Notes That Float

NOTES FROM THE BLOGOSPHERE

2011-07-02T17:40:00.000-04:00

Dr.Francis J. Beckwith's RETURN TO ROME blogsite has a review of a book that is on my "Wish List".   (I cannot seem to get past this gluttony of books and MP3 lectures!!)

The title is:
How to Go From Being a Good Evangelical to a Committed Catholic in Ninety-Five Difficult Steps (Cascade Books, 2011) by Notre Dame sociologist, Christian Smith, PhD.

Here is the endorsement by the author of ON BEING CATHOLIC, Thomas Howard:

“I expect that this book may turn out to be the definitive text (short of the Fathers only!) for evangelicals who are prepared to address themselves courageously to the ecclesiological question. Smith’s writing is brisk, starkly clear, challenging, and exhaustive (not exhausting!); he leaves no stone unturned. This is the best book I’ve seen on the topic.”

-Thomas Howard

These books are so much better at putting into words what many of us" Evangelical Protestant to Catholic" have come to understand and have been given the grace and faith to believe. So many people have asked me over the last, not quite 2 years, "Why?" Not just "why?" but, more to the point, "Why on earth would you want to be Catholic, especially with all of those pedophile priests! Look at what the Catholic politicians vote for! How can you say they are even Christian, much less the "first Christians were Catholic??"

The most simple answer would be to say, "I definitely would not want to be called a Catholic in America in this day and time!" But, you see, no one asked me for my opinion. It was like being held by the hand through every book I read about The Church Fathers or by brilliant theologians, like Dr. Scott Hahn, Dr. Beckwith, etc, and a true opening of my eyes in light of what the first Jewish/Christians believed and wrote in their Gospels and Epistles.   How they understood this truth about God, about the Messiah and how Jesus of Nazareth, born of the Virgin Mary was truly who He said He was and that He truly was crucified and rose from the dead and ascended into heaven.

Pull it away from it's Jewish roots and it does not fit.   Pull the Sacred Scriptures of the New Testament apart from the Apostolic faith handed down by Christ to His Disciples and from them to others that hand on this "...faith which was once for all handed down to the saints" and it will seem to contradict itself no matter how much you try to pretend it doesn't. Without the Apostolic faith and tradition, it seems you have St. Paul clearly teaching contradictory to what Our Lord said in the Gospels. Even St. Peter seems to relax The Law (Torah), which Jesus in his Divinity and humanity said must be kept (even the "smallest jot would not pass away).

If anyone doubts this or even argues against it, let all of the thousands of "sola scriptura" (the Bible Alone) denominations be the proof. They have the same Sacred texts and they cannot agree how it should be interpretted with the others. Doctrines, creeds, and beliefs of varying degrees disagree with one another from this one "Bible Alone" belief. Would Our Lord really have left His Church in such confusion about what to believe? Would HE have really left the Disciples that He prays for to The Father that "they may be One as You and I are One" with such confusion over what to believe?

With nothing but St. Paul's inspired writings we can see how important it was that they all "agree" with one another in "the faith"...not "faiths". BUT, when you understand this Sacred Scripture with the eyes of The Church that was given the grace of The Holy Spirit to know which sacred texts should be read and taught to all in the faith - everything falls into place perfectly.

Am I sorry that I was given the grace to believe and come into full communion with The Catholic Church at this time? Absolutely not! Through over 2000 years this Church has seen the worst of times and the best of times over and over and still She prevails. It is not because everyone in the visible Church is or was perfect - hardly! No, it was Our Lord's promise that the very gates of Hades would not prevail against Her. He never said it wouldn't batter the doors until they looked almost ready to fall. Yet, His promise to His Church remains and the doors are sometimes very strong and other times they are very shaky.
I am glad to be on this Rock during times of trial and pruning. I can't imagine the real Church ever being loved by the world. Jesus said if "the world hated Him" it would hate His followers.

NOTES FROM DR. BRANTE PITRE UPDATE*

2011-06-30T13:31:00.001-04:00

I am beginning this lecture series today and I am so excited! I also have a link to Dr. Pitre's page that has an excellent video and notes on INTRODUCTION TO CATHOLICISM. It was done for a Protestant friend's class and it's a short, but concise version of the Catholic faith. You have to check it out..(Suzu...are you out there? :-)

Introduction to the Bible: Inspiration, Inerrancy, Interpretation, and the Interior Life by DR BRANTE PITRE.

Definitely on my "wish list"! I love these lectures!
Spiritual Theology: Christian Prayer and the Three Stages of the Spiritual Life is the lecture series of Dr. Pitre's I am listening to now. Awed and amazed is such a trite word for the depth that these lectures attain. The more I learn, the more I want to learn. There is no limit to the beauty of knowing God in The Blessed Trinity from Sacred Scripture, The Tradition of The Apostolic Church, and The Catechism! Thank you Dr. Pitre!

