tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149895792024-03-14T03:59:21.047-04:00Spiritual WarfareEveryday we Catholic Christians are faced with challenges, we must gird ourselves to face this battle with an awareness of God's Power, for He has Won the Victory.Steve Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07100985961890100599noreply@blogger.comBlogger85125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14989579.post-61842633456076942122012-05-16T20:38:00.001-04:002012-05-16T20:38:00.209-04:00USCCB attorneys foresee legal action against ‘unjust and unlawful’ HHS mandate : News Headlines - Catholic Culture<div style="text-align: justify;">The following excerpt is from Catholic Culture's "Catholic World News":</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><ul><li><b style="background-color: #ffe599;">Attorneys for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) reiterated that the HHS mandate “accommodation” offered to some religious employers is morally objectionable.</b></li>
</ul><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Read more by clicking the link below:</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=14319">USCCB attorneys foresee legal action against ‘unjust and unlawful’ HHS mandate : News Headlines - Catholic Culture</a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p><a href="http://www.mysticmonkcoffee.com/store/?aid=397"><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Mystic Monk Coffee - Your purchase helps support the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming AND This Blog!</SPAN></a></p></div>Steve Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07100985961890100599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14989579.post-61937105736333164552012-05-16T16:01:00.000-04:002013-08-16T16:55:20.917-04:00Wisdom<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-95CBmGFJTEc/S-nzabNKZAI/AAAAAAAABc8/ExewPEY6FQA/s1600/JesusArmsOutLg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-95CBmGFJTEc/S-nzabNKZAI/AAAAAAAABc8/ExewPEY6FQA/s320/JesusArmsOutLg.jpg" width="291" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>1
Kings 3: 5 - 14</b>:<i>At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a
dream by night; and God said, "Ask what I shall give you."
And Solomon said, "Thou hast shown great and steadfast love to
thy servant David my father, because he walked before thee in
faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward
thee; and thou hast kept for him this great and steadfast love, and
hast given him a son to sit on his throne this day. And now, O LORD
my God, thou hast made thy servant king in place of David my father,
although I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come
in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people whom thou hast
chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered or counted for
multitude. Give thy servant therefore an understanding mind to govern
thy people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able
to govern this thy great people?" It pleased the Lord that
Solomon had asked this. And God said to him, "Because you have
asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or
the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding
to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word.
Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you
has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. I give
you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no
other king shall compare with you, all your days. And if you will
walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your
father David walked, then I will lengthen your days."</i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Because
Solomon asked for wisdom...“an understanding mind”... so that he
could discern between good and evil, right and wrong. God was pleased
and blessed him not <i><b>only</b></i> with wisdom, but also gave him
“what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other
king shall compare with you, all your days”.</div>
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What
a great blessing Solomon received from God! What great blessings <i><b>we</b></i>
would receive from God if we also followed the example of Solomon,
and asked for wisdom. Yet, we look for blessings in other ways, in
other things, and wonder why we fall short, why we fail to discern
between good and evil, right and wrong.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Is
that because we are too self-centered...too selfish? In some cases
that may be true, but I think in some other cases we already deem
ourselves “wise” in our own minds. We “think” <i><b>we</b></i>
have all the answers and need no other guidance.</div>
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I
think that we see that “know-it-all” attitude from <i><b>far too
many</b></i> of our political leaders and others in positions of
power and authority today.</div>
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Imagine
for a moment... if you... if I... if <i><b>all</b></i> of
us....<i><b>humbled</b></i> <i><b>ourselves</b></i> as Solomon did,
and fell to our knees and asked God for wisdom, <i><b>especially</b></i>
that wisdom that can <i><b>only</b></i> come from Jesus Christ. What
if our political leaders and those in positions of power and
authority would only humble themselves, fall to their knees and ask
God for that wisdom.</div>
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We
know from what happened to Solomon that you...that I... that <i><b>all</b></i>
of us and all of those in positions of power and authority would
receive many graces and blessings. Not just in this life but in the
life to come!</div>
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All
of our earthly troubles, all of our afflictions, all of sorrows would
be gone if we would only ask for the True Wisdom that comes from our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.</div>
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<br /></div>
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You
will find below some scripture verses from the New Testament that
speak of wisdom:</div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
"At the judgment, the Queen of the South will stand up and
condemn you. She came from the ends of the earth to listen to the
wisdom of Solomon, and here there is greater than Solomon."</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
- Matthew 12,42</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b><br />
</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
"He himself will open the way to the Lord with the spirit and
power of the prophet Elijah; he will reconcile fathers and children,
and lead the disobedient to wisdom and righteousness, in order to
make ready for the Lord a people prepared.""</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
- Luke 1,17</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b><br />
</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
"How deep are the riches, the wisdom and knowledge of God! His
decisions cannot be explained, nor his ways understood!"</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
- Romans 11,33</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b><br />
</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
"But he is Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God for
those called by God among both Jews and Greeks."</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
- 1 Corinthians 1,24</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b><br />
</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
"But, by God's grace you are in Christ Jesus, who has become our
wisdom from God, and who makes us just and holy and free."</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
- 1 Corinthians 1,30</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b><br />
</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
"May the God of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Father of Glory,
reveal himself to you and give you a spirit of wisdom, that you may
know him."</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
- Ephesians 1,17</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b><br />
</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
"Even the heavenly forces and powers will now discover through
the Church the wisdom of God in its manifold expression, as the plan
is being fulfilled"</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
- Ephesians 3,10</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b><br />
</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
"Because of this, from the day we received news of you, we have
not ceased praying to God for you, that you may attain the full
knowledge of his will through all the gifts of wisdom and spiritual
understanding."</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
- Colossians 1,9</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b><br />
</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
"This Christ we preach. We warn and teach everyone true wisdom,
aiming to make everyone perfect in Christ."</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
- Colossians 1,28</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b><br />
</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
"For in him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge."</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
- Colossians 2,3</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b><br />
</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
"Let the word of God dwell in you in all its richness. Teach and
admonish one another with words of wisdom. With thankful hearts sing
to God psalms, hymns and spontaneous praise."</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
- Colossians 3,16</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b><br />
</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
"Besides, you have known the Scriptures from childhood; they
will give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith in
Christ Jesus."</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
- 2 Timothy 3,15</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b><br />
</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
"Do not forget the comforting words that Wisdom addresses to you
as children: My son, pay attention when the Lord corrects you and do
not be discouraged when he punishes you."</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
- Hebrews 12,5</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b><br />
</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
"If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God who gives to all
easily and unconditionally."</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
- James 1,5</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b><br />
</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
"this kind of wisdom does not come from above but from the world
and it is earthly and devilish."</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
- James 3,15</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b><br />
</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
"Instead, the wisdom which comes from above is pure and
peace-loving. Persons with this wisdom show understanding and listen
to advice; they are full of compassion and good works; they are
impartial and sincere."</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
- James 3,17</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b><br />
</b></i></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;">
<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
"But you have the anointing from the Holy One, so that all of
you have true wisdom."</b></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>
- 1 John 2,20</b></i></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><p><a href="http://www.mysticmonkcoffee.com/store/?aid=397"><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Mystic Monk Coffee - Your purchase helps support the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming AND This Blog!</SPAN></a></p></div>Steve Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07100985961890100599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14989579.post-32319609909457541592012-02-24T14:29:00.000-05:002012-02-24T14:29:01.527-05:00Do You Understand Your Faith?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jfz9VSL0Tag/Snckl7WdzpI/AAAAAAAAAP0/zzQcuztDTAI/s1600/jesus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jfz9VSL0Tag/Snckl7WdzpI/AAAAAAAAAP0/zzQcuztDTAI/s320/jesus.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Many times, I have said that the main problem within the Church, is that the laity <b><i>does not understand</i></b> their Catholic faith. Many attend Mass on Sundays and on Holy Days of Obligation, yet don't know <b><i>why</i></b>. Some just go to Mass out of habit, and <b><i>not out of conviction</i></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">This was plainly made apparent to me when I was attending RCIA classes in preparation for my coming into the Catholic Church. I don't know how many times "cradle Catholics" would sit in on the RCIA class conducted by Father Arnsparger, and hearing his teaching would say, "I never knew that"...or..."Is that in the Catechism'?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So, I see from the news from The Vatican Information Service (VIS) that I am not alone in thinking this. The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI thinks the same thing, and gave an "off the cuff" commentary after the reading of a passage from the Letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The report from VIS on the Holy Father's remarks are reproduced below. The <b><i>emphases</i></b> are mine:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Christians Need To Understand Their Faith In Order To Help Others To God</b></div><div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Vatican City, 24 February 2012 (VIS) - Yesterday morning the Holy Father met with priests of the diocese of Rome. Following a reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians, Benedict XVI delivered a long off-the-cuff commentary on the Gospel passage.</span></div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">The Apostle says: "I ... beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace".</span></div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">The first call we receive is that of Baptism, the Pope explained, the second is the vocation to be pastors at the service of Christ. "<i><b>The great ill of the Church in Europe and the West today is the lack of priestly vocations</b></i>. Yet, the Lord calls always, what is lacking are ears to listen. We listened to the Lord's voice and must remain attentive when that voice is addressed to others. We must help to ensure the voice is heard so that the call will be accepted".</span></div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">According to St. Paul, the primary virtue which must accompany vocation is <i><b>humility</b></i>. This is the virtue of the followers of Christ Who, "being equal to God, humbled Himself, accepting the status of servant, and obeying even unto the cross. This was the Son's journey of humility, which we must imitate. ... The <i><b>opposite of humility is pride,</b></i> the root of all sin. <i><b>Pride means arrogance</b></i>, which above all seeks power and appearance. ... <i><b>It has no intention of pleasing God; rather of pleasing itself, of being accepted, even venerated, by others</b></i>. The <i><b>'self' becomes the centre of the world</b></i>; <i><b>the prideful self which knows everything</b></i>. Being Christian means <i><b>overcoming this original temptation</b></i>, which is also the nucleus of original sin: being like God, but without God".</span></div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">By contrast "<i><b>humility is above all truth</b></i>, ... recognition that I am a thought of God in the construction of His world, that I am irreplaceable as I am, in my smallness, and that only in this way am I great. ... Let us learn this realism; not seeking appearance, but seeking to please God and to accomplish what He has thought out for us, and thus also accepting others. ... Acceptance of self and acceptance of others go together. Only by accepting myself as part of the great divine tapestry can I also accept others, who with me form part of the great symphony of the Church and Creation". In this way, likewise, we learn to accept our position within the Church, knowing that "my small service is great in the eyes of God".</span></div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><i><b>Lack of humility destroys the unity of Christ's Body</b></i>. Yet at the same time, <i><b>unity cannot develop without knowledge</b></i>. "One great problem facing the Church today is <i><b>the lack of knowledge of the faith, 'religious illiteracy'</b></i>", the Pope said. "With such illiteracy we <i><b>cannot grow</b></i>. ... Therefore we must reappropriate the contents of the faith, <i><b>not as a packet of dogmas and commandments</b></i>, but as <i><b>a unique reality revealed in its all its profoundness and beauty</b></i>. We must <i><b>do everything possible for catechetical renewal</b></i> in order for <i><b>the faith to be known, God to be known, Christ to be known, the truth to be known, and for unity in the truth to grow</b></i>".</span></div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">We cannot, Benedict XVI warned, live in "a childhood of faith". <i><b>Many adults have never gone beyond the first catechesis, meaning that "they cannot - as adults, with competence and conviction - explain and elucidate the philosophy of the faith, its great wisdom and rationality</b></i>" in order to illuminate the minds of others. To do this they need an "adult faith". This <i><b>does not mean, as has been understood in recent decades, a faith detached from the Magisterium of the Churc</b></i>h. When we <i><b>abandon the Magisterium, the result is dependency "on the opinions of the world, on the dictatorship of the communications media"</b></i>. By contrast, true emancipation consists in freeing ourselves of these opinions, the freedom of the children of God. "<i><b>We must pray to the Lord intensely, that He may help us emancipate ourselves in this sense, to be free in this sense, with a truly adult faith, ... capable of helping others achieve true perfection ... in communion with Christ</b></i>".</span></div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">The Pope went on: "Today <i><b>the concept of truth is viewed with suspicion</b></i>, because truth is identified with violence. Over history there have, unfortunately, been episodes when people sought to defend the truth with violence. But they are two contrasting realities. <i><b>Truth cannot be imposed with means other than itself!</b></i> Truth can only come with its own light. Yet, <i><b>we need truth</b></i>. ... Without truth we are <i><b>blind</b></i> in the world, we have no path to follow. The great gift of Christ was that He <i><b>enabled</b></i> us to see the face of God".</span></div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">"<i><b>Where there is truth, there is charity</b></i>", the Pope concluded. "This, thanks be to God, can be seen in all centuries, despite many sad events. The fruits of charity have always been present in Christianity, just as they are today. We see it in the martyrs, we see it in so many nuns, monks, and priests who humbly serve the poor and the sick. They are the presence of Christ's charity and a <i><b>great sign</b></i> that the <i><b>truth is here</b></i>".</span></div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span lang="en-US">You can find more information at: </span></span></span><a href="http://www.visnews.org/"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span lang="en-US"><u><b>www.visnews.org</b></u></span></span></span></span></a></span></div><div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-size: xx-small;">The news items contained in the Vatican Information Service may be used, in part or in their entirety, by quoting the source:</span></span></div><div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-size: xx-small;">V.I.S. -Vatican Information Service.</span></span></div><div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-size: xx-small;">Copyright © Vatican Information Service 00120 Vatican City</span></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p><a href="http://www.mysticmonkcoffee.com/store/?aid=397"><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Mystic Monk Coffee - Your purchase helps support the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming AND This Blog!</SPAN></a></p></div>Steve Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07100985961890100599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14989579.post-50826019104299175392010-08-01T20:38:00.000-04:002010-08-01T20:38:19.167-04:00Sacrament of Reconciliation<div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Note from Steve Smith: This is part 3 of a series of three talks given by Carla Neupauer. Carla has most graciously offered these to Faith of the Fathers blogs for our readers.</i><style type="text/css">
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</style> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_eeB84Jv8ypw/TFYSpBD5XfI/AAAAAAAAB40/pRn5jvUXoKE/s1600/penance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_eeB84Jv8ypw/TFYSpBD5XfI/AAAAAAAAB40/pRn5jvUXoKE/s320/penance.jpg" width="272" /></a></div><div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Sacrament of Reconciliation</span></b></div><div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">By Carla Neupauer</span></b></div><div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><h1 class="western"></h1><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I want to start off by first stating that we are all sinners and that there is “Good News” in being a sinner. Why? Because we are the people that God came to earth to save. My personal prayer is that you soften your hearts enough tonight to realize the TRUTH that God did not come to earth in the form of Jesus to condemn us but rather to seek us out and save us. As St. Paul States: </span> </div><h2 align="LEFT" class="western"></h2><h2 class="western"> <span style="font-size: small;">“Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners- and I was the greatest of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as an example to show everyone how patient he is with even the worst sinners, so that others will realize that they, too, can have everlasting life.”</span></h2><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Based on this scripture, a favorite quote of mine is- “every saint has a past and every sinner has a future.” We must realize and admit that we are all sinners. It wasn’t long ago when I lived very a sinful life. I’d try to justify my behavior by rationalizing- God has got to understand today’s world, times have changed, everybody sinning, God can’t possibly send us all to hell. However, if you read the bible, the truth is today’s world is no different from biblical times. The world has always festered with sin and this is exactly why we need our savior, JESUS.</span></div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Our modern day society is very successful in desensitizing us against sin and dangerously leads us to believe that we can determine for ourselves what is right and what is wrong. This thinking is dead wrong. Only God possesses the divine authority to determine what is right and good and what is wrong and bad. Our “FREE WILL” only allows us to choose between doing right or doing wrong- we don’t in any way determine it. So yes, we can all choose to go to hell by our own choices. But know this, God doesn’t send anyone to hell- we freely choose to go there ourselves. </span> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I personally know that when living a life of sin against God you are not whole and complete. You are empty, restless and life seems totally meaningless. After I surrendered my life to Christ one of my saddest realizations was that a lot of people on this earth die before they ever truly live. I know for a fact that new a car or a bigger house will never complete you. In St. Augustine’s words “our hearts are always restless until they rest in You.” </span> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I want to share with you that from the moment I met my husband, I knew he was a gift of my prayers. In college, I denied my Catholic faith and I essentially became an atheist/agnostic. When I completed college and was truly on my own I began praying again- it was out of complete emptiness and pure desperation. I truly believe my husband was an answer to my prayers because when I met my husband, one of the first, most beautiful things he did for me was he brought me back to the Church. And he brought me back on a regular basis- as opposed to when it was just convenient for me to attend. </span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Within two short years of when my husband and I first met, we were married. God has blessed us with a wonderfully strong marriage, not always an easy marriage but a strong marriage. I wholeheartedly believe that our marriage is blessed because before we sought the sacrament of marriage, we both first sought the sacrament of reconciliation. I now understand that at the moment we decided to first seek the sacrament of reconciliation prior to the sacrament of marriage we were both consciously seeking to place God at the center of our marriage. Subconsciously, Jim and I knew we both had barriers or walls of sin in our life that would prevent us from fully receiving all of God’s love and blessings in the sacrament of our marriage. </span> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">For me, just the thought of going to confession after living a life of sin for so many years gave me a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. However, I wanted nothing more than God’s entire blessing on my marriage to Jim so I died to pride and that dreaded feeling inside of me and surrendered my life to God. I actually physically shook and cried inside the confessional as I confessed all my past failings. Then, when I finally finished, the priest simply and lovingly replied, “Welcome Home”. That was a truly pivotal moment in what I now recognize as my long and continual spiritual journey in faith. All I thought is that God truly loves me and wants me here despite the fact that I am a sinner. So in the confessional, which at that time, was the weakest and scariest moment of my life God began to make Himself known to me. God is unconditional love- God is good, kind, and extremely merciful to a sorrowful, humble heart. God hates sin BUT He loves the sinner.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It was many years and many struggles later that I realized that it is in the solitude of the confessional when I most live by the way (or power) of the cross. It is in the confessional that I become soulfully naked and surrender my sinful life to God. He then gifts me with new life (His Grace). It is through God’s grace that the possibilities for life become endless and exciting. Philippians 4:13 reads “<i>I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power.</i>” Realize the sacraments are living. God is actually present in the sacrament of reconciliation through His grace (the power of the Holy Spirit). God loves humility so when I completely reveal my weaknesses and failings to God in the sacrament of reconciliation, God gifts me with His grace and through His grace HE inwardly strengthens me against future sin and temptation. The Holy Spirit fills me with love, joy, peace, true happiness and a feeling of being content no matter what my life circumstances may be. Ultimately, in the confessional, I am slowly being set free from the bondage of sin because in my deepening love for God I loose desire to sin. </span> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And, let me tell you, the world’s definition of “love” is not enough to maintain a marriage. To have a strong marriage there must be three people involved- you, your spouse and God. You and your spouse’s relationship with God will have a direct and powerful effect on the strength of your marriage. Including God at the deep center of your marriage will keep your relationship alive, strong, and exciting. But, it is up to you both to actively pursue God through the beautiful life-giving sacraments of the Holy Eucharist and Reconciliation. If you do not seek and pursue God, you cannot receive the grace and healing God has to offer you. To quote Luke 11:10-13, “<i>For those who ask will receive, and those who seek will find, and the door will be opened to anyone who knocks.</i>” If you had not actively pursued your fiancé seated next to you, do you think you would have fallen in love? God is always waiting for us to pursue a relationship with Him so we may totally and completely fall in love with Him. If you allow God, He will transform you inwardly by a complete change of mind and heart. </span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">God has the gift of a new life waiting for all of us who choose it. However, contrary to modern society, the new life involves a lot less of me and a lot more of the other person. We live in an I, me, and my society. What’s he/she doing for me? I need more time for myself, I need to spend more time with my friends, I need to go to the gym again, I need more affection and attention- it’s endless. This is a deadly pattern of thought. Because of our original sin, we tend to think too highly of ourselves and think we always deserve something more from others- particularly our spouse. Your spouse is not your savior and through original sin we are all born very selfish and unwilling to sacrifice. Only through the grace of God can we turn our inner selfishness into the mind and heart of Christ. Christ’s love is a TRUE love that desires to give rather than receive. Jesus fully portrays this true love for us at the cross- this is my life and body given up for you. It wasn’t until just recently that I realized we aren’t just called to recall the very important scripture of Christ’s passion, death and resurrection; we are called to relive this Scripture on a daily basis. To quote Luke 9: 23-24, “<i>If you want to come with me, you must forget yourself, take up your cross every day, and follow me. For if you want to save your own life, you will lose it, but if you lose your life for my sake, you will save it.</i>” </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"> </span> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The sacrament of confession unveils us and humbles us before God. Confession removes barriers of sin so that the love from the Father can be completely received by us and then we in turn are strengthened to return that beautiful unconditional love back to the Father and share it with others around us, particularly our spouse. Christ conquered the death of sin at the cross- He became sin itself, died and defeated it through the resurrection. Ironically, it is through Christ, that our sin brings us to new life. The more we reveal of ourselves, the more we are forgiven- where there is much forgiveness there is much love and gratitude. Our anger dies, our bitterness dies, our resentment dies, our critical spirit dies, and our desire for revenge dies. We are now set free so that we ourselves may forgive and live a joyful, fulfilling marriage in and through the grace of Christ. (And, believe me, in marriage there will be no marriage if there is not much forgiveness.)</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">My prayer is that you don’t miss out on all the good gifts God has to give you to maintain a strong loving marriage. The world and society that we live in is against you and the beautiful sacrament of marriage. The traditional family of mother, father and children all living together in one house and getting along in a civilized manner is becoming extinct in today’s society. I want you to think about building your marriage on the rock of the sacraments and not the sand of society. </span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I know that the wedding planning and preparation for the ceremony is now very important to you. However, please realize that the ceremony will quickly come and go but your marriage is to last a lifetime. Please prepare for this very important sacrament of marriage by first partaking in the sacrament of reconciliation. Don’t foolishly only be concerned with cleaning and dressing yourself outwardly but more importantly cleanse and prepare yourself spiritually. May there be no barriers of sin between you and God on your wedding day so you and your future spouse may fully and completely receive all the love and blessings God has waiting for you. </span> </div><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Note from Steve Smith: This is part 2 of a series of three talks given by Carla Neupauer. Carla has most graciously offered these to Faith of the Fathers blogs for our readers.</i></span><br />
