Pope Benedict XVI Christmas Eve Homily 2012

MIDNIGHT MASS

 

from www.vatican.va

SOLEMNITY OF THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD

HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI

Saint Peter's Basilica
Monday, 24 December 2012

 

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

Again and again the beauty of this Gospel touches our hearts: a beauty that is the splendour of truth. Again and again it astonishes us that God makes himself a child so that we may love him, so that we may dare to love him, and as a child trustingly lets himself be taken into our arms. It is as if God were saying: I know that my glory frightens you, and that you are trying to assert yourself in the face of my grandeur. So now I am coming to you as a child, so that you can accept me and love me.

I am also repeatedly struck by the Gospel writer’s almost casual remark that there was no room for them at the inn. Inevitably the question arises, what would happen if Mary and Joseph were to knock at my door. Would there be room for them? And then it occurs to us that Saint John takes up this seemingly chance comment about the lack of room at the inn, which drove the Holy Family into the stable; he explores it more deeply and arrives at the heart of the matter when he writes: “he came to his own home, and his own people received him not” (Jn 1:11). The great moral question of our attitude towards the homeless, towards refugees and migrants, takes on a deeper dimension: do we really have room for God when he seeks to enter under our roof? Do we have time and space for him? Do we not actually turn away God himself? We begin to do so when we have no time for God. The faster we can move, the more efficient our time-saving appliances become, the less time we have. And God? The question of God never seems urgent. Our time is already completely full. But matters go deeper still. Does God actually have a place in our thinking? Our process of thinking is structured in such a way that he simply ought not to exist. Even if he seems to knock at the door of our thinking, he has to be explained away. If thinking is to be taken seriously, it must be structured in such a way that the “God hypothesis” becomes superfluous. There is no room for him. Not even in our feelings and desires is there any room for him. We want ourselves. We want what we can seize hold of, we want happiness that is within our reach, we want our plans and purposes to succeed. We are so “full” of ourselves that there is no room left for God. And that means there is no room for others either, for children, for the poor, for the stranger. By reflecting on that one simple saying about the lack of room at the inn, we have come to see how much we need to listen to Saint Paul’s exhortation: “Be transformed by the renewal of your mind” (Rom 12:2). Paul speaks of renewal, the opening up of our intellect (nous), of the whole way we view the world and ourselves. The conversion that we need must truly reach into the depths of our relationship with reality. Let us ask the Lord that we may become vigilant for his presence, that we may hear how softly yet insistently he knocks at the door of our being and willing. Let us ask that we may make room for him within ourselves, that we may recognize him also in those through whom he speaks to us: children, the suffering, the abandoned, those who are excluded and the poor of this world.

There is another verse from the Christmas story on which I should like to reflect with you – the angels’ hymn of praise, which they sing out following the announcement of the new-born Saviour: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased.” God is glorious. God is pure light, the radiance of truth and love. He is good. He is true goodness, goodness par excellence. The angels surrounding him begin by simply proclaiming the joy of seeing God’s glory. Their song radiates the joy that fills them. In their words, it is as if we were hearing the sounds of heaven. There is no question of attempting to understand the meaning of it all, but simply the overflowing happiness of seeing the pure splendour of God’s truth and love. We want to let this joy reach out and touch us: truth exists, pure goodness exists, pure light exists. God is good, and he is the supreme power above all powers. All this should simply make us joyful tonight, together with the angels and the shepherds.

Linked to God’s glory on high is peace on earth among men. Where God is not glorified, where he is forgotten or even denied, there is no peace either. Nowadays, though, widespread currents of thought assert the exact opposite: they say that religions, especially monotheism, are the cause of the violence and the wars in the world. If there is to be peace, humanity must first be liberated from them. Monotheism, belief in one God, is said to be arrogance, a cause of intolerance, because by its nature, with its claim to possess the sole truth, it seeks to impose itself on everyone. Now it is true that in the course of history, monotheism has served as a pretext for intolerance and violence. It is true that religion can become corrupted and hence opposed to its deepest essence, when people think they have to take God’s cause into their own hands, making God into their private property. We must be on the lookout for these distortions of the sacred. While there is no denying a certain misuse of religion in history, yet it is not true that denial of God would lead to peace. If God’s light is extinguished, man’s divine dignity is also extinguished. Then the human creature would cease to be God’s image, to which we must pay honour in every person, in the weak, in the stranger, in the poor. Then we would no longer all be brothers and sisters, children of the one Father, who belong to one another on account of that one Father. The kind of arrogant violence that then arises, the way man then despises and tramples upon man: we saw this in all its cruelty in the last century. Only if God’s light shines over man and within him, only if every single person is desired, known and loved by God is his dignity inviolable, however wretched his situation may be. On this Holy Night, God himself became man; as Isaiah prophesied, the child born here is “Emmanuel”, God with us (Is 7:14). And down the centuries, while there has been misuse of religion, it is also true that forces of reconciliation and goodness have constantly sprung up from faith in the God who became man. Into the darkness of sin and violence, this faith has shone a bright ray of peace and goodness, which continues to shine.

