Monday Musings

A few random thoughts and ponderings to start the week...

The Pope is now on Twitter. He has not posted any tweets (or rather, his staff has not posted anything yet on his behalf), but you can follow him at this link.

+        +        +

This is the first week of Advent. Some people have had Christmas decorations up since the day after Thanksgiving (or even before), but at our house we always try to keep Christmas in the Christmas Season and allow Advent it's own space. So our Advent wreath is out, and later this week I plan on hanging a few pieces of garland, and of course we have an Advent calendar on the wall...but that's about it. If it were up to me, I would keep the decorating sparse like this up until the last few days before December 25. But as a compromise with the kids (who see decorations around town and wish we could do the same) we have set December 6, Saint Nicholas Day, as the signal for Christmas decorating. The arrival of St. Nick is a convenient date for Christmas preparation, as he is the origin of Santa Claus and so he ushers in a greater anticipation for Christmas day. We actually don't do the decorating on the feast day itself, but we use it as a signal to start hauling out the tree and other decorations and we then put everything out over the course of the following week or so.

I know, I know... Gaudete Sunday would be a better and more liturgically sound date to use as it truly does signal a dawning of new light nearer to Christmas. But hey, at least St. Nicholas Day is a liturgical feast and so we are not using secular cues to shape our holiday. It's not exactly what I would do if it were entirely up to me, but it is a compromise. And I do like seeing the tree decorated for an extra week or two.

...And we do not play Christmas music until Christmas.

+        +        +

I saw this image posted by Ignatius Press on Facebook, and thought I would share since it was such a great quote:

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...


[Technically, it's Saturday...but better late than never.]

10 Things You Need to Know About Advent - "Most of us have an intuitive understanding of Advent, based on experience, but what do the Church's official documents actually say about Advent?"
 
The "iPope" Becomes @Pope: Coming Soon, A Tweeting Benedict - "In the Vatican's latest move to leverage its profile on social media, a Monday morning press conference will be held on a topic that, not long ago, would've been unthinkable: 'The Pope on Twitter.'"

Tea and Christianity - "The man symbolically washes his hands in a small basin. Kneeling, he holds the tea vessel up above his head in a prayer of thanksgiving. He bows down. His companion bows lower, leans toward him. He straightens up and drinks the tea in one act. When he is finished, he carefully wipes the rim clean. From across the room, I watched this in absolute amazement. My God, I thought, this looks just like the Mass!"

Blasphemous Obama painting goes viral - [You gotta see it to believe it.]

Was Susan Rice thrown under the bus? - "For now, the situation remains a tangled morass of lies, deception, and murky details. The issue is swiftly becoming a national embarrassment and another black mark on the Obama regime."

Sebelius Called on to Quit Over Planned Parenthood Scandal - "A leading pro-life organization is calling on HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to quit because of a scandal involving the destruction of Planned Parenthood record during her administration as governor of Kansas."

Why Did Abortion See Its Biggest Decrease in 10 Years? - "...does anyone honestly believe that in 2009 women suddenly became much “better” about using artificial contraception compared to the previous year?"

U.S. Birth Rate Falls to Lowest Ever, Fewer Babies is Bad News - "The Pew research center is out with new data showing the birth rate in the United States has fallen to its lowest point ever. Although Pew doesn’t say it, the abortion culture Roe v. Wade has produced is already causing problems, according to one pro-life opinion columnist."

It’s All About Sex, Not Health - "According to the AAP, pediatricians should counsel 'all adolescents' on emergency contraception 'regardless of current intentions for sexual behavior.'"

Is Feminism the Supreme Religion? - "Two recent incidents have received a great deal of media attention in Canada, raising the question, once again, as to whether secular feminism takes precedence over every other religion."

Reason and Compassion in the Marriage Debate - "The authors explain why debates over gay marriage are only indirectly about homosexuality; the real issue is 'not about whom to let marry, but about what marriage is.'"

Where are demons located? - "Heaven, hell, and purgatory exist now only as states of being."

Accidental Evangelism - "So maybe evangelism isn't just about the soap box, although there is surely a place for that. But maybe the evangelism that I am called to do is this other kind. Live your every day busy life the best way you can, the way Jesus would want you to."

If you find the sitcom "Two and half Men" to be a repulsive drag on the culture, watch this video of one of the actors pleading with people to STOP WATCHING IT.  Later the actor apologized...sort of. See this piece for those details. And finally, some thoughts on what to make of all this:  What Should We Make of "Two and a Half Men" Star's Outburst?

The Telegraph (UK): Pope’s New Book Casts Doubt on “Keystone of Christian Tradition” - [Another example of the media mis-handling and falsely reporting on matters of faith.]

The 7,000 Year Old World - [An interesting look at religion and politics, sparked by some recent happenings.]

10 Ways Catholics Can Transform Modern Culture

Ten Silly Reasons You Won't Pray Today (and Why You Should Reconsider)

Catechism for the Year of Faith

Part of a continuing series.

