Mr. Potter

One of my favorite things to do during the Christmas season is to watch the old movie, "It's a Wonderful Life". I have probably seen it at least 20 times, and it never seems to get old. I think that each time I watch it, I notice something new about it that deepens my appreciation of the story (there were 3 things this year!).

One of things that came to me this year was the contrast between George Bailey and Henry Potter. There are numerous ways to examine their relationship and the applications that can be drawn from it are many. Although I have never done an actual survey in this regard, I seriously doubt that anyone would consider Mr. Potter to be a role model.

Everyone who watches the movie knows that George Bailey is the role model--in spite of all his faults, he is the one that we are supposed to emulate and learn from. The only thing that we are supposed to learn from Mr. Potter is what not to do. Mr. Potter is the "warped, frustrated old man" who seeks to grab as much under his control as possible.

There have been numerous character studies on Mr. Potter, and I am not about to try to reproduce those here; that is not my purpose. Rather, I want us to see that even though Mr. Potter is universally known to be the "bad guy" of the story it is his philosophy which has won the day in American business practices.

Essentially, both George Bailey and Henry Potter are capitalists. They both appear to believe in a free market economy, though they have different attitudes as to the proper way that it should be carried out (but that is not the main subject here). The difference that I want to point out now is where their hearts are at, which helps us to see better what people are doing today.

Mr. Potter's view of capitalism is that it should be used to one's own advantage. Bailey, on the other hand, views capitalism as something that should be used for the good of others. Rarely do you see businesses today that are concerned firstly with the good of others.

Most businesses express a concern for "customer service" but when you really watch their actions, they are only concerned with the customer as a "consumer" rather than as a "human". In other words, their concern is limited to making sure that the customer is happy so that he will return and do more business with them rather than out of an actual care for the person.

In this, we could say that Frank Capra's vision in It's a Wonderful Life has definitely impacted our society in many ways. Yet, in looking at business practices today, we must also say that it is not George Bailey's example that people are following, but Mr. Potter's. I do not think that this is Capra's fault; no, I would guess he was trying to prevent this very thing.  I am not merely being cynical here. It does not take much to see this. Yes, there are certainly businesses with godly business practices, but they are few and far between.

It amazes me how clearly this is what has happened. No one wants to be like "Mr. Potter". His greed is what turns his application of capitalism into (essentially) socialism--the desire to control the economy and drive out all competitors. That is what socialism is, in essence, after all--the complete control of all economic endeavors for one's own benefit. What drove Potter to this is his lack of love of neighbor (seen many times in the movie), because that is what allows him to treat people as consumer "cattle" rather than as people.

I am not simply saying here that people today are greedy; no big shocker there. I am saying that people are becoming socialists because of their greed. Imagine a world where people followed George Bailey's example: willing to pinch pennies and never be rich if it is for the greater good of others. At the end of the movie, George Bailey is called "the richest man in Bedford Falls". His richness is the same as what Jesus encourages in us on a daily basis. To ignore this, is to miss the main point of the story.

In summary, George Bailey is a good example of what the Catholic doctrine of distributism would look like if a business owner tried to live this way. Henry Potter is an example of what leads people into socialism, and thus, communism. People are not (and should not be thought of as) consumers; they are humans, each with a distinct accountability before God. Yet, we have become a greedy, big business, country where the standard expectation is that gaining more money is the summum bonum. How did we get here when we had such a good example of the right way to do things? We are not a people that likes to sacrifice for the sake of others, are we?

Giftmas?

Its called "Christmas" not "Giftmas", but I do not think it would take much to get it changed! It sure seems like people are moving in that direction more and more these days. Let me state my position to make sure there is no misunderstanding. Yes, I like Christmas gifts, and no, I do not think we need to eliminate Christmas gifts. I would like us, however, to think for a bit about Christmas gifts. What are they for? Why do we exchange gifts at Christmas?

For many the gift exchange part of Christmas is so that they can get more gifts themselves. "Give more to them so they will give more to you." I have only heard one person ever actually speak in these terms, but I have seen many people behave in these terms! I am not trying to take away anyone's enjoyment of a Christmas gift, but I do want to help everyone keep the gifts in proper perspective; especially the children.

Gifts in ancient Jewish culture were a sign of joy. When someone was happy about something they enjoyed giving a gift to someone else (think of the image behind, "another round of drinks for everyone, and put it on my tab!"). Yet, when we focus more on the gift than on the giver, we end up thinking that the gift itself is the main thing, rather than the joy that is behind the gift.

I am one of those people who enjoys giving gifts more than receiving gifts (every year my family asks "what do you want for Christmas" and I have to say "I don't know"). What I really like the most is seeing the joy in someone else's face when they receive a gift they really were hoping for. For me, I need to make sure that I keep the focus on the reason for the gift as well, because I can easily slip into a prideful joy in my own giving.

Whatever your tendency, let us all remember The Source of our joy. Jesus Christ Almighty is the One and only source for joy. Everything else falls short, and does not last. To everyone reading this, I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas--that means I wish for you to have joy in Christ, Who is the foundation of Christmas in and of Himself. God bless you!

Homily for Fourth Sunday of Advent, 2016

We had some pretty bad snow, ice and a very low wind chill factor this last weekend, so I ended up cancelling all Saturday and Sunday Masses. It might seem like a mini-vacation, but it was not so for me. Whenever I cancel Mass it is actually quite agonizing. I want to celebrate Mass and spend time with my people, so it feels like I am being "kept prisoner" by the circumstances and prevented from being with them. Therefore, since none of my parishioners heard my homily this weekend, I have written it down in summary form here (which is something I never do since I always preach from a few "bullet point" notes). Here it is below:

Mark was starting his first job with his uncle's construction business. On the first day of work, his uncle told him to look over the tools that they brought to the site, and make sure they were all in good working order. If he found any that were not, he was to tell his uncle immediately before trying to repair them. As he examined the tools he found that the tips on the measuring tapes were all loose. His uncle looked busy, and so he figured he would show some initiative and just fix them himself. So he took a hammer and whacked at them until the tips were stationary. It did not take long before Mark's uncle noticed that all the boards being cut were off by about 1/8 inch. You see, the "loose tip" on the measuring tape is supposed to be that way. This is because if you measure from the inside, the tip is supposed to move out, and if you measure from the outside, the tip is supposed to move in, in order to compensate for the width of the tip itself. Yet, Mark, though he meant well, did not really obey. He had good intentions but he still chose his own way.

In the gospel reading for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, we are given the story about St. Joseph's struggle with the news of Mary's pregnancy. He sought to do what was right, but did not have the full information. When the angel spoke to him and told him what the right path was, how did he respond? He did not say "that sounds nice, but I think I know a better way". No, he "did as the angel of the Lord commanded him". We do not know how much Joseph understood about what God was doing, but we do know that Joseph realized God had been working long before the angel arrived, so he willingly obeyed, even though he may have been confused.

The difference between obedience and disobedience is clear to all of us, but what about the difference between willing obedience and grudging obedience? The first is done with joy and without hesitation. The second is done with frustration and a selfish motivation. We all can easily slip into the latter, but we know that God is calling us to the former, and that is the example that we see in St. Joseph: "OK, Lord, though it may not make sense, I know that obedience is what is expected of me".

The reading from Romans for Sunday spoke about the "obedience of faith". This is portrayed as the entire goal of the Apostles: that people would obey God out of a heart of faith, rather than merely a sense of obligation. We are supposed to obey because we want to, not just because we are supposed to. This is what parents should be teaching their children: obey because it is right and good and leads to eternal joy.

Here is the final point in our Advent preparations for Christmas. Commit yourself to a having a heart of obedience, a heart that looks first to do what you are called to do. Do this because obedience changes us, for the better. When we obey, and especially when we live a life directed toward obedience, the very act of submission to God helps to change our very souls. It helps us to grow in love for God, and find wisdom in all of life's challenges.

For each of us, God is working on something in our lives. That is much of the purpose of Advent, to allow God to do that work without getting in His way. What is God working on in your life? How is He preparing you for a deeper relationship with Him? Just as St. Joseph obeyed and found great joy in the birth of Christ, so also we must learn greater obedience so that we may find joy in the actual celebration of Christmas (and I am not referring to the "fluff" of Christmas, but the Christmas Mass itself). This is what it means to live in God's grace.

Yes, I Like The Second Vatican Council

"I hate him; he beats his wife."
"Actually, that was a bad rumor started by some cruel people; he has never done that."
"So...you are defending a wife-beater?"
"No, I am defending a man's reputation--he does not beat his wife."
"Then, I have to assume from your comments that you beat your wife as well!"
(Insert sound of very loud sigh here.)

Have you ever experienced a conversation like this? I have, multiple times, but it was not actually about accused wife-beaters. Rather, it was about the Second Vatican Council. "What", you may ask, "does wife-beating have to do with Vatican II?" Nothing (that I know of), but the illustration is still accurate. Let me change up the terms and show you what I mean.

"I hate Vatican II; it ruined the Church."
"Actually, that was a mistaken notion started by some very confused people; the council itself has not ruined the Church."
"So...you are defending a council that causes confusion and breaks with the tradition of the Church?"
"No, I am defending the truth of the council--it did not break with any tradition of the Church."
"Then, I have to assume from your comments that you have broken with Church tradition as well!"
(Insert sound of very loud sigh here.)

I hope this makes it clear, but I will say it specifically, just to be sure. Since I have read the actual documents that came from the second Vatican council, and since I have studied the difference between those documents and the teachings that later arose in numerous locations (erroneously) claiming to be in accord with the council, I can say that I think that Vatican II is a terrific Church council.

