Redux for Lent: Hanging by a Fingertip

When I was hired by the Fire Department. and went to training, I knew that I'd have to overcome my irrational fear of falling, because this kryptonite translated very easily into a fear of climbing ladders. I had to climb with gloves on my hands, in boots, wearing equipment that weighed me BACKWARDS, and of course, what if there wasn't someone there to butt the ladder? The ladder could fall. With me on it. And others.

Gulp.

This particular post isn't about ladders; in fact, it's about something that didn't scare me at first. Until I was literally holding on to my life by my very fingertips.

My first rappel was off of the 4th floor of the concrete training tower. While my friends observed that it appeared that this evolution scared me more than my nemesis, the roof ladder, I was actually fairly comfortable. However, I was shaking with effort...the rope we were using was very heavy, and I wasn't clearly understanding the laws of physics that went against my nature: such as:


Rule # 1  "Open your hand and let go of the rope so it will slide!"

Overall, my first rappel was a good experience. I was slow as I tried to get the hang of it (no pun intended), but fear wasn't really a part of the picture because I felt very in control. I'd tied the knot we are all depending upon (and tied it well!), and although there was no safety officer on belay (contrary to SOP's), all was under control.

My second rappel was different. This time, while our Deputy Chief of Training actually decided we did not "need" someone on belay because "nothing had ever happened before", the FD Safety Officer happened on scene and took up his post....just in time. Apparently he saw this situation as being a very bad thing and realized that if he didn't take over, well....

Aside:   (Thank God he arrived when he did...two cadets fell that day and would have been seriously injured or killed if the Safety Officer had not been on hand, on belay with the rope in his own hands!)  

And the Deputy Chief heard about it, believe me. (No one outranks the Safety Officer when it comes to safety issues!)

I remember standing at the foot of the tower that warm, cloudy afternoon, waiting for my turn at the evolution, to carry the pump can (85 unweildy lbs) up the 6 floors + to the roof of the tower, to rappel down wearing an SCBA face piece with the ambient air valve open, tanks on our backs, but not turned on, an axe dangling from the spanner belt on one side, the spanner wrench on the other. While I watched those who went before me, I saw two of them fall. The first fell a story and a half (about 15 feet) before her descent was slowed, then stopped. ALL of us reacted in horror to this event.

Soon it was my turn. I labored the pump can up to the roof and tied my knot to the anchor. My facepiece was fogging over, I was already tired and winded, and the ambient air valve is not made for this kind of labored respiration. If the tank was on and the facepiece operating as it was designed to do, there would have been no problem, although admittedly my tank would have been dry in very short order. As it was, every single one of us was hyperventilating not so much from exertion (although that was a factor) but from a lack of being able to draw a decent breath!  It was absolute Hell, and every firefighter ever in this kind of training can verify this.

So I tied my knot and went to the parapet, took up the rope, ran it through my D-ring and stepped over it - straight into thin air.


I started out decently, holding my right hand high, palm up.

But I hadn't calculated the weight of the rope, and I wasn't adept at dropping my upper body perpendicular to the wall; and so the rope seemed that much heavier. For those who are not familiar with what we called "life-safety rope", this is not some piece of twine. This was heavy-duty rope, and I was holding 6 stories' worth of it. It probably weighed as much or more than I did at that height. (Seemed like it, anyway!)

It was a combination of errors that got me into a precarious position. The first was my body position. I could not seem to get myself to follow the directions to get my head lower. Instead, I was trying to "muscle" it. Mind you, at that time, in training I was doing 20-25 lb bicep curls...but that was nothing in the face of trying to muscle a rappel. The rope should have been sliding through my hand, but I had a death-grip on it.

As I descended towards the 4th floor balcony, where I'd have to "invert" and swing inward, my hand was being pulled further and further toward my hip. I was losing the rope. Desperately, I tried to abduct my hand outward. I tried thrusting my body hard to my left, trying to scoot "up" the rope, while pulling hard with my right arm to get the rope into my hand and get my hand back up. It backfired. I still remember my face crashing against the cement wall, helmet clunking, the rope sliding through my hand, losing grip.

I was shaking. I couldn't see because my facepiece was fogged over. I'll never forget the sound of my breath wheezing in desperate hitches through the ambient air valve, which sounded like it was about to give out. I couldn't get air. I couldn't think. My Captain was screaming at me: "YOU'RE FINE!"

 That was the most useless thing he'd ever screamed.. And he liked to scream. He was a useless Captain. All we cadets suspected as much but this particular suspicion was confirmed when he yelled at me, "LET GO OF THE ROPE!"

That was the first and last time I ever yelled back at him. "NO!"

I was NOT going to let go of the rope. 

He ordered me to let go. I was NOT going to let go. Period.

All I could think about as my breath rasped in and out, as sweat ran into my eyes, as my fingers tried to curl bone around the rope,  was the hard cold pavement 4+ stories below me. I thought about my friend falling more than a story before being stopped. I wasn't sure who was on belay, if anyone. I couldn't trust that ANYONE was there.   And I thought about my fear. Here I was, dangling high above the ground, facing my most terrifying fear become reality.

 I was going to fall.

You may think I'm exaggerating the situation. I'm not. This is NOT hyperbole; it's EXACTLY what happened that day.

I was flat against the cement wall. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't see, and all I could hear was my Captain screaming at me to give up and let go.

 Don't use the argument that he was using "reverse psychology"; he wasn't. This guy was not fit to be a Captain, and only did it for the power trip. He was NOT well respected even among his own ranks...not as a firefighter, and certainly not as a Captain. (This is a fact).  And he'd already written me off, even before that day.

It does NOT help, when facing your worst nightmare, that the one guy who's supposed to be in your corner shouting helpful advice is instead leading the cheer for your destruction.

I still had the rope in a deathgrip. It was a fist-length away from my butt. (Not to be gross; it's just to convey where the rope was, and it's NOT the same thing as "hip". Ask a climber.)

Somehow, I managed to ignore my Captain's screaming....he was at that point screaming from the 4th floor balcony, just below me. I would have given him "The Finger" if I had one to spare. I'm thankful now that I did not, it being occupied with keeping me from splattering to the ground.

All I really knew was this: Very simply stated, I resolved only ONE thing: I was NOT. GOING. TO. FALL

There, in the cacaphony of the moment, was a snapshot of clarity; I had to make a decision. I envisioned falling, all that could happen, "good" or bad. None of the options was acceptable. I considered; "What if this is for real? What if there is no one on belay?"   (Remember in reality...I WASN'T sure there was someone on belay.)

