10.31.06
Struggle, Doubt and Loving God
I’ve been in a bit of a struggle to love God and to love people. It can be hard to love God in difficult times. In moments of weakness, it’s easy to distrust God, and disbelieve that He truly loves you, that His will is for your best in the light of Eternity.
The greatest discouragement comes when I am unable to love as God wants me to love, when my fallen nature refuses to obey God, and thus end up being unhappy. Then I blame God for my failures, for the difficulties, for the limitations of my own nature, going as far as to doubt some articles of faith and, ultimately, His love.
Yet, I know that to love God and love myself and neighbour – in thought, word, desire, deed and renunciation – in itself is the answer to my doubts and struggles. Here again is the paradox; faced with an inability to love, to carry on trying without passing the blame or doubting His goodness – that in itself is an act of love, more true and real than if there were no struggles or doubts and all was well and merry. And in loving God in this way, we can have the bedrock of joy amidst waves of changing circumstances and the feelings accompanying them. To trust with faith, to be committed to love, and to hope with perseverance – these are rewards in themselves.
O Lord, help me to trust you more (and to take heed of my own words!)
| Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold which though perishable is tested by fire, may redound to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Without having seen him you love him; though you do not now see him you believe in him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy. As the outcome of your faith you obtain the salvation of your souls. (I Peter 1:3–9 RSV) |
10.30.06
NZ Politics: Labour and Christianity
There’s an interesting article on New Zealand herald today regarding the Labour Government. It’s called Onward Christian Voters is party’s new theme tune.In other news, Hell froze over.Seriously though, with the Labour government, we’ve had Civil Union (which endorses homosexual unions) and Prostitution Reform (which legalized prostitution), abortion without parental consent, and and on and on it goes. It’s so bad that there was a Being Frank post a while back entitled Is Helen Clark the worst Prime minister we have ever had?Cabinet minister David Cunliffe describes himself as a “lapsed Anglican” and says something I think rather comical: “God does not vote National. God certainly doesn’t vote Act. God doesn’t vote.” He’s certainly true to his religion!According to the article, Mr. Cunliffe explains that “Labour wanted to reclaim principles of justice, compassion and high moral values that were ‘part of our heritage as a social democratic party’.” There’s also a talk of having a Christian sector within the party.Of course, it’s likely more about politics than about “moral high ground” that Mr. Cunliffe is claiming to seek (it’s all a response to the attacks by sectarian Christians, it seems to me), but it’s an interesting development nonetheless.
10.29.06
Catholic Schools
“Catholic schools should be Catholic“. Wow, what a novel concept.
Yet this is the primary and intended foundational purpose of Catholic schools. I quote: “Perhaps the time has come for the diocese and supporters of Catholic education to think more critically about the mission of a Catholic school and, more fundamentally, the mission of the church”.
This reminds me of a letter to the editor in the national Catholic newspaper which said something like, “when a graduate of Catholic high school knows everything about Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam, but has to contact the Catholic Enquiry Centre to find out about Catholicism, something has gone very wrong.” You can say that again.
10.22.06
Condoms and HIV
Condoms and HIV. This has to be one of the most contentious issues to do with the Catholic faith. “Why doesn’t the Church allow condoms in Africa when there’s obviously people suffering due to this stupid restriction?”, it is asked – here is the Being Frank post on exactly that. The poster is discontented with the Church stance, while BTM (must be my long lost brother!) presents the scientific and moral basis for promoting abstinence and chastity over condoms. Just brilliant. Let me quote a few of his posts:
| According to the study; “Contraception: Short-term vs. long-term failure rates”By Dr J. A. Ross – condoms have a ten year failure rate of 52%. This means that if ten couples began using condoms today, in ten years time at more than 5 of those couples would have experienced at least one condom failure.When you are talking about a fatal disease, such research is not supportive of condoms in the fight against AIDS. |
| We also know from research that condom users are more likely to engage in risky behaviours that increase the risk of HIV transmission. When condoms are promoted to people, they begin to believe the lie that sexuality can be separated from responsibility and love and that it can be reduced to a mere physical and animalistic act without any consequences.But this simply isn’t true.As more people believe that condoms are the magic silver bullet, the more they act out on such a belief and the greater the problem of HIV becomes.Even groups that promote condoms have acknowledged this fact at some point or other, let me quote from an International Planned Parenthood Federation Bulletin:“the risk of contracting AIDS during so called protected sex approaches 100 percent as the number of episodes of sexual intercourse increases” – IPPF Medical Bulletin 31 |
And that’s only the tip of the iceberg in this mammoth of an issue.
10.21.06
Non-Catholic Sees Jesus in Communion Host
Andy Petty, a Protestant Christian “who had been a member of the Worldwide Church of God for 40 years and for 30 of those years [had been] preached that the Pope and the Catholic Church were the antichrist”, saw Jesus in the communion host at the local Catholic adoration chapel. Wow. What a shock. “Petty called his pastor and told him what had happened. “My pastor told me I had received a special gift and gave me his blessing if I wanted to become Catholic.” That’s exactly what Petty did.”
“My fiancée was praying at the time so I slid down the pew and got out of my mouth, ‘Do you see that figure?’ She said, ‘see what?’ I said, ‘It’s right there don’t you see it?’ Ina saw nothing. Petty was dumbfounded, coming from a scientific/geological background, (he is employed by the U.S. Department of Interior as a petroleum geologist) he was not inclined to believe something that could not be proven. Spiritual visions definitely fell into this category.”
