Christmas Reflection: The Six Most "Un-Christlike" Things Christ Did

Part V
The Six Most "Un-Christlike" Things Christ Did

In this Christmas season of the Church, we ought to spend time rediscovering Jesus. Who is this God-man? What did he do? Why should we love him? Why is our Church founded and grounded in him? Look for a series of posts leading up to the Epiphany on January 6 that reawaken our love for Christ and the Church.

WWJD: What would Jesus do?

It’s a great question. Christians are of course supposed to follow the example of Christ.

There can be a problem, though, when the answers people give to the question are disconnected from Scripture. People can end up just taking whatever they would do and then claim Jesus probably would have done it, too. But the Jesus described in the New Testament does not fit well with many of our modern sensibilities.

Yes, Jesus taught love, mercy, and sacrifice. But these things, if viewed from a contemporary lens, can easily be reduced to a kind of hollow sentimentalism. The Jesus of the Gospels, on the other hand, was deeply serious – both about loving others, and about sin.

So here are 6 things Jesus did that many people today would probably brand as “unChrist-like.”

1) Called people names

You might just want to read all of chapter 23 in Matthew’s Gospel.

Jesus gives a long and detailed attack on the moral character of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, and he pulls no punches. Among the names he calls them are “snakes,” “brood of vipers,” “hypocrites,” and “blind guides.” Ouch.

2) Offended people without apology

In Matthew chapter 15, some Pharisees and teachers of the law challenge Jesus about why he and his disciples don’t keep a certain tradition of the elders. In response, Jesus ignores their question, calls them hypocrites, and points out how they contradict the law of God with some of their traditions.

Then Jesus’ disciples come to him and say, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?”

Jesus’ response? He offers no apology, no attempt at clarification, but continues his critique: “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”

3) Warned against laughter

A lot of people have heard of the Beatitudes as they appear in Matthew chapter 5: “Blessed are the poor in spirit… blessed are those who mourn… blessed are the meek,” etc.

A similar set of blessings also appear in Luke chapter 6, except that they are also paired with corresponding warnings:

But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.
Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.
Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.

All four of these are challenging. But notice that the 3rd one is a warning against laughing. Imagine the headlines if Jesus had preached this today. He’s probably be branded as some sort of rigid, humorless archconservative.

4) Cleared the Temple with a whip

One of the times Jesus’ visited the Temple in Jerusalem, the Gospel of John says “he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money.” His response?

So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!”

It’s easy to read over these words quickly without grasping their full import. He made a whip, and used it to at least drive the animals out of the Temple, and possibly the people as well (there’s ambiguity with the word “all”). He flipped tables and scattered people’s money around, while he was also driving them out.

This was not just some nice request.

5) Was intentionally opaque in his teaching

Jesus had so many memorable parables. He told them because stories are easier for common people to understand and remember, right?

Actually, it’s the opposite.

In Matthew chapter 13, Jesus is asked point-blank: “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” And here’s his answer: Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.”
In other words, it appears that Jesus taught in parables to make it hard for the average person to understand. He then revealed the meaning of his parables secretly to his close disciples.

6) Preached graphic depictions of hell

Everyone knows that “fire and brimstone” preaching is ineffective and, in any case, antithetical to the spirit of the Gospel of love, right?

Then why did Jesus preach about hell so much?

Jesus gave horrifying descriptions of the place. Throughout the Gospels we find that Jesus describes hell as a place of “weeping and gnashing of teeth,” a place where “the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched,” a “blazing furnace,” “darkness,” “unquenchable fire,” and “the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” (Several of these descriptions he repeats several times.)

And he constantly warns people from doing things that would get them sent there. So maybe preaching about hell isn’t so bad?

Christmas Reflection: And They Crucified Him

Part IV:

And They Crucified Him

In this Christmas season of the Church, we ought to spend time rediscovering Jesus. Who is this God-man? What did he do? Why should we love him? Why is our Church founded and grounded in him? Look for a series of posts leading up to the Epiphany on January 6 that reawaken our love for Christ and the Church.

