I will continue with the regular post soon but just wanted to offer my best wishes for a blessed and joyful Christmas for all of you. May the New Year bring a closer relationship with you and Jesus Christ. A few of you asked me to post what was on the Christmas Card I got that I referenced in my homily so here goes.
If God thought our greatest need was information,
He would have sent us an educator.
If God thought our greatest need was technology,
He would have sent us a scientist.
If God thought our greatest need was money,
He would have sent us an economist.
If God thought our greatest need was pleasure,
He would have sent us an entertainer.
But God knew our greatest need was forgiveness,
so He sent us a Saviour.
God Bless you...Fr. Mark
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
You said what!?
Imagine the world we would live in if you could not trust the word of another human being...if there was always some skepticism as you listen to what a person is to telling you. Oh wait...we already live there or are not far from that right now. First stop - Politics: I am not real fond of politicians as the democrats and republicans are not divided by a party but by ideologies and neither will listen to the other and most Americans are probably somewhere in the middle of these two schools of thought and not adhering to either. It is all about smearing and making the other look like the less of two evils. Hardly quality representation. Even the news and major networks each work on the side of a political point of view. It is obvious by what is covered and what is not covered, by what one group of people can say and the other can say before it is turned into a smear fest. I have not seen a major news program where there is at least some subtle editorializing.
Within all of this, is usually the dehumanizing of people who do not espouse the opinion of a program. I think of the way comedians treat political candidates, sports stars, movie stars and other celebrities who make a public gaff. Many people are slandered in the tabloids for merely being human and erring, or having an opinion, and making the problem ten fold worse is the tabloid sensationalizing it and making the situation worse than it was to begin with. We as consumers by these papers and contribute to the demand to keep slander all over the news stands, which contributes to the sin of dehumanizing our fellow brothers and sisters.
Kids at school, your own job in the workplace are bastions for slander. Who has not tried to make another look bad to boost one's own esteem through gossip or spreading lies? At the core of gossip is to make ourselves look better at the expense of another. Lying destroys relationships and reputations, and if found out, our own. Our Catechism states that society has a right to information based on truth, freedom, and justice. (2512) It is only truth that promotes the dignity of a person. To lie about another is the destruction of a persons human dignity and must be avoided, as it is the same as destroying the dignity of God who lives in us through our common baptism.
Within all of this, is usually the dehumanizing of people who do not espouse the opinion of a program. I think of the way comedians treat political candidates, sports stars, movie stars and other celebrities who make a public gaff. Many people are slandered in the tabloids for merely being human and erring, or having an opinion, and making the problem ten fold worse is the tabloid sensationalizing it and making the situation worse than it was to begin with. We as consumers by these papers and contribute to the demand to keep slander all over the news stands, which contributes to the sin of dehumanizing our fellow brothers and sisters.
Kids at school, your own job in the workplace are bastions for slander. Who has not tried to make another look bad to boost one's own esteem through gossip or spreading lies? At the core of gossip is to make ourselves look better at the expense of another. Lying destroys relationships and reputations, and if found out, our own. Our Catechism states that society has a right to information based on truth, freedom, and justice. (2512) It is only truth that promotes the dignity of a person. To lie about another is the destruction of a persons human dignity and must be avoided, as it is the same as destroying the dignity of God who lives in us through our common baptism.
Friday, December 11, 2009
What's yours is mine and...
The seventh commandment is pretty straight forward in thou shall not steal. To disrespect the property of another by entrusting it to ones own care is only the tip of the iceberg. There are so many things one can do to steal from another. Many often steal from work just by not putting in the effort expected. Employers are required to pay a fair wage as a tenet of this commandment, but conversely, an employee is to put in the expected amount of time and effort at their job. I know businesses lose billions from productivity of employees who surf the web or play computer games during work hours, not to mention the "office supplies" that find their way home. This is the same as stealing. Not paying our debts when we have the means to do so is stealing.
I remember once when a cashier gave me change for a twenty dollar bill when I only gave her ten dollars. As much as I wanted the extra ten dollars, I knew she would be disciplined at work for the mistake so I corrected her. I turned to leave and this guy looked at me and shook his head like what kind of idiot gives away free money. I think many would see that as "to bad so sad" for the cashier, but to me, I thought it would be knowledgeable stealing and I could not have felt good about that money at all. Restaurants and hotels lose so much property to people who think they are entitled to have the silverware or towels because one perceived they paid enough already. There are so many things we do that society would call permissible and normal that could truly be classified as sin.