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</span></div><div align="CENTER" lang="" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><b>Nobody Can Be God for Somebody Else</b></span></div><div align="CENTER" lang="" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><style type="text/css">
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</style> </div><div align="CENTER" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;">By Carla Neupauer</span></div><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
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</style> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;">I am going to being discussing the Sacrament of Marriage and how we are to live out that sacrament according to God’s word. It may seem that I am unfairly directing most of my talk to the women and, I am, because as a woman I am very much aware of our sinful tendencies. However, the sacrificial life that I am proclaiming applies to you both- you are simply each called to die to one another in a different way. </span> </div><div lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang="">Now, I want to begin tonight by first stating that our current culture is really hard on men. Ladies, I truly want you to realize as I speak tonight that men are not bad; they are just different. And that goes vi</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">ce</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang=""> versa men. And, by the way, those differences that truly make you crazy are a gift; they are actually a gift from God. I know that may seem very hard to believe but right here and right now I’m going to attempt to explain how your annoying differences in marriage are actually meant to assist and help you in your our own salvation. </span></span> </div><div lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;">Unfortunately, over the years our culture has successfully stripped men of much of their God given authority in the family. Present day culture frequently portrays men as bumbling idiots. Women, on the other hand, are constantly portrayed as the heroines who know everything and can do & fix anything. This cultural attitude has resulted in much confusion, misery and unhappiness for women today. After being married for a while, the thought process for women typically goes something like this- “I can’t believe I married this idiot who has no idea how I feel or what I think…I’m not at all happy in this marriage and it’s all his fault”. “If he would just------ fill in the blank-----then I’d be happy.” I’m sure men go through a very similar process.</span></div><div lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;">Additionally, our culture feeds both sexes the false message that if you just do it all right, you can have it ALL. You simply need the right career, the right neighborhood, the right friends, and the right soul mate and, Voila- complete fulfillment is achieved. This cultural notion results in nothing but a life of empty searching and continual disappointments. </span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang="">With all that being said, I want to make the clear statement that nobody (not even your future husband or wife) can be God for somebody else. Therefore, tonight I am asking you to seek your Savior and your happiness in Jesus Christ and not your future spouse. I want to challenge each person here to become more introspective. I want to challenge each of you to stop focusing on what may need to change in your </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">fiancé</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang=""> to make you happy- instead; I want you to redirect that focus to what needs to change in you to make you happy? Now, I’m not in anyway insinuating that your significant other does not need to change too. I’m simply stating that it is not your job to change them. One of the most detrimental false expectations in marriage is to believe that it is your spouse’s responsibility to make you happy. I know, because MY believing in this false notion caused both my husband and me much pain earlier in our marriage. Believe me, I can truly attest that this simple shift in your focus will have a phenomenal effect on your future marriage.</span></span></div><div lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;">Now- before I move on I want to clearly address the issue that my talk does not in any way apply to an abusive relationship. If there is name calling, humiliation, isolation from family & friends, control issues, verbal threats, pushing, slapping or any other type of physical abuse, drug or alcohol abuse- this talk does not apply to your situation. Women and men should NEVER stay in an abusive relationship. If you are involved in an abusive relationship, you need to leave the relationship immediately and seek professional help.</span></div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;">Now, moving forward, a Dr. Paul R. Giblin points out in his article, “Stages of Growth in Marriage” that there are essentially four stages that we cycle and recycle through in marriage:</span></div><div lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.42in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang="">Stage One- Romance & Passion</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang="">Stage Two- Settling Down & Realization</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang="">Stage Three- Rebellion & Power Struggles</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang="">Stage Four- Discovery, Reconciliation and Beginning Again</span></span></div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.42in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang="">We must see life as a movement. Life is a verb or action word. Life involves changing and adapting. Life involves marriage and marriage involves life. We need to understand and accept that our marriage will change for better or for worse from day to day, month to month and year to year. As we cycle and recycle through the various stages of marriage, our primary focus needs to be on Christ and our relationship with Him- not our spouse. So for a moment, let’s set our </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">fiancé</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang=""> aside and focus for a moment on Jesus and on how he loves us. Realize: </span></span> </div><div lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;">It is Christ who loves us anyway….</span></div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;">Even though we disappoint Him, it is Christ, who loves us anyway, </span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;">Even though at times we ignore Him, it is Christ, who loves us anyway, </span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;">Even though we may ridicule Him and get angry with Him, it is Christ, who loves us anyway, </span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;">Even though we sin against Him daily, it is Christ who loves us anyway. </span> </div><div lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang="">Christ’s love for us is completely independent of how we behave- we nailed Him to the Cross and it is Christ who loves us anyway. And Christ specifically tells us in John 13:34, “</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang="">A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang=""> Therefore, fulfillment and joy in marriage can only be achieved through Christ and the way of the cross. Only in death can new life be found. When we die to our selfish ways, Christ fills our empty tanks so we may properly and completely love our spouse the way Christ loves us…. Christ, He loves us anyway. At this point, I’d like to share a little of my own story with you.</span></span></div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;">For those of you who don’t already know, my husband’s name is Jim. Jim is the love of my life and father of my 3 beautiful children. Do I always Love Jim- Yes, I choose to. Do I always “feel” Love for Jim- No, sometimes I’m “feeling” anything but love but I choose to love him anyway, regardless of my “feelings” for him at that moment. Understand... true, mature love is a choice and not a feeling. Regardless of the challenges, misunderstandings, hurt feelings and disappointments that we deal with as a married couple….I choose to love Jim anyway…. and my prayer is that Jim continues to grace me with that same type of heavenly mercy and that he chooses to love me too. </span> </div><div lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;">Life became seriously challenging for me sometime after the birth of my third baby…my sweet, little girl, Dana. After her birth, I became clinically depressed- I was absolutely miserable and it was all Jim’s fault…not at all true but that was who I was blaming. Even today, I really don’t believe Jim can fully comprehend exactly how far gone I was. If he were honest, I believe he simply saw me as a miserable, overbearing, controlling, screaming “you know what” back then. And, it is true; I was not a gentle, loving wife or mother at the time. I needed help- help to see myself for who I truly was and help to become the person that I really wanted to be. I can only thank God and His good grace that I began to stop blaming Jim for my own unhappiness.</span></div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;">I remember the day I surrendered my life to Christ quite vividly….I was having quite the conversation with God while ironing that day. Truthfully, it really wasn’t a conversation; it was me really hauling off on God. See each day I had a plan and an agenda and God wasn’t fulfilling His end of the bargain by assisting me to get done all that I deemed important and necessary. God wasn’t helping me, my husband wasn’t helping me and my new baby, 2 ½ year old & my 4 year old sure weren’t helping me either. I felt so alone, empty and absolutely miserable. Did I mention we were newly relocated to the Bethlehem area and I was an at-home-mom with no girlfriends…I was truly hopeless. I don’t remember at what point in the “conversation” I submitted to God but I did. I actually said, “OK you win, at this point forward my life is yours. You are now completely in charge of me. I don’t want to be in charge anymore. I give it all to you.”…. And I fell to my knees beside that darn ironing board or what I fondly consider “my iron cross.” There were a lot of tears but there were no bells, singing angels or funny lights; however, I stood up with a renewed sense of self. I stood up with hope and I made a call for an appointment to discuss my depression with my doctor. </span> </div><div lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;">I died that day…I hung on my own personal cross that day and I died with Christ. And, Christ being my Lord and my Savior blessed me with new life from that day forward. I would never want to live my old life ever again. That is not to say that my new life in Christ is without struggle or hardship…I wish it was but that is not true. The difference is that Christ leads and I now follow not vice versa. Now when I enter a valley, even though His presence may not always be evident to me, I know Christ is with me and in time He will lead me out to safety. Following Christ affords a peace that this world cannot give.</span></div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;">Now…I found my true Savior in Christ and I was set free to love Jim for who he really was, my husband. Life began to dramatically improve not because Jim had changed (not saying he didn’t also need improvement at the time) but that fact is life became enjoyable and fun again because I had changed. I immediately began praying and petitioning the Blessed Virgin Mary to assist me in being a kind, patient, gentle, loving wife and mother. Mary, my sweet Mother, she is my inspiration and love who leads me to Christ.</span></div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;">Mary, in her great wisdom, gentleness, meekness and mildness never steals the show from Jesus. She never fought the crowd that she should die instead of her Son. Mary formed Jesus by directing the attention away from herself to her Son, so he could live out His destiny as our Lord and Savior. When Mary was advised that they were out of wine at the Feast of Cana, Mary did not handle the problem herself. Mary called for Jesus and she told the waiters to do whatever “He” tells you to do. </span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-right: 0.05in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang="">Click…the light went on for me as to what my role is as a wife and mother. In Eph. 5:21 we are told to, “Honor Christ by submitting to each other.” As a wife and mother, I am not called to headship of the family. I am not called to death for the love of my family. Eph. 5:25 states, “And you husbands, show the same kind of love to your wives as Christ showed to the church when he died for her…”- that’s my husband’s job and I’m not complaining. The wife is called to deeply respect her husband.</span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span lang=""> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang="">Eph. 5:33 states, “So again I say, a man must love his wife as part of himself; and the wife must see to it that she deeply respects her husband- obeying, praising and honoring him.”</span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span lang=""> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang="">God is sooo funny…</span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span lang=""> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang="">Notice, He does not command the woman love her husband. Loving is easy for women. The command is obey and honor; here comes death again. This submissive role into which God is calling us as women involves a death to self, a death to our pride and a call to humility. And, humility is not that we think less of ourselves BUT that we think of ourselves less. </span></span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;">Ladies, we all have a little bit of Eve in us (me, I had a lot). I’m still working on getting her to fully vacate me. Eve is that modern day, take charge; I can do it all sort of woman. Eve is so powerful and overwhelming that when trouble pops up in the Garden, Adam is sure that she wants to handle it all and he happily steps aside and may even hide to protect himself from the chaos that is sure to ensue. See, by nature and because of our original sin- this is typically the unhealthy role we fall into as husband and wife. Christ and Mary, not Adam and Eve, are whom we need to emulate in order to have a good, healthy, strong and happy marriage- notice, I did not say easy. </span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang="">As Mary formed Jesus, we need to form our husband. Form, not change. Mary formed Jesus by directing others to His authority. She never did for Jesus what she knew He had to do Himself for our salvation. Ladies, my point is in marriage please give your husbands their God given authority in the family. If you don’t humble yourself before your husband, like Adam (by nature), your husband will happily step back and allow you to do it all. Then, as a woman, our favorite mantra is “He never helps me”…believe me, I know</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang="">!</span></span></div><div lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;">O.K. so when you are married and the children misbehave, direct your husband to handle it and allow him set the punishment. No comments or interference, please. When problems arise in your household ask for your husband’s input, advice and counsel…and heed to it. You may not always agree with him but he has does have the ultimate responsibility for the welfare of the family. Give the authority to your husband as Mary gave the authority to Jesus. Believe me, this is easier said than done. Over 10 years of having come into relationship with Christ and I still struggle.</span></div><div lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang="">You may ask what do I do if my future husband refuses this headship? Maybe, in your relationship your </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">fiancé</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang=""> has already gotten very comfortable with you handling it all and quite frankly he has no desires for the responsibility. Chances are your relationship did not start out this way. But, overtime, you took on more responsibility and your </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">fiancé</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang=""> slowly relinquished his authority. It did not happen overnight and if you are interested in correcting the problem- that won’t happen overnight either. Remember, Mary never once interfered or tried to stop Christ’s suffering, she stood by Him and she suffered with Him- Mary did not physically assume any of the suffering for Christ. Ladies, in the future, if you fail to allow your husband to assume headship out of fear of the suffering that it may cause you or your children you are hindering God’s work in your family.</span></span></div><div lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang="">Mary is the “elicitor” of manhood. Mary called man forth- she drew Christ forward to be our Redeemer and Savior. Again, when Mary told Jesus at the Feast of Cana that they have no wine, Jesus replied, </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">“Woman, how does this concern affect me?” Even in the face of this sharp retort, Mary continued to trust in the power of the word of Jesus; again, she said to the waiters, “Do whatever “He” tells you.” Mary patiently waited for Jesus to take over…and thank God she did.</span></span></div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-right: 0.05in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;">I can assure you of this- I found hope, freedom and happiness through submitting to God and His will for me as a wife and mother. I changed by falling into a submissive relationship with Christ and when I did this I slowly began to be the wife and mother that God wants me to be. My marriage improved, my children weren’t so bad after all and I became filled with peace, joy and happiness. Jesus Christ became my Lord and Savior- Jim was off the hook for my happiness and I assumed that responsibility for myself. </span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang="">My advice in marriage, please don’t have over-expectations, unrealistic or unjust expectations of what your future spouse should be doing for you. Only God can truly measure-up. Life is so much more enjoyable when we realize that pure, complete joy is neither possible nor attainable here on earth. Learn to enjoy life for what it is- imperfect. Stop placing false pressure on yourself and </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">fiancé</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;"><span lang="">. Have a humble, grateful attitude- count your blessings daily rather than counting what you think you should have (but don’t) and what you believe you are entitled to from others. Live a life of humility, submission, obedience to God and you will discover freedom, joy, and happiness. And, in order to help us accept the limitations and imperfections of life, we need the Church, the sacraments, family and friends.</span></span></div><div lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;">Remember, perfect joy is reserved for heaven in our true and complete union with God. Marriage & family is simply the boot camp for heaven. As husband and wife joined in the Sacrament of Marriage we cannot ever expect not to disappoint and upset one another. Our spouse is a Gift from God to draw us outside of ourselves into the deep needs of the other. Love is not with limits or restrictions. True love challenges us, true love involves total commitment, true love involves setting your own wants and desires aside to fulfill the needs of the other. Marriage involves continual dying and rising with Christ. Marriage involves dying to self and Christ is the provider of new life through His grace. There are two sides to every cross- the place of Death and the place of New Life. We must embrace the death in order to experience the new life. If we fight or refuse the cross, we will never have the opportunity to experience the new life it has to offer.</span></div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div align="JUSTIFY" lang="" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: small;">The resurrected life or the resurrected marriage only comes out of loss and a personal death. Self-pride and entitlements must die, self-centeredness and self-pitying must stop and you must relinquish control to God. Do not hold onto anger, bitter thoughts, or past resentments. These deadly sins in marriage hold us prisoners to misery. And, of course, to begin anew as many times as necessary you simply need to take a long honest look at yourself and do a good confession. John 8:32 states, “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” When you are blatantly honest and truthful in the confessional, God’s infinite love and mercy fills you with new life. You begin to change and grow in ways you never imagined, so that you may love as God loves you; He loves you anyway. Praise God for His endless mercy and love. </span> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p><a href="http://www.mysticmonkcoffee.com/store/?aid=397"><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Mystic Monk Coffee - Your purchase helps support the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming AND This Blog!</SPAN></a></p></div>Steve Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07100985961890100599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14989579.post-40918978943425942292010-07-01T22:39:00.000-04:002010-07-01T22:39:37.126-04:00An Introduction to Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eeB84Jv8ypw/TC1PtTrv-vI/AAAAAAAABto/X1pGaAHG4l4/s1600/Pope+Venerable+John+Paul+II.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_eeB84Jv8ypw/TC1PtTrv-vI/AAAAAAAABto/X1pGaAHG4l4/s320/Pope+Venerable+John+Paul+II.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<i>Note from Steve Smith:</i> <i>This is part 1 of a series of three talks given by Carla Neupauer, Family Life Coordiantor, Office of Family Life Ministries, Allentown Diocese.. Carla has most graciously offered these to Faith of the Fathers blogs for our readers.</i><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">“Sex and Marriage”<br />
By Carla Neupauer</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;">When you begin to study Pope John Paul’s Theology of the Body the first thing you realize is that our cultures view and denigration of the human body is a far cry from God’s original nuptial meaning of the male and females sexes. For most of us, the last place we would look for the presence of God would be our body and the gift of our human sexuality. But Pope John Paul explains that in understanding God’s original plan for marriage and the meaning behind our sexuality we find the very meaning of life- a “communion” of persons. I ask you please remember the meaning of life- a "communion" of persons because I will return to it throughout this talk. Unfortunately, today we tend to associate sex with profanity instead of the original sacredness and holiness that God intended. Why? Well, I believe Satan hates God and he attacks what is most precious, sacred and Holy to Him- our sexuality. But, thanks to the blessing of Pope John Paul’s teachings, we are now openly proclaiming the profoundly beautiful and sacred meaning of our human sexuality. </div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">To begin, I must first talk about God and “man” and with the word man I am referring to both the male and female gender- Biblical correctness not political correctness matters to me. So before I move into the discussion of the man/woman – husband/wife relationship, I first need to discuss God and man as God created him. I am going to start by restating Gen 1:27, “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Here we should understand that, sexually, God (Himself) is neither male nor female- God is completely beyond a gender. We are in likeness and image to God only in so far as the kind of relationship that should exist between the male and female sexes. So, it is through our relationship as a married couple, that we are being called by God to make visible the invisible eternal exchange of love that exists in the Holy Trinity. God’s three unique persons in the Trinity (God the Father, God the Son & God the Holy Spirit) relate so intimately that the three Persons are actually ONE unified being… And, similarly, as husband and wife we are called by God to “become one flesh”- one unified being in likeness to the Trinity. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit – Husband, wife, child. Remember, God is love and love is generative- real love always moves beyond itself and into a "communion" of persons- the very meaning of life. <br />
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Next, I want to call your attention to John 1:14 where God again points to our bodies. John states, “The Word became flesh and lived among us.” In scripture, God calls attention to our bodies or flesh because we (man- as created by God) are a united body and soul- we are not separate but a united body and soul. Our body is the vessel that makes visible our invisible soul. St. John tells us, God is Love and Jesus Christ is divinity or God’s love made flesh. So when we gaze upon the face or “personhood” of Jesus Christ, we are actually looking through a window and getting a vision of God, our loving Father. Therefore, we should understand that “body” of Jesus makes God who is invisible, visible to us. John 10:30 states, “I and the Father are one.” <br />
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Now from this understanding of who God is and who we are in relationship to God, I want to move to God’s love story of Creation with Adam and Eve. This story is not a scientific explanation of our beginning but rather a letter of love from God. When God first created Adam in the Garden, God had Adam name all the animals of the earth. In naming all the animals, Adam realized that he was alone. Adam longed for someone like himself to love- see from the very beginning; God created us with a strong desire to love- a strong desire to have a "communion" of persons. Now, to fulfill His plan, God placed Adam in a “deep sleep” and created Eve from his rib. Upon waking, Adam declared, “This at last is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh.” (Gen 2:23). Adam was joyously declaring that finally this is a person that I can love. And, in the beginning, Adam and Eve loved one another as God loves- their love was free, faithful, fruitful and total. Their love was a sincere and total gift of self. There was no shame in their original nakedness. However, after Adam and Eve ate the apple from the tree of knowledge, that all changed. When they defied God and ate the forbidden fruit, they lost God’s grace and holiness and shame entered into the picture with lust taking over their hearts. <br />
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Adam and Eve gave into the lies and temptations of the serpent or Satan. The serpent cleverly first addressed Eve, bargaining that Adam would not step up to defend her. Adam stood by and watched Eve as she boldly grabbed the apple from the tree of knowledge. She wanted to be like God and possess God’s knowledge of good and evil. Eve dismissed God’s fatherly love and acted directly against his word. She desired to decide what was best for her rather than trusting in her loving Creator and Father. And where was Adam??? Well, as we already know, he was standing by watching Eve fall to sin. See the serpent was right- Adam was afraid to protect and defend Eve from the lies. He was afraid the serpent would kill him should he try and defend his love. Adam selfishly put himself and his own welfare before Eve. Understand the exact opposite of love is not hate- No, it is selfishness. The serpent bargained that Adam would be selfish and care more for himself than for Eve and the serpent was right. So rather than defend Eve, he joined her in sin. Adam and Eve both failed God. <br />
