the Korahites,” St. Augustine interprets as “to the sons of [Korah],” which I believe is more meaningful to us. If we understand it only as a “psalm of the Korahites,” who were the gatekeepers of the Tabernacle and the Temple, then it very well be our thought that this is only a song they sang, of how we should feel. However, if as our Saint thinks, the “sons of Korah” are Catholics: <br />
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“Being placed under pressure, we are crushed for this purpose, that for our love by which we were borne towards those worldly, secular, temporal, unstable, and perishable things, having suffered in them, in this life, torments, and tribulations of pressures, and abundance of temptations, we may begin to seek that rest which is not of this life, nor of this earth; and the Lord becomes, as is written, ‘a refuge for the poor man.’ What is ‘for the poor man’? For him who is, as it were, destitute, without aid, without help, without anything on which he may rest, in earth. For to such poor men, God is present. For though men abound in money on earth, they are filled more with fear than with enjoyment. For what is so uncertain as a rolling thing? It is not unfitly that money itself is stamped round”—circular—“because it remains not still. Such men, therefore, though they have something, are yet poor. But those who have none of this wealth, but only desire it, are counted also among rich men who will be rejected, for God takes account not of power, but of will. The poor then are destitute of all this world’s substance, for even though it abounds around them, they know how fleeting it is; and crying unto God, having nothing in this world with which they may delight themselves, and be held down, placed in abundant pressures and temptations, as if in winepresses, they flow down, having become oil or wine. What are these latter but good desires? For God remains their only object of desire; now they love not earth. For they love Him who made heaven and earth; they love Him, and are not yet with Him. Their desire is delayed in order that it may increase; it increases in order that it may receive. For it is not any little thing that God will give to him who desires, nor does he need to be little exercised to be made fit to receive so great a good: not anything which He hath made will God give, but Himself who made all things. Exercise thyself to receive God: that which thou shalt have forever, desire thou a long time.”<br />
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Very often, God “drives” us into the wilderness, into the desert, in order that we “miss” Him, in order that we yearn for Him. This is one of the purposes of Lent: that we give up something we like in order to recall to mind that we need to yearn Him, Who is All. Our Saint advises us: “Let no one look back, no one delight himself with his former interests, no one turn away from that which is before to that which is behind; let him run until he arrives, for we run not with the feet but with the desire; but let no one in this life say that he hath arrived…’for as long as we are in the body, we are absent from the Lord’.”<br />
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<i>How lovely your dwelling,<br />O Lord of hosts!<br />My soul yearns and pines<br />for the courts of the Lord.<br />My heart and flesh cry out<br />for the living God.<br /><br />As the sparrow finds a home<br />and the swallow a nest to settle her young,<br />My home is by your altars,<br />Lord of hosts, my king and my God! <br /><br />Blessed are those who dwell in your house!<br />They never cease to praise you. Selah.<br />Better one day in your courts<br />than a thousand elsewhere.<br />Better the threshold of the house of my God<br />than a home in the tents of the wicked.</i><br />
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It is the winepresses (the Catholic Church) and being in the winepresses that create this desire, this yearning. It is the winepresses that aid us in relieving ourselves of the nonessentials that release our being “stuck” on the “ladder of ascent,” allowing ourselves to desire God more and more, enabling us to continue our ascent up the ladder. In essence, God is freeing us from all desires that are not of Him. One might insist that one does not have to be in the Catholic Church in order to be in the winepresses. This is true; however, there would be no "churches" if it was not for the Catholic Church, for the root of all "churches" lead back to the Catholic Church. Hence, the Catholic Church is the winepresses.<br />
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--Tommy Turner</div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7619529338191931597.post-84199008578960988992016-01-28T09:36:00.001-06:002016-01-28T09:37:45.499-06:00Lift Up Your Heads, O Gates!<i>It was told King David, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.”[1]</i><br />
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“Obed-edom” is defined as “Serving Edom; servant of Edom; a laborer of the earth.”[2] Now, God had blessed him because of the ark, which we see as the Virgin Mary, which in turn points us to the Incarnation of the Son of God. Of course, we cannot separate the Incarnation and our Lord’s Passion, for it is for this that He became incarnate. The laborers of the earth are those that have the Virgin Mary as their Mother, those who are born again in Christ through Baptism. Since the Mother is the image of her Son, her children are also the image of her Son. Because of this blessing, because they are born again of God, they are His “train,” which we see in Psalm 24:7.<br />
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We read in Haydock’s commentary that Psalm 24 is a processional hymn, in which one group of singers calls upon the gates of the old city of the Jebusites to lift up their heads in honor, because the King of Glory is to pass through them to his new sanctuary. We read in <i>A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture</i> that the Church has constantly understood this passage of Christ’s ascension, and that the saints in his train address the angels, who appear to be filled with astonishment. Because, in the Mass, heaven and earth come together, we see that we are made holy as our Lord is holy and that we ascend with Him. The commentary tells us that the psalmist is contemplating the ascension of Christ, inviting the angels to receive Him. “The angels express their admiration of the glory with which Christ, in our human nature, was environed; and the prophet replies, that he had overcome all his opponents, and again orders the gates to open. The angels were not ignorant, but gave occasion to a further display of the conqueror’s dignity, and expressed their surprise that men should enter heaven.”[3] How well we can sing with the psalmist, “Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and might, the LORD, mighty in battle!” This, of course, is due to our Lord’s Passion, death, and resurrection.<br />
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Not only do we shout in exultation, but our Lord praises the Father because of us:<br />
<i>At that time Jesus declared, “I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes.[4] Looking around on those who sat about him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brethren! Whoever does the will of God is my brother, and sister, and mother.” [5]</i><br />
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<i>Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in. Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle! Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory![6]</i><br />
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Lord, make us the image of You, through Your Word and the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist. Amen.<br />
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--Tommy Turner</div>
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[1] Catholic Biblical Association (Great Britain), The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition, (New York: National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, 1994), 2 Sa 6:12.<br />
[2] Stelman Smith and Judson Cornwall, The exhaustive dictionary of Bible names, 1998, 187.<br />
[3] George Leo Haydock, Haydock’s Catholic Bible Commentary, (New York: Edward Dunigan and Brother, 1859), Ps 23:7–10.<br />
[4] Catholic Biblical Association (Great Britain), The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition, (New York: National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, 1994), Mt 11:25<br />
[5] Catholic Biblical Association (Great Britain), The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition, (New York: National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, 1994), Mk 3:34–35.<br />
[6] Catholic Biblical Association (Great Britain), The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition, (New York: National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, 1994), Ps 24:7–10.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7619529338191931597.post-42737813549908689052016-01-23T10:00:00.000-06:002016-01-23T10:00:07.974-06:00How Does Your Concern Affect Me?“How does your concern affect me?” This is the rendering from the New American Bible of our Lord’s response to His mother’s statement that they had run out of wine at the wedding feast of Cana. The New Revised Version renders it, “What concern is that to you and to me?” The NAB version is stating that the fact they had no wine concerned Virgin Mary, and Jesus is asking her how this affects Him. In the NRSV rendering, Jesus is asking her why should this concern her and why should it concern Him. He is not saying that she should not be concerning; he is asking her to contemplate upon why it should concern her and Him. I think He asks us the same question. There are things that should concern us. If something concerns us, then it must also concern Christ, for we are part of His Body, the Catholic Church, of which He is the Head. Therefore, I can hear Him implying to our Blessed Mother, “You are right to be concerned; now, why does it concern you, and why should it concern me?”<div>
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<br /><br />Why was our Blessed Mother concerned? Why was she anxious, worried, distressed, uneasy, fearful? One common theory we hear of is the embarrassment it would cause the bridegroom. Would we desire that Christ perform a miracle for the sake of saving someone embarrassment? If someone plans improperly, should a miracle be performed to save them embarrassment? Because the steward of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first; and when men have drunk freely, then the poor wine; but you have kept the good wine until now,” one could naturally assume that the steward of the feast, and possibly even the bridegroom, were not aware that the wine had run out. Would one not presume incompetence at least on the part of the steward, and would not the bridegroom go over everything prior to the feast to ensure that all was in order? He would know how many guests were invited, and how much wine was needed.<br /><br />Let’s pause in order to think. Jesus, at this time, is approximately thirty years old. How much has He revealed to His mother? Did they keep silent regarding spiritual things? That would not be the Mary we have come to know through St. Luke, who tells us she pondered everything. This is not the Mary who has given her life totally to God and, therefore, was told by the Angel that she was full of grace. Given the Mary we have been introduced to, because she knew Who her Son was, were they not conversing on deep spiritual matters?<div>
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Was He not also preparing her for the mission He had ordained for her? She knew that her heart was going to be pierced through; therefore, she probably knew that He was going to die for His people. Because she was not present with the other women going to the tomb on the day of Resurrection, it is possible that she was already cognizant of the fact that Jesus was going to rise on the third day. You would think that one of the evangelists would say something about Mary when Jesus rose from the dead; however, all remain silent. Although Jesus may not have told Mary that she was going to be the Mother of all Living, He would have, nonetheless, prepared her for that position. Perhaps, this wedding at Cana was part of that preparation.<br /><br />Now, let’s return to the wedding feast. Why does what seemingly appear to be incompetence become a concern to the Virgin Mary? According to St. Thomas Aquinas’ “Commentary of the Gospel of St. John,” St. John Chrysostom says that the Blessed Virgin, burning with zeal for the honor of her Son, wanted Christ to perform miracles at once, before it was opportune; but that Christ, being much wiser than His mother, retrained her, for He was unwilling to perform the miracle before the need for it was known; otherwise, it would have been less appreciated and less credible. Therefore, He says, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me?” As if to say, “Why bother me? My time has not yet come,” i.e. I am not yet known to those present; nor do they know that the wine ran out, and they must first know this because, when they know their need, they will have a greater appreciation of the benefit they will receive. This could very well be true; I would not discount anything the Saints had to say. However, there could also be more to it.<br /><br />St. John’s gospel is the “spiritual” gospel. Prior to going to the wedding feast, Jesus was probably aware of the fact that there was going to be a shortage of wine; and, perhaps, He desired to prepare the disciples that He was going to appoint to take charge of His Church, His Kingdom. In his Catena Aurea, St. Thomas Aquinas quotes St. Augustine: “What marvel, if He went to that house to a marriage, Who came into this world to a marriage. For here He has His spouse whom He redeemed with His own blood, to whom He gave the pledge of the Spirit, and whom He united to Himself in the womb of the Virgin. For the Word is the Bridegroom, and human flesh the bride, and both together are one Son of God and Son of man. That womb of the Virgin Mary is His chamber, from which He went forth as a bridegroom.” Therefore, Jesus may have been directing the Blessed Virgin to comprehend a deeper meaning in her request. “What concern is that to you and to me? My time has not yet come.”<br /><br />Visualize a period of silence while our Blessed Mother pondered. Of course, we do not know what went through her mind; however, two thousand years later, what comes to ours? Jesus gave our Mother a hint: “My time has not yet come.” She may have understood that to refer to His Passion. She then may have recalled that her Son was the Messiah and that a feast was associated with Him. Thomas Aquinas informs us: “She says to Him, ‘They have no more wine.’ Here we should note that, before the incarnation of Christ, three wines were running out: the wine of justice, of wisdom, and of charity or grace. Wine stings; and, in this respect, it is a symbol of justice. The Samaritan poured wine and oil into the wounds of the injured man—that is, he mingled the severity of justice with the sweetness of mercy. ‘You have made us drink the wine of sorrow’ (Ps 59:5). But wine also delights the heart, ‘Wine cheers the heart of man’ (Ps 103:15). And, in this respect, wine is a symbol of wisdom, the meditation of which is enjoyable in the highest degree: ‘Her companionship has no bitterness’ (Wis 8:16).</div>
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Further, wine intoxicates: ‘Drink, friends, and be intoxicated, my dearly beloved’ (Sg 5:1). And, in this respect, wine is a symbol of charity because of charity’s fervor: ‘Wine makes the virgins flourish’ (Zec 9:17). The wine of justice was indeed running out in the old law, in which justice was imperfect…The wine of wisdom was also running out, for it was hidden and symbolic, because as it says in 1 Corinthians 10:11, ‘All these things happened to them in symbol’…The wine of charity was also running out, because they had received a spirit of serving only in fear. But Christ converted the water of fear into the wine of charity when He gave ‘the spirit of adoption as sons, by which we cry, ‘Abba, Father’ (Ro 8:15), and when ‘the charity of God was poured out into our hearts,’ as Romans 5:5 says.” Hence, our Blessed Mother may have concluded, “The Kingdom has no wine.” Therefore, she said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.” Because the Kingdom had no wine, our Blessed Mother was concerned and knew her Son, the Son of God, the Messiah, was concerned, and that He would provide the wine.<br /><br />There are things that should concern us. If something concerns us, then it must also concern Christ, for we are part of His Body, the Catholic Church, of which He is the Head. Our concerns also should be the Kingdom, the Catholic Church; also, our concerns should be our fellow human being. “We are not fighting against flesh and blood;” we are fighting spiritual beings. The human beings who fight against us, in actuality, are ignorant and taking the things of Satan as being wisdom. Do we hate any human being, our brothers and sisters, so much that we desire to see them perish, to be as Cain and murder our brother? Jesus loves all humans so much that, while on the cross, blood and water gushed from His side, the Wine of Life. If this is our concern, it is also His concern. Lord, give us the grace to do Thy will. Not only give us the grace to do it, guide us also in doing it. Can you hear Him say in reply, “Your concern affects me.”<div style="text-align: right;">
--Tommy Turner</div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7619529338191931597.post-62476708248131381842016-01-22T06:00:00.000-06:002016-01-28T09:36:26.890-06:00Joy In SufferingOur first reading from 14 January 2016, does not fill us with enthusiasm; it, instead, could possibly referred to as depressing:<br />
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<i>At that time, the Philistines gathered for an attack on Israel. Israel went out to engage them in battle and camped at Ebenezer, while the Philistines camped at Aphek. The Philistines then drew up in battle formation against Israel. After a fierce struggle Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the battlefield. When the troops retired to the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the Lord permitted us to be defeated today by the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the Lord from Shiloh that it may go into battle among us and save us from the grasp of our enemies.” So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the Lord of hosts, who is enthroned upon the cherubim. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, accompanied the ark of God. When the ark of the Lord arrived in the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth shook. The Philistines, hearing the uproar, asked, “What does this loud shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” On learning that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp, the Philistines were frightened, crying out, “Gods have come to their camp. Woe to us! This has never happened before. Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with various plagues in the desert. Take courage and act like soldiers, Philistines; otherwise you will become slaves to the Hebrews, as they were your slaves. Fight like soldiers!” The Philistines fought and Israel was defeated; everyone fled to their own tents. It was a disastrous defeat; Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers. The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were dead. [1]</i></blockquote>