Stewardship. God wants the first fruits of our efforts, the first 10% and not the leftovers. Do we steal from God? This is not just the Church but stewardship includes food to the homeless, clothing to the poor and any number of charities. Are we stewards of God's creation and have we taken care of it or do we rob nature of its value. Have I given my talents to others or do I sit on the sidelines watching...and perhaps even complain about others in the process as they do not do it as well as I would do if I were involved. Stealing is not just property and valuables, but so often stealing the dignity of another human being can be far worse in God's eyes.
I remember once when a cashier gave me change for a twenty dollar bill when I only gave her ten dollars. As much as I wanted the extra ten dollars, I knew she would be disciplined at work for the mistake so I corrected her. I turned to leave and this guy looked at me and shook his head like what kind of idiot gives away free money. I think many would see that as "to bad so sad" for the cashier, but to me, I thought it would be knowledgeable stealing and I could not have felt good about that money at all. Restaurants and hotels lose so much property to people who think they are entitled to have the silverware or towels because one perceived they paid enough already. There are so many things we do that society would call permissible and normal that could truly be classified as sin.
Stewardship. God wants the first fruits of our efforts, the first 10% and not the leftovers. Do we steal from God? This is not just the Church but stewardship includes food to the homeless, clothing to the poor and any number of charities. Are we stewards of God's creation and have we taken care of it or do we rob nature of its value. Have I given my talents to others or do I sit on the sidelines watching...and perhaps even complain about others in the process as they do not do it as well as I would do if I were involved. Stealing is not just property and valuables, but so often stealing the dignity of another human being can be far worse in God's eyes.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Don't even think it...
You shall not commit adultery. This is a great common sense Law given by God for our benefit. Is there anything else that destroys love, trust, relationship, feelings, and family quicker and faster than adultery? If it is not discovered, can a person ever have peace again with themselves wondering at any moment when the transgression will be found out...perhaps a lover scorn will re-enter my life like in the movies and cause havoc? There is no good that can come from adultery. For the moments of lust and pleasure come a lifetime scar for the children of a marriage broken, for the spouses it creates havoc on the finances if they divorce and must support two households. Guilt and hurt, a broken covenant before God, embarrassment before family and friends, and perhaps a job lost are but a few consequences.
In Matthew's Gospel (5:28) Jesus tells us that whoever looks on a woman with lust has committed adultery with her in his heart. (this means you also ladies) Again, as with the commandment of murder, Jesus increases the Law to our thought life. It is the Spirit of God who searches the heart and knows our thoughts. Adultery is born and nurtured in the heart. We can harbor these thoughts from a distance with co-workers or friends and if we are not careful, the thoughts will be put into action with a drink after work, or a conversation that takes a relationship to a deeper level...before you know it, the act has been consummated and there is "nothing left but the crying."
The age in which we live attacks this commandment and our senses at every turn. TV, music, and movies glorify adultery, premarital sex, and every other sin against the body one can think of on a regular basis. Even the print media and advertisers are selling sex with their products on a regular basis. With this "eye candy" every where you look, and every time you turn on the TV and click the remote, it is not long before all God's values have been eroded and we are desensitized and have accepted what we see as normal and not sin. If we have become accepting of what society thinks of sex, we have drifted to far from God's Word and need to re-evaluate our position. As always, it is not God who has to change for us, but we who need to change.
In Matthew's Gospel (5:28) Jesus tells us that whoever looks on a woman with lust has committed adultery with her in his heart. (this means you also ladies) Again, as with the commandment of murder, Jesus increases the Law to our thought life. It is the Spirit of God who searches the heart and knows our thoughts. Adultery is born and nurtured in the heart. We can harbor these thoughts from a distance with co-workers or friends and if we are not careful, the thoughts will be put into action with a drink after work, or a conversation that takes a relationship to a deeper level...before you know it, the act has been consummated and there is "nothing left but the crying."
The age in which we live attacks this commandment and our senses at every turn. TV, music, and movies glorify adultery, premarital sex, and every other sin against the body one can think of on a regular basis. Even the print media and advertisers are selling sex with their products on a regular basis. With this "eye candy" every where you look, and every time you turn on the TV and click the remote, it is not long before all God's values have been eroded and we are desensitized and have accepted what we see as normal and not sin. If we have become accepting of what society thinks of sex, we have drifted to far from God's Word and need to re-evaluate our position. As always, it is not God who has to change for us, but we who need to change.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Don't even get mad...