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God’s love story of our beginning enlightens us as to why we need a Savior. We, alone, are not humanly capable of responding to God’s love in such a way as to reconcile ourselves to Him for our sins. We are all born with a strong propensity to sin (to be selfish) and only Jesus Christ (who points us directly to the Father) can save us from this “original sin”. Here on earth, we all need to reopen ourselves to God’s grace and holiness that was lost in the Garden. Only through the work of the Holy Spirit can we again be liberated from sin- particularly, the sin of lust. It is obvious that today, most of us act no differently than Adam and Eve and, guess what, the serpent is more alive than ever. Our culture tells us that God’s commandments are not for our happiness…And, by the way, they are not really commandments either. At best, they are probably just some good suggestions. And of course, to be “politically correct" these suggestions are not for everyone because what each of us believes as an individual is in fact the truth for that person- in other words “Divine Truth” does not exist. Our culture tells us that man creates his own Truth. All this is the lies of Satan and we continue to believe these lies. It is so easy for us to embrace lies rather than follow the Truth. Our culture screams that God has too many constraints- he is not a loving Father and is he not interested in our happiness…we, as individuals, know what’s best for our happiness and well-being, not God. To this day, we continue to eat the forbidden apple. <br />
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Let me assure you that God does love every single one of us and does in fact know what is best for us as individuals and on a societal level. God is not hiding from us. However, Satan is doing an excellent job in continuing to deceive us to this day….. But I’d like to expose some of those lies to you. Pope John Paul II’s teachings are instrumental in exposing one of Satan’s biggest, most harmful lies- the naked human body is profane; it does not merit dignity and respect and, sexually, its main purpose is self-gratification. The TRUTH is God wants us to intimately know Him through the beautiful, sacred gift of our human sexuality and the fruitfulness of our bodies. Our bodies are beautiful and sacred- not “dirty” and profane, as Satan wants us to believe. The Sacrament of Marriage is truly a physical or outward sign of God’s own love in this world and that is why I believe it is very much under attack today. <br />
<br />
Let’s ponder the continuation of humanity for a moment. A man in and of himself makes no sense and a woman in and of herself makes no sense. But remember God states in Genesis, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” The result of this loving, faithful, complete union is children. Love freely, faithfully, totally and fruitfully given and received between a husband and wife is the visible image of God’s own Trinitarian Love and this is clearly evident through understanding that the eternal love shared between God the Father and God the Son which is freely, faithfully, totally & fruitfully given and received begets the Holy Spirit. This Trinitarian type of love relationship is God’s plan for marriage and the means by which we attain an intimate relationship with Him. Wow, who would have ever dreamed that the physical union between the husband and wife is meant to icon or image the Holy Trinity? Now, knowing this Truth, from this point forward, your nuptial union should never be the same again. Remember, we are created in God’s image (we are created to be generative or fruitful), so allow me point out that by respecting and honoring the natural fruitfulness of our bodies through the practice Natural Family Planning our marital union will logically form a deep dependency and trust in God. When we don’t barricade God out with contraception, our intimacy with God and our spouse naturally increases. God is life-giving love and we are here to icon or be a visible image of God’s love- Ladies, I need to point out that there is no room for artificial contraception in God’s plan for marriage. Again- the meaning of life is a "communion" of persons. <br />
<br />
As I mentioned earlier, Adam and Eve failed at fulfilling God’s Plan for love. However, the good news is, Christ (the new Adam) was a complete success. But Christ did not work alone. Christ too worked in communion with others. To explain this lets look at our salvation on a deeper level. First, God the Father had to humble Himself to actually want to enter into our humanity- Divinity coming to dwell among us. Now, if that isn’t humility nothing is. Next, and it’s a biggie, Mary then had to say “yes” to God for the birth of our Savior to actually happen. Mary had to willfully and positively respond to God’s love and submission. Now, with Mary’s “yes” to God she in turn humbled herself as God’s servant or handmaiden. So our Savior was actually delivered to us through a "communion" and mutually submissive relationship between God and Mary. Through God’s own example here, we need to recognize that this type mutually submissive relationship is Holy. <br />
<br />
Mary went on and nursed, taught, and cared for Jesus. Mary ultimately formed or helped Jesus to become our Savior. Mary fulfills God’s Plan for femininity when she becomes Jesus’ or God’s helper- in Genesis 2:18, God assigns the married woman the responsibility of being a helpmate to her husband. Not for reasons of inequality but for reasons of order. Jesus, likewise, is the authentic male role model for men. Jesus did not stand quietly beside Mary and allow her to die for us- Jesus sacrificed Himself to demonstrate his great love for us. Adam watch; he failed God. Jesus sacrificed and died; He fulfills God's plan for salvation. Also ladies, for the Eves’ in all of us, Mary did not scream and fight with Jesus’ persecutors that she should die instead of her Son…. think about this huge sacrifice moms. Mary was the quiet strength and support for Jesus. Mary knew God’s will and she actively participated and formed Jesus to fulfill it. Through the "'communion" of God, Jesus and Mary- Jesus was formed as our Savior to die for us. What I’m attempting to show here is Mary and Jesus perfectly fulfill God’s original plan for marriage. Men, you are to love your wives so much that you would die for her (I’m not necessarily talking a physical death but a death to self- that you place your wife’s needs before your own selfish wants and needs) and ladies you are to form and help your husbands to serve and protect you- please do not allow your husband’s to take a passive role in the family (no Adams allowed). Paul’s letter to the Ephesians reads, “Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ. As the church is subject to Christ, so let wives also be subject in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” <br />
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In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, the wife is a symbol of the Church and the husband a symbol of Christ. Men like Jesus are to serve, not be served- Christ laid down His life so the Church may live. Men are to protect their wives and family from sin- they are not stand by idly and do nothing as Adam did. Women we need to allow our husbands to be the men God created them to be. Do not overpower or manipulate your husbands- do not crush their spirit or make them doubt their position of authority in the family. Women respect and support your husbands and allow them to love you so much that they would lay down their own life and die for you. This is God’s Plan for marriage- that you work together and in complete unity and "communion" to eventually get each other to heaven.<br />
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Here on earth- we essentially have the choice between two different types of marriages. We can choose a marriage from hell or a marriage made in heaven. I believe all of us would prefer the latter of the two but, unfortunately, in today’s culture we have an over abundance of marriages straight from hell. What we need to remember to get started on a marriage made in heaven is the unity and "communion" of persons. In likeness to the Trinity, unity is essential in marriage. In fact, in order to have a satisfying, fulfilling marriage there must be a union or "communion" of the entire persons- body and soul. Remember, physical or bodily union is meant only to express a deeper spiritual and personal intimacy between the couple. Ultimately, bodily union is always meant to be the end result of something larger- the joining or "communion" of the souls. Sex is never to be an end in and of itself; it may be hard to believe but God did not create sex to be just a self-satisfying sport. God gifted us with the ability to “become one flesh” not only to be fruitful but to also make physically visible the deeper union or "communion" of the souls. And again, let me repeat that love is free, faithful, total and fruitful. Total means total person- union or "communion" of body and soul.<br />
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Now, right here, is where some real differences become very evident between the sexes. By nature, men can be quite easily be satisfied with the mere act of the physical union between husband and wife. However, this physical act alone can no way meet a woman’s deep inner desires and longings for a soul connection (a "communion" of the persons). Because of this significant difference between the sexes, a lot of confusion, misunderstanding, and conflict develop in the husband/wife relationship. But, as we previously learned, God created us for self-giving or self-less love. Again, Satan is the one who entices us to succumb selfishness, which is the exact opposite of love. Godly love or real love is self-giving love and we clearly see this love demonstrated by Christ on the cross. Therefore, when a husband and wife each individually die and give in different self-sacrificing ways they become fully and totally satisfied and achieve the union or "communion" of body and soul. It is no accident that God created the basic male & female needs to be so different. <br />
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Women, it is not o.k. for husbands to think of sex merely as a physical act with their wife who happens to give them pleasure- this is not love but a selfish exploitation of his wife. And, women, husbands need to know that we are not stupid and we easily discern and at times deeply ache from a lack of sensitivity and concern for us as a person. Yes, it is true, wives can and often do feel used in marriage. Let me explain the vicious cycle we often move into- the consequence of a woman feeling used by her husband is the woman withholding sex from her husband. Now, with the sex being withheld, the husband begins to feel undesired and unwanted by his wife. He begins to doubt his own manhood because sexually his wife no longer desires him- the husband now begins to also feel rejected and unappreciated as a person. In this type of relationship, there is no fulfillment, just emptiness. Here we see neither spouse is happy and neither spouse is looking to fill the deep needs of the other. In this scenario, each partner is only selfishly looking to have their own needs met and blaming the other person for their own unhappiness. At this point, if a husband and wife fail to deepen their understanding of the true meaning of marriage, the marriage will end OR, if it endures, it will be living hell for the next 30 or 40 years. <br />
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It is of utmost importance to realize that God created us differently as a couple so we may help each other to grow in holiness- let me repeat that, we may help each other to grow in holiness (HOLINESS, not happiness). The vocation of marriage is to draw us outside of ourselves into the needs of the other (whose basic needs by nature are very different from our own). Here, in unity and "communion", we find fulfillment in marriage. True love is sacrificial love- meeting your spouse’s needs and then your spouse freely, faithfully, totally and fruitfully accepting that sacrificial gift and then returning that love again and again through sacrifice after sacrifice. Remember, through God’s own example in His relationship with Mary, we have learned that mutual submission is Holy. Understand, that true love is not about having someone else always make you feel good or feel happy. Your personal Savior is Jesus Christ. Your inner joy and peace can only be found in Jesus. And yet even in our life with Jesus we have struggle- Jesus never promised to remove our struggles; He does, however, provide us with new sight so we may view those struggles differently (Jesus makes the blind man see and we are all born the blind man). Think for a minute of St. Paul- forever struggling but forever joyful. We only ever meet Christ face to face at the cross- Therefore, our own crosses or struggles are what actually bring us into an intimate relationship with Christ. After we realize this, we slowly begin to no longer view our suffering as suffering but as an opportunity for growth in our loving relationship with our Savior. What we need to understand is that we can only sacrificially love others after we first experience Christ’s deep love for us. So, please realize, that a sacrificial love relationship with your spouse is only possible through your own loving relationship with Jesus Christ. We can love only because He loved us first. <br />
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The point I want to drive home is we all need to come to accept Jesus Christ as our own personal Savior. Jesus is the only one who is able to re-gift us with the grace we lost in the Garden. We need God’s grace or His life in us to sacrificially love our spouse or anyone else for that matter. Not one of us is capable of living this type of sacrificial life without the Grace of God… And the means by which we readily receive His Grace is through the living sacraments- particularly the repeatable Sacraments of the Holy Eucharist and Reconciliation. In marriage we need to work in true unity and "communion" with Christ and with one another so our hearts may experience the beautiful, transforming true love that God has to offer (receive the grace you need to sacrifice for your spouse as Jesus sacrificed himself to the Father). Remember, as I stated earlier, Pope John Paul explains that in understanding God’s original plan for marriage and the meaning behind our sexuality we find very meaning of life- we are called to form a “communion” of persons. God’s own example of sacrificial love is what makes a marriage made in heaven right here on earth. I pray that you please remember something my husband always says, “sacrifice equals love and love equals sacrifice”- know that real love is always by the way of the cross. <br />
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In conclusion, Pope John Paul believed that a culture that does not respect the truth about human sexuality is doomed to be a culture that does not respect life- it is doomed to be a culture of death. I believe that we are now living in that culture of death. And let me just boldly state, that if we are to rebuild this culture of death, we are obligated as individuals to understand and spread the truth about our bodies and our human sexuality. God bless. </div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p><a href="http://www.mysticmonkcoffee.com/store/?aid=397"><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Mystic Monk Coffee - Your purchase helps support the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming AND This Blog!</SPAN></a></p></div>Steve Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07100985961890100599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14989579.post-91154563796222949502009-08-03T13:53:00.004-04:002009-08-03T13:59:36.845-04:00The Divinity of Christ<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eeB84Jv8ypw/Snckl7WdzpI/AAAAAAAAAP0/6kZ1K4S-b6w/s1600-h/jesus.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 248px; height: 329px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eeB84Jv8ypw/Snckl7WdzpI/AAAAAAAAAP0/6kZ1K4S-b6w/s400/jesus.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365797715040915090" border="0" /></a><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"; panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:128; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1 -369098753 63 0 4129279 0;} @font-face {font-family:"\@Arial Unicode MS"; panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:128; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1 -369098753 63 0 4129279 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:none; mso-hyphenate:none; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"; mso-font-kerning:.5pt; mso-fareast-language:#00FF;} p.Quotations, li.Quotations, div.Quotations {mso-style-name:Quotations; margin-top:0in; margin-right:28.35pt; margin-bottom:14.15pt; margin-left:28.35pt; mso-pagination:none; mso-hyphenate:none; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"; mso-font-kerning:.5pt; mso-fareast-language:#00FF;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><i><span style=""><span style="font-weight: bold;">Part Two</span><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><i><span style=""><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><i><span style=""><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><i><span style=""><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><i><span style="">God had one Son on earth without sin, but never one without suffering.</span></i><span style=""> -- Saint Augustine of Hippo</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><br /><span style=""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="">In Part </span><span style="">One</span><span style="">, I discussed the assertion of some “theologians” that Jesus Christ was unaware of His divinity until His crucifixion. I disproved that theory with the accounts of the Gospels of Saint Matthew, Saint Mark, Saint Luke and Saint John. Here in Part Two, we will disprove the absurd notion of some “theologians” that Christ had dark, evil, and even lustful thoughts.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style=""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="">This convoluted idea that Jesus Christ had dark, evil, or lustful thoughts goes entirely against everything contained in Holy Scripture regarding Him. We know from Scripture that Jesus Christ had no sin and that He took on our sins and paid the price for us by His sacrifice on the cross. We have these words from scripture:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style=""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="Quotations" style="margin: 0in 56.7pt 14.15pt; text-align: justify;"><b><i><span style="">2 COR 5:21</span></i></b><i><span style="">: Him, who knew no sin, He hath made sin for us, that we might be made the justice of God in Him<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="Quotations" style="margin: 0in 56.7pt 14.15pt; text-align: justify;"><b><i><span style="">HEBREWS 4:15</span></i></b><i><span style="">:<span style=""> </span>For we have not a high priest, who can not have compassion on our infirmities: but one tempted in all things like as we are, without sin. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="Quotations" style="margin: 0in 56.7pt 14.15pt; text-align: justify;"><b><i><span style="">1 PETER 1:17-19</span></i></b><i><span style="">: And if you invoke as Father Him who, without respect of persons, judgeth according to every one’s work: converse in fear during the time of your sojourning here. Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as gold or silver, from your vain conversation of the tradition of your fathers: But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb unspotted and undefiled. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="Quotations" style="margin: 0in 56.7pt 14.15pt; text-align: justify;"><b><i><span style="">1 JOHN 3: 4-5</span></i></b><i><span style="">: Whosoever committeth sin </span></i><i><span style="">committeth</span></i><i><span style=""> also iniquity; and sin is iniquity. And you know that He appeared to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="">We know that Jesus became lower than the angels and took on flesh, and became man. He was true man in every respect except His being sinful. His body was a natural body like our own, and He experienced the same natural weaknesses we experience in our bodies, such as hunger, thirst, sufferings, and death. Because however, His body was conceived miraculously by the power of the Holy Spirit, He did not have those infirmities </span><span style="">that</span><span style=""> result from our sinful fallen nature.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style=""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="">To say that Jesus had dark, evil, or lustful thoughts can be </span><span style="">disproved</span><span style=""> entirely from Scripture, especially in the Gospels. We know that after He was baptized by Saint John the Baptist, Jesus spent 40 days in the desert where He was tempted by Satan:<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style=""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="Quotations" style="margin: 0in 56.7pt 14.15pt; text-align: justify;"><b><i><span style="">MATTHEW 4: 1-11</span></i></b><i><span style="">: Then Jesus was led by the spirit into the desert, to be tempted by the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterwards he was hungry. And the tempter coming said to him: If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. Who answered and said: It is written, Not in bread alone doth man live, but in every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God. Then the devil took him up into the holy city, and set him upon the pinnacle of the temple, And said to him: If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down, for it is written: That he hath given his angels charge over thee, and in their hands shall they bear thee up, lest perhaps thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said to him: It is written again: Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again the devil took him up into a very high mountain, and shewed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, And said to him: All these will I give thee, if falling down thou wilt adore me. Then Jesus saith to him: Begone, Satan: for it is written, The Lord thy God shalt thou adore, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil left him; and behold angels came and ministered to him. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="">Jesus also taught that to have evil thoughts was to sin, as we see from these verses:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style=""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="Quotations" style="margin: 0in 56.7pt 14.15pt; text-align: justify;"><b><i><span style="">MATTHEW 5: 27-28</span></i></b><i><span style="">: You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not commit adultery. 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. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="Quotations" style="margin: 0in 56.7pt 14.15pt; text-align: justify;"><b><i><span style="">MARK 7: 14-15, 17-23</span></i></b><i><span style="">: And calling again the multitude unto Him, He said to them: Hear ye me all, and understand. There is nothing from without a man that entering into him, can defile him. But the things which come from a man, those are they that defile a man. And when He was come into the house from the multitude, His disciples asked Him the parable. And He saith to them: So are you also without knowledge? understand you not that every thing from without, entering into a man cannot defile him: Because it entereth not into his heart, but goeth into the belly, and goeth out into the privy, purging all meats? But He said that the things which come out from a man, they defile a man. For from within out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and defile a man. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="">So we can see from these instances of Holy Scripture, that unlike us, Jesus was able to overcome temptation from the devil, and that He taught unequivocally that dark, evil, or lustful thoughts were sins which defiled a man. Was Jesus defiled? Of course not! For anyone to say that Jesus Christ had evil dark thoughts is to accuse Him of sin who did not have sin. Further, to accuse Christ of sin is to call His sacrifice on the cross meaningless and without any merit whatsoever. If Christ had had sin, then He could not have taken on our sins, and His death on the cross would have been meaningless. </span><span style="">Therefore</span><span style="">, the teaching of these theologi</span><span style="">ans</span><span style=""> call</span><span style="">s</span><span style=""> Christ's death on the cross without merit. </span><span style="">If His death was without merit, then we would still be under the penalty of eternal death and there would be nothing that could give us the salvation we need.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style=""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="">Have you ever wondered </span><span style="">as</span><span style=""> I have as to how or even why some of these people became “theologians”? The dictionary gives the following definition for theology: <i>1.study of religion: the study of religion, especially the Christian faith and God’s relation to the world; 2. religious theory: a </i></span><i><span style="">theo</span></i><i><span style="">religious theory, school of thought, or system of belief;<span style=""> </span>3.<span style=""> </span>course of religious training: a course of specialized religious training, especially one intended to lead students to a vocation in the Christian Church.</span></i><span style=""> It also gives this definition for theologian : <i>specialist in theology: somebody who is an expert in or a student of theology</i>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style=""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="">Now, let me point out a couple of things here. First, because one has the title of “theologian” it does not necessarily follow that he or she is also a Christian. In fact, it is not even certain that some theologians have any belief system at all. Indeed, there are </span><span style="">those</span><span style=""> who study, have degrees in, and are teachers of theology, who are not nor ever have been Christian. It is </span><span style="">easy</span><span style=""> to ascertain who these non-Christian “theologians” are, when they make strenuous efforts to disprove and repudiate Jesus Christ and His Church. These are the same “theologians” who repeatedly refer to such things as the Gospel of Judas and Gnosticism as “Christian”, which if they <b><i>were</i></b> true students of Christianity, and had true knowledge of such heresies they would know those things were everything <b><i>but</i></b> Christian. I have even seen one “theologian” who said that Saint Paul <b><i>never</i></b> had a vision of Christ when he was converted on the road to Damascus. He said that Paul met with Christ who was living in Syria at the time. Yes, these are theologians. So once again, let me say, Lord, save me from theologians. Especially theologians who make it their life work to deny Christ.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style=""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="">Please don't think that I am dismissing all theologians as anathema, I am not. The history of the Church is replete </span><span style="">with many great theologians such as Saint Albert the Great, Saint Gregory of Nazianzus, Saint Thomas Aquinas, and Saint Augustine of Hippo just to name a few. Today we have very able theologians such as Pope Benedict XVI, Scott Hahn, </span><span style="">the late Father John A. Hardon, and Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio among many others. The thing to remember is, if a theologians work seems more inclined to oppose Christ, His teaching, and His Church, then don't waste your time with their work. Compare it to the work of the theologians listed in this paragraph, who always proclaim the Gospel and the Church. Beware of men who write for the admiration of other men, and follow those who write for their love of God.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style=""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="">Copyright © 2009 Steve Smith. All Rights Reserved.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/catholic" rel="tag">Catholic</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Religion" rel="tag">Religion</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Church" rel="tag">Church</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/roman+catholic" rel="tag">Roman Catholic</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/roman+catholic+church" rel="tag">Roman Catholic Church</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Catholic+Church" rel="tag">Catholic Church</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Catholic+Theology" rel="tag">Catholic Theology</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Catholic+Blogs" rel="tag">Catholic Blogs</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p><a href="http://www.mysticmonkcoffee.com/store/?aid=397"><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Mystic Monk Coffee - Your purchase helps support the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming AND This Blog!</SPAN></a></p></div>Steve Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07100985961890100599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14989579.post-1163320563982780452009-08-02T15:31:00.000-04:002009-08-03T13:53:09.357-04:00The Divinity of Jesus Christ<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7995/1265/1600/Trinity.