Keep
your eyes open!...
July 31, 2019
(Mat 16:24-25) Then
Jesus said to his disciples: If any man will come after me, let him
deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For he that will
save his life, shall lose it: and he that shall lose his life for my
sake, shall find it.
EXCERPT FIDES.ORG: Asia a Continent of Martyrs
Martyrs are the seed from which the Church has flourished throughout
the History of salvation and today their memory continue to guide the
faithful wherever the Christian mission is challenged by hardships,
injustices and suffering. In this regard, the case of Asia is
paradigmatic. Martyrdom is mysticism, it is ecstasy.
Usually we concentrate on the painful side of martyrdom, but its most
significant dimension is the martyr’s intimate experience of Christ at
the moment of his self-giving. It is an ecstatic surrender to the
Lord whom he loves. It is the peak moment of his
life-choice. It is saying “Yes” to the Master that sums up his
life. It is not a dreaded moment, but a coveted one. So we
see people in the early Church handing themselves over to the
executioners on their own choice, fearlessly welcoming the ecstatic
experience, which necessarily involves a supreme sacrifice. So we
see the early Christian community celebrating the “birth” of the victim
who enters into a new life in the company of Christ.
It was this understanding of martyrdom that strengthened fidelity in
the believing community. And the Christian community grew.
As Tertullian cried: "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the
Christians."
NEWS REPORTS
Six years and still no sign of Jesuit Fr. Dall’Oglio, kidnapped in Syria
Syrian Christians cling to hope kidnapped clerics will return
Archbishop Auza: Holy See Concerns About Situation in Middle East
EXCERPT ACN: A Syrian mother, her son killed in the civil war, finds strength in her faith: ‘our roots must be planted in God’
“A week before he died [on April
16, 2014], Krikor came home to visit us because an uncle had passed
away. While getting ready to leave again, he turned to his father
and said, ‘I am going back to death.’
“On the day he died, we spoke on the phone, and after the call ended I
had a strong feeling, like a premonition. I prayed to the Virgin
Mary: ‘Please don’t test me. You tasted from this cup; please
don’t let me experience the same pain.’
“That night I received another call. They told me that Krikor was
wounded, and that he’d been taken to a hospital. I rushed to his
side, praying to St. Sharbel: ‘I have given you my son. I
do not want to find him dead.’ But, inside, I was nearly sure that he
had died.
“After his death, I struggled with
St. Sharbel: ‘I don’t love you anymore. I begged you to
keep my son alive, and you didn’t.’ Then, about 10 minutes later, I
looked at the saint’s face in a painting we own and said to him: ‘I
can’t keep myself from loving you. But promise me that you will
be with my son.’
“As Christians, we believe in the resurrection, and after a few months
of reflection on life in the kingdom of God, I learned that the dead
see, hear, and feel us. And I found that I could be proud of my
son, above all else.
“When we face life’s storms, we
must stand like a strong tree, roots fixed deeply in the ground.
Our roots must be planted in God; we must weather change and grief with
trust in his love.”
EXCERPT AINA: The Only Priest Who Stayed in a City Invaded By the Islamic State
Mosul is one of the most important
cities in Iraq, and one of the ones that has suffered most from the
bloody horrors perpetrated by the fanatics of the Islamic State, the
Jihadi group that proclaimed a caliphate in the region and imposed a
reign of terror on the local population that lasted for three years,
until it was defeated on July 10, 2017.
Since the fall of the terrorists,
one priest has taken on a new and fundamental mission in Mosul: that of
calling Catholic refugees back to their homes. His name is Fr.
Amanuel Adel Kloo, the only Catholic priest still in Mosul today.
During the three years of Jihadi
horror, the local population was submitted to Sharia law, a rigid
Islamic legal system under which there were forced conversions to
Islam, mass executions, and a rebirth of slavery. In such a
situation, "no one believed that Christians would return to Mosul,"
said Fr. Kloo in an interview with the pontifical foundation Aid for
the Church in Need (ACN).
The priest explained that only 30
to 40 Christians have returned to the city, but he added that there are
many itinerant communities that could be given more stability.
"Nearly a thousand Christian
students come every day from nearby cities to the University of
Mosul. The same happens with hundreds of workers, many of whom
work for the government repairing Mosul's water supply network and
power grid, which are still very damaged."
The Syro-Catholic priest is
rebuilding the Church of the Annunciation, which will be the first
church in Mosul to be restored, and for him, it represents the hope of
a "rebirth of Christianity" in the city.
"People are still afraid, but when
the church and the other buildings are open, they will feel safe, and
many will return," he said.
He hopes that the church will be ready in three months.
May God grant that, with the
prayers and support of the Church throughout the world and the
courageous work of people like Fr. Kloo, Christians may return to
their homes in Mosul and everywhere they have been forced to flee.
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 26- "Brief Summary on Discernment"
21. As hens' eggs that are warmed in dung hatch
out, so thoughts that are not confessed hatch out and proceed to action.
July 29, 2019
(Luk 11:9-10) And I say to you: Ask,
and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall find: knock, and it
shall be opened to you. For every one that asketh receiveth: and he
that seeketh findeth: and to him that knocketh it shall be opened:
POPE FRANCIS:
"This is the novelty of Christian prayer: It is a dialogue between
people who love one another, a dialogue based on trust, sustained by
listening, and open to the commitment to solidarity."
THE CATHOLIC THING: Pray Like a Child by Fr. Paul D. Scalia
FROM THE MAILBAG: Reflection by Fr. Michael W. Davis
One of my favorite themes in the Christian life is that of the
“pilgrim.” As followers of Jesus, we are always on the journey of
faith; we are on a spiritual pilgrimage, until we at last reach our
ultimate destination, that of eternal life with the Lord our God.
Our life's journey, however, is often perilous, fraught with dangers
and hardships, distractions, moments that lack clarity, and often
filled with uncertainty about the things we encounter along the
way. We, as Catholic Christians, though, are a people of
hope. We have been taught since infancy that we are children of
God, children of the promise. We have been raised to value the
spiritual life, to pray, to rely on the power of the Sacraments, to
cultivate our life in Christ. We have been taught that God is in
charge and that he will take care of his people. Yes, here at
church we have been taught to pursue what matters to God, using our
energies for the glory of his name. As such, no matter what the
perils and dangers in life may be, no matter the obstacles or
hardships, no matter the sadness and despairs of this life, we will
ultimately reach our goal if we can remain faithful in our pilgrimage
to God. After all, the Risen Christ did promise to remain with us
even until the end of time. A humble heart that seeks to live for
him will be fruitful indeed!