A medical doctor provides a physical description: The cross is placed on the ground and the exhausted man is quickly thrown backwards with his shoulders against the wood. The legionnaire feels for the depression at the front of the wrist. He drives a heavy, square wrought-iron nail through the wrist deep into the wood. Quickly he moves to the other side and repeats the action, being careful not to pull the arms too tightly, but to allow some flex and movement. The cross is then lifted into place. The left foot is pressed backward against the right foot, and with both feet extended, toes down, a nail is driven through the arch of each, leaving the knees flexed. The victim is now crucified.

As he slowly sags down with more weight on the nails in the wrists, excruciating fiery pain shoots along the fingers and up the arms to explode in the brain -- the nails in the wrists are putting pressure on the median nerves. As he pushes himself upward to avoid this stretching torment, he places the full weight on the nail through his feet. Again he feels the searing agony of the nail tearing through the nerves between the bones of his feet.

As the arms fatigue, cramps sweep through his muscles, knotting them deep relentless, and throbbing pain. With these cramps comes the inability to push himself upward to breathe. Air can be drawn into the lungs but not exhaled. He fights to raise himself in order to get even one small breath.

Finally, carbon dioxide builds up in the lungs and in the blood stream, and the cramps partially subsided. Spasmodically, he is able to push himself upward to exhale and bring in life-giving oxygen.

Hours of limitless pain, cycles of twisting, joint-renting cramps, intermittent partial asphyxiation, searing pain as tissue is torn from his lacerated back as he moves up and down against rough timber. Then another agony begins: a deep, crushing pain deep in the chest as the pericardium slowly fills with serum and begins to compress the heart.

It is now almost over. The loss of tissue fluids has reached a critical level. The compressed heart is struggling to pump heavy, thick, sluggish blood into the tissues. The tortured lungs are making frantic effort to gasp in small gulps of air. He can feel the chill of death creeping through his tissues.

Finally, he allows his body to die.

All this the Bible records with the simple words, "and they crucified Him" (Mark 15:24).

-- C. Truman Davis, M.D., M.S., Arizona Medicine, Vol. 22 No. 3 March 1965

Christmas Reflection: My Son's Sacrifice

Part III:
Prologue from Rediscover Catholicism by Matthew Kelly

In this Christmas season of the Church, we ought to spend time rediscovering Jesus. Who is this God-man? What did he do? Why should we love him? Why is our Church founded and grounded in him? Look for a series of posts leading up to the Epiphany on January 6 that reawaken our love for Christ and the Church.

Imagine this.

You’re driving home from work next Monday. You turn on the radio and you hear a brief report about a small village in India where some people have suddenly died, strangely, of a flu that has never been seen before. It’s not influenza, but 4 people are dead, so the CDC is sending some doctors to India to investigate.

You don’t think to much about it—people die every day—but coming home from church the following Sunday you hear another report on the radio, only now they say it’s not 4 people who have died, but 30,000 in the back hills of India. Whole villages have been wiped out and experts confirm this flu is a strain that has never been seen before.

By the time you get up Monday morning, it’s the lead story. The disease is spreading. IT’s not just India that is affected. Now it has spread to Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, and northern Africa, but it still seems far away. Before you know it, you’re hearing about this story everywhere. The media have now coined it “the mystery flu.” The president had announced that he and his family are praying for the victims and their families, and are hoping for the situation to be resolved quickly. But everyone is wondering how we are ever going to contain it.

That’s when the President of France makes an announcement that shocks Europe: He is closing the French borders. No one can enter the country and that’s why that night you’re watching a little bit of CNN before going to bed. Your jaw hits your chest when a weeping woman’s word are translated into English from a French news program: There’s a man lying in a hospital in Paris dying of the mystery flu. It has come to Europe.

Panic strikes. As best they can tell, after contracting the disease, you have it for a week before you even know it, then you have 4 days of unbelievable symptoms, and then you die.

The British close their borders, but it’s too late. The disease breaks out in Southampton, Liverpool, and London, and on Tuesday morning the President of the US makes the following announcement: Due to a national-security risk, all flights to and from the US have been canceled. IF your loved ones are overseas, I’m sorry. They cannot come home until we find a cure for this horrific disease.

Within 4 days, America is plunged into an unbelievable fear. People are wondering, what if it comes to this country? Preachers on TV are saying it’s the scourage of God. Then on Tuesday night you are at church for boble study when someone runs in from the parking lot and yells, “Turn on a radio!” And while everyone listens to a small radio, the announcement is made: Two women are lying in a hospital in NYC dying of the mystery flu. It has come to America.