So Christ is our peace, and he proclaimed peace to those far away and to those near at hand (cf. Eph 2:14, 17). How could we now do other than pray to him: Yes, Lord, proclaim peace today to us too, whether we are far away or near at hand. Grant also to us today that swords may be turned into ploughshares (Is 2:4), that instead of weapons for warfare, practical aid may be given to the suffering. Enlighten those who think they have to practise violence in your name, so that they may see the senselessness of violence and learn to recognize your true face. Help us to become people “with whom you are pleased” – people according to your image and thus people of peace.

Once the angels departed, the shepherds said to one another: Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened for us (cf. Lk 2:15). The shepherds went with haste to Bethlehem, the Evangelist tells us (cf. 2:16). A holy curiosity impelled them to see this child in a manger, who the angel had said was the Saviour, Christ the Lord. The great joy of which the angel spoke had touched their hearts and given them wings.

Let us go over to Bethlehem, says the Church’s liturgy to us today. Trans-eamus is what the Latin Bible says: let us go “across”, daring to step beyond, to make the “transition” by which we step outside our habits of thought and habits of life, across the purely material world into the real one, across to the God who in his turn has come across to us. Let us ask the Lord to grant that we may overcome our limits, our world, to help us to encounter him, especially at the moment when he places himself into our hands and into our heart in the Holy Eucharist.

Let us go over to Bethlehem: as we say these words to one another, along with the shepherds, we should not only think of the great “crossing over” to the living God, but also of the actual town of Bethlehem and all those places where the Lord lived, ministered and suffered. Let us pray at this time for the people who live and suffer there today. Let us pray that there may be peace in that land. Let us pray that Israelis and Palestinians may be able to live their lives in the peace of the one God and in freedom. Let us also pray for the countries of the region, for Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and their neighbours: that there may be peace there, that Christians in those lands where our faith was born may be able to continue living there, that Christians and Muslims may build up their countries side by side in God’s peace.

The shepherds made haste. Holy curiosity and holy joy impelled them. In our case, it is probably not very often that we make haste for the things of God. God does not feature among the things that require haste. The things of God can wait, we think and we say. And yet he is the most important thing, ultimately the one truly important thing. Why should we not also be moved by curiosity to see more closely and to know what God has said to us? At this hour, let us ask him to touch our hearts with the holy curiosity and the holy joy of the shepherds, and thus let us go over joyfully to Bethlehem, to the Lord who today once more comes to meet us. Amen.



Children "Vote" for Obama at Catholic School

On the eve of the presidential election, I'm not going to change any minds at this point, but I'd be mad at myself if I didn't say something.

Our kids attend a Catholic grade school and recently the school held a mock presidential election.  Sitting down for dinner with our kids last night, I found out that Obama won the third grade vote.  Our twins are in third grade but they voted for Romney because they know my husband and I are voting for Romney.  So does this mean the majority of third graders voted for Obama because they know their parents are voting for Obama?  If so, do they not know or care that the Catholic church and our Religious Liberty are at stake?

If this is the case, I'm really worried.  Not so much worried about the outcome of the real election, but for the outcome of future Catholic generations.  I'm worried that as my children grow up around these other kids and their families, that our jobs are going to be even harder to instill Catholic social teachings if the majority of the families they grow up around aren't on the same page as we are... standing WITH the Catholic Church on all things.

I know kids will generally follow what they're first taught at home, but there will come a time when they'll hear and wonder about other values and views, and question theirs (or rather, "ours").  It takes a village to raise a family, so it's important for us to have our children surrounded by like-minded Catholic families and individuals because they will be influence by EVERYTHING around them.  I'm sorry, but it's very disheartening to me to think that many Catholic children my children know may not be taught and shown the truth of our Faith from their own families, which could then be a tragic epidemic of ignorance or apathy towards Church teachings for generations to come.