The responsorial Psalm could possibly drive our spirits lower:<br />
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<i>But now you have rejected and disgraced us; you do not march out with our armies. You make us retreat before the foe; those who hate us plunder us at will. You make us the reproach of our neighbors, the mockery and scorn of those around us. You make us a byword among the nations; the peoples shake their heads at us. Awake! Why do you sleep, O Lord? Rise up! Do not reject us forever! Why do you hide your face; why forget our pain and misery?</i></blockquote>
Hence, we cry out, <i>“Rise up, help us!<br />Redeem us in your mercy.”</i><br />
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God does not desire that we be downtrodden; He desires that we rejoice, be joyful. Therefore, it is necessary that He chastise those that He loves. When sin does no longer bothers us, when we begin to think that particular sins are not bad, He must allow the consequences of those sins to disturb us, to turn us back to Himself, and goodness and happiness. It is through suffering that we are made perfect, just as the Author of our faith, Jesus, was made perfect through suffering, as we are told in the epistles to the Hebrews. If the Head must suffer, the Body must also suffer, including its members. When we “fight” the sin(s) in our earthy bodies, suffering takes place. Also, many times, in many places, the Church suffers outside persecution. This is the Body suffering as its Head suffered. Nonetheless, we must not disparage, for our Hope is “on the other side.” As one early Church Father surmised, “The sooner we live this world, the sooner we escape sin (paraphrasing).<br />
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Our Gospel reading is from St. Mark:<br />
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<i>A leper came to him [and kneeling down] begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.” The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. Then he said to him, “See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere. [2]</i></blockquote>
Now, leprosy reminds us of sin, that we are sinners. St. Mark, in his gospel, is telling us that it is His will that we be made clean and that He will make us clean when we come to Him for cleansing. We do have our sins washed away in order to remain empty; we are cleansed and then filled with the Holy Spirit in order that we may do good works, the works of our Father, loving our neighbor as ourselves because of the love we have of Him because of what He has done. Because of the concupiscence that is in us, we still suffer, fighting that tendency to sin. Where our first reading and the responsorial Psalm might be depressing, the Gospel reading shows us how to have joy in that suffering.<br />
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All week, we have been in the first chapter of St. Mark. The evangelist begins with Baptism, which is a portrayal of Jesus’ death and resurrection, reminding us that we die with Him and are raised with Him. Therefore, his Gospel begins with Jesus’ death and resurrection and ends with His death and resurrection, and our ascending with Him to the Father. Because we are ascending with Jesus to the Father, we are not saved for our sakes but for the Father’s. This is why we have joy in suffering.<br />
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St. Mark, in the first chapter of his Gospel, mentions three miracles. What St. Bede sees in these three miracles is very enlightening. The first miracle was casting out a demon; the second, the healing of the fever of St. Peter’s mother-in-law; and, of course, the third, the healing of the leper in today’s Gospel reading. In his “Catena Aurea – Gospel of Mark,” St. Thomas Aquinas quotes St. Bede as to the first miracle:<br />
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“Since by the envy of the devil death first entered into the world, it was right that the medicine of healing should first work against the author of death; and therefore it is said, ‘And there was in their synagogue a man [with an unclean spirit; and he cried out]’…”<br />
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As to the second miracle, St. Bede is quoted, “First, it was right that the serpent’s tongue should be shut up, that it might not spread any more venom; then that the woman, who was first seduced, should be healed from the fever of carnal concupiscence. The health which is conferred at the command of the Lord, returns at once entire, accompanied with such strength that she is able to minister to those of whose help she had before stood in need.”<br />
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With regard to the third miracle: “Again, if we suppose that the man delivered from the devil means, in the moral way of interpretation, the soul purged from unclean thoughts, fitly does the woman cured of a fever by the command of God mean the flesh, restrained from the heat of its concupiscence by the precepts of continence…After that the serpent-tongue of the devils was shut up, and the woman, who was first seduced, cured of a fever, in the third place, the man, who listened to the evil counsels of the woman, is cleansed from his leprosy, that the order of restoration in the Lord might be the same as was the order of the fall in our first parents.” St. Bede, of course, is applying these miracles to the Fall of mankind in the Garden. It needs to be noted that these healings come through Baptism, because of Jesus’ Passion and Resurrection. Joy comes through suffering. Suffering comes as a result of sin, and joy comes from the suffering of dying to sin. When we fail to die to sin because of our frailty, we have the recourse of getting back up and continuing on the Way through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Joy through suffering.<br />
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--Tommy Turner</div>
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[1] <i>New American Bible, Revised Edition.,</i> (Washington, DC: The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2011), 1 Sa 4:1–11.<br />
[2] <i>New American Bible, Revised Edition.,</i> (Washington, DC: The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2011), Mk 1:40–45.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7619529338191931597.post-73660035399353699862016-01-21T06:00:00.000-06:002016-01-21T06:00:12.677-06:00Things to Do or a Way of Life?I don’t know about others; I can only speak for myself: Matthew 25:34-40 never even close to being one of the passages of Scripture that I liked. It would cause guilt to rush upon me. Do I have to do all of these? Is doing one okay? How many times do I have to do them? Before going further, let’s read the passage.<br />
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“Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me’.”<br />
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I do not think the evangelist is trying to impress upon us that our Lord was implying a number to the times we are to do these things or if we only have to do one, two, or three of them. I believe what our Lord is telling us is how to pattern our lives, how to live our lives. What am I referring to?<br />
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Let me begin with this: When I was coming into the Catholic Church, I had a very difficult time with our Blessed Mother. One of the things that helped me when I read a book where the author asked, “Should we love those that Jesus love?” Of course. “Does Jesus love His mother?” Of course. Utilizing the same theory, let’s ask the same question: Should we love those that God love? Yes. Who does He love? Everyone. Are we born of God in Baptism? Does Jesus, the Son of God abide in us and we in Him? If so, divine life is in us; therefore, who should we love? Everyone. One may ask, “Well, what about wicked people?” Let me ask in return, “If a person was a thief, an adulterer, and a murderer, would you consider that person wicked?” Now, consider King David. He stole another man’s wife, committed adultery, and murdered her husband. Did God love him? Yes.<br />
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God does not separate Himself from mankind; humans separate themselves from God. It is God’s desire that no person should perish. Through the Sacraments, God puts His divine life in us; hence, we love whomsoever He loves. Just as God put Adam into a deep sleep (death) and from his side brought forth his wife, God also brought forth from His Son’s divine side (Jesus is a Divine being) His Bride. Because Jesus is holy, His Bride is holy; and She loves whomsoever her Husband loves. Jesus tells us that a husband and wife becomes one flesh. He was really speaking of Himself and His Bride, the Church.<br />
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The passage in Matthew 25 is about a way of life, caring for all those that we meet. It also entails supporting our parish in order that this microcosm of the whole Catholic Church may do likewise. Through supporting our parish, we are loving our neighbor also.<br />
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--Tommy Turner</div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7619529338191931597.post-9438499109557941562016-01-20T06:00:00.000-06:002016-01-20T06:00:21.784-06:00The Relevancy of the SanctusThe Holy Catholic Church proclaims that the Eucharist is the sum and summit of the Mass. Therefore, it is only practical that there be a preface to allow our minds to eagerly anticipate the Eucharist. The prelude is an introduction to the Eucharist, consisting in an exhortation to thanksgiving made by the celebrant, in the answers of the minister or choir, and a prayer ending with the Sanctus, in which God is thanked for His benefits.[1] This should cause our minds to think of what we are being thankful for.<br />
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There are times when we might, perhaps, lose focus and miss the Preface as recited by the Priest; therefore, we should know what benefits of God we are so thankful for. I just do not believe that the one-word answer, “everything,” is a justifiable response. We do not have much time in the Mass to reflect; therefore, it should be something that is paramount to us: our redemption and sanctification.<br />
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The Preface of the Mass concludes with the Sanctus:<br />
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Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.<br />
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.<br />
Hosanna in the highest.<br />
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.<br />
Hosanna in the highest.<br />
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I want to focus on two stanzas: “Heaven and earth are full of Your glory” and “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”<br />
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“Heaven and earth are full of Your glory.” In what way? Given a good amount of time to contemplate, we could come up with a myriad of answers to this question. During the Mass, there must be a paramount reason: Obedience to the will of God. The angelic response, the first stanza, is recited by the holy angels, those obedient to God’s will. God is greatly glorified on earth by the obedience of mankind to God’s will, through the Church. This is confirmed by the stanza, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”<br />
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Scott Hahn, in his short book, <i>Come Again? The Real Presence as Parousia,</i> tells us that the Church sees the Eucharist as a “coming” of Christ—not the coming we commonly referring to as the Second Coming. He states:<br />
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“Our Lord promised: ‘You will not see Me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord’—that is, until the [coming, the presence of Christ]. How right it is for the Church to place those words, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord,’ on our lips just moments before the Eucharistic consecration in the Mass, just moments before our Lord’s Eucharistic parousia.”<br />
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This makes the Sanctus a reality. We are eagerly anticipating what is about to momentarily occur: Jesus coming, making His presence known, in the Eucharist. Listen to this early Church prayer in the Liturgy of the Blessed Apostles: “How breathes in us, O our Lord and God, the sweet fragrance of the sweetness of Thy love; illumined are our souls, through the knowledge of Thy truth: may we be rendered worthy of receiving the manifestation of Thy beloved from Thy holy heavens: there shall we render thanks unto Thee, and, in the meantime, glorify Thee without ceasing in Thy Church, crowned and filled with every aid and blessing, because Thou art Lord and Father, Creator of all.”[2] This is going to be fulfilled in the Eucharist.<br />
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When I began consideration of the Catholic Church, I went to a few Latin Masses. It was difficult for me due to my lack of knowledge when it comes to Latin. However, there was one thing that really intrigued me: The priest faced away from us. I found this extremely beneficial because I knew the priest was in the office of Christ. Therefore, when he faced the same direction as the laity, this was Jesus, the Man, leading us in prayer. When the priest faced us, it was Jesus, the Son of God, teaching us. It made the Mass so relevant. Oh, to have Jesus personally leading us in prayer! How great it would have been if it had been in English. It makes the Mass come alive. Can you imagine Jesus, the angels, the saints in heaven, in purgatory, and on earth singing the Sanctus? How the whole universe must reverberate! All of this because of the Sacrifice of the Mass which is occurring continuously!<br />
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Here is a great, great benefit of the Eucharist, which we are anticipating, from the words of St. John Chrysostom:<br />
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“Therefore that you may not assemble here in vain I shall not cease beseeching you with all earnestness, as I have often besought you before, ‘conduct your brethren to us, exhort the wanderers, counsel them not by word only but also by deed.’ This is the more powerful, teaching,—that which comes through our manners and behaviour—Even if you do not utter a word, but yet, after you have gone out of this assembly, by your mien, and your look, and your voice and all the rest of your demeanour you exhibit to the men who have been left behind the gain which you have brought away with you, this is sufficient for exhortation and advice. For we ought to go out from this place as it were from some sacred shrine, as men who have descended from heaven itself, who have become sedate, and philosophical, who do and say everything in proper measure: and when a wife sees her husband returning from the assembly, and a father his son, and a friend his friend, and an enemy his enemy, let them all receive an impression of the benefit which you have derived from coming here: and they will receive it, if they perceive that you have become milder, more philosophical, more devout."<br />
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"Consider what privileges you enjoy who hast been initiated into the mysteries, with what company thou offerest up that mystic hymn, with what company thou criest aloud the ‘Ter sanctus.’ Teach ‘them that are without’ that thou hast joined the chorus of the Seraphim, that thou art ranked as a citizen of the commonwealth above, that thou hast been enrolled in the choir of Angels, that thou hast conversed with the Lord, that thou hast been in the company of Christ. If we regulate ourselves in this way we shall not need to say anything, when we go out to those who are left behind: but from our advantage they will perceive their own loss and will hasten hither, so as to enjoy the same benefits themselves. For when, merely by the use of their senses, they see the beauty of your soul shining forth, even if they are the most stupid of men, they will become enamoured of your goodly appearance. For if corporeal beauty excites those who behold it, much more will symmetry of soul be able to move the spectator, and stimulate him to equal zeal."<br />
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"Let us then adorn our inward man, and let us be mindful of the things which are said here, when we go out: for there especially is it a proper time to remember them; and just as an athlete displays in the lists the things which he has learned in the training school: even so ought we to display in our transactions in the world without the things which we have heard here.”[3]<br />
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Is this not a paramount reason for communing with Christ? Is this not discerning Christ in the Eucharist? If this is not enough, let us hear the words of St. Ambrose:<br />
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“’Dost thou wish to eat and to drink? Come unto the feast of wisdom, who invites all with a loud voice, saying, <i>Come, eat my bread, and drink the wine which I have mingled for you. </i>Fear not lest, in the feast of the Church, there be wanting either grateful perfumes, or sweetmeats, or varied drinks, or noble guests, or suitable garments. What more noble than Christ, who, in the banquet of the Church, is both the minister and the ministered. Recline close by the side of this guest, and join thyself to God.’ … He (Christ) is a rich treasure; His is the bread of <i>fatness,</i> and truly of fatness, since he who shall eat thereof cannot hunger.<br />
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This bread He gave to the Apostles to be distributed to the multitude of believers; and at this day He gives it to us, which Himself the priest daily consecrates with his own words. Therefore has this bread become the food of saints. We can also receive the Lord Himself, who gave us His own flesh, as Himself says,<i> I am the bread of life: your fathers did eat manna in the desert and are dead; but this is the bread of life which cometh down from heaven, that if any man eat thereof he may not die.…</i> He receives that proveth himself; and he who receives shall not die the death of the sinner, for this bread is the remission of sins’…‘Oh blessed wood of the Lord which crucified the sins of all men; oh blessed flesh of the Lord which ministered food to all men.’…‘Attend diligently to these things; understand them prudently; sedulously seek after them. Not cursorily are these things declared to thee, but to thee the divine mysteries are made known...’Let not thy faith fail. For though thou art weak, Christ who fails not is solicitous for thee."<br />