This theme of pilgrimage is not only one that is apparent, as an
over-arching theme of the Christian life, but it has been instilled in
us, as a people, from the very beginning of biblical tradition.
The Jews journeyed for 40 years in the desert seeking refuge and
solace. Remember, too, the pilgrimage of the Three Wise Men, as
they journeyed to visit the Lord, and the dangers they encountered
along the way. In the Middle Ages, as Christians journeyed to the
religious places dear to our tradition, many risked attacks from
bandits, starvation, inclement weather, illness, and even martyrdom for
the cause of the Gospel and the protection of the holy sites. The
pilgrimage of faith has continued throughout Church history in the
lives of Catholic Christians in every age, including our own, as we
have sought the Lord in our lives, to draw close to him, and to
endeavor to become rich in the things that have eternal
significance. Although modern distractions are abundant, faith
and hope are powerful anchors in the midst of the storms, as we seek to
become rich in what matters to God.
With all the challenges that contemporary life presents to us in our
modern pilgrimage of faith, we must certainly do all that we can to
keep our spiritual arsenal strong. A robust prayer life, a
personal decision to keep our intellectual life well informed in the
matters of the faith and the Scriptures, an ardent appreciation for the
Sacraments and their frequent reception, and the blessings of being
well-connected to a community of fellow believers, who can encourage
and support us in our temptations, trials, and needs. To not have
such a spiritual support mechanism would be to dispose ourselves to the
vulnerabilities of the blowing of the wind, the latest opinion poll,
community gossip, to selfishness, or even to the mere propaganda we
hear on television, from Hollywood, or in social media. The
contemporary realities of the Catholic life, indeed, demand that we
keep our sight on the prize, which is Christ. While many other
matters vie to attract our attention and loyalties, we must always seek
to become rich in what matters to God alone.
Prayer, a devotional life, adoration, Bible studies, various modalities
of adult education in the faith, retreats, and faith-based pilgrimages
are all ways to cultivate the spiritual life, and advance in the
matters that are dear to the heart of God. May we have the
humility to make his agenda our agenda, as we seek to become rich in
what matters to God, to the glory of his name.
St.
ThéRèse of Lisieux: "For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a
simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of
love, embracing both trial and joy."
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 26- "Brief Summary on Discernment"
20. As tempered iron can sharpen untempered, so
a fervent brother has often saved an indolent one.
July 26, 2019
(Luk 22:19-20) And taking bread, he
gave thanks and brake and gave to them, saying: This is my body, which
is given for you. Do this for a commemoration of me. In like manner,
the chalice also, after he had supped, saying: This is the chalice, the
new testament in my blood, which shall be shed for you.
CARDINAL ARINZE:
"Every Catholic should strive to grow in knowledge of the Eucharist,
especially by attending Mass. And in receiving Christ at Holy
Communion, when you are well prepared. Every Sunday – every day, if you
can – but always well prepared. This sacrament has all the other
sacraments ordered towards it. It is the greatest sacrament."
EDITORIAL: What America Magazine Gets Wrong about the Mass
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT: The Eucharist as Remembrance
Jesus asked his apostles and those
who would follow to continue the eucharistic celebration that he began.
Paul was the first to record the specific request that Jesus made.
After Jesus took the bread and broke it, he said, “This is my body that
is for you. Do this in memory of me” (1 Cor 11:24). Likewise, after
Jesus offered the cup he said, “Do this, as often as you drink it, in
memory of me” (1 Cor 11:25).
Luke is the only evangelist to
include the explicit instruction, “Do this in memory of me” (Lk 22:19),
and the only New Testament writer to record how the early Church
complied, how each Sabbath the community gathered together and devoted
themselves “to the breaking of the bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42).
An unforgettable memory. Jesus
wanted his disciples to hold forever in their minds and hearts the
momentous occasion when he broke bread and shared the cup with them.
The bread as his body and the wine as his blood are priceless gifts,
and the eucharistic meal at the Last Supper on Holy Thursday and his
sacrificial death on the altar of the cross on Good Friday must never
be forgotten. Rather, they must be cherished by every disciple as a
treasure of immeasurable worth, and they must be repeated regularly in
commemoration of Jesus by the community of believers.
Remembering at meal time. Meals are
a time for storytelling. When a family gathers around the dinner table
after a full day, the father has had one set of experiences, the mother
another, and each of the children have had their own. Everyone has
something to share about their day, especially whatever was most
important to them. It is a family remembering of the day. When the
relatives get together for a special occasion like a wedding or the
Fourth of July, whether they gather at a banquet table or a picnic
table, it is common to reminisce about the good old days and retell the
family tales. It is a collective remembering.
Remembering at Mass. Likewise, when
the Body of Christ, the Church, gathers together for Eucharist, it is a
time to remember. The remembrance takes place around a table, the
altar, and begins with the Liturgy of the Word, Scripture readings that
recall the marvelous works of God and retell the major events of
salvation history, all of which point to the Gospel, which brings to
mind all that Christ has done for us (The Catechism of the Catholic
Church, No. 1103). It is a spiritual trip down memory lane — a
remembering. The Mass continues with the Liturgy of the Eucharist,
which culminates with the consecration, the community’s remembrance of
the first Eucharist at the Last Supper.
Remembering at Mass continues. The
Memorial Acclamation comes immediately after the consecration, a
remembering that encompasses the entirety of time: “We proclaim your
death, O Lord” (the past), “and profess your Resurrection” (the
present), “until you come again” (the future). The Eucharistic Prayer
continues with the “anamnesis” which means “memorial,” and it
recollects the most significant events in the life of Jesus as well as
the Paschal Mystery. Eucharistic Prayer I resumes, “Therefore, O Lord,
as we celebrate the memorial of the blessed Passion, the Resurrection
from the dead, and the glorious Ascension into heaven of Christ, your
Son, our Lord,” or Eucharistic Prayer II says more succinctly,
“Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his death and
resurrection,” while Eucharistic Prayer III also includes the future
dimension, “As we look forward to his second coming.” The Mass fulfills
Jesus’ request at the Last Supper, “Do this in memory of me.”
FR JOSEPH PELLIGRINO:
To understand the miracle and mystery of communion, our starting point
must be that Jesus is Divine, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity.
He gives us who He is, Eternal Life. Our Founding Fathers, Washington,
Adams, Franklin, Jefferson, etc, gave us liberty, but they were not
liberty. Abraham Lincoln gave the slaves freedom, but he was not
freedom. But Jesus gave the Bread of the Eternal Life because He is the
Bread of Life. He is not just a great man. He is Divine. The Bread of
Life is Jesus, our Divine Sustenance. And we take Him into ourselves.