This was about survival, and even if my dimwit Captain didn't see it, I did. I couldn't give up. In Law Enforcement training, they taught us that no matter how severe the injury, how intense the pain, how futile the situation....SURVIVE. I'd lived through thier courses, the raids, the tear gas, CS gas, and pepper spray straight to the eyes...twice. I was NOT going to let go of the rope. It was a very conscious decision in a time of panic.

Slowly, I managed to place my feet back against the wall and "walked" upwards, trying to take the weight off the rope. As I did this, the rope slid ever further, until it was only the pressure of the two first fingers of my  thickly-gloved right hand, pressed against the lower portion of my thigh. that kept me suspended.

It was agony. Every single muscle was shaking. I was crying, both from fear and the agony of trying to survive. From the punishment of the words of my Captain who clearly wanted me dead.  From the pain of my breath rasping harshly in my throat. From the frustration of not being able to see.

From the fear I was about to fall to my death to the great rejoicing of the one guy who was supposed to be on my side..but obviously wasn't.

I was not much of a Catholic at the time, but I was trying, and I had always believed in Guardian Angels. In that moment, I said a prayer to my Guardian Angel for help, but nothing happened. I asked God for mercy, and begged for help. I just wanted the rope back in my hand. That was all.

Carefully, I began to wiggle the tip of my finger, trying to work the rope back towards my palm. My Captain was still screaming at me to let go and give it up. I ignored him. He was an ass.

I slid again...and the rope was back where it had been. So I rocked to my left again and worked my fingers against the rope. My entire weight was suspended on one finger. Just one finger.  One leather-gloved finger.

Not giving up.

Slowly, the rope worked into my palm as I fought my fear to try to follow useful directions now being given by one of the other Captains, who had taken over my direction in that crisis as he was not interested in seeing me crash. My own Captain was pouting silently at this point. (I have a cartoon image in my mind of this Captain being bound and gagged by my Guardian Angel).

Somehow, the rope was back in my palm, and as I had descended, the rope had gotten lighter. It was time to invert at the 4th floor balcony. I inverted, swung inward...and found the rope sliding exactly where I wanted it. I was still shaking and panting with effort, the rope was heavy, but the remainder of the rappel went smoothly until I finally stepped off the wall and onto the cement apron.

Life in Defiance of Willed Destruction 

When I think about that day, I can still feel the rope in my hand, I can still see the pavement below me, and I can still hear my Captain shouting at me. But none of it matters; because on that day, I made a very conscious decision NOT to give up. I made a decision for survival and for life, even though the loudest voice was crying for destruction. Somewhere, in that maelstrom, I found God, I found trust, and I found a spine I didn't know I had.

Oddly enough, I look back on that moment of time with immense affection. Although it was a time of great suffering, it was, ultimately, a great triumph. Even though it might not seem very noteworthy to most people, it meant a great deal to me, and I pray I will never forget what it was like to know that all was lost...and then find the rope back in my palm again, refusing to give up - no matter what.

I just wish I had that kind of spine and discipline in my spiritual life.

*
Lent, 2010:  I'm still looking for the same kind of survival instinct in my spiritual life. But because I know I had it then, it encourages me now, I hope it is there for you, too, even if that proverbial rope is teasing the last bit of skin of your fingertips......


Don't give up. Don't ever give up, no matter WHO is screaming at you to let go...hold fast and keep trying!  
*

Idiocy

I'm nearing the end (I hope) of a very self-destructive week so I'm just going to keep going because at this point I have nothing to lose and don't really care:

This week a local newspaper ran an article about the planning sessions being held by the Archdiocese. I am not going to link to the article.

The article itself started off with a bad opening line, went into a basic summary of some issues faced by the local Catholic diocese, and then, if one desired, one could read the multitude of vile hatred spewed by asinine ignoramuses who aren't Catholic, who hate the Church without any factual reason for doing so, and who clearly hate anyone who professes the Catholic Faith.

As usual, several vile, ignorant, and hateful commenters trot out the abuse scandals, accuse the Vatican of withholding "wealth" and all sorts of other baseless charges leveled against the Church.

To my fellow Catholics:

The world hates us. But it hated Christ before us. Why should WE be any different?

But some of those vile, hatred-spewing idiots are unfortunately alleged "ex-Catholics", and instead of being part of the solution, they're advancing warfare against their own Mother.

We shouldn't be so surprised. People are fickle.

My fellow Catholics, if you have left the Church or are trying to leave the Church because of a few bad men, I hope you look deep into your own souls and realize you're just as evil and flawed. Who do you think you ARE, leaving the rest of the Mystical Body of Christ? What a yellow streak you have, you COWARDS! What happened to your Baptismal promises, to your Confirmation?

Or didn't you ever MEAN what you said? To you parents who had your children Baptized...didn't you MEAN it when you made those baptismal promises on behalf of your child? And now you're going to tear your children away from Jesus and take them into what, a garbage dump? Where else is there to go?

Isn't receiving OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity ENOUGH for you?

If you leave the Catholic Church because people are fallable, then you were NEVER Catholic to begin with! We aren't Catholic for our faith in Men, but for our Faith in God. And DAMMIT we are a FAMILY and you are a part of it! You do NOT get to leave your family, no matter how much your family sucks!

Blood binds, and you, Catholics, are bound by Blood, by Water, and by Oil. You don't get to leave. You can run and you think you can hide, but you'll be back because there is an indelible mark upon your soul. And you're only this angry because you feel so betrayed.

Do you think you're the only person in history who has ever been betrayed...by MAN? You haven't been betrayed by GOD, but by MAN, and MAN is fallible!

Get over yourself and focus on Our Lord who DIED for you and gave you the incredible privilege of calling you into the Catholic Church!

Our ancestors DIED for our Faith! When St. Ignatius of Antioch was eaten by lions, Catholics, average men, women, and children, who had been hiding in terror stood up and proclaimed their Christian Faith. They were all mercilessly slaughtered at the hands of pagan rulers and their henchmen. They didn't die for a lie.

And yet, you so-called "ex-Catholics" or "former-Catholics" are fleeing INTO the lies! And propagating them!

WHY are you persecuting Christ?

If our parishes close, it's YOUR own damn fault.

I'm first to admit I haven't done my part. I haven't supported my parish enough. Neither have YOU.

But there's one reason parishes are closing and I can't claim to be a part of that particular problem. Read on.....