The Council itself is, of course, to be distinguished from the "hoopla" that flitted around during the 70's and 80's touting the "spirit of Vatican II". This "hoopla" that I refer to encouraged things like burlap vestments, liturgical dance, pop music in the Mass, theological compromise and a loose application of the rules of the liturgy. It is these types of behavior that are often equated with Vatican II, though there is nothing directly from the council, nor found in its documents, that endorses or encourages anything of the kind. That general sense of "anything goes" that showed up in the 1970's has still not gone away. Yet, to many, that is what Vatican II was all about.

As (I believe) Pope Benedict XVI once said, the Mass is only effective when celebrated with deep reverence and according to the exact rules given to it. This is what I mean when I say that I like Vatican II. It spoke clearly about a good theology and about a wise application of the gospel in the modern world. Yet, there are a number of people--like Hans Kung--who said that Vatican II did not go far enough, and (apparently) they wanted to take it further on their own (even without permission). 

Do I defend the errors? Never. Do I speak about proper obedience to the rubrics of the Mass? Whenever I get the opportunity. Even more important, I like to tell people that, "I like Vatican II--that is, the real Vatican II, not the impostor." I recall once a few years back, a dear friend looking at me with a face that expressed doubt and shock at the same time. It was the first time that he had heard that Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion were not supposed to be used at every Mass (yes, this is true, look it up if you do not believe me). When I showed him the actual statements from the documents, he said those words I have heard so many times: "Why weren't we told this?"

So then, no, I am not defending the errors when I say I like Vatican II. Rather, I am defending the truth and wanting everyone (especially those who think the council supports their liturgical abuses) to read it for what it is. How else can we learn from it, and carry out what it tells us to do? Have you read the documents; any of them?

Sometimes Christmas is not so "Merry"

It was Christmas Eve day and I received a call from the nurse in the hospital emergency room. Someone had just passed and the family asked for me to be there. I left immediately. When I entered the emergency department the nurse came out and brought me back to the room where the family was. I entered to find the husband sitting beside the table where his wife had passed away just a few minutes before. They were young, and had three boys. It was the day before Christmas, and the boys' mother had just died suddenly as a result of complications from pneumonia.

The boys were not there yet, and all they knew at that moment was that their mother was sick; they had no idea of what had happened. The dad had his sister-in-law bring the boys to the emergency room so that he could tell them, and he asked that I be there with him for support. Before the boys arrived, I counseled the dad on how to break the news to them. It did not make it any easier, but he at least had a basic "script" to follow.

What floated through my mind during those minutes while we waited for the boys to arrive was that they would always think of Christmas as the time that their mother died. When you think about it, it sort of makes Ebenezer Scrooge look like he had it easy. Loss of a loved one at any time hurts, but during Advent or Christmas time it can hurt a million times worse.

Why does God allow things like this to happen? You may be hoping that I will give a short pithy answer that will clear it up for you, and you will never wonder again about it. Sorry, but I do not have the ability to do that. God has not reached down and revealed that to me. I can say this though: God knows what He is doing, and why He allows things like this to happen, even when we cannot make heads or tails of it. These kind of things, as painful as they are, always are an opportunity to come closer to Him and receive more of His grace.

When we miss that opportunity, it is usually because we turn our focus to something other than God, and that can always be detrimental. There are many times throughout our lives (as well as throughout the Church Calendar) that we are able to draw closer to God, but there are also forces at work in the spiritual realm that are trying to prevent us. Christmas is no different. It can easily get derailed by all of the extras. I personally love the gifts, the food and the family time (though not in that order), but they are what I am calling the "extras". The heart of Christmas, as we all know, is Christ Himself.

It may sound like He is being selfish to want to be the focus of our celebration, but it is not out of pride that He does this, but, rather, out of a love for us. You see, He knows that we will find our greatest joy in focusing on Him because all of the other things are minor joys that do not last. This is why, I believe, that He allows (or causes) trials and painful events to happen even (or especially) during the Christmas or pre-Christmas season.

The only challenge that strikes our minds so harshly, is the mistaken notion that death is a punishment for the one who passes. Death certainly can be a punishment, but it is not always so, and only God genuinely knows when it is. Furthermore, this becomes clearer when we realize that death is not the worst thing that can happen to someone. Yes, it is painful for us who remain; and especially so at this time of the year. Yet, as C.S. Lewis said so long ago, pain is God's megaphone; He uses it to get our attention (and it works so well, does it not?).

So I cannot explain exactly why God does not halt all sad events during the Advent and Christmas season. Many people today think that it should be so. But then, that would be a misunderstanding of what Christmas is all about. It is not merely about being as happy as is humanly possible and ignoring all sad or difficult events. When we remember all the details about Joseph and Mary's trials at the time of Jesus' birth, we cannot say that it was easy for them either. I do believe, however, that the difficulties that they experienced, helped them to appreciate better the grace of God during those events.

So then, what do we do when we experience loss or hardship during this season? We can either weaken or strengthen our faith. We can either grow closer to God, or further away from God. Which do you want to do? Are you prepared for a traumatic event at this time of the year (assuming that you have not already experienced one)? It is OK to ask God "why?" as long as we are humble and willing to accept that He may not answer specifically. There is one answer that He always gives at these times, and we each need to hear it again so that we will not forget it: "Because I know what is best for you, now trust Me".

Teaching Children Shame

Right at the start, let me make sure everyone understands: my title above does not mean that I am wanting parents to shame their children. To cause someone to be ashamed, is not the same thing as teaching someone what shame is. When a parent teaches a child what wisdom is, he does not thereby make the child wise. In that same way, I am not wanting to "shame" the children, but rather I want parents to help children to know what shame is, and then help them to see its value. How many times have you heard (or said) that someone was "shameless"? We do not use the term as often as in the past (and that is revealing) but we all know what it means.

Late last week in the reading for Morning Prayer (in our form we use in the Ordinariate) we had the passage from Isaiah 3, where the prophet makes a number of points about the Israelites sinful behavior. In verse 9 we read:

Their partiality witnesses against them; they proclaim their sin like Sodom, they do not hide it. Woe to them! For they have brought evil upon themselves.

The prophet is here describing the fact that the Israelites had lost their sense of shame. They were "proclaiming" their sin "like Sodom". Just look back at the story of Lot in Genesis 19 and you will see what is being spoken of.

Loss of shame comes from a callous heart. When we allow ourselves to become desensitized to evil, our hearts then become calloused. Over time this leads to a growing willingness to do things that we should be ashamed of. When someone continues in this type of behavior over a longer period of time, he will eventually degenerate into a willingness to perform these "shameful" acts more and more openly--thus proving that he has lost all sense of shame.

From there, one reaches the final stage as referred to in the prophet Isaiah. Not just a lack of shame, but an actual proclaiming of one's sins as though they are a good thing, is what he speaks of. Thus we can see a picturesque example of much of modern society. Flaunting its sins as though it were bragging about something good (to brag about a good deed is evil enough, but to brag about something wicked is at the deepest level of evil). It reveals a mind that is completely corrupted with no clear foundation in what is right. People like this cannot be trusted in virtually anything. [They might tell you the right time of day, but you may want to double check it to be sure.]

Isaiah highlights this problem with similar words just a couple chapters later when he says:

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20)

A "woe" is declared because all that people like this can hope for is a life of misery. Yes, they may claim (sometimes quite loudly) that they are happy in their life of wickedness, but down deep they hate what they have become. The thing that keeps them from repenting is their own pride; they refuse to admit that they were wrong and that Jesus was right all along.

Parents need to protect their children against these kind of things, and they need to begin doing it early in the child's life. This means that parents need to teach children that some actions are "shameful" and help them to see that a sense of shame is a godly thing. It is something that helps us to steer clear of evil actions because it is intimately associated with our conscience. A lack of discipline for a child damages his conscience to the point of where it is ineffective. How many times have you heard someone say "I can't believe he would do that; I taught him better"? A pure and holy conscience will help the child to resist the temptations that the world sends at him when he grows up and mommy and daddy are not there to help.

Many of the sins that are so rampant today have actually occurred fairly often in the past, but on the majority people were ashamed of it, and so they hid it. This means that others were not encouraged to follow in their footsteps. Leading others into sin because of the flaunting of your own sin adds even greater guilt to the sin itself because you bring others down with you. Leading a child into sin because you did not give them a conscience is of the gravest nature, and Scripture often gives the harshest warnings to those who neglect to protect children in this way. I could say it is like throwing them to the wolves, but on this blog it should be "throwing them to the dragons".

This means that "right and wrong" need to be more than mere technicalities in the child's mind. They need to be emotive aspects of what it means to serve God. "Don't do that, it's a sin" is not the same as "that would displease the Lord and cause great sadness for your mother", and if parents do not help their children in this way, then they leave them exposed to great temptations that they are not able to handle. A good healthy conscience--tied to the emotion of lovingly desiring to please the Lord--is a tool that every child will rejoice at having when he becomes an adult. Why would any parent not want to give that to his children?

An Atheist Christmas

What would a genuine "atheist Christmas" be like? I drove by a house today and gave some serious thought to what I saw in the front yard. There were numerous "Christmas" decorations (though I find it hard to refer to them as such). There was a big Santa, an inflated reindeer, a penguin with a red cap, and a decorated snoopy. There were lots of lights and a few "tree shaped things". I looked closely; there was not a single image of, or reference to Jesus.

Now, I have no idea about the religion of philosophy of the residents of this house, so I am not about to make a judgment about them being atheists (only God knows their hearts). I am, however, using the visual portrayal in their front yard as an illustration. How would an atheist celebrate Christmas? Well, to say the least, he would not want much reference to the birth of Jesus the Messiah.