When we receive the Eucharist, we are united to Him, to each other and
to the whole Body of Christ…. This is Jesus who unites Himself to Us
with His Body and Blood. This is the Second Person of the Blessed
Trinity, the Eternal Son of the Father, who humbled Himself to become
one of us, to die for us, and then gave the gift of His Life and Death,
to us in the form to the Blessed Sacrament. This is Jesus whom we will
take into ourselves today when we receive communion.
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 26- "Brief Summary on Discernment"
19. As a blind man is an unskilled archer, so a
contradictory disciple is lost.
July 24, 2019
(Mat 7:24-27) Every one therefore that heareth these my words, and doth
them, shall be likened to a wise man that built his house upon a rock,
And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they
beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded on a rock.
And every one that heareth these my words and doth them not, shall be
like a foolish man that built his house upon the sand, And the rain
fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that
house, and it fell, and great was the fall thereof.
FATHER GEORGE RUTLER:
"Without recrimination or censoriousness, but just looking around at
the disastrous state of contemporary culture, logic can conclude that,
if all things hold together in Christ, without Christ all things fall
apart".
HLI: The LGBT Doctrine of Intolerance
OPINION: Tolkien, Christianity, and the State
THE CATHOLIC THING: What Can Unite Us Catholics?
Amidst our unfortunate and time-bound divisions as regards partisan
politics, I wonder whether it is possible to come up with a set of
fundamentals that all Catholics can agree upon. Here is my
attempt:
1. All the tenets of the Nicene Creed are true, without
reservation or equivocation. The Father is the Father, from whom
all fatherhood derives as from its originating fountain. It is no
mere customary name. Human fatherhood is merely analogical by
comparison. The Son is the co-eternal Word “through whom all
things were made.” The Holy Spirit proceeds co-eternally from the
Father and the Son. The Word was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and made man, to suffer and die for us, and for our sins, and he rose
again, as all flesh will rise again.
2. The words of Jesus are prescriptive forever. They are
never to be made merely relative to his place and time. When it
comes to God, faith, good and evil, and man and his destiny, we are
never to suppose that we know better than the Lord. For He is Our
Lord. He is not to be patronized or demoted to historical
greatness. He alone has “the words of everlasting life.”
3. It is not impossible that Christ, who has flocks we may not
know of, will save those who do not know they are being saved through
the agency of His Church. It is not, however, to be presumed in
the case of individuals or peoples. Evangelizing is
imperative. “Go forth,” says the Lord, “and make disciples of all
nations.”
4. The Lord has willed that we come to knowledge of Him by means
of other human beings in general, and by the Church specifically.
Therefore we must resist all temptations to place the words and example
of the Lord on one side, and the teachings of the apostles and of the
Church on the other, as if in opposition, or as if the letters of Saint
Paul or the other apostolic writers might be denigrated or ignored.
5. The Church’s teachings regarding sex, marriage, and family
life are true, salutary, and liberating. They are discoverable by
natural reason and by an unconstrained reading of Scripture and of the
words of the Lord Himself. Sins against them are destructive of
the person, the family, and the common good, and cause especially
serious harm, material, social, and spiritual, to children and to the
poor. Separation of husband from wife may in some cases be a
necessary evil, as the amputation of a gangrenous limb may be, but it
is nevertheless a great social evil even when it is morally permissible.
6. The command to assist the poor is absolute and personal.
Every Catholic must be engaged in it. Material poverty may be
first in the order of urgency, as a man dying of thirst needs a drink
of water before he needs a sermon. But as the soul is greater
than the body, so also moral, intellectual, and spiritual poverty is
more dreadful than material poverty, and these too we are commanded to
alleviate or remedy.
7. Human life is sacred. Innocent human life must never be
taken intentionally. That includes our own lives. We are
made in the image of God, and therefore, when we encounter any human
life, we are on holy ground: we stand in the light of one for whom God
made the world. Nor may we stand idly by while the sick and the
hungry need our care, for what we do to “the least of these,” the sick,
the dying, the homeless, the unborn child, we do to Christ Himself.
8. All that we possess comes from God and is meant to serve and
glorify Him. Our bodies are not our own to dispense with as we
please. Our material wealth is not our own to dispense with as we
please. That is a fact of our existence: we are creatures.
Such sinners as we are must never forget it, for we have been
“purchased at a price.”
9. As the Sabbath is the crown of the week, so all of our work
should be oriented toward the Sabbath, its joy and its rest, the glory
we give to God, and our coming together with other human beings for the
common good on earth and for a foretaste of the eternal good to
come. Work for work’s sake is a form of that spiritual
sluggishness known as acedia.
10. The world of remunerative labor should be organized so as to
provide gainful employment to able-bodied or able-minded men, with
wages sufficient to support their wives and children in a becoming
way. This does not mean that women do not work. It does
mean that the first aim of a just social policy regarding work and
wages is the health of the household, for that is what the very word
economy implies.
11. As the yeast leavens the whole of the dough, so the Catholic
faith should leaven every feature of the Catholic school: as to what is
taught, how it is taught, and who teaches it. Catholic teachers
must in their public lives be witnesses to the truths of the faith.
12. Worship is the solemn and joyful duty we owe to God.
All features of the Mass must be oriented ad Deum: Patrem et Filium et
Spiritum Sanctum. Worship that turns a congregation inward upon
itself is deficient at least, even when undertaken with good
intent. Mass must not be demoted to a social. “Seek first
the kingdom of God,” says the Lord. If we do not, we will be like
those who have little, “and even the little they have will be taken
away.” For man is that sort of creature who is united only from above:
our brotherhood depends upon our acknowledging the Fatherhood of God.
What about it, my fellow Catholics? Can we agree at least to these?
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 26- "Brief Summary on Discernment"
18. As too many sticks often choke a fire and put
it out, while making a lot of smoke, so excessive sorrow often makes the
soul smoky and dark, and dries the stream of tears.
July 22, 2019
(2Th 2:15-17) Therefore, brethren, stand fast: and hold the traditions,
which you have learned, whether by word or by our epistle. (2:15) Now
our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God and our Father, who hath loved
us and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope in grace,
(2:16) Exhort your hearts and confirm you in every good work and word.
BISHOP STRICKLAND:
The deposit of faith has not been guarded, instead it has been
fragmented & corrupted especially in the areas of marriage, family
& sexuality. I pray that bishops & all Catholics will
return anew to this font of revealed truth & pray for cleansing
& renewal in God’s life & grace.