The vile ignoramuses that comment all over secular news articles mentioning the Church keep crying that the Church is dying, the Catholic Church needs to "get with the program" or she will disappear. They say the Church is irrelevant to our age.

The vultures, clearly, are circling, but apparently they haven't read ahead; the Church will NEVER die.

The only death to be found is OUTSIDE the Church.

We see this in our modern society. Have you noticed the rate at which public schools are closing? In my county alone, my DISTRICT alone, I think, are 6 or 8 schools closing and merging.

I don't see anyone out there crying out that the American Government is dying. That's really interesting, because there are a HELL of a lot more public schools closing than there are Catholic parishes.

The reality is that both public schools and Catholic schools/parishes are actually closing for the same reason: low birth rates. Low birth rates is equal to fewer people growing up, getting jobs, paying taxes, and contributing to their parishes and other public services.

What causes low birth rates in a wealthy society such as ours?

Let's think about it..hmm.... Oh! Right! Contraception! Abortion! People, our population is IMPLODING! And NO ONE wants to acknowledge the elephant in the room. The biggest sex scandal of our time has NOTHING to do with a few perverted priests, but rather the perverted view of sex that makes people think children aren't the purpose and natural end of the sexual act!

The greatest perversion, the greatest scandal in our society is the slaughter of our unborn, and the very prevention of their lives through contraception!

But parishes are closing for more than THAT reason; greed and laziness are factors, too.

If your parish closes, it's because there aren't enough people to actually foot the bills. My guess is that there aren't enough people willing to volunteer their time to make things happen, either. I work in a parish that's doing ok, even in these times, although as it is for everyone everywhere, things are tight. Only a small percentage of the parish does ANYTHING to actually help. People arrive, they expect services they receive for free, they complain about any fees they are charged for things like religious education, never contribute to the Offertory at all, and then moan and complain that the Church isn't doing enough to help the poor, or themselves, or whatever their pet project happens to be.

HEL-LO! The Church's job is to DISTRIBUTE and ADMINISTRATE what YOU give to the poor! The POOR are YOUR problem! The people in the Church who actually keep those books take your donations and distribute them according to need and among the many different programs that require money to do things like purchase food for the poor!

And never mind the parish staff, who can't pay their own damn bills! You know why? Because YOU don't contribute enough for that, either!

What...you really think all a parish does is done for free? Maybe it could be if more of you would step up to the plate and offer your time, abilities, and expertise!

This isn't a Catholic problem.

I've spoken with people from MANY different religions, and they see the same problems, and the same causes. As it turns, out, shockingly, people are the same everywhere.

It seems to me, thought, that unfortunately, "Catholics" are the biggest whiners, especially those who actually don't know their faith at all and would rather spend time attacking it. The people who do the LEAST tend to complain the MOST when things don't go their way, and simply are at a loss when a parish they never contributed a DIME to suddenly closes. Suddenly it's someone else's fault. Let's blame it on the Vatican.

My fellow Catholics, the problems we face in the Church today are OURS. Let's take responsibility for our own failings, whether our failings belong to contraception, abortion, greediness (on our own personal part!), laziness, or anything else.

God did NOT send Christ into the world so that we could sit at His feet and whine about how no one is taking care of us and some of our spiritual leaders are sinners.

Last time I checked, Jesus died horribly for us each, individually. He called us EACH into His Body and expected we'd all contribute in some way. In fact, He sent the Holy Spirit to EMPOWER us to take Him into the world, but you know what? We suck at it, and it's because we're rejecting Him. We're sending the Holy Spirit away because we want to revel in comfort and let someone else do the heavy lifting.

Showing up for Sunday Mass once in awhile is not a "contribution". It's pathetic. Stop saying you're "contributing" or that you're "Catholic" if you haven't bothered to darken the door of a Catholic Church in decades. Stop claiming to be Catholic if your income doesn't do anything to help the Church because you refuse to offer it. Stop complaining there isn't anything in the Church for you if you're not willing to get off your fat, pampered lazy duff and offer your talents and ideas and abilities. Stop thinking that meeting the minimal premises of our Faith (which you probably can't even list) is enough.

We are not called to mediocrity, but to glory. And yes, that means YOU!

Catholics, remember who you are, who you were called to be, and in the words of St. Leo the Great, remember your dignity!

Even those of you who have fallen away...the Church needs YOU! Stop fighting so hard, suck it up, and just come back! What, you think you're the only one who has ever sinned?

Have you not read my blog? Sheesh!

I'm tired. I'm going to bed. I don't really care what the rest of you do, but the Church belongs to God. I'm in Sales and I suck at it. If you have a problem with anything I said here, take it up with Management. That would be God.

He can be reached by saying the following:

O God, Come to my Assistance. Lord, Make haste to help me.

Glory be to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, As it was in the beginning is now and will be forever, Amen.....

Sacred Mysteries

Today somone on Twitter raised a question arising from today's Divine Office reading, taken from Origen's homily on Joshua. She thought he was talking about salvation being limited to a certain few, wheras he is actually speaking in the context of the Sacraments, ie "Sacred Mysteries."

I'm going to quote a larger passage, not a "twitterable" one, so as to give better context which will aid in our understanding. (Words in bold were the passage being questioned.)

From Origen's Homily on Joshua:

"You have recently abandoned the darkness of idolatry, and you now desire to come and hear the divine law. This is your departure fro mEgypt. When you became a catechumen and began to obey the laws of the Church, you passed through the Red Sea; now at the various stops in the desert, you give time every day to hear the law of God and to see the face of Moses unveiled by the glory of God. But once you come to the baptismal font and, in the presence of the priests and deacons, are initiated into those sacred and august mysteries which only those know who should, then, through the ministry of the priests, you will cross the Jordan and enter the promised land. There Moses will hand you over to Jesus, and he himself will be your guide on your new journey."

There is actually a great deal of theology in this passage, and a great deal of history being alluded to which was relevant to Origin's audience. Thus I'd like to first point out that the overall context of the homily seems to indicate that those hearing it were converts from Judaism. In it, Origin is referring to their history, familiarity with Moses, the Red Sea, the Ark of the Covenant, etc. (I did not quote the entire reading for today). Had he been speaking to gentile converts, he would have had to explain these things as opposed to bringing them into the present and into the Christian understanding.

Now, as far as the text that the individual questioned, it seems clear to me that Origin is discussing the Sacraments. He refers to "initiation", and we refer to Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Communion as the "sacraments of initiation". At that time, I believe catechumens received all three Sacraments at the same time.