How can an atheist genuinely celebrate the birth of Someone Whose very life is a testimony to the reality of the God Who created all things, and is Judge of all people? How can an atheist find joy in remembering the birth of Someone Who declares the philosophy of atheism to be a foolish error? There is not much to celebrate about God Incarnate, when you do not believe in God.

Hence, the atheist celebration of Christmas would need to remove "Christ" from Christmas. That would leave it as ******mas. Yet, that would not be enough. Because, you see, the "mas" part of the word "Christmas" is referring to the Mass. The very liturgical celebration that the atheist sees as a pointless observance is offensive to him. So he would need to go further. For even ******mas reminds the atheist of the Catholic celebration that is centered on Christ Himself.

Therefore, he would need to reduce it even more so, and then there would be *********. Can you imagine trying to say "Merry *********"? Or what about asking if someone had a joyful "*********" celebration? I suppose that an atheist calendar would list December 25th as ********* Day, and on that day they could exchange ********* gifts. There is not much left when you remove Christ from Christmas. This is true if we do it intentionally, as well as when we do it out of neglect.

I doubt that any atheist would actually behave in this way--which once again goes to show the utterly ridiculous and self-contradictory nature of atheism. I do not hate atheists; rather, I feel sorry for them. Sorry that they cannot find the joy that we have found, and even more sorry that they are blind to it. I am glad that I have Christ, and that He has me. That means that I can truly celebrate CHRISTMAS.

Do You "Like" Your "Friends"?

Remember Bazooka Joe comics? I can still recall the smell of that bubble gum, though I cannot recall a single comic in itself. Apparently they were not very deep in content. What would you expect though from a bubble gum wrapper? It is not as though it is anything as profound as a fortune cookie (just joking). Can wisdom be found in a candy wrapper? Until recently I would have doubted it.

Inside a foil wrapper for a small piece of chocolate I recently came across the following statement: "like someone in person!" Now, I have to admit, the usual fare from this particular candy is somewhat trite. This time, however, I was pleasantly shocked. Think about it for a moment: "like someone in person". It speaks on so many levels. Just in case there are any newcomers reading this: I cannot say that I am very "friendly" with Facebook. Besides the fact that my "friends" are people that I come into personal contact with; those people that I see and communicate with regularly; I do not believe that Facebook is a force for good.

This does not mean that I do not have friends whom I have never met face-to-face. It only means that "friend" is not an adjective to me; it is not something that "do" to a stranger by clicking a button or tapping a screen. I would not say that I am resentful at Facebook for kidnapping and abusing the word "friend", but I would say that they have not helped to further good relationships in modern society. In this way, Facebook is behaving like another "dragon". Do not let this dragon take you captive.

Although I will admit that Facebook has a useful purpose, I do not have a Facebook page myself. What that purpose is, I am still trying to decide, but the very least that can be said is that it is a form of impersonal communication (I suppose there is a purpose for that). When used rightly, that can be a help to our personal interactions. When used wrongly, it can destroy our ability to relate to others. When this happens, we tend to get into fights more easily, and thus we have all sorts of "relational issues" (whether that be "race relations" "family relations", or any other category).

There is a video on Youtube that shows a man walking around behaving as though Facebook behavior were normal in real life. He puts stickers that say "like" on things (a person's bike, a book someone is reading, a jacket someone is wearing, etc.). He says he is going to "follow" someone, and then literally follows them down the street (to their complete shock!). He asks complete strangers to be his friend (and scares quite a few folks). None of this is normal behavior in the real world, but we have become so accustomed to it on Facebook, that we think little of it. As I have said before, Facebook has contracepted the humanity out of our souls.

So here is my encouragement for the day: like someone in person; be a genuine friend to someone who needs one (a friend made out of flesh and blood, not a digital screen); "follow" someone by asking how they are doing, spend time praying for them, and then follow up on how they are doing to see the impact your prayers have on their lives. Wow! What would the world be like if people actually started treating each other this way?

Habits of Good Leaders

A number of years ago, I read a book on the history of Byzantium. Good stuff, but somewhat depressing to read about all the corruption in politics. This or that emperor killed his brother, married his sister, and engaged in various other forms of immorality that will not be mentioned here, etc. I like history, but I do not like the fact that so many people refuse to learn from history. I meet people regularly who have very little knowledge of history, and some even tell me that they just "learned the dates and stuff" in school, and then forgot it right after (typical "facts-in, facts-out" form of public education).

What I find so startling right now is that, in spite of the fact that history has so many examples of bad leaders getting themselves (and all around them) into horrible trouble, few seem to be learning from the errors in these historical examples. There are many events that I read about on the news that make me think that we are actually in a more corrupt situation than they were in the worst days of Byzantium. Leadership today is a quagmire of corruption and confusion. There are so few morally good civic leaders in the world these days that it is shocking when you actually come across one.

Leadership in the world is not terribly different from leadership in the Church. Yes, there are vast differences in duties and technical procedures; that is not what I am referring to though. I am speaking about the simple principle of what makes someone a good leader as opposed to a bad leader, and the principles are largely the same wherever the leadership is being applied.

Leadership in the Church has sought to follow the pattern of the leadership of God Himself. We call Him "Father" and His "father-ship" is applied to many areas. Firstly it is to applied to the physical father of a human family. Secondly it is to be applied to the spiritual father of the Church family. The manner in which God leads, as father, is crucial for us to understand if we are going to apply it to any other area in life.

So then, what is God's "father-ship" like? First of all, He actually leads. This means that He takes charge and tells His subjects what is good and right, and speaks clearly against what is bad and wrong. Second, He listens. This means that His authority does not eliminate His ability to pay attention. He is still able and willing to listen to those under Him when they bring to Him their concerns. It does not mean, however, that He needs to do everything that His subjects request of Him. "Help my team to win", or "kill my boss", are not requests that God can be expected to answer. Yet, He always listens. Third, He corrects. This means that when the subjects are doing something wrong, He will speak to them about it. Maybe He will wait a bit until they are more receptive, or until the circumstances are better, but He does not fail to bring correction.

Applying this principle to the Church, first, we find some clear and helpful guidelines for pastors of parishes to implement. Being "democratic" in the Church does not work; pastors need to be leaders. Refusing to hear the opinions of the laity does not work; pastors need to know what people are thinking and feeling. Letting people continue in their sin does not work either; pastors need to guide people in holiness so that they can discipline themselves (before the Church needs to do so).

We can also apply this principle to those leaders who are not in the Church. Whether political or business related, we will find the same encouragement. I know of a situation in which a group of people had a weak leader that would not listen to their cries for help, and he ignored the problems that surfaced as a result. This leader was later replaced by someone who was following the principles I outlined above. Some today might think that a strong leader stepping into that situation would be rejected. Exactly the opposite happened. The people came to the new leader after only a few months and said, "thank you for being a strong leader, we need this".

No one wants to be dominated, but we all appreciate (and enjoy) good leadership.We all know (down deep inside) that good loving leadership helps people to flourish in their circumstances and enables them to unite under a single purpose. Christ is that Head, truly more than anyone else. He does not, however, rule directly in every situation. Rather, He rules through those He appoints as His representatives. Whether that be a clergyman, a politician, or business manager, those who submit themselves to the headship of Christ, will find Him working through these representatives. They will find that it becomes easier to follow a good leader. They will find that Christ is on His throne, and that He does minister to us in many ways.

Science and Science Fiction

So, I like science fiction; I admit it. It is fun, and often is an insightful way to represent certain philosophical questions. Yes, there are times when science fiction has wandered off into heresy and outright moral goofiness, but, even then it can be an interesting way to examine the perspective of the writers (assuming that one reads carefully, and critically).

There really are times when truth is stranger than fiction. I heard a quote recently that said the only difference between science and science fiction, is that science fiction has to make sense. I, personally, am tired of being amazed at the ridiculous claims made by scientists. They do not just "not make sense", many of the claims are completely insane. Sometimes they are promoting and encouraging the most heinous and sinful practises in the name of "scientific progress". Maybe we need to "regress" a bit in the area of science (or did I just speak scientific blasphemy?).

The scientific pursuit of knowledge is, in itself, not a bad thing; please do not misunderstand me. I am not saying that I want to revert to the middle ages level of science (blood-letting is not very appealing, in my opinion). What I am saying is that there are many people who assume that science is always holy in its efforts. They believe that if science can discover something, it is always good. This is not so. Far too many people (including some Catholics) have been catechized more by scientists than by the Word of God.

We live in an age when "scientific progress" has been leading the way in societal advancement more than almost anything else. "Scientific progress" has given us the internet, cell phones, heart surgery, air conditioning, infanticide, hallucinogenic drugs and torture devices; the list could go on and on. Hence, we have to ask: how do we discern just what is an acceptable scientific endeavor, and what is unacceptable? Most scientists have no idea how to do this, because they broke away from the moorings of morality long ago. As soon as "science" has no God to guide her, she also has no way to tell the difference between a baby, and a blob of tissue.

The Church needs to return to her place of being the conscience of technological and scientific endeavors. Yet, this will not happen until the scientists themselves wish to submit to an authority higher than their own. This is a difficult thing to do and is very humbling as well. Once again, as I have said many times before, we need to be working to change people's hearts before we can expect to change society.

Science fiction has given us zombies, aliens, and monsters, and yet much that is behind these fables is being experimented with now by scientists. Dr. Frankenstein used to be viewed as insane; it appears today that he was just a bit "ahead of his time". Nowadays, we can do it right and not make the mistakes he made; right? Wrong. We have been pushed along the scale of scientific shock for about a generation, and we no longer think it odd to delve into areas that our forefathers would have considered foolish.

