This Week's Headlines

As another week comes to an end, this is your chance to top off your glass with a final helping of news, current events, and just plain interesting stuff that may not have made into the mainstream media. A chance to linger for a few more moments before we close the door on the week. Below are some links to articles, blogs, and miscellaneous happenings that caught my eye over the past few days. Sample what you like - I'll serve up more next Friday...

Immaculate Conception - "I understand how non-Catholics may not see or accept the Biblical basis for Catholic beliefs, but what I don't get is how they miss the lack of Biblical support for some of their foundational beliefs and the amazingly weird Biblical interpretations some in their own ranks hold to with utmost sincerity."

Delivered From All Stain - "The Catholic answer to the objection that the doctrine is not found in Scripture is that some things the Church teaches can only be found in the Bible by looking backward from what the Church knows in other ways."

Who Crushes Satan's Head in Genesis 3:15? (Mary or Jesus?) - Historically, there has been a debate over how to translate this verse and render it from the Hebrew. The debate centers on whether God says 'he' shall crush Satan's head or whether 'she' shall crush Satan's head.

The Immaculate Conception - Patristic as well as Biblical sources for the doctrine

Saint Nicholas Punches Heretics  in the Face!!! - "During the First Ecumenical Council of Nicea (AD 325), Arius was called upon to defend his position on the inferiority of Christ. Saint Nicholas just couldn't listen to all of Arius' nonsense and so he stood up and laid in to Arius with his fist."

St. Nicholas Day and Boy Bishops - "On December 6, the feast of St. Nicholas of Myra, it was common throughout England and on the Continent during the Middle Ages that a Boy Bishop would be chosen at the monasteries and cathedral schools from among the boys in the choir or school."

First the Fast, Then the Feast - "So before the Prince of Peace can usher in a season of tranquility and refreshment, the forerunner must come with his stern message of warfare.  The enemies of peace will not just lie down of their own accord.  They must be put down.  Peace is a fruit of victory."

America Gets Its 1st Approved Apparition! - "The apparition took place in 1859 in what is now the Diocese of Green Bay, Wisconsin."

How Market Economies Really Work - "What is related to the gospel is freedom and virtue. A market, properly understood, is part of a decentralized economy that allows people to take initiative in providing for their own needs and those of others."


The Left's Unjust "Justice" - "America should be a paragon of equal opportunity, not a place where the hefty hand of government robs the fruits of one person’s labor to give to another."

Democracy is rooted in Christian thought, Pope reminds theologians - "...a society that does not understand the philosophical foundations of its own basic beliefs is in jeopardy."

St. Francis Xavier and the necessity of baptism for salvation - "Baptism is the great means of regeneration, who are we to spurn it and search for our own path to eternal life?"

“No Believing Humans Were Interviewed in the Production of this Humanist Ad” – Part two of a Reflection on the Humanist Ad Campaign

Haley: Obama might let S.C. opt out of health care - "Haley says she told Obama that South Carolina could not afford the health care mandate, and that it would cripple small businesses. "

Certainty and Uncertainty - "This is the true reason why Catholics need certainties--because they provide the map for the journey and the machine by which we fly."

Spiritual Dryness: Our Joy Is Not the End - "...this is why the Eucharist is such a perfect way to encounter God: we get all of him, his full self, and our feelings about it are a completely optional part of the package."

Hmmm...who knew that "Messiah" means "Mentor"? - Catholic actor Liam Neeson said he thinks the magical lion of C.S. Lewis' "The Chronicles of Narnia" series not only represents Christ but also symbolizes other great spiritual leaders.

Orlando, Florida: Cathedral of the Incarnation Votes in Favor of Anglican Ordinariate - "On Sunday, December 5, the parish voted to accept the invitation of the Holy Father and request admission to the Catholic Church through the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus."