Thou shall not kill seems easy and obvious to avoid. Matthew's Gospel finds Jesus taking this commandment to even our thought life. Do not even be angry as you will find the same judgment as murder. Murder or killing is born in the heart and Jesus asks us to control our thought life so hate and anger will not progress to a sin that no sane person wants to deal with. It is in this fifth chapter of Matthew that we find we are culpable for our thought life. Even though the vast majority of people will never find themselves in a situation where murder is an option, it is a select few who will never have angry or murderous thoughts come across their minds. A simple fight in school which begins out of anger can lead to a blow to the head, or a person hitting the ground that can be fatal. One never knows the consequences of anger that is expressed. That is why Jesus asks us to be accountable to even our thought life.
One of societies most contentious political debates comes from abortion. The Church decries this action, along with embryonic stem cell research, and even capital punishment. While these debates seem to be linked to politics, this is in no way true as they erode the very foundation of what it is to be human and the value God puts on a human life. As we approach Advent, the Incarnation or the birth of Jesus reminds us of what it means to be human. As Jesus was an embryo, fetus, and pre-born, it is only logical that there must be a value to these stages of life for every human being and God values them as human beings also.
There are many sins that can be discussed under this commandment. Suicide, war and the injustices associated with it, euthanasia, and the death penalty are but a few. We are created in the image of God and Jesus became a human being should be considered first and foremost when forming an opinion as to how we see life from the perspective of this commandment.
One of societies most contentious political debates comes from abortion. The Church decries this action, along with embryonic stem cell research, and even capital punishment. While these debates seem to be linked to politics, this is in no way true as they erode the very foundation of what it is to be human and the value God puts on a human life. As we approach Advent, the Incarnation or the birth of Jesus reminds us of what it means to be human. As Jesus was an embryo, fetus, and pre-born, it is only logical that there must be a value to these stages of life for every human being and God values them as human beings also.
There are many sins that can be discussed under this commandment. Suicide, war and the injustices associated with it, euthanasia, and the death penalty are but a few. We are created in the image of God and Jesus became a human being should be considered first and foremost when forming an opinion as to how we see life from the perspective of this commandment.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Honor your father and mother. I know parents use this to help keep order in the house and it should be so as it is the intention of God that children learn obedience through their upbringing. In ancient Israel, it was the parents in their old age who were neglected and often abandoned. The intent of the Law was for adult children to make sure their parents who could no longer take care of themselves were provided for. Besides the respect due our parents when we are young, God does not relieve us of responsibility when we have grown to adulthood. The family is still a living witness to the love of God. It is the responsibility of children to care for their parents until death. The nursing home is a very lonely place as many elderly do not have regular visits from their children. The time demands of people these days are extreme, but they are often of our choosing and priorities need to be made.
As the Catechism teaches us, our first vocation is to follow Jesus. Parents are to nurture this by educating their children so the children can fulfill their duties before God by honoring all authority...not just the authority in the home. We have civil leaders also that God expects us to honor as all authority is "from above." The Church teaches us that we respect this authority which is meant for the common good of all people. We respect this authority to the point that it does not contradict God's Law however. Authority is placed over us for the duration of our lives and just because we become autonomous adults, does not mean we are relieved of the burdens of obedience in many aspects of life. We can be children and parents at the same time and as God's living witness to the strength of the family, we keep the family a priority at all cost.
As the Catechism teaches us, our first vocation is to follow Jesus. Parents are to nurture this by educating their children so the children can fulfill their duties before God by honoring all authority...not just the authority in the home. We have civil leaders also that God expects us to honor as all authority is "from above." The Church teaches us that we respect this authority which is meant for the common good of all people. We respect this authority to the point that it does not contradict God's Law however. Authority is placed over us for the duration of our lives and just because we become autonomous adults, does not mean we are relieved of the burdens of obedience in many aspects of life. We can be children and parents at the same time and as God's living witness to the strength of the family, we keep the family a priority at all cost.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Can ya spare an hour??
At Gethsemane, Jesus was heartbroken when He asked His disciple's could you not keep watch with me for an hour? Jesus gave of Himself, then gave more, and even more. The one time He needed support, He found His disciple's asleep. I imagine there are quite a few mom's and dad's, spouse's and friends that have felt the same way. I give and give and when I need some support from you, there's none.
