The 2016 Christian Vote {reblogged}

TWO Reblogged articles for ALL Christians to read

Pete BaklinskiFollow Pete

Not sure how to vote in the U.S. election? Here’s Cardinal Burke’s advice

https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/cardinal-burke-to-u.s.-voters-consider-candidate-who-defend-life-family-free

ROME, Italy, August 30, 2016 (LifeSiteNews) — Cardinal Raymond Burke, one of the most outspoken defenders on Catholic teaching regarding life, marriage, sexuality, and the family, weighed in on the upcoming U.S. election, telling reporters that the faithful must vote for the candidate who will do the most to “advance” the protection of human life, defense of the family, respect for freedom, and care for the poor.

“I think that what we have to do in this time is to look at both candidates to see if one of them will not, at least in some way, advance the common good, both with respect to the good of human life, the good of the family, the freedom of conscience, the care of the poor, and to look at that very carefully,” the Cardinal told reporters during an international teleconference conducted by Carmel Communications and attended by LifeSiteNews.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s support for abortion has been called “extreme and unlimited.”

She asserts that unborn babies have no constitutional rights. She has promised to appoint only pro-abortion judges to the Supreme Court. She supports abortion during all nine months of pregnancy and has promised, if elected, to enact the largest expansion of taxpayer-funded abortion-on-demand in history.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump says he supports abortion restriction and has called himself “pro-life” on various occasions, but in the past he identified himself as “very pro-choice.” He believes that Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion in 1973, should be overturned. He said he would stop funding Planned Parenthood “as long as they’re doing abortions.” He also promised to appoint pro-life justices to the Supreme Court and to defend “religious liberty” by appealing the Johnson Amendment.

Because of his former pro-abortion position as well as his disreputable past, which includes promiscuity, adultery, and owning casinos, various life and family leaders remain skeptical of Trump’s ultimate pro-life convictions, believing that he piped whatever tune he was required to play to win the Republican nomination.

Asked earlier this year by Bloomberg Business about his stance on abortion, Trump gave this answer, indicating that he is pro-life but with exceptions. “It’s an issue. I mean it’s an issue, and it’s a strong issue. … What I am saying is this: With caveats – life of the mother, incest, rape. That’s where I stand. So, I’m pro-life, but with the caveats. You have to have it with the caveats.”

Trump raised eyebrows when he failed to mention abortion during his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention last month in Cleveland after the party took a strong pro-life position in its platform. During his campaign, he has left a trail of suspicion with his comments about abortion. In March, he angered abortion supporters and disappointed pro-life advocates when he said he believed that women who have abortions should face some sort of punishment.

In April, Trump didn’t sound convicted about overturning Roe v. Wade when he told CBS in an interview: “The laws are set now on abortion and that’s the way they’re going to remain until they’re changed. I would’ve preferred states’ rights. I think it would’ve been better if it were up to the states. But right now, the laws are set. … At this moment, the laws are set. And I think we have to leave it that way.”

But after Trump selected proven pro-life politician Mike Pence as his running mate, the Indiana governor eased some fears by saying a Trump presidency would be committed to resigning the 1973 law to the “ash heap of history.” In Indiana, Pence has in fact has passed some of the most restrictive laws on abortion in the nation.

Cardinal Burke, the patron of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and the former archbishop of St. Louis, said that even if Catholics see problems with both candidates on various issues, they nevertheless can vote for the one who supports Catholic values the most.

“More than likely the judgment will be that neither candidates ideally answers these questions all in the way that we want. But given the nature of our government, can we in conscience support one of the candidates, at least, who, while maybe [he or she] doesn’t support everything that we believe and know is important, will at least support it to a certain extent with the hope that that candidate can be convinced to embrace evermore fully the common good,” he said.

Burke warned Catholics against not voting at all and against the practice of writing in the name of a preferred candidate on the ballot, saying it could inadvertently cause the election of a candidate who does not respect life, family, and freedom.

“And I understand these sentiments very well. But one also has to be very prudent, and know that by not voting at all you are probably favoring one candidate or another,” he said, adding that even if Catholics wrote in the name of a favored candidate, it would be unlikely for such a person to become elected.

“The moral weight to voting is indeed very heavy. In other words, every vote counts,” he said. 

Burke urged Catholics to study carefully the positions of both running candidates before voting.

“Those are difficult considerations, and I don’t say any of this in a kind of easy way. But I do think that Catholics especially need to be very cautious and not simply opting out, or good pro-life people and good pro-family people, simply just throwing up their hands. I would just urge them to study the position of both candidates, to the fullest possible degree, to see whether or not one of them will not advance, at least to some degree, restoration of the civilization of life and love in our country.” END QUOTES

I strongly encourage you to share this message as widely as you are able. This friends is Evangelization…..Something we ALL are called by God to do.

God Bless you,

Patrick

Deal Hudson

Have our shepherds been blown to the ground?

https://www.lifesitenews.com/opinion/have-our-shepherds-been-blown-to-the-ground

Editor’s note: The following article is reprinted with permission from The Christian Review.

And when they went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: What went you out into the desert to see? a reed shaken with the wind? (Matthew 11.7)

In earlier columns, I’ve expressed concerns about the moral leadership of the Catholic Church during this presidential campaign. I received a response from the communications director of one bishop, which I published with his permission.  The flurry of comments both here and on my Facebook page led me to think more about just what Catholics should expect from our bishops, priests, and other religious.

In the Catechism of the Catholic Church we read, “The Lord made Simon alone, whom he named Peter, the ‘rock’ of his Church. . . . This pastoral office of Peter and the other apostles belongs to the Church’s very foundation and is continued by the bishops under the primacy of the Pope” (881). Their first task, along with priests “as co-workers,” is “‘to preach the Gospel of God to all men,’ in keeping with the Lord’s command” (CCC 818, emphasis added).

If teaching is their first “task,” what is the reasonable explanation of what should be publicly taught during this, and any other, election campaign? The Ten Commandments are at the core of the Church’s moral teaching and the 5th Commandment, “You shall not kill,” is at the heart of that teaching. Why? Because as the Catechism puts it:

“Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves the creative action of God and it remains for ever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end. God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end: no one can under any circumstance claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human being” (CCC 2258).

Human life is sacred and not “under any circumstances” can a person directly “destroy any human being.” Yet, we have the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party loudly advocating precisely that. Hillary Clinton has long been a champion of not just abortion but federally funded abortion-on-demand. Her Republican opponent, Donald Trump, rejects her pro-abortion advocacy and promises to sign a bill defunding Planned Parenthood, the largest U.S. abortion provider, when it passes the Congress. Those who don’t trust Trump’s promises should note that Hillary Clinton certainly does — in fact, she has pledged to “go further” than President Obama in providing federal funding for abortion.

This should not be surprising, since Clinton has made it clear: “the unborn person does not have constitutional rights.”

No one expects the bishops and other clergy to use their teaching function to endorse one candidate over another.  No one expects them to tell Catholics who to vote for.

But Catholics can reasonably expect for them to loudly proclaim the Church’s teaching, “human life is sacred,” when the outcome of the coming election may put Hillary Clinton in the White House. Catholics should expect its “shepherds” to address the major issues facing Catholic voters as they determine how they will cast their ballots.

What are those major issues? Would anyone disagree that in addition to immigration, poverty, health care, and religious liberty that abortion is one of those major issues?  The myriad of pro-abortion speakers at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia certainly considered it as such. The Democratic Party platform was changed to call for the elimination of the Hyde Amendment which forbids federal funding for abortion — TIME called the platform “more extreme” than ever.

Have the bishops and clergy done what could be reasonably expected in response to the Clinton candidacy, the Democratic National Convention, and the Democrats’ platform revisions? The sad answer is “no.” Yes, there are some bishops and priests reminding Catholics to consider the abortion issue in casting their ballots, but the number is pitifully small, resulting in virtual silence from the Church.

Yet, we have a presidential and vice presidential nominee, the latter being a Catholic, promising “formal cooperation,” with the evil of abortion (CCC 2227). So serious is this act of formal cooperation the Church “attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life” (CCC 2227).

Many Catholics justify their support for pro-abortion candidates by insisting abortion is a private matter, but the Church does not agree:

“The inalienable rights of the person must be recognized and respected by civil society and the political authority. These human rights depend neither on single individuals nor on parents; nor do they represent a concession made by society and the state; they belong to human nature and are inherent in the person by virtue of the creative act from which the person took his origin. Among such fundamental rights one should mention in this regard every human being’s right to life and physical integrity from the moment of conception until death” (CCC 2228, emphasis added).

Hillary Clinton’s claim that the unborn have no constitutional rights is a direct rejection of what Catholics are taught to believe by the Church, a teaching which the bishops and clergy have as their “first task” to promulgate.

Yet, except for a few isolated voices, there is either complete silence or the limp claim that both candidates are flawed and that one candidate is “no better” than the other.

