How will I know?

There are many things which people are busy with each day. But I have often wondered just how many, if any, people have visited my poor little blog. I know of two: my beloved wife and Jon-o. Perhaps there are more than I thought, but we shall soon find out as I have just added my little counter to the side there. (Of course, the better way would be to have someone or anyone add a comment by clicking on the "comment" tab at the end of this post!)

In more exciting news, it is always interesting to know about how things work. Today our budgets are being set for next year by our pastor. There are more things for which I am need of money next year, especially for the Elementary Religious Education program. I am hoping to add more classes for adults during the ERE class times. I think this would be quite useful for parents - as many people have not had the opportunity to engage the Catholic Faith at an adult level. I am going to be adding this question to my yearly survey for parents. I hope many will be interested in this idea for next year's program.

I also am hoping to increase opportunities for the older children to go out and live their faith here in Lakewood. I know that we can give the children more positive experiences of their Faith and help them to be proud to be Catholics who live for Jesus Christ. As I am now heading into my 4th year at the helm of the Elementary Rel. Ed. Dept. I am now going to focus on some more integral changes to helping the children gain a deeper appreciation of their faith. At least, this is my goal. Only time will tell if the resources and desire is there on the part of the parents of St. Jude.

If you, dear reader, happen to be a parent here, I hope that you will prayerfully consider whether you would be willing to re-engage the Catholic Faith at an adult level while your child(ren) are in class. I can guarantee that you will get much more out of the Catholic Faith when you approach it as an adult who wants to take it seriously and who wants to understand it. I can say this having seen many adults now come to the RCIA and engage the faith there. The Truths of the Catholic Church always can have a significant effect on those who are willing to hear Christ speaking to humanity through the 2000 year Tradition of the Catholic Church.

Not a Matter of Faith

Senator & Democratic Presidential candidate Joe Biden was asked on Meet the Press this morning whether he believed that life began at conception. He responded that yes, he took it on faith that life does begin at conception. While this may seem like a positive statement, Biden is in fact doing a grave disservice not only to the pro-life movement, but to science in general, as life beginning at conception does not need to be taken on faith as it has been proven that this is in fact the beginning of life.

It is in fact quite a bizarre statement if you stop to think about it: one would never say, “I take as a matter of faith that the stomach is connected to the small intestine, or that a man has an XY chromosome.” And yet to speak about the beginning of life as a matter of faith is completely common due to the debate over abortion.

While on the one hand, it does us Catholics honor that defending human life is seen as ‘our ball park,’ on the other hand, to put belief in the beginning of life as a religious matter is exactly what pro-abortionists want, since it relegates the issue to a personal one: “that’s alright for you to believe, but I believe differently.” Once we realize, however, that the beginning of life is a matter of science, the issue of abortion changes from a religious matter to one of justice: since science has revealed to us that life begins at conception, is it ever right to kill an unborn child? To enter into the debate with secular society over abortion, as Catholics we will only cut ourselves off from others if we refer to our religious beliefs with abortion. Instead, by actively steering the argument back to the realm of science and justice, we challenge others to recognize the unborn child as one of us, and to question whether it is ever right to kill this child.

- By Caroline Fuerte, Be. L

Like a chicken with a Good Shepherd

Well, it is the last week of Elementary Rel. Ed. Classes. I had some week trying to organize a lot of last minute things - this is my excuse for not keeping up with the blog. Of course, it doesn't help that there are hardly any comments on these things that I post either. At any rate for you my faithful reader, I apologize for not having prioritized my blog this last week. However, as I have completed all that needed to be done last week, I am back on the bloggin bandwagon.

Its Sunday today, and if it is Sunday: It's "Meet the Press." There are few shows that I really like on TV, but "Meet the Press" on NBC is one of the few that everytime I watch I feel like I have an insight into the topic being discussed. The "highrollers" of politics always have something to offer us to consider. No matter your political tack, it is always good to hear the policymakers thoughts on things.

Today good ole Tim Russert had on Sen. Joe Biden, one of the many presidential hopefuls. While I am a registered independant, I found him very discouraging for those who are practicing Catholics. As Catholics we ought not to have a party affilation over our Faith. For this earthly kingdom too shall pass, but the "what will separate us from the Love of God?" except ourselves.
He touted himself as a Catholic and yet defied the Church's very reasonable teaching on abortion destroying an innocent human life.

