Well, I noticed I haven't done any blog posts in almost a year after saying I would be more active. I guess that's not working good for me. Well, today I am going to focus more on my diabetes. What does diabetes have to do with Catholicism? Well, in my case a lot. You see I have had diabetes for a number of years and haven't been taking care of myself. I went to the doctors last week and was told if I didn't start controlling my diabetes I would eventually die. It would also be a slow painful death with the result being my legs chopped off, losing my eyesight and having to go on dialysis 3 times a week.
I was at the point of despair and at that point I didn't care about whether I lived or died or not. I posted this story on Fisheaters and I got a lot of prayers and encouragement. Then I went to confession and my priest also gave me some good advice about not despairing and giving up but taking this as a wakeup call and doing the steps I need to do to get my sugars under control.
You see, the body is the temple of the Holy Ghost and if we don't take care of our body, it is a serious sin. I went to the office of the apartment complex I live at to get the key for the fitness room on Saturday. On Sunday after Mass I made my first trip to the fitness center. I can access it 24/7 so there is no excuse not to exercise. They have some bikes, a tread mill, some dumbbells and an elliptical machine. It's not bad and has what I need. I also need to stop eating after supper. That's a big problem for me. I always binge eat after supper, particularly between 10PM and midnight. So, I have decided to cut that out.
This was my first day after exercising and before I went to bed Sunday night my blood sugar was 190. It's not great, but considering the numbers have been running in the 300s it's a lot better. Then when I woke up Monday morning, my blood sugar was 111 which is perfect for a fasting reading! I feel really good about this and I think this is going to work. The other thing I want to get better at is I want to start going to bed earlier. I went to bed at about 1AM last night and was up at 8AM this morning which is a lot better then I have been doing. Lately, I have been sleeping until 10am-noon which is unhealthy.
Keep me in your prayers because this is something I need to do to help me get better. God Bless you all.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
Freedom
Well, this is my first blog entry in quite some time. I hope to make this a more frequent endeavor for the New Year. I am going to discuss freedom in this blog. We hear a lot of people talk about freedom from politicians to political pundits to every day citizens.
Freedom means different things to different people. People talk about a freedom to choose and what they really mean is freedom to kill a baby. Other people talk about freedom and they are talking about the freedom to speak out on political topics or against the government. I will admit, that this is a very important freedom. The homosexual lobby wants the freedom to "marry" each other and to change the traditional definition of marriage. A lot of people look at freedom as licentiousness. This is not freedom but slavery. It's slavery to Satan and sin.
True freedom is doing the will of God and doing it perfectly. Following all of Gods Commandments perfectly is true freedom. Some might protest and ask how following a bunch of rules is freedom? I answer this by saying God is perfectly free. We also know that God cannot sin. Since God is truly free and God can never sin then it's just common sense that you cannot be free and sin.
When you sin and call it freedom you are damning yourself to Hell which is slavery. Satan uses sin to enslave the human race so he can ensnare souls and torture them forever. The worst are sexual sins of impurity and lust. The Blessed Virgin Mary said that more souls go to Hell because of sins of the flesh than any other sins. God sent His only Son, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to us to free us from that slavery of sin and the way we accept that salvation is by rejecting the slavery of sin. Every kind of immorality is slavery whether it be abortion, sins of the flesh, drunkenness, and every kind of immorality is nothing but slavery.
You cannot be truly free unless you follow the Commands of God.
Freedom means different things to different people. People talk about a freedom to choose and what they really mean is freedom to kill a baby. Other people talk about freedom and they are talking about the freedom to speak out on political topics or against the government. I will admit, that this is a very important freedom. The homosexual lobby wants the freedom to "marry" each other and to change the traditional definition of marriage. A lot of people look at freedom as licentiousness. This is not freedom but slavery. It's slavery to Satan and sin.
True freedom is doing the will of God and doing it perfectly. Following all of Gods Commandments perfectly is true freedom. Some might protest and ask how following a bunch of rules is freedom? I answer this by saying God is perfectly free. We also know that God cannot sin. Since God is truly free and God can never sin then it's just common sense that you cannot be free and sin.
When you sin and call it freedom you are damning yourself to Hell which is slavery. Satan uses sin to enslave the human race so he can ensnare souls and torture them forever. The worst are sexual sins of impurity and lust. The Blessed Virgin Mary said that more souls go to Hell because of sins of the flesh than any other sins. God sent His only Son, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to us to free us from that slavery of sin and the way we accept that salvation is by rejecting the slavery of sin. Every kind of immorality is slavery whether it be abortion, sins of the flesh, drunkenness, and every kind of immorality is nothing but slavery.
You cannot be truly free unless you follow the Commands of God.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Homosexual "Marriage"
I think one of the most misused phrases I have heard (along with the "choice") is the statement "I support homosexual rights." Lets examine this for a minute. When people say this I want to ask to further explain themselves. Some people have and say "Well gays should have the same rights as anyone else." Well, I would agree in theory. Gays are human beings and should be afforded the same rights as anyone. But what most people are talking about is gay marriage.