If you read the passage again, it discusses the presence of priests and deacons, and specifically, that they are admitted to these mysteries through the ministry of the priests. This indicates the reception of Sacraments, as well as presence at the Paschal Mystery (e.g. the Mass)

What many do not understand is that Mass was not always so accessable to people. Recall that in the Early Church, Christians were greatly persecuted. All week in the Divine Office we've been reading about St. Ignatius; he was paraded to Rome in captivity to face his martyrdom, and in the process wrote something like 15 letters to those in his care. When he reached Rome, he was fed to the lions, and many other Christians, people like you and I, (from children to the elderly) also stood up and identified themselves publicly as Christians, and were ALSO sent to the lions.

It doesn't surprise me, then, that this reading follows, for the persecution of our ancestors was not the lame and cowardly persecutions we face today (at least, in America). Wheras we risk and suffer ridicule and maybe political "attack" in our countries, for them it was a crime to be Christian, and to publicly admit the affiliation was an automatic death sentence. A very torturous death, done for the entertainment of the pagan masses.

So it was that, in the Early Church, Mass was a secret meeting. The priests consecrated the bread and wine into the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ. They spoke of eating His flesh and drinking His blood, and yes, they did this quite seriously. St. Ignatius of Antioch, St. Clement of Rome, St. Irenaeus, St. Justin Martyr, St. Cyril, among others, all spoke of this Mystery (which today we call the Paschal Mystery).

There, deep in history, the rumor mill was just as active as it is today, even without benefit of the internet. The pagans, and others, sincerely believed the Christians were cannibals, and that they were meeting in secret in order to do their grisly and immoral deeds. Christians were hated and feared.

It was for this reason (among others) that St. Justin Martyr wrote Apologia, in an attempt to defend the Church, respond to the attacks, and put the rumors to rest.

At that time in history, strangers were not admitted to Mass. Catechumens (the non-baptized being instructed in the Christian faith, a term still used today) were barred from attendance until, for approximately three years, they had completed their instruction, had truly converted, and were ready to be admitted to the Mysteries. (To be specific, they were admitted to the Liturgy of the Word, ie the penitential rite, collect, Gloria, scripture readings, and the Homily, and were dismissed after this.)

St. Justin Martyr, in his 1st Apology, wrote about this practice:

No one may share the Eucharist with us unless he believes that what we teach is true, unless he is washed in the regenerating waters of baptism for the remission of his sins, and unless he lives in accordance with the principles given us by Christ.

We do not consume the eucharistic bread and wine as if it were ordinary food and drink, for we have been taught that as Jesus Christ our Savior became a man of flesh and blood by the power of the Word of God, so also the food that our flesh and blood assimilates for its nourishment becomes the flesh and blood of the incarnate Jesus by the power of his own words contained in the prayer of thanksgiving.

He explains here why others were not admitted to these mysteries, raising the demand of a conversion of life, of intent, of proving their ability to live "in accordance with the principles given us by Christ."

Those who became Christians then, through the Sacraments of initiation, knew what they were getting into. They were willing to die for it, and they were everyday witnesses to exactly what kind of death awaited them.

They were not willing to die for a lie, for a "mystery" that turned out to have been written by an early Dan Brown hack. When they were finally, at long last, admitted to the Church and initiated into those Mysteries, they knew what they were receiving, the importance of it, the sacredness, and the reality that this was going to cost them. They had to first die to themselves in order to risk dying for the Faith of Jesus Christ.

Salvation

Now, there was also the question of salvation, and I won't go into detail on this, but I can focus on some very simple beliefs.

We believe that baptism is NECESSARY for Salvation, and that no one enters heaven but through Jesus Christ. His suffering and death was for the remission of sin, paid the ransom owed, rendering Divine Justice through His perfect act of Mercy. But we must be baptized, the stain of original sin erased, and through this Sacrament, we enter the Church.

As Catholics, we recognize that Confirmation and Holy Communion complete our initiation into the Church, each Sunday we profess our Faith, and continue to live the sacramental life of the Church, even if it means that we receive the Sacrament of Confession daily if necessary! Even we who have been initiated are not admitted freely to the Sacrament of Holy Communion if we are in a state of mortal sin!

So, yes, Origin is ALSO speaking of salvation in this homily, but by no means is giving a discourse on that (no more than I am in this post!). His main point is the necessity and importance of the sacramental life, instruction in the relevence (and revelation!) of these mysteries for those upon whom the chrism oil still drips from their foreheads.

Today

Anyone can attend Mass today, no matter what their faith, and no matter how much they reject our beliefs. All are admitted. Yet, they cannot participate in the sacred mysteries that are the Sacraments; if they have not been instructed or reject those beliefs, they cannot be admitted for they are not in union with the Church.

I would argue that the early preparation given to the catechumens of that age probably better served to reveal the importance of the sacraments and the holiness of the Mass, far more so than the current (and typical) RCIA models do. Do I think we should make a return to what they had to do in the first centuries? Perhaps not; what was proper then might not be proper now, although I suspect that in places like India, the Sudan, and Saudia Arabia, this probably IS a more likely practice than that which we have here in America.

Persecution and suffering tends to impress upon those affected the holiness and grace of God far more than we butter-fed prosperous countries can muster on even our worst of days.

Something for us all to consider as we enter into perhaps the only season of "persecution" many of us have ever known.

Disclaimer:

I'm not overly familiar with early Church history as it applies to the Mass and Sacraments, so tried to keep my comments general. It's entirely possible that I erred in some of my statements, and so this post should not be taken as gospel fact. I would encourage anyone reading this to read formal documentation of this history, and definitely click on the link to St. Justin Martyr's 1st Apology.

Further, it's not intended to be a complete discourse on St. Justin Martyr or any of the other listed Saints, only a general explanation. I am not an expert in anything.

Another great resource is Rod Bennett's Four Witnesses; the Early Church in Her Own Words , available from Ignatius Press. I've read this book and cannot recommend it highly enough, especially for those who are unfamiliar with the Church Fathers and life in the Early Church.

Separation of Church and State

It's really not shocking that in the state of Connecticut the Legislature is proposing a bill that imposes the state's control over the finances of Catholic parishes. This is a bill that SINGLES OUT the "Roman Catholic Church".  

It's not shocking at all. Because we live in opposite-world, here in America, where "Separation of Church and State", a clause which is cited as being a part of our Constitution but ISN'T THERE actually means that the Church can't speak up in defense of life or marriage, but apparently DOES mean that the State can insert itself into our own hierarchy and affairs. 