This is a very touchy subject, and not one you can force upon people to change their minds or views. I feel all I can do at this point is to continue to pray for all the families of our parish and school, and I want to add this eve, my continued prayers for our country and future leaders of America.

May God bless our country, and Holy Mother, please pray for us.

My Prayer for America

 
Agena Hurrle, Indianapolis, Indiana. This is my prayer for America.

Beyond "Grinding" at School Dances

It's Homecoming season, and the perfect time to re-post about "grinding" at school dances. A friend of mine just posted this on Facebook: "Had some football players over tonight for a bonfire. They chose not to be a part of the homecoming dance that is now called "the grindfest". Makes me so sad that school dances are no longer a place I want my child to be."  
 
This blog post (titled "How Do We Help Our Young People Get Beyond 'Grinding'?") from my favorite priest, Fr. John Hollowell, is a must-read for parents and educators!  Until his recent re-assignment, Fr. Hollowell was the Chaplin and a teacher at Cardinal Ritter High School.  Read his post HERE. 
 
 
Parents, I'd like to encourage you to talk to your teens about this, and like my friend did, offer a better alternative for your kids and their friends on Homecoming night if "grinding" is an issue at their school dances.  And if it is an issue at their school, parents and teachers MUST go to the school administrators and speak-out against it.  EVERY school dance, regardless of whether it's a public school or private school, should have policies against "grinding" at school dances and enforce them.  Don't be naive in thinking that this kind of dancing is harmless.

"Does It Really Matter If I Vote?"

This 30 second video is so cute and has a VERY powerful message!

When I was in my 20's, before marriage and before children, I didn't really care about politics.  I had my own opinions about some things, and so I claimed to agree with a particular party, but I didn't exercise my right to vote.  I didn't think my one, little vote would matter.
 
And then I had my own family, and that changed everything.  I became passionate about certain issues and protecting this country's future for my kids' sake.  It's so important to vote!  EVERY vote DOES matter!
 
I 'd like to talk to people reading this who may have never voted before.  I use to be afraid of going to the polls and not knowing what to do, and looking like an idiot.  That was ridiculous of me, because it's SO EASY!  The volunteer workers will show you exactly where to go and exactly what to do, and they aren't going to wave a big, red flag and blow a bull-horn to announce that you've never voted before, and then laugh at you.  They're very helpful and HAPPY that you're there!
 
You might think, "My vote is just one, measly vote", but you can't think that way.  When you vote, and people hear, or know that you voted, that starts a movement.  I guarantee that will encourage someone else to vote (if not now, at a future election), for example a co-worker or two, a friend, a younger sibling, or even your own kids one day.
 
You might think, "I don't know anything about the candidates, or understand anything about politics, the government, or the issues."  While it's good to know as much as you can, that's NOT a requirement to vote.  Pick at least one topic, ask around, or Google it, and learn what each candidate proposes.  For example, if you feel strongly about being pro-life or pro-choice, learn what each candidate endorses about it and what their plans are for running the government regarding that issue.  That is enough to vote.

For those of us who plan on voting this election, ask others if they're going to vote (coworkers, friends, your family).  ENCOURAGE them to vote.  Encourage everyone you know to vote.  It doesn't mean you're trying to have a conversation with them about politics, just leave it as a question of whether they're going to vote or not.  You never know what an inspiration you might be! 

Now, my warning... if you do feeling even the slightest bit of interest about something that's a political issue this election, and you DON'T vote, you're just breathing air.  Why then does anything matter to you?  You're a child of God and your opinions and rights matter!   And don't you at least owe it to future generations, or your legacy (your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, etc.) to take a stand and take action for something important?  Please.  Please get out and vote, and encourage other to vote too.  Millions of lives are depending on it - not just right now, but your vote this election affects the future too!

 

Register to vote right now!  Click on graphic below.



 

 

God, please bless American, and Holy Mother please pray for us.

Guardian Angels

Blessed feast day of Guardian Angels. 

From AmericanCatholic.org:

"Perhaps no aspect of Catholic piety is as comforting to parents as the belief that an angel protects their little ones from dangers real and imagined. Yet guardian angels are not just for children. Their role is to represent individuals before God, to watch over them always, to aid their prayer and to present their souls to God at death.
 
The concept of an angel assigned to guide and nurture each human being is a development of Catholic doctrine and piety based on Scripture but not directly drawn from it. Jesus' words in Matthew 18:10 best support the belief: "See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father."