I could quote the Catechism of the Catholic Church at greater length, particularly on how “positive law” allowing abortion undermines the “foundations of the state” (2273). You would think that if such a teaching is taken seriously our clergy would realize that there is more involved in teaching Catholics about the evil of abortion, because at the same time they are defending the very foundation of law, society, and the state.  But no, nothing is being said, there is only silence.

When I recall what Jesus said about John the Baptist, “What went you out into the desert to see? a reed shaken with the wind?” it leads me to the conclusion that the wind has blown our shepherds to the ground. …… END QUOTES

Dear friend, if you have pondered at all why today’s Catholic Church is in the mess it IS in, and why for that past {at least 4 presidential elections}; 52-53% of “CATHOLICS”   have voted in Clinton and Obama; ABORTION is a GREAT part of that reason, as is the LACK of clear, concise Catholic Faith Formation from the pulpits. Exactly why this is unclear. 

While the RCC cannot and does not have the authority to tell ANYONE HOW to vote; She has a Grave MORAL responsibility to inform us HOW we CANNOT vote…. Abortion is murder, and the 5^th Commandment is “Thou Shalt NOT kill.”

This is NOT a political issue; it’s a GRAVE moral issue!

Were you aware that there were in excess of ONE MILLION Abortions is the USA each year? {1996 to 2012} latest reported figures {I wonder why?}

SHARE this message friends, it is our DUTY as Catholics to do so.

God Bless you

Patrick

 

Radical Discipleship {reblogged by” Dr. D’Ambrosio

 

RADICAL DISCIPLESHIP – A CALL FOR ALL

Marcellino D’Ambrosio (Dr. Italy)

This post is also available in: Spanish

In Luke 14, Jesus speaks some very disturbing words to anyone who wants to be his disciple.  He sees the call to discipleship as requiring people to renounce not only their possessions but also their own life and family.  The example of Thomas More shows us that this is radical, but does not mean all must be monks or nuns.

When I was a kid, I got the distinct impression there existed a two-track system in the Catholic Church.  Some heard the call to really go for it.  They became priests, nuns, and brothers because they “had a vocation.”  They “gave up” lots of things.  Like marriage, family, success in business, and lots of creature-comforts.

VOCATION: TWO-TRACK SYSTEM

The rest of us, however, don’t “have a vocation” and therefore don’t really need to run for the gold.  It is enough to just finish the race.  We don’t have to deprive ourselves of what most people enjoy.  We can get married, have kids, climb the corporate ladder, acquire a vacation home and buy a boat.  We just need to go to Mass on Sunday, avoid breaking the Ten Commandments, get to confession when we fail, and basically be decent people.

RADICAL JESUS

A few years ago I even heard this two-track system clearly laid out in a Sunday homily.  The priest said the gospel presents us with a radical Jesus and a moderate Jesus.  Some, like Mother Teresa, say yes to the call of the radical Jesus.  But we can follow the moderate Jesus if this is more comfortable for us.

In Luke 14:25-33, Jesus gives us no such choice.  He says “none of you can be my disciple if he does not renounce all his possessions.”  And probably even more disturbing is this statement: “If anyone comes to me without turning his back on his father and mother, his wife and his children, his brothers and sisters, indeed his very self, he cannot be my disciple.”

CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP

This is an up-front requirement.  If you are not willing to do this, don’t bother getting started as a disciple, he says.

Wait a minute.  I thought that good Christians are supposed to love their spouses, parents, kids.  And how are you supposed to love your neighbor as yourself if you are renouncing both your neighbor and your self?  Are we all supposed to leave our families, sell all of our possessions, and enter monasteries and convents?

No.  That would actually be not only irresponsible but too easy.  “Turning your back” on your family does not mean shirking the duty to care for your own.  “Renouncing your very self” does not mean abusing your self.

What Jesus means is being radically detached from family, friends and self-gratification in favor of attachment to God, his truth, his will.  There is a love that is about giving and there is a love that is about enjoying.  We can never stop giving to others what is for their true and deepest good. But there are times when we must renounce the enjoyment, opinion, and approval of others in order to be faithful to the truth.

THOMAS MORE: RADICAL DISCIPLE

The best way to see this is in the life of a very real person who lived out this radical call to discipleship.  Thomas More thought of joining the monks who educated him, but realized that he was called to marriage and family.  And so he took a job in with the government, got married, had kids.  He rose through government service to become the Chancellor of England under Henry VIII.  He had a magnificent mansion on the Thames river where he entertained his friend the King as well some of the most famous men and women of Europe.   Thomas had a great sense of humor, a deep relationship with his kids, a profound prayer life, and loved to write fiction, satire, and theology.

Then his boss Henry VIII divorced, remarried, and justified it by breaking allegiance with the Pope and making himself the head of the Church of England.  He wanted all citizens to take an oath swearing allegiance to his new order.  Everyone jumped on the bandwagon.  All of the bishops signed save one.  All of Thomas’s friends did the same.

But Thomas More knew signing would violate his conscience, compromise his integrity, offend God, and encourage others in the doing of evil.  He loved God, self and others too much to do this.  So he lost the esteem of his friends and his king. He resigned his position and lost his income.  He ultimately lost his head rather than deny his heart.

Few of us will enjoy the privileges enjoyed by Thomas or be called to make the same sacrifices.  But little choices, every day, arise that show us where our true loyalties lie.

This post discusses how the call to radical discipleship is for all Christians and how St. Thomas More is a model disciple.  It is offered as a reflection on the scripture readings for the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary time, cycle C (Wisdom 9:13-18, Philemon 9-10 12-17; Luke 14:25-33) and also the memorial of St. Thomas More and St. John Fisher on June 22.

Originally posted on Aug 29 2016  END QUOTES

 

7 Things I like about being Catholic: {reblogged} from David Mills

 

Seven Things I Like About Being Catholic

DAVID MILLS

I knew the theory, yes, but not how to do it. It was if I’d suddenly be drafted to play for the Red Sox in their pennant run. I knew how to stand in the batter’s box and swing the bat, but not how to hit the slider or the change-up that looks like a fastball or how not to have a heart attack when the pitcher threw hard inside.

Of the whole shape and feel of lived Catholicism, I knew nothing when my family and I entered the Church fifteen years ago. Of the practical blessings of the Catholic life I knew very little. Here, speaking as an adolescent Catholic, are seven of those practical blessings.

To be fair, some of these were blessings I knew from my Protestant life. But I didn’t realize how being a Catholic intensified the blessing. Grape juice is good, but wine is better.

Sundays, Impositions, and Sins

First, Catholicism gives me something to do every Sunday. Mass orients my whole week. It reminds me what’s life’s all about, and lets me put the past week into context and prepare for the next one. If the past week was a bad one, Jesus is here and offers comfort. If it was a good one, Jesus is here and offers a challenge. In either case, I leave Mass having reset my course.

Second, Catholicism imposes itself. With holy days of obligation, fast days, and the other rules, Catholicism requires me to do things when I don’t want to do them. That reminds me that my life is not my own to do with as I please. My time (and my space, now that I think of it) belongs to a higher authority. I don’t eat much meat and I like fish, and Fridays in Lent still make me grumble. The Church’s impositions make me a little less self-centered than I would be otherwise.

Third, Catholicism makes me see and feel my sins. I can find lots of ways to avoid facing the truth about myself. “I know I fail to reach the ideal” is a good one, because no one expects you to reach the ideal. Saying “I know I can be difficult” is another good one, because you’re admitting imperfection but not really admitting sin. Also useful are the many versions of “It’s not my fault.”

As a Protestant, getting forgiveness required only a quick private prayer. This did not induce a real feeling of sorrow for my most grievous faults. From reading a standard examination of conscience with the prospect of having to admit it all to a priest, Catholicism tells me, “No, you’re not being difficult. You’re being a jerk. And it’s your fault.”

Fourth, it forces me to do something about my sins. My Evangelical friends like the idea that they can say a quick prayer and be cool with God, but I don’t. It wouldn’t be good for me (and it’s not good for them). I have to drive to church, get in line, tell everything to the priest, say an act of contrition, do the penance. The effort makes it feel real to me.

I also get to hear the absolution. Someone who speaks for God tells me God forgives me. Someone who is not me, with my pliable sense of sin and ability to presume upon God’s love, assures me that I’m really forgiven.

Friends and Saints

Fifth, Catholicism reminds me that other people know things I don’t know and can do things I can’t do, and these insights and actions are not the ones my world naturally values. God not only works in mysterious ways but He works mysteriously through people that people like me would not in the usual course of things notice. Being at Mass and at Catholic gatherings reminds me that me and my friends — who are pretty much like me, despite our differences — are just a few fish in a huge sea, and not the most interesting or useful fish out there.

It reminds me that some of those people who are so different from me are saints and sages, and the others know things and see things I don’t. People who wouldn’t know the word “eschaton” or “Mariology” if it showed up in a tuxedo tell me things I would not have seen on my own in a million years. Small fish, meet bigger fish.