As "science" becomes more like science fiction, I do not think that the old idea that only science fiction needs to make sense is going to hold up. Instead, I believe we will be subjected to a "science" that not only does not make sense, it also does not work for the good of mankind. Some of this is already happening, it will likely only get worse if we do nothing about it. Scripture says that evil always destroys itself (because it is inherently self-destructive). In the same way, evil science will destroy itself as well. I know this to be true, because Christ is on His throne, and He will conquer all His enemies. The only fear I have is, will science destroy a few of us in the process as well?

Remarkable Contrast

Well, maybe it is not totally remarkable, but it is a contrast, and that does make things a bit clearer. I have been thinking a bit lately about the modern phenomenon of radical feminism. In case anyone reading this post does not know me well enough to guess my opinion on the subject: I am significantly less than favorable to radical feminism. I have encountered varying forms of feminism (radical, simple, progressive, old-style, etc) in my years, and have never seen it encourage truth, beauty or goodness.

Aside from its positions regarding the murder of unborn children and the promotion of pornography (yes, feminism is highly supportive of pornography, in case you were not aware of this), there is the undermining of the family that is destructive to the very fabric of society. These positions are all at odds with the Church and the Scriptures. Yet, there is something else that I realized recently that makes me say that feminism is an ungodly system of belief.

Feminism is not actually at war with overbearing masculine types who promote a chauvinistic or patriarchal society. That is too simplistic. Yes, feminists are adverse to strong masculine types (except when they themselves are the strong masculine types!), but that is more of a by-product and not the cause. Feminism (as a system) only resists and attacks men when they speak in defense of a Catholic understanding of masculinity and femininity. Hence, there is something deeper that feminism is seeking to combat, and this is what makes it more pernicious.

Although feminists will often say that they are content for women "to choose" for themselves how to live, this does not reflect reality. When a woman wishes to stay home, take care of the children (even homeschool them), and manage the house while her husband works to earn the sole paycheck, a typical feminist will complain that she has been brainwashed and needs to be enlightened. Although this may sound a bit far fetched, I have experienced it firsthand. My oldest daughter (who just wants to get married, have children, and be a homemaker) is often the source of raised eyebrows when she tells this to people. Some seem to insist that she has to "go to college" (which she has no interest in) and "have a career" (as though being a wife and mother is necessarily unfulfilling).

You see, feminism is not just wanting to recognize women more. In fact, there are some women that feminism would like to eradicate completely (because they consider them bad examples of womanhood). Feminism is definitely at war. Yet, it is not a war that you might imagine, and herein is where we find the amazing contrast. Feminism is not at war with anything masculine, feminism is at war with something decidedly feminine. Feminism is at war with the Blessed Virgin Mary herself. This is where it all begins.

The Roman Catholic Church puts forward the Blessed Virgin Mary as a role model for everyone (male and female), honors her above all other saints, and has numerous special devotions to her. Imagine a feminist trying to use the Blessed Virgin as a role model. She is quiet, unassuming, humble, and submissive--all things that are contrary to the heart of feminism. She points away from herself and tells us to "listen to Jesus". She willingly sacrificed her own freedoms for the good of others, and was willing to endure persecution for Christ's sake. It is this type of woman that feminism wants to eradicate from society.

Modern feminism (in all its forms) wants to promote a culture of evil, and its hatred of our Lady is the source of this. Only a few times have we seen this in any direct or outward form (ever heard of a so-called entertainer called "Lady Gaga"?), but Hillary Clinton's recent statements that she wishes to destroy the Catholic Church because it "hates women" shows just how far it has grown. Not only does feminism seek to destroy the order of creation and erase all differences between the sexes, it also wants to create a culture of death. In the name of "health care" (it still amazes me how a phrase that refers to something good can be used to connote murder!) it seeks to legitimize infanticide (born and unborn) through all the various modern methodologies.

Hence, modern feminists seek to promote a womanhood that has sex without conception, and the Blessed Virgin conceived without having sexual relations; quite a significant opposite! In the feminist frame of mind this is getting all the bad results without any of the "fun". After all, feminism, in its quest for personal pleasure (at all costs) cannot cope with someone who willingly chose to sacrifice pleasure for the sake of a greater good. It cannot understand what it means to find power in humility. Once again: feminism and the Blessed Virgin are at complete odds with one another.

No, I am not into patriarchy, but, I do, however, wish to keep men as men, and women as women, so that each can find godliness in the manner that God intended. God created us different, and the recent explosion of "gender identity" foolishness is a total rejection of the created order. The Virgin Mary is the clearest example of a full acceptance of God's choice for one's life ("may it be done to me according to your word"), and we do society great harm if we forget her example.

Feminism will lose this war, but in the process it is going to gain a number of adherents, and create quite a few casualties. Brothers and sisters, learn what it means to be men and women by spending some time reading the Scriptures and the catechism. Parents, make the lines between godly femininity and godly masculinity as clear as possible in your home. Everyone, pray for those who are confused in this area, and beg God for His grace in this confusing time.

Saving Souls From Death

While driving along the road the other day, I passed a truck going in the opposite direction. The driver was towing a trailer with a load of heavy boards on it. It was obviously too heavy for the trailer because one of the wheels was broken at the axle, was bent at a 45 degree angle, and was chugging out blue smoke because of the friction with the road. It was obvious that the driver was completely unaware of what was going on, and I wish had been able to signal him, but he was already past me when I realized what I was looking at. When I came back that way a couple hours later, the truck and trailer were parked on the side of the road, wheel still hanging at an extreme angle, about 1 mile down from where I passed him.

He figured it out eventually, but it took a bit. Maybe someone signalled him or flagged him down before something caught on fire. Either way, he noticed and was able to stop before a worse disaster happened. This is similar to what is going on in people's souls today. Vast numbers of people are heading down the pathway of their lives, and are completely oblivious to the burden that they are carrying with them which will eventually lead to their destruction if they do not stop.

Will we be the ones who help them to see the danger they are in? Will we be the ones who bring them the gospel of God's redeeming grace so that they can stop and change the course of their lives? Scripture tells us that "whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins" (James 5:20). Paganism, heathenism, and secularism, have all shown themselves to be bankrupt systems of belief, and they are each quickly degenerating into chaos. The atheistic and humanistic perspective is reaching an end, and we are living in the days when it will collapse.

We can take advantage of this experience and be ready to step in the gap. This means, though, that we need to get ready now, and not just wait until the last minute. The Roman Catholic Church has a wealth of knowledge and guidance that can be provided to hurting and confused people, but we have to know what that truth is if we are going to disseminate it. Furthermore, we need to learn how to be winsome in the manner that we present it, or we will come across merely like one more self-centered cultist who wants to salve his conscience by bringing someone into his circle of misery.

The evil and hatred that is so prevalent in modern society cannot continue for long without destroying itself. Yet, who will step forward when it does collapse? Will it be the Catholics? If we do not get ourselves prepared to speak the truth, then it will not be us, but rather one more ungodly system based in the philosophy of the devil. Nature abhors a vacuum, and sometime soon there will be a vacuum that needs to be filled. We can fill it with truth, goodness, and beauty, or we can fill it with a new form of lies, evil, and ugliness (it has been done before, so it could happen again).

Even though I seem to write much about the problems in the modern world, I tend to be big on "hope". In other words, I really do have a strong hope in the reign of Christ in our behalf. That means that I have no doubt that Jesus will conquer all His enemies; maybe not in our day, but He will do so eventually. If we want to be able to reap the fruits of the Kingdom of God, then we need to be working right now to be a part of that. We will be rewarded if we remain faithful to the calling that each of us has received. It not only shows our willingness to serve, it also shows that we worship a sovereign Lord Who rules over all.

So Much Hate

"You're not doing what I want so you are hateful!"  

"No, you're hateful for saying that I'm hateful!"  

"I am not hateful at all, but if I speak loudly about your hate, then no one will notice my hate!"

I will admit, I have never heard a conversation go like this, and you probably have not either. I have, however, heard (and read) many conversations that, if reworded for accuracy, would sound exactly like this. This type of caustic conversation is becoming more and more common today, and there are many who are asking, "where did this come from?" It is not really hard to see the roots of it, and as there are so many examples, it is easy to pinpoint. There are so many examples that I have to say it is somewhat sickening to hear so much talk about hate. Although the Lord does call us to hate some things (cf. Rev 2:6), the emotion He is encouraging in us is not the commonly seen lashing out in vile anger that is so common today.

Interestingly, all the hatred that we are hearing about in America, was clearly foreshadowed years ago in many places. Maybe you remember some of them, but let me give an example. Have you ever read the comment boxes on a website? Just take a casual read through the comments on a site like Fox News and you will find people lashing out in hate at each other on a daily basis. I can only imagine (because I never go there myself) what the comboxes look like on sites like CNN and the like. It has been a gradual slide into this abyss of anger, and many have not even seen it happening.

We have been "hating each other" from a distance for so long now (I can recall reading garbage of this type on the internet 15 years ago), that we have ingrained it into our societal norms. It only takes a few years for our society to move the "private" hatred of impersonal internet interaction, and begin to extend that in ever increasing amounts into the public sphere. Children in their early teens have grown up knowing almost nothing else. As things progress in this manner, and we become more and more desensitized to the spread of hate, it makes it harder to recognize it if we are not living regularly in a context of love.