This bill is VERY dangerous; it separates the parishes from the bishop. It takes the authority away from the Pastor and puts it in the hands of state-approved "trustees".  Sound familiar?

China, anyone?  Anyone?  Connecticut will be the first state to enter into full-fledged communism, and their first victim, as usual, is the Catholic Church.  Why?  Because the Church is a threat to the regime.  How?  Because the Church stands for Truth, morality, and TRANSCENDS any earthly government.  Because we are Catholic first and American second and as a sovereign entity we are NOT subject to earthly authority and CANNOT be controlled by any government.  

Canonically, [According to Canon Law, the internal legal system of the Church] the Pastor is the person with executive authority in the parish;  he is required to LISTEN to his parish council, but is under no obligation to follow what they recommend;  the Pastor has the authority of the Church, under his Bishop.  

The State is trying to change this;  and wants to place the financial affairs of the Church into the hands of the laity, completely contrary to Canon Law and Divine Law.   Mind you...the State has NO RIGHT to enter into the Church's affairs!  

Here is the wording of the First Amendment which allegedly gives us "freedom of religion", one of the main premises upon which this country was formed: 

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Here's what shocks me...that NO ONE is picking up this story!  I read it yesterday, and have YET to see  it on other blogs even by this evening!  (with the exception of one)  It seems this story is remaining with news sources, but is not being picked up by the larger Catholic public...where it NEEDS to be!  

People...if this law passes in Connecticut, it will be introduced into other states.  Your diocese could be next. Maybe similar bills are already in the works in your own state.  

If you are not Catholic...beware!  They'll come after you next, and my prediction is that it'll be our Evangelical brothers and sisters, who are as outspoken in defense of human life and the sanctity of marriage as we are.  

For more information, visit the web page of the Diocese of Bridgeport, CT, take a look at the video as the Bishop explains what is at stake.  You can also read a summary below the video. 

You can read the chilling and Communist China-like language of the proposed bill here. 

My fellow Americans, our religious freedoms are at stake.  Under the First Amendment, the Government does NOT have the right to infringe upon the financial affairs of ANY religion.  However, we have a legal system which is based upon interpretation, a mix of positive law and social contract.  Basically, that means that the law can be interpreted at the whim of our dominant Judicial wing and the set precedent reigns supreme.  Our laws are not read according to the letter of the law, but according to a faulty philosophy which renders the original language powerless. 

We don't all have the right to vote in Connecticut, but we DO have the ability to pray.  I don't care about your religious affiliation; what I care about is that although we are being targeted, it won't end with us.  If this bill passes, the government will take control over every church community possible...just like China.  Oh, sure, they'll "allow" a Catholic Church to exist, and "tolerate" us, but only if we preach what they approve. 

If we are truly faithful, we'll be underground, and we'll officially be criminals.  

My friends...pray.  Watch what happens in that state, and be prepared for it to happen in your own. 

This proposed bill is an OUTRAGEOUS violation of our First Amendment protections and we CANNOT allow it to pass!  Voters in Connecticut, contact your legislators and judiciary committee members.  DEMAND that this bill be shut down!

ALL of us need to be certain that a new precident is NOT set! 

Even those of you who do not follow a particular religion must recognize the outright and objective violation of our civil rights.  PLEASE make your displeasure known to your elected representatives! 

UPDATE! 3/10/09 ======>> The Anti-Catholic bill has been PULLED!

The sad news is that it was advanced by Tom Gallagher, a contributor to left-wing unfaithful National "Catholic" Register, and by Voice of the Faithful. ALL of whom, including the 2 legislators, Rep. Michael Lawlor and Sen. Andrew McDonald, underestimated the average Catholic! Enjoy your walk of shame, folks!

The Culture of Lukewarm

There's a phenomena that is very disturbing to me, and it SHOULD be disturbing to us all.

This morning, when Mass ended, as soon as Father walked by, a woman sitting a few rows up and across the aisle from me glanced over her shoulder, just waiting...and surely enough, she and her daughter darted from the pew, not even bothering to bow or even genuflect. And once this began, it continued, more and more people leaving Mass as quickly as they could, not even seeming to realize that the King of Kings was present, not giving Him another thought.

Maybe it's unfair for me to assume they don't know He is present, but then again; we tend to pay attention to those things we think are important. Is it fair to suggest, that, given the lack of reverence, perhaps people don't realize that Christ is Truly Present in the tabernacle? I won't say it's a deliberate snub towards Our Lord; the behavior of all too many Sunday-Mass-attending Catholics simply unfortunately suggests that if they have any faith at all, it is lukewarm and it is something they do not understand.

I say this because even a small understanding of what happens at Mass and WHOM is present is a life-changing realization, and the first thing we tend to do once we realize that Jesus is really there is to do things outwardly as a signal of what has gone on inside of us. As in genuflect, or bow, or make the sign of the cross. It may be small, and doing this might make us feel weird if we have had this conversion experience; for we might wonder what our friends or family will think of us if we suddenly realize that we've been ignoring Christ and experience even a small change in behavior that signals an even greater change in our hearts.

But, I have learned, it's not easy to be Catholic, even in a Catholic church! Those who actively pursue holiness are often regarded as being "odd" or "a fanatic" or even "holier-than-thou", a catch-all phrase that encompasses all the disdain and disrespect in the world. God forbid that someone receive that ultimate insult!

It is for this reason I question why people don't genuflect; is it that they don't believe or don't understand, or is it that they are afraid of being seen as "holier-than-thou"?

I suspect that the answer leans more towards the former, although I'm certain there are a great number of Catholics afraid to practice their faith outwardly, completely suppressed by the culture of secularism that surrounds them and tells them (and all of us!) that "faith is personal".

Yes, faith IS personal...and it is also social. For if the social aspect isn't expressed, then faith dies from simple disobediece to Our Lord's commission to us all....to spread the gospel. If we're afraid to even genuflect because of what other Catholics might call us, then how can we possibly take the next step and be willing to verbally proclaim Christ in even the most mundane ways?

We have a problem in the Church, and the problem comes from within, thanks to pressure from without. I learned a harsh lesson last fall, when giving a talk to people who claim to be good Catholics; "good Catholics" become VERY agitated VERY quickly when in a Catholic Church being provided with Catholic teaching by another Catholic. There is a VERY dangerous culture even within the Church that suggests that those who dare to believe what the Church teaches and follow what has always been true, and even worse, to PROCLAIM it, that those people must be silenced as quickly as possible.