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"He says to His disciples, <i>Give you them to eat, lest they fail by the way. </i>Thou hast the apostolic food; eat it, and thou wilt not fail. Eat it first, that thou mayest afterwards come to the food of Christ, to the food of the body of the Lord, to the banquets of the sacraments, to that cup wherewith the affections of the faithful are inebriated; so as to be clothed with gladness on account of the remission of sins, and so as to put off the cares of this world, the fear of death, and anxieties. Thus inebriated the body staggers not, but rises again; the mind is not confounded, but hallowed’.”[4]<br />
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Is it not with great exultation that we sing the Sanctus?<br />
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Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.<br />
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.<br />
Hosanna in the highest.<br />
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.<br />
Hosanna in the highest.<br />
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[1] McGovern, J. J. (Ed.). (1906). In<i> Catholic Pocket Dictionary and Cyclopedia</i> (p. 159). Chicago: Extension Press.<br />
[2] Roberts, A., Donaldson, J., & Coxe, A. C. (Eds.). (1886). <i>The Liturgy of the Blessed Apostles. In J. Donaldson (Trans.), Fathers of the Third and Fourth Centuries: Lactantius, Venantius, Asterius, Victorinus, Dionysius, Apostolic Teaching and Constitutions, Homily, and Liturgies </i>(Vol. 7, p. 561). Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company.<br />
[3] John Chrysostom. (1889). To Those Who Had Not Attended the Assembly. In P. Schaff (Ed.), W. R. W. Stephens (Trans.), <i>Saint Chrysostom: On the Priesthood, Ascetic Treatises, Select Homilies and Letters, Homilies on the Statues </i>(Vol. 9, pp. 227–228). New York: Christian Literature Company.<br />
[4] Berington, J., & Kirk, J. (1885). <i>The Faith of Catholics: Confirmed by Scripture and Attested by the Fathers of the First Five Centuries of the Church</i>. (J. Waterworth & T. J. Capel, Eds.) (Second Edition., Vol. 2, pp. 280–293). New York; Cincinnati: Fr. Pustet & Co.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7619529338191931597.post-80337099328622793822016-01-19T06:00:00.000-06:002016-01-19T06:00:07.923-06:00The Scribes of the Pharisees Saw, and They Said...In the second chapter of St. Mark, we have the scribes hearing Jesus and then questioning in their hearts; then they see Jesus sitting with tax collectors and sinners, and said… I do not dislike the scribes and Pharisees; as a matter of fact, I empathize with them, for I see myself in them. Not only do I see myself in them, I see the majority of humanity in them, especially Christians. We hear, and think, questioning in our minds; we see, and we say. We do this without truly knowing the truth, nevertheless approving and disapproving as we see fit, dependent upon, many times, a relative truth inside of us. This is exactly what the scribes and Pharisees were doing: reacting in accordance with what they believed to be true.<br />
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The Pharisees were “a religious sect or party within Judaism that flourished from the second century b.c. to the first century a.d. In the early first century a.d., there were over six thousand Pharisees, according to Josephus (Ant. 17.42). The name is linked to the Hebrew term meaning ‘separated ones,’ because they separated themselves from all forms of religious and ceremonial uncleanness. They were known for their strict observance of ritual piety, purity, and tithing, and for their determination to prevent the Jewish faith from being contaminated by foreign religious practices, to which end they insisted on strict separation from the Gentiles…The Pharisees were laymen, in contrast to the Sadducees, who were the priestly party. The Pharisees were allied closely to the scribes, those learned members of the community who studied and interpreted the Law. They enjoyed influence among the masses in Palestine during the NT period, but were openly contemptuous of the ‘people of the land’ who were ignorant of the Law and failed to adhere to the Pharisaic observances. <br />
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The doctrines of the Pharisees deviated from those of the Sadducees in a number of ways. The Sadducees acknowledged only the Torah as having full religious authority, whereas the Pharisees also used, in addition to the Hebrew Scriptures, oral traditions that were designed to reinforce the observance of the Law (Matt 15:2; Mark 7:5). The oral traditions served as a crucial guide in the interpretation of the Law and a protection against violations. The Pharisees believed in angels and demons and upheld the doctrines of the Resurrection and the future life, all of which were rejected by the Sadducees.”[1] They wanted to please God; they tried to be holy, and saw themselves as being head and shoulders above the average person who was just trying to survive and support their families. They probably looked down upon them, not trying to be mean but just seeing the average person as not being as holy as themselves.<br />
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Anyone that has been in the military and has been overseas knows that there are many bars outside the bases, with many young women working in them, with some giving themselves over to prostitution. Many of them were not bad; they were just trying to make a living. In some cases, their parents would send them to work in the bars because they couldn’t earn enough money to survive. In some countries, many of them are Catholics. They just do not know what else to do. Deep down, I do not believe any parent holding a beautiful little baby in their arms, nursing it to keep it alive, desires to see her/him to grow up to be a prostitute, a drunk, or a drug addict, or homeless. It is easy to disparage them; however, we do not know the circumstances of how they came to be in the state that they are in. They are fallen human beings. We should not aid their abuse; however, we should give to organizations that minister to them. If they are hungry, we should buy them food.<br />
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Why would a Jew become a tax collector? Perhaps, there were some who were just plain greedy; however, on the other hand, maybe the majority of them were attempting to support their families the best way they could. We know that prostitutes followed Jesus. Perhaps, these were among the “sinners” of which we read about in Verse 15. I don’t know who the “sinners” were comprised of. What we do see is the compassion of mercy of Jesus: Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners. Because we are the Body of Christ, born of Him, in Him, and He in us, it is incumbent upon us to administer the same compassion and mercy. We largely do this through supporting our parishes. Which one of us is righteous? Which one of us is not sick due to sin? Which one of us is not broken, in need of healing? Which one of us do not desire that Christ eat with us, feeding us His Word and His body, blood, soul, and divinity in the Eucharist? Which one of us does not need the Catholic Church? Which one of us does not need to be made holy by God, through the Catholic Church?<br />
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When the scribes of the Pharisees saw Jesus sitting and eating with tax collectors and sinners, they said, “Why,” accusing Jesus. Due to concupiscence, we are scribes and Pharisees at heart; however, because of the grace of God given to us through the Sacraments, we have compassion and mercy, saying with Jesus, our Head, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; [Jesus] came not to call the righteous, but sinners [of which we are chief].” May God have mercy upon us, bless us, and keep us. Amen.<br />
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--Tommy Turner</div>
Ant.<i> Jewish Antiquities </i>[1] Scott Hahn, Ed., Catholic Bible Dictionary, 2009, 703–704.</div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7619529338191931597.post-64034571380307350762016-01-18T06:00:00.001-06:002016-01-18T06:00:09.355-06:00Toiling in the Midst of the Sea<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><i>“Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Beth-saida, while he dismissed the crowd. And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw him, and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; have no fear.” And he got into the boat with them and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.”[1]</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">The preceding is the Gospel reading for 6 January 2016. Although the multiplication of the loaves is not included in the reading itself, it is alluded to at the end of the passage. Jesus had just finished feeding the five thousand, a pre-figuration of His passion, death, and resurrection portrayed in the Eucharist, which makes us grow in His likeness after Baptism. Immediately, He compels His disciples to get into the boat to go to the other side, which Origen astutely interprets as our goal, which we commonly refer to as “heaven.” Jesus <i>compelled </i>the disciples to leave lest they should be carried away by the misguided enthusiasm of the crowds who wanted to make him king (Jn 6:14). The entering the boat is our entering the Catholic Church in order to complete our pilgrimage here on earth, our “wilderness.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">Jesus had known that, upon the miraculous feeding with the loaves, the people would see the Messianic promised alluded to. The miracle just performed by Christ was of the spectacular kind which, according to popular expectation, would mark the coming of the Messiah.[2] He knew they would desire to force Him to be king. Although it was not the time for that to occur, nonetheless it was time for Him to teach and prepare not only the Twelve but all of His disciples, including us, for all the hardships and sufferings we must undergo in order to “go to the other side.” We must count the cost if we desire Jesus to be King in our lives.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">Although the miraculous feeding prefigures the Eucharist, in this in instance Jesus is not feeding the five thousand with His body, blood, soul, and divinity. This is a message, primarily, for His disciples. We cannot look at this miracle and surmise that the Eucharist is open to everyone, regardless of what they believe.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">Jesus feeds all His disciples with Himself, the Bread of Life, the manna from heaven, the Eucharist, and straightway sends them off. This occurs to every individual when he partakes of the Eucharist. We cannot partake of the Body and Blood of Christ and then make ourselves invisible, hide within ourselves. Christ, through the Eucharist, is transforming us in order that He may send us out into the world to transform others. Jesus did not send the others to the other side for they were not yet His disciples. Their desire for Him to be king was to enhance their temporal, daily lives.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">After the miraculous feeding and sending the disciples and the crowd away, Jesus went upon the mountain to pray. This portrays His Ascension. Although He has ascended, nevertheless He continuously is interceding for us. When evening came, the boat was in the midst of the sea, and Jesus was alone on the land. For us, the evening is the waning hours of the day, with night rapidly approaching, the nearness of the end of the day. To the Jews, however, the evening is the beginning of the day.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">Mystically, when we are “born again” in Baptism, we see dimly because of concupiscence, because we have not yet suppressed the “old man,” the old Adam, inside of us. In order to see clearly, we must become blind (represented by the night, the darkness). After Baptism, we still “see” mostly by the senses, seeing mostly the world. We must become “blind” to the world, dying to living sensually, living only by the senses. We must unite ourselves to God’s will, invoking the “Our Father,” praying, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” The “earth” is us, and “in heaven” refers to the angels and Saints. St. Alphonsus de Liguori, in <u>Uniformity with God’s Will</u>, tells us: “We must unity ourselves to God’s will not only in things that come to us directly from his hands, such as sickness, desolation, poverty, death of relatives, but likewise in those we suffer from man—for example, contempt, injustice, loss of reputation, loss of temporal goods and all kinds of persecution. On these occasions we must remember that while God does not will the sin, He does will our humiliation, our poverty, or our mortification, as the case may be.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">It is certain and of faith that whatever happens, happens by the will of God: ‘I am the Lord forming the light and creating the darkness, making peace and creating evil.’ From God come all things, good as well as evil. We call adversities evil; actually they are good and meritorious, when we receive them as coming from God’s hands.” Iron sharpens iron. The Saint goes on to say that “St. John of Avila used to say, ‘One ‘Blessed be God’ in times of adversity is worth more than a thousand acts of gratitude in times of prosperity’.” Only in this way will we be able to gain our sight, seeing clearly. Darkness comes before sunrise. For this purpose, our Lord sends His disciples out in the boat, in order that we may be in the middle of the sea when evening comes.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">As mentioned previously, the boat is a portrayal of the Catholic Church. We cannot endure to be in the “midst of the sea” in the evening as individuals; we must be with the rest of the Body, whether in the Church Triumphant, the Church Suffering, or the Church Militant. We must be working in unity, working together. His is why we invoke the Saints to aid us. We are not subtracting from the glory due God; we are revealing it more clearly by loving our neighbor, helping one another.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">The sea represents the world and all those of the world. The world is ever changing, and those of the world, necessarily, are ever changing because they live by their passions and emotions, which change constantly. Contrary to the world, the boat, the Catholic Church, is constant because God is constant. Because the Head is constant, they Body must also be constant. Some may charge that the Church has changed, especially after Vatican II; however, that is not the case. Although it is true that disciplines have changed, the Church’s doctrines and dogmas do not change. We see an example of this in St. Paul: “To the Jews, I became as a Jew, in order to win the Jews; to those under the law I became as one under the law—though not being myself under the law—that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law, I became as one outside the law—not being without law toward God but under the law of Christ—that I might win those outside the Law. To the weak, I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.” Although St. Paul changed his disciplines, he never changed his teachings.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">Throughout the evening and the night, it is necessary that the Catholic Church be buffeted, to undergo persecutions. This is necessary for our salvation and our sanctification. The road to hell is wide and easy; the road to heaven is narrow, with many pitfalls, many dangers. It was necessary that our Head suffer for our salvation; hence, it is also necessary that the Body also suffer. Once again, St. Paul instructs us: “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of His body, that is, the Church…” It is not that anything is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for our salvation; what is lacking is the sufferings for the Church’s sake. Christ has ascended Satan cannot afflict Him; however, Christ’s Body, the Catholic Church, is on earth, and Satan can afflict Her and her members.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">Although our Lord has ascended, He has not left us alone. He is the Bread of Life; therefore, He is constantly with His Church, wherever She is in the universe. When we commune, the Bread of Life is in us; and we become bread of life for others, transforming them through our faith, which has transformed us. Many times it appears to us that God is not near to us, that He in essence is a far-away God. However, our passage reassures us that He is constantly watching over us and is near us. As St. August correctly surmises, Jesus often seemingly is passing us by in order that we call out to Him. It is He who gets us to “the other side.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">In conclusion, it is by virtue of our Lord giving us Himself in the Eucharist and sending us out to toil in the midst of the sea that we and others are saved. In the midst of the sea, we must love one another, working together, strengthening one another. Through this toiling and loving, Christ draws the others that He sent away, but not to “the other side.” He has not given up on them; He is drawing them through us.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">--Tommy Turner</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">[1] Catholic Biblical Association (Great Britain), The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition, (New York: National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, 1994), Mk 6:45–52.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">[2] J. A. O’Flynn, A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture, 1953, 916.</span></span></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7619529338191931597.post-52969761396459452432016-01-17T12:30:00.000-06:002016-01-17T12:30:14.461-06:00Sing a New Song This New YearOur responsorial Psalm for 17 January of this new year of our Lord, 2016, commands us to “sing a new song to the Lord,” which we shall come back to. First, the command to sing a new song to the Lord begets a question: Why should we sing a new song? Answer: “for He has done marvelous deeds.” Question: What marvelous deeds? Answer: “His right hand and holy arm have won the victory.”<br />