Within hours the disease envelops the country. People are working around the clock, trying to find an antidote but nothing is working. The disease breaks out in CA, OR, AR, FL, MA, it’s as though it’s just sweeping in from the borders.

Then suddenly the news come out: The code has been broken. A cure has been found, A vaccine can be made. But it’s going to take the blood of somebody who hasn’t been infected. So you and I are asked to do just one thing; Go to the nearest hospital and have our blood tested. When we hear the sirens go off in our neighborhood, we are to make out way quickly, quietly, and safely to the hospital.

Sure enough, by the time you and your family get to the hospital it’s late Friday night. There are long lines of people and a constant rush of doctors and nurses taking blood and putting labels on it. Finally it is your turn. You go first , then your spouse and children follow, and once the doctors have taken your blood they say to you, “Wait here in the parking lot for your name to be called.” You stand around with your family and neighbors, scared, waiting, wondering. Wondering quietly to yourself, what on earth is going on here? Is this the end of the world? How did it ever come to this?

Nobody seems to have had their name called; the doctors just keep taking peoples blood. But then suddenly a young man comes running out of the hospital screaming. He’s yelling a name and waving a clipboard. You don’t hear him at first. “What’s he saying?” Someone asks. The young man screams the name again as he and a team of medical staff run in your direction, but again you cannot hear him, But then your son tugs on your jacket and says, “Daddy, that’s me, That’s my name they’re calling” Before you know it, they have grabbed your boy. “Wait a minute, Hold on!” you say, running after them. “That’s my son.”

“It’s okay,” they reply. “We think he has the right blood type. We just need to check one more time to make sure he doesn’t have the disease.”

Five tense minutes later, outcome the doctors and nurses, crying and hugging each other; some are even laughing. It’s the first time you have seen anybody laugh in a week. An old doctor walks up to you and your spouse and says, “thank you, your son’s blood is perfect. It’s clean, it’s pure, he doesn’t have the disease, and we can use it to make the vaccine.”

As the news begins to spread across the parking lot, people scream and pray and laugh and cry. You can hear the crowd erupting in the background as the gray-haired doctor pulls you and your spouse aside to say, “I need to talk to you. We didn’t realize that the donor would be a minor and we…we need you to sign a consent form.”

The doctor presents the form and you quickly begin to sign it, but then your eyes catches something. The box for the number of pints of blood to be takes is empty.

“How many pints?” you ask. That is when the old doctors smile fades, and he says,”We had no idea it would be a child. We weren’t prepared for that”.

You ask him again, “how many pints?” The old doctor looks away and says regretfully, “We are going to need it all!”

“But I don’t understand. What do you mean you need it all? He’s my only son!”

The doctor grabs you by the shoulders, pulls you close, looks you straight in the eyes, and says, “We are talking about the whole world here, Do you understand? The whole world. Please sign the form. We need to hurry!”

“But can’t you give him a transfusion?” You plead.

“If we had clean blood we would, but we don’t. Please, will you sign the form?” What would you do?

In numb silence you sign the form because you know it’s the only thing to do. Then the doctor says to you, “Would you like to have a moment with your son before we get started?”

Could you walk into that hospital room where your son sits on a table saying, “Daddy? Mommy? What’s going on?” Could you tell your son you love him? And when the doctors and nurse come back in and say, “I’m sorry we’ve got to get started now; people all over the world are dying,” could you leave? Could you walk out while your son is crying out to you, “Mom? Dad? What’s going on? Where are you going? Why are you leaving? Why have you abandoned me?”

The following week, they hold a ceremony to honor your son for his phenomenal contribution to humanity…but some people sleep through it, others don’t even bother to come because they have better things to do, and some people come with pretentious smiles and pretend to care, while others sit around and say, “This is boring!” Wouldn’t you want to stand up and say, “Excuse me! I’m not sure if you aware of it or not, but the amazing life you have, my son died so that you could have that life. My son died so that you could live. He died for you. Does it mean nothing to you?”

Perhaps this is what God wants to say.

Father, seeing it form your eyes should break our hearts. Maybe now we can begin to comprehend the great love you have for us.