Feast of the Immaculate Conception

December 8th is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. This is often confused with the Feast of the Annunciation, which is when the Angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would conceive and bear a son whom she would name Jesus. Today’s feast however celebrates not Jesus’ conception, but rather Mary, His mother’s conception. Catholics believe that Mary was conceived without the stain of original sin. This means that Mary was in a state of perfect grace from the moment of her conception. Her soul was without blemish, just as Adam and Eve were before the Fall. She received this special gift to prepare her to be the Mother of God.

Many non-Catholic Christians reject this doctrine. They believe that it elevates Mary beyond what Scripture tells us. But common sense argues that the Immaculate Conception makes sense, given what we know about original sin.

Original sin is passed from parent to child – it is inherited. Because of humanity’s fall from grace (when our first parents disobeyed God and ate the fruit of the forbidden tree), we are all conceived with original sin, which damages our relationship with God. The stain of Adam and Eve’s sin is passed from parent to child, from one generation to the next. Because of original sin, we are all in need of salvation. We have inherited a damaged human nature that is prone to sin and unable to attain heaven on our own. There is nothing in our power that we can do to overcome this fallen state. Only an act of God can save us.

Mary was saved by just such an act of God. She was preserved from original sin so that she would be spotless, the perfect vessel for carrying God’s Son. The reason this was theologically necessary is quite simple. If Mary had possessed original sin, she would have passed it on to Jesus, her child. Jesus would then inherit a fallen human nature.

The Protestant rejection of Mary’s Immaculate Conception creates an embarrassing dilemma. If Mary herself was stained with original sin, then God would have had to “step in” at the moment of Jesus’ conception to "save” Him from original sin. Jesus would be in need of God’s grace to protect Him from damnation. But can you imagine a Savior in need of salvation, the Son of God in need of grace? This is obviously not a workable solution. If Jesus had been in need of salvation at the time of His conception, He could not be God.

In order for Jesus' divinity to not be in jeopardy, it must be that He inherited a perfect humanity from His mother. Therefore, it must be that Mary was spared through God's grace so that Jesus would be born naturally without the stain of original sin.

It is important to note that this does not elevate Mary to the level of God. It was not an act of Mary that caused her to be spared. She owes her salvation to God, as we all do. Yet without this singular act of God’s grace bestowed on Mary the birth of God-made-man would have been a theological impossibility. Mary was spared from original sin so that Jesus (who is God) could be born without the need of salvation, and He could then offer himself unblemished as a sacrifice for us all.

Sunday's Mass Readings

December 5, 2010

Second Sunday of Advent

Reading 1
Is 11:1-10

On that day, a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse,
and from his roots a bud shall blossom.
The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him:
a spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
a spirit of counsel and of strength,
a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD,
and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD.
Not by appearance shall he judge,
nor by hearsay shall he decide,
but he shall judge the poor with justice,
and decide aright for the land’s afflicted.
He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked.
Justice shall be the band around his waist,
and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.
Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
the calf and the young lion shall browse together,
with a little child to guide them.
The cow and the bear shall be neighbors,
together their young shall rest;
the lion shall eat hay like the ox.
The baby shall play by the cobra’s den,
and the child lay his hand on the adder’s lair.
There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD,
as water covers the sea.
On that day, the root of Jesse,
set up as a signal for the nations,
the Gentiles shall seek out,
for his dwelling shall be glorious.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17

R. (cf. 7) Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king’s son;
he shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
May his name be blessed forever;
as long as the sun his name shall remain.
In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;
all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.

Reading 2
Rom 15:4-9

Brothers and sisters:
Whatever was written previously was written for our instruction,
that by endurance and by the encouragement of the Scriptures
we might have hope.
May the God of endurance and encouragement
grant you to think in harmony with one another,
in keeping with Christ Jesus,
that with one accord you may with one voice
glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Welcome one another, then, as Christ welcomed you,
for the glory of God.
For I say that Christ became a minister of the circumcised
to show God’s truthfulness,
to confirm the promises to the patriarchs,
but so that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy.
As it is written:
Therefore, I will praise you among the Gentiles
and sing praises to your name.