NOTES ON HUMANAE VITAE'S PROPHETIC NATURE

2011-06-27T19:40:00.000-04:00

"Citing 1968's still-controversial landmark encyclical Humanae Vitae, B16's man in Canada's capital added that "Pope Paul VI said if you separate sexual communion from procreation you are opening yourself to a whole series of ills... If you read that text, what he foretold would take place is taking place."

The whole story can be found here at
WHISPERS IN THE LOGGIA concerning the reaction of New York's passage of "gay or same-sex marriage"

NOTES FROM FALLIBLE BLOGMA

2011-06-23T21:52:00.000-04:00

Thanks, Matt. No, I really mean it - thank you. Thanks in the sort of way you feel when you are just getting ready to bite into your third Spinkles Cupcake (black velvet with cream cheese frosting!) and forget dieting when your bestfriend shows up with that look. The look says, "You really don't want to do that and you are going to be so mad if you do"
I was just saying to myself, well God and myself actually - "You know, I really don't want to forgive that one person. How much can I really get away with? I mean can I say I forgive and pray that it one day comes and in the meantime pretend they are invisble? What if I just tell you this person makes my Sunday Mass experience less than before? What about that? Because you know better than anyone I am not fooling You. My reaction inside of my heart when I have to see them at Mass makes me feel like yuk...and I don't want to forgive because I have said it a million times and this person is completely oblivious that they did anything wrong or that perhaps they should ask for MY forgiveness???

Pardon the interruption, but I "clicked" on one of my favorite blogs: Fallible Blogma and right at the moment I had just ended my one sided conversation with God...Matt's blog springs to life on my laptop screen.....and I know that God just used Matt to show me He wasn't listening to my 999,999 excuse. Maybe you need to read it to...but be warned if you are in a mood to feel sorry for yourself........

FALLIBLE BLOGMA - A CATHOLIC COMMENTARY

Notes That Move: Going to California

2011-05-29T18:59:00.000-04:00

My Daughter's tribute to her Dad - her first video from their Road Trip across the country - East Coast to California only 3 years ago!

NOTES ON THE "FATE OF CATHOLICS"

2011-05-23T12:14:00.000-04:00

Doug Wilson Weighs in on the Eternal Fate of Faithful Catholics

It is comforting to know that Rev. Doug Wilson has been given the gift of authority in interpreting scripture and also in knowing who will be in heaven.

Maybe the best word and the least offensive is "Invincible ignorance", on this subject at least

Pax

NOTES ABOUT THE "RAPTURE"

2011-05-23T12:06:00.000-04:00

The articulate and extremely intelligent gentlemen at CALLED TO COMMUNION have just a small blog post relating to this past weekend's "Rapture/Judgement Day/End of The World. I think it's worth your time to read. PAX

PAPA, PRAY FOR US ALL!

2011-03-10T09:33:00.000-05:00

JESUS CHRIST YOU ARE MY LIFE!

ASH WEDNESDAY

2011-03-09T09:42:00.000-05:00

THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE CARMELITE ORDER

A Broken and Contrite Heart You Will Not Despise

As The Master Potter Lord, take the broken and cracked pieces of my heart and spirit

and transform them into something beautiful that will glorify and honor you.

in all that I do.

THINKING AHEAD - LENTEN PENNANCE SERVICE

2011-02-28T12:27:00.000-05:00

I decided to go digging around the internet to find a really good complete examination of conscience that wouldn't be the size of War and Peace and leave Father bleary eyed and stifling yawns. I'm just kidding but, I've probably been known to launch into therapy sessions along with my confession before.

So, this is one of the most complete Examination of Conscience I have ever seen before. I think, just as the other Pennance Services the Church has during the year at Advent and Lent, I will type it out, sincerely with a true contrite heart and read it. YES, I know God knows what I have done without me writing it down, but that is another matter for another day if you don't understand the entire concept of confessing to a Priest.

So, without further delay, here is the extremely thorough examination of conscience (don't say I didn't warn you and forget ever again saying, "well I haven't really done anything sinful, really since my last confession")

What to Confess?

A guide to Examination of Conscience

I John 5:16-17: He that knoweth his brother to sin a sin which is not to death, let him ask: and life shall be given to him who sinneth not to death. There is a sin unto death. For that I say not that any man ask. All iniquity is sin. And there is a sin unto death."

As said above, one only needs to confess mortal sins ("sins unto death"), so a good grasp of what this means is imperative. For a sin to be mortal, it has to meet three conditions:

grave matter: does it involve breaking one of the 10 Commandments, committing one of the Sins that Cry out to Heaven, or failing to uphold the 6 Precepts of the Church?

full knowledge: did you know or should you have known that the act was sinful?

deliberate consent: was your consent to this act sufficiently deliberate so as to be a choice? Were conditions present that influenced your ability to choose?

If you are unclear as to whether a sin meets all of the requirements above for a mortal sin, be safe and confess it, telling the priest of your lack of clarity.

As to venial sins (sins that don't meet the above requirements), you are free to confess them or not. Confessing them is definitely encouraged, but do be mindful of the priest's time and the time others need who may be standing in line behind you. If your Confession is before Mass, time is running short before Mass begins, there is a long line behind you, and you are wanting to confess venial sins only, you might want to hold off so that others who might have mortal sins to confess can see the priest before Mass starts.