Devotion to the angels began to develop with the birth of the monastic tradition. St. Benedict gave it impetus and Bernard of Clairvaux the great 12th-century reformer, was such an eloquent spokesman for the guardian angels that angelic devotion assumed its current form in his day.

A feast in honor of the guardian angels was first observed in the 16th century. In 1615, Pope Paul V added it to the Roman calendar."

From infancy to death human life is surrounded by their (the angels) watchful care and intercession. Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life. Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united to God." - from the Catechism of the Catholic Church; 336.
God bless my guardian angel - he/she has been given a big job!  I can recall numerous times throughout my life as I look back, where my guardian angel was working overtime!  Thank you dear guardian angel.  I hope I can live up to whatever reasons God has for me to still be hear, and doing well.  And for my childrens' guardian angels, please protect them as well as mine has protected me.

I love this dear, little prayer.  It's the first prayer my kiddos had memorized...

Guardian Angel Prayer

Angel of God, My Guardian Dear

to whom God's love entrusts me here.

Ever this day be at my side

to light, to guard, to rule, to guide.

Amen.

...and this one is a beautiful one too:

Prayer to One's Guardian Angel

Dear Angel, in his goodness God gave you to me to guide, protect, and enlighten me, and to bring me back to the right way when I go astray. Encourage me when I am disheartened, and instruct me when I err in my judgment. Help me to become more Christlike, and so some day to be accepted into the company of Angels and Saints in heaven.

Amen.

 

 

 

 

"The Chalice and the Pepsi Can - The Call to Holiness"

The perspective from which I'm sharing here on my blog, is of what I want my own children to know and understand.  What my prayers are for them, and for all souls.  This video by Father Joseph Hirsch is excellent in helping anyone to understand God's will for us... holiness. 

Fr. Hirsch gives his insights into what it means to listen to God's call to holiness for our lives. As a member of the office of Vocations for the Diocese of La Crosse, Fr. Hirsch encourages you to ground your life in prayer and discern where God is leading you, not only for your vocation, but also how we should view ourselves and others.  His message here is outstanding!

God's peace and love be with you.

Why Are There 7 Sacraments?

This is a terrific educational video (just 2 minutes long) about the Sacraments, http://vimeo.com/20285898.  A super-easy to understand, brief video explaining why there are 7 Sacraments and how they relate to the 7 conditions of physical life.  The explanation in this video is from the great Archbishop Fulton Sheen. 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines a sacrament as "an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace given unto us, ordained by Christ himself, as a means whereby we receive the same, and a pledge to assure us thereof."  In short, a Sacrament is a sacred rite recognized as being of particular importance and significance to our faith.

Video credits

Producer/Director: Derek Natzke
Animation: Derek Natzke
Graphics: Derek Natzke
Music: mobygratis

Leaving the Faith

This homily, from a favorite priest of mine, brings tears to my eyes.  Because of my immense love for Christ and His church, I feel deep sadness in my heart for people who have left the Church;  for all who really don't know the faith and the beauty of its Truth;  for all who don't "agree" with Church teachings because they don't really know what it teaches or why, or because they've succumbed to secular worldviews (what the world and our culture says is right for us);  for those who don't know or believe in the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist;  for those who haven't been taught the faith (or not taught correctly), or who don't have good role models showing them how to LIVE the faith;  and for all whom are Catholic by culture or birth only and they just "go through the motions". 

If one's heart isn't truly in the faith, whether or not you attend Mass regularly, and you proclaim to be a Catholic Christian but yet don't truly live the faith and/or just go through the motions, then you've already left the Church.  I'm not judging anyone.  I'm purely stating the unfortunate reality of where so many people are in their lives right now.  My heart aches for them, and I pray for them.

God bless this priest for speaking what God needs the world to hear.  God's peace and love be with you, today and always.

Don't Let Satan Steal Your Wind

The evil one will try to steal your wind.  Don't let him! 

When you're trying to do good - especially in God's name, or you're changing your life for God, or trying to live a Holy life, Satan will work in sneaky ways to steal your motivation, steal your energy, steal your hope.  He'll even use people in your life that he knows mean the world to you, to mess with your head and make you doubt what God's word is, His love, and His plans.

I've experienced this many times, as I know most people have.  As I mature in life and my faith formation, I can see things more clearly now, and I can recognize when this is happening. 