For a comment on this, please see the above post which is from my beloved spouse. On top of having two beautiful children, and putting up with all my idosynchrocies, my wife has a Pontifical License in Bioethics. In fact, one of the first degrees from the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in Rome and thus also in the world, as this institution is one of the first to offer a purely Bioethics degrees. Not only that but she graduated Summa Cum Laude! I think it would be wise for me to have her on here as a guest blogger from time to time. For now though I am going to enjoy my record-breaking Sunday afternoon. For tomorrow, I will return to my daily blogging.

To where do you go?

In the First Letter to the Thessalonians 5:17, St. Paul implores us as Christians to “Pray without ceasing.” Pray without ceasing? Don’t you and I have bills to pay? Don’t we have dinner to cook and eat? Don’t we have to drive to Starbucks and get our coffee, or in Lakewood to The Press at Belmar?

I am very close to finishing one of the books in the series called the Classics of Western Spirituality. The particular volume I am reading is “The Pilgrim’s Tale.” It is based on a man wandering the land in Russia, trying to live a holy life and precisely trying to figure out this verse from 1Thessalonians.

It is quite a good read, actually. I have found it very edifying. It is a classic of the Orthodox Tradition, which is nevertheless a very close relative (and as I said in a previous post) perhaps very close to reconciling with our own Latin Rite Tradition of the Catholic Church.

The anonymous author quotes a very famous book called the Philokalia. One quote I would like to bring to your attention is from St. John Chrysostom. He states: “No one should offer the excuse that the one taken up in day-to-day cares or unable to go to church cannot possibly pray always. Everywhere, no matter where you find yourself, you can set up an altar to God in your mind by means of prayer. It is easy to pray in the market square [or we might say King Soopers or Safeway, if you like] and on a journey, and for the one hawking goods or plying a trade it is easy to pray too. Everywhere and in every place it is possible to pray.”

The question I guess I would ask me and you is how committed are we to being on the journey towards Heaven? If the way to heaven lies in prayer, then how valuable is it to you to pray? For certainly, those of us with children know that what we value our children also shall value.

What makes it "The"?

I like "The Glenlivet." It is a 12 year single malt Scotch, not that I am some kind of "lush," as they used to say. It's just that it is a nice drink. But what I like most of all is that it is named "The Glenlivet." The definitive clause "the" always seems to me to be so useful and affirming, as if you won't ever get another one like it.

Perhaps we lose this sense when we think of our Catholic Faith as something secondary. For truly it is The Catholic Faith in which we believe. Many people today tend towards syncretism today. That is, the idea that all Christian religions are the same, or even worse that all religions are the same. The fact of the matter is, there is no Christian religion quite as distinct as the Catholic Faith. Why? Because no other Christian religion has been around for near 2000 years. Only the Orthodox Christians have some claim to hold near to the 2000 year tradition of the Catholic Church. However, recent events have and will soon take place which, may it please God, that we Catholics and Orthodox Christians may soon reunite. Orthodox Christianity, as such, has only been around since 1054.

Pope Benedict XVI, following Pope John Paul II, has made it quite clear that the Churches of the East and of the West must re-unite. If this happens, then the only hinderance towards full unity in the Christian Church will be our separated Protestant brothers and sisters.

Nevertheless, we Catholics of the Latin Rite (a.k.a. Roman Catholics) must continually strive to help our Protestant brothers and sisters to understand the full unity of belonging to the Catholic Church. Why? Because Christ did not establish many Churches. He established "The one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church" just like there is only one kind of "The Glenlivet."

What we Roman Catholics must engage is our Catholic faith to understand what makes it so distinctive, not least of which is the constant tradition of the Holy Eucharist & the sacrament of Confession. When we begin to understand these two integral sacraments our spiritual lives will not be floating on the waters of our secular world, but rather our spiritual lives will have a real depth that can churn the waters of our secular world. You and I for our part must make the effort! The Truth of the Catholic Faith is not something we can read in a book, for the reality is we must meet Truth himself in our lives, Jesus Christ. When we come to know Him then His reality will truly change our lives. For it is He and He alone who established the Catholic Church. May each of us consider and pray for the coming of Jesus Christ in our own lives so that this Truth, before which no other truth stands, may truly be the most precious thing in our lives.