If you are plagued by feelings of "not being forgiven" or being "unworthy" of the Sacrament of Penance, don't confess venial sins that you are doubtful about lest you find yourself with a case of "the scruples." A "scrupulous" person is one who has "an unfounded apprehension and consequently unwarranted fear that something is a sin which, as a matter of fact, is not" (Catholic Encyclopedia).

This doesn't refer to isolated incidents, but to a habitual way of feeling or thinking, an unwarranted fear, a sort of emotional obsession; it doesn't refer to true questions as to whether such and such a behavior is a sin or not. Anxiety is involved, and often a felt doubt as to the power of confession, the genuine-ness one's contrition, and the extent of God's mercy. If you have a good, orthodox Confessor, trust him and his advice, and tell him about any scruples you needlessly suffer from; he may be able to help you! And pray to St. Alphonsus Liguori, the great moral theologian who suffered from scruples himself and is now the patron saint of the scrupulous.

Below are some questions to ask yourself regarding our duties in life, the answers to which might help you in examining your conscience and deciding what to confess. At least, the answers might help you to know where to focus your energies so you can become a better servant of God:

Duties to God and to Church:

Do I love God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength?

Have I given God the honor and time that is His due?

Do I pray?

Do I express my gratitude to God?

Does something or someone -- a material thing, a person, a behavior, an attitude -- come between me and God?

Have I used God's Name as a curse word or cursed God?

Have I broken promises, oaths, or vows to God?

Have I failed to treat sacred things and places with respect?

Have I received the Eucharist while not in a state of grace?

Have I kept Sunday holy by attending Mass and refraining from servile work?

Have I lied to a priest during the Sacrament of Penance or intentionally failed to confess a sin I should have confessed?

Have I defended God and His Church when it was necessary?

Do I study my faith, according to my abilities, so I can defend the Church when necessary?

Do I properly value the Church's disciplines and heritage?

Do I pray for the Holy Father and the Church, including those in Purgatory?

Have I experimented with magic, the occult, spiritism, willful psychic phenomena, ouija boards, etc.?

Do I keep Sundays and Holy Days of obligation?

Have I failed to go to Confession, at least once a year during Lent?

Have I failed to do my Easter Duty (i.e., receive the Eucharist at least once during the Paschal Season)?

Have I failed to follow the laws of fasting and abstinence?

Have I failed to support the Church as my means allow?

Have I obeyed the Church's marriage laws?

Do I belong to a secret society such as Freemasonry, Skull and Bones, etc.?

Duties to Family:

Have I failed to perform my duties to my parents, spouse, or children -- as (mother/ father, daughter/son, wife/husband) and as a Christian whose duty it is to lead them to Christ and to pray for them and, if possible, with them?

For husbands: Do I treat my wife with the respect and tenderness I would give to Our Lady? Do I treat her as less than my queen, bride, and friend? Do I strive to provide for her, protect her, and help her to feel cherished and needed without condescension or treating her as a child? Do I undermine her in her role as mother? Do I try to make her happy within the boundaries of God's laws? Do I use my headship as an excuse for laziness, cruelty, arrogance, or in any manner inconsistent with the way in which I would treat Our Lady or the manner in which Christ treats His Church?

For wives: Do I treat my husband with less than the respect and tenderness I would give to Christ? Do I treat him as less than my king, groom, and friend? Do I strive to obey him, nurture him, and help him feel cherished and needed? Do I undermine him in his role as father? Do I try to make him happy within the boundaries of God's laws? Do I nag or provoke him?

Is Christ the King of my household?

Do I pray for my dead ancestors, family members, and friends, and for the souls of those in Purgatory who have no one to pray for them?

Have I helped cause members of my family to sin?

Do I try my best to empathize with the members of my family and to love them with a love grounded in Truth?

Do the members of my family know they are loved? If not, is this my fault?

Have I caused any member of my family to get unrighteously angry or to be unjustly hurt?

Have I failed to apologize to and seek forgiveness from members of my family if there was need?

Have I forgiven my parents, spouse or children for past faults?

Do I give my family my time and undivided attention when possible?

Do any of my habits -- spending habits, gambling, etc. -- deprive my family of support?

Have I used contraception and failed to keep my marital acts open to life? Have I used N.F.P. (Natural Family Planning) for frivolous reasons?

Am I too lenient with my children? Do I set standards and boundaries? Do I use fair, reasonable, and consistent discipline?

Am I too harsh with my children? Do I squelch the joy out of my children's lives with needless rules, "Pharisaic" attitudes, a lack of mercy, and an authoritarian -- as opposed to an authoritative -- approach to discipline? Do I discipline them in a way that humiliates them?

Do my spouse and I sabotage each other with regard to disciplining our children? Do I "force" my spouse to play the role of "mean parent" while I play "nice parent"?

Have I been a good example for my children and/or the children of others?

Do I have high enough and age-appropriate expectations of my children?

Do I over-praise or under-praise my children?