My answer to this is usually a smart-allec come back "Gays can marry a person of the opposite sex just like anyone else. But the problem is, what most people are saying is they believe we should re-define the definition of marriage to allow sodomites to marry. This is completely wrong and goes against all natural and God made laws. Marriage was not created by man. Marriage was instituted by God for the purpose of one man and one woman to be sacramentally united as one with God for the purpose of having children. As you can see this is naturally impossible in a homosexual relationship.
Some people would come back and say "God made me gay so why would a loving God want me to be without a wife or husband?" Well, I could debate whether God makes people attracted to the same sex but regardless, there are people out there who are attracted to underage children. I could make the argument that God made people pedophiles, but I don't hear anyone saying that pedophiles should be able to have their way with kids. Some may be offended that I compare homosexuals and pedophiles. But there is plenty of evidence that a large number of homosexuals are attracted to children of the same sex. All you have to do is look at the Church sex abuse scandal to see that. Most of the pedophile priests have been homosexuals and almost all the victims have been post pubescent boys. True pedophiles would be abusing pre-pubescent children of any gender...but mostly of the opposite sex.
I am not saying all homosexuals go after children but I will say that all homosexuals are gravely disordered, as are pedophiles. Now, the question is should the Church and society "normalize" a disorder by allowing sodomites to "marry." What about people who are attracted to farm animals? Should man be allowed to marry a cow or a horse? What about a person who is attracted to a family member? Should a son be allowed to marry his mother? Or should a sister and brother be allowed to marry?
Homosexuals should be treated with love and respect, but since homosexuality is a grave disorder, they shouldn't be made to believe their "relationship" is normal. It's not. Nor should the definition of marriage be changed to appease a group of sodomites who wish to force their disordered way of life on the rest of us.
We have an obligation and a duty as Catholics to say no to homosexual "marriage." We cannot change the definition of an institution like marriage which man didn't create to begin with.
God Bless You,
Darryl
My answer to this is usually a smart-allec come back "Gays can marry a person of the opposite sex just like anyone else. But the problem is, what most people are saying is they believe we should re-define the definition of marriage to allow sodomites to marry. This is completely wrong and goes against all natural and God made laws. Marriage was not created by man. Marriage was instituted by God for the purpose of one man and one woman to be sacramentally united as one with God for the purpose of having children. As you can see this is naturally impossible in a homosexual relationship.
Some people would come back and say "God made me gay so why would a loving God want me to be without a wife or husband?" Well, I could debate whether God makes people attracted to the same sex but regardless, there are people out there who are attracted to underage children. I could make the argument that God made people pedophiles, but I don't hear anyone saying that pedophiles should be able to have their way with kids. Some may be offended that I compare homosexuals and pedophiles. But there is plenty of evidence that a large number of homosexuals are attracted to children of the same sex. All you have to do is look at the Church sex abuse scandal to see that. Most of the pedophile priests have been homosexuals and almost all the victims have been post pubescent boys. True pedophiles would be abusing pre-pubescent children of any gender...but mostly of the opposite sex.
I am not saying all homosexuals go after children but I will say that all homosexuals are gravely disordered, as are pedophiles. Now, the question is should the Church and society "normalize" a disorder by allowing sodomites to "marry." What about people who are attracted to farm animals? Should man be allowed to marry a cow or a horse? What about a person who is attracted to a family member? Should a son be allowed to marry his mother? Or should a sister and brother be allowed to marry?
Homosexuals should be treated with love and respect, but since homosexuality is a grave disorder, they shouldn't be made to believe their "relationship" is normal. It's not. Nor should the definition of marriage be changed to appease a group of sodomites who wish to force their disordered way of life on the rest of us.
We have an obligation and a duty as Catholics to say no to homosexual "marriage." We cannot change the definition of an institution like marriage which man didn't create to begin with.
God Bless You,
Darryl
Friday, May 14, 2010
Old and New
It's been a while since I made an entry so I will be lazy and post something I found on a TLM site. While nothing new for trads it's a very good explanation why the TLM is the superior rite...
http://www.ourladyhelpofchristians-hsv.org/history.htm
Old & New
How the traditional Roman rite differs from the new Roman rite-- the 1969 Novus Ordo-- is somewhat more complicated. What are often considered the most obvious differences between the two are not, strictly speaking, differences at all. For example, many hold that the traditional Roman rite is more reverential, that it fills the soul with a sense of mystery and awe. Yet no where in the rubrics of the Novus Ordo is it stated that anything but a solemn and pious tenor should permeate the celebration of the Mass. Nor is a priest required to celebrate the new Mass facing the people or in the vernaculuar. (The traditional Roman rite deserves its other popular name, the "Latin Mass," not because it is the only rite celebrated in Latin, but because it is the only rite that can only be celebrated in Latin.) And no where in the writings of Vatican II is a church required to take down its high altar, tabernacle, or sacred images, or to eliminate distinctions between the sacred and the profane such as the communion rail. In fact, many of the characteristics we associate with the Novus Ordo are not prescribed, but violations of what is prescribed. The use of the laity as Eucharistic ministers or of girls as acolytes, for example, goes against the explicitly stated principle that such actions be taken only in case of extraordinary circumstances. These measures were intended, in other words, to be the exception, not the rule, of normative worship.