Kelly, M. (2010). Rediscovering Catholicism (2nd ed.). Cincinnati, OH: Beacon Publishing.

Christmas Reflection: That's My King

Part II
That's My King

In this Christmas season of the Church, we ought to spend time rediscovering Jesus. Who is this God-man? What did he do? Why should we love him? Why is our Church founded and grounded in him? Look for a series of posts leading up to the Epiphany on January 6 that reawaken our love for Christ and the Church.

Today, soak in this sermon from Dr. S. M. Lockridge.

Christmas Reflection: Who is Jesus?

Christmas Reflection: Who is Jesus?
Part I
Evening Reflection by Fr. James Martin, SJ

In this Christmas season of the Church, we ought to spend time rediscovering Jesus. Who is this God-man? What did he do? Why should we love him? Why is our Church founded and grounded in him? Look for a series of posts leading up to the Epiphany on January 6 that reawaken our love for Christ and the Church.

Who is Jesus? Your Internally Displaced, Homeless, Refugee, Poor, Low-Class, Jewish, Palestinian, Uneducated, Possibly Illiterate, Dark-Skinned Savior.

Remember that the person whose birth we celebrate at Christmas was born to an internally displaced couple, that is, people who were forced to be on the move within their own country. At the time of the boy's birth, perhaps for a few days or weeks, Mary and Joseph were also homeless. With no place to stay, they found shelter in either a stable or a cave. Soon, they would become full-fledged refugees, that is, people crossing the border of another country, in this case Egypt, out of fear of, in this case, violence. Remember that when we're talking about IDs, Mary and Joseph had none. And when we're talking about borders, Mary and Joseph crossed one. Twice, actually. On their way into Egypt and then when they returned to Galilee. Overall, they knew what it was like to be seeking shelter far from home.

The boy was a Jew. As were Mary and Joseph. As was the boy's entire extended family. As, by the way, were all the apostles. They lived in what was called Palestine by the Romans, who occupied the territory. So Mary, Joseph and Jesus all knew political oppression.

They knew poverty, too. Joseph's trade was, most likely in the eyes of those at the time, seen as "low class." The Greek used by the Gospels to describe his profession is "tekton," which is more accurately translated not as carpenter, but craftsman, handyman, or even day laborer. The occupation probably didn't garner much respect, and was seen as ranking below the peasantry, since the "tekton" didn't have the benefit of a plot of land.

The family was from a minuscule town. Nazareth was both poor and small, with only about 200 to 400 inhabitants in Jesus's time. Jesus's hometown, in other words, could have likely fit into your local church. The Apostle Nathanael mocks it when he hears where Jesus is from. "Can anything good come from Nazareth?," he says. Some scholars believe this was a saying popular at the time, perhaps a common put down Jesus's place of origin, and Jesus.

While Jesus may been able to read (many scholars believe that when he quoted Scripture, he was not reading it, but doing it from memory--in his oral culture) it is almost certain that neither Mary or Joseph could. None of the three could be considered "educated." Indeed, most scholars believe Jesus was probably illiterate.

Jesus also would have looked nothing like what we see on 99% Christmas cards, or 99% of Christmas creches, or 99% of Christmas movies. Nor would Mary and Joseph. Nor would Elizabeth, Zechariah, Anna, Simeon, John the Baptist, or any figures from the stories of his birth.

It's impossible to know exactly what they looked like, but they were surely much darker skinned than what we see in 99% of portraits. A few years ago, scientists reconstructed the face of a man from around Jesus's time, using remains of several people from first-century Palestine (seen here). Somewhat ridiculously, the reconstruction was touted as the "Face of Jesus," which is like digging up skulls from a Mount Vernon graveyard from around the time of George Washington, using them as the basis for reconstruction, and saying, this is the "Face of George Washington."

But it's not so ridiculous in that the facial reconstruction reminds us what people of Jesus's time and his family's ethnicity looked like in general. And, again, it is much closer to the look of people in the modern Middle Eastern than modern Europe or the United States. He certainly wasn't white.

So to recap:

Internally displaced.
Homeless for a time.
Full-fledged refugee.
Poor.
Low-class occupation.
Jewish.
Palestinian.
Uneducated.
Possibly illiterate.
Dark skinned.