It's so easy to let people we love who don't have faith in God, influence us because we love them so much and they're very dear to us.  You can even know that those people love you very much, but if they don't speak and live God's word, then be careful of their influence over you.  This is hard and can be painful.  With prayer, strong faith and trust in God, much reflection of His word and teachings, know that it's truly God who has your VERY BEST interests at hand.  "Trust in the Lord with all your heart"  Proverbs 3:5

At the same time, don't let it destroy a loving, important relationship in your life either.  The devil will try to put anger, pain, doubt, spite and pride between you and people you love who may not have the same faith in God... don't let that happen either!  Satan works from all angles.  Keep your prayer life consistent, surround yourself in God's word, and with Holy people - that includes going to church weekly - so you stay strong in your faith and can recognize attacks on your faith.

The evil one will try to distract you, and deceive you, and he knows what buttons work with you, and even knows what people to use to make that happen.  Don't let the wind from your sail be taken from you.  Sail on for the Lord, and keep praying for love in our hearts always, and for those who don't know Him. 

May God protect us all.




May You Hear "Well Done" My Friends

                                                                                

This song makes me want to sing and dance!  :)  It exudes what's in my heart and soul, and is why I feel I have to use this medium to share what's in my heart.  I hope you enjoy it too... turn up the volume and let your spirit dance!  I pray for everyone who visits this blog.  May you hear "Well done" my friends!  :)

Song by Moriah Peters

from the album, I Choose Jesus

Lyrics:

I'm headed down this narrow road
Chosen by the few
And all that I know is
You told me to follow You

I'm taking a risk and leaving it all
Not knowing what I'll go through
But I'm not alone
As long as I follow You

So when my life's a leap of faith
I can hear You say

Well done, well done
I'm gonna chase You, Lord
I'm gonna show the world Your love, woah
I'll run, I'll run
I'm gonna run this race
To hear You say well done

If people walk with me, talk with me, looking for truth
They're gonna find out soon
If they're following me then
They're gonna follow You

So let my life speak loud and clear
Lord, I wanna hear

I'm so glad that I get to serve You, Lord
You're the only One I am living for, woah
I'm gonna run straight into Your open arms
I'm gonna follow You with all my heart, woah, woah

"Fifty Shades" of Concern

I'm probably going to lose more friends over writing this.  I mean, who wants a friend who is a "prude" and "no fun", right?  And as one friend's husband quoted to me once, "I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints, sinners are much more fun..." (-Billy Joel)  
Well, I'd like to quote what I read on a bumper sticker once, "Sin Kills.  Friends Don't Let Friends Sin."

One thing I'm passionate about is trying to educate people about the deterioration of our culture's views of sex and "love".  I use to be so blind to it myself, until I started having my own children which opened my eyes to viewing things very differently.  I'm sad that I, myself, fell under pop-culture's spell as a young teen, and throughout my young adulthood, and I'm trying to help others, especially my own children, to not fall under the same spell.

This is how it began...
In their defense, unbeknownst to them, my parents where clueless about how society and pop-culture (what I was reading, watching, listening to) was molding my values, my views, and my character.  My parents didn't talk to me about what's appropriate and not-appropriate regarding so many topics, I think they just assumed I knew.  Parents:  Don't assume your kids know how you feel about things, you MUST TALK about it... they NEED to HEAR YOU.  Instead, I was bought countless fashion & women's magazines, joined in with my parents watching shows like Dallas and Knots Landing, cable television, secular music, and daytime soap-operas.  I was molded into thinking what a person wore was very important in attracting a boyfriend or spouse, I learned it was ok to have sex before marriage as long as I "loved that person", I learned that one should live with the person you think you want to marry BEFORE marriage to "see if it will work", and basically that our time on earth is for pure enjoyment of anything we want (within the law) as long as we're not hurting anyone.

The molding began in my pre-teens, and then I acted upon those ideals starting in college, and lasting nearly a decade until I married my husband.  I do take responsibility for my actions as well, because I probably should've known better from my early years of Sunday School (at about the age of 13-14, our mom stopped taking us to church because we didn't "like" it and we pleaded with her to stop taking us).  It upsets me now that I wasn't guided better, but I don't blame my parents because I don't think they knew any better -they were pretty clueless- and a lot of it was because of their own subconscious pursuits of self-satisfaction and "happiness" (I believe because they both lacked some forms of good parenting and love in their own childhoods, combined with the lack of faith in God, and coming-of-age during the sexual revolution).  This can go on and be passed down from generation to generation with people really being clueless to it... but the buck stops HERE with me!  I can only attribute it to the grace of God that I came to figure these things out for myself, for it's definitely not from any authority figures, role models, or loved-ones in my life who are generally the ones we learn from and mold our lives from, and who have the most impact on us.  Without a good foundation and good role models, children WILL search and learn from other sources all around them.