Finally, to complicate matters even more, the changes that were made to the Roman liturgy tend to be exaggerated for English-speaking Catholics by the free and often inaccurate English translation of the Latin original. One fastidious Latinist has counted approximately four hundred discrepancies between the prescribed English translation made by the International Committee on English in the Liturgy (ICEL) and the Novus Ordo promulgated by Pope Paul VI. Fr. Stephen Somerville, an original member of ICEL, recently revealed in the National Catholic Register that these discrepancies were often made deliberately. "We found subtle ways of changing the words..." he stated. "We were literally changing the faith of the Catholic Church because we were changing the way it prays" (Brian McGuire, "Liturgical Translations Face Vatican Overhaul," Vol. 76, No. 4, 1/23-29/00, p. 1).
For the sake of brevity (and clarity), the traditional Roman rite can be said to differ from the Novus Ordo in two areas: the Church calendar and the Mass.
The Church Calendar
The architects commissioned in 1967 to modify the Roman rite (two years after the close of Vatican II) brought about a number of changes to the liturgical year. "Septuagesima," the ancient season separating the jubilance of Christmastide from the penitence of Lent, was abandoned, as were Rogationtide and the apostolic observance known as Embertide. Regarding the saints' feast days, an attempt was made to restore the celebration of the saint's memory to his "birthday" into heaven (i.e. the date of his actual death), but because it was also decided that the sanctoral cycle was a hindrance to the observance of Lent, this was not always done. (St. Thomas Aquinas, for example, passed away on March 7, but because that date falls within the season of Lent, his feast was transferred to January 28.) Second, many saints, some quite famous, were dropped altogether. One hundred forty saints, including St. Christopher (formerly July 25) and St. Valentine (formerly February 14), are no longer celebrated in the current Roman calendar. And several Feasts of our Lord Jesus Christ, such as the Feast of the Most Precious Blood (formerly July 1) were also suppressed.
Separately, several observances regarding fasting and feasting (some of them stretching back to apostolic times), were abandonned.
The Mass
The Mass can be divided into two categories: the "ordinary," or unchanging part, and the "propers," which change from week to week. The traditional Roman rite differs from the Novus Ordo in both respects.
The ordinary of the traditional Roman rite includes more invocations of the Trinity, usually in a plaintive and poignant manner. It also refers more to the Blessed Virgin Mary and to the angels and saints (both individually and en masse), both as a reflection of the mediatorial character of grace and as a reminder of the celestial community to which Christians on earth are joined. The ordinary contains more references to the sacrifice of the altar and of the Cross, articulating in both its offertory prayers and in its canon a clear theology of the Eucharist. It also makes copious use of entire psalms or psalm verses at different parts of the Mass to stagger different moods and aspirations, a practice derived from the ancient Church's love of these poetic prayers. The traditional ordinary contains more Biblical allusions in an attempt to encapsulate the whole of sacred history into a single act of worship. And it tends to be more concrete and erotic in its imagery in an attempt to incorporate both space and time, mind and heart. That concreteness is reflected in the rubrics, which prescribe more physical (yet dignified) gestures for both celebrant and congregation. Finally, nothing in the traditional ordinary is changed unless it is for a reason which ties into the meaning of the liturgical season. (Because the celebrant is acting in the person of Christ, his personality and individual preferences are abstracted from entirely). This economy renders the ordinary a powerful pedagogue of word and gesture. The absence of certain lines during the liturgical year, for example, has a striking effect on the faithful.
One of the most distinctive features of the ordinary of the traditional Roman rite is its exclusive use of its Eucharistic prayer, or canon. Though its origins are obscure, it is generally agreed that the Roman canon was last changed by Pope St. Gregory the Great in the early 600's. This made it the oldest continually used and least altered canon in Christendom. (In addition to several canons composed within the last thirty-five years, the Novus Ordo includes a modified version of the Roman canon under the title, "Eucharistic Prayer I").
The "propers" of the traditional Roman rite differ from their modern counterpart most with respect to the Lectionary, or cycle of Scriptural readings. There are three main differences between the two lectionaries. First, the old rite generally has two readings, one from a New Testament epistle and the other from one of the Gospels, while the new rite generally adds a third reading from the Old Testament. Both usages can claim an equally ancient pedigree, though the new rite's occasional allowance of a non-Scriptural text to act as a third reading is unprecedented in the world of apostolic liturgy. Second, not unlike other historic apostolic rites, the old rite uses a one-year cycle of readings while the new rite uses a three-year cycle. The advantage of the latter is greater exposure to the Scriptures; the advantage of the former is that it serves as an annual "ruler" against which one can measure one's spiritual progress from year to year. Third, while the readings of the old rite are chosen primarily for their moral or doctrinal relevance to the liturgical calendar, they can also be chosen because of a nearby Saint's Day or Station Day. The advantage of this development is that it pedagogically illuminates the time of year as well as connects Christian worship to the history of the Church. The new rite, on the hand, keeps its primary emphasis on making sure that a good deal of the Bible gets covered in the three-year cycle, often irrespective of what point in the calendar it is marking. Unifying themes are less important and organic connections to Christian history or hagiolatry virtually non-existent.