In other words, a lot of the categories people tend to demonize today. So when discussions about anyone from any of those categories come up, and you wonder about the Christian thing to do, remember who Jesus Christ really was.

Family of 12 Paradies the 12 Days of Christmas

Wait until the end. It's worth it for their reply to the "strangers" in the song.

1 in 4 UK Parents Don’t Teach Kids Religion Fearing It’ll Make Them Outcasts

By Editor at ChurchPop.com

A new survey found that nearly a quarter of United Kingdom parents don’t teach their children any religion due to a fear that it would make their children outcasts at school.

The survey was carried out by the organization ComRes and commissioned by Theos, a religious and social affairs think tank.

Another reason given by about a fourth of parents in the UK was that their children “may have questions I could not answer.”

Only about 40% of parents said they had ever talked to their children about religion, while nearly 1 in 5 said it was “not my role as a parent to pass on my beliefs to my children.”

The Catechism of the Catholic Church is very clear that Christian parents have a responsibility to raise their children up in the faith:

“Through the grace of the sacrament of marriage, parents receive the responsibility and privilege of evangelizing their children. Parents should initiate their children at an early age into the mysteries of the faith of which they are the “first heralds” for their children. […] Parents have the mission of teaching their children to pray and to discover their vocation as children of God.” (CCC 2225-2226)

10 Tips on the Art and Craft of Evangelization

 

By Joe Heschmeyer
ShamelessPopery.com (See it in original form here)

Are you interested in sharing the faith more? Are you worried that you don’t know how to answer your co-workers’ and friends’ questions? 1 Peter 3:15 calls us to “always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence; and keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are abused, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.” That’s a tall order. Here are ten tips that might help.

1. Apologetics takes practice
Apologetics and evangelization are a bit like dancing. You can read all about it, you can even watch other people do it, but if you’re ever going to get good at it you’ve got to get out there and actually do it. And don’t get discouraged if you’re not great at it at first.

2. Win the person, not the argument.
There’s no point in “winning” the argument and being technically correct, if you’ve done so in a way that ostracizes and alienates the other person. J. Budziszewski has a series of good tips for doing this: I highly recommend this video. It changed how I talked to (and thought about) non-Catholics and non-believers.

In short, try to figure out why the person is asking the question(s) that they are. Often you can answer objection after objection, but you never get to the root reason they won’t accept the faith, Christ, etc. Only when you understand where they are coming from can you truly help them and know how to go forward with the discussion.

3. Consider sources of authority.
In this same vein of knowing the person you’re trying to reach, know what the person will accept. If a daily Mass-going Catholic questions you about a particular doctrine, it might be enough simply to point them to the relevant paragraph in the Catechism, or the pertinent papal document. But if the same question is being asked by an atheist, you’re going to have to look to an authority (reason, natural law, something) that they will accept. Jesus went out of his way to answer the Sadducees only from the Torah because he knew they only would accept it.

4. Charity is more important than the perfect answer.
You’re inviting a person to the faith, into a relationship with Jesus: remember, you’re trying to win the person, not the argument. If you’re in it to win the argument, you’re in it for your ego, not their salvation. Given that, being a jerk and winning the argument gets you nowhere (nor does it help them).

But this has some important implications. It means that even if you’re not great at apologetics, even if you can never remember chapter and verse in the heat of the moment, even if you’re the worst debater in the world, you can still be an effective evangelist simply by being loving. Think about how successful the Mormons are. Theologically, their system doesn’t make a ton of sense, and they actively avoid theological debates, but they’re incredibly nice. They tend to be wonderful to be around. The world is filled with broken, hurting people who are hungry for healing and for God. Sometimes, your Christlike attitude towards them can show them the Answer that they’re looking for a lot more effectively than a bunch of syllogisms.

And look, this isn’t some perk: it’s an essential part of evangelization. Remember 1 Peter 3:15-16, which I quoted above? Peter tells us to evangelize “with gentleness and reverence,” and with a clear conscience. If we fail to do this, we’ve simply failed to live out the Gospel’s commands.

Click here to continue reading.