In fact, love is the very issue that we need to consider as we look at the causes of hate. No, I do not mean that love leads to hate, but rather that our understanding of love is related to our understanding of hate. Think on this: it is true that hate is the opposite of love, but that does not mean that everything that is unloving is necessarily hateful. Nor does it mean that everything that displeases us is unloving! "Hate" is not an all-encompassing word for any behavior that you do not like. Yet, we hear so much discussion about hate these days. It is in the title of protests; it is in the news articles; it is on the lips of people every day. Yet, virtually none that I have seen or heard about recently is actually the biblical form of godly hate that is acceptable (such as hatred of genuine sin, but not the sinner).

In my home, my wife and I have worked long and hard to make "love one another" more than just a vague phrase for our children. All of our actions, duties, and even our play with the children has been guided by this primary Law of God. This means that we have made sure that the definition of "love" has been emphatically clear: "love as Christ loved, self sacrificially". Even when the children were little, we would ask "are you showing love?", and the way we would determine that answer was by the rule of thumb: "are you being self-sacrificial?" As they grew to understand better what that meant, the sacrificial sense of love became second nature for them.

I can see the clearest example of how far our society has come when I tell my (older) children about some of the hateful actions that people are engaging in these days. They stare at me with shock. My 20-year-old daughter even started to cry one day when I told her of some of the behavior at the riots that have occurred in the last couple of years (Ferguson, Missouri; Baltimore, Maryland, etc.). When you live in a loving family, then hatred is repulsive, and it is never appealing to you in any way. I fear that much of America has become calloused to the emotion of (sinful) hate, and thus has not noticed just how far we have degenerated.

Here is the key (in my opinion) to this entire experience of the growing hate in America. People have been talking about "love" quite a lot since the 1960's, and the more they have spoken about it, the less accurate they have been. The word "love" has been used to refer to various activities such as sexual immorality (which it has nothing to do with at all), and "niceness" (which is also a wholly different concept). I have heard people refer to someone as "unloving" because he gave a gentle correction. I have heard people say it is loving to ignore someone's sin. Clearly, we do not, as a nation, know what love really is. If we do not know how to do the most important commandments of God, then how can we clearly understand what the opposite is?


Lacking a true knowledge of genuine godly love, we easily attribute "hate" to all the wrong things (as per the imaginary conversation at the beginning of this article), and also ignore the hate in our own hearts. We do not know how to love, so we do not know how to hate (or not hate, as the case may be). These two confusions go hand in hand, and can only be solved by deepening our knowledge of the love of God.

As the Scriptures have made clear, love is rooted in God, Who is love. Thus, only in relation to God can we truly understand what love is. As soon as we devolve into paganism or atheism, we separate ourselves from God and thus lose any (and all) knowledge of what love is. Love is only seen accurately, as I said above, in the context of Christ's self-sacrifice on the cross. All other definitions are in error. Hence, if we do not understand love, then we also will not understand what "hate" really is. There is a godly form of "hate", but it looks nothing like the sinful form of hate that so pervades the pages of the news today.

Therefore, we are hating in a sinful manner because our love is likewise performed in a sinful manner. Trying to understand what hate is, without understanding what love is, would be like trying to understand what masculinity is without understanding what femininity is (oh, sorry, we're already doing that!). People say that they are loving, while they are not; and people say that others are hating, while they themselves are hating. Confusion abounds, and only a return to recognizing the love of God shown on the cross will get us out of this pit. Let us pray that we can live in such a way that we show what it means to be loved by God, as well as to love God and love neighbor.

Helping People Move On

I once knew someone who was very loquacious. Maybe I should say he was verbose; no, garrulous is a better word. On the other hand, lets just come right out and say: he did not know when to stop talking; most specifically--about himself. Being around him was difficult at times, because other people wished to talk as well, and he either did not let them, or he only waited for an opportunity to turn the conversation back to himself. Maybe you have experienced something like this yourself, or know someone who has.

Those who are "chatty" like this, often have a million stories that they like to draw on as they "pour forth speech". The person I knew was not as well equipped; this means that his friends often had to listen to the same stories repeatedly. This can be annoying enough when someone is carrying on a conversation, but when the person runs in and dominates the conversation, then it is completely exasperating.

Lately, I have got the same feeling when I read the news. Everything is about the election or its consequences. "Trump is bad", "Trump is good", "more fighting", "more hatred", "more whimpering", "poor Hillary", "poor Democrats", "poor minorities", etc., ad nauseam. I cannot recall an event that garnered this much (obsessive) focus since the 9/11 attacks. At least the discussions then were focusing mostly on unity and hope; today's discussions are focused on division, and hopelessness. I have to say that it is fairly depressing. My preference is to continue on with life and keep my focus on Christ (whether I appreciate the President or not). Yet it seems as though this is going to keep dragging on.

Clearly, people are hurting. Clearly, people feel offended by the "revolution" against the mainstream media and Hollywood. Clearly, people are not responding in a mature manner. Clearly, the people who are screaming for the need for tolerance are far more hateful than those that they are screaming against. Something is deeply wrong with the character traits of many in American society. 

I recall in elementary school having a classmate who had social issues. He screamed when he did not get his way. He would hit children who did better than he in class. He refused to take "no" for an answer; from anyone. He lasted about three months and then was moved to a special school for children with behavioral issues. The last I heard, he was in trouble with the law for various unspeakable actions. Is this what we are dealing with today? Have we become a society filled with people who have behavioral disorders?

The biggest problem with this situation, is that most of those we are speaking about are unwilling to seek help. Behavioral disorders are something that inherently prevents one from seeking help, since there is little acknowledgement that there is a problem. How will we genuinely take advantage of the time we are in and change the course of our nation before we degenerate into a full-scale civil war? At this point in time, it appears like the only thing that will help is an intervention by the Holy Spirit Himself. New policies will not change a society. New laws will not change a society. New politicians will not change a society. Those are all outward aspects of the inward reality. Only a complete change of heart will actually change the way a society goes (regardless of the policies, laws, or politicians).

What will we do to take advantage of these days and show a confused world what it needs to hear? How will we spread the gospel into modern culture so that it is completely transformed? The collect for this coming Sunday--Christ the King Sunday--speaks of Christ freeing people from spiritual slavery, and restoring all things. This is actually my favorite day on the liturgical calendar--the remembrance of the victory and supremacy of Jesus Christ. Evangelize the world; that is how we transform the culture. It may seem like a daunting task, but then we do so at the command of the One Who rules the universe. Let us move forward, in the power of our Almighty Lord, and show this world how to obey its Creator.

Losing Our Humanity

I recall a story years ago about people who were basically hiding inside their homes, more comfortable to communicate with people through their email and "chat rooms" (remember them?). I am glad to say that this behavior has diminished (at least as far as I have heard). Another behavior has replaced it though, which may be far worse. People are no longer hiding in their homes, rather, they are back out interacting with society; but they are not interacting in a good way. They are present and walking around, but they have not overcome the impersonal interaction of the chat room.

They are interacting "outside the four walls" of their homes, yes. Electronic medium is being used to the neglect of personal interaction. (Yes, I am going to pick on Facebook again.) Much of American society has begun to think that electronic communication is a perfectly acceptable form of communicating with others (at all times) and that there is nothing wrong with it replacing personal communication. We have all seen the groups of people sitting at the same table at a restaurant, all the while they are texting someone else who is not present.

What has led to this? What is it that has made us "introvert" ourselves into the shell of a video screen? I am going out on a limb here, but I would like to propose the idea that Facebook has contracepted the humanity out of our souls. That is a challenging phrase, I understand. Let me unpackage this idea. The term "contraception" refers to the effort to "prevent" something from "conceiving". This is what has happened in the very core of our personhood. As we grow from childhood, we learn what it means to be human, and part of that humanity is the desire to be with other people. Yet, today, many people (especially youth) would rather spend time on Facebook with their (so-called) "friends" than face to face with real flesh and blood friends.

Hence, something has happened as a result of the heavy load of Facebook usage (and other Facebook-styles of medium) that most people engage in. The humanity that we are born with--that which makes us want human contact and interaction--has been prevented from coming to fruition and maturity. It is as though many people have received an inoculation that makes them immune to the natural desire of human interaction. Each of likes some time alone; we need that time of privacy and solace. Yet, generally that "alone time" has limits where people recognize their need for one another.

This basic part of our humanity is a result of our very creation in the image of God. The triune God has always had personal and perfect interaction; Father, Son and Spirit, for all eternity. The one time when this interaction was in any way limited among the three persons of the trinity was when Jesus spoke on the cross, "my God, my God, why have You forsaken me?" That  loss of the personal contact (in whatever form that actually took--we can only speculate), was a tragic moment. We could say that that experience was the worst part of Christ's death on the cross, surpassing all the pain of the passion He endured.

Therefore, when we engage in good and proper personal interaction, we are showing what it means to live in relationship with the eternal trinity. We are showing that it is a good thing to look each other in the eye and communicate. Separating ourselves by various electronic forms is not a bad thing in itself, if it is used as a necessary means to communicate when we are not personally together. It becomes a bad thing when we choose it over personal involvement in each other's lives. Let us each ask ourselves the question: could we turn off the computer or smart phone and communicate more like a human? Could we find the joy of living life in the presence of the triune God of the universe? What a blessing that would be!

Real Mercy

The year of mercy has had a unique flavor for me in numerous ways. I have experienced God's mercy beyond what I could have ever asked for, and I have had various opportunities to show God's mercy to others. All of these have helped me to be more thankful for the blessings that I have. The scripture says "blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy". It can go the other way as well, "blessed are those who have obtained mercy, for they shall be merciful".