The culture of the lukewarm is in charge. The "lukewarm" are those who claim to be "good Catholics" because they attend Mass "most Sundays and some Holy Days if convenient", send their children to Catholic school, support the school and church sometimes and if it's fun (and convenient socially!), but pick and choose what they want to believe. Because of their high status as "church-going Catholics" they also get to sit in judgment and gossip over those Catholics who spend more time working hard to BE Catholic as opposed to talking about or thinking about what good Catholics they are.

The Lukewarm Catholics are those who work hard to suppress any good Catholic teaching, for they have become comforted by the secular status-quo; if someone or something calls to their attention that they have to do more than just show up when they feel like it, they can't bear the discomfort. And, as it is natural to seek to escape that which causes pain, they first try to deny the Truth. When they can't deny it, they attack the messenger; for that messenger MUST be quashed! They seek to discredit, to villify, and will go so far as to outright lie about what was said and how it was said.

For, you see, the culture of lukewarmness must be preserved at all costs!

In reality, most Lukewarm Catholics aren't so vile; most simply disregard those things with which they have chosen to disagree, and refuse to be affected by what happens at Mass. They can't be bothered to sign up for Adoration, for...why would they? What a waste of time! To sit for an hour in the chapel in front of the Blessed Sacrament? That's for religious and fanatics!

And so they go about their lives, not even considering that they should be genuflecting when they arrive at Mass and when they leave...for they don't even realize Jesus is Present. They don't go to Confession because they think Vatican II "did away" with the sacrament.

There is only one way to TRULY fight the culture of lukewarmness...be unabashadly Catholic. Genuflect. Make the Sign of the Cross. Go to Confession...frequently. Let Christ into your life and your soul, and let Him change you. Quit worrying about what anyone else thinks...if they have a problem with YOUR seeking holiness, they truly only have a problem with a lack of their own. Ignore them and let them wallow....it's God's place to change them. It's YOUR place to be a humble example and place your focus on Christ, not your social circle.

We also ALL have the responsibility to educate ourselves; we all have questions. The bad news is that the Church is over 2,000 years old, with theology that goes back to the beginning of time. The GOOD news is that all of the questions we have, in reality, have been asked before. The most common questions are those too many people are afraid to ask...yet if they did, they would be changed forever.

There's a lot of fear out there among the Lukewarms. It's ALL ABOUT fear for them; about what their friends and family will think, about having to change, about those questions they have about the answers they think they should know...but have never been taught.

Catechesis needs to happen, but we have a couple of lost generations out there, adults running around knowing that they should go to church, wanting to raise their children Catholic, but having NO IDEA what it really MEANS to be Catholic! The result is a sort of spiritual paralysis as these adults struggle to live a life of faith in a culture that says faith (and life!) has no value.

Speak to anyone who works in a church; they'll lament the vast majority of parishioners who refuse to get involved, who refuse to engage in conversation, who refuse to attend events. They may be fine people, pillars of the community, wonderful parents...who have placed their souls in the backseat. Because that's what the world says to do. And so they show up to Mass on occasion. Or maybe they are the type to bring their children for the sacraments, and maybe for the major holidays, but otherwise, they refuse to darken the door of the church.

It's an outright battle for the souls of Catholics (and I know it happens in all the Christian religions) and those on the frontlines are taking a beating most people can't even imagine. How do we inspire conversion in those we love, those who can't seem to break out of the relativism and apathy that holds them bound? Some get ticked off and leave the Church if they are provided with authentic teaching. Some get ticked off and, through argument and discussion, eventually convert. Others simply disconnect and practice their faith with all the passion and understanding of a headless zombie.

I don't know what the answers are; I'm constantly wracking my brain trying to figure out how to reach people through the barriers they've put up, and even the most gently phrased teachings have placed me on the wrong end of a marginally-Catholic person's ire. And I'll do it again, over and over again, because at least anger is a reaction - anything other than that blasted apathy that grips so many self-proclaimed Catholics!

I can't help but think of the early martyrs, and all the martyrs throughout the history of the Church, even those of today. They were and are Catholics like all of us, but whose practice of the faith led and leads to death in horrible ways. They were men and women who stepped forward even as their bishops were torn apart by lions, and there, in the face of that reality, in that very presence, they were not afraid to declare themselves to be Christians and follow the bloody footprints into the arena.

Many of us fear the rolling eyes and deprecating comments of our contemporaries, and yet...our ancestors didn't even fear the ripping, tearing, bloody-gory deaths that came just from CLAIMING to be Christian. Never mind what happened to those actually CAUGHT IN THE ACT of practicing their faith!

I'm going to make a bold statement, one I thought I would never make, but I'm gonig to preface it with a brief exposition. Firstly, I can tell you right now our country is headed to hell in a handbasket called "secularism". We sacrifice our faith on the altar of political correctness, and we continue to give quiet obesience to those who desire to quash the voice of Christianity. When we do speak, we speak through the political arena where compromise is the game and the only definition of that word means "leave God's laws at the door". Thus, it is no wonder that the secularism of our culture has fed the lukewarmness of "practicing Catholics."

When I consider where we're going and the state of Catholicism in this country, I think that maybe the BEST thing to happen is for the charismatic political candidates win. Let them win. I won't vote for them, but if they win, I hope they bring about an even greater persecution of the Church. I think ONLY if the practice of our faith is punished will the zombic-majority be converted; when their friends are imprisoned for speaking their beliefs, when priests are imprisoned for preaching the gospel, when Catholic teachers are imprisoned for daring to suggest that marriage is between a man and a woman...then people will open their eyes. When the housewife next door is forced to send her children to a substandard-school that teaches things contrary to her values, or when the everyday-dad loses his house to legal fines for simply speaking to a group in a church somewhere about objective truth...when people can't go to Mass anymore because churches will have to close due to a loss of tax-exempt status, and the practice of all Christian religions resembles those of China....then people will convert.

I hope we get the leadership that feeds the Church once again through the innocent blood of the martyrs.

Do I think I'd be strong enough to be one of those martyrs? I don't know. I hope so. Because I think it's coming and those of us who believe all that the Church teaches and try to embrace it, and seek to preach it and live it...I think we're going to suffer. And maybe that needs to happen.

Nothing in this world is permanent; we are here in order to prepare for eternity. Let's get on with it!

Justification

Today I was watching Saving Private Ryan, a movie that never fails to move me to tears.

Earlier in the week, I was praying my rosary en route to work, and something from that movie came to mind as I contemplated the heresy of salvation by faith alone (sola fide). The movie popped into my mind, and I considered the scene where Capt. Miller, dying, said to Prvt. Ryan, "Earn This."