12 Most Important Metrics for your Child’s (and your) Education

By Matthew Warner
Flocknote.com

We worry a lot about “education” in this country. On a political level we bicker and argue about why one state’s math scores are higher than another’s. And at home, we put our kids through a heck of a lot (and we sacrifice a lot) to make sure they pass their tests, know how to read and write, and can regurgitate their multiplication tables. We even stress about whether they are able to do so at the right age, or whether they are 6 months ahead or behind the other kids.

And all of that is important – but it’s nowhere near as important as a lot of other things in life that end up getting a lot less attention.

When my kids are grown, it won’t really matter if they got an A or a B in 7th grade history. It won’t really matter how far they can hit a baseball. It won’t really even matter much if they’ve made a lot of money or been “successful” according to the world. What will matter much more is this:

1. Are they humble – not that they think less of themselves, but that they think of themselves less.
2. Do they know how to be loved – are they humble and secure enough to be vulnerable.
3. Are they at peace – which means knowing who they are.
4. Are they filled with joy – because they live with a hope that transcends this short life.
5. Do they know they are small – that the world is not about them.
6. Do they know they are giants – that, to somebody, they mean the whole world.
7. Are they adventurous – willing to embrace a faith that will take them beyond the prison of their own limits.
8. Are they imaginative – able to see that the best parts of life cannot be measured or touched.
9. Do they embrace the moment – knowing that the present moment is the only moment they’ll ever have.
10. Are they virtuous – aspiring to the best parts of their nature.
11. Do they know how to give generously – because to give of yourself is the only way to find yourself.
12. Do they know how to love – because this is what they were made to do (and because I’ve shown them by loving them every day unconditionally and by introducing them to a God who loves them perfectly).

This is what I’d like my kids to learn. This is what “success” looks like. This is what I’d like them to “want to be when they grow up.” Everything else with the classes and the homework and the tests and the career path is all bonus.

You can earn a college degree without learning a single one of these things – and these are far more important life lessons. But, ultimately, if my kids don’t learn them, it’s nobody’s fault but mine.

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Three Myths about the Sacrament of Confirmation

This article comes from ChurchPop.com. See it in its original form here.

Is Confirmation the most misunderstood Sacrament? Here are three of the most common misconceptions:

Myth 1: The recipient is confirming, as an adult, the faith they received as a child

Actually, it’s precisely the opposite: rather than the sacrament being about the recipient confirming something, it’s about God confirming the recipient, completing baptismal grace and strengthening them with the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

In other words, Confirmation is not something we do for God, but something God does to us.

Myth 2: Only adults can receive Confirmation

Confirmation can actually be given to infants, as is the practice is in the East, usually immediately after Baptism. It’s been a long-standing practice in the West to only give the sacrament to those who have attained the age of reason, but that is not an absolute requirement for the Sacrament. (CCC 1290-1292)

This makes the problem with the first myth more apparent.

Myth 3: Confirmation is a capstone to one’s faith

In fact, the Confirmation ceremony is a commissioning: once confirmed and strengthened with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the recipient is “more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith, both by word and by deed, as true witnesses of Christ.” (LG 11)

So, far from “being done” with their faith, confirmed Catholics are supposed to be out there boldly preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Wouldn’t it be great if that we lived out?

24 Unstoppable Catholic Women Doing Amazing Things for God

By Becky Roach, Catholic Link

Have you ever heard it said that the Catholic Church oppresses women? Many are quick to pass judgment on what they think is the truth of the Catholic faith. In reality, the opposite is true. The Catholic Church esteems women and calls us to live out the beauty of our femininity in a way that brings glory and honor to God.

Today, we have compiled a list of 24 inspiring Catholic women that show there is no oppression going on in the Chuch. This list includes women that range in age, location, occupation, and stage in life. They are a diverse group that proves the Catholic Church calls women to be active in sharing the faith. These women lead conferences, write books, and travel the word sharing the Good News of Christ. Many have founded apostolates that are impacting thousands of people each day.

I want to note that I purposely did not include any religious sisters. Of course, there are many outstanding consecrated women doing great things for the Lord (and we will present a list of those women soon!), but this list is focused specifically on those women involved in lay apostolates. This was done to prove to the critics that ALL women in the Catholic faith can and do work to further the Kingdom of God.