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7995/1265/320/Trinity.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Part One</span><br /></div><br /><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify">Arianism A fourth century heresy that denied the divinity of Jesus Christ. Its author was Arius, a priest of Alexandria, who in 318 began to teach the doctrine that there are not three distinct persons in God, co-eternal and equal in all things, but only one person, the Father. The Son is only a creature, made out of nothing, like all other created beings. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Pocket Catholic Dictionary by Father John A. Hardon, S.J., pgs. 29-30</span>) </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify">As we can see from the above example, this was a fourth century heresy which was opposed by the church. Especially under the guidance of Saint Athanasisus, Bishop of Alexandria, who was undoubtedly the main obstacle to the triumph of this heresy in the East . </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify"> </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify">The first council of Nicaea was convoked in 325 to meet the Arian crisis. The exact number of prelates who attended the council is not known. However, at least 220 Bishops, mostly from the east but also from Africa, Spain, Gaul, and Italy, signed the creed that affirmed the divinity of Christ and condemned Arius as a heretic. The formula of the creed read, "we believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Creator of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only begotten of the Father, that is, <i>of the substance of the Father</i>; God from God, light from light, true God from true God; begotten , not created, consubstantial with the Father." </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify">Today, here in the 21st century we find that this heresy or a form of it is now being espoused around the world. One of the most disturbing trends is the teaching of this heresy within the walls of Catholic seminaries, universities, theological centers, and other institutes of higher learning. One of the aspects of this heresy which is being taught is the convoluted idea that Jesus Christ was <i>unaware of his own divinity</i> until he was crucified. There is also another aspect of this heresy which maintains that Christ had dark, even lustful and evil thoughts. Evidently the “teachers” of this particular brand of “theology” never bothered to consult scripture, the teachings of the Catholic Church, nor any of the writings of the early church fathers. Indeed, perhaps one can now see why I am fond of saying “lord, save me from theologians”. Here in Part One, we shall see that Jesus Christ was indeed aware of His Divinity. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify">When a theologian sees his or her self perceived “wisdom” as surpassing the true wisdom of holy scripture, the Magisterium of the Catholic Church, the saints of the church, and especially the wisdom of the early church fathers, then they not only fool and mislead themselves, but they also fool and mislead those whom they purport to “teach”. Not only are they teaching error and heresy, but, they are also throwing stumbling blocks before others, and endangering souls. <i>For to deny even one aspect of the Divinity of Jesus Christ is to deny Christ altogether.</i> As Jesus said in holy scripture, “If you deny me, I will deny you before My Father”.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify">The “teachers” of this idea of the “human Jesus” would like for you to believe that Jesus Christ was just the same as you and me, just another ordinary human being. They would like you to believe that He went about His ministry <i>without</i> knowing that He was God Incarnate, and that He was not made aware of who He was and Is, <i>until</i> He was crucified. They prefer to “teach” that the men who wrote the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, were merely fallible men who had no inspiration from their encounter with God in the flesh to write their Gospels, and that none of the men who wrote the books that we call the New Testament were guided by the Holy Spirit. Indeed, they essentially call these men liars and accuse <i>them</i> of writing what they pleased regarding the life of Jesus Christ on earth. These so called “teachers” are anything <i>but</i> teachers, and are in fact <i>enemies</i> of Christ. For they throw stumbling block after stumbling block before those they teach, and are comforted by the thought that they spread wisdom and knowledge, and will be renowned for their teaching. So...they want you and me to accept the convoluted ideas and words of men who seek the <i>worlds</i> esteem, over the ideas and truths of men who wrote what they wrote from what they and those whom they met that had witnessed <i>all</i> Jesus Christ did, said, and lived! Sorry, but, once again, I'll take the word of those men who were willing to <i>die</i> for what they wrote and what they taught, over the words of men caught up in the world. These “teachers” and their blinded followers are living proof, <i>that some people have too much education for their intelligence</i>.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify">Let us take the time here, to just post a <i>few</i> passages of scripture which prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus Christ was God, and was aware that <i>He was God</i>. As Jesus did forgive sin, which we know <i>only</i> God can do, to say He was not aware of His own Divinity is in essence to call Him insane. Because if He went throughout His ministry forgiving sin <i>without</i> knowledge of who He was, then only one who was insane would do such a thing. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John show beyond a doubt, that Jesus Christ knew who He was, and that <i>was, is, and will be God</i>. The scripture passages follow, and these are but a <i>few</i> that show Jesus <i>knew</i> of His Divinity:</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify"><br /><b>Matthew 9: 2 - 7:</b> <i>And behold they brought to him one sick of the palsy lying in a bed. And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the man sick of the palsy: Be of good heart, son, thy sins are forgiven thee. And behold some of the scribes said within themselves: He blasphemeth. And Jesus seeing their thoughts, said: Why do you think evil in your hearts? Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee: or to say, Arise, and walk? But that you may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then said he to the man sick of palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go into thy house. And he arose, and went into his house.</i></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify"><b>Matthew 11 : 27:</b> <i>All things are delivered to me by my Father. And no one knoweth the Son, but the Father: neither doth any one know the Father, but the Son, and he to whom it shall please the Son to reveal him. </i> </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify"><b>Matthew 12 : 5 - 8 :</b> <i>Or have ye not read in the law, that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple break the sabbath, and are without blame? But I tell you that there is here a greater than the temple. And if you knew what this meaneth: I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: you would never have condemned the innocent. For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath.</i></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify"><b>Matthew 14: 26 - 33:</b> <i>And they seeing him walk upon the sea, were troubled, saying: It is an apparition. And they cried out for fear. And immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying: Be of good heart: it is I, fear ye not. And Peter making answer, said: Lord, if it be thou, bid me come to thee upon the waters. And he said: Come. And Peter going down out of the boat, walked upon the water to come to Jesus. But seeing the wind strong, he was afraid: and when he began to sink, he cried out, saying: Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretching forth his hand took hold of him, and said to him: O thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt? And when they were come up into the boat, the wind ceased. And they that were in the boat came and adored him, saying: Indeed thou art the Son of God.</i></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify"><b>Matthew 16: 13 - 19:</b> <i>And Jesus came into the quarters of Cesarea Philippi: and he asked his disciples, saying: Whom do men say that the Son of man is? But they said: Some John the Baptist, and other some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets. Jesus saith to them: But whom do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered and said: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.</i></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify"><b>Mark 9 : 1 - 8:</b> <i>And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter and James and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves, and was transfigured before them. And his garments became shining and exceeding white as snow, so as no fuller upon earth can make white. And there appeared to them Elias with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter answering, said to Jesus: Rabbi, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. For he knew not what he said: for they were struck with fear.And there was a cloud overshadowing them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying: This is my most beloved son; hear ye him. And immediately looking about, they saw no man any more, but Jesus only with them. And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them not to tell any man what things they had seen, till the Son of man shall be risen again from the dead.</i></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify"><b>Luke 2: 46 - 49:</b> <i>And it came to pass, that, after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his wisdom and his answers. And seeing him, they wondered. And his mother said to him: Son, why hast thou done so to us? behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said to them: How is it that you sought me? did you not know, that I must be about my father's business?</i></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify"><b>Luke 7 : 44 - 50:</b> <i>And turning to the woman, he said unto Simon: Dost thou see this woman? I entered into thy house, thou gavest me no water for my feet; but she with tears hath washed my feet, and with her hairs hath wiped them. Thou gavest me no kiss; but she, since she came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint; but she with ointment hath anointed my feet. Wherefore I say to thee: Many sins are forgiven her, because she hath loved much. But to whom less is forgiven, he loveth less. And he said to her: Thy sins are forgiven thee. And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves: Who is this that forgiveth sins also? And he said to the woman: Thy faith hath made thee safe, go in peace.</i></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify"><b>Luke 8 : 35 - 39:</b> <i>And they went out to see what was done; and they came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at his feet, clothed, and in his right mind; and they were afraid. And they also that had seen, told them how he had been healed from the legion. And all the multitude of the country of the Gerasens besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear. And he, going up into the ship, returned back again. Now the man, out of whom the devils were departed, besought him that he might be with him. But Jesus sent him away, saying: Return to thy house, and tell how great things God hath done to thee. And he went through the whole city, publishing how great things Jesus had done to him. </i> </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify"><b>Luke 17 : 12 - 19:</b> <i>And as he entered into a certain town, there met him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off; And lifted up their voice, saying: Jesus, master, have mercy on us. Whom when he saw, he said: Go, shew yourselves to the priests. And it came to pass, as they went, they were made clean. And one of them, when he saw that he was made clean, went back, with a loud voice glorifying God. And he fell on his face before his feet, giving thanks: and this was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering, said, Were not ten made clean? and where are the nine? There is no one found to return and give glory to God, but this stranger. And he said to him: Arise, go thy way; for thy faith hath made thee whole.</i></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify"><b>John 5 : 16 - 18:</b> <i>Therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, because he did these things on the sabbath. But Jesus answered them: My Father worketh until now; and I work. Hereupon therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he did not only break the sabbath, but also said God was his Father, making himself equal to God.</i></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify"><b>John 6 : 41 - 45:</b> <i>The Jews therefore murmured at him, because he had said: I am the living bread which came down from heaven. And they said: Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then saith he, I came down from heaven? Jesus therefore answered, and said to them: Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to me, except the Father, who hath sent me, draw him; and I will raise him up in the last day. It is written in the prophets: And they shall all be taught by God. Every one that hath heard of the Father, and hath learned, cometh to me.</i></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify"><b>John 8 : 4 - 11:</b> <i>And said to him: Master, this woman was even now taken in adultery. Now Moses in the law commanded us to stone such a one. But what sayest thou? And this they said tempting him, that they might accuse him. But Jesus bowing himself down, wrote with his finger on the ground. When therefore they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said to them: He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again stooping down, he wrote on the ground. But they hearing this, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest. And Jesus alone remained, and the woman standing in the midst. Then Jesus lifting up himself, said to her: Woman, where are they that accused thee? Hath no man condemned thee? Who said: No man, Lord. And Jesus said: Neither will I condemn thee. Go, and now sin no more.</i></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify"><b>John 14 : 6 - 9:</b> <i>Jesus saith to him: I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me. If you had known me, you would without doubt have known my Father also: and from henceforth you shall know him, and you have seen him. Philip saith to him: Lord, shew us the Father, and it is enough for us. Jesus saith to him: Have I been so long a time with you; and have you not known me? Philip, he that seeth me seeth the Father also. How sayest thou, Shew us the Father?</i></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Coming in Part Two:</span> We will look at the mistaken notion that Jesus Christ had dark, sinful thoughts.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: bold;" align="center">Copyright © 2006-2009 Steve Smith. All Rights Reserved.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p><a href="http://www.mysticmonkcoffee.com/store/?aid=397"><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Mystic Monk Coffee - Your purchase helps support the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming AND This Blog!</SPAN></a></p></div>Steve Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07100985961890100599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14989579.post-19019696143454776502009-04-22T15:04:00.003-04:002014-07-07T01:15:53.089-04:00Stumbling Blocks In Our Midst<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eeB84Jv8ypw/Se9xWAIsaJI/AAAAAAAAAFI/X76rKXfwiwk/s1600-h/support_pope_small2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_eeB84Jv8ypw/Se9xWAIsaJI/AAAAAAAAAFI/X76rKXfwiwk/s320/support_pope_small2.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327601507010111634" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 60px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: 100%;">Pope BenedictXVI in a recent interview stated that he did not believe that the use of condoms and the encouragement of their usage would stem the epidemic of AIDS in Africa. He said a moral and responsible attitude towards sex could fight the disease. Immediately there were editorials condemning his statement from the New York Times, from politicians, and various officials of AIDS/HIV organizations around the world. Some failed to report that what he also said, means that according to Catholic belief encouraging people to use condoms, was in fact encouraging them to give into their carnal desires, and encourage sexual activity outside the bounds of holy matrimony. There was even a resolution from the Belgian Parliament calling the Holy Father's comments unacceptable. France and Germany also called Pope Benedict's remarks dangerous and irresponsible.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;">The United Church of Christ quickly jumped on the bandwagon of critics on the Pope's statement, and evidently just could </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">not</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"> resist going further. On March 19, the HIV and AIDS Network of the United Church of Christ (UCC) advocated the distribution of condoms at places of worship and “faith-based educational settings.” (Church ran schools?) The statement of advocacy was given at a presentation to the UCC Wider Church Ministries Board. Michael Shuenemeyer a UCC executive said, “The practice of safer sex is a matter of life and death. People of faith make condoms available so that we and our children may live.”<br />
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<span style="font-size: 100%;">“The UCC denomination is descended from Puritan and Congregationalist traditions. The UCC has about 1.2 million members today, down from 2.1 million in 1967. In the most recent year from the data available, the UCC reportedly lost 6 per cent of its membership. This is according to its 2009 Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches.” [1]</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;">I can start to see why they have lost membership. Apparently, the UCC does not see that the first duty of <i><b>any</b></i> Christian church is to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That duty also entails the discouragement of sin among the members, <i><b>not</b></i> the encouragement of sin. When a so-called religious body or group encourages sin, it is failing to heed Christ's warning </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">not to</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"> become a stumbling block, and not to cause “one of these little ones to sin”.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;">The Catholic Church, along with the vast majority of Protestant churches, knows and teaches that any sex outside the bounds of marriage is a grave sin. When any church advocates the distribution of condoms, when it advocates sin, it is no longer an institution of faith, but it <i><b>has</b></i> become an institution of the world. When any Christian advocates sin and the world and does not advocate Christ, His Church, and His Kingdom then </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">they</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"> effectively and completely den</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">y</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"> Christ. They have then become teachers of false doctrine, and teach in opposition to what Christ taught. Man may change, the world may change, but God and God's Law <i><b>never</b></i> changes. We <b><i>can</i></b></span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><b><i>not</i></b></span><span style="font-size: 100%;"> change God or God's law to suit us; we <b><i>can</i></b></span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><b><i>not</i></b></span><span style="font-size: 100%;"> change truth to suit us. When we think that we can change who</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">m</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"> God is, what His Law is, by using the feeble excuse that “the world has changed”, then we are making ourselves </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">g</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">od, and we are in fact calling God a liar and His Law obsolete and unneeded.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 100%;">Pope Benedict XVI was criticized by these different nations, organizations, and the U.C.C. who saw this as an opportunity to show how open minded and tolerant <i><b>they</b></i> are, and how closed minded and intolerant they perceive Pope Benedict and the Catholic Church to be. What they have shown in fact is that the UCC and other like-minded organizations are more in love with the world and <b><i>what the world thinks of them</i></b>. Pope Benedict upheld the Commandments against adultery and Christ's teaching on marriage. Yet these others upheld the world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;">People of faith would and <i>should</i> make sure that the members of their churches, <b><i>especially</i></b> the young people of their churches and “faith-based educational settings”, know and understand that <b><i>any sex outside of marriage is wrong</i></b>. It is a mortal sin, and people who engage in sex outside of marriage are being disrespectful to each other <i><b>and</b></i> to themselves. They are not only harming themselves and endangering their lives, but most importantly, they are endangering their soul and eternal life with Christ. It seems that a <b><i>truly</i></b> Christian church <b><i>would make Christ and His teachings known so that “we and our children may live”</i></b>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;"><b>From Holy Scripture:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;"><b>Exodus 20:14, and Deuteronomey 5:18:</b><b> </b><i>You shall not commit adultery.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;"><b>Isaiah 5:20-24 :</b><b> </b><i>Woe to you that call evil good, and good evil: that put darkness for light, and light for darkness: that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. Woe to you that rue wise in your own eyes, and prudent in your own conceits. Woe to you that are mighty to drink wine, and stout men at drunkenness. That justify the wicked for gifts, and take away the justice of the just from him. Therefore as the tongue of the fire devours the stubble, and the heat of the flame consumes it: so shall their root be as ashes, and their bud shall go up as dust: for they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and have blasphemed the word of the Holy One of Israel.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;"><b>Matthew 7: 15-20:</b><b> </b><i>Beware of false prophets,who come to you in sheep's clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. So by their fruits you will know them.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;"><b>Luke 17:1-3:</b><b> </b><i>He said to his disciples, "Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the person through whom they occur. It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;"><b>Romans 16:17-18:</b><b> </b><i>I urge you brothers to watch out for those who create dissensions and obstacles, in opposition to the teaching that you learned; avoid them. For such people do not serve our Lord Christ but their own appetites, and by fair and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the innocent.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;"><b>2 Timothy 4: 1-4:</b><b><i> </i></b><i>I charge thee, before God and Jesus Christ, who shall judge the living and the dead, by his coming, and his kingdom: Preach the word: be instant in season, out of season: reprove, entreat, rebuke in all patience and doctrine. For there shall be a time, when they will not endure sound doctrine; but, according to their own desires, they will heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears: And will indeed turn away their hearing from the truth, but will be turned unto fables. But be vigilant, labor in all things, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. Be sober.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;"><b>1 Peter 3:17:</b><b> </b><i>For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;"><b>From The Catechism of the Catholic Church :</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;"><b>2284</b></span><span style="font-size: 100%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">Scandal is an attitude or behavior which leads another to do evil. The person who gives scandal becomes his neighbor's tempter. He damages virtue and integrity; he may even draw his brother into spiritual death. Scandal is a grave offense if by deed or omission another is deliberately led into a grave offense. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;"><b>2285</b></span><span style="font-size: 100%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">Scandal takes on a particular gravity by reason of the authority of those who cause it or the weakness of those who are scandalized. It prompted our Lord to utter this curse: "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea."(Mat. 18:6;1 Cor 8:10-13) Scandal is grave when given by those who by nature or office are obliged to teach and educate others. Jesus reproaches the scribes and Pharisees on this account: he likens them to wolves in sheep's clothing. (Mat. 7:15)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;"><b>2286 </b></span><span style="font-size: 100%;">Scandal can be provoked by laws or institutions, by fash<b>ion or opinion.</b></span><span style="font-size: 100%;"> <b> <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;">Therefore they are guilty of scandal who establish laws or social structures leading to the decline of morals and the corruption of religious practice, or to "social conditions that, intentionally or not, make Christian conduct and obedience to the Commandments difficult and practically impossible."(Pope Pius XII, June 1941) This is also true of business leaders who make rules encouraging fraud, teachers who provoke their children to anger, (Eph 6:4;Col 3:21) or manipulators of public opinion who turn it away from moral values. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;"><b>2287</b> </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">Anyone who uses the power at his disposal in such a way that it leads others to do wrong becomes guilty of scandal and responsible for the evil that he has directly or indirectly encouraged. "Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come!” (Lk 17:1)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;">Copyright © 2009 Steve Smith. All Rights Reserved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;"><b>[</b></span><span style="font-size: 100%;">1] Catholic News Agency</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Mystic Monk Coffee - Your purchase helps support the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming AND This Blog!</SPAN></a></p></div>Steve Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07100985961890100599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14989579.post-7088359560103489532008-06-11T21:32:00.001-04:002008-12-11T04:21:43.322-05:00Envy A Capital Sin<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_eeB84Jv8ypw/SFCB7c8fsMI/AAAAAAAAACA/ZDWyXtsSrIo/s1600-h/medd_02_img0127.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_eeB84Jv8ypw/SFCB7c8fsMI/AAAAAAAAACA/ZDWyXtsSrIo/s320/medd_02_img0127.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210807627249856706" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When we Catholics begin our instruction in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we learn about and are given warning to be on guard against the Seven Deadly Sins, which are pride, avarice, lust, anger, envy, sloth, and gluttony.<br /><br />I am going to discuss the capital sin known as <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">“envy”</span>. Let me begin, by giving a definition of the word “envy”: wanting what somebody else has; the resentful or unhappy feeling of wanting somebody else’s success, good fortune, qualities, or possessions. Also, here are a few synonyms for envy as well as also being faults or sins that envy can lead to: jealousy, greed, bitterness, resentment, and spite.<br /><br />As we can see from the above definitions and synonyms, envy is not something that any of us should desire, harbor within us, or allow to fester and grow, because fester and grow is what envy does, and can only lead to more sin, and more serious sin at that.<br /><br />Let me be clear, it is never wrong to see an achievement, a quality, a good virtue in our neighbor that we desire for ourselves, and then to go and emulate what they have done to better ourselves. Indeed, are we as Christians not called to emulate Our Lord Jesus Christ and strive to achieve His example of perfection in love, faith, hope, and charity? For if we do not try to emulate His example, what He taught, what He lived, and what He did, and is still doing for us, then we have nothing, and we are nothing no matter what our status in life, our position in our communities, or in our hope to achieve His Kingdom. If we have envy, then we have no faith, we have no hope, and we most certainly have no charity. If we have no charity, then we can have no love, and if we have none of these virtues as taught to us by Christ and the Apostles and as handed down to us for our instruction and edification by the Church, then we deny Christ, and His example, and His sacrifice for us all. If we say that we are Christian, and we envy our neighbor for whatever he or she has or does, then we live in complete hypocrisy. Indeed, to envy one's brother or sister, is to hate him or her. For as Saint John the Apostle tells us in his Epistle 1 John 2:9-11: <span style="font-style: italic;">“Whoever says he is in the light, yet hates his brother, is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is nothing in him to cause a fall. Whoever hates his brother is in darkness; he walks in darkness and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.”