Gospel
Mt 3:1-12

John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea
and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said:
A voice of one crying out in the desert,
Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.
John wore clothing made of camel’s hair
and had a leather belt around his waist.
His food was locusts and wild honey.
At that time Jerusalem, all Judea,
and the whole region around the Jordan
were going out to him
and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River
as they acknowledged their sins.
When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees
coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers!
Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance.
And do not presume to say to yourselves,
‘We have Abraham as our father.’
For I tell you,
God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees.
Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit
will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
I am baptizing you with water, for repentance,
but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I.
I am not worthy to carry his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing fan is in his hand.
He will clear his threshing floor
and gather his wheat into his barn,
but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

This Week's Headlines

As another week comes to an end, this is your chance to top off your glass with a final helping of news, current events, and just plain interesting stuff that may not have made into the mainstream media. A chance to linger for a few more moments before we close the door on the week. Below are some links to articles, blogs, and miscellaneous happenings that caught my eye over the past few days. Sample what you like - I'll serve up more next Friday...

"Social Justice" and the New Politics - "The phrase 'social justice,' when invoked by members of the Catholic left, is a euphemism for the agenda of the Democratic Party. ...[T]he Catholic left had invested a great deal in the success of the Democrats and in particular Barack Obama."



Pres. Obama’s speechwriter makes anti-Catholic joke - "At best this reveals a double-standard.  At worst this reveals gross anti-Catholicism."


The Real History of the Crusades - "At some point, Christianity as a faith and a culture had to defend itself or be subsumed by Islam. The Crusades were that defense. "



Benedict's Vigil For Life - "The mystery of the Incarnation of the Lord…reveals to us, with intense light and in an amazing way, that every human life has an incomparable, a most elevated dignity."

Contraception and Homosexuality: The Sterile Link of Separation - "The widespread practice of contraception is a major force behind the rapidly growing acceptance of homosexuality in western societies as a natural, sexual orientation. Bluntly stated, the justification for the one counts as the justification for the other."

Jonah Goldberg: This pope plays the right notes - "'We need more rocks in the river,' my dad explained. What he meant was that change comes so fast, in such a relentless torrent, that we need people and things that stand up to it and offer respite from the current."


Just in time for Advent - Another War on Christmas? - "In the spirit of Herod, the organization American Atheists has launched this new campaign aimed at putting an end to Christianity - claiming our faith is built on myth, using the word in its most common form." As a follow-up: Catholics Fire Back in Christmas Billboard Battle

In 'The War on Christmas,' Christmas is winning - "When your advertising has trees and ornaments and gift wrapping, you're advertising Christmas, so don't call it holiday."

Where’s the Human in Humanism? Humanist Ads Violate their Own Humanist Standards - "I am not sure what part of the human person they think faith resides in but they surely do not think it can be in the intellect. But of course faith IS a way of knowing. "

Obamacare: No Severibility Clause Means Entire Law Could Fall! - "[L]egislators...put a 'severability clause' into legislation, so that if part of a law is found unconstitutional, the rest of it can remain in effect.  But Obamacare has no such clause."

A Funeral of Sorts ... every Sunday for the next year - "a passing of Mass texts that will never be heard again."

Why I Want To Be "Left Behind": How Rapturists Misread Jesus' Words - according to the standard rapturist interpretation, when Jesus says, "one is taken and one is left," he is teaching that the righteous one will be "raptured" while the wicked, unbelieving heathens will be "left behind."

On a Strange and Horrible Biblical Story and the Bad Memory of God - We too do well to consider the rapid descent into evil of our culture as we have increasingly and collectively rejected the true faith.

The Origin of Ave Maria -  "The results of this research tell an untold story of one of the central and most powerful prayers of Christianity in the Middle Ages, still widely uttered in the Catholic Church today."