It is God who gives and sustains life. It is God who blesses our life and pulls us through the hardest of times. It is God who asked Israel to keep holy the Sabbath. The Catechism recalls the Scriptures reflection of the Sabbath as a "day of protest against the servitude of work and the worship of money." (2172) God asks us to remember the Lord your God and to honor and worship Him just one day a week. Even we as Christians have brought this time to just an hour a week at Mass, (and if we're honest, we may even judge the success of our Sunday worship as getting out of Mass in less than that hour) only to continue our busy life schedule. Do we stop to "smell the roses" anymore or is relaxing and enjoying a day out of the question.
Attendance at Christmas and Easter Masses swell to overflowing, which is not a bad thing but is far from what God asks. In heaven, we will worship God early and often. If one cannot enjoy the worship of God on earth, how will we be happy in heaven? God asked Israel and asks us to remember the blessings God has given and the hope stored up for us in Jesus Christ. God is not going to coerce worship. True worship is from the heart and it happens because it is a priority and actually what on truly wants to do. The Catechism quotes Thomas Aquinas as to the importance of Sunday worship. We render to God an outward, visible, public, and regular worship "as a sign of his universal beneficence to all." (2176)
Jesus commanded us to share in the Eucharist not for His benefit, but for ours. God commands that we worship Him not for God's benefit, but for our benefit. It is not God who needs us, but we who need God. God becomes the priority of our life when we remember what God gives and continues to give, and just how much we have been forgiven. Our response should be nothing but gratitude and the desire to share and spend time with God...it is our eternal destiny and quest to forever worship God...in our thoughts and in public.
It is God who gives and sustains life. It is God who blesses our life and pulls us through the hardest of times. It is God who asked Israel to keep holy the Sabbath. The Catechism recalls the Scriptures reflection of the Sabbath as a "day of protest against the servitude of work and the worship of money." (2172) God asks us to remember the Lord your God and to honor and worship Him just one day a week. Even we as Christians have brought this time to just an hour a week at Mass, (and if we're honest, we may even judge the success of our Sunday worship as getting out of Mass in less than that hour) only to continue our busy life schedule. Do we stop to "smell the roses" anymore or is relaxing and enjoying a day out of the question.
Attendance at Christmas and Easter Masses swell to overflowing, which is not a bad thing but is far from what God asks. In heaven, we will worship God early and often. If one cannot enjoy the worship of God on earth, how will we be happy in heaven? God asked Israel and asks us to remember the blessings God has given and the hope stored up for us in Jesus Christ. God is not going to coerce worship. True worship is from the heart and it happens because it is a priority and actually what on truly wants to do. The Catechism quotes Thomas Aquinas as to the importance of Sunday worship. We render to God an outward, visible, public, and regular worship "as a sign of his universal beneficence to all." (2176)
Jesus commanded us to share in the Eucharist not for His benefit, but for ours. God commands that we worship Him not for God's benefit, but for our benefit. It is not God who needs us, but we who need God. God becomes the priority of our life when we remember what God gives and continues to give, and just how much we have been forgiven. Our response should be nothing but gratitude and the desire to share and spend time with God...it is our eternal destiny and quest to forever worship God...in our thoughts and in public.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
HOLY...!?
"You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain." (Exodus 20:7) One of the true and unfortunate consequences of living in this technological world, with the advent of television, movies, and internet is the use of God's name in vain without even realizing it at times. If you have not noticed, cable TV and sometimes network TV are not even willing to "bleep" the profane use of God's name. How far we have come in the name of progress. How easily as Christians we have been rolled over by secularism and separation of Church and State that we could never imagine ourselves to stand up for God.
As Christians, we are called to a higher standard of behavior. This includes our mouths and to not voice our displeasure or anger by blaming something on God by taking His name. As with every sin we commit, it is not God who suffers, but our dignity as a Christian human being that suffers when we drive a wedge into our relationship with our creator. We can also fool ourselves by using softer words, such as "gosh darn-it" or "Jeez" which happen to have amazingly similar sounds to a profane vocabulary. Do we use these words to perhaps voice our anger at God while thinking we have not profaned? Our conscience can tell us.
The name of God is so carelessly used in society, that our conscience may have been blinded to the offense. If that is the case, we must become resolute to fix this problem. It is our call to not sink to the way of the world, but to rise and stay above it. We will be responsible to God and there will not be an excuse of "everyone else does it" while hanging our responsibility off on society.
"Swear to God" is another phrase used in abundance. If we place our honor and word on the shoulders of God loosely, we had better make sure we comply. It is God's honor at stake when one does this and God does not take His honor lightly. In fact, except in a court of law it should not be done. (See Matthew 5:34) It is God's throne we mock when we break oaths to God. This is such a dangerous commandment for us because God's name has been subtly taken so many times, it has become a norm of society to do so. It is up to us to take back God's name for only the Holy.