In college, the guy I fell for (to the outside world) was a wonderfully sweet, very clean-cut, young-man; a boy-next-door, from a good family kind-of-guy.  (He told me once that although we hung out with the same friends, he didn't actually notice me until I showed up at a party wearing a skin-tight, red sweater.  Well, isn't that nice?!  He didn't even notice me until then!  And hearing him say that didn't even bother me!  Pathetic!  It's no wonder where our relationship sadly headed.)

I allowed him to seduce me into a sex life that didn't represent what God intended for intercourse.  (I'm so sorry to my husband and his family for all this.  Although God is graciously merciful, the repercussions of my behaviors and choices will haunt me forever because there is no guarantee, until we meet our maker, what is in store for our souls.)  One thing we participated in was fantasy brought about by a couple of very provocative books introduced to my boyfriend by some friends of ours who also "enjoyed" the books.  Being introduced to the things I was participating in did nothing but skew my perception of love and intercourse, which lead to years of immoral and destructive choices regarding relationships and behaviors (and all while naively thinking I was "a good person", because heck, "I wasn't hurting anyone", and I loved and believed in God -so I thought!).  I'm revealing all of this because it's leading up to me expressing my concern for those "enjoying" the Fifty Shades of Grey book series on the NY Times Best-Seller List.  I'm revealing all this because I feel my experiences give me valid concern for my friends, Christian sisters, and any woman who reads these book.

Now, I'm not one who believes we shouldn't read any fiction, just not this sexually-elicit type of fiction that is being coined as "mommy porn".  My warning and concern is for how these fantasies can affect one's desires, one's views about sex and our spouses or the opposite sex, our body's (which I believe are temples for God), our relationships, our views on love, and actually, many other underlying psycho-social issues that are often subconscious in people (and as parents, can then unknowingly be passed on as views our children accept and live by also.  And not to mention how anti-feminist I think these types of books and movies are - but that's a whole other topic!).  These things can damage a person's soul... something that, as a Christian, I believe can live on for eternity in true happiness with our Creator if we live according to His plan for us as humans.  And most importantly, for my Christian friends, this type of literature, and movies like the recently released "Magic Mike", fall under breaking the Commandment of "Thou Shall Not Commit Adultery".  In the Catholic faith, it's taught that if any spouse looks or thinks lustfully of any other person other than their own spouse, then that is a form of adultery.  Matthew 5:28, "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."  The same is true for women with their husbands.  Oh, and by the way, masturbation is a sin too.  I'm not going to win any "Friend of the Year" award here because I'm talking about all this, but I really don't care because it's about saving souls.

I found this terrific article (and I'll be posting more as I find them) that I feel needs shared about the topic of the Fifty Shades books.  I posted the text here as oppose to just giving a link.  I don't want to link directly to the site it's from because of some of the garbage on the site.  It's from buzzfeed.com. 