1. Helen Alvare
Helen is a professor of Law at George Mason University. She frequently speaks about family planning and has written a book titled, "Breaking Through: Catholic Women Speak for Themselves." (http://amzn.to/2c3qtHl)

2. Rachel Balducci
Rachel Balducci is a blogger (http://testosterhome.net), newspaper columnist, and author. She often writes about parenting issues and the faith. Check out her book, "How Do You Tuck In A Superhero." (http://amzn.to/2cgLpyh)

Click here to see the complete list.

Alpha

We are going to start a new series this fall called ALPHA. It's a chance to ask the biggest, most important questions of our lives as human beings. Will you come on this journey?

Get ready for ALPHA, beginning the first week of October.

St. Teresa of Calcutta in One Infographic

Click on the infographic to enlarge. This comes from our friends at ChurchPop.com. See it in its original form here.

 

Be a Coach

Matthew Kelly's newest book is Resisting Happiness. Below is an excerpt that reminded me of how important our role can be as spiritual coaches for teens and clarified what that role should be. If you imagine him saying spiritual coach every time he says coach, it will make sense.

Whenever I speak to the coaches, I warn them about one scenario. "You are going to be tempted to judge yourself as a coach by how well your participants perform. That's a mistake and it leads to a bad place. Your participants' successes and failures are their own. You cannot take credit for their successes, and you cannot take blame for their failures. Your job is to coach them well by faithfully following the coaching program. Otherwise you will end up crossing a line that a coach should never cross. You will find yourself in a place where you want it for them more than they want it for themselves. Then you will make your first mistake. You will do something for them that they should be doing for themselves. You will think you are helping them, but it is a lie and you know it. Your job is to empower those you coach; when you do for them what they should be doing for themselves, you create entitlement and dependency rather than empowerment. It is incredibly frustrating when you see amazing possibilities for the people you are coaching, and you want it more for them than they want it for themselves. Don't give in to that frustration!"

God wants you to be happy even more than you want it yourself.

Imagine how frustrated God is with us, seeing all that is possible and knowing how we squander so much. But he will not cross the line. He will not step over your free will. God wants to empower you for mission. He has put you in this world for a specific mission, but first he has to prepare you.

God wants heaven for you even more than you want it for yourself.

Why Does God Let Bad Things Happen?

Five Steps to Review Your Day Before Going to Bed

Life and Death

Death scares us for many reasons. We are reminded of our own mortality—we will all die at some point. We mourn a life ending—a precious, unrepeatable life. We long for our loved one knowing he or she is gone—perhaps wondering about his or her fate. We adjust our lives in a new direction—a direction that can be unknown and painful. Death is scary. It always will be.

Though Jesus conquered death, though his Resurrection is meant to take the sting away, though Heaven is our ultimate goal and destination, though we have a Savior, we still get scared. We still mourn. We still struggle. And that’s OK.

Last week, two local teenagers died. Middleton teen Tucker Kunz lost his life in an automobile accident, and Rachel Dean, a student from Bishop Kelly and St. Mark’s Church, ended her earthly life. She must have felt an overwhelming multitude of emotions, perhaps deep loneliness and hopelessness. Though we may speculate, we cannot know all Rachel thought or felt. We cannot know her motivation or the sum of her experiences. We cannot assign blame to her or anyone.

But what can we do? We can and should mourn Tucker and Rachel. We can talk about Tucker and Rachel. We can talk about losing someone, especially someone so young. We can journal about how it saddens and scares us. We can share our sorrow with others and build up one another. We can do some of our favorite things Tucker and Rachel loved to do. We can hold a funeral and commend Tucker and Rachel to God’s care. We can pray for their eternal rest, for the comfort of their loved ones, and for our own understanding of the tragedy. Prayer doesn’t change God’s mind. Rather, prayer changes us. Prayer invites us to enter the story of creation God is authoring, to better understand and accept the joys and sorrows of this life.

Most of all, we can honor Tucker and Rachel by honoring the lives of each person we encounter. Every human life is precious and unrepeatable, no matter the choices a person makes. Disagree on politics? That person is still precious. Have an annoying sibling? Your sibling is precious. A beautiful newborn baby? Precious. A premature newborn baby with severe complications? Precious. An elderly person with dementia? Precious. Your most despised enemy? Precious. Your best friend? Precious.