As Christians, we are called to a higher standard of behavior. This includes our mouths and to not voice our displeasure or anger by blaming something on God by taking His name. As with every sin we commit, it is not God who suffers, but our dignity as a Christian human being that suffers when we drive a wedge into our relationship with our creator. We can also fool ourselves by using softer words, such as "gosh darn-it" or "Jeez" which happen to have amazingly similar sounds to a profane vocabulary. Do we use these words to perhaps voice our anger at God while thinking we have not profaned? Our conscience can tell us.
The name of God is so carelessly used in society, that our conscience may have been blinded to the offense. If that is the case, we must become resolute to fix this problem. It is our call to not sink to the way of the world, but to rise and stay above it. We will be responsible to God and there will not be an excuse of "everyone else does it" while hanging our responsibility off on society.
"Swear to God" is another phrase used in abundance. If we place our honor and word on the shoulders of God loosely, we had better make sure we comply. It is God's honor at stake when one does this and God does not take His honor lightly. In fact, except in a court of law it should not be done. (See Matthew 5:34) It is God's throne we mock when we break oaths to God. This is such a dangerous commandment for us because God's name has been subtly taken so many times, it has become a norm of society to do so. It is up to us to take back God's name for only the Holy.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Thou Shall...
Whenever we think of sin, we usually have the Ten Commandments in mind as our benchmark as to how we measure up to God's holiness. It is the Law of God that the soul that sins must die. The person who does not seek a Savior does not understand the nature of sin in their existence. It is the function of God's Law to bring to our awareness in mind and conscience that we have fallen before a Holy God. The Law is given in the 20th chapter of the book of Exodus. The first commandment is simple...You shall have no other gods before me.
Jesus affirmed the lawyer's answer in Luke 10:27 about the most important commandment. It really sums up the first four commandments. You shall love your God with all your heart, your soul, your strength, and your mind. Unfortunately, there is no concrete way of measuring this for success. It is the first thing I say whenever I do reconciliation. As much as I try, I do not have the strength to give God everything I have all day long. I know I fail Jesus' words here.
Back to the first commandment however...many of us have many strange gods...the most common being money. Whatever we place in a higher position of God can be that. Who gets our time and attention? God or the Packers, God or our stomachs, T.V., computers, boyfriend or girlfriend, alcohol, drugs...you name it, if it is something we replace God in importance with, it is a strange god. Vince Lombardi had it right when he said to his players...men, there are three things important in your life...your God, your family, and the Green Bay Packers...in that order. God wants us to realize...nothing on this earth will get you to heaven and eternal life but God Himself in Jesus Christ. We can truly only find comfort in God. The term comfort food is like that false God that provides comfort for a brief time but ultimate destruction. We pray that we honor God and God only.
Jesus affirmed the lawyer's answer in Luke 10:27 about the most important commandment. It really sums up the first four commandments. You shall love your God with all your heart, your soul, your strength, and your mind. Unfortunately, there is no concrete way of measuring this for success. It is the first thing I say whenever I do reconciliation. As much as I try, I do not have the strength to give God everything I have all day long. I know I fail Jesus' words here.
Back to the first commandment however...many of us have many strange gods...the most common being money. Whatever we place in a higher position of God can be that. Who gets our time and attention? God or the Packers, God or our stomachs, T.V., computers, boyfriend or girlfriend, alcohol, drugs...you name it, if it is something we replace God in importance with, it is a strange god. Vince Lombardi had it right when he said to his players...men, there are three things important in your life...your God, your family, and the Green Bay Packers...in that order. God wants us to realize...nothing on this earth will get you to heaven and eternal life but God Himself in Jesus Christ. We can truly only find comfort in God. The term comfort food is like that false God that provides comfort for a brief time but ultimate destruction. We pray that we honor God and God only.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Sin and love?
One of the things I have noticed while doing the Sacrament of Reconciliation, is how unaware most people are of what exactly their sins are. There are some who have a keen awareness of their spiritual poverty and many who have a real problem articulating more than a couple of items. In truth, if we really knew how often a day we really sin, it would be a jaw-dropping realization for us.
We have the Ten Commandments, our sins of omission, and our social sin that I would like to focus on the next 12 weeks. We really cannot fathom the unbelievable mystery of God's mercy and forgiveness without understanding how sinful we truly are. It is good to understand the passage of Luke 7:36-50 where Jesus tells the Pharisee those who are forgiven more also love more and those who are forgiven little, love less. It sounds like Jesus is telling us that the realization of how much we sin can bring an increase in our love for God.