A selected quote from the Catechism of the Catholic Church in honor of the Year of Faith (October 11, 2012 - November 24, 2013) 

142 By his Revelation, "the invisible God, from the fullness of his love, addresses men as his friends, and moves among them, in order to invite and receive them into his own company." The adequate response to this invitation is faith.

143 By faith, man completely submits his intellect and his will to God. With his whole being man gives his assent to God the revealer. Sacred Scripture calls this human response to God, the author of revelation, "the obedience of faith".

148 The Virgin Mary most perfectly embodies the obedience of faith. By faith Mary welcomes the tidings and promise brought by the angel Gabriel, believing that "with God nothing will be impossible" and so giving her assent: "Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be [done] to me according to your word." Elizabeth greeted her: "Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord." It is for this faith that all generations have called Mary blessed.

149 Throughout her life and until her last ordeal when Jesus her son died on the cross, Mary's faith never wavered. She never ceased to believe in the fulfillment of God's word. And so the Church venerates in Mary the purest realization of faith.

150 Faith is first of all a personal adherence of man to God. At the same time, and inseparably, it is a free assent to the whole truth that God has revealed. As personal adherence to God and assent to his truth, Christian faith differs from our faith in any human person. It is right and just to entrust oneself wholly to God and to believe absolutely what he says. It would be futile and false to place such faith in a creature.
 
151 For a Christian, believing in God cannot be separated from believing in the One he sent, his "beloved Son", in whom the Father is "well pleased"; God tells us to listen to him. The Lord himself said to his disciples: "Believe in God, believe also in me." We can believe in Jesus Christ because he is himself God, the Word made flesh: "No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known." Because he "has seen the Father", Jesus Christ is the only one who knows him and can reveal him.

152 One cannot believe in Jesus Christ without sharing in his Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who reveals to men who Jesus is. For "no one can say "Jesus is Lord", except by the Holy Spirit", who "searches everything, even the depths of God. . No one comprehends the thoughts of God, except the Spirit of God." Only God knows God completely: we believe in the Holy Spirit because he is God.

    The Church never ceases to proclaim her faith in one only God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Monday Musings

 A few random thoughts and ponderings to start the week...

Last week I posted fewer entries in my Friday Headlines post than I had lately been posting. That will be the trend from here on out, since the election is now over and the post-election analysis is all but finished. the news cycle has certainly slowed down. I may settle on an exact number of articles (perhaps 10 or maybe 15 per week) to give Friday's some consistency.

+        +        +

Just a reminder... It is NOT Christmas! I know many people have already begun decking the halls for Christmas. I know that shopping centers, malls, and stores have been decorated for weeks. Downtown lighting ceremonies have already taken place. Black Friday is supposed to start the Christmas Season, but really it does NOT. Please keep Advent in Advent so that Christmas can be in it's proper place.

We have a cultural battle we are fighting on many fronts (life, family, morality, etc.). I know that Christmas decorating out of season seems like a small thing, but the more Christians can assert authentic Christian practices in the culture, the louder our voice becomes. If we can win at these little battles, we can gain strength for the larger battles. So, don't put up your tree yet. Don't turn on the Christmas lights. Just hold of...even if it's only for a couple more weeks. Make a statement. People may take notice and ask why. When they ask why, use that as an opportunity to share...and then share more than just decorating tips. It may open a few doors. This is bigger than just deciding when to decorate. It makes a statement of solidarity with the Church as opposed to solidarity with the world. And when others see our willingness to go against the popular trend, they may be drawn in to join with us, or at least give an honest listen to what we have to offer.

+        +        +

Speaking of Advent... I will be less able to blog during this Season. Hopefully, I will finish my posts on male-only priesthood and also some of my regular weekly posts, but I may miss a few here and there. We'll see how it goes.

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...

The Real First Thanksgiving - "On the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan, also a Thursday that year, men of different backgrounds – fishermen, a tax collector, a zealot, and others – reclined at table with a carpenter-rabbi to break unleavened bread and (so they expected) to take up the cup of salvation, the cup foretold in the Todah psalm of the Passover Liturgy..."

A Pro-Family Thanksgiving Top 10 - [Proving that there are still things to be thankful for, even with so many negative things going on.]

A Pope to be Thankful For - "...Joseph Ratzinger is a man, both self-effacing and serious, who has achieved (or perhaps was graced with) a remarkable and winning combination of personal humility, intellectual profundity, and deep faith."

This Thanksgiving: Rekindling the fire of holiness - From Archbishop Chaput: "Over this Thanksgiving weekend, or sometime during Advent, I have a homework assignment for you."

What's So Sacred About Meals? - "I always enjoy trying to articulate the answers to questions like this, but this one left me stumped."

Dear Simcha - [Simcha Fisher with a humorous post for Thanksgiving...answering questions from readers.]

Church of England Votes Against Ordaining Female Bishops - "Although ordination of female priests was approved at the 1992 synod, the measure regarding women bishops, which needed a two-thirds majority with the bishops, clergy and laity, lost by six votes with the laity."