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St. Augustine tells us that God’s right hand and holy arm is one, Jesus Christ, our very salvation. We are in the Christmas season, still celebrating the birth of Jesus; why are we speaking of the Cross now? Our Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph saw their salvation in the babe while in the womb of the Virgin, and the shepherds saw their salvation in the baby. St. Simeon saw his salvation in the Baby, for he exclaims, “Lord, now let Thou Thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation.”<br />
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Now, “for us men and for our salvation, [Jesus] came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.” This is done for the sake of the Father, not for the sake of mankind. If salvation was for the sake of mankind, the glory would end with man; however, because the salvation of mankind is for the sake of the Father, the glory returns to the Father. If man is redeemed for his sake, he returns to sin. Because the salvation of mankind is for the sake of the Father, man becomes and remains an image of the Son. Allow St. Augustine to clarify:<br />
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“What is the Lord's holy Arm? Our Lord Jesus Christ. Hear Isaiah: ‘Who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?’ His holy arm then, and His own right hand, is Himself. Our Lord Jesus Christ is therefore the arm of God, and the right hand of God; for this reason is it said, ‘hath He healed for Him.’ It is not said only, ‘His right hand hath healed the world,’ but ‘hath healed for Him.’ For many are healed for themselves, not for Him. Behold how many long for that bodily health, and receive it from Him: they are healed by Him, but not for Him. How are they healed by Him, and not for Him? When they have received health, they become wanton: they who when sick were chaste, when cured become adulterers: they who when in illness injured no man, on the recovery of their strength attack and crush the innocent: they are healed, but not unto Him. Who is he who is healed unto Him? He who is healed inwardly. Who is he that is healed inwardly? He who trusteth in Him, that when he shall have been healed inwardly, reformed into a new man, afterwards this mortal flesh too, which doth languish for a time, may in the end itself even recover its most perfect health. Let us therefore be healed for Him. But that we may be healed for Him, let us believe in His right hand.”<br />
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In our first reading from 1 John 2, we are told: “Who is the liar? Whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Whoever denies the Father and the Son, this is the antichrist.” What does it mean to deny that Jesus is the Christ? If we believe the Baby Jesus is the Son of God, is God, then we will obey Him. To infer that it is not necessary to be the image of the Son is to state that we are not born of God. That is to assert that God saved man for the sake of man, and not for His sake. This is denying the Son. To confess the Son is to be an image of the Son.<br />
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“The Lord has made His victory known, has revealed His triumph in the sight of the nations.” How do we know this in Baby Jesus? If we believe that He is the promised Messiah, the true King, then all the other prophecies have also come to pass in the Baby. For this reason, the shepherds, the kings, and St. Simeon rejoice. For this reason, we rejoice this Christmas season. We see this triumph also in the Catholic Church, because she comes from His side. Because she comes from His side, she is “flesh of [His] flesh and bone of [His] bone,” His image. Because we are Catholic, we must be His image.<br />
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St. Jerome, in his comparison of the Catholic Church and Noah’s ark, makes a sobering assertion: “It is not the sheep only who abide in the Church, nor do clean birds only fly to and fro there; but amid the grain other seed is sown, ‘amidst the neat corn-fields burrs and caltrops and barren oats lord it in the land.’ What is the husbandman to do? Root up the darnel? In that case the whole harvest is destroyed along with it. Every day the farmer diligently drives the birds away with strange noises, or frightens them with scarecrows: here he cracks a whip, there he spreads out some other object to terrify them. Nevertheless, he suffers from the raids of nimble roes or the wantonness of the wild asses; here the mice convey the corn to their garners underground, there the ants crowd thickly in and ravage the corn-field. Thus the case stands. No one who has land is free from care. While the householder slept the enemy sowed tares among the wheat, and when the servants proposed to go and root them up the master forbade them, reserving for himself the separation of the chaff and the grain. There are vessels of wrath and of mercy which the Apostle speaks of in the house of God. The day then will come when the storehouses of the Church shall be opened and the Lord will bring forth the vessels of wrath; and, as they depart, the saints will say, ‘They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us.’ No one can take to himself the prerogative of Christ, no one before the day of judgment can pass judgment upon men. If the Church is already cleansed, what shall we reserve for the Lord? ‘There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.’ When our judgment is so prone to error, upon whose opinion can we rely?”[1] When our judgment is so prone to error, it must be the Catholic Church upon which we rely. It is in the Catholic Church that “the Lord has made His victory known, has revealed His triumph in the sight of the nations.” It is through the Catholic Church that He shows us that “He has remembered His mercy and faithfulness toward the house of Israel.” It is in the Catholic Church that “all the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.” The “earth” can also refer to the baptized that are seeing more and more their victory over sin, accomplished through the works of Jesus. “Shout with joy to the Lord, all the [Baptized, those of mankind born of God]; break into song; sing praise.”<br />
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In conclusion, returning to “sing a new song to the Lord:” We sing a new song to the Lord when we no longer live in the image of the old Adam, but when we live in the image of the new Adam. When we see how God is making a new creation out of us, one created unto good works, we rejoice. We can sing praise because we know that He will finish what He has begun. What He has done last year, He continue to surpass this year. Sing a new song this new year.<br />
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--Tommy Turner</div>
[1] Jerome, <i>St. Jerome: Letters and Select Works</i>, 1893, 6, 331–332.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7619529338191931597.post-35752035245040069282016-01-17T07:25:00.002-06:002016-03-09T20:05:44.564-06:00Trinitarian MonotheismI. Starting Point: The Beginning Search Among Bishops and Scholars on How to Formulate the Earliest and Continuing Statement of the Church's Trinitarian Dogma.<br />
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II. The First Inquiry and Debate Starts in the East: The Eastern Orthodox bishops first debated (actually they mostly argued) over how to reach a consensus of opinion over what the Church's dogma as to the meaning of the Trinity should be, both then and there in the early Church, and for the future of the Church ending at no less a date than Jesus' Second Coming. Regardless of dates they knew they were undertaking a solemn task, namely defining the central dogma of Christian theology. In formulating a consistent belief among themselves Eastern Orthodox Bishops engaged in much squabbling over their differing deliberations. Such deliberations were unfortunately accompanied with each other for the supremacy of their pet doctrinal statement versus other bishops' competing statement. The bishops were racked by the back-and-forth slipping and sliding of the constantly changing statements of what they thought the expression of Trinitarian theology should be.<br />
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When weighed against the many revolving, competing and proposed doctrinal statements competing for the Eastern bishops' eventual acceptance, the majority Greek party at last reached a very tentative agreement on the one true and lasting expression of the dogma of the Trinity. Their belief translated Trinitarian dogma into a short formula that was based on what had been long periods of study, preaching and writing. The majority of Greek bishops said that the Trinity is God in one nature, or hypostasis, and consisting of three indivisible persons. However, this definition ran into a stone wall in Rome. The western bishops, plus a minority of Greek bishops, tranlated hypostasis to mean, not nature, but substance, and hypostases to mean personas, or "persons." The westerners and the minority party in the East thus argued that the majority of Greek bishops, by using hypostasis for nature actually were saying that God had three different natures. Hence the western bishops and the minority party in the East accepted the western interpretation of hypostases, in Latin, as personas. But the Greek majority party translated personas one step further by saying that the Latin personas was equivalent to the Greek word prosopon, meaning "face" or "mask." Thus the Greeks were split over translating the Latin persona. The majority of Greek bishops argued that when the westerners used persona they actually meant "mask," and thus in reality were saying that God wore the three masks of Father, Son and Spirit.<br />
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The majority Greek bishops' party choosing which formula for the definition of the Trinity they adopted said they were guided principally on the belief that they had the guidance of the Holy Spirit as to which formula they would favor. But there were different factors as well. For example, younger bishops might be drawn toward the reputation of an older, definitely orthodox bishop and his writings and teachings. This in fact happened, as the leading figure in the Council of Nicaea, St. Athanasius (296-373), Bishop of Alexandria, was far and away the most prestigious, spiritually imposing figure in professing his reasons for the eventual choices he taught as God in one nature, and three persons. Also, poor Athanasius was exiled four different times by four different decisions of emperors. This too led bishops voting in council to accept Athanasius' teachings as similar to the suffering of Jesus as savior of mankind from their sins. Athanasius came to be thought of as subject to an "agony" similar to Jesus' "agony in the garden."<br />
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III: Toward an eventual definition:<br />
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Unfortunately for the strong desire in both the West and East to put the war over words to rest, and despite Athanasius' position as the "father of the Creeds," disputes among the Eastern bishops continually resulted in a sad picture. Oral, sometimes in shouting matches, and fighting in denunciatory written manifestos with each other over various and different positions for the formula by which to define the Trinity, did not cool off, but heated up even more. Something of a knock-down, drag-out argumentation between certain Greek bishops who attended the Council of Nicaea led to hurt feelings all the way around. And there were a total of four more ecumenical councils and one synod of bishops at which the bishops could profess their choice for a formula. The four ecumenical councils plus the one synod were as follows: (1) the Council and Creed of Nicaea(325), (2) the Council and Creed of Constantinople(381), (3)the Council of Ephesus (431)(without issuance of a Creed), (4)the Council and Creed of Chalcedon (451), and (5) the Second Council of Constantinople (553)--which in actuality was merely an Eastern synod.<br />
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IV. First Constantinople, 381 A.D. The Council and Creed of "First Constantinople" occurred 56 years after Nicaea, in 381. Although the Council of Nicaea was regarded as the "father of all councils," the decision to convene five post-Nicene councils was based on an attempt to negate the Nicene Creed and to pass new ecumenical Creeds. The Nicene Council came under attack from a new generation of bishops, including many more western bishops, some 150 of them. The impetus for convening First Constantinople was called for by another emperor, just as Nicaea had been promoted and run by Emperor Constantine (d. 337).<br />
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However, the new emperor, Theodosius I, who served in the East as emperor from 379 to 392, was far different than Constantine, who had belligerently run the whole show at Nicaea, at times terrifying the bishops with commands to accept his personal views on theology. Theodosius had already converted to Christianity and had a deep personal devotion to the Lord Jesus. He obviously was peacefully open to letting the bishops run their own council. He, more than any other emperor can be said to have been the one who eventually established and safeguarded the Christian Church in the degenerating Roman Empire.<br />
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Further, he led the Roman Empire and the Byzantine state toward a peaceful and conciliatory discussion for settling the formula to define the Trinity that everybody had been fighting over ever since the Council of Nicaea had ended. Theodosius, passed out to the bishops in advance, conciliatory written agendas in both Latin and Greek, stressing his pre-Council personal belief in the Trinity(i.e. whom he believed to have a single nature in three divine persons. In other words, the agenda for the Council was to read and accept Theodosius' pronouncement that eventually became the major decision at the Council formula by which the Church was to define the dogma of the eternal, Trinitarian--monotheistic God. That is, the Council overwhelmingly defined the Trinity according to the emperor's position as one supreme God in His nature (hypostasis) (and, with a nod toward the Roman bishops, likewise in His (substance)), but comprised of three divine persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It could be said that God had finally persuaded the bishops to allow Himself to be divine in two of the world's greatest languages.<br />
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And contrary to Nicaea's limp statement on the Holy Spirit, which was not even a sentence, but a five-word phrase, "And in the Holy Spirit," Theodosius persuaded the bishops to correct the weak-kneed pronouncement on the Holy Spirit left over from Nicaea. The bishops at First Constantinople had purposely convened to eliminate the phrase and make a more definitive statement on the Holy Spirit: Just as Nicaea had corrected the Arian belief that Christ was a "lesser God" than the Father, so too the bishops at First Constantinople corrected and elaborated on the Nicene definition of the Holy Spirit, as follows:<br />
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[We define] the Holy Spirit as the Lord and life- giver, Who proceeds from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son is together worshiped and together glorified, Who spoke through the prophets...]. (Creed of the First Constantinopalian Council, 381 A.D.)</blockquote>
Gone was the Nicene Creed's lonely, five-word phrase, "And the Holy Spirit," which was not actually understood as a firm definition of the Holy Spirit, or persuasive as establishing the Holy Spirit as one of the Three Persons in the Trinity. The bishops therefore greatly expanded and revised the Nicene Creed, as shown by the above quoted language, particularly to bring the Nicene Creed up to date with the recent developments in the theology of the Holy Spirit. However, Christians erroneously labeled the creed of 381 as the "Nicene Creed.," and still do so to this day. The Creed which serves as the "Profession of Faith" in Catholic liturgies today is actually the Creed of First Constantinople, and not the Nicene Creed. With the bishops' formal, official statement of the Trinity as the one-nature, three-person God of the universe, and now having accepted the Holy Spirit into the Trinity, the bishops trudged onto different concerns that are not related to the Trinity -- most importantly the Christological definition of Christ in his deity and his humaninty. Such matters are beyond the scope of this article.<br />
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However, it is interesting to note that the bishops at the Council of Chalcedon in 451, 124 years after Nicaea, had evidently used First Constantinople's definitional success over the formula for the Trinity, to define the Christological Creed concerning the unified definition of Jesus' human and divine nature:<br />
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[We] all with one voice teach that it should be confessed that our Lord Jesus Christ is one and the same God, the Same perfect in Godhead, the Same perfect in manhood, truly God and truly man...begotten of the Father before ages as to his Godhead, and in the last days, the Same, for us and for our salvation, of Mary the Virgin, Theotokos as to his manhood. (Creed of Council of Chalcedon, 451 A.D.)</blockquote>
Thus, finally, the Creed-making bishops had brought into the fullness of their formulations, Mary, the mother of Jesus. The bishops at Chalcedon were faced with the problem of Bishop Nestorius of Constantinople, condemning his flock for speaking of Mary as "Mother of God," (in Greek,"Theotokos," which literally means "God-Bearer.") However the Christians in Nestorius'diocese had been speaking of Mary for years as the Mother of God and rebelled at Nestorius' personal whim and threw him out of his office and position. He became something of a festering sore for bishops involved in thorny debates in councils over the Trinity, and they wanted nothing to do with Nestorius.<br />
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Eventually, Emperor Theodosius banished Nestorius, and the bishops convened a synod at Ephesus in 431 A.D. simply to condemn Nestorius and send him to Egypt in exile. With Nestorius out of their hair, and passing no creed, the Council of Ephesus made it an orthodox doctrine to use "Mother of God" for all references to the Virgin mary in the Church. Here was a case of sensus fidei, or an understanding of the faith based entirely on the day-to-day beliefs of the "little people" in the pews. Vatican II reaffirmed sensus fidei as the basis for arriving at doctrines in special cases.<br />
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V. Summing Up St. Augustine's Input to the Era Under Review<br />