Mercy creates mercy. Meaning, of course, that mercy is contagious; like love, it encourages those who experience it to repeat the experience for others. Yet, I have heard some people who had a faulty understanding of mercy. As I have written before, not everything that is called mercy, is actually mercy. Mercy is not mere kindness or niceness. Mercy is a much deeper action than simply being nice to another person. If I smile at a stranger, I am being nice, it does not necessarily mean that I am being merciful to that person at the same time.

One way to distinguish mercy is to ask what it is not. We all know that mercy and justice are not the same thing. The problem with this acknowledgement is, however, that we can easily slip into thinking that anything which is not justice is automatically mercy. That would be a grave error. Many of the things that are not truly "justice" are actually injustices. It is not justice for a criminal to avoid prosecution and walk the streets endangering other people.

For another example: it is not merciful to neglect to tell someone their sin; rather this is an injustice. To hide sin from another person is comparable to hiding the fact that someone is drinking poison; doing so is the same as encouraging them in the action. I once heard someone confront another person about a sinful action and the individual's response was "what ever happened to mercy?" If we do not help another person who is in sin when we are able to do so, we are thereby leaving them to suffer the consequences of their actions. Although many people neglect this very duty every day, it should not be so among us. Wrong understandings of  mercy is one more "dragon" that we need to slay.

As we are coming to the close of the year of mercy, let us first ask whether we understand correctly what mercy actually is. Then, let us each ask ourselves "have I been merciful this year?" Do a healthy examination of conscience as you consider each of the works of mercy, and ask yourself "have I become a more merciful person during the past year?"

The corporal works of mercy are:

    To feed the hungry;
    To give drink to the thirsty;
    To clothe the naked;
    To harbour the harbourless;
    To visit the sick;
    To ransom the captive;
    To bury the dead.

The spiritual works of mercy are:

    To instruct the ignorant;
    To counsel the doubtful;
    To admonish sinners;
    To bear wrongs patiently;
    To forgive offences willingly;
    To comfort the afflicted;
    To pray for the living and the dead.

Sometimes it may be hard to show mercy to another person, especially if that person is someone that we do not think deserves mercy. Yet, we must ask: "do any of us really deserve mercy?" In spite of this, God has shown each of us mercy beyond what any of us truly deserve (that is the point of mercy after all!). Having a right understanding of mercy is crucial, but then we need to bring it to bear and engage in genuine acts of mercy. Once again: "blessed are the merciful, for they shall be shown mercy".

Why Go to Mass?

"Thank you for bringing Jesus to us today." This was the comment from one of my parishioners after Mass recently. As we spoke briefly at that time, it was clear that he meant more than just the Eucharist. Certainly the Eucharist is the primary means by which we receive Jesus, but He also comes to us in the homily, in the individual Scripture readings, in the prayers, as well as in the meditations when all is silent. When people genuinely want to see Jesus, their behavior will reflect that desire to do so.

Let me ask it another way: What is it that makes people want to go to Mass? The reasons can be either good ones or bad ones. Bad reasons for attending the Mass would be: to see a friend; to make others think good of you; or, the worst reason, because it entertains you. Among the good reasons, however, one really tops the list. That reason is: to be with Jesus.

At the heart of the matter, every Catholic wants to be with Jesus; some of them are just a bit confused about how this is done. In helping them to see it there are a few things that will better set the direction so that everyone coming into the Mass will be guided properly. These things will both help to explain what it means to be with Jesus as well as create a stronger desire to do so.

The first thing that will draw people to the Mass is deeper reverence. The second thing that will lead them to Mass is good preaching. The third thing, which we do not often think about is a sense of joy within the community. Reverence toward our blessed Lord (especially through the Sacrament of the Eucharist) is naturally attractive to everyone who seeks to serve God. Good preaching will draw people, since it directly applies to our lives and gives us encouragement. The last factor, that sense of joy, is the one that is not as clear as the others, but it is just as noticeable when it is absent.

I recall once visiting a family in their home, and there was a definite sense of tension in every member of the family. At first I thought it was me--it was the first time I had been in their home as their priest and that was certainly a possibility. It was made clear to me, however, when the Dad had to run outside for a few minutes (to care for some livestock), and the rest of the family actually relaxed in a visible manner. This is the very opposite of joy in a home--it is misery.

How does one create that sense of joy that we are speaking about? There is no formula that anyone can write down because it is a mixture of distinct and unique factors that change based on the mood and relationship of the family. Some today think that this mood can be created by being "nice" to everyone. Not so. In fact, if a priest really is "nice to everyone" then he will learn quickly that this kind of behavior ends up driving people away. "Niceness" is a syrupy, compromising, and quite fake expression that often comes across as weak and desperate. So then, let me ask again, "how do you create it?" There is only one proper way for a priest to do this, and that is when he simply behaves like a good father of a household.

A good "fatherly" presence is what every Church needs. A good father will play with his children, teach his children, and protect his children. Where this presence exemplifies strength, love, discipline and wisdom, then the parish members will long to be a part of the Mass. When this fatherly presence exemplifies for us a typical abdicating father who is weak, unloving, unruly, and foolhardy, then the people will have little or no interest in the Mass, and they will not thrive in their faith.

Priests: work to accomplish this in your parishes. Parents: work to accomplish this in your homes. If all of us worked together to accomplish this in every sphere that we had an influence on, can you imagine what the Church would look like today? What is the atmosphere or general culture of your home? Does it exemplify loving relationships and peaceful comfort, or is it something else? What is the atmosphere or general culture of your home parish? Does it make you want to be with Jesus? Let each of us work toward this, and pray for it with all diligence.

Blinders and Earphones

As I was driving down the freeway I passed a car that was driving a bit slower than I. When I got alongside of him I happened to glance over at the driver, and noticed that he had a set of earphones in his ears and he had on a pair of very dark sunglasses--the kind with the blinders on the sides. I assume that the sunglasses are probably illegal because of the blocked vision; I also assume that if the earphones are not illegal to drive with, they would at least be extremely dangerous to have on because of how they block one's ability to hear.

Have you ever met someone who just did not seem to be able to understand something that you thought was perfectly clear? Maybe it was only a mundane concept, but they still could not seem to grasp it no matter what you said to explain better. It was like they had some "noise" in their ears preventing them from hearing what you were saying, and a type of blinders on their eyes. I have at times met people that I think were behaving as though they had background noise in their hearts, and blinders blocking their minds, and it is painful to experience.

I was speaking with some visitors after Mass this evening and we were together lamenting the sad state of catechesis over the last few decades. Teaching has been largely poor and confused, and numerous children have been led astray as regards many of the basics of the Catholic faith. When you think about the massive confusion that exists among Catholics today just over simple subjects like the widespread murder of the unborn (the term "abortion" is just too neutral in my opinion), it is clear that the evil one has been spreading his lies quite effectively for about a generation now.

Many Christians (of all denominations) have been lulled into a passive state of mind and thus opened themselves up to various types of false beliefs. They have confused mercy with "niceness"; they have sought entertainment over reverence; they have put more effort into politics than into spirituality. These and many other things have worked to corrupt hearts and minds in such a way that we have become largely ineffective in influencing the surrounding culture and because of a general blindness to it, we have not even seen it happening.

I dread the thought of what will have to happen to turn this around. It is hard to catechize people who have already been led to accept many of the lies of the world. Some are aware of the problem, and for them that knowledge makes them more responsible to work to fix this. If some parents were to turn the tide in their own homes, and teach their children the fullness of our Catholic faith, they could begin to prepare a new generation to stand firm. In addition, if they were to safeguard this effort by teaching their children the value of marrying only within the Catholic faith, then future generations could be raised up to change the course of history.

We cannot ignore the fact that many of our brothers and sisters are "driving down the street" with "blinders" on their eyes, and loud noisy earphones in their ears. They do not see the consequences of their actions, and this is having disastrous effects on future generations of Catholics. If every one of us works to turn the tide in our little area of influence, then we can genuinely make a difference. We can lay the groundwork, even now, for what will open the eyes and ears of future generations.

Temper Tantrums (postscript)

This is just stunning. My previous post pointed out the childish nature of those who are protesting President-elect Trump's victory. I have nothing to retract in this, but I do have something to add. It now appears that those who are engaging in this are not randomly protesting. Rather, they appear to have been recruited, organized, equipped, and then bussed in to the areas where they are protesting. I am not joking--look it up.

If this is so, then I have two things to say. First, anyone who willing engages in something like this is just as foolish and selfish as someone who would do so on their own initiative. Second, anyone who instigated these protests in this manner is not childish; he is malicious and seeking evil. Truly this reveals a sad state of our society. Pray for these people, please, and also pray for our nation that in the coming months and years we would take advantage of the blessings God has given us and find the path of genuine peace and righteousness.

Temper Tantrums

I guess I am kind of weird. I was kind of a nerd back in high school, and many of the kids said that I just was "not cool" so maybe I should have seen it coming. You see, the problem is that I just do not follow the trends and fads like most people do. Well, apparently the most popular fad today is to hate something or someone, and claim that you are doing it because the person or thing you hate is (*get this*) "hateful". I have to assume that these people have never had a class in critical thinking or basic logic (I suppose that may be my big problem--I expect people to do things that make sense--silly me!).

Watching all the protests over the election it feels like I am watching children throwing a temper tantrum. "I didn't get my way so I'm going to scream and yell so that I will get some attention". The hatred and selfishness that I hear spew out of the mouths of those who choose to respond in this manner is a clear demonstration of where their hearts are at. I guess that I just do not hate as well as they do, so I never get involved in protests and shouting matches. It does not appear to me to be very fun (am I missing something?) to run around like an undisciplined child demanding to get my way. So, as I said at the beginning, I guess I am kind of weird.

