Anger

Wow, did I get attacked today. 

I am feeling soooo unappreciated.  I have 6 Cub Scouts, 27 First Sacraments students, 3 homeschooled children, one son in college, one son in public high school, one husband working on his Master's degree, and I am working on completing a Bachelor's degree in theology.  No pressure on me whatsoever.

So, when a parent questions what is going on in our Cub Scout den, I answered his question and then suggested he be the leader of the den. I said I would be happy to relinquish my leadership role.  What does he do?  Goes on a rant about how an angry person shouldn't be a scout leader and quits the pack.  A simple, "Oh, wow, you guys have been doing a lot in the den."  Then, either tell me I'm doing okay as a leader or step up and do it himself.  I don't understand when someone is so demanding, then so sensitive when you answer their questions.  Yes, the suggestion that he take over as leader could be perceived as anger--but I meant it sincerely; he'd be a terrific Scout leader and it would be a lot less pressure on me.

I am so sick of being "responsible", not only for my own children but other people's, and not being appreciated or encouraged.  Not only do many of the parents not appreciate what others do for their children, whether it is a school teacher, an RE teacher, a scout leader, whatever, but get angry when you don't do it their way.  Well, parents, if your way is better, why don't you do it; you be responsible as a teacher's aid, an RE teacher, or a scout leader yourself.  If I hadn't stepped up, my son would not have had the opportunity to be a Tiger Scout last year--and there is no Tiger Den in our pack this year--no one stepped up.  Instead of critizing or getting your nose out of joint because the teacher/leader is not doing the job they way you think they should--help, volunteer, encourage!

This Lent, thank a teacher, thank a Catechist, thank a scout Leader, thank the volunteers in your parish for what they do.  Don't rag on them, thank them.

Rant over.

Don't Forget

Rules for Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and Lent Fast

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fast and abstinence.  All Catholics who have reached age 18 and are not yet 60 are required to fast on these days.  All Catholics who are age 14 and older must abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and all the Fridays of Lent.

 

Fast and Abstinence Requirements for Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

--Eat only one regular size meal.

--Eat two smaller meals (or less) that do not equal your main meal.

--Do not eat or snack between meals.

--Do not eat any meat, soup made with meat, gravy, or broth, or any other dish prepared with meat.

 

However, if you cannot, for health reasons, fast think of another sacrifice you can make on those days.  My son is a type 1 diabetic, he is now 18 but he can not fast.  I suggested that he "abstain" from his iPod and computer for the day.  That is a sacrifice for him.

Let's not forget the most important things to remember during Lent: Prayer, Fasting, Almsgiving.

More Than Words

When I go grocery shopping in the commissary early on a Tuesday morning, it is so quiet I can actually hear the songs playing on the store’s radio.  This morning I heard Extreme’s More Than Words.  While I’m not advocating taking a rock band’s lyrics as gospel, I thought the words were rather appropriate for what should be our attitude toward God.  (I am not sure about copyright issues so I plan to use short quotes, not the whole song).

If you love Me you will keep My commandments.

(John 14:15, NJB)

Have you ever seen t-shirts that say, "I heart Jesus" or "I love the Bible" or something like that.  Do they really mean much?  The phrases “I love you” or “I love _____” are overused and tend to lose their veracity over time.  In the song, the singer says that he doesn’t want his girl to say “I love you.”  It’s not that he doesn’t like to hear it but that saying it doesn’t show him that she loves him.  He’s heard “I love you” enough; he wants to see love in her actions.

 You are My friends, if you do what I command you.

(John 15:14, NJB)

The singer says, “But if you only knew how easy, It would be to show me how you feel.  More than words is all you have to do to make it real.  Then you wouldn’t have to say that you love me, ‘cause I’d already know.”  What is it that the Church teaches us about our love for God?  We need to do more than just say it.  We need to show God how we feel.  It is not for Him, it is for us.  If you really love someone, you don’t just say it; you do things for the one you love.  You buy him/her gifts, flowers, treats.    

You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul,

and with all your mind….You must love your neighbor as yourself.