The Christian Backlash Against "50 Shades Of Grey"
by Anna North, BuzzFeed Staff

"I wouldn’t drive my Envoy into the front of an oncoming semi-truck any more than I would open the pages of Fifty Shades of Grey," writes Christian author Dannah Gresh. She's urging her readers to avoid E.L. James's bestselling erotic novel, and she's not alone. While secular critics have focused on the book's questionable literary merit (or what it says about women's fantasies), in recent weeks there's been something of a movement among female Christian bloggers who say the book is sinful, twisted, and even dangerous.
Gresh says reading the novel is a form of adultery: "anything other than my husband creating arousal in me would be missing the mark of God’s intention." She also argues that over time, reading 50 Shades and books like it will render women unable to enjoy sex with their husbands, because "erotica robs you of real sex."
This is much the same argument many have used against Internet pornography — and indeed, Crystal Renaud, who founded Dirty Girls Ministries and has made something of a name for herself advocating that Christian women stay away from porn, has also spoken out against 50 Shades. She told BuzzFeed Shift she believes Christian and non-Christian women seek out the book for the same reason: they want "the passion that exudes from the pages to happen in their real lives, especially if their emotional needs and even sexual needs are not being met in their real life relationships." But she says women should turn to God instead: "without a genuine relationship with Christ, it's our belief that women will continue to seek satisfaction for their emotional needs in places that just won't ever fully satisfy."
But its similarities to more conventional porn aren't the only complaint against the book — there's also the BDSM element. Christian blogger and professor Mary Kassian writes that "the relationship between a man and wife is to mirror Christ’s relationship to His Bride" and "Christ is not into domination, control, abuse, and humiliation." She also objects to heroine Anastasia Steele's submissive role: "the Lord doesn’t want His daughters to be wilting, weak-willed, wimpy women who welcome and enjoy abuse."
Julia Stronks, a professor of political science at Whitworth University who has written about Fifty Shades of Grey, says the backlash is no surprise: writers who have criticized the book tend to come from "denominations that believe that faith impacts all of life," and when anything becomes as popular as Fifty Shades, members of these denominations tend to examine what it might have to do with their religion. She likens the book not just to porn but to romance novels, which she says normalize relationships in which "women resist and men overcome" and thus can contribute to sexual violence.
Not everyone agrees that Christian women must avoid Fifty Shades. Christian blogger Jonalyn Fincher says what really matters is why they read it — if they're doing so to escape their marriages, that may be "unhealthy." But she also believes the book can help women think about important issues, like sexual abuse. She adds that she read the book as a "cultural exploration" into something that's extremely popular, which she says is also a valid reason: "it's like walking in the shoes of your neighbor."
Kassian might take a dim view of such exploration — she writes, "'curiosity' has led to the downfall of multitudes who have been trapped in the destructive, downward vortex of sexual sin." Numerous commenters on her post agree and pledge to spread her anti-Shades message. Says one, "my heart breaks that young women can get so engrossed in such horrible entertainment. I will certainly forward this on to many many others."
Some Christian women, though, don't need special prodding to avoid Fifty Shades. Writes one of Gresh's readers, "A few years ago, God asked me to give up all fiction reading. To this day I have had no regrets."

Lord, fill us with what we're missing in our hearts, minds, and souls.  Rid us of the voids which lead us to temptations that provoke things other than your will for us.  Amen.

Feast Day of Corpus Christi

Today is the Feast Day of Corpus Christi.  Many reading this may not know what a "Feast Day" is as celebrated and recognized by the Catholic Church, so I'll share with you here from New Advent's Catholic Encyclopedia. 

Feast Days, or Holy Days, are days which are celebrated in commemoration of the sacred mysteries and events recorded in the history of our redemption, in memory of the Virgin Mother of Christ, or of His apostles, martyrs, and saints, by special services and rest from work. A feast not only commemorates an event or person, but also serves to excite the spiritual life by reminding us of the event it commemorates. At certain hours Jesus Christ invites us to His vineyard (Matthew 20:1-15); He is born in our hearts at Christmas; on Good Friday we nail ourselves to the cross with Him; at Easter we rise from the tomb of sin; and at Pentecost we receive the gifts of the Holy Ghost. Every religion has its feasts, but none has such a rich and judiciously constructed system of festive seasons as the Catholic Church. The succession of these seasons form the ecclesiastical year.

The Feast of Corpus Christi (Latin for Body of Christ) is a Latin Rite liturgical solemnity celebrating the tradition and belief in the body and blood of Jesus Christ and His Real Presence in the Eucharist. It emphasizes the joy of the institution of the Eucharist, which was observed on Holy Thursday in the somber atmosphere of the nearness of Good Friday. -Wikipedia

Catholicism teaches that the Eucharist (in other Christian denominations it's known as "Communion"), is not merely a symbol of Christ and the promise of salvation to do "in remembrance" of Him, but all that and MORE!  We believe from scripture that it's TRULY Christ's flesh and blood. 

Matthew 26:26

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body."

John 6: 49-58 

I am the bread of life. ⁴⁹ Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. ⁵⁰ But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. ⁵¹ I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

⁵² Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

⁵³ Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. ⁵⁴ Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. ⁵⁵ For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. ⁵⁶ Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. ⁵⁷ Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. ⁵⁸ This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 

The Eucharist, a.k.a Communion, is THE MOST sacred, central and important aspect and principle of the Catholic faith because it joins us with Christ here on earth, and helps us to eternal life.

Now, I know this can be complicated because the bread and wine we eat and drink at Mass is not physically flesh and blood.  In its molecular form it's unleavened bread and wine, but a priest has been given the power by God to change the substance of the bread and wine.  The change of the substance of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ is called Transubstantiation.

The following is from The Baltimore Catechism.

This change of bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ continues to be made in the Church by Jesus Christ, through the ministry of His priests.

(a) Only ordained priests have the power of changing bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. When they consecrate, they act in the person of Christ, through the power received in the sacrament of Holy Orders.