On Relativism, Then and Now

I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately, now that the weather has cooled off and I find myself indoors with fewer chores to do. One of the latest books I’ve read was originally published in 1929 but was recently re-published by Ignatius Press in 2008. Entitled One Lord, One Faith, the author, Vernon Johnson, tells of his personal struggles (both spiritual and intellectual) as an Anglican priest converting to Catholicism. I was particularly struck by some passages that could easily apply to our own time even though they were written generations ago. Consider this description of cultural challenges faced by the author in his priestly ministry:

“Another thing that began to perplex me in dealing with souls was the need of something to counteract that slavery to the prevailing fashion of the moment which fetters so many who wish to make the pace with their own special circle. Life today is so very much a series of passing crazes. The latest stunt or fashion victimizes everyone. People must be original. Their lives become a perpetual pose, and in their pursuit of the latest thing they are never themselves. Such a life is all one rush. There is no time for thought, but just a superficial movement which is taken for progress. Real personal life is being lost. This is clearly seen in the break-up of the English home.” [Emphasis added]

The author describes here what he calls the “slavery to the prevailing fashion.” The whims of society are constantly shifting and each person must adapt or be left behind - “Their lives become a perpetual pose, and in their pursuit of the latest thing they are never themselves.”family. As the culture transforms, values change and moral norms shift, with each passing phase we are caught up in this destructive cycle. Institutions that were once anchors of stability in people’s lives crumble. The author specifically points out the damage done to

This “slavery to the prevailing fashion” sounds rather like what Pope Benedict describes as the “dictatorship of relativism.”  The constantly shifting whims of society, the rejection of absolute Truth, the lack of moral certainty, are even more a sickness of our culture today as they were then. Vernon Johnson applies this malaise to his former church as well:

“All this is reflected in the Anglican Church. She is very much the victim of the age at any given moment. In her anxiety to meet the difficulties of the modern mind she is too ready to embrace and give voice to the ideas and theories prevailing at the moment, and to give them an importance which is not really justified. The latest scheme for social betterment, the latest theories in psychology, the latest results of biblical criticism, are preached upon in pulpits, written about in magazines, and discussed at meetings in a way which obscures the great fundamental truths of the Christian religion.

“The result is that the Anglican Church presents the character of a debating society discussing open questions rather than of a teacher of eternal truths divinely revealed for the guidance of the spiritual and moral life of the world.” [Emphasis added]

In this way Anglicanism (and Protestantism in general) is unable to put forth a solid defense against Relativism, which is the greatest threat to Christianity in our time. Instead of certaintyTruth, Protestant Christians are mixed up in a confusion of debated opinion and pet theories with no way to decipher true doctrine. The great fundamental truths of the Christian religion are indeed obscured. and

“I became more and more conscious of the deadly effect of that vague uncertainty with which the Anglican Church surrounds her children, till I became finally convinced that it was entirely contrary to the revealed will of Our Blessed Lord. It does not lead to truth but to a terrible uncertainty and to a real paralysis of faith. Poor human nature needs above everything else a guide which can lift it above the vagaries of the human mind and above the flood of momentary passion. And the Catholic Church alone can do this.”

As Pope Benedict warns us, Relativism is attacking the culture at large, and Christianity is not immune to this assault. As far back as the 1920’s Protestant Churches began to succumb to its lure. At that time the Catholic Church was recognized as a bulwark against the changing whims of society. Vernon Johnson was drawn to Catholicism in part because she is a lone voice standing up for Truth in a shifting culture. How much more today can it be said that the Catholic Church is the surest defense against the attack of relativistic thought.

With the issuing of “Anglicanorum Coetibus” in October of 2009, and the creation of the Anglican Ordinariate we are sure to see more good priests and other Christian souls (like the Vernon Johnsons of our time) fleeing the sinking ship of Anglicanism for the safety of Rome.