(Matthew 22:37, 39, NJB)

If everyone knew how easy it was to show God he loved Him, wouldn’t he?  It is, easy that is.  One of the best ways to show Him that you love Him is to take Him at His word.  He sent His Word, the Incarnate God/Man, to redeem us, the Holy Spirit to sanctify us and His Church to teach us and to guide us in His word.  We can receive the True Presence of Christ each and every day.  We can read Scripture and love our neighbor.  We can be patient and kind to our family, not just strangers and acquaintances.  We can do our best to be the best person we can to show God we love Him.

 

But you must do what the Word tells you and not just listen to it and deceive yourselves.

Anyone who listens to the Word and takes no action is like someone who looks

at his own features in a mirror and, once he has seen what he looks like,

goes off and immediately forgets it.

(James 1:22-24, NJB)

Really, “What would you say if I took those words away.  Then you couldn't make things new

Just by saying "I love you."  That’s why God blessed us with His Sacraments.  I am about to have my third class of second graders receiving the Sacrament of Confession in just under two weeks.  This is a great way to show God we love Him.  We go to confession to say we’re sorry for breaking His commandment to love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength and our neighbor as ourselves.  We do penance to make up for our sins.  This repairs our hearts to love again.

 

The wisdom that comes down from above is essentially something pure;

It is also peaceable, kindly and considerate;

It is full of mercy and shows itself by doing good.

(James 3:17, NJB)

Loving actions, loving deeds help us show in more than words how we feel about Him.  The more we do for Him, the more we show love for Him, the more we will feel the words, “I love you.”

A man came to Him and asked, “Master what good deed must I do to possess eternal life?”

Jesus said to Him, “Why do you ask Me about what is good?  There is one alone who is good.  But if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

He said, “Which ones?

Jesus replied, “These: You shall not kill. You shall not commit adultery.  You shall not steal. You shall not give false witness.  Honor your father and mother.  You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

The young man said to Him, “I have kept all these.  What more do I need to do?

Jesus said, “If you wish to be perfect, go and sell your possessions and give the money to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow Me.”

(Matthew  19:16-21)

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

Today is a Holy Day of Obligation. All practicing Catholics must attend Mass today. The one person we honor above all othesr, except Jesus Christ Our Lord, is the Blessed Virgin Mary. Today is the day that we honor her motherhood of the Divine person.

"What the Catholic faith believes about Mary is based on what it believes about Christ, and what it teaches about Mary illumines in turn its faith in Christ." (CCC 487)

To most Catholics, this statement seems pretty clear. Some may have heard this logic statement: If Jesus is God, and Mary is the mother of Jesus, then Mary is the Mother of God. Everything we believe about St. Mary comes directly from what we believe about Our Lord Jesus. Since we believe Jesus Christ to be God Incarnate, it is right to call His mother, Mother of God. Either He is God or He isn't. Today we celebrate the fact that Jesus was "Incarnate of the Virgin Mary and became man." (Nicene Creed)

Today's readings are: Numbers 6:22-27; Psalm 67:2-3,5,6,8; and Galatians 4:4-7.

Today's Gospel is from Luke 2: 16-21:

The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph,

and the infant lying in the manger.

When they saw this,

they made known the message

that had been told them about this Child.

All who heard it were amazed

by what had been told them by the shepherds.

And Mary kept all these things,
reflecting on them in her heart.

Then the shepherds returned,

glorifying and praising God

for all they had heard and seen,

just as it had been told to them.

When eight days were completed for His circumcision,

He was named Jesus, the name given Him by the angel

before He was conceived in the womb.

One thing that many of the first "reformers" did agree on with the Catholic Church was honoring Mary. These beliefs were later dropped by most of their followers.

"She is rightly called not only the mother of the man, but also the Mother of God ... It is certain that Mary is the Mother of the real and true God." --Martin Luther

"Elizabeth called Mary Mother of the Lord, because the unity of the person in the two natures of Christ was such that she could have said that the mortal man engendered in the womb of Mary was at the same time the eternal God." --John Calvin

"I esteem immensely the Mother of God, the ever chaste, immaculate Virgin Mary." --Ulrich Zwingli

There is quite a lot of evidence that the early Church called St. Mary the Mother of God and honored her as such. Below is just a small sampling.

"After this, we receive the doctrine of the resurrection from the dead, of which Jesus Christ our Lord became the first-fruits; Who bore a Body, in truth, not in semblance, derived from Mary the mother of God in the fullness of time sojourning among the race, for the remission of sins: who was crucified and died, yet for all this suffered no diminution of His Godhead."
--Alexander of Alexandria, Epistle to Alexander, 12 (A.D. 324).