Hating others because you do not like people who are hateful is quite a common behavior these days. It seems as though most people want to be victimized (I guess if your life is empty, you feel better about yourself if others say "I feel so sorry for you"), so they seek for something to complain about; even if it runs contrary to basic common sense. Am I angry at the current state of affairs in our nation? Yes (although, I must admit I am NOT angry that we avoided having a criminal who hates the Catholic Church as our president). Am I going to march in a protest yelling like a hyena to make myself feel better? No. I choose less childish and more effective means to respond to things I do not like.

I honestly believe that if Clinton had won the election, and the republicans were the ones protesting in the streets they would be branded as "hatemongers", "racists", and "homophobes". The problem is, just because someone gathers a number of other people around them and calls their actions a "protest" does not make it any less childish to behave in this manner. It was a fair election (as far as we can tell) and it shocked almost everyone that Trump won. Many of us had to deal with having Obama as our president for the last 8 years, and we had to sit back and watch his continual stream of compromise, poor judgment, and incompetency. I do not recall anyone "marching in protest" back then--did I miss something?

It is time for us to begin to exemplify maturity; a long forgotten concept. Those who think that protests are the solution when they do not get their way in perfectly legal proceedings, need to realize that this does not help to heal the rifts that our nation is experiencing. Those (especially in Hollywood) who are calling for others to "fight" a legally carried out presidential election are not helping to make peace, but are instead fomenting hatred and division. We have enough of that already. Celebrities: are you really that foolish and selfish? I want to give you benefit of the doubt, but you do not give us much reason to do so.

Once again, I turn to parents. Undisciplined children who were spoiled and never taught the basic lessons of life (i.e. "there is a God, and you are not Him!") end up living completely undisciplined lives. This is what causes me fear at times: the future of a nation filled with selfish people who do not understand how to discipline themselves. Children need to see the right way to deal with disagreements and adversity. They need to be encouraged to seek a culture of life and not a culture of death. They need to know what godliness and peace really are (and also what it costs to achieve them).

One more thing in conclusion. I have been thinking about this "screaming protest" behavior compared to the behavior of those in past generations here in America (especially those who have been forgotten). Every Wednesday I say Mass at a Veteran's home. I go there and see these folks who were willing to put their lives on the line to protect us from evil tyrants, and I am humbled at the sight of it. Then I think about the current state of society; what a stark contrast. Those people who are reaching the end of their years, who were willing to sacrifice self for strangers, and then I see protests by those who are only willing to scream and yell to get their own way. We have lost something: the mature sense of honor and duty; it is time to find it once again.

Seize the Day

The plane was bumping around, shaking, and wobbling. I do not usually get airsick, but I was starting to worry that I might not be able to keep myself from "losing it". Finally, after about 10 to 15 minutes of this, it suddenly just stopped. The plane was flying level and all things seemed calm. I noticed that the "fasten seatbelt" sign was still on so I just waited, but I heard a few clicks going on around the cabin and even saw one person get up and start heading for the lavatory. Then the captain came over the speakers: "OK folks, so sorry about that disturbance, and I know that you may want to get up now that things have seemed to settle down, but I am going to have to ask you to remain seated with your seatbelts tightly fastened. We are not past the area of bad weather and there is a chance that we may hit some turbulence again unexpectedly." Though I heard a number of groans from other passengers, I was glad he said that. My first thought when things got calm was, "when will it start up again?"

Right after a trying experience, we often jump to the conclusion that we can settle down and relax without any worries. In actuality, that is often the worst time to let our guard down. Feeling the relief of "dodging a bullet" makes us easily miss other problems. As the captain of the airplane said (in essence), "don't assume nothing bad can happen now", so also I am going to say, "don't assume nothing bad can happen now". The majority of Americans (who voted) chose not to elect someone who openly expressed hatred for the Catholic Church, approves of murdering babies, refuses to take national security seriously, and who appears to be involved in numerous criminal activities. Instead they chose someone who . . . well, someone who . . . someone who . . . ummm . . . is not exactly like that.

Please do not misunderstand me. I am not saying that I expect President-elect Trump to be just as bad for the Catholic faithful as it appeared that Mrs. Clinton would be. That is not my point at all. My point is this: just because Clinton did not win, does not mean that we can sit back and "enjoy the ride" right now. Rather, we need to double our efforts. Not in the sense of defending ourselves from outright attack, but rather in the sense of taking advantage of the current state of freedom that we have been granted. Freedom is not free; it has cost many people their lives to ensure that we today would have the liberty to worship God as we believe is right. Now, we have to recognize that the faithfulness of God's people will play into the future of our nation.

After the 9/11 attacks on the USA there was a massive surge in Church attendance. Everyone was saying "God bless America". Well, guess what? He did bless us. Then we went right back to the way that things were; Church attendance returned to normal (it even went down in a number of places), and then the terrorist attacks kept coming. If we just stand back now and say "God bless America" but do not show Him our love and devotion (for longer than a few weeks), how can we feel confident that He will do so? God does not bless us if we remain in our sin and show no desire for repentance (though it is merciful when He sends us messengers to tell us to repent!). Christ has shown us mercy by apparently allowing us to have the coming four years be somewhat peaceful. Will we take advantage of this peace or will we take it for granted? Now is the time that God has given us to do the work of spreading the gospel message. Now is the time that we can show what it means to be thankful for God's gifts. Now is the time that each of us (especially parents) need to stand firm, and speak the truth in love. Seize the day; who knows, it may not last for long.

It's a Wonderful Time

What a wonderful time this is in the history of the world. I made my formal confession into the Catholic Church a little over four years ago, and in that time I have not had to struggle to deal with a single doctrinal question. In the previous 23 years, I was struggling with a different doctrinal question at a rate of about 1 per year (not counting the 17 doctrinal questions I had to struggle with in the last year before my reception into the Catholic Church). This was due to the fact that I was a protestant; not just an average protestant, mind you, but one who really, really, really wanted to know what the Bible meant and what the Church Fathers said about it (which is a hopeless state for someone who does not want to be Catholic!).

During those long and challenging years, I was regularly "readjusting" my protestant perspective to fit with the historic Church; all along not realizing that I was thinking like a Catholic. Now that I am Catholic, I do not have to "readjust" anything ever again. I have, for the last four years, merely settled into deepening my understanding of God's truth. At the same time, I have watched the world become more and more hateful of the Catholic Church. I have seen many non-Catholics persecuting the Church (both inside and outside of the US borders). These attacks are not something we would ever seek, but at the same time, they are something that will lead to our good.

Persecution is always for the good of Church, because it always leads to a strengthening of the faithful, and a "weeding out" of those who persist in their rejection of God. No, I do not want anyone to have to leave the Church; I would much rather have them repent and be able to remain. Yet, as Bishop Robert C. Morlino once said:

"If one is called to be Catholic, one follows what the Church teaches; that is the correct understanding of conscience (as upheld also by Vatican II). And if one really cannot follow what the Church teaches, then one's conscience requires that one leave the Church. That is the adult decision. One's conscience does not require that one makes up one's own personal religion and then pretend that it is Catholic."

In other words, since it is proper for those who persistently reject the Catholic faith to leave the Church, it will be all the more likely that this will happen if they are going to be persecuted and tortured for believing something that they actually do not believe.

While the world changes constantly ("the more things change, the more they stay the same"), the Church stands firm. She has withstood 2000 years of dictators and tyrants, and has outlived every one of them. That is the great security of being Catholic. While America may not survive its next president, the Church will remain firm and faithful. Whether we flounder for a few more years, or descend into general chaos, Christ never gave a promise of endurance to any nation; He gave that promise to the Roman Catholic Church, and to her alone. As St. Augustine said, "the city of man may fall, but the city of God will remain forever".

So here we are, in a time when the Catholic Church is once again going to be able to prove her divine foundations. She is going to show herself to be faithful to Christ her Lord, and though it may mean that she will be much smaller because of it, it will also mean that she will be much stronger. The Church will remain to the end of the world, because Christ remains on His throne until the end of the world. The two go hand in hand (cf. Matt 16:18 and 1 Cor 15:24-25). The Church has spoken clearly and warned all of society about what is righteous and what is sinful; she has not changed truth, and she will never do so. This is why we can take confidence and stand firmly within the safety of her courts.

Finally, remember this: if you happen to find yourself on the way to the voting booth, remember to take with you one crucial object: the eternal and uncompromised teachings of the Catholic Church. If you forget them when you go there, you will likely forget them in other places as well. Casting a vote for the future leader of the United States is no small issue, and you should trust Christ's voice in the Church to guide you on how to do that (especially in the problematic situation we find ourselves in today). Therefore, make a godly choice; stand for life and for truth, and be confident--Christ and His Church will stand firm.

Whose Influence?

Reading an article on the upcoming election, I was struck by something that made me have to do a double take. The author of the article was pointing out how crucial it was to make a good decision in the upcoming election (all good and true). Then the author pointed out that whoever it is that is chosen as the next president of the United States is going to be "the person that comes into your home more than any other non-family member for the next four years". Whoa!

Trying to give the benefit of the doubt, I have to assume that the author meant it would be through the media (t.v., radio, internet, etc.) that the president will be speaking in people's homes. I am not sure what else he could have been speaking about. Given that assumption (if there is any other way of taking that statement, please someone write to me and tell me!), I have to ask: is it true? Is the president the one non-family member who speaks in your home more than anyone else? If so, I have to say that you have been duped by statism.