Renewed Interest in the Traditional Roman Rite
There has been a sharp renewal of interest in the traditional Roman rite, both here and abroad, following his Holiness Pope John Paul II's 1984 and 1988 indults granting permission for it to be celebrated again. Over a hundred and twenty thousand Catholics in America attend a weekly Mass celebrated according to the 1962 missal, and several religious orders, predominantly composed of young seminarians and priests, have sprung up dedicated exclusively to its continued observance.
Undoubtedly, devotees of the traditional Roman rite have different reasons for their preference, with many of these reasons somehow invoking its venerable antiquity. Yet while antiquity can serve as a kind of proof for excellence, there is perhaps a more valid reason for choosing one set of rituals over another, and that is the reason expressed by Pope St. Gregory the Great. It was Gregory (significantly, one of the traditional Roman rite's chief founders) who best articulated the essence of Christian tradition-mindedness. Writing to St. Augustine of Canterbury, St. Gregory warned against a nostalgic loyalty to one's own upbringing, reminding his correspondent that "a thing is not to be loved for the sake of a place, but places for the sake of good things" (Ep. 64). In other words, if any preference is to be made for a liturgical tradition, either old or new, it should not be done on the basis of what is familiar, but on the basis of what sorts of things it points to and how well it points to them. Today, more and more Catholics are discovering that what the traditional Roman rite points to is worth loving, and that how it points to them is worth admiring. Perhaps that, more than any other reason, is why the rite is getting a second look.
http://www.ourladyhelpofchristians-hsv.org/history.htm
Old & New
How the traditional Roman rite differs from the new Roman rite-- the 1969 Novus Ordo-- is somewhat more complicated. What are often considered the most obvious differences between the two are not, strictly speaking, differences at all. For example, many hold that the traditional Roman rite is more reverential, that it fills the soul with a sense of mystery and awe. Yet no where in the rubrics of the Novus Ordo is it stated that anything but a solemn and pious tenor should permeate the celebration of the Mass. Nor is a priest required to celebrate the new Mass facing the people or in the vernaculuar. (The traditional Roman rite deserves its other popular name, the "Latin Mass," not because it is the only rite celebrated in Latin, but because it is the only rite that can only be celebrated in Latin.) And no where in the writings of Vatican II is a church required to take down its high altar, tabernacle, or sacred images, or to eliminate distinctions between the sacred and the profane such as the communion rail. In fact, many of the characteristics we associate with the Novus Ordo are not prescribed, but violations of what is prescribed. The use of the laity as Eucharistic ministers or of girls as acolytes, for example, goes against the explicitly stated principle that such actions be taken only in case of extraordinary circumstances. These measures were intended, in other words, to be the exception, not the rule, of normative worship.
Finally, to complicate matters even more, the changes that were made to the Roman liturgy tend to be exaggerated for English-speaking Catholics by the free and often inaccurate English translation of the Latin original. One fastidious Latinist has counted approximately four hundred discrepancies between the prescribed English translation made by the International Committee on English in the Liturgy (ICEL) and the Novus Ordo promulgated by Pope Paul VI. Fr. Stephen Somerville, an original member of ICEL, recently revealed in the National Catholic Register that these discrepancies were often made deliberately. "We found subtle ways of changing the words..." he stated. "We were literally changing the faith of the Catholic Church because we were changing the way it prays" (Brian McGuire, "Liturgical Translations Face Vatican Overhaul," Vol. 76, No. 4, 1/23-29/00, p. 1).
For the sake of brevity (and clarity), the traditional Roman rite can be said to differ from the Novus Ordo in two areas: the Church calendar and the Mass.
The Church Calendar
The architects commissioned in 1967 to modify the Roman rite (two years after the close of Vatican II) brought about a number of changes to the liturgical year. "Septuagesima," the ancient season separating the jubilance of Christmastide from the penitence of Lent, was abandoned, as were Rogationtide and the apostolic observance known as Embertide. Regarding the saints' feast days, an attempt was made to restore the celebration of the saint's memory to his "birthday" into heaven (i.e. the date of his actual death), but because it was also decided that the sanctoral cycle was a hindrance to the observance of Lent, this was not always done. (St. Thomas Aquinas, for example, passed away on March 7, but because that date falls within the season of Lent, his feast was transferred to January 28.) Second, many saints, some quite famous, were dropped altogether. One hundred forty saints, including St. Christopher (formerly July 25) and St. Valentine (formerly February 14), are no longer celebrated in the current Roman calendar. And several Feasts of our Lord Jesus Christ, such as the Feast of the Most Precious Blood (formerly July 1) were also suppressed.
Separately, several observances regarding fasting and feasting (some of them stretching back to apostolic times), were abandonned.
The Mass
The Mass can be divided into two categories: the "ordinary," or unchanging part, and the "propers," which change from week to week. The traditional Roman rite differs from the Novus Ordo in both respects.