Sunday Mass Readings

November 28, 2010

First Sunday of Advent

Reading 1
Is 2:1-5

This is what Isaiah, son of Amoz,
saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
In days to come,
the mountain of the LORD’s house
shall be established as the highest mountain
and raised above the hills.
All nations shall stream toward it;
many peoples shall come and say:
“Come, let us climb the LORD’s mountain,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
that he may instruct us in his ways,
and we may walk in his paths.”
For from Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
and impose terms on many peoples.
They shall beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks;
one nation shall not raise the sword against another,
nor shall they train for war again.
O house of Jacob, come,
let us walk in the light of the Lord!

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 122: 1-2, 3-4, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
I rejoiced because they said to me,
“We will go up to the house of the LORD.”
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
May those who love you prosper!
May peace be within your walls,
prosperity in your buildings.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Because of my brothers and friends
I will say, “Peace be within you!”
Because of the house of the LORD, our God,
I will pray for your good.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

Reading 2
Rom 13:11-14

Brothers and sisters:
You know the time;
it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep.
For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed;
the night is advanced, the day is at hand.
Let us then throw off the works of darkness
and put on the armor of light;
let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day,
not in orgies and drunkenness,
not in promiscuity and lust,
not in rivalry and jealousy.
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.

Gospel
Mt 24:37-44

Jesus said to his disciples:
“As it was in the days of Noah,
so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
In those days before the flood,
they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage,
up to the day that Noah entered the ark.
They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away.
So will it be also at the coming of the Son of Man.
Two men will be out in the field;
one will be taken, and one will be left.
Two women will be grinding at the mill;
one will be taken, and one will be left.
Therefore, stay awake!
For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.
Be sure of this: if the master of the house
had known the hour of night when the thief was coming,
he would have stayed awake
and not let his house be broken into.
So too, you also must be prepared,
for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

This Week's Headlines

As another week comes to an end, this is your chance to top off your glass with a final helping of news, current events, and just plain interesting stuff that may not have made into the mainstream media. A chance to linger for a few more moments before we close the door on the week. Below are some links to articles, blogs, and miscellaneous happenings that caught my eye over the past few days. Sample what you like - I'll serve up more next Friday...

Dioceses around the world joining Pope's 'unprecedented' pro-life vigil - "Although it is common for the Pope to encourage prayer for particular intentions, the request for a coordinated worldwide vigil –to be held on the same date and approximately the same time, in all dioceses–  is highly exceptional."

American Anglicans ready to go when Ordinariate is established - "As the Anglican Ordinariates are developed, they will be launched into the deep of mostly uncharted waters. Only the American Ordinariate will have any sort of history or track record to give it some type of map to follow in its establishment."

Archbishop of Canterbury warns Anglicans to brace for shortage of vicars because of exodus to Catholic church - "Dr Rowan Williams made the warning after meeting Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican during an event to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity"


Pope: I am not opposed in principle to Communion in the hand but prefers communion on the tongue - "The idea behind my current practice of having people kneel to receive Communion on the tongue was to send a signal and to underscore the Real Presence with an exclamation point."

Vatican clarifies papal statement on condoms... - "The Pope again makes it clear that his intention was not to take up a position on the problem of condoms in general; his aim, rather was to reaffirm with force that the problem of AIDS cannot be solved simply by distributing condoms..."


On the Pope's new book, Light of the World - Here is a partial round-up of some of the commentary...


Pope Benedict advocates right sexuality, not condom use, in fight against HIV - "While secular outlets such as Time Magazine characterized this remark as 'a stunning turnaround' for the Church, Pope Benedict goes on to explain that this is not the true and proper way to defeat HIV."

New Developments on the Pope and Condoms - "Each new day seems to bring several new twists to the pope/condom story, so let’s look at what’s happening now."

Notable Catholic news stories (I mean, besides condoms)

Louisiana’s flag becomes more Eucharistic

"Mark Wahlberg: Daily Communicant - "No, I’m not canonizing Mark Wahlberg; I’m recognizing a sort of a modern day Magdalene story."