Sixth, Catholicism makes the world feel warmer. We aren’t left on our own. Jesus just wasn’t here on earth then, he is here on earth now. He’s right over there in the Tabernacle. In a place with so many churches, you know that Jesus is always just around the corner, or around a few corners. Whatever life throws at you, Jesus is with you. You can go look at him and talk to him.

Seventh, it makes the world feel friendlier. Protestants like to talk about our being surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. But they mean something like the people in the stands at a football game. They’re witnesses and may even be fans, but they’re not friends. They’re too far away. Being able to talk to the Blessed Mother and any saint I like makes them friends.

These are a few of the practical blessings the Catholic Church has given me and my family since we entered the Church fifteen years ago — blessings I didn’t expect because I didn’t know about them. The Church has been the mother who gives you what you expect and then even better gifts you didn’t know you wanted. END QUOTES

Trusting the Lord Through Prayer {reblogged} from a Safe harbor in Jesus

Trusting the Lord through Prayer! by Jesus is a safe harbor As Christians, we have the advantage. We have God on our team. And with God on our team, we cannot fail. Seriously. If God is for us, who can stand against us? We just need to talk to Him and trust him, rather than trying to play the game of life on our own. We will learn to trust as we practice trusting the Lord through prayer. Have a wonderful day in the presence of the Lord. Love you all. “I reflect at night on who you are, O, Lord; therefore, I obey your instructions. This is how I spend my life: obeying your commandments. Lord you are mine! I promise to obey your words.” Psalm 119:55-57 How would you rate your prayer life on a scale from 1-10? Where would you like your prayer life to rank on that same scale? Are you willing to do anything about it? If so, what? If not, why? Our relationship with God will grow as we continually turn to Him in prayer. Similarly, our trust in God grows as our relationship with Him grows. “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you,” (John 15:15). Jesus counts us as His “friends”. How many of us would talk to our close friends as infrequently as we talk to Jesus, our Creator and Redeemer? Of course, it’s not like we can ignore the world around us and pray 24/7. Right? We are still going to go to work, have playtime, time with friends and family, but in the midst of it all, Scripture instructs us to: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you,” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). Our practice of this continual praying life will increase our progress in faith and in trusting God. This can translate into prayers of thankfulness and petition. We can redeem these times to thank God for and pray for our children, our careers, our futures, our marriages, our trials and our challenges. When we “do life” with God – when we exercise this spiritual discipline of continuous prayer – our faith grows. It helps us to trust Him more. Jesus was the only perfect man and He turned to our Father continually. Jesus also modeled how we should pray (Luke 11:1-13), and taught about prayer (Matthew 6:5-15). If Jesus, the God of the Universe, saw prayer as such an important part of the Christian life, why do we sometimes overlook the importance. Jesus is a safe harbor | August 30, 2016 at 12:23 pm | Categories: Uncategorized | URL:http://wp.me/p3mVVp-QN

My friend, what kind of foundation is your life built upon? by Patrick Miron

My friend, what kind of foundation is your life built upon?  ….

…Let’s Take a Personal Inventory of how well we have built “our house”

 

Another Reflection

By Patrick Miron

Below are two bible teachings {Marked {1} & {2}, Catholics in large numbers fail to consider carefully and prayerfully, and many Protestants simply fail to correctly understand, with I {me personally}, suspect a high degree of personal culpability {responsibility}.

Both groups must have great humility, and a desire to seek for God’s-truths which can only be singular per defined issue. Nothing else is logical or even possible; a fact missed or overlooked by a great many, who also fail to realize that God must pass final judgment on our lives based on what He has made possible for us to know, to accept and to believe; NOT what we ourselves choose for whatever reasons; most often to make life “easier on ourselves”

How should one’s first reading of the Bible’s understanding be formed?

Principle 1: God’s Word: Divine Words in Human Language

https://www.stpeterslist.com/13758/bible-study-7-essential-principles-for-catholic-biblical-interpretation/

“Catholic Biblical Interpretation is governed by the firm belief that Scripture is the inspired word of God, expressed in human language. God’s Word was written under the direction and inspiration of the Holy Spirit and – at the same time – was written by true human authors with their intellectual capacities and limitations The thought and the words belong both to God and to human beings in such a way that the whole Bible comes simultaneously from God and from the inspired human authors”. END QUOTE

Therefore the first understanding ought to be that the author actually means exactly what he is sharing. Hence a literal translation ought to be the first reading conclusion. While the bible employs many varied forms of authorship; it is reasonable to understand that the form most often employed is a literal meaning of the message; of the teaching. This applies to both the Old and the New Testaments.

The Bible itself is clear on this teaching as evidenced by the following:

My friend have you ever been exposed to the One Infallible Rule for right understanding of the Bible?

Never Ever; can, may or DOES

One verse, passage or teaching have the power or authority to

Invalidate, make void or override another Verse, passage or teaching:

Were this even the slightest possibility; [it’s NOT!] it would render the entire Bible useless to teach or learn Christ Faith”   

2Peter 1: 19-21

And we have the more firm prophetical word: whereunto you do well to attend, as to a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: [20] Understanding this first, that no prophecy of scripture is made by private interpretation. [21] For prophecy came not by the will of man at any time: but the holy men of God spoke, inspired by the Holy Ghost.

[Douay explanation]

[20] No prophecy of scripture is made by private interpretation: This shews plainly that the scriptures are not to be expounded by any one’s private judgment or private spirit, because every part of the holy scriptures were written by men inspired by the Holy Ghost, and declared as such by the Church; therefore they are not to be interpreted but by the Spirit of God, which he hath left, and promised to remain with his Church to guide her in all truth to the end of the world. Some may tell us, that many of our divines interpret the scriptures: they may do so, but they do it always with a submission to the judgment of the Church, and not otherwise. End Quotes

“Whenever something is good it does not depend on us getting our way, but on God getting His way, and whether we do God’s Will depends on us [humbly] loving God. Moreover to love God we must [actually] know God, [not just know OF God].” Bread of Life booklet January 9, 2016”[Mt 7:21]

 2^nd. Peter 3: 14-18

“Therefore, beloved, since you wait for these, be zealous to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. And count the forbearance of our Lord as salvation. So also our beloved brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, speaking of this as he does in all his letters. There are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, beware lest you be carried away with the error of lawless men and lose your own stability. End QUOTES

[1] Ephesians 2: 18-20 “[18] for through him we both have access in one Spirit {here this means One set of Faith beliefs} to the Father. [19] So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,{Singular} [20] built upon the foundation of the {Catholic} apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone.

Just how non-Catholic-Christians are able to hold that today’s Catholic Church is not the One Church; One {only} Faith desired and instituted by Jesus Christ is mind-boggling. Both secular history and the bible prove it without the shadow of doubt. {Mt 10:1-8; Mt 16:18-19; John 17:17-20 & Mt 28:18-20}… I can understand why they hold to their beliefs, as not too destroys any and all reasons for their existence. …. It is historical fact that no other “Church” {& Faith} would exist until AD 1054, and the Great Eastern Schism. And only the Catholic Church{s}, along with the Orthodox Churches can trace their lineage directly back to Jesus and the Apostles; and only the Catholic Churches hold and can pass on the Fullness of Christ Faith.

[2] Matthew 7:13-27 “[13] “Enter by the narrow gate; {singular as is “MY Church” in Mt 16:18} for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. [14] For the gate{singular} is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few. [15] “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. [16] You will know them by their fruits. {The number of Protestant churches and differing sets of faith beliefs numbers in the thousands….. YET, “truth” can only be singular per defined issue; nothing else is logical or morally possible} Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? [17] So, every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit. [18] A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. [19] Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. [20] Thus you will know them by their fruits. [21] “Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. [22] On that day many will say to me, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ [23] And then will I declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.’ [24] “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock; [25] and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. [26] And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand; [27] and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it.”

The point of this discussion is not only to point out the lack of need, or God’s desire for Protestantism; {“compaction faiths} but to also point out to us Catholics to take a personal inventory   of our own Spiritual houses. We too have to fear God’s necessary Fair judgment; we too must pass through that VERY narrow gate, with humility and total obedience. So towards this goal we should time to time ask ourselves these questions:

1. In a 24 hour day, how much time do I give to God in prayer, and or spiritual reading? ….. 1%, 5%, none? Or too small to calculate?
2. Do I attend Mass every Sunday & Holyday? {failure is NORMLY a mortal sin}
3. How often do I get to Sacramental Confession? Bi-weekly, monthly, annually? One’s Catholic “Easter Duty” is at a minimum, annually. {1: Jn. 1: 6-7; 1 Jn.5: 16-17; John 20: 19-23}
4. Do I know my Catholic Faith well enough to be able to explain it? Share it? Live it? Defend if and when necessary? Do I share my faith when God gives me the opportunity?
5. If someone were to come into my home, would there be evidence that I AM a Catholic?
6. To what degree does this bible teaching apply to me and those God has entrusted to me?