Latin, Ad Orientem and Problem Priests - "In my opinion, non-use of Latin and the ad orientem posture by senior clergy has several negative effects..."

Law enforcement is about to read everyone's email and browsing history -- without a warrant - "The bill would even allow the FBI and Homeland Security full access to your internet accounts without so much as notifying you or a judge. Even your private browsing history could be searched."

Catholic Bishops: We Will Not Obey Immoral HHS-Abortion Mandate - Cardinal Dolan: “The only thing we’re certainly prepared to do is not give in — not violate our consciences and not obey what we consider to be something immoral... That we’re committed on."

Guest Opinion: Star Parker, We Have a National Crisis in Character - "Americans just re-elected a president who opposed the Supreme Court decision banning partial-birth abortion. The leader of our nation thinks it should be legal in America to kill a live, fully formed infant. What does this say about America today and our future?"

Republicans Must Win the Culture War to Regain Presidency - "Politics are downstream from the culture. Plato summarized the two most important questions in a society: Who teaches the young and what do we teach them?"

The Glee Effect: how America went gay - "The hearts and minds of Americans—especially our young people—are being changed when it comes to same-sex “marriage” and homosexual practice because of entertainment, not arguments."

We Take Aborted Babies to the Trash Just Like Our Garbage - "We live in a time where babies are trashed, literally. Even if we do not directly participate in shedding innocent blood and throwing children in the garbage, we condone it when we do nothing to stop this barbaric, evil practice of nonchalant murder called 'choice.'"

Catechism for the Year of Faith

Part of a continuing series.

A selected quote from the Catechism of the Catholic Church in honor of the Year of Faith (October 11, 2012 - November 24, 2013) 

120 It was by the apostolic Tradition that the Church discerned which writings are to be included in the list of the sacred books. This complete list is called the canon of Scripture. It includes 46 books for the Old Testament (45 if we count Jeremiah and Lamentations as one) and 27 for the New.

The Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra and Nehemiah, Tobit, Judith, Esther, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, the Song of Songs, the Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Baruch, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zachariah and Malachi.

The New Testament: the Gospels according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the Acts of the Apostles, the Letters of St. Paul to the Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, the Letter to the Hebrews, the Letters of James, 1 and 2 Peter, 1, 2 and 3 John, and Jude, and Revelation (the Apocalypse).

121 The Old Testament is an indispensable part of Sacred Scripture. Its books are divinely inspired and retain a permanent value, for the Old Covenant has never been revoked.

122 Indeed, "the economy of the Old Testament was deliberately so oriented that it should prepare for and declare in prophecy the coming of Christ, redeemer of all men." "Even though they contain matters imperfect and provisional," the books of the Old Testament bear witness to the whole divine pedagogy of God's saving love: these writings "are a storehouse of sublime teaching on God and of sound wisdom on human life, as well as a wonderful treasury of prayers; in them, too, the mystery of our salvation is present in a hidden way."
 
124 "The Word of God, which is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, is set forth and displays its power in a most wonderful way in the writings of the New Testament" which hand on the ultimate truth of God's Revelation. Their central object is Jesus Christ, God's incarnate Son: his acts, teachings, Passion and glorification, and his Church's beginnings under the Spirit's guidance.

134 All Sacred Scripture is but one book, and this one book is Christ, "because all divine Scripture speaks of Christ, and all divine Scripture is fulfilled in Christ"
 
135 "The Sacred Scriptures contain the Word of God and, because they are inspired, they are truly the Word of God".

136 God is the author of Sacred Scripture because he inspired its human authors; he acts in them and by means of them. He thus gives assurance that their writings teach without error his saving truth.

137 Interpretation of the inspired Scripture must be attentive above all to what God wants to reveal through the sacred authors for our salvation. What comes from the Spirit is not fully understood except by the Spirit's action.

Monday Musings

Almost Thanksgiving. Short week, so I'll keep this post short as well. Not sure how much I'll be blogging this week...

+        +        +

Saw this on a friend's wall on Facebook:

"If you look to others for fulfillment you will never be truly fulfilled" - Buddha

It sounds like such a wise saying, that we can find true fulfillment only by looking inside ourselves. It is especially appealing if we have ever been hurt or fooled by those around us. At such times we may truly desire a type of spiritual fulfillment that allows us to detach ourselves from the hurt and look inward, away from others. But as Christians we must realize that our fulfillment DOES come from another. We seek fulfillment by allowing that OTHER into ourselves. And we seek HIM in others around us. Christianity does not offer a fulfillment in isolation.

It's easy to be sucked into these Eastern philosophies and also the repackaged, New Age pseudo religions that try to sell us on a spirituality that is divorced from a personal God - religion that seeks fulfillment in isolation. But we need to recognize this falsehood when we see it and not be pulled into the deception. Christianity teaches a spirit of Communion not isolation - fulfillment in the other and simply fulfillment in oneself.

+        +        +

Thanksgiving = eucharistia (Greek) = Eucharist 

Remember that on Thursday and be thankful.