Guilt, and especially Catholic guilt many seem to suffer from, can consume us but Jesus is not interested in burdening us with guilt; just the unbelievable offer of mercy and forgiveness. Guilt is a byproduct and judgement for sin, but when confessed should no longer hinder us. Guilt after confessing to God our sin is really and indicator that we lack trust that God really forgives us in the first place. Jesus' last words in this passage are "your faith has saved you; go in peace." We need to take these words to heart and accept that God has forgiven us in Christ and if we faithfully confess, God faithfully forgives.
We have the Ten Commandments, our sins of omission, and our social sin that I would like to focus on the next 12 weeks. We really cannot fathom the unbelievable mystery of God's mercy and forgiveness without understanding how sinful we truly are. It is good to understand the passage of Luke 7:36-50 where Jesus tells the Pharisee those who are forgiven more also love more and those who are forgiven little, love less. It sounds like Jesus is telling us that the realization of how much we sin can bring an increase in our love for God.
Guilt, and especially Catholic guilt many seem to suffer from, can consume us but Jesus is not interested in burdening us with guilt; just the unbelievable offer of mercy and forgiveness. Guilt is a byproduct and judgement for sin, but when confessed should no longer hinder us. Guilt after confessing to God our sin is really and indicator that we lack trust that God really forgives us in the first place. Jesus' last words in this passage are "your faith has saved you; go in peace." We need to take these words to heart and accept that God has forgiven us in Christ and if we faithfully confess, God faithfully forgives.
Monday, October 5, 2009
We were not created equal?!!
Last week I spoke about God's Word being eternal truth. God's Word was truth in Eden, it is truth today, and it will be truth as far in the future and eternity as you care to imagine. It is the human being in our sinfulness that rubs like "sandpaper on skin" with regards to truth. The readings from this past weekend demonstrate this as divorce is one of the more contentious issues in the Church.
I was only able to preach one Mass this weekend, but one of the points I wanted to convey is that we are not created equal. We are all equal in human dignity, but male and female were not created equal and for the same purpose. We were created differently and to compliment the other. We find that complimentary union in marriage. Marriage is where two become one; just as the trinity is so perfect in love, that they are One. Marriage was meant to experience the divine life and to understand what such a unifying love is.
When the Pharisee's questioned Jesus about divorce, Jesus did not answer with the Mosaic Law, but took the Pharisee's back to the beginning and told them how God created us for marriage. No one puts asunder what God joins. Jesus tells us that it was because of our hardness of heart that Moses permitted divorce. That is a scathing review of our human condition. Jesus tells us that just because we get divorced, does not mean that God recognizes the divorce. Jesus tells us that we are living in a state of adultery. Marriage in the Church means making a covenant before God. We can get a civil divorce, but God is not obligated to our civil law.
Humility is a Christian virtue and it is humility that makes us see that yes, you are right God...and I am wrong. Humility does not ask or tell God to get with it...we're living in the 21st century...times have changed. Human beings have changed and God has not. God did not give us the Law to be a killjoy, but the Law was given so we could live a life of freedom. If you have a few spare months...the best resource on marriage and all it means is Pope John Paul II's Theology of the Body. It is an exhaustive look on the Scriptural foundations of marriage based on yesterdays readings. I caution you it is a challenging read.
I certainly intended to keep this blog short, but I also notice that there is so much to cover that I do not get to in depth on anything. Please comment if you want an expansion of an idea or more explanation...Fr. Mark
I was only able to preach one Mass this weekend, but one of the points I wanted to convey is that we are not created equal. We are all equal in human dignity, but male and female were not created equal and for the same purpose. We were created differently and to compliment the other. We find that complimentary union in marriage. Marriage is where two become one; just as the trinity is so perfect in love, that they are One. Marriage was meant to experience the divine life and to understand what such a unifying love is.
When the Pharisee's questioned Jesus about divorce, Jesus did not answer with the Mosaic Law, but took the Pharisee's back to the beginning and told them how God created us for marriage. No one puts asunder what God joins. Jesus tells us that it was because of our hardness of heart that Moses permitted divorce. That is a scathing review of our human condition. Jesus tells us that just because we get divorced, does not mean that God recognizes the divorce. Jesus tells us that we are living in a state of adultery. Marriage in the Church means making a covenant before God. We can get a civil divorce, but God is not obligated to our civil law.