I remember, shortly after the movie came out, there was discussion about that scene. What did he MEAN by that? Some thought that it was a terrible thing to say. I didn't take it that way; there was a deeper meaning, which I understood to be a loving challenge.

All week, since class, I've been thinking of that scene and today I was unable to stand it no longer; I watched the movie, while reading about Martin Luther. Watching it not only in light of what I believe, but in light of the heresy to which Luther fled in the face of his own demons.

Today, as I watched that scene, I saw how Capt. Miller lay dying, his expression even almost peaceful. He was resigned, he was committed, and he was obedient. Private Ryan approached him there on that bridge, kneeling near him, watching the "angels on their shoulders" flying overhead, rescuing them from this awful apocylatpic battle.

Captain Miller drew Private Ryan near to him so he could hear, and looking him in the eye, hands shaking, and earnestly entreated him, "Earn this.....Earn This."

He was not condemning. It was a blessing of sorts, a dying man realizing he was losing his life for the right cause, desiring that this "son" of his be saved through his actions and the actions of those who had crossed France to send him home. It was a moment of adoption...a recognition that this was his progeny of sorts, a "sending forth" from the sacrifice of the battlefield, made both for him, and in conjunction with others for even a greater cause.

I won't say the movie was theologically correct, nor, if we really go into depth, would it be so. However, if we take this scene with the premise above, we still see truth.

And I'm not at all surprised that the response of some to Captain Miller's line would cause such angst. Not in light of the world we live in today...a world that denies the need of sacrifice in order to obtain salvation.

Captain Miller began his mission with skepticism as did all those hand-picked for the mission. And yet they left one horror for another, and their presence in Rammala indeed saved the lives of others, including that of the destined Private Ryan.

But Private Ryan was not going to step down because these men had been through so much to save him; he was going to participate not only in his salvation, but the salvation of others. He would not stand by; he was a soldier, and no soldier stands by in a battle. To do so would be a contradiction of his oath, his mission, his very being; it would be a denial of the value of the lives of his own brothers and the freedom he'd sacrificed so much to obtain on behalf of others.

And thus it came, the final scene, where Private Ryan met his Savior, and his Savior said, "Earn this."

It's a heavy cross to carry, and indeed, Private Ryan carried it throughout his life. For we see, in the closing scene, a fade to his advanced age where he visits Captain Miller in Arlington National Cemetary, bringing his family; those who would not exist but for Captain Miller's mission.

He speaks to his very respected, deceased Captain, asking, "Have I earned this? In your eyes...have I earned this?"

A heavy cross to bear, knowing that his life was spared and his family exists, thank to the efforts of this man and those he lead. But it was Captain Miller who gave his fiat; it was Captain Miller who chose his apostles, and many of them, especially Capt. Miller...died...so that he might have life.

From the cross, indeed, Jesus did not say "Earn this." He didn't need to; He had said it before but in different words. And His gift is indeed free, for we can't merit it in any way. However, He invites our participation, and in fact, REQUIRES it, just as Private Ryan realized his participation was required in the final battle that saved his own life.

And this is where theology and the movie part ways; for in the movie, Ryan is given a direct order to stand down but he disobeys. In real life, Jesus gives us the command and loving invitation to follow Him. As such, Capt. Miller cannot truly be a Christ figure but in the most liberal sense of the word. Miller, sadly, is a figure of Luther's misunderstood conept of the Christ who gives freely...but with animosity which comes from his union with the aloof and wrathful God the Father.

Ironic...I never expected to see that.

And yet, the truth wins out, for Ryan carries that Cross through life, "earning", or, perhaps being "justified" in his life through the actions of his life. And in this sense, the movie is indeed secular, for when Jesus Christ told us to "earn this" he did so in a way that had a far more profound meaning. For Captain Miller, it was about a legacy here on earth, and for Private Ryan, that is the cross he carried; the legacy of Capt. Miller. It was Miller's success in life that would give meaning to the life and death of the good Captain. Thus..."Earn This." The words of a dying man, calling his son to nobility, to something greater, pointing to the need for sacrifice of his own will on behalf of another; he who dies for him.

We are all called to sacrifice our wills for another, He who has died for us.

Just as Christ died for us, so that we might have eternal life.

And we are indeed justified not just by faith, but by works, for Jesus demanded that we take up our crosses and follow Him, He demanded that we unite our sufferings to His, and He taught very clearly that our actions could cause us to lose our salvation.

It's not just in the book of James...it's in the Gospels themselves. We are not saved by faith alone...the ONLY place in the Bible where the words "faith alone" appear have the words "not by" directly in front of them. And it's not just a matter of translation...it's a matter of omission, on the part of mentally ill Martin Luther.

We are not saved by faith alone, and we are not saved by works alone...we are saved through faith AND works, and I KNOW that many of our non-Catholic brothers and sisters believe this even though they say differently. For they live it out and live holy lives, more Catholic than many Catholics I know. For the Truth can't be stymied by bad philosophy and theology; the Holy Spirit works within us to direct us all to what is good and true, and draws us into participation in our salvation that we may deny even as we carry it out.

No, from the cross, Jesus did not say, "Earn this" and He does not need our devotion in order to validate His sacrifice. But WE need to complete certain works in order to be justified and be saved. Just as Private Ryan fought in the battle for his company and his life, so we are called to arms by Christ Himself as a participation in the salvation He brought to us through His necessary sacrifice for the atonement for our sins. It is our works that glorify God the most; for through His GRACE there is an interior conversion, and this reveals that sinners can become Saints through our cooperation, or rather...our works in conjunction with His invitation.

God loves us so much that He invites our free will participation...and just as by our cooperation we are saved, so through our lack of cooperation we are lost.

The choice, ultimately, is ours. Jesus already made HIS choice...but His choice cannot change our free will...we have to accept or reject salvation on our own.

We are all soldiers, faced with a choice...die in vain or unite ourselves with the sacrifice being made on our behalf?

Church Militant

What does it mean to be a member of the "Church Militant"? Have you ever considered it?


As soon as you're Confirmed, though...you're a member. You're in the Army. You're a Marine. You're in the Navy, and you're doing flyovers in the Air Force. Or maybe you're National Guard, filling all roles, or perhaps the Coast Guard, focusing not on combat, but on rescue and reparation. (I think I'm a Coastie...)

Congratuations, Catholic...you're a Militant now. And it's true.

But have you accepted your role, and do you have ANY IDEA what it means? Do you understand your commission? Do you realize that this is war?