When its fashionable to be a Catholic...

I don't know what to make of this story. (In case you were wondering, I have MSN Instant Messenger which provides many of the stories you see here when I sign on in the morning.) On the one hand, I can understand the Church officials who see this as a mockery of those who needlessly lost their lives because of the anti-Catholic government of Mexico. On the other hand, as St. Ignatius of Antioch would say, "The Blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church." Why would we hide away merely because someone killed our Catholic brothers and sisters.

I love that the statue in the back of our St. Jude Church (and the one used for RCIA) carries his club with him. Taunting the world! "You can take my earthly life, but my divine life in Christ continues on! HA HA!" So too, I imagine, do the modern martyrs, such as those killed in Mexico during the Cristero Uprising.

One of my favorites of that time is Fr. Michael Pro. There are many good stories about him, but I think the most powerful is his death: He stood arms outstretched before the firing squad and yelled, "Viva Cristo Rey!" - translation = Long live Christ the King. Then, they shot him. What a way to go! I only wish I could be so convicted. He actually did everything possible to continue his priestly duties in the face of the persecution Catholics in Mexico were facing.

The major question I ask myself: Could the American Church give birth to such martyrs? Or would we flee that cross if offered to us? Does the American Church have the, to use a phrase, "huevos" to stand up for Christ? I truly hope that kind of test doesn't come, as the Lord himself told his Apostles, "Pray that you may not undergo the test! (Lk 22:46)" However, I only pray that if it doesn't that you and I have the chutzpah to live for Him in all other things. And I beg you, pray for me that I too have such guts. For this truly is the stuff American Saints are made of.

Ven. Solanus Casey, Pray for us!

What is in a name?

Have you ever considered what an altar is? The word altar typically refers to place upon which a sacrifice is offered. In our Catholic Tradition, there has, for a very long time, been a tradition of celebrating Mass facing East. Why east? East in the tradition has been believed to be the direction from which Christ will return. As well, it reminds us of the hope we have in Christ, as the Sun (being a natural symbol of the Risen Christ & our eventual possible rising with him) rises in the East.

If you have never, or haven't for a long time, seen a Mass celebrated towards the East or at least where the priest faces away from the people then you may find that there is something very significant about it. I, personally, have visited and really come to love the Latin Mass celebrated facing away from the people. As the Cardinal Ratzinger noted before he became Pope, it is more fitting with our theology for the priest to lead the prayer of the Mass facing ad orientam, which is only fancy Latin for "facing east." More than just facing east, however, I think it is important for the Church to reassess the dignity of the altars we celebrate on. Prior to the Second Vatican Council (1963-1965) there were very significant altars built across the face of the planet. After the council, many of the altars built since then, though not all, seem to be little more than tables.

There is a great book called "The Roman Liturgy: its background and problems" written by Msgr. Klaus Gamber, which, I think, makes a convincing case for a return to the priest facing the altar. This book has no small weight, as none other than Cardinal Ratzinger himself wrote a preface for the German edition praising Msgr. Gamber's work.

Further, it seems that the religious order known as the Priestly Confraternity of St. Peter (a.k.a. F.S.S.P.) has recently taken over a Church in France. They had a typical post-Vatican II altar when they moved in, but apparently they decided it could be more beautiful. In fifteen minutes (apparently) here are their results. You decide which is more beautiful and more fitting for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass?

...and many more!!!

Hello all!


Happy Birthday of our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI. If you would like to send him a birthday greeting, then you should visit the Vatican's website here. They have established a link to wish our Pope Birthday greetings. I don't know for sure if he will actually read all of them, but to be honest it wouldn't surprise me if he did. He is the type of man who would persevere through these things, even if it would be very tedious.

Could you imagine having Birthday wishes from all over the world? At the same time, I am sure there will be those who will get word of this and send emails filled with hate or derision. I guess that is the danger of having these things online because anyone can send anything they want.