You see, statism is the belief that the State is the primary authority and source of truth in all creation. This is basically the view of communism, fascism, and other totalitarian regimes, but it is not (naturally) the view of a democratic republic like we (are supposed to) have in America. The federal or state governments are not the primary source of truth or highest authority in the United States, and anyone who thinks they are in essentially a statist. Those who know that God the creator of the universe is the highest authority and source of truth (and live accordingly) are not statists.

I can honestly say that for the previous 8 years President Obama's voice has never been heard in my home. His face is rarely seen, and his views on morality, economics, and politics are largely rejected in a very clear (yet respectful) manner. The same lack of influence from previous Presidents has also occurred in my home. No, I am not a statist, and no, I do not allow any politician (even the nicer ones) to be a significant influence in my household or on my children.

How, you may ask, is this done? Well, for one, we do not have any broadcast or cable t.v. reception. Secondly, my wife and I control the internet usage and keep it at a bare minimum. Thirdly, we have supported the Catholic Church's view of civil government--respect it, obey it (when it accords with God's law), but recognize that it is under the authority of Christ Almighty. Fourthly (and most importantly), we teach our children the Catechism--without reservation, qualification, or compromise.

Who influences your home, and how? Is it really the Church? Maybe it is the musicians that "come" into your home through the speakers. It could be the movie stars who spew their opinions on the t.v. screen. Maybe it is a school teacher who is not teaching the Catholic faith in its entirety. It might also be the people who design the video games your children (or you) are playing. Whoever it is, you invited them into your home when you allowed them to enter through whatever medium they can (CD, DVD, internet, etc.). Would you invite a pagan to come and catechize your children? It could be happening through the various forms of media that they are exposed to--if you are not careful.

Parents, you need to take charge and guard the borders of your home. In doing so you are guarding your children's hearts. "A child left to himself is grief to his mother and a burden to his father" the Proverbs tell us. That means that children are not naturally able to choose right and wrong, and parents must have an active influence in guiding them to right. This goes farther than what you say, it also includes what you allow (actively or passively). Protect them, and do not let any politician or celebrity be a primary influence in your household. Let the influence be Christ; from first to last.

Instructing the Ignorant (even when that means us!)

The teacher asked the student, "what is the difference between ignorance and apathy?" The student answered, "I don't know and I don't care." "Exactly!" He hit it on the nose in more ways than one. This is also exactly attitude of much of American culture today--especially the youth. They have been fed garbage and hypocrisy for so long that it is hard to get many people even to care what their eternal destiny is. I have written before about apathy, but today I wish to speak more about ignorance. I do not meet many Catholics who are genuinely apathetic about what the Church says; though I have met many of them who are ignorant of what the Church says.

One of the spiritual works of mercy is to "instruct the ignorant". We often take "ignorant" as an insult, and are afraid to use it, but it really just means someone who does not know something. For example, I am ignorant of the technicals of rocket science; I am ignorant of the exact list of ingredients in Twinkies; and I am ignorant of why anyone would prefer the pagan view of abortion over the Church's view. There is nothing offensive to me in being ignorant here, it is merely a fact that I am not fully informed on these issues.

In some areas, however, ignorance is horrible. Ignorance over Who God is has eternal consequences. Ignorance of the Church's teaching about marriage can ruin your life. Ignorance about the rules of proper reverence in the Mass can destroy our souls. These types of ignorance are definitely "dragons" that need to be slain. All too often, however, people allow ignorance in areas like those listed above to remain, and do little to nothing to overcome it.

What does it mean to instruct the ignorant? It does not mean hitting them over the head with a copy of the Catechism, nor does it mean giving them a copy for free and telling them "read this". Instructing the ignorant means helping them to understand the truth. This is a merciful thing because it means that we are helping someone to know what is good and right as opposed to what is and wrong so that they can turn to the path of godliness. This, in turn, leads (quite often) to repentance and greater faithfulness. Who would not want to be able to do that?

This is not an easy task though. It means that we ourselves need to know what the truth is if we are going to be able to instruct someone else. The first step in instructing others who are ignorant, is overcoming our own ignorance. You cannot help others if you yourself are just as ignorant as those you wish to instruct. No, I am not saying that everyone needs to have a master's degree in theology. Yet, everyone of us can certainly grow in our knowledge of Christ and His Church.

Furthermore, I have met numerous people who think that they know what the Church teaches ("doesn't the Church teach x, y, and z?"), and yet are gravely mistaken. I have heard people say: "the Church doesn't believe in confession any more does it?" "the Church says that homosexuality is OK", and "the Church said evolution is true" (all of which are false--look it up). Maybe they heard a statement from a Catechist or even (God forbid) an errant priest, who said that something was true, but it is entirely contrary to official Church teaching. Ignorance is certainly the reason that someone would willingly approve of any politician who promotes the murder of unborn children. This mistaken understanding of Church teaching occurs more often than not today, and that means that each one of us should be willing to "verify" our beliefs, by deepening our own knowledge.

So where do you start? I already mentioned the Catechism--have you read it? Even part of it? Ever? Yes, it can seem daunting and overwhelming when you look at the entire thing. How about just one part of it? Look at the table of contents or the index and find a subject that really does interest you, then read about it. Just reading that one subject will increase your knowledge in that area of theology. If you do not find anything interesting, then maybe you need to spend some time in prayer asking God to help you know why this is so.

Moving from there, you can find other areas that you are able to study and learn about. Then, once you discover the wonders and the beauty of the Church's teachings on truth, you will find that the Catechism also references the Scriptures, the writings of the Saints, and the official documents of the Church. This is one of the reasons why I like the catechism so much--it is so wonderfully integrated with the rest of God's revelation. This is truly Tradition (with a capital "T") working rightly. Scripture, related to those things that God has revealed through the Saints, and they are both combined to make a perfect expression of the truth of God.

I see many of the works of mercy, both corporal and spiritual, being carried out in various ways. The one that seems to be lacking the most today (and is so urgent given the poor catechesis of the last 40 years) is instructing the ignorant. Let each of us work to make sure that we are not ourselves ignorant, and then when we do encounter someone who needs some help in understanding the (accurate) teachings of the Catholic Church, we can do a wonderful work of mercy.

Protecting What We Love

I live in Missouri, and like some of the other states that I have lived in, Missouri is a "castle" state. This means that citizens have the right to protect themselves if they genuinely believe that they or a member of their family are in danger in their own home. I am not going to get into the discussion about guns, but someone will likely ask so I will just say that it is not a safe society if law-abiding citizens are unable to defend and protect themselves. I have heard of cases where people have been punished for trying to protect themselves; when laws protect the guilty more than the innocent, something is wrong.

The principle that I am speaking about is clear to all: when we feel threatened, our (God-given) instinct is to protect ourselves. Few people really believe that it is wrong to protect yourself. We all know and understand the desire to guard those things that we love. This is why we have locked safes, door locks, security systems, and insurance policies; we know that it is good to create protections for those things that we value. Now, it is certainly possible that someone may have an obsession about something. There are those who put too much value on some objects, and too little on others. Yet, we all know that you place value on (and therefore wish to protect) those things that you love the most.

With that in mind, I would like to propose the idea that the Roman Catholic Church places so many rules on sexual activity precisely because she values it. Some have asked me why the Church "hates sex", and that always hurts when I hear that. If you hate something you do not seek to protect it. In fact, you would either let it go and ignore it or actually seek to destroy it. The Church has never behaved like this in regard to sexuality. Never do you find someone hiring armed guards to protect something that they detest. Hence, the Church--out of genuine and heartfelt love for God's gift to mankind of sex--has said "this and that behavior are destructive to sexuality and to the very dignity of humanity".

Take, for example, the Church's prohibition on sodomy. It has nothing to do with a hatred for those who have fallen into this grave sin, but rather just the opposite. Because the Church loves those who commit this sin, and also because the Church loves the action of pure and godly sexual activity, she has said "do not engage in this, for it is harmful". No one in their right mind would imagine that trying to keep something in its original purity is a sign of hatred or rejection of that thing (any more than someone would think that my refusal to allow someone to pour gasoline in my coffee is a sign that I hate coffee!).

This is also why the Church has strict rules on the Sacrament of Matrimony. Not because she hates or even just tolerates marriage, but rather because she loves it and does not want to see it abused. I cannot tell you how many times I have had someone tell me "if I had only followed the Church's rules on marriage I would not be in this mess". If all people were to love matrimony (as God has defined it) as much as the Church does, we would be less willing to try to choose our own way of doing things, and the end result would be far fewer divorces, far fewer abortions, far fewer broken families, and far fewer children who fall away from the faith.

The Church has been thinking about the boundaries of godly sexual activity for 2000 years (and she has learned much from our Jewish forefathers who had to deal with just as many perversions in their day that we do in ours), and in that time, she has never rejected sexuality. She has, rather, rejected abuses of godly sexuality. In fact, there are wonderful documents like Familiaris Consortio that outline the beauties and joys of God's orderly guidelines for family, marriage and sexuality. Never once does this document say that sex is a "bad" thing, or even that it is a "tolerable evil". No, the Church says that the "conjugal union" between husband and wife (only) is a beautiful gift of God, and it should protected and guarded to show that we appreciate the delicate and sacred nature of this gift.

It is true to say that the Church gives us rules because God has revealed to her what is best for us, but it is not the whole truth. It is also necessary for us to explain that the Church gives us rules because she loves us, and because she loves the things that God has given to us. There are no armed guards to protect marriages. There is no insurance policy to prevent sexual mistakes. There is only our willingness to listen to what Christ says to us through the Church. Parents, here this, you are responsible to teach your children what the Church says about sexuality in clear and definite terms. May we all commit ourselves to being faithful to what God has said.