We are all given different charisms; each according to God's terms. It is HE who calls us to service. It is He who assigns, it is He who commandeers our battles. And it is He who suffers the most (unlike the military found in humanity).

Are you aware that we are all OBLIGATED to defend our faith? It is a requirement of BAPTISM, further emphasized by CONFIRMATION.

But fear not..."defending" your faith means a lot of things.

Some interpret it to mean that we must fight tooth and nail against dissenters by declaring heresies, and in general hurl insults at people who simply don't understand our beliefs. Others think that it means harsh debate that denigrates into name-calling. Neither of the above models "defends" anything other than Pride.

Seek the fruits...follow the truth. What is true defense?

There are some who are gifted debaters. The Early Church was FULL of such souls; St. Justin Martyr was one of them. He wrote the first Apology (defense), Apologia, explaining what it meant to partake in the flesh of Christ (among other things). St. John Chrysostom, St. Cyprian, St. Cyril....all were wonderful debators. And in their debate, they did not denegrate the other who opposed them; rather, they upheld the One who sustained them.

The great art of debate has been lost in our culture, and we should not understand the term according to what plays out before us on the national stage, edited by the media.

Even today, there are those who are gifted in debate in defense of our faith. They key to defense in this regard is charity (divine love), for we are all called to defend our faith in LOVE.

Not out of animosity. Not out of anger. Not out of self-serving righteousness. Not out of the "I'm-right-and-you're-a-twit" Syndrome. Pride has no place in the defense of the Faith, in defense of Christ.

Yet some are called to a certain form of debate, for they have, for the most part, often found the balance: Apologists. Not all "apologists" provide a good example, however, those who are the most effective are coherent, intelligent, well grounded, well formed, and even-tempered. Religion is a topic that often gets heated very quickly; those who are truly called to defend the Faith in this way are those who can deflect the arrows of a hot-tempered opponent or cohort, and thus maintain a calm spirit in the face of inflammatory attacks. In short, they hold fast to reason and their own passions.

WHAT NOT TO DO

I used to frequent a Catholic website with a forum for Apologetics, and in fact, I learned a great deal there. However, once I found my place in the Church, the forum become tiresome because simple, innnocent questions often were denigrated into flame wars...even among the friendly! I still remember asking a question in a "Miscellaneous" forum, and the self-appointed "apologists" who jumped all over what I'd said, making accusations, leaping to amazingly weird conclusions, claiming all sorts of knowledge which had not been alluded to or needed. I ended up defending a friend implied but not named in my original question, as all sorts of weird heresies were attributed to him.

Those people may style themselves as apologists...they were, in fact, twits in the faith. (Sorry, that's just how it is.) So prideful they couldn't bother to read the actual question and answer it. It was more important to some to appear to know all, to quote all documents to refute questions that had not been asked.

I really no longer frequent that forum...it's too draining to defend and define, word by word, the simplest of questions when the original post has been deconstructed repeatedly by these strange people.

TRUE DEFENSE

The best defense is a good offense.

We've all heard it. We know...but to the above-described set, their missives on blogs and in forums is the offense: Put it out there, just DARE someone to refute it! And many don't even realize that the stuff they put out there is in error. Or just angry ranting. (I have engaged in this very thing myself.)

Anger doesn't beget conversions, people. You might be doing well in riling up the already-angry crowd, but really, how is our Lord going to see that as you go to your Judgment?

We all have to remember...even though we CAN rile people up, should we? What is the ultimate consequence? If we are angry, should we beget anger? What is the good in that?

Let us remember that Christ was reviled, and we should all have cause to be completely, fully outraged. Yet he accepted His cross and invited us to do the same. Anger has no place when we consider the cross of Christ in the defense of the Faith. The two simply contradict one another.

Yes, there ARE times for righteous anger...but that needs to be carefully discerned and not used in the service of Pride.

CONVERSION

Those of you who have left the Church and returned...what was it that evangelized you? Those of you who have come into the Church...what was it that called you Home?

Was it harsh debate, name-calling, or so-called righteous anger?

Or was it a personal connection, a friend willing to listen, someone willing to answer your questions, with honesty but without judgment directed at you?

The defense of the Faith to which we are all called does not ASK for Charity; it DEMANDS it. It DEMANDS that we put aside our own issues in order to serve what is needed in the other. It does not demand compromise; it only demands a willingness to listen, a willigness to explain, to teach, to find what is common...to synthesize, and encourage another to come to their OWN conclusion. For the only conclusion is Truth...but truth is found through reason, not force.

Yup. True evangelization appeals to reason. We must allow those who come to us to be themselves, to believe what they believe, and through honest dialogue, help direct them to what is good. We do not change what we believe or sugar-coat, however, we cannot preach fire-and-brimstone to someone sincerely seeking redemption; they are not necessarily ready for that message. That is a message for the converted...at least in our society. Yet there are those who would be terrified of that, and frightened away forever. There are others who do need that message in order to come back to the faith...and it leads to a fuller understanding. Each soul has different needs, but NONE needs vitriol.

We must discern...which message, for which person?

On a blog, we don't know. We are all given different gifts, and sometimes the harsh messages are necessary, for they are truthful. Yet we must take care for our delivery.


SO WHAT IS A TRUE DEFENSE?

Love. Real, honest love. Charity. It is a weapon that cannot be defeated.

We must SHINE. We aren't Saints; we can't even pretend to be so. Yet even through that oily sheen of sin that clings to us, staining us, others can see our attempts, our desires to be holy, our hope in Jesus Christ. And that attracts them.

The best defense is a good witness; the best defense is an honest witness; the best defense is a witness willing to suffer. Because it's often the witnesses who take the fall. It was true in the time of Christ, and it is true in our current times.

We are called to defend our Faith and give reason for our hope; it is synonymous to say we are called to love Christ and exemplify Christ to the world.

We don't all have to be geniuses, or eloquent debators, or angelic doctors; we only have to live our faith. That's it. Because a life well lived is the best reference; our relationship with Jesus means more than all the books of the Bible memorized and catalogued. Do you realize why Catholic Churches have stained glass, etched stones, and statues? Because not everyone could read; not everyone was educated. Cathedrals contain our faith summarized in pictures. It educates the poor. And it glorifies God; every color, every panel, every inch of decoration points to the Lord and gives definition to our Faith. It is Scripture and Tradition in pictures.

All we have to do is love God, let Him shine through us, consciously...and He will do the rest.

Are you ready? Are you willing to accept this mission? You have already been called...now it's time to serve.