7.    Rev.3 Verses 14 to 18 “[14] “And to the angel of the church in La-odice’a write: `The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. [15] “`I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot! [16] So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth. [17] For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing; not knowing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. [18] Therefore I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may be rich, and white garments to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nakedness from being seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see”

Presently I am reading a book by Matthew Kelly entitled: “Rediscover Catholicism”… it’s worth reading. Here are a few thoughts he shares from chapter six of this book.

“The adventure of Salvation begins when we ask: “what’s in it for me?” and turn humbly to God in our hearts and ask: “How may I serve? What work do you wish me to do with my life? What is your will for my life?”

“God does not call you to live an authentic life in order to stfe or control you. He invites you to live an authentic life so that, from an infinite number of possibilities you can become the best version of yourself. ….. The self-God had in mind when He Created you.”

….. “Our times are plagued by a great deal of confusion regarding religious thought. This confusion exist both within and outside the Church. The prophet Amos spoke of a famine of truth {cf. Amos 8:11}. I believe his prophecy has its time in our own day and age. The loss of our essential purpose is the cause of the great modern madness.”   …. “In truth holiness is something God does to us not something we achieve. …. He wants our consent, he wants to be invited into our hearts and our lives, but much more than that he wants {expects} our loving cooperation.”

{Inserted BY PJM}….1Pet.1: 15-16 “[15] but as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct;[16] since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy”

…. “The surest sign of holiness are an insatiable desire to be all that God created us to be.”  … “They that tried to be all that they can be in the here and now, bring with it happiness of its own.”

“The authentic life manifest itself differently in every person through our needs, talents and desires.  Get in touch with your essential purpose, and once you have found it, keep it always in your sight.” END QUOTES

The final question we need to ask ourselves is this: …. Do WE have a true understanding of just why God created us?

Isaiah 43: verses 7 -8 & 21 “[7] everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” [8] Bring forth the people who are blind, yet have eyes, who are deaf, yet have ears!  …. [21] the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.”

God desires but does not force himself upon us. Amen!

So my friends, seek and find true happiness…. Serve our God and fulfill your reason to even exist.

So on what is your life, your “houses” foundation built?

Matthew 12: 7-26

[12] So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets. [13] “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. [14] For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few. [15] “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. {This includes all of the mini-gods we make for ourselves: anything and everything that WE permit ourselves that permit or tolerate and competes with our time with God}  [16] You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? [17] So, every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit. [18] A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. [19] Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. [20] Thus you will know them by their fruits. [21] “Not every one who says to me, `Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. [22] On that day many will say to me, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ [23] And then will I declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.’ [24] “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock; [25] and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.
[26] And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand”

My friends, life is short. Eternity id forever; choose wisely while you still can. Amen!

God bless, guide and keep you in the hallow of his hand.

Patrick

 

 

 

 

Simplicity & humility reblogged by Catholic Working mom

Post       : Simplicity and Humility
URL        : https://danardoyle.wordpress.com/2016/08/27/simplicity-and-humility/
Posted     : August 27, 2016 at 8:42 pm
Author     : danardoyle
Categories : Prayer

https://danardoyle.files.wordpress.com/2016/08/dcaecb3d32fd3cd8456c2a0835f236e8.jpg     I’ve been thinking a lot about these two words and what they mean to me at this point in my life.  There are so many things that I feel “done with.” Life is passing so very quickly, and some things just aren’t worth my time and energy anymore.  Of course I care what I look like, but I’m tired of fighting my fine hair and the effects of gravity on the rest of me.  Of course, I want to be liked and respected, but it’s a lot less important to me what others think and more important what God thinks at this stage of the journey.  I want my yard to look tidy and manicured, but if there’s something more exciting and family oriented to do, the grass and weeds can wait.  I feel the need to strip away the unnecessary and the frivolous.  I long to just be  – though I’m not good at simply be- ing for too long!  My family knows, I’m usually giving 110% or I’m sleeping.

Today, I did a lot of work.  I cleaned out my Mary garden and painted a bathroom that REALLY needed it.  Both look fresh and almost sparse, but I think that’s good.  I pruned back the rose bushes harshly, trusting that they will be loaded with buds in time once again.  Simple and clean feels good.

I also enjoyed some time on my back porch listening to the gentle afternoon rain.  In fact, I stepped out into it to catch some raindrops on my tongue.  The rumbling of the thunder reminded me of God’s power and majesty.

I’m going through a reading and reflecting phase – kind of taking more in and sitting with it – than putting my thoughts out there by writing.  I’ve begun keeping a spiritual journal, making note of thoughts I have while sitting with Jesus in adoration, or things I believe God is using to get my attention.  Crows have been significant for me lately, though I’m not exactly sure what their presence means.  I’ve been reading up on these very intelligent birds. I also just finished “The Boy Who Met Jesus, A Message for Humanity” by Immaculee’ Ilibagiza.  It is a short, but powerful book with lots to consider.

I just finished reading the mass readings for tomorrow,  Sunday, August 28th ( http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/082816.cfm ) .  They speak to us about humility.  I’ve been taught that humility is the key to holiness.  If we want to grow in holiness, we must first grow in humility – “He must increase, but I must decrease.”  John 3:30  Once I prayed to grow in humility, and God sent me, an elementary school teacher, a parent who I could not seem to please no matter what I did.  It was a long school year!  After that, I shied away from praying for that grace for several years!

Anyway, I came across this prayer card.  When I first read it, I thought – this is ROUGH!  There is NO WAY I’ll ever achieve THIS level of humility.  I tucked it in a book because it was a holy card, and it didn’t “speak to me,” however, I  just couldn’t throw it away!  Recently, I rediscovered it.   The last line really speaks to me now in the times in which we live:

Humility is perpetual quietness of heart.  It is to have no trouble.  It is never to be fretted, vexed, irritated, sore or disappointed.  It is to expect nothing, to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing done against me.  It is to be at rest when nobody praises me and when I am blamed and despised.  It is to have a blessed home in myself, where I can go in, shut the door, kneel to my God in secret and am at peace as in a deep sea of calmness, when all around and above is troubled.

All around and above seems troubled – really troubled!  Sometimes it is overwhelming.  This is when we must realize that we don’t have to go all over looking for comfort – for God.  He is as close to us as the beating of our own heart or our next breath.  We can read His Holy Word, quiet ourselves and close our eyes.  When we humble ourselves before our God who deigns to dwell within His beloved, the madness of the world disappears.  He ministers to our world-weary souls. We no longer feel vexed or scared.  We feel His love and His incredible peace – the kind of love and peace the likes of which the world could never give.

I believe that this constant “plugging in” with scripture, adoration, the sacraments and prayer will be very necessary to weather the storms ahead.  You know, I used to find the rosary to be just repetitious prayer ( for me).  I couldn’t “get into” it.  I don’t know what happened, but I began praying the mysteries of the rosary in the quiet of the adoration chapel, in the presence of Jesus, and it has been truly transformative.  It gives me such great peace, comfort and strength.  I wish the same for you, my friends!

Thoughts of a Holy Man {rebloggged}

 

Top 5 Pope John Paul I Quotes On His 38th Papal Anniversary

SUMMARY

On the 38th anniversary of the election of Pope John Paul I, John Clark looks back at some of this little-known pope’s wonderful writings and speeches.

If the life of Albino Luciani could be summed up in a word, perhaps that word would be “improbable.”

His midwife baptized him shortly after his birth, as she recognized that he was in serious danger of death.

He was confirmed at age 6, entered the minor seminary at age 11, and was ordained a priest at age 22.

In 1973, he was made a cardinal, and only five years later, he was elected pope, taking a double papal name for the first time in history.

But though his Savior walked the earth for 33 years, Pope John Paul I, as the Vicar of Christ, served his Savior for only 33 days.

In many ways, the papacy of Pope John Paul I will always be overshadowed by both his predecessor, Pope Paul VI—who served 15 years—and his successor, Pope Saint John Paul II—who served for over a quarter-century.

In the case of Pope John Paul I, we are presented with an historical anomaly and what seems like an ecclesiastical contradiction: an almost unknown pope.

But today, on the anniversary of his election, let’s take the opportunity to look back on his papacy, his genius, and his famous smile.

Below are five wonderful quotes issued during his short papacy. His beautiful words are an enduring smile to the world.

Radio Message to the World (August 27, 1978)

Pope John Paul I explains that trust and humility are essential qualities of Christians.

This message to the world, delivered the day following his election, assures us that God is always with us.