Do I prize goodness and grace in my children above anything else I prize in them?

Do I teach my children the fullness of the Faith, encourage them to pray to their Guardian Angels, to their patron Saints, and for the dead?

Do I protect my children's innocence, inspire their imaginations, and do all I can to encourage healthy curiosity and the ability to marvel by teaching them about God, His Church, His creation, the lives of the Saints, etc., and by exposing them to good books, music, and art?

Have I found a good balance between protecting my child's innocence and teaching him about the world, in an age-appropriate way, so that he is not ignorant and naive or made to feel stupid or ridiculous about himself when in the company of those who are "of the world"? Have I given him good weapons with which to fight the evils of the world while understanding and nourishing his social needs?

Do I treat male children and female children with equal dignity, with respect for their God-given individual talents and vocations, but also with respect for Natural Law and their God-given differences as male and female?

Do I allow my children appropriate expression of their emotions and help them to understand and become masters of their negative emotions?

Do I help my children come to a humble, healthy, true sense of themselves as children of God, as individuals with unique vocations, and as possessing both virtues and faults?

Do I instill in my children a sense of duty to God, to family, to others, and to themselves?

Do I nurture the possibility of religious vocations in any of my children?

Have I taught my children good manners and to be aware of the needs of the elderly, the infirm, the pregnant, the otherwise challenged?

Are my spouse and I consistent in our discipline of our children?

Duties to Society:

Do I love others as I love myself, with a love grounded in Truth?

Do I evangelize with prudence and intelligence, and without being annoying and judgmental?

Do I pray for others, including those in authority and for my enemies?

Have I taken anything I had no right to take? Have I failed to return anything I may have stolen in the past or otherwise make restitution?

Have I cheated anyone out of anything that is rightfully theirs?

Have I been honest in business, including paying my employees a fair wage?

Do I treat my employees or those I supervise with dignity, respect, and consideration? ~and/or~ Do I give my employer his due and perform my job satisfactorily?

Do I treat service personnel (waitresses, waiters, clerks, busboys, maids, doormen, etc.) with dignity, respect, and consideration, and without condescension? Do I consider their time and feelings? Do I tip well, given my means, in cultures where tipping is considered the norm and, in essence, "wages"?

Have I engaged in illicit usury?

Have I given to the poor as my means allow?

Do I betray others' secrets that I had no right to betray?

Have I spoken anything untrue about another (calumny or slander) or, for no good reason, said things that were true but maliciously or needlessly or unjustly spoken and that were damaging to another's reputation (detraction)?

Do I engage in malicious gossip?

Do I make promises I do not intend to keep?

Have I cheated on tests or homework at school or otherwise plagiarized the work of others?

Am I greedy and selfish?

Am I envious of what others have?

Am I too materialistic?

Have I cursed another (i.e., called down physical or moral evil on a rational creature, not for the sake of a good, such as justice or punishment, but out of malice or for personal gain)?

If possible, if candidates are available, do I vote responsibly, with the Kingship of Christ, the dignity of human life, and the principle of subsidiarity in mind?

Given my station in life, my gifts, and vocation, do I care enough for the sick, hungry, thirsty, poor, and imprisoned?

Do I show good stewardship by treating the earth as God's creation?

Do I treat animals with care and appreciation and refrain from needless cruelty toward them?

Do I show reasonable patriotism for my country (that is "country," not necessarily "government," and doesn't mean "blind patriotism")?

Do I use my God-given talents in a wholesome way and for the benefit of others?

Am I mindful of how my behavior or passivity influences others and conditions around me?

Do I love the sinner while remaining truthful about sin?

Am I forgiving to the contrite?

Have I nurtured unrighteous anger in my heart?

Am I vengeful?

Am I a good, reliable friend to others?

Do I exhibit any racist behaviors or hold any racist thoughts (i.e., thoughts and behaviors rooted in the idea that God's love and our love for others is or should be conditioned by ideas of race or genetics)?

Have I murdered anyone, including having an abortion, helping someone have an abortion, or failing to do my best to encourage someone not to have an abortion (abortion includes in vitro fertlization)? Have I participated in euthanasia? Have I encouraged embryonic stem cell research? Have I encouraged unjust war?

Have I intentionally and unjustly physically harmed someone?

Have I participated in the sins of others by counseling them to sin, by commandmanding them to sin, by consenting to their sin, by provoking them to sin, by praising or flattering them in their sins, by concealing their sins that others have a right to know about, by partaking in their sins, or by silence even when the cause of charity demands I speak out?

Have I used alcohol or any other drug recreationally to to the point where my judgment and will were affected?

Have I been chaste according to my station in life (been faithful to my spouse, honored promises or vows as a religious or priest, not engaged in fornication if unmarried, etc.)?

Have I willfully looked at pornography for no legitimate reason (e.g. law-enforcement) or supported it financially?

Do I dress and behave immodestly or without concern for how my appearance and behavior may lead others to the sin of lust?

Have I engaged in solitary sexual sins?

Have I engaged in homosexual/lesbian acts? Have I been kind and charitable to those who are struggling to overcome homosexual/lesbian temptations?