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If you have found that "Trinitarian Monotheism" has a somewhat difficult and contradictory name, don't feel so bad. St. Augustine (354-430), the first Doctor of the Catholic Church par excellence, set in motion the Church's formal and most accurate theology of the Trinity as God, with a single nature but with three persons -- Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Augustine was not so easy to understand when he wrote about Trinitarian Monotheism. Further, the Eastern Orthodox Church shunned Augustine's Trinitarian teaching on Catholic theology because he wrote too late, i.e., namely after the First Council of Nicaea (325 A.D.). The doctrine giving rise to the two-Church Christian argument after Nicaea caused a deplorable conflict between Roman Catholic theologians and Eastern Orthodox theologians.<br />
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We'll see why, long after St. Augustine's authentic teaching on the Trinity, the Church Councils became the battlefield for the Christian dispute over the Trinity. Augustine had said in the early 400's that the Trinity was not meant to be understood with the mind, but was something only capable of being believed as a mystery, and then only with one's surrender to God's grace for belief. Augustine's imprimatur became subordinated to the Creeds produced by a number of Church councils either contradicting Nicaean teaching on the Trinity or buttressing it. The Conciliar movement gave the two Churches more fodder for disagreement, with vitriolic bishops from each side of a resulting "Christian" Council metaphorically "slapping their opponents'faces" -- but with the turning of the opposite cheek to their foe engaged in only by a few saintly bishops.<br />
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Yet, fundamentally, a doctrine did not became orthodox because a council said it was. Rather, a council was orthodox, and therefore binding, because the pre-existing doctrine it confessed was orthodox. St. Augustine's reputation as the fountain of orthodoxy thus trumped the doctrines of councils degrading him, although the unfortunate Augustine had the fault of being born and then converted ill-timed to the holding of councils. This was to lead to more confusing and bellicose "council-making." There were seven ecumenical councils first tackling the issue of the Holy Spirt as God, and second the concept of christology, which took up in great discussion the nature and personhood of Jesus.<br />
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VI. The Church's Memories of Its 500-year Growth Toward Maturity Much praise of and belief in the result at the first council of Nicaea in 325 lingered for centuries. Yet, the Creed of Nicaea had focused almost entirely on the consubstantiality between God the Father and God the Son. The Holy Spirit was left by the wayside at Nicaea. After confirming in their Creed the death of the Arian position holding that the Son was a "lesser God," finally settling that issue and prohibiting any further proclamation of Jesus as of less divinity than the Father, the bishops at the council, eager to get out of the place where such argumentation had taken place under the eyes of Emperor Constantine, proclaimed lamely on the Holy Spirit in the Nicene Creed simply the short non-sentence, "And in the Holy Spirit." Who knew what that meant? No one.<br />
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Therefore, a second ecumenical council was convened to profess another creed, settling the problem caused by the bishops at Nicaea by virtually ignoring the Holy Spirit as a person of the Trinity. While at Catholic liturgies to this day it is thought that the recited creed during Mass emanates from Nicaea and is called the "Nicene Creed." Nothing could be further from the truth. The Nicene Creed dealt almost entirely with the relationship between the Son and Father, and, perhaps while they were sprinting out the door of the auditorium, the bishops shouted back, "And in the Holy Spirit." But at the Second Ecumenical Council, held in Constantinople in 381, under the promotion of a new Emperor, Theodosius (379-392), the bishops this time said they believed in the "Holy Spirit, the Lord and life-giver, Who proceeds from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son is together worshiped and together glorified, Who spoke through the prophets." The Holy Spirit had finally found a place in the Trinity and the Church.<br />
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--Tony Gilles</div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7619529338191931597.post-25033779699615264602016-01-16T15:10:00.002-06:002016-01-16T15:19:10.172-06:00Healed Through the Faith of OthersThis passage from St. Mark is one of my favorite passages in Holy Scripture:<br />
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<i>“And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, not even about the door; and he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and when they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘My son, your sins are forgiven.’ Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, ‘Why does this man speak thus? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, ‘Why do you question thus in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your pallet and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins, he said to the paralytic—‘I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home.’ And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, ‘We never saw anything like this!’” [1]</i><br />
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First, one of the main things that is so magnificent about this passage is at the beginning in which the evangelist gets us to focus more on the friends of the paralytic than upon the paralytic himself with the usage of the pronoun, “they.” As a result of the pronoun, he gives us the impression that Jesus is healing the paralytic on the grounds of the faith of the friends and not on the faith of the paralytic. Now, one may correctly infer that the paralytic had faith also, but that would, in a sense make the passage awkward, for this reason: Then it would give the impression that are times when one’s faith is not enough; it requires the faith of multiple people. How many? This would hinder our faith, not increase it. With the evangelist telling us that Jesus healed the paralytic as a result of the faith of the friends, this invigorates us to pray for the salvation of others, especially of our children and are relatives. When I was a Protestant, this is one of the passages that caused me to believe in infant baptism.<br />
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This is not a solitary passage in which we find Jesus healing someone on the faith of another, e.g. the centurion, the Syro-Phonician woman, the man with a demon-possessed son, etc. St. James tells us, “The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects.”<br />
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Secondly, in our times of trials and temptations, times when, perhaps, our faith seems weak, or times of spiritual dryness, we can have confidence when we ask others to pray for us. This is especially true when we pray that the Saints intercede for us. We are allowing others, including the Saints, to enlarge their love of neighbor by having them pray for us.<br />
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Another part of the passage that projects itself into my mind is when our Lord refers to Himself as “Son of man.” Jesus knew that, when He tells the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven,” the scribes would think, “This is blasphemy; no one can forgive sins but God alone.” Now, one may surmise that Jesus was telling them that He was the Son of God.” Although it is possible that He might have been telling them that, because it is true that God alone can forgive sins, He did not say, “That you may know that the Son of God has authority on earth to forgive sins,” etc.; He said to them, “That you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” etc.<br />
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One has to wonder, “What was going through the minds of His audience when they heard those words?” Did they equate “Son of man” with “Son of God”? Actually, I think the majority of them probably perceived Jesus only as a great prophet. They, probably, also were questioning in their minds why this prophet would say, “My son, your sins are forgiven.” Not only regarding the audience of Jesus at the time, what about the people the evangelist was writing to at the time, and what about us today? They knew, and we know, that Jesus is the Son of God and Son of man because He has two natures. Therefore, is this superfluous, especially to us today, because we believe in the Creed? No, it is not.<br />
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It is not superfluous because we know that the Catholic Church is the Body of Christ. We know that the Catholic Church is the Kingdom of God. Hence, when Jesus referred to Himself as “Son of man” in our passage, He is reminding us that He is giving authority to His Body, the Church, to forgive sins, through the Bishops, who delegate that authority to the priests. He reiterates this through St. John when He says, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” This invigorates our confidence when we go to Confession that our sins are truly forgiven when the priest absolves us, for it truly Christ and not the priest who is forgiving our sins.<br />
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This passage, for those reasons, and more, give me much comfort. This passage causes me to love Christ more because He keeps Himself three-dimensional for us through the Catholic Church. We are three-dimensional beings, and He keeps Himself three-dimensional to increase our faith and our love for God and neighbor. He keeps Himself “real” for us. This also causes me to love the Catholic Church more. If we love Jesus, we have to love His Body, the Catholic Church. Because of the Mass (the prayers of others: Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the Saints and angels, the Church Suffering, and the Church Militant), we are healed by the faith of others.<br />
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--Tommy Turner</div>
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[1] Catholic Biblical Association (Great Britain), The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition, (New York: National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, 1994), Mk 2:1–12.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7619529338191931597.post-83260557925730340992015-12-13T07:51:00.002-06:002015-12-13T08:10:36.111-06:00Can you become who God created you to be? What does God Expect of us?A man went to his rabbi and complained. "Life is unbearable. There are nine of us living in one room. What can I do?" "Take your goat inside to live with you," said the rabbi. The man was incredulous, but the rabbi was firm. "Do what I told you, and come back in a week."<br />
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A week later the man returned. " We can't stand it," he cried. "The goat is filthy and smells to high heaven." "Go home," said the rabbi, "let the goat out, and come back in a week." A week later the man was back, all smiles. "Life is beautiful!" he said. "No goat! Just the nine of us." Sometimes our happiness is all a matter of perspective isn’t it. Finding our happiness is tricky business, at least we make it so.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">John the Baptist gives us a road to happiness in today’s gospel (LK 3:10-18).</span> In essence he says, “Whoever you are, and whatever it is that you do, do it with all your heart, and generously give it as a gift to God's big family.<br />
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Remember the gospel specifically mentions three different groups of people --a devout crowd, sinful tax collectors, and truly despised soldiers—they ask John, “What should we do?” John’s response is that none need change where life has placed them. He tells them to stay where we are, but become who God expects them to be. The message is the same for us. Stay where you are and become who God expects you to be. This is how.<br />
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Do you remember what John told each group in the Gospel? John’s exhorts the devout crowd to share clothing and food; he challenges tax collectors to practice justice, with professional and personal integrity; calls soldiers to be honest and respectful. What would John say to us?<br />
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He would say, become who God expects us to be. Be disciples whose generous, practical charity, and justice, translates into the way we live our lives. That’s what Jesus did, he came and shared his gifts of healing, compassion, and forgiveness, which is charity and justice. And he tells us to do the same.<br />
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John's, and Jesus’s, instruction is not just a formula for being "nice." It's a map for the only road that can ever lead to happiness! Every one of us can be happy, whether we're rich, or poor, young, old, sick or healthy, if we take our gifts, whatever they are, and use them to help folks to thrive. Your church provides many ways to do that, many ways to love, care, and share. Like John the Baptist and Jesus encourage you, I encourage you to get involved in your church that way, loving, caring, sharing.<br />
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This is the season of gift giving. Search for the gift that's already inside you, some type of treasure you have to share, whatever that is. Being generous of ourselves is certainly not just about giving away our old goat. Being generous of ourselves is about becoming who God created us to be.<br />
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Jesus reminds us regularly, generously give of yourself, and don't hold back, and the happiness you seek will be yours - and it will last! Why? Because sharing in that way, is loving as God loves. As we love, care and share, like God does, others will thrive, and as they thrive, we will thrive too. That's the way God made us - for big love; God made us for big love that does not end! So I encourage you, and me, as we prepare for Christmas, become who God created us to be, become who God expects us to be.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7619529338191931597.post-10695616004686425422015-11-14T06:00:00.000-06:002015-11-14T06:00:01.998-06:00What Do I Want Out of Life?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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What do you want out of life? I think we have all heart that. Sometimes we are referring to what we desire to become in our lifetime; but, I think, mostly, what we refer to is our “dream,” what we desire to happen to us, how we desire other people to view us, to treat us, what we desire to possess, etc. We are told that the heavens and earth will pass away, in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and 2 Peter. Therefore, we are asking, what do we want out of a dying world, a world that is passing away? What the world believes to be good, to be right, is passing away. Is that what we want to be part of? Is it our desire to be partakers of death? Entertainment is enjoying that which is passing away, death. The world holds up dying things, death, and tells us these are good and will make us happy. Dying can only give us death. Death can only give us death. There can be no true happiness in dying and death.<br />
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Life is not death; life is not dying. Life is life. We cannot live without the sun; nevertheless, the sun cannot keep us alive. We cannot live without oxygen; nevertheless, oxygen cannot keep us alive. We cannot live without food; however, food cannot keep us alive. You can go on and on with this. Only Life can give life; therefore, if we desire life, we must look to Life—God.<br />
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When man was created, he was given life. He was not dying; he was made to live forever. Adam and Eve had life because they were united to God, Who is Life. As long as they had communion, were united, with God they had life. This communion, this unity, is kept through obedience. Disobedience is a rebelling, a break, from communion, unity. Therefore, when Adam sinned through disobedience—it was Adam’s sin, not Eve’s, that caused the Fall of mankind, because he was the head of the human race by being the “first born”—humanity severed itself from life. What is the effect when someone is cut off from life? Death. Because mankind had cut himself off from Life, he no longer had the resource to reach out to Life. God, because of His love for mankind, reaches out to us, giving us enough grace to reach out to Him.<br />
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The reason there is a necessity for atheists to be present in the world is in order to show mankind how far it has fallen, how extreme its separation from God is. God is informing us through the atheist that if it was not for God Himself, by His grace, not one single human being would believe in Him. It is by His grace that we actually see His existence in creation. Through agnostics, deists, and the myriad of denominations, we see that God’s “normal” way of working humanity: He reveals Himself to us by His grace, causing us to come to believe in Him—if we do not reject this grace. The more we cooperate with what grace we are given, the more we seek the Truth of Him, the more He reveals of Himself. If we stop seeking, He stops revealing, and we begin dying once more. All of mankind have access to God. If they earnestly seek Him, He reveals Himself to them. If an individual has no desire to learn of God, he can ask for the desire to learn of Him. The question remains: What do I want out of Life?<br />
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--Tommy Turner</div>
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<i>This theological reflection courtesy of the parishioners of St Paul Catholic Church in Pensacola, Florida: <a href="http://stpaulcatholic.net/">stpaulcatholic.net</a></i>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7619529338191931597.post-72735722561212319572015-11-13T06:00:00.000-06:002015-11-13T06:00:03.785-06:00None of Us Lives to Himself<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” So he told them this parable: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:1–10 RSVCE)</i><br />
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There has to be three interpretations to these parables. Because of the pronoun “them” in Verse 3, who is Jesus speaking to: 1) the tax collectors and sinners, 2) the Pharisees and the scribes, or 3) all of them? There is a lesson to be learned if we say that all of the above is correct. Before we get to the parables, let’s begin with the first two verses.<br />