A dawn of hope spreads over the earth, although it is sometimes touched by sinister merchants of hatred, bloodshed, and war with a darkness which sometimes threatens to obscure the dawn. This humble Vicar of Christ, who begins his mission in fear yet in complete trust, places himself at the disposal of the entire Church and all civil society. We make no distinction as to race or ideology but seek to secure for the world the dawn of a more serene and joyful day. Only Christ could cause this dawn of a light which will never set, because he is the “sun of justice” (cf. Mal 4:2). He will indeed oversee the work of all. He will not fail us.

General Audience (September 20, 1978)

Pope John Paul I expresses that three truths, taken together, provide a powerful source of hope.

You will say further: how can this happen? It happens because one is attached to three truths: God is almighty, God loves me immensely, God is faithful to promises. And it is he, the God of mercy, who kindles trust in me; so that I do not feel lonely, or useless, or abandoned, but involved in a destiny of salvation, which will lead to Paradise one day.

General Audience (September 27, 1978)

Beautiful in its simplicity, Pope John Paul I offers us a gentle reminder that there is no true happiness apart from God.

God is too great, he deserves too much from us for us to be able to throw to him, as to a poor Lazarus, a few crumbs of our time and our heart. He is infinite good and will be our eternal happiness: money, pleasure, the fortunes of this world, compared with him, are just fragments of good and fleeting moments of happiness. It would not be wise to give so much of ourselves to these things and little of ourselves to Jesus.

Homily (September 23, 1978)

When John Paul I expressed his desire to be a priest, his father replied: “I hope that when you become a priest you will be on the side of the workers, for Christ himself would have been on their side.” We can speculate that perhaps Pope John Paul I saw the countenance of his father when he spoke the following words.

Rome will be a true Christian community if God is honored by you not merely with a multitude of the faithful in the churches, not merely with private life that is lived morally, but also with love for the poor. These, the Roman deacon Lawrence said, are the true treasures of the Church.

The Last Angelus (September 24, 1978)

The last Angelus of Pope John Paul I was delivered just four days before his death.

In his last Angelus, Pope John Paul I related the story of the sixteen French Carmelites of Compiègne who were martyred during the madness of the French Revolution.

During the trial they were condemned “to death for fanaticism.” And one of them asked in her simplicity: “Your Honor, what does fanaticism mean?” And the judge: “It is your foolish membership of religion.” “Oh, Sisters,” she then said, “did you hear, we are condemned for our attachment to faith. What happiness to die for Jesus Christ!”

They were brought out of the prison of the Conciergerie, and made to climb into the fatal cart. On the way they sang hymns; when they reached the guillotine, one after the other knelt before the Prioress and renewed the vow of obedience. Then they struck up “Veni Creator”; the song, however, became weaker and weaker, as the heads of the poor Sisters fell, one by one, under the guillotine. The Prioress, Sister Theresa of St. Augustine, was the last, and her last words were the following: “Love will always be victorious, love can do everything.” That was the right word, not violence, but love, can do everything.

Pope John Paul I concluded his message with this fatherly advice:

“Let us ask the Lord for the grace that a new wave of love for our neighbor may sweep over this poor world.”

Amen.

“Enough ‘Comfort Catholicism.’ The Church must prepare for persecution” by Msgr Charles Pope

Msgr. Charles Pope

Enough ‘comfort Catholicism.’ The Church must prepare for persecution.

WASHINGTON, D.C., August 23, 2016 (NCRegister) — There is a growing consternation among some Catholics that the Church, at least in her leadership, is living in the past. It seems there is no awareness that we are at war and that Catholics need to be summoned to sobriety, increasing separation from the wider culture, courageous witness and increasing martyrdom.

It is long past dark in our culture, but in most parishes and dioceses it is business as usual and there is anything but the sober alarm that is really necessary in times like these.

Scripture says, Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle (Psalm 144:1). Preparing people for war — a moral and spiritual war, not a shooting war — should include a clear setting forth of the errors of our time, and a clear and loving application of the truth to error and light to darkness.

But there is little such training evident in Catholic circles today where, in the average parish, there exists a sort of shy and quiet atmosphere — a fear of addressing “controversial” issues lest someone be offended, or the parish be perceived as “unwelcoming.”

But, if there ever was a time to wear soft garments, it is not now.

The Church of the 1970s-1990s was surely well described as the era of “beige Catholicism” (a term coined by Bishop Robert Barron, and not by way of flattery either). Those of us who lived through that era, especially in the 1970s, remember it as a time when many parish signs beckoned people to “come and experience our welcoming and warm Catholic community.” Our most evident desire was to fit in and be thought of as “normal.” Yes, Catholics were just like everyone else; and we had been working very hard to do that, at least since the early 1960s when John F. Kennedy was elected. Catholics had finally “made it” into the mainstream; we had been accepted by the culture.

Church architecture and interiors became minimalist and non-descript. Music and language in the liturgy became folksy. Marian processions, Corpus Christi processions, many things of distinctive and colorful Catholicism all but disappeared. Even our crucifixes disappeared, to be replaced by floating “resurrection Jesus” images. The emphasis was on blending in, speaking to things that made people feel comfortable, and affirming rather than challenging. If there was to be any challenge at all it would be on “safe” exhortations such as not abusing the environment or polluting, not judging or being intolerant, and so forth.

Again, if there ever was a time to wear soft garments, it is not now. It is zero-dark-thirty in our post-Christian culture. And while we may wish to blame any number of factors for the collapse, we cannot exclude ourselves. We who are supposed to be the light of the world, with Christ shining in us, have preferred to hide our light under a basket and lay low. The ruins of our families and culture are testimony to the triumph of error and the suppression of the truth.

More than ever we need to shift toward being distinctive from the culture we have refused to critique and call to reform. More than ever our faith needs to shine brightly and clearly in our churches and communities.

And if a world now accustomed to great darkness calls our light harsh, so be it. If our light does not shine, there is no light at all. Our Catholic faith is the sole and last hope for this world. It has always been so.

Simply put, it is time for clergy to prepare themselves and God’s people for sacrifice. Seeking to compromise with this culture is now unthinkable. Our only recourse is to seek to lance the boils. And the culture will cry foul. And we who do the lancing will be made increasingly to suffer. But we have to be willing to embrace and endure such suffering in increasing ways in the months and years ahead.

We are at war for our own souls and the souls of people we love. We are at war for the soul of this culture and nation. And like any soldier, we must train to fight well. We must study our faith and be more committed than ever. We must also know our enemy and his tactics, and we must be prepared to suffer — and even to lose our life.

We have to retool and provide every opportunity to get clear about our faith. Sermons and other teachable moments must sound a clear call to personal conversion and to battle for souls and to stop treating lightly the sinful disregard for God’s law in our families and communities.

Our bishops especially need to shift into another mode entirely. Collectively and currently they seem more interested in protecting what little we have left, than summoning the Catholic people to battle. Priests too seem loath to summon people to anything challenging or uncomfortable. The image of Peter trying to keep Christ from the Cross comes to mind. Peter said, “This shall never be for you!” And the Lord severely rebuked him saying that he was thinking as man, not God, and was in the service of Satan.

And what of us? The Church cannot even seem to ask people to attend Mass on a Holy Day if it is on a Monday or a Saturday. It is apparently too much to ask people to come to Mass two days in a row. If that be the case, who will summon them to withstand and vigorously protest unjust and evil laws, even if it means financial penalties or even jail? And blood martyrdom? It hardly seems likely that most clergy today would counsel readiness for such a thing or even be close to being ready ourselves. Bishops or priests who do so can expect to be called reckless and imprudent in shy and soft times like these. The cry will surely go up, “It is not yet the time for such things!”

But if not now, when?

Scripture says, If the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? (1 Cor. 14:8). It cannot simply be priests who must make this call. Parents and other leaders need to sound it as well. Yes, parents need to prepare their children for more than a career. They need now to prepare them for difficult days ahead — days that will include persecution and even martyrdom if they decide to follow Christ unambiguously.

Am I wrong? I sure hope so. But we can no longer, as a Church, sit idly by and hope things just magically get better. As a culture, and even in segments of the Church, we have sown the wind, and now we are reaping the whirlwind.

Many, these days, like to criticize the Church of the past for any number of failings.But I wonder how the future members of the Church will remember the Church in our times. Columnist Joseph Sobran, writing over 15 years ago, wondered the same thing and wrote:

[Catholics of the future] certainly won’t accuse us of excessive zeal. They might be shocked by our lukewarmness, our cowardice masquerading as tolerance, our laxity, our willingness to countenance heresy, sacrilege, blasphemy, and immorality, even within the Church itself, our eagerness to ingratiate ourselves with the secular world … (Subtracting Christianity, p. 268)

Yes, I too wonder. From St. Peter to Constantine there were 33 Popes. Thirty of them were martyred and two died in exile. Countless clergy and lay people too were martyred. It is hard to imagine the Church in the decadent West being willing to suffer so. Surely our brethren in many less affluent parts of the world are dying in large numbers. But I wonder: After all these years of “comfort Catholicism,” would the average American parishioner or clergyman be willing or able to endure such loss?