Have I intentionally lusted after someone? (Note: random thoughts that come to the mind are not sinful. My priest described them once in a sermon as mere flies that should be shooed away. What is sinful is deliberately cultivating these thoughts, deliberately giving them your salacious attention, etc. Know that many great Saints had thoughts like these -- and even worse: it is quite common as one proceeds in holiness for extremely blasphemous thoughts and thoughts of despair to flash in the mind. Shoo them away, and know that it is the Evil One trying to make you feel hopeless. It is good at times like these to call on the Name of Jesus and fall back on the short aspirations to replace those thoughts with holy ones.)

Duties to Yourself:

Do I trust in God's mercy and love for me as a beloved child, or do I wallow in guilt for sins I've been absolved of?

Am I too scrupulous and hard on myself, treating myself much more harshly than I would others I love?

Am I too easy on myself?

Am I honest with myself about my gifts and limitations?

Do I overestimate or underestimate my importance?

Do I treat myself as an icon of God, made in His image?

Do I trust that God is in control or do I worry needlessly?

Am I able to appreciate the fruits of His Goodness?

Do I stand up for myself and my wholesome needs?

Jesus Christ You Are My Life

2011-02-20T10:26:00.000-05:00

LECTIO DIVINA - MEDITATION & PRAYER

2011-02-15T10:49:00.000-05:00

On any given day, every follower of Christ should have a healthy mistrust of what he thinks is the absolute need for his life. Often times, a spiritual “detox” is in order to free us from becoming obsessed over secondary goals. This detox is found in the school of prayer.

St. Augustine sees prayer is where we exercise desire, where we let our heart purify itself from its distractions, and where we let affection and devotion for the Beloved expand. The fire of divine love can heal many divisions and complexes in our psychology, if we consistently open ourselves up to it.

Lord, keep me from that spiritual anorexia that makes me lose the hunger for your presence in my life. I can let daily pressures and disordered passions block my ability to love you as I should. How I endanger myself; how I destroy my happiness in this world of illusion. Free me from my own foolish thinking!

Please give me back the hunger to love you again, as I promise with the gift of your infitnite grace never again to let myself be carried away by pride.

Lord, let me resolve to write down the things I have been seeking that could take me away from Christ. I will honestly renounce them in an attitude of holy indifference, wanting them only in as much as Jesus wants them in my life.

In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. +++Amen.

Married 28 Years - February 12, 1983

2011-02-12T11:44:00.001-05:00

Leaving the Church

Leaving The Church

Against The Holy Spirit

2011-02-11T14:17:00.002-05:00

ST. PAUL, APOSTLE AND MARTYR, PRAY FOR US

For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,

idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,

envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.}

(The Letter of St. Paul to the Galatians (Ch 5)

I had a moment this morning while reading a passage from The letter of St. Paul to the Galatians, that really hit me with full force as I meditated upon it.

He (St. Paul) is writing this letter to the Church that he started in Galatia. He is not talking to a large group of people at a huge gathering full of pagans or even God-fearing Greeks. He is writing this to the people, the very people, he evangelized and spoke the Gospel to. He is not judging what those outside this group of believers are doing. He is speaking the truth to them; a group of Believers supposed to have been baptized into Christ and are now Christians.

He tells them in no uncertain terms that they do not have to be circumcised to become Jewish to then become Christian. They are not Jewish and the Council in Jerusalem already decided this matter.

He is telling them if they continue on doing these “deeds of the flesh”, they will not inherit the kingdom of heaven

I want to know what the Greek meaning is for each one. I know on our day of particular judgment before God, an excuse of, “I didn’t read that part…or I read it but I didn’t understand it all that well” will not be an excuse. Imagine standing before a professor whose class you just failed, “I didn’t read those chapters and some of the others chapters I just didn’t get well or understand.” Imagine that times infinity!

Not that we cannot be forgiven for these sins, but that we must not let them become a part of us, like something continually practiced. When we know it's wrong we confess and with God's grace in prayer, we pray for His grace to help us to not do this or feel this way or act this way again. The opposite of saying, "God knows I'm not perfect and that's just something I can't stop doing. It's part of my personality". That is not what God will say or does say.

Maybe it only matters to me (that’s why they are going under Journal Notes), but..........
I want to make sure I know just what St Paul is talking about here. So I looked the words up in my Greek Lexicon just so I will know and as St. Paul said -be forewarned”.

By the way, “forewarned” in Greek is the word “Prolegō” (continued)

and it means just what you might think - “foretell; tell before, say in advance, telling in advance”. It doesn’t matter if we “feel” we are not sinning and our hearts and conscience are “clear”. The Sacred Scriptures also say that, “the heart is deceitful above all things”

Immorality: Greek: Porneia: illicit sexual intercourse

Adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, intercourse with animals etc.
sexual intercourse with close relatives; Lev. 18
sexual intercourse with a divorced man or woman; Mk. 10:11,

Impurity: Greek: Akatharsia

physical uncleanness

in a moral sense: the impurity of lustful, luxurious, profligate living of impure motives

Sensuality: Greek: Aselgeia

unbridled lust, excess, licentiousness, lasciviousness, wantonness, outrageousness

Idolatry: Greek: Eidōlolatria - the worship of false gods, idolatry

of the formal sacrificial feats held in honor of false gods

Of avarice, as a worship of Mammon.