The ordinary of the traditional Roman rite includes more invocations of the Trinity, usually in a plaintive and poignant manner. It also refers more to the Blessed Virgin Mary and to the angels and saints (both individually and en masse), both as a reflection of the mediatorial character of grace and as a reminder of the celestial community to which Christians on earth are joined. The ordinary contains more references to the sacrifice of the altar and of the Cross, articulating in both its offertory prayers and in its canon a clear theology of the Eucharist. It also makes copious use of entire psalms or psalm verses at different parts of the Mass to stagger different moods and aspirations, a practice derived from the ancient Church's love of these poetic prayers. The traditional ordinary contains more Biblical allusions in an attempt to encapsulate the whole of sacred history into a single act of worship. And it tends to be more concrete and erotic in its imagery in an attempt to incorporate both space and time, mind and heart. That concreteness is reflected in the rubrics, which prescribe more physical (yet dignified) gestures for both celebrant and congregation. Finally, nothing in the traditional ordinary is changed unless it is for a reason which ties into the meaning of the liturgical season. (Because the celebrant is acting in the person of Christ, his personality and individual preferences are abstracted from entirely). This economy renders the ordinary a powerful pedagogue of word and gesture. The absence of certain lines during the liturgical year, for example, has a striking effect on the faithful.
One of the most distinctive features of the ordinary of the traditional Roman rite is its exclusive use of its Eucharistic prayer, or canon. Though its origins are obscure, it is generally agreed that the Roman canon was last changed by Pope St. Gregory the Great in the early 600's. This made it the oldest continually used and least altered canon in Christendom. (In addition to several canons composed within the last thirty-five years, the Novus Ordo includes a modified version of the Roman canon under the title, "Eucharistic Prayer I").
The "propers" of the traditional Roman rite differ from their modern counterpart most with respect to the Lectionary, or cycle of Scriptural readings. There are three main differences between the two lectionaries. First, the old rite generally has two readings, one from a New Testament epistle and the other from one of the Gospels, while the new rite generally adds a third reading from the Old Testament. Both usages can claim an equally ancient pedigree, though the new rite's occasional allowance of a non-Scriptural text to act as a third reading is unprecedented in the world of apostolic liturgy. Second, not unlike other historic apostolic rites, the old rite uses a one-year cycle of readings while the new rite uses a three-year cycle. The advantage of the latter is greater exposure to the Scriptures; the advantage of the former is that it serves as an annual "ruler" against which one can measure one's spiritual progress from year to year. Third, while the readings of the old rite are chosen primarily for their moral or doctrinal relevance to the liturgical calendar, they can also be chosen because of a nearby Saint's Day or Station Day. The advantage of this development is that it pedagogically illuminates the time of year as well as connects Christian worship to the history of the Church. The new rite, on the hand, keeps its primary emphasis on making sure that a good deal of the Bible gets covered in the three-year cycle, often irrespective of what point in the calendar it is marking. Unifying themes are less important and organic connections to Christian history or hagiolatry virtually non-existent.
Renewed Interest in the Traditional Roman Rite
There has been a sharp renewal of interest in the traditional Roman rite, both here and abroad, following his Holiness Pope John Paul II's 1984 and 1988 indults granting permission for it to be celebrated again. Over a hundred and twenty thousand Catholics in America attend a weekly Mass celebrated according to the 1962 missal, and several religious orders, predominantly composed of young seminarians and priests, have sprung up dedicated exclusively to its continued observance.
Undoubtedly, devotees of the traditional Roman rite have different reasons for their preference, with many of these reasons somehow invoking its venerable antiquity. Yet while antiquity can serve as a kind of proof for excellence, there is perhaps a more valid reason for choosing one set of rituals over another, and that is the reason expressed by Pope St. Gregory the Great. It was Gregory (significantly, one of the traditional Roman rite's chief founders) who best articulated the essence of Christian tradition-mindedness. Writing to St. Augustine of Canterbury, St. Gregory warned against a nostalgic loyalty to one's own upbringing, reminding his correspondent that "a thing is not to be loved for the sake of a place, but places for the sake of good things" (Ep. 64). In other words, if any preference is to be made for a liturgical tradition, either old or new, it should not be done on the basis of what is familiar, but on the basis of what sorts of things it points to and how well it points to them. Today, more and more Catholics are discovering that what the traditional Roman rite points to is worth loving, and that how it points to them is worth admiring. Perhaps that, more than any other reason, is why the rite is getting a second look.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Blessed James Duckett
I was reading today about Blessed James Duckett. He was martyred because he had Catholic books. Upon his death he made a profession of faith that was inspiring, he said that no one can be saved outside the Catholic Church just as no one could be saved outside Noah's Ark.
It's too bad our recent Popes, Bishops, Cardinals, and priests wouldn't believe in this so they could work to save souls instead of engaging in false ecumenism. Church leaders are doing a great disservice to many souls by not talking about this important dogma.
I pray that Our Lord through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary strengthens Holy Mother Church and her leaders.
It's too bad our recent Popes, Bishops, Cardinals, and priests wouldn't believe in this so they could work to save souls instead of engaging in false ecumenism. Church leaders are doing a great disservice to many souls by not talking about this important dogma.
I pray that Our Lord through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary strengthens Holy Mother Church and her leaders.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Holy Week
This week is Holy Week. Starting with Palm Sunday and culminating with the 3 most important days on the calendar. On Palm Sunday we celebrate Our Lord's triumphant journey into Jerusalem where he was treated as a King. But Our Lord knew this wasn't His purpose for making the journey to Jerusalem. In a few short days He would be beaten, spat upon, crucified and even his own Apostle, Peter, who was the Rock, would deny he even knew Jesus three times. He would be nailed to a tree and left to die. Then on Easter Sunday, Our Lord would win our redemption from sin and Hell by rising from the dead.