It is time, past time, to retool. It is time to prepare for persecutions that will get bolder by the month and year. The dark movements that marched in under the banners of tolerance never meant it. And having increasingly gained power, they are seeking to criminalize anyone who resists their vision. No tolerance for us. Religious liberty is eroding, and compulsory compliance is already here. The federal courts increasingly shift to militantly secular and activist judges who legislate from the bench.

When will we as a Church finally say to the bureaucrats who demand we comply with evil laws: “We will not comply. If you fine us we will not pay. If you seek to confiscate our buildings, we will turn maximum publicity against you, but we still will not comply. If you arrest us, off to jail we go! But we will simply not comply with evil laws or cooperate with evil.”

Right now, most of us can barely imagine our clergy standing so firm. Quiet compromises and jargon-filled “solutions” will be a grave temptation to a Church ill-prepared for persecution.

Call me alarmist or call me idealist, but I hope we find our spine before it is too late.It is usually a faithful remnant that saves the day in the Biblical narrative. I pray only for the strength to be in that faithful remnant. Will you join me too? Let’s pray and start retooling now. Only our unambiguous faith can save us or anyone we love. Pray for strong and courageous faith. END QUOTES

Detachment: Allowing God to be all that we need. Reblogged from Jeannie Ewing

 

Detachment Letting God Be All We Need

JEANNIE EWING

In a culture that presents detachment as a distant type of apathy or indifference, the word detachment itself procures distaste and disdain for those who are genuinely seeking to deepen their interior lives.  Yet detachment can be holy.  We hear the word in terms of surrender or abandonment, as in “surrender to God’s will” or “abandonment to Divine Providence,” respectively.  How can one discern the difference between worldly and holy detachment?

Secular detachment is derived from a sense of selfishness.  The person who withdraws from the world does so out of a motive of fear, anxiety, ambivalence, and anger, among many other egocentric reasons.  With the onslaught of social media and the bombardment of selfies or self-aggrandizement in varying forms on the internet, it’s quite common for many of us to become swept away with a sense of emotional and spiritual distance that result in lack of charity toward neighbor and enemy alike.  This sort of detachment leads us inward in a self-protective sense, so that we begin (or continue) to build invisible barriers around our hearts that prevent us from risking vulnerability.

Vulnerability, however, is required in order for love to flourish.  When we remain in the womb of our comfort zones, we neglect to encounter the beauty of birth.  This birth, of course, is a metaphor for every new beginning that occurs when we risk losing ourselves in order to be filled with God’s very presence.  Loss, as we know, is not something we desire.  In fact, it would seem preferable to remain hidden rather than extend ourselves to those in need – a hurting neighbor, a lonely family member, a struggling friend.

Holy detachment, by its very nature, involves a necessary and often painful emptying of self.  Usually, when a soul is on the cusp of being deepened in virtue, God beckons it to detachment. Rather than the selfish detachment that bears fruit of vice, this type of detachment is an opportunity for renewal, for growth, for becoming more by having lessin our lives – fewer distractions, less emotional or mental clutter, fewer suffocating or toxic relationships that drain and damage our integrity.

Even healthy relationships can be hindrances to our spiritual growth, not because they exist, but rather in how we view or treat them.  When we find ourselves longing for human companionship over God’s companionship; when we desire affirmation and acknowledgment from our comrades; when we hope to be included among our friends at social gatherings or in conversations, we are exhibiting a particular level of insecurity that masquerades as authenticity.

God deserves to be the King of our hearts. When we fill our lives, thoughts, and days with busyness and details – even good ones – we deprive God from what is due Him; that is to say, we deny God by filling our hearts with everything,

except Him.  Only when we reveal a vacancy, a nothingness, or an empty space can God fill us with Himself. In order for this to occur, a painful pruning and purgation is often necessary, because we don’t relinquish our attachments willingly or easily. Yet, when we do surrender all to God, including our loneliness or desire for admiration among our colleagues, we begin to take the first step toward holy detachment.

While earthly detachment results in trepidation and ultimately a lack of charity, holy detachment always increases our capacity to love.  When there is less of self, there is room for expansion of God, who is Love.  Therefore, love exponentially multiplies within us when we allow God to draw us nearer to Him by way of detaching from earthly and fleshly desires.

Even good things and people can draw us away from God, and the enemy knows this, which is why we must remain vigilant and cautious of our daily habits and the fruit those habits produce.  To begin in advancing toward a true abandonment to God’s providence, we must ask ourselves, “Is this behavior (thought, attitude, habit) resulting in God’s glory or my own?”  With the answer, we will discover much by way of what constitutes secular, versus Godly, detachment.

The pining for human companionship, of course, is but a reflection of our true longing for God.  Since we cannot touch God in the same way we embrace our loved ones, we mistake the pure desire for God as a need for friendship or some type of emotional, intellectual, or spiritual affinity (or perhaps a combination therein).  Lest we be duped, however, we must allow God to do with us as He wishes, even and especially when that means we are annihilated of all that has become familiar and comfortable or comforting to us.

An example of this occurred to me on the Feast of the Assumption in 2014.  I attended Mass solo, as Ben and the girls decided on a Mass more fitting for small children.  The opportunity to worship alone granted me the cognitive space I needed to clearly identify a particular gnawing at my heart that had been present for several weeks.  The way the Holy Spirit operates within me is usually by way of a “holy restlessness,” or a specific stirring in my heart that is akin to a gentle tapping so that God can get my attention.

During Mass, I began to sense that God was asking me to detach from our parish home and all of the many friends we had grown close to over the past six years.  As I looked around and saw mostly familiar faces, I became keenly aware that I needed to distance myself from them in order to discover what God was asking of me.  This did not, however, mean that I became indifferent toward them.  On the contrary, I loved them more, but it was only because I didn’t need them anymore.

When I realized how greatly I relied on my friends to provide conversation, consolation, affirmation, and joy to my life, it was apparent that I possessed an unhealthy, or unholy, attachment to them.  I needed them in order to fill the void in my heart that comprised loneliness, rejection, fear, and the wounds of betrayal.  Yet, when God revealed to me that I must detach in the sense of loving, rather than using, my friends, I knew it was one step toward the particular level of detachment toward which He was calling me.

Detachment, like most aspects of interior advancement, usually occurs little by little, step by step, day by day.  Of course, the essential goal is that we become radically and entirely detached from all that is not God or of God, but, for most of us, this will take a lifetime of ups and downs, progression and regression.  The times we forge ahead in making strides toward authentic detachment are due to extraordinary grace, and the moments we become discouraged for the struggles we encounter are opportunities for us to grow in humility by way of humiliation.

All in all, we must realize our dependence on God to do all good things, and instead of needing people or material possessions, we can transform our inordinate desires to those of Heaven.  When God becomes all we need, only then will we discover our ability to love Him and those He placed in our lives – freely, totally, faithfully, and fruitfully. END QUOTES

 

Why Should a Christian Consider Catholicism by Patrick Miron

Why Should a Christian Consider Catholicism? ….    Or Should they?

By Patrick Miron

 Let’s at least attempt to join the two questions into one.

How many true God’s are their? Notice please I did not ask how many true “gods” are their; but “God’s”. Meaning a Supreme Deity.

“God” defined by the Catholic Dictionary:

GOD. The one absolutely and infinitely perfect spirit who is the Creator of all. In the definition of the First Vatican Council, fifteen internal attributes of God are affirmed, besides his role as Creator of http://www.equip.org/article/the-attributes-of-god-what-are-the-attributes-of-god/ the universe: “The holy, Catholic, apostolic Roman Church believes and professes that there is one true, living God, the Creator and Lord of heaven and earth. He is almighty, eternal, beyond measure, incomprehensible, and infinite in intellect, will and in every perfection. Since He is one unique spiritual substance, entirely simple and unchangeable, He must be declared really and essentially distinct from the world, perfectly happy in Himself and by his very nature, and inexpressibly exalted over all things that exist or can be conceived other than Himself” (Denzinger 3001).