Humility is a Christian virtue and it is humility that makes us see that yes, you are right God...and I am wrong. Humility does not ask or tell God to get with it...we're living in the 21st century...times have changed. Human beings have changed and God has not. God did not give us the Law to be a killjoy, but the Law was given so we could live a life of freedom. If you have a few spare months...the best resource on marriage and all it means is Pope John Paul II's Theology of the Body. It is an exhaustive look on the Scriptural foundations of marriage based on yesterdays readings. I caution you it is a challenging read.
I certainly intended to keep this blog short, but I also notice that there is so much to cover that I do not get to in depth on anything. Please comment if you want an expansion of an idea or more explanation...Fr. Mark
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Truth?! What is truth?!
These words may be ringing through the ears of Pontius Pilate for eternity. As human beings, we can access the truth if we search. Pilate was not interested in searching for the truth anymore than so many people today. The truth is so often what we want it to be. My truth lets me lead my life the way I want and others are free to follow. This denial of an absolute truth is called relativism in today's society.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (see 1975-1983) sums up that there is Truth and that it is not open to interpretation by the prevailing winds of public opinion or personal "feelings." Feelings are based on emotion and have usually not stood the rigors of soul searching, informing the conscience based on what God has revealed to creation, (unfortunately, this is the last measuring stick if it is used at all) or informing oneself through any other means of education.
God gave the law almost 3500 years ago and it is still valid. God does not change nor does God's Law change for society. The Law was given perfectly because God is perfect and has perfect knowledge. It is pretty arrogant of the created to say that such and such law is obsolete in today's world. Society and humanity has changed, not God.
The Catechism (paragraph 1978) states that "the natural law is a participation in God's wisdom and goodness by man formed in the image of his creator. It expresses the dignity of the human person..." All of God's Law's have given us as human beings a special dignity. When we choose to ignore God's Law, our dignity is harmed whether we know it or not. We can choose to believe God was right the first time when the Law was given and still is, or believe that God's Law is changable based on how humans feel at the time. That is step #1 in a search for the Truth. Is God's Law valid and it is a question we all must know and believe in our hearts.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (see 1975-1983) sums up that there is Truth and that it is not open to interpretation by the prevailing winds of public opinion or personal "feelings." Feelings are based on emotion and have usually not stood the rigors of soul searching, informing the conscience based on what God has revealed to creation, (unfortunately, this is the last measuring stick if it is used at all) or informing oneself through any other means of education.
God gave the law almost 3500 years ago and it is still valid. God does not change nor does God's Law change for society. The Law was given perfectly because God is perfect and has perfect knowledge. It is pretty arrogant of the created to say that such and such law is obsolete in today's world. Society and humanity has changed, not God.
The Catechism (paragraph 1978) states that "the natural law is a participation in God's wisdom and goodness by man formed in the image of his creator. It expresses the dignity of the human person..." All of God's Law's have given us as human beings a special dignity. When we choose to ignore God's Law, our dignity is harmed whether we know it or not. We can choose to believe God was right the first time when the Law was given and still is, or believe that God's Law is changable based on how humans feel at the time. That is step #1 in a search for the Truth. Is God's Law valid and it is a question we all must know and believe in our hearts.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
The Foundation part II
Almost all Catholic moral and social teaching rests on two primary foundations. Last week, I covered the first pillar in that we are created in the image of God. The second pillar is that of the birth of Jesus, the incarnation. When God took on flesh like ours, God gave each human being a special dignity not in words, but by God's action. We all know Jesus died for us, but even more amazing if you think about it, He was born for us. We were worth being born for...worth taking on flesh for.
Jesus was once a grouping of stem cells, an embryo, and a fetus. Is it hard to see why the Church would defend the rights of the pre-born? Not when our savior was once a pre-born himself. Jesus gave the dignity to the pre-born just as He gave us dignity as human beings.
"Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you." (Jeremiah 1:5) We believe in the omniscience of God and that God has known who we are from all eternity. Human beings have a special place before God in His created order.
With these two pillars as foundations, the Church will always teach that everything done must be done to promote, protect, and defend the dignity of a human being, and at all costs. Of course, there are many things that defend and harm human dignity at the very same time. If a mother will die unless the baby is aborted, what is the answer? Unfortunately, there are no easy answers at times and I would step aside on this question to a moral theologian. However, many things we believe can be answered simply by applying the same respect to humanity as God does.