CRISIS MAGAZINE: Our Lady of Good Success Speaks to Us Today
FR RICHARD HEILMAN: Jezebel Spirit in America? Elijah's Tactic on Mt. Carmel
NEWS REPORT: German churches lose 430,000 Catholic and Protestant members in 2018
Germany's Catholic Church lost
216,078 members and Protestant churches lost some 220,000 in 2018,
according to data published on Friday by the German Bishops' Conference
and the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD).
In total, around 23 million German
citizens are still members of the Catholic Church and 21.14 million are
members of the Protestant churches. The two groups account for
53.2% of the country's total population of over 83 million.
Hans Langendörfer, secretary of the German Bishops' Conference, described Friday's figures as a "worrying" statistic.
"Every departure hurts," said
Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, president of the EKD. "Since people
today, unlike in the past, decide out of freedom whether they want to
belong to the church, it is important for us today to make even clearer
why the Christian message is such a strong basis for life."
A study published by the University
of Freiburg in May concluded that the number of people belonging to
Germany's two main churches will drop by half by 2060.
The main reasons for declining
membership in the two churches include adults leaving the church, fewer
baptisms and an aging population, the researchers said.
The study predicted that the
combined membership in the two churches will drop from about 45 million
now to 34.8 million by 2035 and 22.7 million by 2060.
Although no statistics exist
regarding the reasons for the departures, surveys conducted by
officials in recent months suggest a connection to sexual abuse
scandals involving the Catholic Church.
MORE
Cardinal Gerhard Muller: ‘True Reform of the Church Is About Her Renewal in Christ’
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German Catholic Relief Agencies Fuel Synod’s Push for Change
DYNAMIC CATHOLIC:
The world needs changing. And yet we seem gripped by exasperation
and paralyzed by the false belief that we can't do anything about
it. The saints dispel that exasperation and inspire us to bold
action. They remind us over and over again: We can change the
world."
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 26- "Brief Summary on Discernment"
17. Dried up mire offers no attraction for swine,
and in exhausted flesh demons no longer find anywhere to rest.
July 19, 2019
(Psa 139:13-15)
For
thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast protected me from my mother's
womb. I will praise thee, for thou art fearfully magnified: wonderful
are thy works, and my soul knoweth right well. My bone is not hidden
from thee, which thou hast made in secret: and my substance in the
lower parts of the earth.
ALETEIA: In the trenches of New York City’s ongoing abortion war
HEADLINE: Planned Parenthood Fires CEO Leana Wen After 10 Months, Wants More Aggressive Pro-Abortion Leader
FATHER
PAVONE COMMENTS: "I am not at all surprised that Planned Parenthood
apparently wants to replace a leader who is a healthcare professional
with someone who is more aggressive politically. They pass themselves
off as a healthcare organization, but are instead a political machine
pumping tens of millions of dollars into races for radical Democrat
candidates who will protect the Planned Parenthood baby-killing agenda".
FRIDAY FAX: Trump Administration Rains on UN Abortion Parade
The celebration of the 25thanniversary of a landmark agreement that
enshrined abortion in UN policy, was dulled by the pro-life policies of
the Trump Administration this week.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made the announcement that over $30
million in funding would be withheld from the UN population agency for
the third year in a row as countries gathered in the General Assembly
Hall Tuesday morning for a special commemorative meeting of the 1994
International Conference on Population and Development held at Cairo.
The Cairo conference gives the UN agency its marching orders. It
famously included abortion in UN policy for the first time but declined
to recognize an international right to abortion.
The timing of Pompeo’s announcement could not have been clearer. The
current U.S. administration showed contempt for the UN population
agency, which openly partners with governments that carry out coercive
population control programs and which promotes abortion around the
world.
And the official U.S. statement at the General Assembly meeting
underscored the magnitude of U.S. bilateral support for maternal
health, family planning, and HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention. The
U.S. spends over $8 billion annually in these areas, more than eight
times the budged of the UN population agency and is the largest single
donor of bilateral assistance for health.
“We do not recognize abortion as a method of family planning, nor
support the provision, promotion, and referral of abortion in our
global health assistance,” said Austin Smith, Acting Representative of
the United States to the United Nations Economic and Social Council at
the General Assembly meeting.
During the same sparsely attended meeting the UN Secretary General
Antonio Guterres complained about the “backlash” to women’s rights
internationally. Countries from Europe and Latin America also
complained about attempts to rollback women’s rights internationally.
Shortly after Smith had made his statement in the General Assembly,
U.S. Secretary for Health and Human Services Alex Azar underscored the
pro-life work of his department to stop the United Nations from
promoting abortion, sometimes even coercively.
“It has become the norm at too many United Nations agencies to push
agendas often at odds with religious faith,” Azar said at the second
annual Ministerial Meeting to Advance Religious Freedom in Washington
D.C.
Azar denounced how small countries are “intimidated and browbeaten into
changing either their laws or their cultural or religious norms that
protect the unborn and the family.” “My Department has spearheaded
efforts to fight back,” Azar said proudly. He described efforts of his
department at the World Health Organization in May. The World Health
Organization is one of the many bodies that make up the UN system. His
staff brought together nine countries, representing over 1 billion
people, to pushback against UN abortion advocacy.
“Countries have a sovereign right to be respected on these sensitive, fundamental issues,” he underlined.
And it would seem that U.S. efforts are already bearing fruit. Abortion
was not a prominent topic of conversation at the General Assembly this
week. It only came up in a single group statement delivered by Ireland.
CATHOLIC HERALD: Why MPs are rushing to impose abortion on Northern Ireland
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 26- "Brief Summary on Discernment"
15. As a snake cannot strip itself of its old skin
unless it crawls into a tight hole, neither can we shed our old predispositions,
our oldness of soul and the garment of the old man unless we go by the
strait and narrow way of fasting and dishonour.
July 17, 2019
(Mar 11:25-26) And when you shall stand to pray, forgive, if you have
aught against any man: that your Father also, who is in heaven, may
forgive you your sins. But if you will not forgive, neither will your
father that is in heaven forgive you your sins.
PETER KREEFT:
Mercy is expressed in forgiveness. In the word “forgive” is the
word “give.” For forgiveness is not primarily an attitude or feeling,
but a gift, remitting of debt, and therefore it costs the giver
something. God’s forgiveness of human sin cost him dearly on
Calvary. Both justice and mercy were satisfied there.