The first day of the Easter Triduum is called Holy Thursday or Maundy Thursday. This is the celebration of the institution of the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper. After the Mass the Altar is stripped, the bells are silenced, and the Blessed Sacrament is removed from the tabernacle. Some places will have a period of adoration throughout the night or for a few hours after Mass. This is also the beginning of the Lord's passion.
Then on Good Friday, we spend the day meditating on the Lord's passion and death. Usually around 3pm the Mass of the Presanctified takes place. This day should be held in as much silence as possible, particularly from the hours of 1:00-3:00PM. We should spend time to consider all our sins and to have a true sorrow for the many times we have offended Our Lord and to consider all the pain and agony Our Lord went through because of our sins. The sorrow we feel for our sins should be used to relieve the agonies Our Lord felt on the first Good Friday.
Many people have asked why it's called "Good" Friday if it's the day Jesus died on the cross. The reason for this is simple, it's because on this day, on Good Friday, Our Lord took our sins upon the Cross and opened the door for us poor sinners to have a share in Heavenly glory. Jesus turned the worst evil in the history of the world, and turned it into the greatest good that ever happened to mankind.
On Holy Saturday we reflect and meditate on Christ resting in the tomb. It is another day to consider our sins and to draw up contrition and compunction for the many sins we commit against Our Lord. Then, after sunset, the greatest Mass of the entire year happens, the Easter Vigil.
The Easter Vigil starts with the blessing of the fire and water. There are many deeply impressive ceremonies during the Vigil Mass. It is a night of joyful expectation until the Alleluia proclaims the triumphant message of the Resurrection of Our Lord! This leads us into the glorious celebration of Easter in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass!
Then on Easter Sunday the joyful cries of Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia are sounded and as Saint Gregory Nazianzen said, “On this day salvation is given to the world both visible and invisible. Christ is risen from the dead; arise ye with Him! Christ has resumed His Body; return to the state of happiness which you had forfeited. Christ has left the grave; break the bonds of your sins. The gates of Hell are broken down; death is vanquished; the old Adam is destroyed, and the new Adam formed; be ye made a new creature in Christ!”
In a word, Holy Week is the summation of our Faith. Without the passion, death and resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, we would have no hope of salvation. May the Almighty God grant you all a Blessed Holy Week and a Glorious Easter Sunday. God Bless you all.
The first day of the Easter Triduum is called Holy Thursday or Maundy Thursday. This is the celebration of the institution of the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper. After the Mass the Altar is stripped, the bells are silenced, and the Blessed Sacrament is removed from the tabernacle. Some places will have a period of adoration throughout the night or for a few hours after Mass. This is also the beginning of the Lord's passion.
Then on Good Friday, we spend the day meditating on the Lord's passion and death. Usually around 3pm the Mass of the Presanctified takes place. This day should be held in as much silence as possible, particularly from the hours of 1:00-3:00PM. We should spend time to consider all our sins and to have a true sorrow for the many times we have offended Our Lord and to consider all the pain and agony Our Lord went through because of our sins. The sorrow we feel for our sins should be used to relieve the agonies Our Lord felt on the first Good Friday.
Many people have asked why it's called "Good" Friday if it's the day Jesus died on the cross. The reason for this is simple, it's because on this day, on Good Friday, Our Lord took our sins upon the Cross and opened the door for us poor sinners to have a share in Heavenly glory. Jesus turned the worst evil in the history of the world, and turned it into the greatest good that ever happened to mankind.
On Holy Saturday we reflect and meditate on Christ resting in the tomb. It is another day to consider our sins and to draw up contrition and compunction for the many sins we commit against Our Lord. Then, after sunset, the greatest Mass of the entire year happens, the Easter Vigil.
The Easter Vigil starts with the blessing of the fire and water. There are many deeply impressive ceremonies during the Vigil Mass. It is a night of joyful expectation until the Alleluia proclaims the triumphant message of the Resurrection of Our Lord! This leads us into the glorious celebration of Easter in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass!
Then on Easter Sunday the joyful cries of Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia are sounded and as Saint Gregory Nazianzen said, “On this day salvation is given to the world both visible and invisible. Christ is risen from the dead; arise ye with Him! Christ has resumed His Body; return to the state of happiness which you had forfeited. Christ has left the grave; break the bonds of your sins. The gates of Hell are broken down; death is vanquished; the old Adam is destroyed, and the new Adam formed; be ye made a new creature in Christ!”