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St. Ambrose tells us: “You had learnt by what went before (previously in Chapter 14) not to prefer transitory things to eternal. But because the frailty of man cannot keep a firm step in so slippery a world, the good Physician has shown you a remedy even after falling; the merciful Judge has not denied the hope of pardon; hence it is added, The drew near to him all the [tax collectors and sinners].” Veneral Theophylact reminds us: “For this was His [habit] whereof He had taken upon Him the flesh, to receive sinners as the physician those that are sick.” We should also pay attention to the words “were all drawing near.” The tax collectors and sinners drew near to Jesus. These are people in sin, in need of repentance. Today, many people want to “draw near” to Jesus in their minds. They want to be the Judge that they are drawing near, but they are not the Judge. Just because we “think” something or “believe” something does not make it necessarily true. When we are in sin and need of repentance, the only <b>certain</b> way to know that we are drawing near to Jesus is in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The priest sits in the Office of Christ; therefore, we are approaching Jesus, not a man.<br />
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The Pharisees. I do not like to attack the Pharisees because many times I see myself doing and thinking exactly as they do. I do not believe that Jesus is putting them down but, in love, is trying to lift them up, trying to get them to repent. This is the “tough love” we see that Jesus was referring to when He was saying that His disciples must “hate” their fathers, mothers, wives, etc. St. Gregory makes a good point: “…True justice feels compassion; false justice, scorn—although the just [should be in the practice] rightly to repel sinners. But there is one act proceeding from the swelling of pride, another from the zeal for discipline. For the just, though [outside] they spare not rebukes for the sake of discipline, within [they] cherish sweetness from charity. In their own minds, [they set those they correct above themselves], whereby they keep both them under by discipline, and themselves by humility.” This is what Jesus is doing. The saint continues: “But, on the contrary, they who from false justice are [accustomed] to pride themselves, despise all others, and never in mercy condescend to the weak; and thinking themselves not to be sinners, are so much the worse sinners. Of such were the Pharisees…” And, frankly, this applies to me oftentimes, which is one reason why I say I am like the Pharisees. Now, we turn to the parables.<br />
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Let me go back first, and answer the question: Why would Jesus be only speaking to the tax collectors and sinners, or why would He only be speaking to the Pharisees when the tax collectors and sinners were, perhaps, closer to Him? If by “drawing near” the evangelist is referring to proximity, it is possible that the Pharisees and scribes were in a group separate from them but were listening in, listening to what Jesus had to say, in order to persecute Him. It is possible then that Jesus was speaking only to the tax collectors and sinners. On the other hand, Jesus could be rebuking the Pharisees, while the rebuke would be a warning to the others to be watchful and not become like the Pharisees. Each scenario that we discuss will be beneficial to us.<br />
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Sts. Gregory and Cyril tell us that one hundred is a perfect number, referring to the sum of angels and men, the rational creatures, and that, “out of these, one has wandered, namely, the race of man which inhabits earth” (St. Cyril). In this scenario, Jesus leaves the ninety-nine that are already in the Kingdom and goes to rescue the one that is lost. St. Gregory says: “He placed the sheep upon His shoulders, for taking man’s nature up Him, He bore our sins. But having found the sheep, He returns home; for our Shepherd having restored man, returns to His heavenly kingdom. In this scenario, Jesus could be speaking to both groups, that they all be brought to repentance; or He could just be speaking to the tax collectors and sinners, knowing the hardness of the unrepentant hearts of the Pharisees and scribes.<br />
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On the other hand, we have the Pharisees and scribes murmuring, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” This murmuring is within the hearing of Jesus and the tax collectors and sinners; therefore, Jesus is going to rebuke them, desiring that this also be a lesson to the tax collectors and sinners. In this scenario, the one hundred sheep refers specifically to the Jews but also to the entirety of the human race. The ninety-nine are the self-righteous and presumptuous who believe they are already in the kingdom or have no need of salvation; the one that is lost is the one who recognizes that he is a sinner and is in need of salvation and reconciliation. Because He leaves the ninety-nine means that He was with them but, because of their hardness of heart He leaves them. You can also see the ninety-nine as the nation of Israel and the Gentiles as the one that is lost. Therefore, Jesus is rebuking the Pharisees and scribes and is warning the tax collectors and sinners that, if they become self-righteous and presumptuous, He will leave them also.<br />
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The second parable of the woman and the coins can be a repeat of the first teaching, just using a different example to, perhaps, make it more clear to those who really didn’t understand what He was explaining in the first parable. However, when I read the word “woman,” I try to see if it fits the Virgin Mary and the Catholic Church. The “woman” is Mary/Catholic Church. The ten coins represent the baptized because they have an image upon them, the image of Christ. In Baptism, all our sins are washed away, and we are the perfect image of Jesus, who is the perfect image of the Father. Thereafter, we trip and fall, getting “lost.” Some of us remain in ignorance; some, presumptuous; some, self-righteous, some, for other reasons. Because her Son, her Lord and our Lord, has entrusted to her all that belong to Him in Baptism, our Blessed Mother, through the Catholic Church, searches diligently for those who have strayed outside the Church. This is evidenced by how diligent the Catholic Church is in trying to get fallen-away Catholics to return to the Church.<br />
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I think our epistle reading supports all scenarios we have covered. <i>None of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God.” So each of us shall give account of himself to God. (Ro 14:7-12, RSVCE)</i><br />
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Our Responsorial Psalm is the prayer of thanksgiving and plea for perseverance of the one who has been found, has been made the image of our Savior:<i> The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yea, wait for the Lord! (Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14, RSVCE).</i><br />
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As we have learned from the early Church fathers, let us not look at “one” being an individual, but a group, a unity. I fear that too many are so concerned about the individual self that they lose sight of the fact that we are a body. They want to think, “I want a personal relationship with Jesus,” instead of, “I want us to have a personal relationship with Jesus.” “None of us lives to himself.” We do not make it alone. We can go to hell as individuals, but those that are baptized do not live to themselves, nor do they die to themselves. We are a body, the Body of Christ.<br />
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--Tommy Turner</div>
<i>This theological reflection courtesy of the parishioners of St Paul Catholic Church in Pensacola, Florida: <a href="http://stpaulcatholic.net/">stpaulcatholic.net</a></i>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7619529338191931597.post-73623835793079984812015-11-12T06:00:00.000-06:002015-11-12T06:00:02.813-06:00For Whose Sake Are We Being Saved?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It is good that Psalm 98 beings with the sentence, “O sing to the LORD a new song.” It causes us to ask, “Why?” “For He has done marvelous things!” “What marvelous things?” “His right hand and His holy arm have gotten Him victory!” (I mostly read from the RV and the RSVCE.) “Huh?” Right. That is where we must stop. If we don’t understand this, there can be no singing of a new song.<br />
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I think just a cursorily reading of the psalm leads us to understand that the psalmist is referring to the salvation of mankind. I believe we understand the tremendous importance of salvation, but let’s be truthful: We are thankful for the salvation Jesus has procured for us; I believe that we are extremely thankful; but it is not: “WOW!!! JESUS HAS SAVED US!!! OH! LET US SING A NEW, JOYFUL SONG!!!!!” Although the NAB puts it so clearly, “His right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm,” making it clear that His right hand has won victory for His holy arm, I was interpreting: He got the victory for us, for me. However, that is not what is being said. Let’s let St. Augustine explain it to us.<br />
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<i>“The Lord hath done marvelous things.” What marvelous things? Hear: “His own right hand, and His holy arm, hath healed for Him.” What is the Lord’s holy Arm? Our Lord Jesus Christ. Hear Isaiah: “Who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?” His holy arm then, and His own right hand, is Himself. Our Lord Jesus Christ is therefore the arm of God, and the right hand of God: for this reason is it said, “hath He healed for Him.” (St. Augustine’s version of the Bible reads, I’m assuming, “His own right hand, and His holy arm, hath healed for Him,” instead of the renderings in the NAB and the RSVCE; however, it is the same: The victory is salvation, and salvation is the healing of sinful man.) It is not said only, “His right hand hath healed the world,” but “hath healed for Him.” For many are healed for themselves, not for Him. Behold how many long for that bodily health, and receive it from Him: they are healed by Him, but not for Him. How are they healed by Him, and not for Him? When they have received health, they become wanton: they who when sick were chaste, when cured become adulterers: they who when in illness injured no man, on the recovery of their strength attack and crush the innocent: they are healed, but not unto Him. Who is he who is healed unto Him? He who is healed inwardly. Who is he that is healed inwardly? He who trusteth in Him, that when he shall have been healed inwardly, reformed into a new man, afterwards this mortal flesh too, which doth languish for a time, may in the end itself even recover its most perfect health. Let us therefore be healed for Him. But that we may be healed for Him, let us believe in His right hand. You see, God has not saved us for ourselves. He has not saved us for our sakes, but His. God makes it so emphatically clear in Isaiah 43:25 when He says, “I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake”… The NAB renders it, “It is I, I, who wipe out, <b>for my own sake,</b> your offenses”… (emphasis added).</i><br />
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<i>The LORD has made known His victory (salvation); He has revealed His vindication (triumph) in the sight of the nations. </i>St. Augustine: “’The Lord hath made known His salvation. This very right hand, this very arm, this very salvation, is our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom it is said, ‘And all flesh shall see the salvation of God;’ of whom also that Simeon who embraced the Infant in his arms, spoke, ‘Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace; for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation.’ ‘The Lord hath made known His salvation.’ To whom did He make it known? To a part, or to the whole? Not to any part specially. Let no man betray, no man deceive, no man say, ‘Lo, here is Christ, or there:’ the man who saith, Lo, He is here, or there, pointeth to some particular spots. To whom ‘hath the Lord declared His salvation’? Hear what followeth: ‘His righteousness hath He openly showed in the sight of the heathen.’ Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is the right hand of God, the arm of God, the salvation of God, and the righteousness of God.”[1]<br />
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If God saved us for His sake, for whom should we be seeking to please? It surpasses, “I saved you; therefore, please love me.” That is saving us for our sakes, not His. He saved us for His sake, conforming us to the One who took upon Himself corrupt human nature, a nature that really does not care whether it is saved or not. We see this is true in those who do not care. If we do care, it is not of us, but God, God drawing us, calling us. If God saves us for His sake, who are we to live for? God. When we go to purchase something in order to “possess” it, let us ask ourselves, “Do I want to possess this, or do I want to possess the One who possesses it?” We cannot “possess” both; it is one or the other. St. Paul tells us, <i>“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph 2.10) “They profess to know God, but they deny Him by their deeds…” (Titus 1:16). </i>I desire you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to apply themselves to good deeds…” (Titus 3:8). To paraphrase, St. Augustine: If we believe we are being saved for God’s sake, we will do the works of God; if we believe we are being saved for our sakes, we will live to please ourselves, doing detestable works. Is God our Father, or is the devil? When we truly understand the love behind God's salvation, saving us for His sake instead of ours, we will have a new song to sing.<br />
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[1] Augustine of Hippo. (1888). Expositions on the Book of Psalms. In P. Schaff (Ed.), A. C. Coxe (Trans.), Saint Augustin: Expositions on the Book of Psalms (Vol. 8, pp. 480–481). New York: Christian Literature Company.<br />
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--Tommy Turner</div>
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<i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 18.48px;">This theological reflection courtesy of the parishioners of St Paul Catholic Church in Pensacola, Florida: <a href="http://stpaulcatholic.net/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">stpaulcatholic.net</a></i>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7619529338191931597.post-25402636675845535482015-11-11T06:00:00.000-06:002015-11-11T23:33:50.367-06:00What Does It Mean to Have a Personal Relationship with Christ?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We hear all the time about having a personal relationship with Christ. What does this really mean? As a protestant, we also used that phrase. However, when you really think about it, how do you have a “personal” relationship with someone you cannot see and cannot hear? As a protestant, we were referring to reading the Bible and prayer, but is that really a “personal” relationship? The root of “personal,” of course, is “person,” which means “a human being regarded as an individual.” In Christian theology, it is: “each of the three modes of being of God, namely, the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit, who together constitute the Trinity.</div>
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As a protestant, I also heard that prayer was a two-way street. This is necessary because, otherwise, how could it be a “personal” relationship? One preacher said, “You ask God a question, and the first thing that comes to mind is God’s answer. That sounds great, but it can lead to some very, very serious problems. More often, what we meant by prayer being a two-way street is that God would speak to you through the Scriptures. However, this also leads to tremendous problems. We see the effects of this in the myriad of denominations that are in the world. It leads to private interpretations. It is true that God can speak, has spoken, and does speak to people directly, but this is not the normal way of communication by God. A common result that occurs when a person thinks God speaks directly to them is that they become prideful and will not listen to other Christians. I have had people tell me that they only listen to God, not men. They hold themselves higher than others, instead of making others more important than themselves.<br />
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Do we have a personal relationship with Christ? Yes, absolutely. How do we know that we have a personal relationship with Christ? Because, let’s face it, how do you know with certainty that you have a “personal” relationship with God, whom you cannot see? We know this with certainty because of the Catholic Church. Jesus Christ is present body, blood, soul, and divinity in the Eucharist. He is present in His Office, the priesthood. He is present in every Catholic who is not in a state of mortal sin.<br />
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Many times, people want a “personal” relationship outside of the community of the Body of Christ, the Catholic Church. This relegates the Church into just a meeting place or an organization. This should not be, because the Catholic Church is an organism, not an organization. We are members of the one Church, the Body of Christ. Everything should be for the Body.<br />
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Does that mean we should not have private prayer? Of course not, but our prayers should be to benefit the entire Body. Does that mean we should not pray for healing? Of course not. Jesus has given us the Sacrament of Healing. However, when we do pray for something “personal,” we should be praying sincerely that it has an effect upon the entire Body. When we consecrate ourselves to Jesus through Mary, it is our desire that this is for the benefit of the Church, not for personal gain. We have a personal relationship with Christ inasmuch as the Catholic Church has a personal relationship with Christ because Jesus is her Head. In the Creed we say, “I believe.” We are all saying the same thing, believing the same thing, making us a unity. In this way, we are having a personal relationship with Christ.<br />
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--Tommy Turner</div>