SIGNS & WONDERS: Forgiveness Makes You Free: The Incredible Story of Fr. Ubald
CHICAGO CATHOLIC: Genocide survivor shares message of forgiveness with young adults
THE CATHOLIC THING: On Forgiveness by James V. Schall, S.J.
In a homily at Santa Marta, Pope Francis spoke of “forgiveness.” “God
always forgives! He never tires of forgiving. It is we who
tire of asking for forgiveness.” The Pope recalled the “how many times”
question of Scripture – the “seventy times seven.” He did not mention
the sin against the Holy Spirit that would not be forgiven. That
sin is usually interpreted to mean that the sinner who chooses himself
cannot be budged. It cannot be forgiven because it will not be
admitted.
Before forgiveness, the sin must be acknowledged. This
acknowledgment is what the priest has to hear and judge. Usually,
the promise to “sin no more” is presumed. If I confess my sins
but do not plan to change my ways, it is difficult to see what
forgiveness might mean. Thus, Francis adds: “If you have lived a
life of many sins, many bad things, but at the end contritely ask for
forgiveness, He forgives you, straight away. . . .We
need only to repent and ask for forgiveness.” That God the Father sent
His only Son into the world so that sins might be forgiven is at the
heart of Christianity. Virtually everyone knows from experience
that something is wrong in his human condition, something no one has
ever quite defined or fully eradicated. Some like to think that
the cause of this recurrent historical disorder is the very idea that a
man can do something wrong or evil. All we need to be perfect is
rid ourselves of the silly claim that good and evil exist.
Yet sin seems connected with our very condition. Christianity is
not new because men suddenly realized that they sinned. Rather,
they did not know what to do about the evils that they sent into the
world because of their sins. Evidently, not any way would
do. The forgiveness had to be placed in the hands of someone
authorized to forgive. No ordinary person possessed this capacity.
Of the billions of people who have lived on this planet, few have heard
of this forgiveness of sins that revelation postulates. Among
those who have heard of it, not many practice it. To cover this
situation, we talk of being sorrowful. God will forgive even if
we know nothing of the context of the sacrament on the forgiveness of
sin. Some would extrapolate this view to save everyone.
Others would suspect that, if everyone is forgiven, no matter what they
do, why bother being good? The good and the bad are equally
redeemed with or without the sacrament.
On Sunday, June 3, 1781, Boswell talked to Samuel Johnson about
original sin in “consequence of the fall of man, and the atonement made
by our Saviour.” Johnson asked Boswell to record these further
reflections: “With respect to original sin, the inquiry is not
necessary; for whatever is the nature of human corruption, men are
evidently and confessedly so corrupt, that all the laws of heaven and
earth are insufficient to restrain them from crimes.” Whether we agree
with this view or not, Johnson adds that all mankind has recognized the
problem and sought means to atone for sin by some sort of sacrifice.
“The great sacrifice for the sins of mankind was offered by the death
of the Messiah, who is called in Scripture: ‘The Lamb of God who taketh
away the sins of the world.’” Johnson continued. “To judge of the
reasonableness of the scheme of redemption, it must be considered as
necessary to the governance of the universe, that God should make known
his perpetual and irreconcilable detestation of moral evil.” One is
hard pressed to find anything more insightfully stated on what is at
stake in the reality of forgiveness.
Of particular interest in this passage of Johnson’s is not the emphasis
on God’s forgiveness but on the causes in the world itself, the
existence and detestation of moral evil. Put briefly, something
needs forgiveness. Moreover, no humanly concocted rite or
absolution is sufficient to accomplish this atonement. If the
Father forgives our sins, whatever they are, it is not because of any
remarkable gesture on our part. It begins with a real sacrifice,
a real “Saviour.” God might well have left us in our sins. That
He did not does not minimize their heinousness, but emphasizes
them. We live in a world that does not choose to admit that
anyone sins, that claims evils can be eradicated by technical,
economic, or psychological means.
The sticking point of the Father’s forgiveness is not on the side of
God, but on our side. The one sin that cannot be forgiven is the
one we insist on committing, the sin that says that we need not
acknowledge moral evils in our souls or in the encouragement that they
receive from our culture.
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 26- "Brief Summary on Discernment"
14. By means of things in the natural order, we
can be trained to a clear perception of all spiritual truths.
July 15, 2019
(Luk 10:33-34) But a certain
Samaritan, being on his journey, came near him: and seeing him, was
moved with compassion: And going up to him, bound up his wounds,
pouring in oil and wine: and setting him upon his own beast, brought
him to an inn and took care of him.
NEWS HEADLINE: Attack on a Syrian-Orthodox church in Qamishli. More than ten wounded
VIA A MOMENT WITH MARY: In Aleppo, the Christians can come back to pray Our Lady in her cathedral
With bells ringing, Syrian
believers in Aleppo celebrated the reopening of Our Lady's Cathedral
after a total reconstruction of the damage caused by terrorist attacks.
The patriarch of Antioch and All
East, Joseph Al Absi, said that the reopening of the church is a
symbolic indicator that Syria has regained its beauty and vitality.
It is a message to the world that
Syria continues and will continue to be the land of peace and love, he
added as part of the ceremonies that included a Mass and in which
representatives of the different Christian communities of Aleppo
participated.
The apostolic nuncio in Damascus,
Cardinal Mario Zenari, congratulated the Vatican for the reopening of
the cathedral and expressed his appreciation for the efforts made to
reopen it.
The restoration work included the
domes of the church and the roofs collapsed by terrorist sabotage,
using materials that follow the architectural principles of ancient
walls and roofs.
The Cathedral, located in the
district of Jadideh, was built in the sixteenth century, and is one of
the greatest symbols of Christianity in Syria.
ALETEIA: This charity is rebuilding the Catholic cathedrals of Aleppo, Syria
Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) is embarking on a program of
reconstruction and restoration in Aleppo, one of the Syrian cities that
suffered some of the heaviest fighting in the country’s civil war.
Among the seven projects for the physical reconstruction of the city
there are three involving Catholic cathedrals, namely the Armenian
Catholic, Maronite and Syriac Catholic cathedrals. They represent
the riches of the Eastern rites in Aleppo, while at the same time
symbolizing the Christian roots of the city.
“The churches are like lighthouses in the ocean; they are a source of
security and hope, [their repair and rebuilding] are but the first
steps towards encouraging the return of the uprooted Christians here—a
process ACN knows well, having been so involved in the reconstruction
of the towns and villages destroyed by ISIS in Iraq,” said Father
Andrzej Halemba, who heads the Middle East desk for ACN.
Last year, ACN also sponsored the reconstruction of the Melkite Catholic Cathedral in Homs.