In a word, Holy Week is the summation of our Faith. Without the passion, death and resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, we would have no hope of salvation. May the Almighty God grant you all a Blessed Holy Week and a Glorious Easter Sunday. God Bless you all.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
How Abortion and Immorality Will Destroy the USA
You don’t have to be an economist or a politician to know that the
People are looking for answers to the problems this country is going through and no one seems to have any. The country is divided into left and right. The left feels that big government programs and more money is the answer to all the problems while the right believes that the private sector and small government along with tax cuts are the answer. Both sides may have some good ideas that may be worth looking at but the problems this country is having I don’t believe has anything to do with left and right or Democrat and Republican. I believe most, if not all of our country’s problems can be solved by making Jesus Christ the King of ourselves, of our families, of our cities and towns, of our states, and of out nation and indeed Jesus Christ needs to be the King of the entire World. In short, the social Kingship of Jesus Christ is the only answer to the impending disaster this country and indeed the world is about to face.
I am going to focus on the Unites States in this article but many of the points I made could be made on a world wide basis. Look at what has happened in this country in the last 50 years or so. Talk to many of our senior citizens and they will tell you about how life prior to the 1960s was a lot different. People had respect for each other. Television programs were wholesome family shows that weren’t 24 hour sex and violence. Families were celebrated and life was simpler and better. Yes, there was still sin and crime was present, but it wasn’t like it was today.
Since about the 1960s and the “sexual revolution” that took place during those years we have had increasing immorality, increasing crime, and the beginning of the destruction of this great country. We started seeing more sex on television and more and more programs and advertisers were pushing the envelope more and more. The family was starting to break down.
There are a few other events that happened in the 60s that I believe contributed in a big way to the breakdown of morality in the
Another event that happened during the 1960s that I haven’t mentioned was the Second Vatican Council. This was the beginning of the liberalization of the Catholic Church. Now Vatican II and all the problems that resulted in the Church because of it is a topic for a different blog, but I do believe that at the very least, the false interpretation of the documents of the second Vatican Council contributed in no small part to the downfall of the
Then the next big blow to the
Once we are willing to murder unborn babies then the next target becomes the elderly and the handicapped. No one but God has a right to decide when a person dies. We are willing to kill our elderly and handicapped and call it a “mercy killing.” How morally bankrupt have we become!! There is no mercy in taking the life of another innocent person. Some may say “What about a person that is suffering? Isn’t it more humane to put them out of their misery?” I would answer, Are you God? Is a human being now as disposable as a pet or farm animal?
Let’s look at suffering. Why does God allow people to suffer some may ask. I answer this question with a simple answer…because of man’s sin!! It’s called redemptive suffering. In the post Vatican II Church a lot of people do not know about redemptive suffering. If you want to know all you need to know about suffering, meditate on the life, passion, and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. I don’t know of any human being that experienced more suffering than Our Lord. Our Lord suffered as much as he did because of every one of our sins. How much should we be willing to suffer for Him!
We have a choice, we can suffer here in this life or we can suffer much greater and much longer in purgatory or at worst we can suffer indescribable pain for eternity in Hell! I would rather suffer for a little while down here on Earth than to suffer much greater pains in Purgatory or for eternity in Hell. Any pain we suffer down here will give us a much greater reward in the after life. We must offer all our pain up to Our Lord and not take the “easy way out” by “pulling the plug.”
Then we have people who would like to force abortions and put down people who have disabilities and those who are deemed to be “unproductive” members of our society. What gives any one of us the right to decide who has a right to live or die in this world? Again I say it is God and God alone who has a right to decide who lives and who dies. We do not have that authority.
So, getting back to the time line here, as the 1970s and 1980s went on we had more and more sex, drugs and rock n roll. Once abortion was legalized then the war against Jesus and the war against morality was in full swing. Even though people considered the
Another thing I haven’t talked about is what I consider the great Satan, and that’s money. I guess the reason I haven’t focused on this is because this has been the cause of a lot of sin since the beginning of time. It was the pursuit of money that caused Jesus to chase the money changers out of the temple, it was money that motivated Judas to betray Jesus, and money to this day keeps us from fully giving ourselves to Jesus.
The immorality of this country has been growing at an astonishing rate especially during the 1990s and into the 2000s. In fact I dare say we have become numb to immorality. You watch television and you have sex glaring at you at every moment of the day. You have things on daytime soap operas that 20 or 30 years ago wouldn’t be allowed on late night programming. The Blessed Virgin Mary lamented sexual sins at
I could go on and on about the immorality that has exploded in this country but the big question is what do we do about it? What can we do about it? How do we institute the Social Kingship of Jesus Christ in our Country?
Well, the first thing we have to do is evaluate our own lives. Look at our own lives and ask ourselves…Are we setting a good example for those around us? Are we watching impure movies and shows on television? Are we engaging in sins of the flesh? Are we encouraging others to sin? The first step to instituting the Social Kingship of Jesus Christ in the country is by bringing Him into our lives. If Jesus is not King of our hearts than how can we bring Jesus into the country?
We need to start praying like we have never prayed before. Pray the Rosary. Our Blessed Mother will hear our prayers and if every Catholic started praying the Rosary every day you would see a miraculous transformation in this country. If you have kids, teach them the Faith. Teach them at a young age to pray, as soon as they can start teaching them to pray the Rosary every day! Start living your Faith! The Catholic Faith isn’t just something that we do on Sunday’s and then the rest of the week worry about our secular lives. We need to live our Faith 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year! Pray that abortion will end!