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<i>This theological reflection courtesy of the parishioners of St Paul Catholic Church in Pensacola, Florida: <a href="http://stpaulcatholic.net/">stpaulcatholic.net</a></i></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7619529338191931597.post-24867087183513712922015-11-10T06:00:00.000-06:002015-11-10T06:00:15.613-06:00The Pope's Four Favorite Americans<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Pope's remarks on his favorite Americans may not have been readily obvious to Catholics watching the Pope's ground-breaking address to both houses of Congress during his recent visit to our country. He made the names of his four favorite Americans perfectly obvious, not once, but twice, in sentences nearly back-to-back in what was a section of his speech on the dignity of the United States among the nations of the world. So, who are (were) these Americans that the Pope named and praised? They are (1) Abraham Lincoln; (2) Martin Luther King; (3) Thomas Merton; and (4) Dorothy Day. It is doubtful that very many members of Congress had ever heard of Numbers (3) and (4). But why did the Pope mention personages (1) through (4) anyway? He did it because he wanted to exemplify, by inserting these people into a section of his speech on the greatness of America, to underscore our nation's humanitarian and charitable assistance to millions of people both within America and in the world throughout history. And he chose the four people he did because he was making a powerful point. He wanted Congress to know that the nobility of the four was based not on their politics but on their Christian calling in the world.<br />
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Let's consider a brief biographical statement on Thomas Merton and Dorothy Day:<br />
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<b>Thomas Merton (1915 - 1968)</b><br />
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Merton was a Trappist monk at Gethsemane Abbey, Kentucky. He was also a prolific writer, who had studied and taught English at Columbia University. He converted to Catholicism and joined the Trappist order in 1941. His best-selling autobiography, The Seven-Storey Mountain (1946), prompted many men to become monks, and brought him international fame. His other works ranged from personal journals and poetry to social criticism. His growing interest in Eastern spirituality led him to speak at a conference in Bangkok, where he was accidentally electrocuted by an ungrounded electric cord in his room.<br />
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<b>Dorothy Day (1897 - 1980)</b><br />
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Day was a writer and and radical social reformer. A life-long socialist, she worked in the New York City slums as a probationary nurse. Converted to Catholicism in 1927, she co-founded the monthly Catholic Worker newspaper in 1933, which she sold for a penny. Under the influence of a French itinerant priest, Peter Maurin (1877 - 1949), she founded the Catholic Worker movement, which established "houses of hospitality" and farm communities for people hit by the Depression. A pacifist and a fervent supporter of farm-worker unionization in the 1960's, she helped turn her Church's attention to peace and justice issues. When Vatican II began she went to Rome, rented an apartment near the locale of the bishops' discussions in the Vatican, and prayed for six months before heading back to New York and her Catholic Worker movement work.<br />
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Let us quote here from the Pope's speech, where he inserts the names of the four Americans not once but twice, and in the context of a broader purpose:<br />
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"Each son or daughter of a given country has a mission, a personal and social responsibility. Your own responsibility as members of Congress is to enable this country, by your legislative activity, to grow as a nation. You are the face of its people, their representatives. You are called to defend and preserve the dignity of your fellow citizens in the tireless and demanding pursuit of the common good, for this is the chief aim of all politics. A political society endures when it seeks, as a vocation, to satisfy common needs by stimulating the growth of all its members, especially those in situations of greater vulnerability or risk. Legislative activity is always based on care for the people. To this you have been invited, called and convened by those who elected you.<br />
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Yours is a work which makes me reflect in two ways on the figure of Moses. On the one hand, the patriarch and lawgiver of the people of Israel symbolizes the need of peoples to keep alive their sense of unity by means of just legislation. On the other, the figure of Moses leads us directly to God and thus to the transcendent dignity of the human being. Moses provides us with a good synthesis of your work: you are asked to protect, by means of the law, the image and likeness fashioned by God on every human face.<br />
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Today I would like not only to address you, but through you the entire people of the United States. Here, together with their representatives, I would like to take this opportunity to dialogue with the many thousands of men and women who strive each day to do an honest day's work, to bring home their daily bread, to save money and --one step at a time -- to build a better life for their families. These are men and women who are not concerned simply with paying their taxes, but in their own quiet way sustain the life of society. They generate solidarity by their actions, and they create organizations which offer a helping hand to those most in need.<br />
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I would also like to enter into dialogue with the many elderly persons who are a storehouse of wisdom forged by experience, and who seek in many ways, especially through volunteer work, to share their stories and their insights. I know that many of them are retired, but still active; they keep working to build up this land.<br />
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I also want to dialogue with all those young people who are working to realize their great and noble aspirations, who are not led astray by facile proposals, and who face difficult situations, often as a result of immaturity on the part of many adults. I wish to dialogue with all of you, and I would like to do so through the historical memory of your people. My visit takes place at a time when men and women of good will are marking the anniversaries of several great Americans. The complexities of history and the reality of human weakness notwithstanding, these men and women, for all their many differences and limitations, were able by hard work and self-sacrifice -- some at the cost of their lives -- to build a better future. They shaped fundamental values which will endure forever in the spirit of the American people.<br />
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A people with this spirit can live through many crises, tensions and conflicts, while always finding the resources to move forward, and to do so with dignity. These men and women offer us a way of seeing and interpreting reality. In honoring their memory, we are inspired, even amid conflicts, and in the here and now of each day, to draw upon our deepest cultural reserves. I would like to mention four of these Americans: Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton.<br />
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This year marks the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, the guardian of liberty, who labored tirelessly that "this nation, under God, [might] have a new birth of freedom". Building a future of freedom requires love of the common good and cooperation in a spirit of subsidiarity and solidarity. All of us are quite aware of, and deeply worried by, the disturbing social and political situation of the world today. Our world is increasingly a place of violent conflict, hatred and brutal atrocities, committed even in the name of God and of religion. We know that no religion is immune from forms of individual delusion or ideological extremism.<br />
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This means that we must be especially attentive to every type of fundamentalism, whether religious or of any other kind. A delicate balance is required to combat violence perpetrated in the name of a religion, an ideology or an economic system, while also safeguarding religious freedom, intellectual freedom and individual freedoms. But there is another temptation which we must especially guard against: the simplistic reductionism which sees only good or evil; or, if you will, the righteous and sinners. The contemporary world, with its open wounds which affect so many of our brothers and sisters, demands that we confront every form of polarization which would divide it into these two camps. We know that in the attempt to be freed of the enemy without, we can be tempted to feed the enemy within. To imitate the hatred and violence of tyrants and murderers is the best way to take their place.<br />
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That is something which you, as a people, reject. Our response must instead be one of hope and healing, of peace and justice. We are asked to summon the courage and the intelligence to resolve today's many geopolitical and economic crises. Even in the developed world, the effects of unjust structures and actions are all too apparent. Our efforts must aim at restoring hope, righting wrongs, maintaining commitments, and thus promoting the well-being of individuals and of peoples. We must move forward together, as one, in a renewed spirit of fraternity and solidarity, cooperating generously for the common good. The challenges facing us today call for a renewal of that spirit of cooperation, which has accomplished so much good throughout the history of the United States. The complexity, the gravity and the urgency of these challenges demand that we pool our resources and talents, and resolve to support one another, with respect for our differences and our convictions of conscience.<br />
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In this land, the various religious denominations have greatly contributed to building and strengthening society. It is important that today, as in the past, the voice of faith continue to be heard, for it is a voice of fraternity and love, which tries to bring out the best in each person and in each society. Such cooperation is a powerful resource in the battle to eliminate new global forms of slavery, born of grave injustices which can be overcome only through new policies and new forms of social consensus. Here I think of the political history of the United States, where democracy is deeply rooted in the mind of the American people.<br />
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All political activity must serve and promote the good of the human person and be based on respect for his or her dignity. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" (Declaration of Independence, 4 July 1776). If politics must truly be at the service of the human person, it follows that it cannot be a slave to the economy and finance. Politics is, instead, an expression of our compelling need to live as one, in order to build as one the greatest common good: that of a community which sacrifices particular interests in order to share, in justice and peace, its goods, its interests, its social life. I do not underestimate the difficulty that this involves, but I encourage you in this effort.<br />
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Here too I think of the march which Martin Luther King led from Selma to Montgomery fifty years ago as part of the campaign to fulfill his "dream" of full civil and political rights for African Americans. That dream continues to inspire us all. I am happy that America continues to be, for many, a land of "dreams". Dreams which lead to action, to participation, to commitment. Dreams which awaken what is deepest and truest in the life of a people.In recent centuries, millions of people came to this land to pursue their dream of building a future in freedom. We, the people of this continent, are not fearful of foreigners, because most of us were once foreigners. I say this to you as the son of immigrants, knowing that so many of you are also descended from immigrants.<br />
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Tragically, the rights of those who were here long before us were not always respected. For those peoples and their nations, from the heart of American democracy, I wish to reaffirm my highest esteem and appreciation. Those first contacts were often turbulent and violent, but it is difficult to judge the past by the criteria of the present. Nonetheless, when the stranger in our midst appeals to us, we must not repeat the sins and the errors of the past. We must resolve now to live as nobly and as justly as possible, as we educate new generations not to turn their back on our "neighbors" and everything around us. Building a nation calls us to recognize that we must constantly relate to others, rejecting a mindset of hostility in order to adopt one of reciprocal subsidiarity, in a constant effort to do our best. I am confident that we can do that.<br />
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Our world is facing a refugee crisis of a magnitude not seen since the Second World War. This presents us with great challenges and many hard decisions. On this continent, too, thousands of persons are led to travel north in search of a better life for themselves and for their loved ones, in search of greater opportunities. Is this not what we want for our own children? We must not be taken aback by their numbers, but rather view them as persons, seeing their faces and listening to their stories, trying to respond as best we can to their situation. To respond in a way which is always humane, just and fraternal. We need to avoid a common temptation nowadays: to discard whatever proves troublesome. Let us remember the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" (Mt 7:12).<br />
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This Rule points us in a clear direction. Let us treat others with the same passion and compassion with which we want to be treated. Let us seek for others the same possibilities which we seek for ourselves. Let us help others to grow, as we would like to be helped ourselves. In a word, if we want security, let us give security; if we want life, let us give life; if we want opportunities, let us provide opportunities. The yardstick we use for others will be the yardstick which time will use for us. The Golden Rule also reminds us of our responsibility to protect and defend human life at every stage of its development. This conviction has led me, from the beginning of my ministry, to advocate at different levels for the global abolition of the death penalty. I am convinced that this way is the best, since every life is sacred, every human person is endowed with an inalienable dignity, and society can only benefit from the rehabilitation of those convicted of crimes. Recently my brother bishops here in the United States renewed their call for the abolition of the death penalty. Not only do I support them, but I also offer encouragement to all those who are convinced that a just and necessary punishment must never exclude the dimension of hope and the goal of rehabilitation.<br />
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In these times when social concerns are so important, I cannot fail to mention the Servant of God Dorothy Day, who founded the Catholic Worker Movement. Her social activism, her passion for justice and for the cause of the oppressed, were inspired by the Gospel, her faith, and the example of the saints.How much progress has been made in this area in so many parts of the world! How much has been done in these first years of the third millennium to raise people out of extreme poverty! I know that you share my conviction that much more still needs to be done, and that in times of crisis and economic hardship a spirit of global solidarity must not be lost. At the same time I would encourage you to keep in mind all those people around us who are trapped in a cycle of poverty. They too need to be given hope. The fight against poverty and hunger must be fought constantly and on many fronts, especially in its causes. I know that many Americans today, as in the past, are working to deal with this problem.<br />
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It goes without saying that part of this great effort is the creation and distribution of wealth. The right use of natural resources, the proper application of technology and the harnessing of the spirit of enterprise are essential elements of an economy which seeks to be modern, inclusive and sustainable. "Business is a noble vocation, directed to producing wealth and improving the world. It can be a fruitful source of prosperity for the area in which it operates, especially if it sees the creation of jobs as an essential part of its service to the common good" (Laudato Si', 129). This common good also includes the earth, a central theme of the encyclical which I recently wrote in order to "enter into dialogue with all people about our common home" (ibid., 3). "We need a conversation which includes everyone, since the environmental challenge we are undergoing, and its human roots, concern and affect us all" (ibid., 14).<br />
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In Laudato Si', I call for a courageous and responsible effort to "redirect our steps" (ibid., 61), and to avert the most serious effects of the environmental deterioration caused by human activity. I am convinced that we can make a difference and I have no doubt that the United States -- and this Congress -- have an important role to play. Now is the time for courageous actions and strategies, aimed at implementing a "culture of care" (ibid., 231) and "an integrated approach to combating poverty, restoring dignity to the excluded, and at the same time protecting nature" (ibid., 139). "We have the freedom needed to limit and direct technology" (ibid., 112); "to devise intelligent ways of... developing and limiting our power" (ibid., 78); and to put technology "at the service of another type of progress, one which is healthier, more human, more social, more integral" (ibid., 112). In this regard, I am confident that America's outstanding academic and research institutions can make a vital contribution in the years ahead.<br />
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A century ago, at the beginning of the Great War, which Pope Benedict XV termed a "pointless slaughter", another notable American was born: the Cistercian monk Thomas Merton. He remains a source of spiritual inspiration and a guide for many people. In his autobiography he wrote: "I came into the world. Free by nature, in the image of God, I was nevertheless the prisoner of my own violence and my own selfishness, in the image of the world into which I was born. That world was the picture of Hell, full of men like myself, loving God, and yet hating him; born to love him, living instead in fear of hopeless self-contradictory hungers". Merton was above all a man of prayer, a thinker who challenged the certitudes of his time and opened new horizons for souls and for the Church.<br />