MORE: After eight years of war, ACN continues to support Syria’s Christians with vital aid
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 26- "Brief Summary on Discernment"
13. The deer is a destroyer of all visible snakes,
but humility destroys spiritual ones.
July 12, 2019
(Gal 5:13-14)
For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty
for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all
the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyself.
CRISIS MAGAZINE: Religious Liberty: The Long View
CATHOLIC PHILLY: Religious freedom is basis of all other freedoms in U.S., cardinal says
EXCERPT ARCHBISHOP CHAPUT: Building A Culture of Religious Freedom
I want to talk today about
“building a culture of religious freedom.” So the question naturally
becomes: How do we do it? I think I can help us answer that. But I need
to offer a few preliminary thoughts.
Here’s my first point, and it’s
very simple. We’re mortal. We’re going to die. My father was a funeral
director, and I grew up in a home where death was something sacred, but
also a natural part of life. Obviously, life is a gift of God and
therefore precious, especially to the people who love us. We need to
protect it, preserve it, help it to flourish, and make it meaningful.
But for persons of faith, death
isn’t something to fear. God never abandons the people who love him. So
I’ve always found it odd that American culture spends such a huge
amount of energy ignoring death and distracting us from thinking about
it. Our time in this world is very limited; science can’t fix the
problem; and there’s no government bailout program. So our time
matters. And so does the way we use it. As all of the great saints
understood, thinking a little about our death can have a wonderfully
medicinal effect on human behavior.
The reason is obvious. If we
believe in an afterlife where we’re held accountable for our actions,
then that belief has very practical implications for our choices in
this world. Obviously, some people don’t believe in God or an
afterlife, and they need to act in a way that conforms to their
convictions. But that doesn’t absolve us from following ours.
For those of us who are Christians,
the trinity of virtues we call faith, hope, and charity should shape
everything we do, both privately and in our public lives. Faith in God
gives us hope in eternal life. Hope casts out fear and enables us to
trust in the future and to love. And the love of God and other human
persons—the virtue of charity—is the animating spirit of all
authentically Christian political action. By love, I don’t mean “love”
in a sentimental or indulgent sense, the kind that offers “tolerance”
as an alibi for inaction in the face of evil. I mean love in the
biblical sense: love with a heart of courage, love determined to build
justice in society and focused on the true good of the whole human
person, body and soul.
Human progress means more than
getting more stuff, more entitlements, and more personal license. Real
human progress always includes man’s spiritual nature. Real human
progress satisfies the human hunger for solidarity and communion. So
when our leaders and their slogans tell us to move “forward into the
future,” we need to take a very hard look at the road we’re on, where
“forward” leads, and whether it ennobles the human soul or just
aggravates our selfishness, our isolation, and our appetite for things.
What all this means for our public
life is this: Religious believers can live quite peacefully with the
separation of Church and state, so long as the arrangement translates
into real freedom of religion, and not the half-starved copy of the
real thing called “freedom of worship.” We can never accept a
separation of our religious faith and moral convictions from our public
ministries or our political engagement. It’s impossible. And even
trying to do so is evil because it forces us to live two different
lives, worshiping God at home and in our churches; and worshiping the
latest version of Caesar everywhere else. That turns our private
convictions into lies we tell to ourselves and to each other.
.................................
The America of memory is not the America of the present moment or the
emerging future. Sooner or later, a nation based on a degraded notion
of liberty, on license rather than real freedom—a nation of abortion,
sexual confusion, consumer greed, and indifference to immigrants and
the poor—will not be worthy of its founding ideals. And on that day, it
will have no claim on virtuous hearts.
But we can change that. Nothing about life is predetermined except the
victory of Jesus Christ. We create the future. We do it not just by our
actions, but by what we really believe, because what we believe shapes
the kind of people we are. In a way, “growing a culture of religious
freedom” should be the real theme. A culture is a living creature,
rooted in fertile, living soil that’s more than simply dirt. It grows
organically out of the authentic spirit of a people—how we live, what
we cherish, and what we’re willing to die for.
If we want a culture of religious freedom, we need to begin living that
culture here, today, and now. We live it by giving ourselves
wholeheartedly to God—by loving God with passion and joy, confidence
and courage, and by holding nothing back. God will take care of the
rest. Scripture says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who
build it labor in vain” (Ps 127:1). In the end, God is the builder.
We’re the living stones. The firmer our faith, the deeper our love, the
purer our zeal for God’s will—then the stronger the house of freedom
will be that rises in our own lives, and in the life of our nation.
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 26- "Brief Summary on Discernment"
12. Visible pride is cured by grim conditions,
but invisible pride can be healed only by Him who before the ages is invisible.
July 10, 2019
(Psa 59:1-2)
Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; and defend me from them that rise
up against me. Deliver me from them that work iniquity, and save me
from bloody men.
VATICAN NEWS: Catholic Bishops in Central African countries concerned about armed conflicts and Ebola
EXCERPT GATESTONE INSTITUTE REVIEW: Christians in Africa: "You have three days to go or you will be killed!"
With a
secularized Europe and a Middle East close to becoming emptied of
Christians, those jihadists who are obsessed with eradicating
Christianity understand that their current ideological battlefield is
in Africa. "By 2025, 50 percent of the (world's) Christian
population will be in Africa and Latin America", wrote the scholar
Philip Jenkins. The share of the world's Christians in
sub-Saharan Africa is expected grow from 24% in 2010 to 38% by
2050. That is why jihadists there are pursuing a horrific project
of religious cleansing.
"Christianity has literally 'gone
south', exploding demographically in the developing world and
augmenting ongoing sociopolitical turmoil in places such as West
Africa", the Pew Forum reports. Radical Islam wants to stop this
demographic movement, which Professor Philip Jenkins called "the
largest religious change of any kind that has ever occurred".
According to another report, in one
century the number of Muslims living in sub-Saharan Africa has
increased more than 20-fold, rising from 11 million in 1900 to 234
million in 2010. At the same time, the number of Christians has
grown 70-fold, rising from 7 million to 470 million. Sub-Saharan
Africa now is home to 21% of all the Christians in the world and 15% of
the world's Muslims. "Islamic extremism has two global centers of
gravity, one in the Arab Middle East, but the other is in sub-Saharan
Africa", researcher Ron Boyd-MacMillan noted in a report for Open Doors.
Every year, Open Doors lists the
world's 50 worst persecutors of Christians. The list include 14
African countries, called home to "extreme" or "very high" levels of
persecution: Algeria, the Central African Republic, Egypt, Eritrea,
Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria, Somalia,
Sudan, and Tunisia. Mali, for instance, went from no listing to
seventh place in just two years. In Kenya last year, Islamists
forced passengers of a bus to present their identification cards.