The communion host is transubstanciated into the Body and Blood of Christ at Mass, Just as Christ himself instituted it: “Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:26–28 RSV)
10.13.06
“Persistent Vegetative State” no-longer so persistent
Well well, what d’ya know, another patient – this time a boy - who was diagnosed with the so-called “Persistent Vegetative State”, said to be “hopeless”, just simply woke up after 22 months. This reinforces what was previously reported; “persistent” is a medical misnomer, and that what happened in the Terri Schiavo was not only a mistake, but a monstrosity.
10.12.06
Catholic Geek
There’s a new blog site in New Zealand, and it’s called Catholic.Geek – hmm, with a title like that, it could well have been my own!
10.09.06
Sacrament of Baptism
As promised, here are the notes from Saturday’s Younf Professionals’ Fellowship, written by our friend Universal. “CCC” refers to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, followed by the paragraph number of the excerpts:
| The Holy Sacrament of Baptism By Universal “Baptism is the source of that new life in Christ from which the entire Christian life springs forth.” Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) 1254 Baptism? Oh I got that done… To a lot of Catholics in New Zealand baptism is “what you do” after your baby is born and it’s a nice quaint ceremony. My own understanding had evolved from there to understanding something about the importance of baptism for salvation and entrance into the Church, yet lacking a deep understanding beyond those simple understandings. Something to discover about the Church is that when you think you know everything, suddenly before you is wonder and amazement. I hope in reading this you might share in a small way my own journey to wonder and amazement regarding baptism! What is Baptism? We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins… When we’re baptised all sins are forgiven and all punishment for that sin is washed away. (CCC 1263) Baptism doesn’t wash away our tendency towards sin, although it does give us the strength to resist that tendency. (CCC 1264) “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no man could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes…they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” Revelations 7:9,14 A new creation… Baptism is not a mere forgiveness of sins. Baptism makes us an adopted son or daughter of God and we share in the divine nature (divine life, eternal heavenly family)! We are made an heir to kingdom of God alongside Christ (inherit heaven)! We are made a temple of the Holy Spirit (sanctifying grace)! “Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 Incorporated into the Church, the Body of Christ. Through baptism we become members of the Body of Christ. This is a very mystical reality, but an apt analogy would be the sexual union of wife and husband. (CCC 1267) Through baptism we share in the priesthood of Christ, in the Mass Christ sacrifices Himself to the Father and we sacrifice ourselves with Him! (1268 ) We belong to Christ and we have duties and rights. (1269) We must be servants of all, be obedient to the Church and witness our faith to the world. (1270) “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body…” 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 An indelible spiritual mark… In baptism the character of our soul alters in a way that can’t be reversed nor repeated. (1272) This change is what allows us to sacrifice ourselves with Christ, without it we cannot do so. In the Mass the priest says, “Pray brethren that your sacrifice and mine may be acceptable to God the Almighty Father.” (1273) In baptism we are “marked with the sign of faith” and in expectation for the blessed vision of God and the hope of resurrection. (1274) “But it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has commissioned us; He has put his seal upon us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 The Necessity of Baptism Christ affirms the necessity of baptism for salvation. “Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” John 3:5 The Church knows no way other than baptism where one might be saved. This is why there is such an impetus to evangelise. (1257) The Plight of the Non-baptised There are special cases, as the Church has always held that unbaptised martyrs are baptised by their death for Christ. Also catechumens who die before receiving baptism and those ignorant of the gospel altogether but who seek God with all their heart and live the moral life according to their conscience are baptised by their desire. Infants who die without being baptised we simply entrust to the mercy of God. (1258 – 1261) So essentially baptism is absolutely necessary we simply don’t know all the ways it’s applied. |
New Beginning
Every Saint has a past and every sinner has a future
- Oscar Wilde
Even St. Augustin, one of the greatest Saints, used to say “Give me chastity and continence, but not yet”. His Mum, St. Monica, had to pray very hard for his conversion. It worked.
Even the most hardened sinner has hope in Christ, because Christ makes him a new creation: “Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come” (II Corinthians 5:17).
This week’s topic for the Young Professionals’ Fellowship was Baptism – I shall have to fetch the notes from Universal, who wrote it. This is what Baptism is about; a new beginning. It is a clean slate, bought with the passion and cross, the very blood of Jesus Christ himself, for our salvation, out of love. How blessed are we to have this most holy Sacrament!
P. S. The Crusades, part III is on the way. I’ve been a bit busy lately, but I’ll get around to it!
10.08.06
Heaven
What will Heaven be like? What do we do there? Why did God create us anyway? Why why why??
Those are the questions asked in this post on Being Frank. Interesting questions, for sure. Here’s what I posted:
| I’m thinking about the one word that would sum it up nicely: love.Heaven is participating in the divine exchange of love in the Trinity through Christ. Jesus, of course, is the Second Person of the Trinity, and we are His Body, which means that in Him we can participate in the life of the Trinity. At least that’s my understanding (hopefully not heretical).God made us because He wanted to share that divine love. Love never seeks itself; it seeks the good of the other. This is why He created us; out of love, for love.
Having faith is good, but so is reason. So, Peter Kreeft, the famous Catholic philosopher, has a few articles that might be of interest: God bless! |
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