Reflecting on the nature of God, theology has variously identified what may be called his metaphysical essence, i.e., what is God. It is commonly said to be his self-subsistence. God is Being Itself. In God essence and existence coincide. He is the Being who cannot not exist. God alone must be. All other beings exist only because of the will of God  END QUOTE: Father John A Hardon’s Catholic Dictionary

The Attributes of God: What Are the Attributes of God?

http://www.equip.org/article/the-attributes-of-god-what-are-the-attributes-of-god/

1. SELF-EXISTENT: God has no cause; He does not depend on anything for his continued existence.
2. I AM WHO I AM (Ex. 3:14; see John 8:58) {singular}
3. Life in Himself (John 5:26)
4. First and Last, Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End; as the Beginning, God has no cause (Isa. 41:4; 44:6; 48:12; Rev. 1:8, 17; 2:8; 3:14; 21:6; 22:13)
5. No God before or after Yahweh (Isa. 43:10)
6. TRANSCENDENT: God is entirely distinct from the universe, as the carpenter is distinct from the bench; excluding pantheism (God in all) and animism (everything is a god).
7. Separate from the world (Isa. 66:1-2; Acts 17:24)
8. Contrasted with the world (Psa. 102:25-27; I John 2:15-17)
9. Implied by doctrine of creation (Gen. 1:1; Isa. 42:5)
10. IMMANENT: Though transcendent, God is present with and in the world; excluding deism (God is out there but not here).
11. God is near, so He can be known (Deut. 4:7; Jer. 23:23; Acts 17:27)
12. Bound up with God’s omnipresence (Psa. 139:7-10; Jer. 23:24; Acts 17:28)
13. IMMUTABLE: God is perfect in that He never changes nor can He change with respect to His being, attributes, purpose, or promises; excluding process theology, Mormon doctrine of eternal progression.
14. Unchangeable (Psa. 102:26-27; Isa. 51:6; Mal. 3:6; Rom. 1:23; Heb. 1:11-12; James 1:17; Heb. 13:8)
15. God’s relations with changing men spoken of as God changing (Ex. 32:9-14; Psa. 18:25-27)
16. ETERNAL: God is perfect in that He transcends all time and temporal limitations, and is thus infinite with respect to time.
17. Duration through endless ages (Ps. 90:2; 93:2; 102:12; Eph. 3:21)
18. Unlimited by time (Psa. 90:4; 2 Pet. 3:8)
19. Creator of the ages ( i.e., of time itself; Heb. 1:2; 11:3)
20. Implied by doctrines of transcendence, self-existence, and immutability
21. OMNIPRESENT: God is perfect in that He transcends all space and spatial limitations, and is thus infinite with respect to space, with His whole Being filling every part of the universe and being present everywhere (not diffused through the universe, but present at each point in His fullness).
22. The universe cannot contain God (1 Kings 8:27; Isa. 66:1; Acts 7:48-49)
23. Present everywhere (Psa. 139:7-10; Acts 17:28; of Christ, Matt. 18:20; 28:20)
24. Fills all things (Jer. 23:23-24; of Christ, Eph. 1:23; 4:10; Col. 3:11)
25. Implied by doctrine of transcendence
26. OMNIPOTENT: God is perfect in that He can do all things consistent with the perfection of His being. God cannot do the self-contradictory (e.g., make a rock He cannot lift), nor can He do that which is contrary to His perfect nature (e.g., He cannot change, He cannot lie, etc.).
27. Nothing too difficult (Gen. 18:14; Jer. 32:17, 27; Zech. 8:6; Matt. 3:9)
28. All things possible (Job 42:2; Psa. 115:3; Matt. 19:26; Mark 10:27; Luke 1:37; 18:27; Eph. 1:11)
29. God cannot lie, be tempted, deny Himself, etc. (2 Tim. 2:13; Titus 1:2; Heb. 6:18; James 1:13)
30. OMNISCIENT: God is perfect in that He knows all things, including events before they happen.
31. Perfect in knowledge, Job 37:16
32. Knows the heart (1 Sam. 16:7; 1 Chr. 28:9, 17; Psa. 139:1-4; Jer. 17:10a)
33. Knows all events to come (Isa. 41:22-23; 42:9; 44:7)
34. INCORPOREAL: God has no body or parts, and is immaterial, being a simple and infinite being of spirit; excluding the Mormon doctrine of God as an exalted man.
35. God is spirit (John 4:24)
36. God is not a man (Num. 23:19; 1 Sam. 15:29)
37. Implied by doctrines of self-existence, transcendence, omnipresence, and creation.
38. ONE: God is a perfectly unique and simple being, existing as one infinite Being called God. There is therefore only one God, who is called Yahweh in the Old Testament, and who reveals Himself in the persons of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in the New Testament; thus excluding polytheism, tritheism (belief in three gods), and subordinationism (in which Christ is a lesser god subordinate to the Almighty God).
39. Only one God (Deut. 6:4; Isa. 43:10; 44:6, 8; 45:5-7, 21-22; Zech. 14:9; 1 Cor. 8:4-6; Gal. 3:20; Eph. 4:5-6; 1 Tim. 2:5; James 2:19)
40. All other “gods” are only “so-called,” (1 Cor. 8:4-6; 2 Thess. 2:4)
41. Moses was “as God,” not God or divine (Ex. 4:16; 7:1)
42. Satan, idols, and the belly are all false gods (Psa. 96:4-5; 1 Cor. 10:20; 2 Cor. 4:4; Phil. 3:19)
43. Wicked judges called “gods” in irony, not to describe nature (Psa. 82:1, 6; John 10:34-36)
44. Yahweh is Elohim (Gen. 2:4; Deut. 4:35, 39; Psa. 100:3 [thus excluding the view of Mormonism that Jehovah and Elohim are distinct beings])
45. Implied by the doctrines of self-existence, transcendence, and omnipotence
46. CREATOR: God is the One through whom all things have come into existence; by His unbounded power and knowledge He created finite existence ex nihilo and formed the universe as it now is.
47. Created all things (Gen. 1:1; Psa. 33:6; 102:25; John 1:3; Rom. 11:36; Heb. 1:2; 11:3)
48. Made all things by Himself (Isa. 44:24)
49. Implied by doctrine of self-existence
50. PERSONAL: God, as the author of personhood in the created universe, cannot be less than personal Himself; thus He experiences relationships with other persons, or self-conscious beings. Note that God may be more than personal, indeed, His infinite nature suggests that He must be.
51. Scripture everywhere assumes the personhood of God in the use of personal pronouns, in recording Him speaking and acting willfully, etc. (e.g., Gen. 1:3, 26; Heb. 1:1-2; etc.)
52. God gives Himself a name (Yahweh), and says “I am” (Exod. 3:14)
53. Implied by doctrine of creation
54. INCOMPREHENSIBLE: God is incomprehensible, not in the sense that the concept of God is unintelligible, but in the sense that God cannot be fully and directly known by finite creatures, because of His uniqueness and His infinitude.
55. None like God (Ex. 8:10; 9:14; 15:11; 2 Sam. 7:22; 1 Chr. 17:20; Psa. 86:8; 1 Kgs. 8:23; Isa. 40:18, 25; 44:7; 56:5, 9; Jer. 10:6-7; Micah 7:18)
56. Analogical language necessary to describe God (Ezek. 1:26-28; Rev. 1:13-16)
57. God cannot be comprehended as He really is (1 Cor. 8:2-3)
58. God can only be known as the Son reveals Him (John 1:18; Matt. 11:25-27)
59. MORALLY PERFECT: {GOOD} The following are the moral attributes of God; they are listed here together because God’s moral nature is perfectly unified, with no tension between His wrath and His love, for example.
60. GOOD: God is morally excellent, and does only good (Gen. 1:31; Deut. 8:16; Psa. 107:8; 118:1; Nahum 1:7; Mark 10:18; Rom. 8:28)
61. HOLY: God is morally transcendent, utterly separated from all evil, and perfectly pure (Ex. 3:5; Lev. 19:2; Psa. 5:4-6; 99:5; Isa. 6:3; 8:13; Hab. 1:12-13; 1 Pet. 1:14-19)
62. RIGHTEOUS: God is perfectly moral in all that He does, doing everything right ( Isa. 45:21; Zeph. 3:5; Rom. 3:26)
63. TRUE: God is perfectly truthful, and cannot lie (John 17:17; Titus 1:2; Heb. 6:18)
64. LOVING: God’s moral character is pure love, sacrificial giving for the true benefit of another (Deut. 7:7-8; Jer. 31:3; John 3:16; Heb. 12:6)
65. WRATHFUL: God’s moral perfection requires Him to show displeasure against anything which seeks to act contrary to its moral purpose, to judge that which rebels against His authority as Creator and Lord (Psa. 103:8-9; Rom. 2:5; 11:22; Heb. 10:31) END QUOTES

Notable in the above is #10…. “GOD IS ONE “

From that objective reality, we can, and we should be able to comprehend that “One God”, can have only one set of faith beliefs. Nothing else is logical or even exist as a possibility.