In the plural, the vices springing from idolatry and peculiar to it

Sorcery: Greek: Pharmakeia - the use or the administering of drugs poisoning

sorcery, magical arts, often found in connection with idolatry and fostered by it

metaph. the deceptions and seductions of idolatry

Enmities: Greek: Echthra - enmity, hatred, - enemies, hostile, hostility

Strife: Greek: Eris - contention, debate, strife, variance, quarrels, strife,

Jealousy: Greek: Zēlos - excitement of mind, ardor, fervor of spirit, zeal, ardor in embracing, pursuing, defending anything. Zeal in behalf of, for a person or thing the fierceness of indignation, punitive zeal; an envious and contentious rivalry, jealousy

Outbursts of anger Greek: Thymos - fierceness, indignation, wrath,

Angry tempers, fierce, indignation, outbursts of anger, passion, rage, and wrath

Disputes: Greek: Eritheia - electioneering or intriguing for office

(apparently, in the NT a courting distinction, a desire to put one's self forward, a partisan and fractious spirit which does not disdain low arts

partisanship, fractiousness)

This word is found before NT times only in Aristotle where it denotes a self-seeking pursuit of political office by unfair means. (A&G)Paul exhorts to be one in the mind of Christ not putting self forward or being selfish (Phil 2) contention, contentious strife,

Dissentions: Greek: Dichostasia - dissension, division

Factions: Greek: Hairesis - dissensions arising from diversity of opinions and aims

choosing, choice; that which is chosen

a body of men following their own tenets (sect or party)

a. of the Sadducees

b. of the Pharisees

c. of the Christians

Envying: Greek: Phthonos - envy, ; envying,

jealously

Drunkenness: Greek: Methē - intoxication, drunkenness

Carousing Greek - Komos - a revel, carousal; a nocturnal and riotous procession of half drunken and fellows who after supper parade through the streets with torches and music in honor of Bacchus or some other deity, and sing and play before houses of male and female friends; hence used generally of feasts and drinking parties that are protracted till late at night and indulge in revelry

Practice: Greek: Prasso - To exercise, practice, to be busy with, carry on; to undertake, to do. To accomplish, perform; to commit, perpetrate ; To act

Commit, deed, ; do, ; exact, ; keep, ; require

St. Teresa of Avila, Doctor of the Church

2011-02-01T20:10:00.000-05:00

St. Teresa of Avila, Doctor of the Church

My favorite Saint and namesake.

NOTES FROM THE DESERT - ST JOHN OF THE CROSS

2010-12-14T10:53:00.001-05:00

“If a man wishes to be sure of the road he treads on, he must close his eyes and walk in the dark"

St John of The Cross

         From the moment my world started moving into a "solar eclipse", darkness in the middle of the day as well as at the night, I went to my knees in tears and prayer. The Sacred Scriptures and The Dark Night of The Soul by St. John of The Cross were the two other sources I felt led to read.

       Our Lord ,very Son of God, during His Passion; David, The King – a man after God’s own heart; and St. John of The Cross in his writings bring such clarity to this moment of utter darkness. When we see a cloud pass over the sun in daylight or the same happen to the moon in the night – we have no doubt that the cloud will soon move away and the Sun, as well as the moon will be visible again. This is God’s creation. Is not God Himself, more worthy of our faith than His ordered creation?

      Our Lord, being both human and Divine in one person, accepted His Father’s will to bear all of the sins, pain, guilt, and evil deeds for all time onto Himself. If you have ever felt guilt or great sorry for your sins, then you have felt the smallest particle of what Our Lord felt. I cannot fathom it.

     King David, was given the throne over Israel by God, and yet, he made the terrible flaw of needing "just one more thing" – another man’s wife – when he could have had anything else he pleased. This man, whom God had called "a man after my own heart” falls hard in this sin. He has Bathsheba's husband killed. Uriah – a man who was a faithful soldier of the King is dead and David takes his widow to be his wife. The baby they have together becomes ill and dies. But, David, knowing his sin even in the darkness cries out to His God for mercy.

     St. John of the Cross (whose feast day we celebrate today in the Church) wrote much of his writings of The Dark Night of The Soul and its mystical union with Christ from a tiny dark, damp, deep, and narrow cell he was imprisoned in for 9 months. He and St. Teresa of Avila were part of the Church’s Counter Reformation. They were doing their part in having the monasteries and the convents of the Order of Carmelites conform to what was of God and not license to live as they pleased.

    Whether, you are willing to do “the hard thing” that Our Lord asks of you, or mess up terribly and become entangled in sin over again and call out to Him, or try to do the right thing and still you are punished by the people you want to help, as St. John, you must know there is a spirit filled way out. Sacred Scripture tells us that “we walk by faith and not by sight” and that can be in darkest of times.