If someone were to ask me what I thought the biggest threat to the security of this nation is I would say without hesitation ABORTION! Abortion is such a crime against God that if it continues as it has then I can’t help think that the impending chastisement of this country is going to be unbearable! If you think
Getting back to what we can do about bringing the Social Kingship of Jesus Christ into the country, I would say that we need to do penance! Since Vatican II Catholics don’t do much penance. I am no exception. It wasn’t until I started discovering Traditionalism that I learned that Fridays during the year are still supposed to be meatless Fridays. It is true that Vatican II allows you to substitute another form of penance instead of abstinence from meat but you must do some form of penance on all Fridays but the Church strongly recommends all Fridays during the year to be meatless Fridays.
But even if you currently keep the Friday abstinence we need to do more penance. I am not saying we have to do heroic acts of penance as the Saints did. But if you are called to that then you should. Simply living your Catholic Faith as you should will give you a great opportunity to suffer in the world.
A few things I recommend are shutting off the television. Instead of watching hours and hours of mainly sinful content on the tube, spend time with your family. Pray the Rosary. Go outside and do something. Even better yet, if you can try living without your television! This is also something the author of this article needs to practice!
If we are going to bring sanity and morality back to this nation we need to immediately turn to Jesus Christ instead of doing everything we can to eradicate Him from our lives. Over the last 50 years or so we have taken God out of our schools, out of our court houses, out of the workplace, and out of the country. In some places we can’t even mention Christ’s name on Christmas or Easter!! We need to be the Church militant!
When we talk about the Church Militant, that has a military/war kind of connotation to it. That’s because it is! We indeed are in a war, a spiritual war against Satan and his devils! We need to fight against people who want to allow abortions everywhere and anywhere. We need to fight against those people who want to destroy the family by legitimizing homosexual “marriage.” We need to fight against those people promoting the “right to die” and euthanasia. We need to fight against those who promote pre-marital sex!
Think for a moment about how accepting this country has become towards sex outside of marriage. Compare that to the words of Our Savior when He said in the Gospel of Matthew, (Chapter 5, 27-28,) “27 You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not commit adultery. 28 But I say to you, that whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
How many of us have been guilty of this? But if you follow the way of the world you would think this has been all but forgotten. Indeed it has been forgotten by the world. But as the Church militant we cannot be of the world. We must deny ourselves and take up our cross.
If every single Catholic in this country would start following their faith in word and deed how much of a difference could we make in this world! I will go as far as saying that if every Catholic in the world started praying the Rosary every day we would see the Reign of Jesus Christ begin to work in our country immediately! But unfortunately, most Catholics today are at the very least ignorant of the Faith and at worst, they reject it.
We have so-called Catholic politicians that think nothing about voting for abortions, voting for stem cell research, voting for euthanasia, condoning all kinds of immorality and yet still go up and approach the Altar and receive Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament adding sacrilege on top of the rest of their sins. We have Priests and Bishops who don’t have the courage to defend Our Lord from this sacrilege by denying people living in open mortal sin Holy Communion. There have been many priests and Bishops who have stood up against this grave scandal and they are heroes.
Let me just say one thing and make it perfectly clear. Any Catholic who votes for abortion laws, who encourages people to have abortions, who votes for someone who will promote abortion laws, and who is unrepentant after procuring abortions, as well as the “doctors” who perform abortions as well as people who work in careers that promote and carry out abortions are in grave sin and must not go to Holy Communion until you repent and go to confessions and in most cases you have automatically ex-communicated yourself from the Church. This would be an ex-communication that does not require the act of a bishop.
Now people might come back and say “It’s a free country, I can do what I want!” Others may say “God gives us a free will.” Or “Vatican II allows us to form our own conscience.” This is wrong. We must form our conscience in accordance to Catholic teaching. Anything else isn’t freedom but licentiousness. Freedom, from a Catholic standpoint doesn’t mean being able to do anything we wish. It means choosing what we should be choosing according to God’s law. Some may disagree with this. But I would say to them if freedom means being able to choose to do evil then God isn’t free because it’s impossible for God to choose to do evil. True freedom means doing all things according to God’s laws and Commandments.
God’s laws and Commandments don’t change just because the world is changing. God’s laws and commandments are the same yesterday as they are today, and as they will be tomorrow. The farther and farther away this country gets from Jesus Christ the closer and closer we get to Satan and Hell. If we want to bring peace and security to this country, then we need to bring Jesus Christ back to this country. This starts by bringing Jesus Christ into your homes and lives. It won’t be easy. You will be looked at as an outcast, you will be hated by your friends and indeed even by your families possibly. People will call you all kinds of names. You will be called a radical and even worse. But look at all the calumny’s that Jesus endured.
If you bring Jesus Christ into your life you will be on the Cross with Jesus, but that’s where we need to be. No cross, no crown, no pain, no gain. Jesus had to suffer and die before he entered into the glory of His Father’s Kingdom. But I can promise you one thing. If you live your life for Jesus Christ, people will notice and you will begin to change the world.
The answer to the problems in this country isn’t with a political party or a politician, but the answer to the troubles we are going through is to institute the Social Kingship of Jesus Christ. Until Christ is the true King of the country, nothing good will happen in this country. The more and more we reject Jesus Christ, the closer we come to the destruction of the
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