Nevertheless, we should remember to say a prayer for our Holy Father. Having lived in Rome, I know quite well there are many temptations on the streets of Rome. Moreover, living within the Vatican walls one can imagine that there are also many temptations to sin in ways which only those within the walls of the Vatican can know about. Then, on top of that, the usual temptations to doubt God's love and Mercy. It is a very harrowing thing being in charge of the Church of Jesus Christ! We laity sometimes may not appreciate these dilemmas for not only our Holy Father, but also our own Fr. Darrell. Let us take up the cause of support of our priests and our Holy Father.

Since you are reading anyway, here is the traditional prayer for the Pope:

Lord, source of eternal life and truth, give to your shepherd Pope Benedict XVI a spirit of courage and right judgment, a spirit of knowledge and love. By governing with fidelity those entrusted to his care may he, as successor to the apostle Peter and Vicar of Christ, build your Church into a sacrament of unity, love, and peace for all the world. We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.

GO Coke!

Personally, if you are going to choose, I think that Pepsi is much better than Coke. However this story that came out today does make me at least think about switching just to support them. Few times in our modern era does one hear of a company stand up because they want to be within good taste, rather than make more money. The Coca Cola Company has earned some admiration from me, and I hope from all Christians.

It is a great thing to know that you can offend someone, and then to willfully forego that because of respect. Though Coke, I doubt, is not an officially (if such a thing exists) Christian company at least they had the respect for those of us who would be offended by an image of Jesus endorsing a product. In some respects, it might be funny, but it would also portray the Son of God as having a pop-in here at earth to throw back a few Cokes. This should offend us Catholics, I think.

If we truly value, as rightly we should, the image of our Lord Jesus, we should not allow others to trample on his good name, even for something as banal as a Coke ad. In fact, I believe God covered that with the Israelites way back in the ole Ten Commandments - #2, if I am not mistaken. There are some respects in which humor regarding our Lord can be quite funny, but it should always be done respectfully - knowing that those of us who are privileged to call ourselves Catholics hold nothing more sacred than Jesus himself.

Of course, it is also the case that some Catholics hold the faith only nominally. It is one of the saddest realities in our modern world. For there is more to our faith than just belonging, and one truly does not appreciate the Catholic Lifestyle until one is actually believing and living it. I can say this because I have been through this reality myself, as too many of the saints have, and many other Catholics. St. Teresa of Avila for example was a nun who, by her own account, was not exactly on fire for the Lord. However, she had what is sometimes referred to as a "Re-version" (as opposed to a Conversion). At some point in our Catholic life, one must take serious stalk of all that the Church believes and wrestle with it. The outcome is typically one of two things: either one rejects it is as too hard or one truly becomes on fire in knowing the reality of our Living and Resurrected Lord Jesus Christ.

You can find people who reject the Catholic Faith everywhere. In fact, in a recent article in the Denver post in the Style section (of all places) a staff writer talked about how out of date and "old-fashioned" the Catholic Church was with regard to her teaching on Sex. How sad, according to this staff writer, that the Church is so wrong and so out-of-date as to not teach children how to have sex and how to use condoms. How sad that our archbishop is so medieval and has asked Catholics to stop legislation which would, essentially, force children to be taught how to have sex in school.

Unfortunately, this poor woman considers herself a Catholic still and yet she rejects one of the most fundamental teachings of the Church because she has never wrestled with the Faith and come to understand the wisdom of God. Am I just being condescending and accusatory? Far from it! I know exactly where this woman is at, because for a few years during college I too would easily have agreed with her. It takes humility to truly believe that if Jesus established a Church and then left his Holy Spirit to guide her, then Holy Mother Church does have some wisdom to what she teaches. Mankind, as with Christ himself, must have an openess and willingness to listen if we are to receive this wisdom.

The question for each of us is whether you and I are, like the Coca-Cola company, willing to have respect that what many people have held to be sacred is worth our time to understand in light of the Truth in order to create peace in the world and to foster a culture of life? For certainly this is what Jesus came to give us: "I came that they might have life and have it more abundantly (Jn 10:10)"

Old School?