</span><br /><br />For us to have envy can only lead to other vices and sin. Envy leads to detraction, and hatred, as Pope Saint Gregory the Great said far better than I can: <span style="font-style: italic;">“From envy are born hatred, detraction, calumny, joy caused by the misfortune of a neighbor, and displeasure caused by his prosperity.”</span> Do you envy your neighbor? For envy violates the Tenth Commandment: <span style="font-style: italic;">“You shall not covet anything that is your neighbor's. You shall not desire your neighbor's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his ass, or anything that is your neighbor's.”</span> In paragraph 2539 of the <span style="font-style: italic;">“Catechism of the Catholic Church”</span>, it states: <span style="font-style: italic;">“Envy is a capital sin. It refers to the sadness at the sight of another's goods and the immoderate desire to acquire them for oneself, even unjustly. When it wishes grave harm to a neighbor it is a mortal sin...”</span><br /><br />So, what do we envy about our neighbor? Their wealth? Their home? Their friends? Their position? When we are envious we do harm to ourselves, and not to the one who is the object of our envy. Jesus told us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, and that where our treasures lie, so do our hearts lie. We can not be so caught up in the world, that we forget our true home, and our true salvation. What salvation is there to be found in wealth, position, status, houses, or popularity? None. As Saint Augustine said: <span style="font-style: italic;">“God bestows more consideration on the purity of the intention with which our actions are performed than on the actions themselves.”</span> What purity is there in envy? Augustine also said: <span style="font-style: italic;">“The honors of this world, what are they but puff, and emptiness and peril of falling?” </span><br /><br />As long as I am quoting from Saints like Augustine, and Gregory the Great, let us see what other great saints of the Church have to say about envy. For they certainly can say it far better than I ever could:<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">“It was through jealousy and envy that the greatest and most upright pillars of the Church were persecuted and struggled unto death. Let us set before our eyes the good apostles. First of all, Peter, who because of unreasonable jealousy, suffered not merely once or twice but many times, and, having thus given his witness, went to the place of glory that he deserved. It was through jealousy and conflict that Paul showed the way to the prize for perseverance. He was put in chains seven times, sent into exile, and stoned; a herald both in the east and the west, he achieved a noble fame by his faith. He taught justice to all the world and, when he had reached the limits of the western world, he gave his witness before those in authority; then he left this world and was taken up into the holy place, a superb example of endurance. </span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Around these men with their holy lives there gathered a great throng of the elect, who, though victims of jealousy, gave us the finest example of endurance in the midst of many indignities and tortures. </span> <span style="font-style: italic;">We are writing this, beloved, not only for your admonition but also as a reminder to ourselves; for we are placed in the same arena, and the same contest lies before us. Hence we ought to put aside vain and useless concerns and should consider what is good, pleasing and acceptable in the sight of him who made us. Let us fix our gaze on the blood of Christ, realizing how precious it is to his Father, since it was shed for our salvation and brought the grace of repentance to all the world.” </span> </div><br />--Pope Saint Clement I from a letter to the Corinthians<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">***************************************************************</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">“Envy is a gnawing pain which springs from the success and prosperity of another; and this is the reason why the envious are never exempt from trouble and vexation. If an abundant harvest fills the granaries of a neighbor, if success crowns his efforts, the envious man is chagrined and sad. If one man can boast of prudence, talent, and eloquence; if another is rich, and is very liberal to the poor, if good works are praised by all around, the envious man is shocked and grieved. </span> <span style="font-style: italic;">The envious, however, dare not speak; although envy makes them counterfeit gladness, their hearts are sore within. If you ask him what vexes him, he dare not tell the reason. It is not really the happiness of his friend that annoys him, neither is it his gaiety that makes him sad, nor is he sorry to see his friend prosper; but it is that he is persuaded that the prosperity of others is the cause of his misery. </span> <span style="font-style: italic;">This is what the envious would be forced to acknowledge, if they spoke the truth sincerely; but because they dare not confess so shameful a sin, they, in secret, feed a sore which tortures them and eats away their rest. </span> <span style="font-style: italic;">As the shadow ever accompanies the pedestrian when walking in the sun, so envy throws its shadow on those who are successful in the world.” </span><br /></div><br />--Saint Basil the Great from <span style="font-style: italic;">"De Individia"</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">***************************************************************</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">“You who are envious, let me tell you that however often you may seek for the opportunity of injuring him whom you hate, you will never be able to do him so much harm as you do harm to yourselves. </span> <span style="font-style: italic;">He whom you would punish through the malice of your envy, may probably escape, but you will never be able to fly from yourselves. Wherever you may be your adversary is with you, your sin rankles within. It must be a self-willed evil to persecute a person whom God has taken under the protection of His grace; it becomes an irremediable sin to hate a man whom God wishes to make happy. </span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Envy is as prolific as it is hurtful; it is the root of all evil, the source of endless disorder and misery, the cause of most sins that are committed. Envy gives birth to hatred and animosity. From it avarice is begotten, for it sees with an evil eye honors and emoluments heaped upon a stranger, and thinks that such honors should have been, by right, bestowed upon himself. From envy comes contempt of God, and of the salutary precepts of our Savior. </span> <span style="font-style: italic;">The envious man is cruel, proud, unfaithful, impatient, and quarrelsome; and, what is strange, when this vice gains the mastery, he is no longer master of himself, and he is unable to correct his many faults. If the bond of peace is broken, if the rights of fraternal charity are violated, if truth is altered or disguised, it is often envy that hurries him on to crime. </span> <span style="font-style: italic;">What happiness can such a man enjoy in this world? To be envious or jealous of another, because such a one is virtuous and happy, is to hate in him the graces and blessings God has showered down upon him. </span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Does he not punish himself when he sees the success and welfare of others? Does he not draw down upon himself tortures from which there is no respite? Are not his thoughts, his mind, constantly on the rack? </span> <span style="font-style: italic;">He pitilessly punishes himself, and, in his heart, performs the same cruel office which Divine Justice reserves for the chastisement of the greatest criminal.” </span> </div><br />--Saint Cyprian of Carthage<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">***************************************************************</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">“O envious one, you injure yourself more than he whom you would injure, and the sword with which you wound will recoil and wound yourself. </span> <span style="font-style: italic;">What harm did Cain do to Abel? Contrary to his intention he did him the greatest good, for he caused him to pass to a better and a blessed life, and he himself was plunged into an abyss of woe. In what did Esau injure Jacob? Did not his envy prevent him from being enriched in the place in which he lived; and, losing the inheritance and the blessing of his father, did he not die a miserable death? What harm did the brothers of Joseph do to Joseph, whose envy went so far as to wish to shed his blood? Were they not driven to the last extremity, and well-nigh perishing with hunger, whilst their brother reigned all through Egypt? </span> <span style="font-style: italic;">It is ever thus; the more you envy your brother, the greater good you confer upon him. God, who sees all, takes the cause of the innocent in hand, and, irritated by the injury you inflict, deigns to raise up him whom you wish to lower, and will punish you to the full extent of your crime. </span> <span style="font-style: italic;">If God usually punishes those who rejoice at the misfortunes of their enemies, how much more will He punish those who, excited by envy, seek to do an injury to those who have never injured them?”</span><br /></div><br />--Saint John Chrysostom<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">***************************************************************</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">“We fight one another, and envy arms us against one another. . . . If everyone strives to unsettle the Body of Christ, where shall we end up? We are engaged in making Christ's Body a corpse. . . . We declare ourselves members of one and the same organism, yet we devour one another like beasts.”</span><br /></div><br />--Saint John Chrysostom<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">***************************************************************</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">“It should be our principal business to conquer ourselves and, from day to day, to go on increasing in strength and perfection. Above all, however, it is necessary for us to strive to conquer our little temptations, such as fits of anger, suspicions, jealousies, envy, deceitfulness, vanity, attachments, and evil thoughts. For in this way we shall acquire strength to subdue greater ones.” </span><br /></div><br />--Saint Francis de Sales<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">***************************************************************</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">“Virtues are formed by prayer. Prayer preserves temperance. Prayer suppresses anger. Prayer prevents emotions of pride and envy. Prayer draws into the soul the Holy Spirit, and raises man to Heaven.” </span><br /></div><br />--Saint Ephraem of Syria<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">***************************************************************</span><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Prayer to Be Freed of the Seven Deadly Sins</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">O meek Savior and Prince of Peace,<br />implant in me the virtues<br />of gentleness and patience.<br />Let me curb the fury of anger<br />and restrain all resentment and impatience<br />so as to overcome evil with good,<br />attain Your peace, and rejoice in Your love<br /><br />O Model of humility,<br />divest me of all pride and arrogance.<br />Let me acknowledge my weakness and sinfulness,<br />so that I may bear mockery and contempt<br />for Your sake<br />and esteem myself as lowly in Your sight.<br /><br />O Teacher of abstinence,<br />help me to serve You rather than our appetites.<br />Keep me from gluttony<br />the inordinate love of food and drink<br />and let me hunger and thirst for Your justice.<br /><br />O Lover of purity,<br />remove all lust from my heart,<br />so that I may serve You with a pure mind<br />and a chaste body.<br /><br />O Father of the poor,<br />help me to avoid all covetousness for earthly goods<br />and give me a love for heavenly things.<br />Inspire me to give to the needy,<br />just as You gave Your life<br />that I might inherit eternal treasures.<br /><br />O Exemplar of love,<br />keep me from all envy and ill-will.<br />Let the grace of Your love dwell in me<br />that I may rejoice in the happiness of others<br />and bewail their adversities.<br /><br />O zealous Lover of souls,<br />keep me from all sloth of mind or body.<br />Inspire me with zeal for Your glory,<br />so that I may do all things for You and in You.<br /><br />--Amen--<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">© Copyright 2008 Steve Smith. All rights reserved.</span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p><a href="http://www.mysticmonkcoffee.com/store/?aid=397"><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Mystic Monk Coffee - Your purchase helps support the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming AND This Blog!</SPAN></a></p></div>Steve Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07100985961890100599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14989579.post-12437225138842743572007-03-31T03:47:00.000-04:002008-12-11T04:21:43.525-05:00Spiritual Warfare-Prayers For Peace<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ss4MlcBN-NY/Rg4St7a2MRI/AAAAAAAAAVI/qnuRA45Z5YA/s1600-h/peaceprayer3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5047992812582613266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ss4MlcBN-NY/Rg4St7a2MRI/AAAAAAAAAVI/qnuRA45Z5YA/s320/peaceprayer3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="justify">There is no one in this country doubting the fact that this war in Iraq is dividing the country and creating greater factions. We can all argue about how we got into this war. Most of us believe we were given erroneous information, we were manipulated and that this war has done a tremendous amount of harm to the American psyche. Now what?</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">We all now that we cannot abandon Iraq without protecting the innocent. And we all know we do not want to prolong this situation in Iraq because more innocent people will be killed.</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">Lent provides us with a wonderful opportunity to make sacrifices, not only personal, but for the sake of others. Catholics grow up over the years hearing that because of the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross, we should sacrifice every day during Lent, we give up going to the movies, give up some favorite dessert or perform an act of charity to a person who would ordinarily have no one concerned about them. But this Lent is one that we should make a difference. It means getting actively involved by writing to your Congressman, your Senator or to Washington your thoughts on how we should bring this war to as quick an end as possible.</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">Each one of us reading this editorial can say, I don't know how to write to my Congressman, they are not going to read it. All of a sudden the excuses for active involvement start to appear. Have you ever tried to use spirituality as a way of asking God to bring this war to an end? For example, have you ever thought that if you made a sacrifice of going to Mass every day for the solider, young men and women in Iraq, asking God to spare them? Do you think God would give you a deaf ear? Maybe your Congressman may not appreciate your letter, but there is no doubt that God would appreciate your prayers on behalf of those who are fighting for us in Iraq.</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">All of us know the value of diplomacy. All of us know that friend and foe have to sit down at the same table to carve out a map of peace. And some of these discussions for peace, as in the case of Vietnam, might go on for years. But in the meanwhile, Catholics in particular should recognize there is a God in the Heavens who listens to the prayers of all of us. From the New Testament and in literature, we know that faith and prayer can move mountains and more things are brought about prayer than this world dreams of. I have a wonderful privilege of being able to call convents of nuns who pray for special intentions. They are praying for a quick end to this war in Iraq. Their prayers united with your prayers undoubtedly can have a tremendous influence in bringing peace to this world and an end to this war. We all want a quick end to it and a safe end for everyone. But each one, through the power of his prayers, can effect what diplomacy and military skills have not done. Your prayers are needed for the sake of peace to bring our young men and women home. Don’t disappoint them.</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">Rev Mark Connolly</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/catholic" rel="tag">Catholic</a></div><br /><div align="justify"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Religion" rel="tag">Religion</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/roman+catholic" rel="tag">Roman Catholic</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/christianity" rel="tag">Christianity</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Catholic+Blogs" rel="tag">Catholic Blogs</a> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p><a href="http://www.mysticmonkcoffee.com/store/?aid=397"><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Mystic Monk Coffee - Your purchase helps support the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming AND This Blog!</SPAN></a></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14989579.post-88600122560828108582007-03-16T02:54:00.000-04:002008-12-11T04:21:43.857-05:00The Crime of Conviction General Pace & Morality<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ss4MlcBN-NY/RfpALXEyzOI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/FSUKApt74DI/s1600-h/Morality.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5042413296711552226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ss4MlcBN-NY/RfpALXEyzOI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/FSUKApt74DI/s320/Morality.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="justify">Our nation's top military officer, a veteran decorated with no less than forty-eight military awards and a very distinguished career, made a startling revelation this week: He has moral conviction. The world gasps, hurls insults, and demands an apology. How dare one of the top leaders of our land have a moral belief and share it when questioned!</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">But that's exactly what happened this week when the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff—the first Marine general ever to hold that position—General Peter Pace, commented in a wide-ranging interview with the Chicago Tribune, "My upbringing is such that I believe that there are certain things, certain types of conduct that are immoral. I believe that military members who sleep with other military members' wives are immoral in their conduct, and that we should not tolerate that."</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">But then Pace went on to tell the Tribune, "I believe that homosexual acts between individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts." Well, stop the presses.</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">Of course, all that the radio, news, and television outlets have focused on since General Pace's comments are his remarks on homosexuality. Never mind that he puts immorality of all kinds on equal footing. General Pace went on to say in the interview, "I do not believe the United States is well served by a policy that says it is OK to be immoral in any way."</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">While the world should be applauding a man who proposes that one of the most important institutions in our country should have moral integrity, instead we hammer him for having a conviction.</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">But I believe this goes far beyond the whole question of homosexuals in the military and the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. This cuts to the core of the question of whether anyone in public office is free to speak his deepest religious or moral convictions. The Constitution says there will be no religious test for office, and yet we are applying one. We are basically saying that if you are the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, you are not allowed to express your moral or religious views—especially on matters of sexual preference and behavior.</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">This is another sign that we live in an age that no longer believes in objective truth or a moral order. Moral relativism is the rule, and personal preference trumps all. And government is there to ensure that no one place any restraint on the pursuit of our own desires.</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">I have long said that C. S. Lewis was prophetic when in 1943 he wrote about the irony of our education system, saying, "Such is the tragicomedy of our situation—we continue to clamour for those very qualities we are rendering impossible. . . . In a sort of ghastly simplicity we remove the organ and demand the function. We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honour and are shocked to find traitors in our midst."</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">Ironic that today, the head of our Joint Chiefs of Staff argues that the military should have consistent policies of moral integrity, and the world demands an apology. Maybe it is time to lock him up: General Pace is guilty. He has committed the intolerable crime of our day: He has stated his conviction in a value-free society that respects only so-called "tolerance."</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">As for me, well, General Pace makes me proud that I am a former Marine.</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">Charles Colson</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/catholic" rel="tag">Catholic</a></div><br /><div align="justify"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Religion" rel="tag">Religion</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/christianity" rel="tag">Christianity</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Catholic+Blogs" rel="tag">Catholic Blogs</a> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p><a href="http://www.mysticmonkcoffee.com/store/?aid=397"><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Mystic Monk Coffee - Your purchase helps support the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming AND This Blog!</SPAN></a></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14989579.post-1160631809537474952006-10-12T01:35:00.000-04:002006-10-12T01:43:29.550-04:00An Answer to Abortion<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/1600/mary3.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/320/mary3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="justify"><br />It is very easy for many of us to simply say women should not abort their unborn children and the fathers of these babies should not comply in this murder of the innocents.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Yet in many circumstances especially with our youth who are easily overwhelmed with the consequences of their actions. Abortion is offered to these confused teenagers as a feasible option to what is an emotional storm going on within their psyche. </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Abortion is not the answer to their situation, but how can we help those who are struggling with this issue in a common sense and practical manner? The answer lay within a new Religious Order which began 15 years ago who have called themselves The Sisters Of Life. These Sisters are relevant and wear their Habits with humility and exuberance as they help women and men make the right choices in their lives which is to choose to have their babies rather than feel overwhelmed and coerced by the feminist movement to abort their unborn child.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />We also must do our part and not become complacent. Let us pray for these Nuns who have chosen this particular Vocation and also offer our assistance both monetarily and in a volunteer capacity. To read more about the Sisters<a href="http://www.kairos.com.au/content/view/354/43/"> click here.</a></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />If you wish to learn more about the Order of the Sister Of Life, <a href="http://www.sistersoflife.org/">please click here.</a></div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/1600/sisterslife.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/320/sisterslife.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Peace of Christ to ALL</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/catholic" rel="tag">Catholic</a></div><div align="justify"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Religion" rel="tag">Religion</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/roman+catholic" rel="tag">Roman Catholic</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/christianity" rel="tag">Christianity</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Catholic+Blogs" rel="tag">Catholic Blogs</a> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p><a href="http://www.mysticmonkcoffee.com/store/?aid=397"><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Mystic Monk Coffee - Your purchase helps support the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming AND This Blog!</SPAN></a></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14989579.post-1157627559692163052006-09-07T07:07:00.000-04:002006-09-07T07:12:39.716-04:00Cause and Affect of Poverty<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/1600/helpmejesus.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/320/helpmejesus.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="justify"><br />This may seem a strange topic for spiritual warfare, what has poverty to do with the spiritual realm? We are warned constantly that the devil makes use of idle hands and also idle minds. As Thessalonians warns us with these words,<strong> "We instruct you, brothers, in the name of (our) Lord Jesus Christ,to shun any brother who conducts himself in a disorderly way and not according to the tradition they received from us....In fact, when we were with you, we instructed you that if anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat."</strong> (2 Thessalonians 3:6,10). </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />This does not mean we must be uncharitable to those in real need, but we also need to discern how to truly help those who are impoverished. When we throw money at different groups and organizations with no accountability then are we truly helping them to escape the confines of their poverty or are we helping them to maintain a dreadful status quo? </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />This issue has become very heated and polarizing as we can see through the efforts of Bill Cosby who has made great efforts to educate those who are trapped in the poverty cycle. To understand more about this issue <a href="http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=51706">please click here.</a></div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong><em>Source</em></strong></div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">World Net Daily</div><div align="justify"><br />Peace of Christ to ALL</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Copyright © 2006 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/catholic" rel="tag">Catholic</a></div><div align="justify"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Religion" rel="tag">Religion</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/roman+catholic" rel="tag">Roman Catholic</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Catholic+Church" rel="tag">Catholic Church</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/christianity" rel="tag">Christianity</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Catholic+Blogs" rel="tag">Catholic Blogs</a> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p><a href="http://www.mysticmonkcoffee.com/store/?aid=397"><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Mystic Monk Coffee - Your purchase helps support the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming AND This Blog!</SPAN></a></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14989579.post-1157364472675062002006-09-04T05:57:00.000-04:002006-09-04T06:07:52.786-04:00How to Ruin Your Children<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/1600/tantrum5.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/320/tantrum5.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="justify"><strong>1:</strong> Begin with infancy to give the child everything he wants. In this way he will grow to believe the world owes him a living.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong>2:</strong> When he picks up bad words, laugh at him. This will make him think he's cute. It will also encourage him to pick up "cuter" phrases that will blow off the top of your head later.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong>3:</strong> Never give him any spiritual training. Wait until he is 21 and then let him "decide for himself."</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong>4:</strong> Avoid use of the word "wrong". It may develop a guilt complex. This will condition him to believe later, when he is arrested for stealing a car, that society is against him and he is being persecuted.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong>5:</strong> Pick up everything he leaves lying around - books, shoes, clothes. Do everything for him so that he will be expecting it.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong>6:</strong> Let him read any printed matter he can get his hands on. Be careful that the silverware and drinking glasses are sterilized, but let his mind feast on garbage.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong>7:</strong> Quarrel frequently in the presence of your children. In this way they will not be too shocked when the home is broken up later.