Books I'm Associated With
Click on the above to see some of the books that I have had a hand in walking through. Includes such authors as Father Benedict Groeschel, Pat Madrid, Archbishop Dolan, Johnnette Benkovic and others.
Friday, September 5, 2003
Thursday, September 4, 2003
Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword".
Paul Hill is dead. The State of Florida took his life. He took the life of those he felt were murderers of the unborn. He became one of them by taking their life. Ironically, the governor of Florida, Jeb Bush remarked that Hill's God wasn't his, because his God didn't teach that killing was right--I say ironically because he signed the death warrant that did to Paul Hill, what Paul Hill did to the abortionists. Hill felt they were murderers, the State of Florida felt that Hill was a murderer and in the end they murdered him.
Jesus' teachings are so radically opposed to the killing of anyone. Those who have grasped the teachings of Jesus have changed the world not through violence but through the power that Jesus offers his disciples if they humble themselves and allow Him to be the Lord of their lives. One has only to think of Rev. Martin Luther King and the non-violent Christian civil rights movement and the revolution it unleashed in the United States. Or of the Polish Solidarity movement led by Lech Walesa under the patronage of Our Lady that sparked similar movements and brought down the Iron Curtian. The only victims in both of these movements were members of the protesting groups, in imitation of Christ they offered their lives so that others might live. This is the message of Christ, that we lay down our lives for our friends and enemies--not that we take their lives.
But unfortunately most of us are way to impatient to wait on the Lord and are apt to take things into our own hands. So the unplanned pregnancy is terminated, so the anti-abortion protestor gets impatient and seeks to take up the sword, so the State decides the easiest way to deal with a criminal is to exterminate them. And the cycle of violence continues...but please never in the name of God.
Paul Hill is dead. The State of Florida took his life. He took the life of those he felt were murderers of the unborn. He became one of them by taking their life. Ironically, the governor of Florida, Jeb Bush remarked that Hill's God wasn't his, because his God didn't teach that killing was right--I say ironically because he signed the death warrant that did to Paul Hill, what Paul Hill did to the abortionists. Hill felt they were murderers, the State of Florida felt that Hill was a murderer and in the end they murdered him.
Jesus' teachings are so radically opposed to the killing of anyone. Those who have grasped the teachings of Jesus have changed the world not through violence but through the power that Jesus offers his disciples if they humble themselves and allow Him to be the Lord of their lives. One has only to think of Rev. Martin Luther King and the non-violent Christian civil rights movement and the revolution it unleashed in the United States. Or of the Polish Solidarity movement led by Lech Walesa under the patronage of Our Lady that sparked similar movements and brought down the Iron Curtian. The only victims in both of these movements were members of the protesting groups, in imitation of Christ they offered their lives so that others might live. This is the message of Christ, that we lay down our lives for our friends and enemies--not that we take their lives.
But unfortunately most of us are way to impatient to wait on the Lord and are apt to take things into our own hands. So the unplanned pregnancy is terminated, so the anti-abortion protestor gets impatient and seeks to take up the sword, so the State decides the easiest way to deal with a criminal is to exterminate them. And the cycle of violence continues...but please never in the name of God.
Wednesday, September 3, 2003
The Church that was Destroyed on 9/11
Much has been written about the church that survived the fall of the World Trade Center towers on 9/11/2001, but I've seen little written about the one that fell. It was an orthodox church dedicated to St. Nicholas. It strikes me there is symbolism to the fall of a church dedicated to the Christian bishop who has become the secularized Santa Claus.
An awesome picture of the church before its destruction and the effort to rebuild it are here...SAINT NICHOLAS CHURCH
Much has been written about the church that survived the fall of the World Trade Center towers on 9/11/2001, but I've seen little written about the one that fell. It was an orthodox church dedicated to St. Nicholas. It strikes me there is symbolism to the fall of a church dedicated to the Christian bishop who has become the secularized Santa Claus.
An awesome picture of the church before its destruction and the effort to rebuild it are here...SAINT NICHOLAS CHURCH
Scripture Interpretations--The Sodomites
Thanks to Amy for sending me a letter to the editor that appeared in the New Orleans newspaper protesting a priest who protested the French Quarter becoming another Sodom and Gommorah. Here is the link to the letter and here is my response to this absurd interpretation of the passage in Genesis. First let me say that what the writer is saying is truly one of the most oft repeated "modern" interpretations of the passage but in my mind one of the most absurd and cleary one motivated by an agenda that is not at the base truth seeking.