I am struck, in this past Holy week, by a few comments I heard. On the one hand, some one was heard to derogatorily say that a certain Catholic was "too old fashioned in his thinking." On the other hand, there was the recent talk which was listened to attentively by those in the RCIA on Holy Saturday morning. In that talk, Bishop Fulton Sheen spoke of the devil - specifically how the "diabolic" literally is that which divides in two.

I find it interesting that not a few Catholics think that to uphold the tradition of the Church means to be "old-fashioned" or too "old school." After all, the word "tradition" comes from the latin "tradihere" which means "to hand over." Jesus handed himself over to God the Father in the Passion, not without some interior dying to self one might add. Yet, because he was obedient, even unto death on the Cross, God greatly exalted him. What then might one make of those who endeavor to uphold tradition? Are they also found in union with the exaltation of Christ by the Father? And what of those who do not hand over what was passed on to them?

To be old-fashioned, in a modern and progressive way of thinking, is folly. Why would the past have any significance if there are always new horizons to be crossed, always no mountains to face, new valleys in which to explore? Well. For those who no longer walk by sight but by the light of heaven - what the medievals called Lumen Gloriae (the light of glory) - these horizons, mountains and valleys have no real significance. That is, to quote the scripture, "Yea though I walk to through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no harm for you are at my side; your rod and staff give me courage... (Ps 23)." The Light of Glory does not cause one to explore in places unknown, rather this light of heaven allows us to know more intensely that which has been known all along. The mystery is made clearer, and the light made more intense. I think that G.K. Chesterton put it best when, speaking about tradition, he said, "Tradition means giving votes to the most obscure of all classes, our ancestors. It is the democracy of the dead. Tradition refuses to submit to the small and arrogant oligarchy of those who merely happen to be walking about." Precisely in basking in the glory of Tradition does on acknowledge the Will of Christ, and the desire of all the Saints for the Will of Christ in their own lives. Who ordained you or I to reject or change the Faith that our Catholic forebearers lived and died for?

For one who sincerely seeks Christ, there can be no life without the cross. For many of us modern day Catholics, we must be leary of becoming "Modernist Catholics" - that is, thinking that the modern world holds all the answers to our questions and doubts concerning our faith. There is far more found within the Mystery of Christ than what the world has to offer. There are far more riches to be found in accepting the Faith as it is, though we may find it a cross until we can comprehend what we are asked to believe. Unfortunately, so many parents today think that baseball, football, tennis, or many other sports hold the key to their child's future. It is something to consider: what is truly of lasting value to our children? That which certainly gives them eternal life or that which is fun for a season.

St. Paul reminds all Christians to "preach the Gospel in season and out of season." Yet I don't think he had the idea only when it was not in baseball season nor in football season nor in basketball season. We must scrutinize ourselves: what is most important in our lives? Will we catechize those around us or let the world tell us how to live our Catholic Faith. The word "catechize" comes from the Greek word which means "to echo" for this is precisely the task and goal of those who teach the Catholic Faith - parents included!

When we realize the diabolic seeks to divide us as a Catholic Church, then we must recognize the necessity to claim all that has been handed down from the Apostles and to be cautious of new innovations. This is so precisely because the Truth cannot be changed, and every manner in which we try to "re-invent" Jesus causes division. However, if new ways of thinking or communicating or understanding are proven to help to advance the Truth, then let us not be afraid to take hold of them and utilize them. Regardless, as St. Benedict of Nursia would say, "Let us prefer nothing whatever to Christ."

The challenge, of course, to this statement is that we must know Christ. Prayer, then, is absolutely necessary to come to know the Resurrected Son of God. May we be inspired to seek the heart of the Church's teachings for in finding them we will find ourselves in the refuge of the Sacred Heart of our Lord and King, Jesus Christ. For truly, there is no older or greater school than this ancient & Eternal school of Love which poured forth for us the greatest lesson on the cross: "Greater love has no man than this, than to pour out one's life for one's friends."

The Cross... and the Resurrection

Things some times do not turn out as we had hoped. Even the most beautiful of plans, even in religious events, can come crashing to a halt. Some thing has recently happened with me, for which I have the greatest remorse. It is amazing to think about the cross of Jesus at points like these.