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He was also a man of dialogue, a promoter of peace between peoples and religions. From this perspective of dialogue, I would like to recognize the efforts made in recent months to help overcome historic differences linked to painful episodes of the past. It is my duty to build bridges and to help all men and women, in any way possible, to do the same. When countries which have been at odds resume the path of dialogue -- a dialogue which may have been interrupted for the most legitimate of reasons -- new opportunities open up for all. This has required, and requires, courage and daring, which is not the same as irresponsibility. A good political leader is one who, with the interests of all in mind, seizes the moment in a spirit of openness and pragmatism. A good political leader always opts to initiate processes rather than possessing spaces (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 222-223).<br />
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Being at the service of dialogue and peace also means being truly determined to minimize and, in the long term, to end the many armed conflicts throughout our world. Here we have to ask ourselves: Why are deadly weapons being sold to those who plan to inflict untold suffering on individuals and society? Sadly, the answer, as we all know, is simply for money: money that is drenched in blood, often innocent blood. In the face of this shameful and culpable silence, it is our duty to confront the problem and to stop the arms trade.Three sons and a daughter of this land, four individuals and four dreams: Lincoln, liberty; Martin Luther King, liberty in plurality and non-exclusion; Dorothy Day, social justice and the rights of persons; and Thomas Merton, the capacity for dialogue and openness to God. Four representatives of the American people.I will end my visit to your country in Philadelphia, where I will take part in the World Meeting of Families. It is my wish that throughout my visit the family should be a recurrent theme. How essential the family has been to the building of this country! And how worthy it remains of our support and encouragement!<br />
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Yet I cannot hide my concern for the family, which is threatened, perhaps as never before, from within and without. Fundamental relationships are being called into question, as is the very basis of marriage and the family. I can only reiterate the importance and, above all, the richness and the beauty of family life. In particular, I would like to call attention to those family members who are the most vulnerable, the young. For many of them, a future filled with countless possibilities beckons, yet so many others seem disoriented and aimless, trapped in a hopeless maze of violence, abuse and despair. Their problems are our problems. We cannot avoid them. We need to face them together.<br />
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At the risk of oversimplifying, we might say that we live in a culture which pressures young people not to start a family, because they lack possibilities for the future with so many options that they too are dissuaded from starting a family. Yet this same culture presents others to talk about them and to seek effective solutions rather than getting bogged down in discussions. A nation can be considered great when it defends liberty as Lincoln did, when it fosters a culture which enables people to "dream" of full rights for all their brothers and sisters, as Martin Luther King sought to do; when it strives for justice and the cause of the oppressed, as Dorothy Day did by her tireless work, the fruit of a faith which becomes dialogue and sows peace in the contemplative style of Thomas Merton.<br />
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In these remarks I have sought to present some of the richness of your cultural heritage, of the spirit of the American people. It is my desire that this spirit continue to develop and grow, so that as many young people as possible can inherit and dwell in a land which has inspired so many people to dream.<br />
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God bless America!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7619529338191931597.post-65743640701959767742015-11-09T06:00:00.000-06:002015-11-09T06:00:12.524-06:00What Are We Praying in the Our Father?Most of us know the “Our Father” by heart. Therefore, we spew it out many times without thinking of the words that we are saying. This is short in order that, when we pause between the petitions, we may have a quick meditation.<br />
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Our Father who art in heaven. We do the works of our father. If we are born again of God through Baptism, we do the works of God. God is Life; therefore, we are born into Life in Baptism, and we do the works of Life. Prior to Baptism we were dying, the product of death; therefore, our father was the devil—for we did the works of our father. Jesus told the Pharisees in John 8:41 and 44, “You do the works of your father…You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. We do the works of our father. If our Father is God, we do good works; if our father is the devil, we do evil works.<br />
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<b>Hallowed be Thy name.</b> We are born again into God through Baptism, but still have a tendency to sin, are bent to sin (concupiscence); however, we desire with all our hearts to hallow God’s name. Therefore, we are asking God to hallow His name through us.<br />
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<b>Thy Kingdom come.</b> We pray that God causes Christ to reign in us, and that sin may not reign in our mortal body (St. Jerome).<br />
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<b>Thy will be done</b> on earth as it is in heaven. In Thomas Aquinas’ “Catena Aurea – Gospel of Matthew,” this reads Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. I like this rendering best because “in earth” means “in our earthy bodies. Therefore, we are asking God to cause His will to be done in our earthy bodies as it is in those who are in heaven.<br />
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<b>Give us this day </b>our daily bread. Although there is more to this petition, we are mainly requesting that Christ enter us in the Eucharist, either actually or spiritually.<br />
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<b>And forgive us of our trespasses</b> as we forgive those who trespass against us. If we are not careful, we could be calling a curse down upon ourselves, because we are saying, “If I do not forgive others, do not forgive me.” Because it is our desire to forgive others, we pray as we do, imploring God to cause forgiveness of others in us.<br />
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<b>And lead us not into temptation</b>, but deliver us from evil. St. Cyprian says, “Herein it is shewn that the adversary can nothing avail against us, unless God first permit him; so that all our fear and devotion ought to be addressed to God.” St. Augustine writes, “When then we say, ‘Lead us not into temptation,’ what we ask is, that we may not, deserted by His aid, either consent through the subtle snares or yield to the forcible might, or any temptation.” We are asking God to help us avoid falling into the traps of temptation, and to deliver us from Satan.<br />
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--Tommy Turner</div>
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<i style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 18.48px;">This theological reflection courtesy of the parishioners of St Paul Catholic Church in Pensacola, Florida: <a href="http://stpaulcatholic.net/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">stpaulcatholic.net</a></i>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7619529338191931597.post-39276078729405542582015-11-08T06:00:00.000-06:002015-11-08T06:00:06.803-06:00Musing a week after All Saints' Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The feast of All Saints Day is not one of my favorite feast days, although it should, because it is a day that the Church attempts to motivate us, encourage us to take steps forward in becoming what we are. As a protestant, the bar, the standard, to becoming a Christian was very low, about ankle-high. You didn’t have to jump; you just stepped over it by saying the “sinner’s prayer” and “accepting Jesus into your heart.” It does often give many a superficial joy; however, I don’t think many really believe it. I recall when I was Baptist and my wife and I were at Books-a-Million, and we met a fellow Baptist. He told me that his spiritual life was going down the proverbial drain. I told him that he must not be saved. He said, “Oh, yes, I am, because you can’t lose your salvation. I said, “Well, the Holy Spirit must not have any power.” I tell this to reinforce what I said about protestants not really believing the standard is that low. If a person is a Christian, there must be a change.</div>
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I have a very bad habit of being a “fruit watcher,” trying to see the fruit I bear to assure myself of salvation. I see mostly bad fruit, very little “good” fruit. That was troubling. When the Baptists had no answers to the mounting questions coming to mind, I turned to other churches. Someone had to have the answers. I liked Martin Luther, especially his view on justification: We are like manure, and Christ’s righteousness covered it. That could be an explanation as to why I did not see much good fruit. That was comforting—for a while. Then other questions began to mount—which I will not go into here<br />
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As I said, the bar, the standard, for being a Christian, for protestants, was very low—about ankle-high. The standard for Catholics is about head-high. It is extremely easy to become a Christian—through Baptism—however, you are expected to be what you have become: a child of God, who has the divinity of God. Many times in my meditations I feel as though I am hammering the final nails into my own coffin because I feel I am not even living up the things I write. This is true especially today, All Saints Day, because I feel I am so far below sainthood that I would need a twenty-foot ladder to just look a snake in the eye—and I will allow you to contemplate how far a snake is from sainthood. Therefore, my first thought when I saw the words, “All Saints,” was to not write anything—until I read the words, “Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face,” the response to the Responsorial Psalm. How do we seek the face of God, who is spirit?<br />
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I think, first, we need to understand what it means to seek God’s face, to see God face-to-face. God is spirit; He has no face. Jesus tells us, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.” Of course, He is not saying that the Father has a human face that looks like Jesus’. Jesus is relating that He and the Father are the same in everything except the Incarnation. God the Father did not take on human nature. They think alike, work alike, love alike, hate alike, etc. To seek Gods face, then, is to seek to be the image of God, to be the image of Jesus.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dWkgfeJvojM/VjjW8zg3mhI/AAAAAAAABRU/g2J9k_9AhbU/s1600/l-6707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dWkgfeJvojM/VjjW8zg3mhI/AAAAAAAABRU/g2J9k_9AhbU/s320/l-6707.jpg" width="320" /></a>Somewhere in his writings, St. Augustine says, “To see God face-to-face is to no longer live by faith, but by sight” (paraphrasing). This is to be as He is. To seek God means to work towards that end, not merely to want it. We search by working to be like Him and by removing those things that are not like Him. This is what we see the saints have done. If you lose your keys, you will not find them by wishing you had them; you have to physically move things around in order to find them. You have to look on top of things, under things. So, to seek God, we must seek to be as He is, work to that end. Jesus, in our gospel reading, the Sermon on the Mount, is telling us about the Father and Himself and that we will be happy if we are like them.<br />
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Repeating what I said at the beginning: As protestants, we were told it was easy to get to heaven, just “accept Jesus into your heart;” however it was difficult to really be holy, which you should try to be, although it wasn’t necessary. Those that tried to be holy, we called “super Christians.” Jesus does not teach that, nor did His saints. Why do we have all the commands in the gospels and the epistles if they were not really necessary. Jesus raises the Law to where it truly is: Impossibility. From our perspective, grace does not make it easy, but it does make it possible. “Pick up your cross and follow Me” does not denote ease; it denotes hardship, suffering.<br />
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When we were born, what would have occurred if we did not eat, drink, learn, etc.? Would we have been fruitful to society? How well would we have matured? In Baptism, we are born of God. Being born of God, having the nature of God, it is adamant that we “increase in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man” (Lk 2:52).<br />
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The Lord’s are the earth (man) and its fullness (man born of God, the Catholic). For God founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. When God created the earth, He created it engulfed in the waters. The waters “opened up” (receded), allowing the earth to “burst forth,” it and its fullness. This scenario occurs also in Baptism. If man (earth) is not fruitful (full of the works of God), he is dead, fit for burning because it is not what it was created for. “Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who desires not what is vain. He shall receive a blessing from the Lord, a reward from God his savior. Such is the race that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.”<br />
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Jesus and His Catholic Church are not placing a heavy burden upon us, a burden too heavy to bear. Jesus tells us, “You can do nothing without me.” Hear Jesus and His Church pray in the Collect: “Almighty every-living God…bestow on us, we pray, through the prayers of so many intercessors, an abundance of the reconciliation with you for which we earnestly long…” Oh, the sweetness, the love—God is only trying to make us happy. Since we are born in His image in Baptism, we can only be happy if we remain in His image. “Beloved: See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure (1 Jn 3:1-3).<br />
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The Prayer After Communion is a great summation: “As we adore you, O God, who alone are holy and wonderful in all your Saints, we implore your grace, so that, coming to perfect holiness in the fullness of your love, we may pass from this pilgrim table to the banquet of our heavenly homeland. Through Christ our Lord.” Amen.<br />
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--Tommy Turner</div>
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<i>This theological reflection courtesy of the parishioners of St Paul Catholic Church in Pensacola, Florida: <a href="http://stpaulcatholic.net/">stpaulcatholic.net</a></i></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7619529338191931597.post-35781383856587619012015-11-06T21:00:00.000-06:002015-11-08T06:59:50.461-06:00This is what I want you to focus on today; this is important<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LvR_vy6EnVY/VjWiMps2KWI/AAAAAAAABQI/ty6wByYSjmc/s1600/devo-luke14.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LvR_vy6EnVY/VjWiMps2KWI/AAAAAAAABQI/ty6wByYSjmc/s320/devo-luke14.png" width="320" /></a><i>7 He told a parable to those who had been invited, noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table. 8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline at table in the place of honor. A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him, 9 and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then you would proceed with embarrassment to take the lowest place. 10 Rather, when you are invited, go and take the lowest place so that when the host comes to you he may say, ‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’ Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”</i><br />
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In the past when I read this passage (Lk 14:7-11), I’d be on cruise control and cruise right on by, putting a check mark in my mind, marking this as being accomplished, nothing to be concerned about. Being Catholic has changed the way I read. I love the Lectionary because it is like bullets: This is Jesus saying, “This is what I want you to focus on today; this is important.” Many times I might be so thick-headed I can’t get much out of it, but sometimes—oh, what a blessing! What is it?<br />
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I’ve always interpreted this as the men trying to get a seat closest to the head of the table. That is not in my character makeup; therefore, I would pass this passage by—probably, subconsciously patting myself on the back. However, on second thought, is this still a passage for me and those like me? Absolutely. Verse 10 is the powder keg: “When you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher’.” We are invited through Baptism. The “lowest place” is the place of the slave. We balk at that.<br />
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Jesus is the host. Jesus left the place of honor, that at the right hand of the Father, and became man. He came not to be served but to serve, to be a slave to all. Remember when James and John approached Jesus and requested to be seated at His right and left hand? What did He reply? “He who desires to be first must become the [slave] of all.” This slavery is not forced slavery, but it is a slavery of love, where one is attempting to elevate everyone above himself, making himself the least important.<br />
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This is an impossibility for sinful man. It can only come about through prayer, asking our Lord—especially through Mary—to make us a slave to all. Many people cannot bring themselves to even pray for this, but this is what our Lord is telling us when He tells us to “go and sit in the lowest place.” Then, when the host, Jesus, comes, He may say to you, “Friend, go up higher.” “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Mt 11:29). He became a slave for all; so should we.<br />
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--Tommy Turner<br />
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<i>This theological reflection courtesy of the parishioners of St Paul Catholic Church in Pensacola, Florida: <a href="http://stpaulcatholic.net/">stpaulcatholic.net</a></i></div>
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