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong>8:</strong> Give a child all the spending money he wants. Never let him earn his own. Why should he have things as tough as you had them?</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong>9:</strong> Satisfy his every craving for food, drink, and comfort. See that every sensual desire is gratified. Denial may lead to harmful frustration.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong>10:</strong> Take his part against neighbors, teachers, policemen. They are all prejudiced against your child.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong>11:</strong> When he gets into real trouble, apologize for yourself by saying, "I never could do anything with him."</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong>12:</strong> Prepare for a life of grief. You will be likely to have it. </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/catholic" rel="tag">Catholic</a></div><div align="justify"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Religion" rel="tag">Religion</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/roman+catholic" rel="tag">Roman Catholic</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Catholic+Church" rel="tag">Catholic Church</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/christianity" rel="tag">Christianity</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Catholic+Blogs" rel="tag">Catholic Blogs</a> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p><a href="http://www.mysticmonkcoffee.com/store/?aid=397"><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Mystic Monk Coffee - Your purchase helps support the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming AND This Blog!</SPAN></a></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14989579.post-1157003113979047162006-08-31T01:39:00.000-04:002006-08-31T01:45:14.003-04:00The Seven Deadly Sins- Anger<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/1600/ANGER2.gif"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/320/ANGER2.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="justify"><br /><strong>"But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, 'Raqa,' will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna."</strong> (Mathew 5:22).</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />We read in these words how serious God takes our anger when it is misdirected towards another in a spirit of superiority.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />There are many who will try and disguise their anger as righteous anger when in fact what it actually is a malformed sense of self love. When we become angry with another it is usually because we wish to prove ourselves right thereby making ourselves superior to another. What drives anger is a sense of self justification to prove your worth to all who will hear.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />What many fail to understand is what righteous anger actually is. Jesus was right to be angry with the Pharisee's and their hypocrisy for He is Holy and Divine, whereas we are not.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />It is righteous to feel anger over injustices suffered by others and to speak out against societies injustices perpetrated against the innocent. Does this then give us license to murder those who have enacted an injustice against another? Of course not! That is vengeance dressed up as righteous anger.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />We need to realise that we are in control of our anger and not at the mercy of it. If someone offends us, then give it over to God in prayer, do not nurture hurt until it turns from hurt to anger and from anger to rage. When your conscience is clear before God then nothing else matters.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />When someone has hurt and angered you then pray for them in all sincerity, for it is impossible for a soul to hate the person who has harmed them.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />We also need to understand that though someone may hurt and anger us, we also do the same thing to another as none are perfect and we all fall short of the glory of God.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br /><strong>In the end the spirit you feed is the spirit that will prevail.</strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/1600/angersin.jpg"> </div></a></strong><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/320/angersin.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Peace of Christ to ALL</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Copyright © 2006 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/catholic" rel="tag">Catholic</a></div><div align="justify"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Religion" rel="tag">Religion</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/roman+catholic" rel="tag">Roman Catholic</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Catholic+Church" rel="tag">Catholic Church</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/christianity" rel="tag">Christianity</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Catholic+Blogs" rel="tag">Catholic Blogs</a> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p><a href="http://www.mysticmonkcoffee.com/store/?aid=397"><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Mystic Monk Coffee - Your purchase helps support the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming AND This Blog!</SPAN></a></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14989579.post-1156490761344298882006-08-25T03:09:00.000-04:002006-08-25T03:35:42.093-04:00America-Hating Americans<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7995/1265/1600/tornflaga.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7995/1265/400/tornflaga.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">NOTE:</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">I am going to make an exception this once, and place a few of my thoughts on the situation of The United States and the War On Terror. Steve<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><font>Turn on TV, the radio, open a newspaper and you will read it or hear it somewhere. Even the internet has an overwhelming plethora of it. The “<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">it</span>” I am speaking of, is the self-loathing of the United States that is so rampant and prevalent today. We don’t have to wait to see a videotape or hear a voice recording from some terrorist in the Middle East pronouncing their hatred of and loathing for America and all Americans. No, we can find plenty of it right here, from the janitor at the local school all the way up to our Senators and Congressmen and Congresswomen in Washington, there seems to be more and more people waiting in line to bash this country and to do so with all their pent up frustration, anger, and hatred.<br /><br /><font>I can go to any blog out there, and I will find a good number of them where the bloggers are more than willing to attack the President, attack the military, and promote all they can find wrong with this country. They see us “<span style="font-style: italic;">losing credibility</span>” with the world, and bemoan that we make more enemies for ourselves every day. Well, let me be the one to tell you, if anyone…and I mean all of you who hate this country, and you do hate it…if anyone has gotten us more enemies who are willing to attack this country, castigate it, and as a result carry out an insurgency, plot to bomb our airliners, and attack our cities, we and they have <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">you</span> to thank for it.<br /><br /><font>Yes, you have the right to protest this war. You have the right to criticize the President and the military. You even have the right to hate this country as you so obviously do. But, you also have the obligation, to carry out those rights in a responsible manner. You haven’t. In effect, you have given comfort and aid to the enemy.<br /><br /><font>Our enemies attacked this nation because they were <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">sure</span> the American people didn’t have the stomach for a fight. They were <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">sure</span> that the United States would take off like a whipped puppy, and not dare stick our collective noses into their business ever again. By golly, they were right. You proved them right. Your action, your words, your self-loathing for being an American and hatred of <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">all</span> that America is has proven them right. We won’t be defeated in this war. We already <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">are</span> defeated. We have lost because <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">you</span> don’t want us to win, and because you, your words, your actions have already given the signal to the enemies of this country that we <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">are</span> beaten.<br /><br />They didn’t have to attack us on our own soil. They didn’t have to bomb us, use chemical weapons on us, and use nuclear weapons on our cities. You saved them the trouble. You have made them more determined than ever to fight, to not give up, to never quit. Because what you have done and said has told them that <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">they</span> are winning. They may not have won any battles. They may not have destroyed anymore buildings with planes, but, they <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">have</span> won this war, and the thanks all goes to you.<br /><br /><font>The Americans of today, especially you who hate this country, are the most self-centered, selfish, and uncaring people this country has ever produced. Thank goodness, and thank God that this was <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">not</span> the generation of World War Two, or we might be celebrating Adolph Hitler’s birthday instead of the 4th of July. When the World War Two generation went to fight in Europe and the Pacific they went with a <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">united</span> determination to <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">stop</span> an enemy that was a threat to the entire world. They went with a determination that their children, their grandchildren, and their great-grandchildren would <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">never</span> have to face this menace again, and that they and all their descendants could live in peace, in safety, and in freedom. This generation doesn’t care about that. As long as this generation can live quietly and never has to stand for anything other than self, they are content. They are more than <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">willing</span> to let their children, their grandchildren, and their great-grandchildren have to face, and to fight, what they will not.<br /><br /><font>The enemies of this nation were right in their assessment of The United States. A nation with <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">no</span> backbone, and <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">no</span> moral courage. Congratulations. What a fine testament <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">you</span> will have made to history. Helping the enemies of this nation… destroy this nation. Maybe at last, you have what you have wanted all along. Perhaps you will only realize the error of your ways when a mushroom cloud rises over New York, and the future of the next generation is ashes in their mouths.<br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-style: italic;"><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><br /><br /><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Catholic+Church" rel="tag">Catholic Church</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Religion" rel="tag">Religion</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Catholic+Blogs" rel="tag">Catholic Blogs</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/spiritual+warfare" rel="tag">spiritual warfare</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/iraq+war" rel="tag">Iraq War</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p><a href="http://www.mysticmonkcoffee.com/store/?aid=397"><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Mystic Monk Coffee - Your purchase helps support the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming AND This Blog!</SPAN></a></p></div>Steve Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07100985961890100599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14989579.post-1156223791200897802006-08-22T01:03:00.000-04:002006-08-22T01:37:42.316-04:00World War III-Islamofascism & Christianity<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/1600/islamofascist3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/320/islamofascist3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="justify"><br />There is a difference between Apologetics and apology. In these difficult and dangerous times, many Christians are becoming confused over this issue, and rather than stand strong in their Faith they are instead living in apology for having any faith at all in case they upset some minority group.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />As Christians, no matter what denomination you espouse we are in a critical battle ground where the rule book has been thrown out by our adversaries which is Islamofascism. These fascists do not follow rules of engagement their only rule is to kill all those who oppose them. Whether it be by bombing them, beheading them or blowing their enemies up by strapping bombs to themselves, nothing is too loathsome for these tyrannical extremists.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />Many generations ago another fascist wrote a book called <strong><em>'Mein Kampf'</em></strong> not to many took much note and many disregarded the book as the rantings of a mad man. One man of only a few who took this book seriously was Pope Pius XII, when as Cardinal Pacelli he exclaimed in incredulity at those who were misguided into thinking that one can deal with such a man as Adolf Hitler. Cardinal Pacelli was quoted as saying, <em>"This man is completely carried away; everything he says and writes has the mark of his egocentrism; this man is capable of trampling on corpses and eliminating anything that is an obstacle. I cannot understand how there are so many people in Germany who do not understand him, and cannot draw conclusions from what he says or writes. Has any of them even read his horrifying ‘Mein Kampf’?"</em> We now know the tragedy that happened during that particular point in time when the world did look the other way and decided to <strong><em>'dialogue'</em></strong> with Adolf Hitler by acquiescing when it came to Czechoslovakia. As we look back at history did this attempt at '<strong><em>dialogue'</em></strong> work? Did Hitler suddenly gain a conscience and did the spirit of appeasement work? No it did not. Are we then beginning to re-live history?</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />The President of Iran has said openly that he wanted <em>'Israel to be wiped off the map' he also continued with these words, "And God willing, with the force of God behind it, we shall soon experience a world without the United States and Zionism."</em> Do we disregard these words as the <strong><em>'rantings of a mad man'</em></strong> does that not have a familiar ring to it? President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is also denying the holocaust by referring to it as a '<strong><em>myth' </em></strong>as he stated recently in regards to this issue, <em>"The West has given more significance to the myth of the genocide of the Jews, even more significant than God, religion, and the prophets," he said. "(It) deals very severely with those who deny this myth but does not do anything to those who deny God, religion, and the prophet." </em>Once again do we ignore these tirades?</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />Many Christian leaders are of the opinion that in order to achieve peace we must begin<strong><em> 'dialogue'</em></strong> there is a reasonable belief in this in that no man or nation should rush to war. What happens though when the entity you wish to engage in<strong><em> 'dialogue'</em></strong> is evil, can one dialogue with evil? If their only response is to annihilate Israel of the face of the earth and destroy the <strong><em>'decadent' </em></strong>United States of America, do we confront these statements or try and appease it? Has appeasement worked before in the history of the world?</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />We are at a critical point in our lives where choices need to be made. Many in the Western world need to wake up from their self induced denial of evil and realise that evil is indeed knocking at their door. If we do not confront evil, then we will be overcome by it as the future for our children becomes ashes in their mouths because we refused to wake up from our self imposed coma of self delusion.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />No man wants war for war's sake but when evil confronts us do we confront it as did our grandparents in the dark days of World War II? Or do we pass the fight onto our children and our children's children so we can live<strong><em> 'safely'</em></strong> and die comfortably in our beds? Has this generation become that selfish? For at the heart of appeasement is a longing to live as we always have, comfortably and safely and to maintain the status quo, at what cost?</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />It is becoming obvious that those who embrace Islamofascism are in opposition to those who have embraced Christianity. The two are irreconcilable as Islamofascists tries to eliminate the other by any means necessary, whether it be hijacking planes or cruise ships or by strapping bombs to their bodies as they blow up innocent civilians in order to subjugate the world through sheer intimidation. It also does not work when Christians live in apology for their very beliefs, as if believing in the one true God had become a crime. Therefore the Christians bend over backwards to accommodate the Islamofascist extremists, why?</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />Many are still refusing to believe that we are in a war. A war that is so all encompassing that it strikes at the heart of our very beliefs and our way of life and yet some are still failing to see that Christianity is in the fight for its very life and it's core beliefs.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />Let us examine a timeline of the Islamofascists and their war which they waged decades ago as the West slept:</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br /><strong>1964:</strong> Several thousand Simba rebels storm the defenses of Stanleyville, a city of 300,000 in the newly independent Republic of the Congo. The rebels take more than 1,600 European residents hostage and announce that they will kill the captives if the Congolese government tries to recapture the city. Most of the hostages are rescued in a joint American-Belgian operation. </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br /><strong>1972:</strong> Eight Palestinian "Black September" terrorists seize nine Israeli athletes in the Olympic Village in Munich. In a bungled rescue attempt by West German authorities, all the hostages and five terrorists are killed.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br /><strong>1979 - 81:</strong> After U.S. President Jimmy Carter agrees to admit the Shah of Iran into the U.S., Iranian radicals seize the U.S. Embassy in Tehran Nov.4 1979, and take 66 American diplomats and embassy employees hostage. Thirteen hostages are soon released, but the remaining 53 are held until their release on Jan. 20, 1981. </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br /><strong>1983 </strong>U.S and French soldiers bombed in Beirut.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br /><strong>1985 - 1991</strong>: Shia militiamen in Beirut take Terry Anderson, an Associated Press reporter, hostage in 1985. They demand the release of Shia extremists convicted of bombing the U.S. and French embassies in Kuwait. Anderson spends six years in captivity — the longest period of any of the 18 U.S. hostages kidnapped in the latter stages of the civil war in Lebanon. </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br /><strong>1985 </strong>Hijacked the Achille Lauro</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br /><strong>1985 Jun 14</strong>, The 17-day hijack ordeal of TWA Flight 847 began as a pair of Lebanese Shiite Muslim extremists seized the plane with 104 Americans shortly after takeoff from Athens, Greece. The hijackers killed Petty Officer Robert Dean Stethem and dumped his body on the tarmac in Beirut. </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br /><strong>1987 - 1991:</strong> Terry Waite, envoy of the Archbishop of Canterbury, is taken hostage after he travels to Beirut in 1987 to negotiate the release of two American hostages. Waite remains captive until November 1991. </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br /><strong>1988</strong> Pan Am 103 crashed over Lockerbie.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br /><strong>1993:</strong> World Trade Center bomb terrorizes New York</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br /><strong>1993:</strong> US forces killed in Somali gun battle At least five US soldiers have been killed and two Blackhawk helicopters shot down in a heavy firefight in the capital of Somalia, Mogadishu. </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br /><strong>2000</strong> attack on the USS Cole in Yemen.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br /><strong>2001 11th September</strong> attack on World Trade Centre</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br /><strong>2002</strong> Bali Bombings</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />This is only a short summary of the war that Islamofascists extremists have been waging on the Nation of Israel and Christianity itself. How many wake up calls do we need in order to see what is confronting us?</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />On December 7th 1941 the Japanese surprised America with an assault on Pearl Harbor. The President of the United States, Franklin Delano Roosevelt declared war on Japan over <strong><em>ONE</em></strong> attack on it's territory. How many times does America have to be attacked before the citizens wake up and realise that this is war! Let us remember the World Trade Centre was attacked twice, yet still the message was not clear enough. Do we wait till Iran has a nuclear weapon and a mushroom cloud rises from New York? Then suddenly and too late many will wake up and realise they were sleeping while the Islamofascists plotted and planned their demise.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />We have no excuse for this type of blindness for we have learnt about the holocaust which killed 6 million Jews, Christians and other victims. This has happened before. It happened in Nazi Germany, Cambodia, Sudan, Rwanda, how many have to die in order to convince us that when we have been consistently attacked it means exactly what it is, <strong><em>WAR!</em></strong></div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />The Islamofascists have deliberately kept their people poor and uneducated, in order for their youth to feel a hopelessness about their own future prospects. In this way they can appeal to young men to die for Allah and in this way they will attain their 70 virgins but only<strong><em> IF</em></strong> they are martyred. Ever wonder why Osama Bin Laden remains hidden like a rat in the mountains of Pakistan as he slinks from one safety hole to the next? Did Abu Musab al-Zarqawi offer himself up for martyrdom or was he accidentally trapped by the Americans? It seems the top leadership of these terrorists groups have <strong><em>NO</em></strong> wish to die for their cause.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />While these terrorist leaders hide and plot their evil schemes to destroy the infidels the West worries itself about <strong><em>'profiling'</em></strong> how amusing for the terrorists, they kill us while we are concerned for <strong><em>THEIR</em></strong> rights! Some even think <strong><em>'if only we were nice to them they would then be nice to us'</em></strong> it doesnt work that way they do not know you, yet they have <strong><em>NO </em></strong>compunction in killing you and your family. Their hate is impersonal, they hate what you are and <strong><em>NOT</em></strong> who you are.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />Christians are facing ever increasing threat from these terrorist organizations from the Sudan to Beruit. From Turkey to Nigeria from India to Indonesia, Christians are being martyred even Priests, yet where is the outcry? Still many in the West weep when Hezbollah terrorists are rightfully attacked for murdering and kidnapping Israeli soldiers. But there is a deafening silence over the persecution and murder of innocent Christians, who weeps for them? </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />Many Islamofascists cry crocodile tears for the poor Palestinians, yet why then do the more wealthy Muslim nations such as Saudi Arabia not set up schools, new roads, hospitals etc? Why? Because they are using the plight of the Palestinians as an excuse to unleash their pent up hatred on the nation of Israel and also on America. The former President Yasser Arafat was given hundreds of millions of dollars from the West, not one penny of this aid was spent on easing the plight of the poor. The majority of the money was squirreled away in Swiss bank accounts.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />The Islamofascists are good at taking lives they are not so good at saving lives. More Muslims have killed Muslims than any other nation combined yet that fact remains unspoken, as the terrorist leaders point the finger at the West for all that ails them.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />Christians love God they try and live their faith, but no where does it say that Christians must become door mats so the terrorists can vent their spleen. We have seen what happens when the Islamofascists don't agree with cartoons or books that they feel malign their prophet, yet they feel no such compunction when deriding the Jewish or Christian Faith. It is never right to blaspheme anyone's belief as the Vatican rightfully stated, but equality of respect for other faiths and beliefs is not a one way street. So far it seems the Islamofascists are allowed their own blaspheming but will murder and maim anyone who opposes or satirizes their beliefs. As Cardinal Angelo Sodana spoke recently, <em>"If we tell our people they have no right to offend, we have to tell the others they have no right to destroy us."</em> Pope Benedict XVI also stated at a recent meeting with the Moroccan ambassador, <em>"respect for the religious convictions and practices of others, in a reciprocal way in all societies."</em> Yet destroy us they will<strong><em> IF</em></strong> we allow them too.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/1600/islamofascist2.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/320/islamofascist2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br /><strong>In the end there is no reasoning with hate for hate has no logic. Let us hope we recognise the dogs of war before they devour us.</strong></div><div align="justify"><strong></strong> </div><div align="justify"><br />Peace of Christ to ALL</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />Copyright © 2006 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.</div><div align="justify"><em></em> </div><div align="justify"><em></em> </div><div align="justify"><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Catholic+Church" rel="tag">Catholic Church</a></div><div align="justify"><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Religion" rel="tag">Religion</a></div><div align="justify"><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Catholic+Blogs" rel="tag">Catholic Blogs</a></div><div align="justify"><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/roman+catholic" rel="tag">roman catholic</a></div><div align="justify"><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/spiritual+warfare" rel="tag">spiritual warfare</a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p><a href="http://www.mysticmonkcoffee.com/store/?aid=397"><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Mystic Monk Coffee - Your purchase helps support the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming AND This Blog!</SPAN></a></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14989579.post-1155710408735543892006-08-17T17:53:00.000-04:002006-08-17T04:28:25.960-04:00When Did Sin Die?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/1600/sin3.1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/320/sin3.1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="justify"><br />As many Churches in various areas close due to lack of attendance by parishioners this leaves the burning question, where are the people? The other question we must ask is why have they fallen away from attending Mass?</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />In order to appeal to our younger generation many Priests and Religious believe that by making Mass more<strong><em> 'entertaining'</em></strong> this will bring our teenagers back to practicing their Faith. This is a very patronizing way of treating our young adults, are they children that they need to be <strong><em>'entertained'</em></strong>? </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />To try and make Mass more entertaining what those in authority have actually done is to make worshipping God irrelevant. They have de-Divinized God so much that Jesus appears to be <strong><em>'just like us', </em></strong>why would anyone worship a <strong><em>'mere man'</em></strong> who is just like us? By taking this attitude, Mass has lost all reverence there is no real feel of the Majesty of God. It is all well and good to try and make Jesus 'people friendly' or some sort of <strong><em>'fuzzy wuzzy'</em></strong> people pleaser, but is this the real Jesus or is it an attempt to <strong><em>'spin'</em></strong> Jesus to the masses?