"Many, my beloved, are the true testimonies concerning Christ. The Father bears witness from heaven of His Son: the Holy Ghost bears witness, descending bodily in likeness of a dove: the Archangel Gabriel bears witness, bringing good tidings to Mary: the Virgin Mother of God bears witness: the blessed place of the manger bears witness."

--Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures, X:19 (c. A.D. 350).

"And the Angel on his appearance, himself confesses that he has been sent by his Lord; as Gabriel confessed in the case of Zacharias, and also in the case of Mary, bearer of God."

--Athanasius, Orations III, 14 (A.D. 362).

"To the question: 'Is Mary the bearer of Man, or the bearer of God?' we must answer: 'Of Both.'"
--Theodore of Mopsuestia, The Incarnation, 15 (ante A.D. 428).

Today we honor Mary, the Mother of God. I close with one last quote:

"Whoever honors the Lord also honors the holy [vessel]; who instead dishonors the holy vessel also dishonors his Master. Mary herself is that holy Virgin, that is, the holy vessel"

--Epiphanius, Panarion, 78:21 (A.D. 377).

**Note:  This was published on Cathapol, a Catholic apologetics blog I contribute to from time to time.

The Immaculate Conception and a little steam

Immaculate Conception
Bartolome Esteban Murillo, 1678

Today was the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.  If you are Catholic and didn't go to Mass--YOU'RE wrong.  There is a misconception about this particular solemnity.  It is the only Holy Day of Obligation that is not moved to Sunday, even if is on a Saturday or Monday.  Why?  She is the Patron of the United States, making this day the Patronal Feast of the United States.  It is not up to the local bishop; it is still a Holy Day of Obligation, no matter what. 

For some reason, our priest did not have an Immaculate Conception Mass scheduled today.  So, our parish put out a schedule of other parishes that did.  We went to Mass this morning in the next town over.  I was pleasantly surprised to see a few of the families I know from our parish.  The majority of people however were the over 70 crowd. 

I was, however, feeling sadly transported to the 1970's.  The goofy architecture, the awful stick figure stations, the ugly tabernacle and the bench seats don't make me feel as if I am in a real worship space.  I don't understand why there's an American flag just behind the lectern but the tabernacle is off to the right, almost in the choir.  Why is the Book of the Gospels on a shelf and not being read out of ?  Very odd.  And, when it was time for communion, everyone got up at once???  My children were a little weirded out by that one.  We were close to the back of the church, so, I did not drink from the chalice.  My daughter was right behind me and did partake of the Blood.  But her breath smelled like she had just eaten a bucket of mold.  It was awful. 

Immaculate Conception
Peter Paul Rubens, 1628

(An aside:  I only partake of the chalice if I am sitting close to the front.  I teach First Communion--that combined with sitting near the front of the church--I've just seen too much.  I cannot bring myself to from a community cup at a certain point.  Plus, if I am at all sick, like now with a very bad sinus cold, I don't want to share germs.)

However, the homily was quite wonderful.  All about how Mary was conceived in the usual manner but given the gift of grace from her first moment of creation.  She was conceived without Original Sin on her soul because God wanted her to be the perfect (Immaculate) vessel from which would be born the Son of God, the Savior of the world.  God loved her and blessed her from that first moment. 

What a wonderful grace, indeed!!  "Hail, full of grace!" said the angel, "The Lord is with you.  Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb!"  Luke chapter one tells us that the angel declared her Immaculate state.  And, if you believe the words of Revelation, it is stated clearly there also.  ¹⁹ Then the sanctuary of God in heaven opened, and the ark of the covenant could be seen inside it. Then came flashes of lightning, peals of thunder and an earthquake and violent hail.¹ Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman, robed with the sun, standing on the moon, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. (chs 11&12 NJB)

Immaculate Conception
Francisco Pacheco, 17th c.

Now, before any readers get there panties in a bunch, yes this is Church teaching.  It is one of the earliest Traditions of the Church--that John did indeed refer to Mary with these words.  Are there more than one meaning to these words?  Of course, like many, many other prophecies and visions in the Bible, there is more than one meaning.  However, the fact that this symbolizes or visualizes Mary is one of those meanings.  In the next verses, it talks about the woman and her child being pursued by the dragon.  I find it ironic that the child, son, man is almost universally said to Jesus by Christians, but that the woman is cannot be Mary.  Huh???  That doesn't even make logical sense.  Reading chapter 12 in light of Luke and Genesis gives us a pretty darned clear picture of Mary.