So because there is but one true God; who objectively and logically can and does have just one set of Faith beliefs, and because today’s Catholic Church both historically & biblically, is that One True Chuech;

[1] http://www.beginningcatholic.com/catholic-church-origin.html

[2] http://www.catholic.com/blog/jon-sorensen/the-evidence-is-on-our-side

[3] http://www.catholiceducation.org/en/controversy/common-misconceptions/back-to-the-beginning-a-brief-introduction-to-the-ancient-catholic-church.html

[4] http://shoebat.com/2014/09/05/new-archaeological-discovery-proves-catholic-church/

Having now established a secular historical record of the Early Catholic Church, let’s look briefly at the biblical record by first checking the dates of authorship of the New Testament:

The n order By Most Likely Date
Free Beginning Home

The Four Gospels: https://carm.org/when-were-gospels-written-and-by-whom Matthew: The earliest quotation of Matthew is found in Ignatius who died around A.D. 115 A.D. Therefore, Matthew was in circulation well before Ignatius came on the scene.  The various dates most widely held as possible writing dates of the Gospel are between A.D. 40 – 140.  But Ignatius died around A.D. 115, and he quoted Matthew.  Therefore Matthew had to be written before he died.  Nevertheless, it is generally believed that Matthew was written before A.D. 70 and as early as A.D. 50. Mark: Mark was not an eyewitness to the events of Jesus’ life.  He was a disciple of Peter and undoubtedly it was Peter who informed Mark of the life of Christ and guided him in writing the Gospel known by his name.  “Papias claimed that Mark, the Evangelist, who had never heard Christ, was the interpreter of Peter, and that he carefully gave an account of everything he remembered from the preaching of Peter.”7 Generally, Mark is said to be the earliest gospel with an authorship of between A.D. 55 to A.D. 70 Luke: As far as dating the gospel goes, Luke was written before the book of Acts and Acts does not mention “Nero’s persecution of the Christians in A.D. 64 or the deaths of James (A.D. 62), Paul (A.D. 64), and Peter (A.D. 65).” Therefore, we can conclude that Luke was written before A.D. 62.   “Luke’s Gospel comes (Acts 1:1) before the Acts.  The date of Acts is still in dispute, but the early date (about A.D. 63) is gaining support constantly. John: The writer of the gospel of John was obviously an eyewitness of the events of Christ’s life since he speaks from a perspective of having been there during many of the events of Jesus’ ministry and displays a good knowledge of Israeli geography and customs. The John Rylands papyrus fragment 52 of John’s gospel dated in the year 135 contains portions of John 18, verses 31-33, 37-38.  This fragment was found in Egypt, and a considerable amount of time is needed for the circulation of the gospel before it reached Egypt.  It is the last of the gospels and appears to have been written in the 80’s to 90’s. End Quotes from above site The following chart provides the dates when the New Testament books were written. In the cases in which historians disagree on the date, we have identified the prominent historians who support the earliest and lastest possible dates. http://www.freebeginning.com/new_testament_dates/ Related topics: Our sources When were the New Testament writtings accepted as scripture? Did Eusibius rewrite the New Testament? N.T. Book Author Earliest Latest Most Likely Galatians Apostle Paul A.D. 48 A.D. 50 A.D. 48 1 Thessalonians Apostle Paul A.D. 50 A.D. 52 A.D. 51 2 Thessalonians Apostle Paul A.D. 50 A.D. 52 A.D. 51 Mark Mark A.D. 45 John Wenham / John A. T. Robinson A.D. 60 A. Harnack A.D. 48-55 1 Corinthians Apostle Paul A.D. 55 A.D. 55 A.D. 55 2 Corinthians Apostle Paul A.D. 56 A.D. 56 A.D. 56 Romans Apostle Paul A.D. 57 A.D. 57 A.D. 57 James James (half-brother of Jesus) A.D. 38 A.D. 62 A.D. 50-60 Luke Luke A.D. 57-62 A.D. 57-62 A.D. 57-62 Ephesians Apostle Paul A.D. 60-62 A.D. 60-62 A.D. 60-62 Philippians Apostle Paul A.D. 60-62 A.D. 60-62 A.D. 60-62 Colossians Apostle Paul A.D. 60-62 A.D. 60-62 A.D. 60-62 Philemon Apostle Paul A.D. 60-62 A.D. 60-62 A.D. 60-62 Acts Luke A.D. 62-63 A.D. 62-63 A.D. 62-63 Titus Apostle Paul A.D. 62 A.D. 63 A.D. 63 1 Timothy Apostle Paul A.D. 62 A.D. 64 A.D. 63 2 Timothy Apostle Paul A.D. 64 A.D. 64 A.D. 64 1 Peter Apostle Peter A.D. 63 A.D. 68 A.D. 64-67 2 Peter Apostle Peter A.D. 64 A.D. 68 A.D. 65-68 Hebrews Unknown A.D. 40 A.D. 69 A.D. 50-68 Matthew Apostle Matthew A.D. 40 John Wenham / John A. T. Robinson A.D. 110 Paul Minear A.D. 65-70 Jude Jude (half-brother of Jesus) A.D. 60 A.D. 85 A.D. 65-80 John Apostle John A.D. 60’s F. Lamar Cribbs A.D. 90’s A.D. 90’s 1 John Apostle John Unknown A.D. 98 A.D. 90’s 2 John Apostle John Unknown A.D. 98 A.D 90’s 3 John Apostle John Unknown A.D. 98 A.D. 90’s Revelation Apostle John A.D. 68 A.D. 97 A.D. 95-97

Please take careful note of the fact that the entire New Testament is believed to have been authored by the end of the 1^st Century, all though I have seen a view that it may have extended into the VERY early second century.

One would think that this objective, even scientific evidence would quell the reports from various protestant elements that deny the existence of the Catholic Church until sometime in the 3td century. I assume that they hold to Constantine being somehow the founder of today’s Catholic Church. The “Edict of Milan” in 313 AD by Constantine granted religious freedom effected ALL faiths, pagan and Catholic.

“Edict of Milan, a proclamation that permanently established religious toleration for Christianity within the Roman Empire. It was the outcome of a political agreement concluded in Milan between the Roman emperors Constantine I and Licinius in February 313. The proclamation, made for the East by Licinius in June 313, granted all persons freedom to worship whatever deity they pleased, assured Christians of legal rights (including the right to organize churches), and directed the prompt return to Christians of confiscated property. Previous edicts of toleration had been as short-lived as the regimes that sanctioned them, but this time the edict effectively established religious toleration.”  …Because at this point in history the only “Christians” were in fact, “Catholics,” as no other { except for small bands of heretical sects which came and disappeared} forms of Christianity were yet in existence.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Edict-of-Milan   …..

By virtue of the fact that the Edict granted tolerance to practice all existing faiths, it is historically provable that the Catholic Church was already in existence, and that it was sufficiently wide spread as to merit inclusion.  Indeed the terms “Christian & Catholics” were synonymous. Further the historical dates of Authorship of the New Testament preclude any nonsensical  agenda driven idea’s as being worthy of any serious merit, of a non-existent Roman Catholic Church until Constantine.

The Bible too affirms the existence of “a church” {singularly tied together by One common set of faith beliefs.} Objectively whenever the bible uses the term “CHURCH” it is referencing directly and exclusively today’s Catholic Church; no other “church” and no other form of Christianity would even exist until 1054 AD, and the advent of the “Great Eastern Schism” who choose to leave the Then Roman Catholic Church. http://www.christianitytoday.com/history/issues/issue-28/1054-east-west-schism.html

In instituting the RCC, Jesus was clear. Precise and unerring:

Matthew 16: 13-19

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesare’a Philip’pi, he asked his disciples, “Who do men say that the Son of man is?” [14] And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Eli’jah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” [15] He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” [16] Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” [17] And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.[18] And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church,  {singular} and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. [19] I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Secondly, we must note that it is also a logical and moral impossibility to separate the term “church”. From the Faith beliefs of that body. This reality is evident in two ways today:

1. Today’s Catholic Church, after 2,000 years still is joined by One set of common Faith-beliefs.
2. While the Protestant churches, after about 500 years {plural] are separated by an ever-growing multiplicity of differing sets of “faith-beliefs,” and thus, truly different churches.

Acts.2:42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Acts.19: 23 About that time there arose no little stir concerning the Way

Acts.24:14 But this I admit to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the law or written in the prophets

Acts 24:14 {Douay Bible}[14] But this I confess to thee, that according to the way, which they call a heresy, so do I serve the Father and my God, believing all things which are written in the law and the prophets

The simple truth is that nowhere in the bible, in its Old or its New Testament can one even a single shred of evidence where God desired. or even in any manner tolerated competing “faith-beliefs.” …. Such acts always’ brought reprisals.

In summary:

While evidence exist in secular history as well as the bible itself for today’s Catholic Church being the One True Faith and Church desired, and instituted by C-hrist Himself; there is no evidence that God desired, condoned or commanded the Protestant reformation. And that dear friends is why non-Catholic Christians ought to prayerfully and carefully consider Catholicism.

Only in the Catholic Church is the fullness of Christ One Faith available

Only in Catholicism {and the Eastern Orthodox churches} can one actually come “face to face” with Christ in the Eucharist

Only In the CC and Orthodox churches can one discover Known forgiveness of Sins, GOD”S Way. John 20:19-23  {the Seven Sacraments}

Only in the CC can one uncover and come to actually rightly understand the bible, as it is a Catholic book.

This is worth praying about, Catholicism rightly and fully practiced is the shortest route to heaven. AMEN!

God Bless you,

Patrick