</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />One of the major reasons why our young people and others have left our parishes is that sin has been forgotten and the serious repercussions which goes with it. Many Priests and Religious are taught not to speak about sin lest they make people feel uncomfortable and instead to focus on upbeat, <strong><em>'cuddly wuddly'</em></strong> feel good homilies and teachings that have no bases in the Truths of the Catholic Church.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />When sin has been forgotten the Sacraments soon follow, why partake of the Sacraments when they have lost all relevance? If sin is no longer considered to be serious and neither those in authority or parents speak about it, then a falling away of the faithful will follow.<br /></div><div align="justify"><br />Even though low Church attendance is still going on as many ponder how to win back our youth different methods have been tried. Many Priests and Religious have introduced <strong><em>'liturgical dancing'</em></strong> during Mass where did our Blessed Mother, St. Mary Magdalene or St. John dance beneath the Cross as Jesus endured His Passion? We have seen or heard where different parishes have also included<strong><em> 'clap happy Masses'</em></strong> where the old hymns have been substituted with pop songs as electric guitars and drums blare loudly during Mass. I am not against songs that Glorify God but why do we need bands who sound more like hard rock than reverent hymns? When we take these steps to modernize Mass we come close to negating who we are worshipping in the first place.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />It is sad that even First Communion for our young children has been so de-mystified that many families are requested by their Priests and Nuns to dress their children informally. This removes all the Mystery from the Eucharist and makes what should be a most beautiful and one of the most significant moments in a childs life little more than a ho hum experience. No longer do we see our children dressed in their best outfits as they prepare to receive Jesus in the Eucharist for the first time. Now we see our young children go forward dressed in jeans and T-shirts, no wonder it has lost its relevance for our young children.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />The death of sin is the real reason why many no longer attend Mass. We have lost a sense of sin and what happens to our soul when we engage in sinful acts or behave in an unchristian manner. It is as if nothing we do carries any consequences therefore Mass has become antiquated and archaic in this modern age. We have grown up and grown away from God our only means of Salvation.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Some also think that if they live good lives then they do not have to go to Mass in that their good actions alone will save them. No it wont! If God has been removed from the centre of your lives no matter what good you do it counts as nothing once you decide to ignore God's Commandments, then you leave your hearts open to attack by the evil one. When people think they no longer need God this is pride in its most elemental form a case of <strong><em>' I will not serve'</em></strong> which is an echo of Satan and the demons who followed him to hell.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />The difference between Jesus and Satan is one who came to serve and to teach us how to be servants to each other in the Kingdom of God, which Jesus showed us throughout His life. We also have the opposite who is Satan who would like to think himself master of all and servant of none the very epitome of pride and avarice. When we fail to recognise these differences we are then in danger of believing ourselves independent of God and make ourselves our own arbitrators of what is good and evil. Many then make of themselves <strong><em>'little gods'</em></strong> who serve themselves.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />When we ignore the seriousness of sin, then we also ignore the crucial importance of maintaining a relationship with God through prayer and the Sacraments of the Church. If we feel we are not sick and in need of no healing then why do we need the Divine Physician? This way of thinking is to believe that if a person is diagnosed with terminal cancer then good thoughts alone will save it, <strong><em>NO</em></strong> it wont! If many can accept that fact, then why do they ignore the seriousness of what sin does to the soul? It is the cancer of the soul which will eventually destroy it.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Our language has become so corrupted by political correctness that Priests, Nuns, catholic educators and even parents will not mention sin lest it distress the listener. We must not return to the hell fire and brimstone days where many teachers made hell to near and Heaven to far away, but neither can we ignore it.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />In a survey which was conducted a few years ago, when people were questioned what they thought was a sin, the only sin mentioned was murder. The survey also revealed that many people consider co-habitation without the benefit of marriage to be a viable choice. Casual sex was also found to be acceptable so long as both adults consented. Adultery was explained away as a life experience that may enhance a troubled marriage. All this nice language to disguise the fact that sin is <strong><em>SIN!</em></strong></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />The biggest triumph that Satan has had in our century is the fact that many deny his existance thereby sin also no longer exists as everything is explained away as<strong><em> 'lifestyle choices'</em></strong>. Until our young people are made aware of just how grave sin is, then the Church will continue to decrease in Mass attendance. We also need to understand that by encouraging our children to disregard sin and that all they have to do in order to be saved is lead good lives is to lead them astray. Jesus did not say ' Go and do what feels good' Jesus said to all He forgave, <strong>'Go and sin NO more'.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/1600/sin5.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/200/sin5.jpg" border="0" /></a></strong></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br /><strong>In the end when did sin die, because I missed that memo!</strong></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Peace of Christ to ALL</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Copyright © 2006 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Catholic+Church" rel="tag">Catholic Church</a></div><div align="justify"><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Catholic+Blogs" rel="tag">Catholic Blogs</a></div><div align="justify"><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/roman+catholic" rel="tag">roman catholic</a></div><div align="justify"><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/spiritual+warfare" rel="tag">spiritual warfare</a></div><div align="justify"><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Religion" rel="tag">Religion</a><br /><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p><a href="http://www.mysticmonkcoffee.com/store/?aid=397"><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Mystic Monk Coffee - Your purchase helps support the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming AND This Blog!</SPAN></a></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14989579.post-1155375767480826432006-08-12T05:37:00.000-04:002006-08-12T05:42:47.496-04:00The Seven Deadly Sins-ENVY<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/1600/envysin2.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/320/envysin2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="justify"><br />At the heart of all those who envy another is laziness. Whether it be physical or spiritual laziness the outcome is the same as envy enters the soul and steals it away from God.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />There is no such thing as spiritual envy one can have holy admiration for anothers virtuous life but that is not the same as envying another for their gifts.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />The soul that allows envy to eat away at its centre is driven by sheer laziness in that the very thing they envy they can also attain if they open their hearts and allow God to penetrate into their very depths. This calls for self sacrifice something that the envious person does not wish to do. It also requires hard work as we allow God to weed our souls from every form of selfishness and grievances. </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />When we allow a spirit of envy to enter our hearts we have immediately closed off and thwarted any attempts by the Holy Spirit to fill us with His Gifts. The envious heart is one of denying God His proper place to remain the centre of our hearts. The person who is full of envy has replaced God with an inordinate love of themselves before all others.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Envy is like a creeping cancer as the eyes of the envious watch the envied with the eyes of a hawk and the heart of a vulture. It is willing to tear the person they envy into a thousand pieces whether by slander or calumny the envious person has no principles as it hones in on its victim.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />The real tragedy with a soul that is eaten up with the envying of others is that it fails to act on the Gifts it has been given from Above and instead chooses to obsess on the Gifts it does not possess. This leads to an unhealthy and ultimately disastrous spiritual life as the focus of the envious soul remains fixed on itself and what others think of them.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />The child of envy is spite as with little acts of slander they try and destroy a person for simply being themselves. These envious hearts take no joy in anothers prosperity instead their hearts grow ever more envious. Neither do they receive any joy from their own successes as with brooding heart and burning eyes they wrongly believe that nothing they can do or achieve can compare to the person who they envy.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />It is a gruesome form of disordered love as their hearts churn within them over the sucesses of another.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />The only antidote to envy is love in its purist form. A heart that upon seeing the joy of their families and friends rejoices with them with gladness of heart. </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />When we love correctly we understand that there is nothing to envy in anyone as the creator of all good things has God as its Source and not itself. This is the heart of a healthy spiritual being who is inlove with this Awesome God and gives all praise to God on High for all that happens to it whether it be good or bad.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />In order to avoid envy it would be best to keep our eyes firmply planted on our Lord rather than on others.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/1600/envysin.jpg"></div></a><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/320/envysin.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Peace of Christ to ALL</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Copyright © 2006 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Catholic+Church" rel="tag">Catholic Church</a></div><div align="justify"><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Religion" rel="tag">Religion</a></div><div align="justify"><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Catholic+Blogs" rel="tag">Catholic Blogs</a></div><div align="justify"><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/spiritual+warfare" rel="tag">spiritual warfare</a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p><a href="http://www.mysticmonkcoffee.com/store/?aid=397"><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Mystic Monk Coffee - Your purchase helps support the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming AND This Blog!</SPAN></a></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14989579.post-1154839419125393542006-08-06T00:37:00.000-04:002006-08-07T00:51:07.283-04:00The Media War On Women<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/1600/stepfordwives.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/320/stepfordwives.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="justify"><br />This may seem to be a strange title for spiritual warfare. Yet there is a very present war on women and that is the war of making women feel less than who they are.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Leading the siege on this warfare is most facets of the media. Women are being constantly fed the lie that they have to look perfect, we must have a perfect figure, perfect hair, perfect teeth, perfect everything, we see this reflected in many women magazines and TV serials. The problem for women begins when they allow these media outlets into their psyche. This will turn a healthy woman into a neurotic and hysterical female who rather than enjoy life to its fullest instead stands in front of mirrors examining every perceived flaw.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />In order to understand just how insidious this warfare is we need only look at the women who have achieved what the <strong><em>'media'</em></strong> say will make us perfectly happy. The late Princess Diana had it all, an aristocratic background, she married into royalty and gave birth to two healthy boys. This woman's beauty captured the imagination of many as she became the icon of the age, yet beneath the glamour and the glitz she was miserable. Marilyn Monroe though not born into the wealth that Princess Diana had, also achieved her dream of becoming the most desirable woman on earth, yet she committed suicide. Barbara Hutton also a noted beauty and heiress searched her whole life for love yet died unloved and alone. These women are a living testament that what the media is seducing us with is a lie.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />One of the great leaders in this de-humanizing of the uniqueness of every woman is women magazines who inundate us with pictures of how we are all supposed to look as if women were made on an assembly line. Almost like a scene from the Stepford wives we read these magazines where actresses and models are pilloried and hauled over the coals if they dare to show any cellulite, who said all women have to be perfect?</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Many women read these magazines on a superficial level but the subtle message stays in the psyche of most women and that is they have to measure up to what exactly? Who decided what was perfect and what isn't?</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />We see this attack on women gaining momentum when actresses become skeletal in their obsession to be this perfect creature that all the magazines and media corporations demand. One need only look at the photos of some of these actresses to see where this insidious intrusion into their vulnerable minds and emotions lead them. We have all seen these stick thin actresses who look like they have just come out of a Nazi concentration camp, yet who demanded that they do this?</div><div align="justify"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/1600/anorexia2.jpg"> </div></a><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/320/anorexia2.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Many women think they are making themselves thin to please men but are they? Or is this a ruse in order to cover up what is essentially the missing element within themselves and it has nothing to do with calorie intake. What drives most women to take these drastic steps is a need to compete with other women. Lets face it most men simply want their wives and girlfriends to have confidence and to be fulfilled in who they are and not obsess over what they look like. What man wants a neurotic wife who in her attempt to be perfect becomes a living nightmare to live with, as she starves herself for whom?</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />We need only remember the furor over the actress Kate Winslet who refused to fall into line with the media moguls when it came to her weight she then was pilloried from magazine cover to magazine cover for daring to have <strong><em>CURVES</em></strong>! There is also immense pressure on many actresses who have become pregnant to lose their baby weight gain within weeks, and if they don't they are then lambasted once again in women magazines!</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />When magazines write that Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren or Jane Russell are now considered too fat for movies then there is definitely something wrong in their perception of a woman's figure. It is time for women to stop this weight dictatorship and to embrace who they are and to live a healthy lifestyle which will lead to inner fulfillment and contentment. </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />As I wrote above the women who supposedly<strong><em> 'had it all'</em></strong> died lonely and miserable as they chased after the illusive 'ideal' which is a figment of the media's imagination and the nightmare of those who buy into it. As this anonymous quote says, <em>"The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves and not to twist them with our own image. Otherwise, we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them."</em> Women need to reclaim their own identity and to be responsible for their own bodies this is what leads to that inner happiness we all long for.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br /><strong>When God created Eve, He did so with perfection. Eve didn't need a set of scales to tell her different.</strong></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Peace of Christ to ALL</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Copyright © 2006 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Catholic+Church" rel="tag">Catholic Church</a></div><div align="justify"><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Religion" rel="tag">Religion</a></div><div align="justify"><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Catholic+Blogs" rel="tag">Catholic Blogs</a></div><div align="justify"><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/spiritual+warfare" rel="tag">spiritual warfare</a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p><a href="http://www.mysticmonkcoffee.com/store/?aid=397"><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Mystic Monk Coffee - Your purchase helps support the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming AND This Blog!</SPAN></a></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14989579.post-1154344506487578072006-07-31T07:09:00.000-04:002006-08-01T03:08:36.710-04:00The Seven Deadly Sins-PRIDE<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/1600/7sins.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/320/7sins.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="justify"><br />It is becoming more and more difficult to understand the different elements of sin that separate us from the love of God. Not because God has stopped loving us but because we have replaced our love for God with a love of self over and above God.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />This is not something that the world will teach you in that the very language of the worldly is meant to mislead one into an acceptance of sin most especially self sin. </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />We are taught from a young age to have self esteem therefore in everything we do many of us expect to be praised and complimented on our efforts. The problem begins when the praise is not forthcoming and the compliments cease, do we still feel worthy and validated? Or are we offended that our efforts have been overlooked or at worse criticized?</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />We are also taught to be successful in everything we attempt, as one athlete was reminded when he was in training, <strong><em>'no-one remembers who ran second'.</em></strong> This is an unhappy truth, therefore from a very young age competitiveness is driven into us and a fierce desire to 'be the best', what the world does not teach is that these efforts come at a price. The need to win at all times may cost you your soul, is it worth it?</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />Another element of pride is over sensitivity in that a person will complain of any criticism directed at themselves in a peeved tone that the criticism is unfair. Or they will perceive any criticism as an attack upon their person and reputation and lash out at your lack of sensitivity to their needs. They fail to recognise this fact, who made them so important that everyone must take into account their feelings and so withhold the truth from them lest it hurt?</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />The consequences to the soul once pride has gained a foothold can be devastating especially if the soul fails to recognise the Hand of God at work within their lives. Oftentimes pride is Ego centric optimism in that we prize ourselves more highly than is warranted we make ourselves the centre of attention and become peeved when others don't notice us.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />At times even our prayers can become pride centred or to quote an old saying 'some pray with claws'. We cannot pray to our loving God if our hearts are full of criticism of another as if God had made an aberration for creating the person who has vexed us. Many fail to look within themselves and ask if they are that perfect that they can criticize Gods own child to Him who created this aberration with equal amounts of love.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />Yet again another form of pride is over zealousness. In this case even <strong><em>'holiness'</em></strong> becomes a contest where if a person prays 3 times a day the<strong><em> 'over zealous'</em></strong> person will inform you that they pray 6 times a day. If you attend Mass 3 times a week the over zealous person will tell you that you go 5 times a week and on it goes. This type of false<strong><em> 'holiness'</em></strong> is dangerous to the soul in that they think themselves righteous and that everyone is merely jealous of them and so they will not listen to any rebukes or warnings. As St. Thomas More once said,<em> "The Devil, the proud spirit, cannot endure to be mocked."</em> The Devil cannot stand to be corrected either.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />Pride is one sin from which all others are born, as the Catholic Catechism teaches us, <strong>"Hatred of God comes from pride. It is contrary to the love of God, whose goodness it denies, and whom it presumes to curse as the one who forbids sins and inflicts punishment'"(CCC 2094).</strong> When we become easily offended and quick to go on the defensive it shows us that there is an element of pride within our own souls that needs to be dealt with quickly and decisively.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />The most dangerous form of pride is the person that thinks they can use the Sacraments for their own nefarious purpose. When a person holds no true repentance and does not reform their way they have become their own<strong><em> 'god'</em></strong> and will do as they please in the foolish belief that <strong><em>' God loves me anyway'.</em></strong> God does not love or admire sin! Nothing is hidden from God, so if a soul places itself in a position where it will knowingly sin they will incur His wrath rather than His Mercy. Let us remember what Jesus said to the Pharisee's and recollect ourselves with those very words that we too will not put Gods love to the test.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />Pride is essentially stealing from God in that we acclaim ourselves as our own inventors doers of our own good and give no recognition to God who is Supreme Creator and Judge of ALL.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />The ultimate weapon to defeat pride is humility. A true knowledge of oneself in the eyes of God. A humble heart remains contrite and grateful that God loves them despite themselves. Humility is praising God for the work He is doing within you and to give Him the glory rather than yourself.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />The best remedy to keep pride at bay is to live a life of obedience to the Church's teaching in all that we do and say.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/1600/7dead.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/320/7dead.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Peace of Christ to ALL</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br />Copyright © 2006 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p><a href="http://www.mysticmonkcoffee.com/store/?aid=397"><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Mystic Monk Coffee - Your purchase helps support the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming AND This Blog!</SPAN></a></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14989579.post-1153468656139028012006-07-21T03:49:00.000-04:002006-07-21T03:57:36.156-04:00Islamofacists-The Fear Factor<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/1600/liberty.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/320/liberty.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">When we examine more closely the ideology of Islamofacists the question we need to ask is, what is driving them to attack those who embrace freedom and those who happen to be born Jewish?<br /><br />If they are so sure that Islam is the ONLY 'real' religion, why then do they feel the need to destroy others who embrace and live a different belief system whether it be Jewish or Christianity?<br /><br />When we look at the religion of Judaism and Christianity it becomes apparent that both of these faith structures are secure in what they hold to be true, therefore there is no need for either to impose their beliefs onto others by use of force.<br /><br />What is also becoming equally apparent is that the driving force of the Islamofacists is fear, if they are so driven by fear then the question becomes why? If these Islamofacists sincerely believe that their religion is the ONLY religion, why then are they not secure in this belief?<br /><br />Though fear is the motivating force which is at the core of the terrorists, hatred of the Jews and the Western world it is merely a symptom which then expresses itself in acts of violence. Hate may be the act but it is fear that kills. Along with fear and hate comes envy for the Islamofacists know that the only way they can hold onto power is through intimidation and aggression towards their fellow Muslims, which then spreads to wider regions as we are now seeing. We see in these words written many years ago a prophetic warning, even though it is fiction the words hold a chilling ring, <span style="font-style: italic;">"Yet across an immense ethereal gulf, minds that are to our minds as ours are to the beasts in the jungle, intellects vast, cool and unsympathetic, regarded this earth with envious eyes and slowly and surely drew their plans against us."</span> Those these words were written by H. G. Wells describes an alien invasion we can also look at these very words and understand the build up of Islamofacist as they also regarded the West and the freedoms we now enjoy and with envious eyes..slowly and surely the Islamofacists drew their plans against us.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Islamofactists are not driven by love of Allah, if anything they have prostituted their own core beliefs. They are driven by a perverted need to control the uncontrollable which is a persons individual right to think and decide their own destiny on their own terms. This is unacceptable to the Islamofacists who need to subjugate and terrorize all those who simply wish to follow the Tenets of their own Faith. It also applies to their own more moderate Muslims who also face this same intimidation from the more violent elements of Islam as Irshad Manji challenges her fellow Muslims with these words, <span style="font-style: italic;">"In that spirit, I'm asking Muslims in the West a very basic question: Will we remain spiritually infantile, caving to cultural pressures to clam up and conform, or will we mature into full-fledged citizens, defending the very pluralism that allows us to be in this part of the world in the first place?"</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">In principle Islam is not much different from Godless Communism, which denies man his inherent right to be a unique individual endowed by God to choose to love Him above all others. God gave us freedom to choose our own course, yet Islamofacists sole purpose is to deprive man of the very thing that God has bestowed upon His beloved children, free will. Instead like communism the Islamofacists believe in a collective religion where everyone must believe and think the exact same thing and like communism any sign of individuality is crushed beneath the dictatorship of the Islamofacist fist.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">This fascist ideology uses the excuse that centuries ago the Christian Crusaders tried to impose their beliefs by force onto the Muslims. There is truth to this as history bears out. Does this mean that for every country who has been invaded and for all races who have suffered persecution need to go on century long feuds and kill those who may have caused pain and harm to our ancestors. Every country has its own history of persecution where the innocent were murdered but if the motto is that we must avenge our ancestors, the entire world would wipe itself out. This is the excuse the Islamofacists use as they raise their children from the nipple to the grave that the Crusades took place yesterday rather than centuries ago, therefore their ancestors need to be avenged. It is also the excuse they use to the West as they lay the burden of guilt upon Western Nations who have fallen for this method of propaganda. Once again that courageous woman, <a href="http://www.muslim-refusenik.com/thebook.html">Irshad Manji, writes</a>, <span style="font-style: italic;">"My question for non-Muslims is equally basic: Will you succumb to the intimidation of being called "racists," or will you finally challenge us Muslims to take responsibility for our role in what ails Islam?"