      Praying for all of us, that the joy at the beauty and love of the Incarnation as well as the joy of seeing Him face to face when He comes again or when we go to meet Him will give us the true peace – The Peace of Christ this Advent and Christmas season. I truly love you all!

CONFESSION AND "THE UGLY CRY"

2010-12-02T13:42:00.001-05:00

I sat silently for what seemed like hours, but in reality, had only been a few seconds. I still have this stomach knot of dread about going to Confession or The Sacrament of Reconciliation. Yet, here I sat before a kind Priest who didn’t know me. It wasn’t planned, but it felt so convenient to need confession while travelling during the holidays. “Please,” he said barely above a whisper, “continue”.

“I’m so angry right now I think I might really hate someone, but, it’s not my fault at all. You see, Father, they were really like a my best friend for over a year, and then, out of nowhere they turned on me like…like…well, I think they were like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Do you understand what I’m trying to say?” All of the words rushed out like air from a balloon. (I can’t not believe I just asked the Priest, “Do you understand? “) I came in feeling like I was in a hole. Now I just kept digging deeper.

The elderly Priest smiled faintly, as if amused. I guess he had heard a lot of similar stories in Confession at his age. This would have been the perfect time to get a Priest who twiddled his thumbs, or stared far off in boredom, or better yet, due to age just fell asleep. Not my luck. He was wide awake and even looking at me! At least he smiled which I took as a good sign he wasn’t upset that I thought he couldn’t comprehend what I was trying to tell him.

“So, I don’t know what to do because I know we are supposed to forgive others and ask for their forgiveness – but I can’t. I just can’t because ….they owe me an apology…a huge apology. It wasn’t my fault it was their fault because they say one thing and then do something opposite.”

I was running out of my steam of anger. Understanding his silence to mean he didn’t feel sorry for me made me fight back tears that were not cooperating. Then within a short time I went from what I thought was “righteous indignation” to a full on “ugly cry”. If you don’t know what that is or haven’t seen it then you haven’t been around emotional woman. The “ugly cry” is when you start simply crying and it turns to sobbing. Your face turns tomato red, your nose begins to swell and run and worst of all, you can’t stop! I guess now the Priest had a chance to get a word in since I wasn’t able to make complete sentences.

“You can’t forgive? You can’t forgive your brother or your sister what they have trespassed against you? But you know, that the Scriptures say that we can do all things through Christ…you see….because he strengthens us to do it through Him and to sacrifice as He did is to forgive anyone. He forgave those who killed Him from his agony on the cross.” His manner was quiet and his voice calm.

“I’m…I’m…not….Jesus…though….I…I’m just a regular…a regular…person.” He leaned forward to hear me more clearly through hiccup sobbing. Ironically, he could have said, “Do you understand me or worse still, “I can’t understand you”? But, he didn’t.

“What is the prayer that we say together in the liturgy of The Mass?” We say in one voice throughout the world, “OUR FATHER”. We ask of Him to forgive us our trespasses - our sins, our faults - AS we do the very same to others…all others. We ask for His mercy which he freely with love gives to us. Can we then, as His very loved children receive His great mercy and then turn to others and say, “I will not forgive you. I will withhold mercy from you. I want you to work for it and then…ahhh…maybe…I may accept this and forgive you…but I can’t tell you how long it will take. But this is not how Our Lord forgives.”

I felt awful instead of better. I am trapped now in this black hole. I can’t imagine the thought of standing, with one voice, saying The Our Father and lying to Him and then, on top of that, taking the Eucharist – becoming one with Christ through His Real Presence, and lying when He can read my heart.

The elderly Priest spoke so gently it was almost a whisper, “You forgive your brother or your sister and you ask them to forgive you. Then, every single day when you pray for your family, for your friends and for all of your family in Christ Jesus, you pray for that one that betrayed and hurt you. In time, you will see that Our Lord understands our weaknesses, but He wants you to overcome them. So as you pray, one day you will feel in your heart, a small bit at first, true kindness towards the one who wounded you. You must always understand that no amount of revenge or punishing or waiting for them to beg for your forgiveness will ever heal a wounded heart. It just turns to stone instead of a heart of flesh.”

I left knowing that God was trying to teach me more than just how to forgive and truly mean it. Through the days of feeling down because of my round of treatments, I wanted to wallow deeper in self pity. Sometimes I wanted to just sit in this “desert season” and die of thirst. But, I took the step in writing my apology and praying for the one who wounded me. I cannot say I have returned from this season in the Sinai, but the first step, the apology made me feel as if, at least, someone had taken perhaps a one hundred pound weight out of my backpack.

I’m still walking, but more upright, the load much less heavy, and I can see off in the distance a mountain. But I’m not alone even when I can’t feel Him. When I do feel Him it is like nothing else matters because it doesn’t.

“Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”…I trudge on and understand more fully the words of Moses as he led the people through the desert-

“If your presence does not go with us (me), do not lead us (me) up from here.