Then they separated Muslims and killed the two Christians.
Regrettably, the tragedy of these
massacres of Christians is directly proportional to the neglect with
which they are reported in the West. "One of the basic facts of
contemporary religious history is that Christians around the world are
persecuted on an extraordinary scale", Ross Douthat recently wrote in
The New York Times.
"Yet as an era-defining reality
rather than an episodic phenomenon this reality is barely visible in
the Western media, and rarely called by name and addressed head-on by
Western governments and humanitarian institutions.
('Islamophobia' looms large; talk of 'Christophobia' is almost
nonexistent.)"
Jihadists know a secret:
persecution works. Algeria -- the country of origin of some of
the Christian fathers such as Augustine of Hippo -- has become a
country that is 99.9% Muslim and where officially there are "no native
Christians". How many other countries will meet the same
fate? And will the West ever come to the help of their Christian
brethren?
PERSPECTIVE: We care for refugee children in Uganda. It’s really not that hard to do it with decency.
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Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 26- "Brief Summary on Discernment"
11. Silence and stillness are the foes of vainglory.
And if you are amongst people, seek dishonor.
July 8, 2019
(Rev 7:9-12) After this, I saw a great multitude, which no man could
number, of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing
before the throne and in sight of the Lamb, clothed with white robes,
and palms in their hands. And they cried with a loud voice, saying:
Salvation to our God, who sitteth upon the throne and to the Lamb. And
all the angels stood round about the throne and the ancients and the
four living creatures. And they fell down before the throne upon their
faces and adored God, Saying: Amen. Benediction and glory and wisdom
and thanksgiving, honour and power and strength, to our God, for ever
and ever. Amen.
VATICAN NEWS: A new saint for the Church and Fulton Sheen soon to be Blessed
SAINTS IN THE HEADLINES
Who is John Henry Newman, the British Cardinal to be made a Catholic saint
The First Black American Catholic Priest Is One Step Closer To Becoming A Saint
Florida Historian Helps Seek Catholic Sainthood for World War II Chaplain
FATHER JOSEPH ESPER: The Saintly Solution to Uncertainty
Discernment doesn’t mean choosing
between something morally right and something morally wrong; obviously
we must avoid anything sinful. Discernment involves deciding
between two or more courses of action that are morally good or at least
morally neutral.
The saints often had just as much
need for discernment as the rest of us do. Some of them found
that the Lord’s will for us is revealed by other people. In the
twelfth century, St. William of Vercelli wanted to make a
pilgrimage to Jerusalem, but his friend St. John of Matera
assured him that God had a different plan in mind. Ignoring John,
William set out, but soon afterward he was attacked by robbers.
Taking this as a sign that John was right after all, William returned
home to his true calling: living for a time as a hermit and later
becoming the abbot of a monastery.
God’s will for our life is
sometimes revealed very dramatically, but usually it’s made known in a
simpler, more ambiguous way. The fifth-century bishop St.
Hilary of Arles was torn between the possibility of a successful
worldly career, for which he was well-trained, and the possibility of a
religious vocation, which his friend and mentor St. Honoratus
strongly suggested. Writing later about this period of his life,
Hilary stated, “On the one side, I felt that the Lord was calling me,
while on the other hand, the seductions of the world held me
back. My will swayed backward and forward, now consenting, now
refusing. But at last Christ triumphed in me.” Having discovered
and accepted God’s will for him, St. Hilary gave his money to the
poor and followed his friend Honoratus into religious life.
Many of the saints had to choose
between several paths; their holiness lay not in having a direct line
to God, but in being completely open to doing His will once they had
discerned it.
Each of us is called to do the
Lord’s will, for as St. Ambrose says, “The will of God is the
measure of all things.” Moreover, St. Basil the Great tells us,
“It is the duty of those who are zealous for God’s good pleasure to
make inquiry as to what is right for them to do.”
According to St. Rose of Lima, “When God is consulted sincerely,
He gives a clear answer” — but in what form will this answer
come? St. John Vianney assures us, “God speaks to us
without ceasing by His good inspirations,” but it’s still necessary for
us to listen attentively. “In important matters especially,”
writes St. John of the Cross, “we must seek clear lights from
God. It happens often that we do not do the will of God, but our
own, since we don’t seek to know God’s will by much prayer, seeking
counsel, and much reflection.” Prayer is very important; as St.
Theophane Venard advised his younger brother, “Pray simply, humbly, and
fervently to know God’s will, and your path will be made clear.
Then you must follow the inspiration Divine Mercy puts into your heart.”
It is, of course, essential that we truly seek to do the Lord’s will,
instead of our own. But how do we know for sure what the Lord is
asking us to do?
This was a major concern of St. Ignatius of Loyola, one of the
great spiritual geniuses of history, so he created what he called a set
of “Rules for the Discernment of Spirits.” Very simply, Ignatius states
that if we receive a direct, unmistakable revelation from God as to His
will for us, we should obey as completely and wholeheartedly as
possible. Such a revelation, however, is relatively rare, and
usually we will be required to discern the proper course of action
using the abilities and gifts God has given us.
- Intellect. Analyze the situation logically. What are
the advantages and disadvantages of each course of action? Do the
advantages of one choice substantially outweigh the other
choices? Which decision seems best from a rational point of view?
- Feelings. What feelings, if any, are raised as you consider
each possibility? Is there a strong sense of desire or excitement
involved in one option (which may be an indication it should be chosen)
or a sense of dread or unhappiness over another (which may indicate
that this choice is not God’s will for you)?
- Imagination. If someone came to you for advice about the
situation you’re facing, what would you say or urge that person to
do? If you imagined yourself on your deathbed, looking back at
all the choices and actions of your lifetime and knowing that you’d
soon be reviewing them with God, what decision — from that perspective
— would you want to have made?
Ignatius warns that, once we’ve
prayerfully made our decision and offered it to God and feel a sense of
inner peace over the results, we may have second thoughts — in
particular, an experience of doubt, restlessness, anxiety, and
temptation, which he calls desolation (See also the chapter on
depression). Quite often this feeling is not from God, but from
the Devil, for it’s natural that Satan would try to dissuade and upset
us if we’ve made a choice that’s pleasing to God. Ignatius
stresses that we must never change our decision (or make our decision
in the first place) during an experience of desolation. Our
response to any doubts or second thoughts should be “Lord, if You want
me to change this decision, I will — but not now; I’ll do so only when
I feel completely at peace in Your presence.” When we’ve followed this
process honestly and humbly, we can be sure that God is pleased with us
and that the results will aid our growth in holiness.