Was the sin of the Sodomites, inhospitality? (read the letter)
This is another example of the sad state of scripture studies. Reread that story about Sodom and see if there is anyway you could interpret the sin of the Sodomites as that of "inhospitality"--while it is true that Lot is hospitable--to the point of offering his virgin daughters to the Sodomites--their crime is hardly inhospitality. In fact if you take away any sense that homosexual activity is a bad thing, one might argue that the Sodomites were being incredibly hospitable to their guests and Lot was doing anything he could to prevent them from offering their generous hospitality to the strangers.
Of course the truth is that the Sodomites were evil. They lusted after the strangers and wanted to "use" them. The sin of the Sodomites is "lust" gone totally beserk to the point of violence. The imagery of them being struck blind by the angels is a good way shedding light on their predicament--they are so "blinded" by their lust that they can't even discern the heavenly visitors are from God!
The idiots who continue to teach the most absurd things about Scripture in order to be politically correct, to re-explain the miraculous and to not offend really have overstayed their welcome. I think it is time for us to be a little inhospitable to them.
Thanks to Amy for sending me a letter to the editor that appeared in the New Orleans newspaper protesting a priest who protested the French Quarter becoming another Sodom and Gommorah. Here is the link to the letter and here is my response to this absurd interpretation of the passage in Genesis. First let me say that what the writer is saying is truly one of the most oft repeated "modern" interpretations of the passage but in my mind one of the most absurd and cleary one motivated by an agenda that is not at the base truth seeking.
Was the sin of the Sodomites, inhospitality? (read the letter)
This is another example of the sad state of scripture studies. Reread that story about Sodom and see if there is anyway you could interpret the sin of the Sodomites as that of "inhospitality"--while it is true that Lot is hospitable--to the point of offering his virgin daughters to the Sodomites--their crime is hardly inhospitality. In fact if you take away any sense that homosexual activity is a bad thing, one might argue that the Sodomites were being incredibly hospitable to their guests and Lot was doing anything he could to prevent them from offering their generous hospitality to the strangers.
Of course the truth is that the Sodomites were evil. They lusted after the strangers and wanted to "use" them. The sin of the Sodomites is "lust" gone totally beserk to the point of violence. The imagery of them being struck blind by the angels is a good way shedding light on their predicament--they are so "blinded" by their lust that they can't even discern the heavenly visitors are from God!
The idiots who continue to teach the most absurd things about Scripture in order to be politically correct, to re-explain the miraculous and to not offend really have overstayed their welcome. I think it is time for us to be a little inhospitable to them.
Told Ya
Cleveland clarifies that the only real change in the new GIRM that affects the congregation is that they must bow before receiving communion. Further giving the desire for unity in the worshipping congregation, why are they allowing for all these "may" options that will create a "house divided"?
First, this "clarification" is being released because thankfully the laity aren't as ignorant about these matters as they were twenty or thirty years ago. Father Murray has found out that you can't just "make it up" and say that the Vatican is issuing these changes.
Secondly, if the Diocese of Cleveland is really interested in unity they would mandate the posture that is put forth in the GIRM and not try to recapture parts of the "tradition" of the church that Father Murray is fond of. If he wants the church to change the posture of the faithful during the liturgy he should vigorously work for that change. But in the meantime, this instruction is fostering a liturgy where some people will be standing, some sitting, some kneeling, some raising their hands, some clutching their hearts, some holding hands, some clasping their hands, etc. This is instruction????
From An explanation of the new General Instruction of the Roman Missal:
"Fr. Murray explained that there will be changes in the way Roman Catholics in the United States will do Holy Communion.
Here are some of the major points to be clarified regarding this new instruction:
Recitation of the “Our Father”:
During the “Our Father” (Lord’s Prayer) people may raise their hands. This is not, as some suggest, an attempt to mimic those from the Evangelical or Pentecostal Churches. It is an attempt to recover an ancient gesture of the Church seen in the catacombs, but most importantly, it is an imitation of how Christ prayed in life and in death, says Tertullian, a Father of the Church. People may also continue to fold their hands at their hearts. Neither of these gestures is mandated by GIRM. They are pastoral suggestion from Tradition.