354. When did Christ give His priests the power to change bread and wine into His body and blood?

Christ gave His priests the power to change bread and wine into His body and blood when He made the apostles priests at the Last Supper by saying to them: "Do this in remembrance of Me."

355. How do priests exercise their power to change bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ?

Priests exercise their power to change bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ by repeating at the Consecration of the Mass the words of Christ: "This is My body . . . this is the Cup of My blood."

356. Why does Christ give us His own body and blood in the Holy Eucharist?

Christ gives us His own body and blood in the Holy Eucharist: first, to be offered as a sacrifice commemorating and renewing for all time the sacrifice of the cross; second, to be received by the faithful in Holy Communion; third, to remain ever on our altars as the proof of His love for us, and to be worshipped by us.

Taken from The Baltimore Catechism, Lesson 26
Full text available, click here.

I plan to write more about the Eucharist, as it's hard to explain it all in one brief post.  I'd like to now share part of a conversation I had recently with a dear lady who has left the Catholic Church for Protestantism.  She was telling me all about her wonderful bible study programs through her current church and how much she's learned and grown in her faith and relationship with Christ because of them.  She mentioned that she didn't get any of that when she was Catholic.  I agreed that with the shortage of priests it's hard to find organized, authentic bible studies at every parish, but we're still asked to seek on our own and try to study and learn God's Word (which can be challenging, I know, but it is possible.).  Matthew 7:7  "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."

I went on to explain that we can't expect to grow if we're only spoon-fed.  In fact, I've found new incite and TRUTHS by delving deep and seeking on my own (along with going to Mass) and truly trying to learn the faith, than just by listening to someone talk about their supposed interpretations of things.  I'm closer to God now than I've ever been and it's so invigorating!  I shared with her that I've had peaks and valleys in my Catholic faith journey (just as any seeking Christian has) but that the ONE THING that always keeps me coming back for more, and sticking with it, is the Eucharist.  There's NO OTHER way to get closer to Christ here on earth than through the Eucharist.  She contemplated it for a brief moment and then agreed. 

I'm happy that this dear lady has found a way to grow closer to Christ and I pray she'll continue to learn and grow.  I pray that perhaps in her studies she'll find her way back to the Church and the Sacraments... for the Catholic Church IS present in the scriptures, and is the Church that Jesus himself began (a topic for a future post). 

Blessing to you this Feast of Corpus Christi.  May you find total fulfillment in Him!

Tantum Ergo Sacramentum

This is so beautiful!  Just a minute long, I hope you'll listen and recite along with it... an indulgence is granted.
Blessed Feast of Corpus Christi!

Tantum Ergo is the last two stanzas from the Eucharistic Hymn (Pange Lingua) composed by St. Thomas Aquinas and is used at Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. The response and the prayer at the end is a later addition used at Benediction. A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful who recite it and a plenary indulgence is granted to those who recite it on Holy Thursday or Corpus Christi.  -by uCatholic.com

TANTUM ERGO SACRAMENTUM

TANTUM ergo Sacramentum
Veneremur cernui:
Et antiquum documentum
Novo cedat ritui:
Praestet fides supplementum
Sensuum defectui.
Genitori, Genitoque
Laus et iubilatio,
Salus, honor, virtus quoque
Sit et benedictio:
Procedenti ab utroque
Compar sit laudatio.
Amen.

DOWN IN ADORATION FALLING

DOWN in adoration falling,
Lo! the sacred Host we hail,
Lo! oe’r ancient forms departing
Newer rites of grace prevail;
Faith for all defects supplying,
Where the feeble senses fail.

To the everlasting Father,
And the Son Who reigns on high
With the Holy Spirit proceeding
Forth from each eternally,
Be salvation, honor blessing,
Might and endless majesty.

Amen.

It's Time For A Revolution!

"We cannot remain passive while future generations are deprived of the opportunity to live in a nation that acknowledges it's Creator."  -Tony Shriner, Author of A Revolution for Christ

Wow!  This book trailer is AWESOME!  If it doesn't stir something inside of you, check your pulse! ;)  This young man, Tony Shriner - St. Malachy (Brownsburg, IN) parishioner, has written a book that's goal is to provide vital resources to keep people focused on Christ in our faith journeys.  Sounds like a fantastic book.  Watch the trailer and then visit his website.  Expected release date for his book is October 2012. 

I want to be a revolutionary for Christ!  See how you can too...  visit the website shown at the end of the 90 second trailer by clicking on the photo shown above.

God Bless America and all nations!