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 26- "Brief Summary on Discernment"
10. Detachment from things of the senses is divine
vision of spiritual things.
July 3, 2019
(1Jn 1:8-9) If
we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not
in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, to forgive us
our sins and to cleanse us from all iniquity.
ANGELUS NEWS:
The Fourth Lateran Council (1215) imposed the obligation of annual
confession upon all the faithful. In doing so, the council also
confirmed the priest’s obligation to secrecy: “Let the priest
absolutely beware that he does not by word or sign or by any manner
whatever in any way betray the sinner. … For whoever shall dare
to reveal a sin disclosed to him in the tribunal of penance we decree
that he shall be not only deposed from the priestly office but that he
shall also be sent into the confinement of a monastery to do perpetual
penance.”
ARLINGTON CATHOLIC HERALD: Priestly martyrdom and the seal of confession
VATICAN NEWS: Seal of Confession always inviolable, despite civil law
The Apostolic Penitentiary released the “Note on the importance of the
internal forum and the inviolability of the Sacramental Seal” on Monday.
Approved for publication by Pope Francis on 21 June, the Note (written
in Italian) upholds the absolute inviolability of the Seal of
Confession, meaning that priests can never be forced to reveal what
they learn in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
“The inviolable secrecy of Confession derives directly from revealed
divine law and is rooted in the very nature of the sacrament, to the
point of admitting no exception in the ecclesial or, even less so, in
the civil sphere. In the celebration of the Sacrament of
Reconciliation, in fact, the very essence of Christianity itself and of
the Church is encapsulated: the Son of God became man to save us, and
He decided to involve the Church, as a “necessary instrument” in this
work of salvation, and, in her, those whom He has chosen, called, and
constituted as His ministers,” the Note reads.
Any political or legislative pressure to override this sacramental
seal, it continues, would be “an unacceptable offense” against the
Church’s freedom, which comes from God and not human institutions, and
would be “a violation of religious freedom”. “Violation of the
Seal would equal a violation of the poor person that is within the
sinner.”
Priests, the Note reads, should therefore defend the Seal of Confession
even to the point of shedding blood, both as an act of loyalty to the
penitent and as a witness – martyrium – to the unique and universal
salvation of Christ and the Church.
The Note also contests a “worrying ‘negative prejudice’ against the Catholic Church in society.
In an interview with Vatican Radio, Cardinal Piacenza said there is “an
unjustifiable pretense that the Church should, in some manner, conform
her juridical system to the civil laws of States where she operates… We
must work with [the State], in everything that is not the sacramental
forum.”
The goal in releasing the note, said Cardinal Piacenza, is “to instill
greater trust, especially in these times, in penitents who come to
confess themselves… and ultimately to advance the cause of the
sacrifice of Christ who came to take away the sins of the world.”
CATHOLIC PHILLY: They’ll go to jail or die rather than violate sacrament’s secrecy, priests say
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Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 26- "Brief Summary on Discernment"
9. Love of indignity is a cure for anger. Hymnody,
compassion and poverty are the suffocation of sorrow.
July 1,
2019
(Neh 8:10) And
he said to them: Go, eat fat meats, and drink sweet wine, and send
portions to them that have not prepared for themselves: because it is
the holy day of the Lord, and be not sad: for the joy of the Lord is
our strength.
PETER KREEFT:
Pleasure is in the body. Happiness is in the mind and
feelings. Joy is deep in the heart, the spirit, the center of the
self. The way to pleasure is power and prudence. The way to
happiness is moral goodness. The way to joy is sanctity, loving
God with your whole heart and your neighbor as yourself. Everyone
wants pleasure. More deeply, everyone wants happiness. Most
deeply, everyone wants joy.
EWTN: "You'd Better Not Pout" by Curtis A. Martin
FR. RUTLER'S WEEKLY COLUMN:
Among rare neurological disorders, the “pseudobulbar affect” is
manifested by uncontrolled laughter or crying. It can be treated
effectively in many cases with a combination of the drugs
dextromethorphan and quinidine. But there is another malady for
which the Food and Drug Administration has no cure, and that is the
habit of affecting emotions insincerely in order to manipulate
others. There is the habitual backslapper who uses laughter to
avoid serious conversation, often out of insecurity. There is
also the weeper whose tears flow to elicit sympathy.
A remarkable quality usually taken
for granted, is that humans can laugh and cry unlike other
creatures. “Risibility,” the ability to laugh or smile, is a
defining trait of humanity. The moral challenge is to identify
the right causes of happiness and sadness.
All sane, moral behavior has the pursuit of happiness as the goal of
life. Sadness is the recognition of what impedes that goal.
As long as we are in a broken world, happiness will be elusive to a
degree, and at best will be “felicitas,” which means real but
impermanent happiness.
Ancient Greeks, unlike their modern
descendants who are largely occupied these days with fixing their
economy, spent time studying human dispositions. They were good
psychologists. Their gods and goddesses were essentially symbols
of human characteristics. There were many deities who represented
varying attempts at happiness, although some of their philosophers,
like the Cynics and Stoics, did not think there was much of a chance at
felicity. There were, for instance: Bacchus – drinking; Hypnos –
drugs; Hermes – sports; Dionysius – partying; Aphrodite – sex; Tyche –
good luck; Hygieia – health; Thalia – comedy; Momus – silliness and
gossip; and Nemesis – revenge on enemies.
Saint Paul was familiar with that
ghostly pantheon and politely confronted their clients in Athens.
He did not mock or insult them. But he did declare to them that
he knew the one true God who is the source of all true joy and for
which those idols were lame substitutes:
Being then the children of God, we
ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or
stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. Therefore
having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men
that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day on
which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He
has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from
the dead. (Acts 17:29-31)
Most of the philosophers were
unmoved because they liked hearing themselves and none other. But
one of them, Dionysius, and a woman named Damaris, and “a number of
others” accepted Christ. Their stories are unrecorded, but as
Christ never lied, we know that they inherited a happiness higher than
felicitas, and that is beatitudo—the endless joy of God’s presence.
POPE FRANCIS:
“It is true, there are hard times, times of the cross, but nothing can
destroy the supernatural joy, which adapts, transforms and always
remains, that is born of the personal certainty of being infinitely
loved, beyond everything.”
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 26- "Brief Summary on Discernment"
8. Unflagging prayer is the ruin of despondency.
Remembrance of the judgment is a means of fervour.
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