Sign of Peace:
During the “Sign of Peace,” people may embrace one or two family members, loved ones or close friends. They may shake hands, or bow respectfully and peacefully to their neighbor, or whatever the individual deems appropriate to his/her culture and personality in so far as it shows forth the dignity, sobriety, seriousness of this gesture that signifies a deep love, unity, and reconciliation within the Body of Christ. It is not a “hug” nor is it meant to put anyone in jeopardy.
Reception of Holy Communion:
People will be required to show reverence to the Body and Blood of Christ by bowing their heads before receiving Holy Communion. People will also be invited to stand and sing throughout the reception of Holy Communion, though no one will be prohibited from kneeling or sitting in prayer after the individual reception of Holy Communion—a longstanding custom in the United States.
Those are the facts. What the Diocese hopes, is that our Catholic faithful will understand that after the Second Vatican Council, changes were introduced that upset people and were unsettling because people were told what to do, but were not told why we do, what we do. The Diocese is committed to catechesis and education. People will be invited to do the new changes because they would know why the changes. It is our hope that people would come to know that these new changes are intended to bring a greater reverence, holiness and unity to Holy Communion. The reason for the reverence holiness, and unity is: so that having been transformed by God, made holy by God, we would be able to transform the world to be more just, more holy, more peaceful. "
Cleveland clarifies that the only real change in the new GIRM that affects the congregation is that they must bow before receiving communion. Further giving the desire for unity in the worshipping congregation, why are they allowing for all these "may" options that will create a "house divided"?
First, this "clarification" is being released because thankfully the laity aren't as ignorant about these matters as they were twenty or thirty years ago. Father Murray has found out that you can't just "make it up" and say that the Vatican is issuing these changes.
Secondly, if the Diocese of Cleveland is really interested in unity they would mandate the posture that is put forth in the GIRM and not try to recapture parts of the "tradition" of the church that Father Murray is fond of. If he wants the church to change the posture of the faithful during the liturgy he should vigorously work for that change. But in the meantime, this instruction is fostering a liturgy where some people will be standing, some sitting, some kneeling, some raising their hands, some clutching their hearts, some holding hands, some clasping their hands, etc. This is instruction????
From An explanation of the new General Instruction of the Roman Missal:
"Fr. Murray explained that there will be changes in the way Roman Catholics in the United States will do Holy Communion.
Here are some of the major points to be clarified regarding this new instruction:
Recitation of the “Our Father”:
During the “Our Father” (Lord’s Prayer) people may raise their hands. This is not, as some suggest, an attempt to mimic those from the Evangelical or Pentecostal Churches. It is an attempt to recover an ancient gesture of the Church seen in the catacombs, but most importantly, it is an imitation of how Christ prayed in life and in death, says Tertullian, a Father of the Church. People may also continue to fold their hands at their hearts. Neither of these gestures is mandated by GIRM. They are pastoral suggestion from Tradition.
Sign of Peace:
During the “Sign of Peace,” people may embrace one or two family members, loved ones or close friends. They may shake hands, or bow respectfully and peacefully to their neighbor, or whatever the individual deems appropriate to his/her culture and personality in so far as it shows forth the dignity, sobriety, seriousness of this gesture that signifies a deep love, unity, and reconciliation within the Body of Christ. It is not a “hug” nor is it meant to put anyone in jeopardy.
Reception of Holy Communion:
People will be required to show reverence to the Body and Blood of Christ by bowing their heads before receiving Holy Communion. People will also be invited to stand and sing throughout the reception of Holy Communion, though no one will be prohibited from kneeling or sitting in prayer after the individual reception of Holy Communion—a longstanding custom in the United States.
Those are the facts. What the Diocese hopes, is that our Catholic faithful will understand that after the Second Vatican Council, changes were introduced that upset people and were unsettling because people were told what to do, but were not told why we do, what we do. The Diocese is committed to catechesis and education. People will be invited to do the new changes because they would know why the changes. It is our hope that people would come to know that these new changes are intended to bring a greater reverence, holiness and unity to Holy Communion. The reason for the reverence holiness, and unity is: so that having been transformed by God, made holy by God, we would be able to transform the world to be more just, more holy, more peaceful. "
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