We can often think the most useless points of our lives, and most depressing even, are failures. However, if you think that there no use for certain times of your lives then you haven't fully understood the Love of God in your life. To quote Jesus, "Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins? Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of your Heavenly Father (Lk 12:6)?" We should never think that anything doesn't fall in the plan of God... even when it seems to cause so much despair for others, somehow God's plan has taken even that into account.

Of course, it is hard to explain that to somebody that when they have not yet ever seen God in this way. Perhaps, it takes some hardship - even this hardship - for someone to recognize it. The only thing we can do is entrust every situation, no matter how hard, to the Mercy and Plan of God. For who should try to dissuade the plan of God!?

I am wounded, in my own way for the part I have had to play in a recent situation, however somehow I need to trust that God's plan of Mercy is being fulfilled. It is proven time and time again that God can write straight with our crooked and broken lines. Please, Jon and anyone else who might read this, please, pray for my special intention. For I know God has a plan, yet sometimes it is very very hard to see it... especially when you have to be involved in the test which someone must undergo.

The Eclipse of Holy Thursday

What an incredible reality to have eternity touch time. Can you imagine that at the Last Supper the Eternal Son of God got down and washed the feet of a man, and then 11 other men's feet? Who could be worthy of such an honor. It is quite an amazing thing to work for the Church... I had the opportunity to give the names of some of the people who would have their feet washed tonight at the Holy Thursday Mass. Many of the people I gave, in fact, all of the names, were of Catechists who teach in the Elementary Religious Education Program. I choose many of the younger ones primarily because it is important for the Youth to comprehend their living out the Mission of Jesus. Yet, I can't help but notice how important it was for myself to see young people taking up the honor of Holy Mother Church. I don't know if they realized what they did by having their feet washed, and yet neither did the disciples at the Last Supper. Even Jesus asked them, "Do you realize what I have done for you?" A very meaningful and powerful question! And even now, the Lord has done this for each of these young people. Christ is not satisified with the those who live the life of the older brother in the story of the Prodigal Son. He seeks even the little lost sheep, the prodigal son, the younger son, himself! I love that at this parish there are some young people who actually see the Glory of the Lord. Who have come to know and believe that Jesus Christ is the only one and True Living Son of God.

Somehow, in the middle of this glory and wonder, we have just celebrated Jesus preparing to enter into his death. At Holy Thursday, Jesus has washed the feet of his chosen disciples and has invited them to remain with Him during the last hours before He is arrested. Jesus, the same Eternal Son of God, asked his disciples, "Could you not even watch with me for one hour?" This is the reason that after Mass tonight, the Holy Eucharist was set up here at St. Jude in the Multi-purpose room. Unfortunately, for the first time in 3 years, it was not even announced that the Lord would be present there awaiting us to pray with Him.

Some of the same young people who had their feet washed had enough moxy to ask to remain in prayer with the Lord and Fr. Darrell was generous enought to agree. May there prayers enliven and light on fire this parish as they pray for all of us throughout the night with Our Lord Jesus in the Holy Eucharist this Holy Thursday night.

Would you be able to tell?

"While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them. They said, 'Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going up to heaven. (Acts 1:10-11)"

Seems clear enough, hunh? Do you think you could tell when Jesus will return? How will he return: "... the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming upon the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." Jesus will return in power and glory from Heaven - or at least this is what the bible and therefore the Catholic Church tells us. Are they a reliable authority? We can consider that Jesus has said He established His Church upon St. Peter, the Rock, and "the gates of hell will not prevail against it (Mt 16:19)."

What then does one make of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2Iy0AdzRpg ?

It appears that "Dr." José Luis De Jesús Miranda of Houston, Texas is the most recent addition to the "look at me I am god" files. He has "apparently" had a vision of Jesus who melded with him into "Jesus Redux." There are many dangerous things about this man for those who do not have a firm comprehension of their Catholic Faith. In the above video segment, you notice one of the first things he denounces is how things started going wrong in "Rome" meaning with the Catholic Church.

As well, you can see the report from ABC News here: http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=2928479 What is sort of funny is that in this report you find out that sin is vanquished. Funny how St. John said, "If we say 'we are without sin,' we decieve ourselves and the truth is not in us."

There are so many problems with this guy's ideas. But St. John already points out to us: "Children it is the last hour, and just as you heard that the anti-christ was coming, so now many anti-christs have appeared. Thus we know this is the last hour."