Jesus was once a grouping of stem cells, an embryo, and a fetus. Is it hard to see why the Church would defend the rights of the pre-born? Not when our savior was once a pre-born himself. Jesus gave the dignity to the pre-born just as He gave us dignity as human beings.
"Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you." (Jeremiah 1:5) We believe in the omniscience of God and that God has known who we are from all eternity. Human beings have a special place before God in His created order.
With these two pillars as foundations, the Church will always teach that everything done must be done to promote, protect, and defend the dignity of a human being, and at all costs. Of course, there are many things that defend and harm human dignity at the very same time. If a mother will die unless the baby is aborted, what is the answer? Unfortunately, there are no easy answers at times and I would step aside on this question to a moral theologian. However, many things we believe can be answered simply by applying the same respect to humanity as God does.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
The Foundation
When it comes down to it, at the center of every Catholic social teaching are mainly two principles. When the Church takes a stance on any particular issue, it weighs these two principles in light of any dilemma. I will talk about these for the first couple weeks of this blog. It is very important to understand as Catholics because these ideas drive our understanding of the human person.
We were each created with a special dignity before God. Genesis 1:27 tells us that "God created man in his image, in the divine image he created him..." This tells us very specifically what God thinks of each one of us. A special dignity has been stamped in our being by God that we resemble the divine. That gives us a clue also about how God expects us to act in our dealings with other members of the human family. "The dignity of the human being" is a phrase that you will read in the Vatican II documents and so many papal encyclicals.
God also states in Genesis that when he saw what he created, he called it "very good."1:31 There are two schools of thought about the human body and this has been debated since the ancient philosophers. One either believes the body is good or evil. Even the Apostle Paul can seem to indicate that the body is of no use and causes nothing but evil. It is only the spirit that is good. The Catholic perspective is that God did not create humans bad but "very good." The Church believes that we are still very good, but wounded as people because of sin. It is this woundedness that Christ came to heal. It is with the eyes of seeing human beings as very good, only wounded, that the Church believes all human beings to be.
Created in the image of God is one of two primary reasons we as Church believe in the dignity of the human being. Mother Teresa witnessed this best as she saw the face of Jesus in every baby pulled out of the gutters of Calcutta and every person dying on the streets. She saw the face of Jesus in every human she encountered. If that attitude doesn't witness to the value of a human being, I don't know what does. Next week, we will see the other primary reason we as a Church believe in the value of every human being like we do.
We were each created with a special dignity before God. Genesis 1:27 tells us that "God created man in his image, in the divine image he created him..." This tells us very specifically what God thinks of each one of us. A special dignity has been stamped in our being by God that we resemble the divine. That gives us a clue also about how God expects us to act in our dealings with other members of the human family. "The dignity of the human being" is a phrase that you will read in the Vatican II documents and so many papal encyclicals.
God also states in Genesis that when he saw what he created, he called it "very good."1:31 There are two schools of thought about the human body and this has been debated since the ancient philosophers. One either believes the body is good or evil. Even the Apostle Paul can seem to indicate that the body is of no use and causes nothing but evil. It is only the spirit that is good. The Catholic perspective is that God did not create humans bad but "very good." The Church believes that we are still very good, but wounded as people because of sin. It is this woundedness that Christ came to heal. It is with the eyes of seeing human beings as very good, only wounded, that the Church believes all human beings to be.
Created in the image of God is one of two primary reasons we as Church believe in the dignity of the human being. Mother Teresa witnessed this best as she saw the face of Jesus in every baby pulled out of the gutters of Calcutta and every person dying on the streets. She saw the face of Jesus in every human she encountered. If that attitude doesn't witness to the value of a human being, I don't know what does. Next week, we will see the other primary reason we as a Church believe in the value of every human being like we do.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Purpose
Ignorance will not free us from the civil law and ignorance will not free us from the responsibility of God's law. The hectic pace of our lives makes it difficult to pursue a relationship with God that includes learning all we can about our redeemer and savior. A loving relationship with Christ is not just for eternity. It is for the here and now and it is what is expected of us. Class and continuing education is sometimes not a reality for us so it is my wish to extend this opportunity to you via the web to learn more about God. As always, you have the option to spend as much or as little time as possible in this quest. I will post about once a week and the content of this site will be information that every confirmed Catholic should know. My goal is to help you deepen your relationship and understanding with God so that you can answer the tough questions in life when they arise. The more one knows about the way God works in the world, the easier it is to handle life's problems. Please take a few minutes every week and hit the favorites key for easy access to this forum. May God bless you.
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