Also, when we read John chapter 19 we see how Jesus gave His mother to John.  "Behold your mother.  Woman behold your son."  Jesus gave Mary to be the mother of the Apostle and by extension of the mother of his brothers and sisters.  Note what it says in Revelation:  ¹⁷ Then the dragon was enraged with the woman and went away to make war on the rest of her children, who obey God's commandments and have in themselves the witness of Jesus.  Why was the dragon so enraged with the woman?  Maybe, just maybe, because the Church teaching is correct--Mary was untouched by the sin that he had helped bring into the world (Original Sin).  Maybe because he could not corrupt her (Mary's personal sinlessness).  The Church Traditions about Mary, which date back to the first century of the Church, might just have some meaning after all, eh?  This is why we call her our mother--Jesus gave His mother to be ours ("on the rest of her children, who obey God's commandments and have in themselves the witness of Jesus").  When looked at in the proper light, the light of Scripture and Tradition, it is pretty clear!

I saw something on facebook today that I thought was pretty appropriate.  It said (paraphrasing from memory):  If you think the Catholic Church spends too much time on Mary, think about the fact that Jesus spent ten times more time with His mother than with His Apostles.  Think about it.

Some Reading and Resources for those interested:
National Catholic Register Article, "8 Things You Need to Know About the Immaculate Conception" by Jimmy Akin.
The Immaculate Conception (An Explanation of the Dogma) New Advent/Catholic Encyclopedia
The Immaculate Conception explained Just for Catholics
The Immaculate Conception, devotional Catholic Harbor of Faith and Morals

Election 2012

It is a sad, sad day.  I am still hoping for the miracle I've been praying for for months, but it looks impossible now.  The news agencies are assuming Obama is reelected.  I am so seriously depressed that I almost can't breathe.  I'd like to cry but I am in such shock and dismay and utter, utter disbelief that the American public is so blind, so ignorant.  This is the one time in all my years on this earth that I am ashamed of my own country.  I am a Christian, a veteran, a mother of five, and a rabid patriot.  I just cannot believe that anyone believes that man is good for our country.  Can anyone tell me why?  I need some mourning clothes.

I was hoping Romney's election would delay the coming storm, but alas that looks like it is not going to happen.  Now, we are going to be forced to buy or finance (through our taxes) health insurance for those who can't afford it or illegal.  Yes, I said illegal.  I know it is not a politically correct word, but my Swedish ancestors came here legally.  They learned English and became tax paying citizens.  The didn't sneak into this country and use up services they did not pay for.  My Irish ancestors already knew English but they were persecuted and abused, but they came here legally and became tax paying citizens.  I don't know the answer to our health or immigration problems but they will never (yes, I said never) be solved under Obama--never.

We, true Catholics, will be facing a persecution, and soon.  Our institutions will be either forced to pay for "health services" that go against Catholic teaching or pay exorbitant penalties.  Does anyone think that closing down Catholic charities (which helps more people than the Red Cross), Catholic hospitals (which help people that don't have health insurance regardless of religion), or Catholic schools are a good thing?  Can I point out that the first school for poor kids in this country was founded by a Catholic nun--St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. 

Once all those who called themselves Christians felt the same way about abortion.  How can anyone who calls themselves a follower of Christ be okay with killing babies?  I cannot fathom it.  Up until it was legalized, all Christian groups opposed artificial birth control.  Most are not only abortifacient (it kills embryos; it does not prevent conception ) but cause serious complications, cancers, and death for thousands of women every year.  To call birth control and abortion "health care", we make a mockery of actual health care and of the Gospel and we make Christianity and our country a laughing stock.  The spiritual toll is high and it is getting higher.  Martyrdom is just around the corner.  We need to prepare!

I am sorry to be away so long and then come back with such a rant.  I seriously doubt I will be alright tomorrow.  I am seriously, seriously depressed.  I am sad.  I am ashamed.  I am in disbelief.  My patriotism has taken a serious blow tonight.  My mind cannot grasp it.