</span> Unfortunately the Western Nations have bought into this guilt trip as they cringe before the Islamofacists as political correctness overrides common sense!<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Muslims also say that they are a religion of 'peace' if this is so then why are Christians being brutally murdered in countries such as the Sudan where the Muslims are in the majority yet still they are murdering the minority 20% of Christian Sudanese. The Islamofacists are also intimidating the Christian Sudanese to convert to Islam in order to survive as the persecutions continue to Islamocize Non Muslims. Is this not the very thing that Islamic clerics accuse Christians of doing unfoundedly so? In Algeria the news is not much better for Christians as the Algerian government outlaws any attempt for Christians to practice their faith as it is seen as a threat to Islam. Once again if Islam is so perfect a religion why do the Islamofacists fear Christians? As we know the persecutions continue in such places as Pakistan, Indonesia and other Muslim countries.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The truth is that Islam has engaged in a not so subtle war against Christianity for centuries. One only has to read about the genocide in Armenia where with German compliance the Muslims tried to annihilate an entire people. Perhaps the Islamofacists have more in common with Nazi fascism than with peace. As Adolf Hitler once said to his Generals, <span style="font-style: italic;">"Thus for the time being I have sent to the East only my 'Death's Head Units' with the orders to kill without pity or mercy all men, women, and children of Polish race or language. Only in such a way will we win the vital space that we need. Who still talks nowadays about the Armenians?"</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Rather than be fooled by this guilt trip being thrust on the Western Nations, Islamofacists face a choice too, do they choose to live peacefully beside their neighbors or do they kill them? It is that simple! The choice is theirs!<br /><br />In the end are we learning from history or are we repeating it?<br /><br />Peace of Christ to ALL<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Copyright © 2006 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.<br /></div></div><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/catholic" rel="tag">Catholic</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Religion" rel="tag">Religion</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Church" rel="tag">Church</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/roman+catholic" rel="tag">Roman Catholic</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Catholic+Church" rel="tag">Catholic Church</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Spiritual+Warfare" rel="tag">Spiritual Warfare</a><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Catholic+Blogs" rel="tag">Catholic Blogs</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p><a href="http://www.mysticmonkcoffee.com/store/?aid=397"><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Mystic Monk Coffee - Your purchase helps support the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming AND This Blog!</SPAN></a></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14989579.post-1153136183406389292006-07-17T07:20:00.000-04:002006-07-17T07:36:23.433-04:00The Rise of Islamofascism As The West Slept<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/1600/bomber.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/320/bomber.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="justify"><br />What makes us think that every war should mirror the last one? When we look at the history of military battles each one was fought differently, i.e., the Crimea war was much different to the First World War, the Second World War was different from the First World War, then we have the Vietnam war which once again was fought differently. Now in our own time we face another type of war, that of the terrorist war and make <strong><em>NO</em></strong> mistake it is <strong><em>WAR!</em></strong> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />The world made a mistake in thinking that Islamofacism was a war between Jews and Arabs. While different Governments tut tutted as the Jewish people once again became hostages to fortune as they were kidnapped from official Olympic buildings and held hostage on air flights, still the world thought <strong><em>'this is not our problem it is a Jewish problem',</em></strong> and then just as quickly went back to sleep. Once again as it had happened in Nazi Germany the prevailing ethos was 'it's not happening to me so it doesn't matter' took effect and now the West is feeling the consequences of that philosophy. </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />When Tony Blair was voted in as Prime Minister a secret under the table deal was sorted out by his Government and Islamic leaders who had been forced to flee their native lands. The Blair government in affect was ready to look the other way while vicious Islamic fundamentalist leaders such as Islamic cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri ranted his venom and hatred of the West in the streets of London. It was during this particular time under Tony Blair's watch that London was given the nickname Londonstan. By taking the road of least resistance and appeasement Tony Blair also helped orchestrate the London bombings of July 7th 2005 by proxy. You cannot appease or live peacefully beside evil, it is about as impossible as trying to tame a wild tiger by holding its tail, the tiger will eventually turn around and devour you! </div><div align="justify"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/1600/arab.jpg"> </div></a><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/200/arab.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />The war with the Islamofacists did not happen overnight it was a progressive offensive war undertaken by these terrorists against free nations everywhere. We only have to remember back to the Iranian Embassy hostage siege where Americans were kept captive from 1979 till 1981, where once he was elected President, Ronald Reagan negotiated their release. Once President Reagan came to power, the Iranian government could not determine how tough this President would be, as he was displaying no outward signs of timidity as expressed by the preceding President. </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />The terror offensive did not end there, as we view a time line of intensifying violence where in 1983 the Islamofacists were responsible for bombing the U.S embassy in Beirut, Lebanon killing 63 people and injuring hundreds . A few months later another explosion hit American and French compounds murdering 241 American soldiers and 58 Frenchmen. Both bombs were counted as a victory for the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization. </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />In 1985 we saw where once again the terrorists struck a TWA airliner as the plane was forced to fly from one country to another and though some hostages were freed this does NOT excuse the torture and murder of a U.S servicemen who happened to be on board. During this ordeal the American Government tried to make the best deal from two evils, they pressured the Israeli government into releasing 435 terrorist prisoners. As we can see in hindsight making 'deals' with terrorists only encourages them to continue in the same pattern. It was the terror organization Hezbollah who were responsible for the hijacking of TWA Flight 847. </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Once again in 1985 the world watched as the cruise ship the Achille Lauro was overtaken by Palestinian Islamofacists, where they then murdered an elderly gentleman Leon Klinghoffer because his name was Jewish. It did not matter to these black hearted Muslim fascists that he was celebrating his wedding anniversary to his beloved wife, Mr. Klinghoffer's <strong><em>'crime'</em></strong> was to have been born Jewish/American, therefore he was expendable! </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />The terror does not end there as Westerners were kidnapped in Lebanon in 1987 and kept hostage for years, these were <strong><em>NOT</em></strong> soldiers but ordinary American, English and Irish citizens on work visa's, they were teachers, journalists and diplomats. These terrorists even kidnapped the English negotiator Terry Waite who was trying to orchestrate the release of these hostages. As we see, negotiation does <strong><em>NOT</em></strong> work with those driven by a hatefilled ideology and <strong><em>NOT</em></strong> common sense for there is <strong><em>NO</em></strong> logic to hate! After many years of torture and brutality the hostages were finally freed including the American Terry Anderson, the Irishman Brian Keenan, John McCarthy with Terry Waite among others. </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Even though the West has been under attack for these many decades many sit astonished as the war with Islamofacists intensifies. It is astounding that rather than place the blame with the terrorists many are making the mistake of blaming the victims, the Nation of Israel and America as the terror groups Hezbollah, Hamas and the Jihadists sit and laugh at the stupidity of those who have fallen for their propoganda! </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Yet through all these terrorist atrocities the appeasement policy of many Governments gained ground as political leaders cringed in fear before these fascist leaders. One in particular was Omar Bari who was living in England, (while also claiming approximately 3 thousand dollars a month on welfare benefits including a car for the disabled) and here are some of the remarks made by Omar Bakri in an interview after he had been expelled from England,<em> "I believe that one day honest Muslims in the United Kingdom will, God willing, turn it into "Islamistan," like what the first Muslims did in Eritrea and Indonesia. The great dream of Islam will come true. Muslims dream to see flags that read: "There is no god but Allah" fluttering in the wind on top of Big Ben and the House of Commons, God willing."</em> A chilling scenario indeed! </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Yet have many people reached the stage where they trust terrorist regimes which thrive in countries such as Iran, Syria, Palestine and Lebanon and place ALL the blame for these terrorist atrocities at the feet of Israel and America? Did America deserve to be hit on September 11th 2001?According to many revisionist historians and liberals they did! </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />When we look back at history more Muslims have murdered Muslims than any other nation on earth. The Iran/ Iraq war which lasted from 1980 until 1988 killed approximately 1 million people the slaughter was so great that one can only speculate as to the hundreds of thousands who were butchered by their fellow Muslims. The different factions of Muslims have been in an internal warfare for centuries, with the Sunni, Shiites, Sufi's and other splinters of Islam warring against each other. Yet according to many Muslims they consider themselves to be a peaceful religion. How so? Are Catholics slaughtering fellow Catholics? Are Lutherans murdering their fellow Lutherans? Are Baptists killing their fellow believers? <strong><em>NO!</em></strong> It seems only Muslims kill their own! </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />When the Iranian embassy was under siege in London in 1980 why did the elite British force the SAS storm the building and save the hostages? Why didn't the British government simply let Muslims murder their fellow Muslims. Once again we see that it was Muslim terrorists who held their fellow Muslims hostage. And it was a Western Power who came to the aid of the Muslims held captive!</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />The Muslims believe that America wishes to destroy them, then why did America go to the aid of the Muslims in the former war torn Yugoslavia? It was not an <strong><em>'American war'</em></strong> it was very much a European issue, yet the Europeans waited on America to act and America did go to the aid of the beleaguered Muslims. When the massacre happened in Srebrencia where Ratko Mladic committed genocide against the Muslims, the Americans bombarded the Serbs till their leader Slobodan Milosevic was forced to enter into peace negotiations. We are now aware of what happened to that vile genocidal maniac the former President Milosevic. If the world did not care for Muslims, then why was Milosevic prosecuted? </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Once again in Mogadishu America came to the aid of the Somali people, only to find the Muslims turn on the Americans and other Western Nations who in an effort to help the suffering people instead found themselves under attack! Can anyone forget the horrific scene of those poor dead U.S soldiers being dragged through the streets? Yet once again somehow Americans are to blame for trying to help? Here we read a recent excerpt from a Somali news report dated 2006, <em>"Somali Muslims who fail to perform daily prayers will be killed in accordance with Qur'anic law under a new edict issued by a leading cleric in the Islamic courts union that controls Mogadishu."</em> That's Muslim tolerance for you! </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Let us also look at the scale of this issue of land. The Middle East is approximately 2,061,000 square miles, Israel on its own only takes up approximately 8,000 square miles, yet Muslims cannot bear to allow the Israeli's 8,000 square miles? Why is this so? For it is<strong><em> NOT</em></strong> the Israeli's who are telling the Iranians to leave their own land, nor are they screaming for Syria to leave their land. Yet both Iran and Syria cannot allow the Israeli people a mere 8,000 square miles? The Israeli people are willing to live peacefully beside their Muslims neighbours it is the Muslims themselves who wish to obliterate Israel from the face of the map, why? We must remember Israel is a Sovereign nation.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />As for the 'Palestinian' people, when Yasser Arafat was alive he received billions of dollars in aid from Western countries to build a proper infrastructure for the Palestinian people. Yet where are the new hospitals, nursing homes, schools, playgrounds community centres, roads? Oh yes, of course the money was siphoned off into a Swiss bank account! Yet we also see these terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah are able to buy sophisticated weaponry, they can also make suicide bombs and other assorted bombs and machine guns. Who is providing and paying for this arsenal of evil? </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />We also often hear the word <strong><em>'Jihad'</em></strong> mentioned yet does not Jihad mean a spiritual battle within the Muslim person and the spiritual cleansing of the soul? If so, then why are Muslims using and abusing this word in order to murder innocent people? Another question to ask is why are there <strong><em>NO </em></strong>Muslim Clerics willing to criticize this abuse of such a <strong><em>'holy' word?</em></strong> Actually there are <strong><em>NO </em></strong>Muslim clerics willing to criticize any of the above mentioned acts of terrorism done by Hezbollah, Hamas or the Islamic Jihadists. Why? </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Muslims also make the claim that Westerners are infidels and have loose or no morals, there is some justification for this thinking. Many Western countries do promote pornography, and some countries have legalized prostitution, no country is perfect. Yet is that reason enough to cause brutal acts of terrorism? Is it also not the case that when a female relative is raped the male relatives then commit what is known as honour killing in order to salvage the <strong><em>'family name'</em></strong> and maintain its pride? Where is the compassion? There doesn't seem to be too much if you're a Muslim woman.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />When we look at the Muslim faith do they not make the claim that all Muslims who are martyred will upon reaching Heaven gain for themselves 70 virgins? Here is a quote from a leader of Hamas, Muhammad Abu Wardeh, as he encourages his suicide bombers, <em>"I described to him how God would compensate the martyr for sacrificing his life for his land. If you become a martyr, God will give you 70 virgins, 70 wives and everlasting happiness."</em> There may be many things wrong with the West, but we do <strong><em>NOT</em></strong> deprave or sexualize Heaven into a <strong><em>LUST</em></strong> festival! </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Just as we have our Desert Fathers who preached mortification, purity and holiness so that we may all enter into the Holiness that is Heaven untouched by any impurity. These are the words of Muslim fathers on their version of <strong><em>'heaven',</em></strong> <em>"Each time we sleep with a houri we find her virgin. Besides, the penis of the Elected never softens. The erection is eternal; the sensation that you feel each time you make love is utterly delicious and out of this world and were you to experience it in this world you would faint. Each chosen one [ie Muslim] will marry seventy [sic] houris, besides the women he married on earth, and all will have appetizing vaginas."</em> So according to Islam Heaven is little more than a house of prostitution! </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />No country is perfect nor are it's people as we all are frail human beings with our own fears and vulnerabilities, this though does not drive all people to commit violent acts of atrocities because our belief system is different. Muslims also claim to be a people of peace if so then why do so many support or benignly co-operate with terrorists on a daily basis by making excuses for what is the inexcusable, crimes against humanity? It is time that the more peaceful elements of Islam raised it's voice to overcome the raucous and rabid hatred of the Islamofacists, lest they be held accountable alongside the terrorists! To paraphrase an old saying,<strong> 'evil can only prosper when good men say and do nothing'.</strong></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />When the tsunami struck parts of Indonesia where the Muslims are the majority it was the Western countries who donated the <strong><em>MOST</em></strong> amount of money to the needy families. The super wealthy Muslim countries donated the <strong><em>LEAST</em></strong>! As Paul Wolowitz said, <em>"There's been very little generosity so far from parts of the Muslim world that are big on talking about jihad and other things, but when 200,000 people - all of them Muslim in the case of Indonesia - died in this catastrophe, there's not much help forthcoming."</em> It seems the Muslims have become very professional at taking lives, and less than generous at trying to save lives. The Israeli Government and its people donated $ 100,000 to each affected country they also dispatched 150 IDF doctors and rescue workers as well as assisting with food, 9 tonnes of medicine, water, thouands of blankets, tents, sheeting and power generators to the stricken area's. Did the Muslims reject this offer because it came from Jewish hands? <strong><em>NO!</em></strong></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Rather than attack the Jews for simply existing or America for trying to help and aid the stricken countries let us instead place the blame for terrorist attacks on the people who are at fault and that is the Islamofacists who epitomise evil in our own time and hour.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br /><strong>Let us pray that when the day of evil arrives God does not find us sleeping. </strong></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Peace of Christ to ALL</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Copyright © 2006 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><em><div align="justify"><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Catholic+Church" rel="tag">Catholic Church</a></div><div align="justify"><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Religion" rel="tag">Religion</a></div><div align="justify"><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Catholic+Blogs" rel="tag">Catholic Blogs</a></div><div align="justify"><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/spiritual+warfare" rel="tag">spiritual warfare</a></em></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p><a href="http://www.mysticmonkcoffee.com/store/?aid=397"><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Mystic Monk Coffee - Your purchase helps support the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming AND This Blog!</SPAN></a></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14989579.post-1152965389938167212006-07-15T07:59:00.000-04:002006-07-15T08:09:57.006-04:00Spirit Warfare-The Hellish Truth<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/1600/Hell3.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/320/Hell3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="justify"><br />One of Satan's great achievements during this century is not only in convincing many that he doesn't exist, it also encompasses those who refuse to believe that hell exists. Hell does exist, the Bible speaks of hell as does the Catholic Church, yet hell has also become an uncomfortable teaching, why is this so?</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Let us first look at what Scripture teaches us, for it says in Job, <strong>"Complete darkness is in store for him; the fire which shall consume him needs not to be fanned. The heavens shall reveal his guilt, and the earth shall rise up against him. The flood shall sweep away his house with the waters that run off in the day of God's anger. This is the portion of a wicked man, and the heritage appointed him by God." </strong>Once again Scripture teaches us, in Deuteronomy<strong>,"Since they have provoked me with their 'no-god' and angered me with their vain idols, I will provoke them with a 'no-people'; with a foolish nation I will anger them. "For by my wrath a fire is enkindled that shall rage to the depths of the nether world, Consuming the earth with its yield, and licking with flames the roots of the mountains." </strong>We are also given a warning about what awaits those who refuse to believe in the existance of hell and therefore live their lives with no accountability and a refusal to repent. As it warns in the Book of Luke when Jesus speaks of the rich man who upon death finds himself in hell, he then wishes to warn his brothers but is told it is too late, will it be too late for you?</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />We also read in the Catholic Catechism these words<strong><em>,"The teaching of the Church affirms the existence of hell and its eternity. Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell, "eternal fire." The chief punishment of hell is eternal separation from God, in whom alone man can possess the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs.(1035)"</em></strong> Do we glibly carry on in sin as if hell were for everyone else but not you?</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Another great and grave danger is when people resign themselves to spending time in Purgatory, mainly because they do not wish to amend their ways even though by their continuous wrongful actions they are challenging God's Justice. If you know your behaviour is unacceptable to God and you refuse to amend or sincerely repent of your sin, then you will be lucky indeed to escape hell fire. To rely on Purgatory in order for you to continue to sin is to usurp God's Authority and to treat your Heavenly Father with ill conceived contempt. Do you think God cannot see your obstinacy and your refusal to obey His Commandments? Or do some Catholics also embrace the theory <strong><em>'once Saved always Saved'?</em></strong></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />If the Bible and the Catholic Catechism are not enough we also have our Saints who through the Mercy of God also warns us of hell. As Saint Faustina writes in her diary, <em>"Today, I was led by an angel to the chasms of hell. It is a place of great torture; how awesomely large and extensive it is! The kinds of tortures I saw: the first torture that constitutes hell is the loss of God; the second is perpetual remorse of conscience; the third is that one's condition will never change; the fourth is the fire that will penetrate the soul without destroying it – a terrible suffering, since it is a purely spiritual fire, lit by God's anger; the fifth torture is continual darkness and a terrible suffocating smell, and, despite the darkness, the devils and the souls of the damned see each other and all the evil, both of others and their own; the sixth torture is the constant company of Satan; the seventh torture is the horrible despair, hatred of God, vile words, curses and blasphemies. These are the tortures suffered by all the damned together, but that is not the end of the sufferings. There are special tortures destined for particular souls. These are the torments of the senses. Each soul undergoes terrible and indescribable sufferings, related to the manner in which it has sinned. There are caverns and pits of torture where one form of agony differs from another. I would have died at the very sight of these tortures if the omnipotence of God had not supported me. Let the sinner know that he will be tortured throughout all eternity, in those senses which he made use of to sin. I am writing this at the command of God, so that no soul may find an excuse by saying there is no hell, or that nobody has ever been there, and so no one can say what it is like. I, Sister Faustina, by the order of God, have visited the abysses of hell so that I might tell souls about it and testify to its existence."</em> Once can see that this is a terrifying description of what awaits those who show no sorrow or remorse for their sins against the Triune Spirit.<br /></div><div align="justify"><br />We also see in the writings of Sister Josefa Menendez these cautious words, <em>"I saw several souls fall into Hell, and among them was a child of fifteen, cursing her parents for not having taught her to fear God nor that there was a Hell. Her life had been a short one, she said, but full of sin, for she had given in to all that her body and passions demanded in the way of satisfaction...".</em> We read these words that were written in 1923, to what depths must society sink too in order for us to heed these dire warnings? The children of Fatima were also shown how terrifying is the pits of hell and so a prayer was instituted within the Church,<em> "O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those most in need of Thy Mercy."</em></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />We need to understand in order to obtain and gain God's Mercy we must seek it with all our hearts, mind and soul and then go and sin <strong><em>NO</em></strong> more. We know that Jesus came for the sick to heal them of their sins, he mixed with the sinner but did not become defiled by their proximity. But our Lord did not come to heal us only for us to return once again in full knowledge and consent to that self same sin. That is not remorse nor is it repentance but it is presumption!</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Ask yourself when was the last time your Priest gave a sermon on sin and the effects it will have on your soul? When did your Priest warn you of the consequences of unrepentant and unconfessed sin? When has your Priest spoken about hell? Also for parents when was the last time you spoke to your children of hell and the consequences of their unrepentant sins? When was the last time you spoke of chastity, purity and holiness to your children?</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Who guides your conscience Hollywood, the media or God? When the Catholic Church warns us not to read certain materials who of us immediately go out and buy it? As if an author or Hollywood had all the answers and the Church has lost its relevance. When we disobey the warnings of the Catholic Church and instead do the exact opposite of its Teachings and pay little heed of its warnings then we are little better than Adam and Eve who were tempted to disobey God and succumbed to that temptation. Adam and Eve also did not heed God's Commandment or warning and so suffered the consequences of which we still feel today.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />In the words of St. Leonard of Port Maurice, <em>"To be saved for all eternity, to be damned for all eternity, and to not make your every effort to avoid the one and make sure of the other, is something inconceivable." </em></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br /><strong>If hell does not exist then neither does Heaven, for if we cannot attain Heaven we will then settle for hell.</strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/1600/hell5.jpg"> </div></a></strong><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8011/1267/320/hell5.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Peace of Christ to ALL </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br />Copyright © 2005 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Catholic+Church" rel="tag">Catholic Church</a></div><div align="justify"><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Religion" rel="tag">Religion</a></div><div align="justify"><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Catholic+Blogs" rel="tag">Catholic Blogs</a></div><div align="justify"><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/spiritual+warfare" rel="tag">spiritual warfare</a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p><a href="http://www.mysticmonkcoffee.com/store/?aid=397"><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Mystic Monk Coffee - Your purchase helps support the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming AND This Blog!</SPAN></a></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0