AMAZED AND AFRAID (excerpt from The Catholicism Project)

2010-11-22T07:59:00.000-05:00

Children Found in Dumpsters in Two Cities: When our Children Become Trash

2010-10-28T13:13:00.000-04:00

Children Found in Dumpsters in Two Cities: When our Children Become Trash - U.s. - Catholic Online

Remains
of
17 babies
dipped
in
formeldehyde

Coming Persecution?

2010-10-27T20:25:00.001-04:00

...." Therefore I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may be rich, and white garments to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nakedness from being seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and chasten; so be zealous and repent.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
He who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'" Jesus (Revelation 3: 14-22)

This should only make us grow ever closer to Christ, more faithful, more loving and humble and always speak the TRUTH in love. We must pray for the hearts that have grown cold or worse perhaps, lukewarm. We must pray for one another and ourselves to be ever vigilant against a lukewarm heart for Our Lord.

CAN SO FEW MAKE AN IMPACT ON CULTURE?

2010-10-26T11:32:00.001-04:00

The first Christians, through persecutions, and suffering withstood and persevered against the pagan yet most powerful Roman Empire. With the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives we, no matter the size, are the Majority.

earlychristians.org

CAN CATHOLICS WITH A PROPERLY FORMED CONSCIENCE NOT BELIEVE IN HELL?

2010-10-25T19:32:00.002-04:00

The answer is, unfortunately, quite simple - The liberalism that hides in the U.S Catholic Church doesn't want to talk about it. "For alot of people, I think, assume an American mentality, where I can pick and choose what The Church teaches just like I can decide my political agenda or even where I'm going to buy my groceries". (see video)

PRO CHOICE CANNOT BE A "CHOICE" OF A PROPERLY FORMED CONSCIENCE

2010-10-25T11:06:00.000-04:00

Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!
Fully human, fully Divine...from His Mother's womb He was nourished. He was Divine, Part of the Triune God, from God, The Almighty, His Father.

From His Mother whom The Father chose to bear His Son, whom His Angel Gabriel brought the proclamation, He took His Human flesh, His heart that beat, His fingers and toes, all formed in a Mother's womb.

Was He Jesus The Christ, The Lamb of God only after He was born into the world?
Was He not The Son of God from the moment The Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary with the love of The Father and in that moment life began?

Here, the most precious and the most simple understanding of life comes together.
How can faithful Catholics believe that "pro-choice" is right?
Even the Blessed Mother's choice to say yes to God was before the Babe, the Incarnation was in her womb, not after.

This is not a matter of conscience. This is intrinsically evil. NO properly formed conscience can believe that it is the will of God to kill a baby with a soul given by God.

Do not be decieved, God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man sows, that he shall also reap.

I Love You, Papa

2010-10-22T10:47:00.000-04:00

AMERICA'S "BEIGE" CATHOLICISM

2010-10-21T09:32:00.000-04:00

As faithful Catholics, who love Our Lord and His Church - what should we do? Listen to Fr. Robert Barron's "call to arms".

"To those whom much is given, much will be required". Jesus

United In Love And Understanding

2010-10-13T09:03:00.000-04:00

As we read the letter of St. Paul to the Galatians in today's liturgy, we are told that those who cause divisions, factions, and strife will NOT inherit the Kingdom of God, among other sins of the flesh. St. Paul is not giving his homily/sermon to "those bad guys out there". He is speaking directly to those he is writing to - the Church in Galatia, and now, us.
He does not mince words even though he loves them dearly. It is because he loves them as a father that he warns them that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom.

We cannot go on our feelings or emotions in such monumental important life or death issues. Whether we "feel a thing" to be right or wrong does not matter when we see from the writing of sacred scripture that they are clearly wrong. Forgiveness and mercy from Our Lord is abundant, even when we fall short again and again, but we ask for his grace to cover us and help us to stop sinning. However, St. Paul never says you are forgiven once and then you may go back to your ways of fornication, adultery, homosexuality, strife, envy, factions, dissensions, etc. and expect that all is well.

"......as you know the word 'symbol' comes from the Greek word, 'symbolein - to bring together; it is the opposite of the Greek word 'diabolein' - to break apart- the origin of our words, devil and diabolical....Our actions, The Holy Father pointed out, should unite people in love and understanding."

(excerpt from, Be Not Afraid, Pope John Paul II's Words of Faith, Hope and Love)

Fr. Barron comments on The Prophet Ezekiel and the Sex Abuse Crisis

2010-10-12T09:32:00.000-04:00

Fr. Barron sees with such clarity and discerns with the grace given by the Holy Spirit what the Church is going through! I found myself saying out loud, "Yes! That's it exactly!" To the Catholic faithful, listen carefully and realize you have a responsibility during this time and for this season in the Church. Pick up your cross and keep walking!

7 Reasons to be Catholic, Dr. Peter Kreeft, Part 1/5 (Audio)

2010-10-11T21:30:00.000-04:00

I haven't listened to these recordings myself, but I have heard Dr. Kreeft speak and lecture many times. He's articulate, brilliant and is a convert from Dutch Calvinism to the Catholic Faith/Church.