Let us hope that he is right, because I sure wish I could stop sinning...

Holding Captives?

It is quite a crazy situation the world finds itslef with this capture and holding of those 15 British sailors in Iran. I heard somebody say the other day, "World wars have been started over less." I hope that this will not be an accurate prophecy of things to come. It doesn't appear that the so-called "crisis" will escalate, but only God knows.

At times like these, as with the first reading at Mass, we should take a few minutes to reflect on our own lives. I mean, it is very much the case that God uses the lives of others, sometimes, to invite us deeper into the mystery of who He is. NOBODY, and I mean, NOBODY can gain nothing from such a reflection, either from the Old Testament or from world situations. What do I mean? Well, when it comes to these captives, we should look at our own lives and ask ourselves: "Do I hold any captives from God's Love?" That is, what in my life do I withhold from the ever-loving God? Perhaps there are some sins we have committed in our lives, or some wounds that we don't want to let go of, or some interior struggles that we haven't placed before God. These and many more things can be like captives within our soul.

On our part, I think it is useful to look at our Lord on the cross, which we commemorate in mere days. On the cross, Jesus said, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit." Now, what part of that offering of Jesus tells us that He withheld anything from God the Father? His body was given as a sacrifice for the sake of our sins, and his soul suffered precisely because He knew the pain He had to endure if you or I would ever have the possibility of arriving in Heaven.

St. Paul tells us in his Epistle to the Colossians, "I make up in my body what is lacking in the suffering of Christ." Well, what could be lacking if not St. Paul, you and me in Christ's suffering? Jesus' offering to God the Father was perfect. However, I don't suppose your or I, if we are honest with ourselves, could say we are perfectly offering ourselves to God. Yet Jesus invites us to enter His relationship with God, a relationship where we can call God "Abba" or "Daddy." A deep relationship of intimacy through entering deeper into the life of Jesus Christ.

How do we enter into the life of Jesus Christ? Most of us have already done so - not by our own will, but by the love of our parents - when we were baptized. In Baptism, we are given a share of God's own life. Yet that is not all we get, Jesus established the Holy Eucharist precisely that we might grow in his own life. As He says in the Gospel of John: "Unless you eat my body and drink my blood you have no life within you (Jn 6:53)." However, this means entering more deeply into a relationship with the Son of God. It means coming to know Him not as mere food, or as a hoop to jump through, but as a real person - a really divine person - who comes to us.

Why does He come to us? The prophet Isaiah spoke the words for which Jesus came "to proclaim liberty to captives (Lk 4:18)" What captives is He talking about? YOU and I! We must open our spiritual eyes and see Jesus has come to set us free. For what Jesus offers is not forced upon us, rather it is proposed to us (and yet some parents propose it more convincingly than others) for the sake of our joy. Many people come kicking and screaming to Church, but few, if any, people who know Him ever come kicking and screaming to Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. It is on bended knees and with great humility, awe, and thanksgiving that those who know Jesus enter into the intimate union of receiving Christ upon their lips in the Eucharist.

However, we can never let the things we hold captive within us force us away from the mercy and love of God. Jesus did not come to make us flee. Rather, he comes to propose a new way of life to us to set us free. If we want to accept it, then we must let go of our captives and there will be peace. Just as Iran ought to let go of its 15 British captives so that peace might be restored between Great Britain and Iran. You and I, in the spiritual life, may tend to be like Iran: trying to leverage our captives for more power or more say in how things are going, trying to hold sway over one who loves our captives dearly, etc. But let us not do this, at the risk of offending our loving Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier!

May you and I always remember that the Triune God invites us to enter into His union, so that we can have communion, that is "union with" Him. This does take a little dying to ourselves and our pride. If we can just overcome that, then God can change our hearts and help us to see His loving plan for our lives and that of the whole world. Many before us have done it, many during our time are doing it, and many more will do it after you and I are gone - we call them Saints. Yet the Catholic Church has been established precisely so that you and I can become Saints. The second most real way in which we can do this is in the Sacrament which very much applies to what must happen between Great Britain and Iran: Reconciliation. The first, as was spoken of earlier, is the Holy Eucharist - Jesus himself.