Every single life matters. Tucker's life matters. Rachel’s life matters. Your life matters. Mine does too. Our lives matter because God made us, loves us, and put a reflection of Himself within us. The best way we can honor Tucker and Rachel, honor God, and honor ourselves is to treat every person with respect and love. We may not like every person we encounter (an internal emotional response), but we absolutely must love every person (an action-oriented choice).

That’s why we love babies in the womb, pregnant women, elderly, sick and suffering in need of comfort, children, those with disabilities, soldiers, refugees, homeless, hungry, lonely, lost, and vulnerable. Every life matters.

We celebrate life, and today, we celebrate Tucker and Rachel as their funerals takes place. Though they left us at a young age, their lives have great meaning. If they remind us to treat others with great love, then their legacy will continue long beyond earthly life. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

What Constitutes a Practicing Catholic?

Wanting to Fix People

About All that Catholic Money: How the Church Serves the World, By the Numbers

This post is from ChurchPop.com. See it in its original form here.

“Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” – Jesus, Matthew 25.40

The Catholic Church does more to serve those in need than any other private organization in the world.

From Agenzia Fides, here are some numbers that represent at least a part of what the Church does (as of 2014):

Africa
Primary schools: 36,613 Secondary schools: 12,060
Hospitals: 1,298
Dispensaries: 5,256
Leprosy centers: 229
Homes for the elderly: 632
Orphanages: 1,398
Marriage counseling centers: 1,728

Asia
Primary schools: 16,097
Secondary schools: 10,450
Hospitals: 1,137
Dispensaries: 3,760
Leprosy centers: 322
Homes for the elderly: 2,520
Orphanages: 3,980
Marriage counseling centers: 933

The Americas
Primary schools: 23,195
Secondary schools: 10,965
Hospitals: 1,493
Dispensaries: 5,137
Leprosy centers: 72
Homes for the elderly: 3,815
Orphanages: 2,418
Marriage counseling centers: 5,636

Europe
Primary schools: 15,884
Secondary schools: 9,633
Hospitals: 1,039
Dispensaries: 2,637
Leprosy centers: 21
Homes for the elderly: 8,200
Orphanages: 2,194
Marriage counseling centers: 6,173

Oceania
Primary schools: 3,456
Secondary schools: 675
Hospitals: 200
Dispensaries: 532
Leprosy centers: 4
Homes for the elderly: 537
Orphanages: 134
Marriage counseling centers: 274

Shifting Into a New Relationship

There will be conflict and arguments in relationships; it’s inevitable. But, we don’t have to let those situations cause irreparable damage. In this video, Fr. Mike Schmitz explains how conflict can help a couple move forward together. The key is to reassure each other that you’re both on the same team, and that you both have the same goal in mind—even though you may sometimes disagree when it comes to how to get there.

Saint Videos from Camp

Meet some of the saints we featured at Catholic Junior High Camp by watching the videos below filmed in a Carpool Karaoke-style a la James Corden.

12 Students Reveal What It’s Like Being Catholic in School These Days

 

This article is from ChurchPop.com. See it in its original form here.

Schools are where the next generation is formed.

Sometimes, negative things happen there but there is so much positive going on as well. I wanted to know how being Catholic positively affected students’ lives, so I asked them.

I offered a free student planner to the best response to a simple question: “What is different about you at school because you are Catholic?”

Here are the best 12 responses I got from high school and college students – just the age we often lose hope – and I’ll reveal who won at the end.

“My Catholic faith is the reason I am still in college. After wanting to give up numerous times and having gone down a wrong path in the past, my faith is the reason I have persevered so far, and why I feel at peace about the future.”
Dominique C., College Senior

“The thing most people notice is when I pray over my food at lunch. I’ve been praying over my food my whole life at home, but it took time for me to muster up the courage to make the sign of the cross in front of my peers.”
Almira M., grade 12

“I receive so much support and encouragement from my Confirmation sponsor, who is a priest. When I was thinking about what I’d like to study and do, he advised me to not look for a job or career, but to seek out my vocation instead. That really stuck with me.”
Michael H., grade 11

“Being Catholic at school means working hard to glorify God. It means offering up studying and waking up early to pray. Most importantly being a Catholic student means seeing my campus as a mission field to bring the Gospel message to each and every student.”
Patrick P., College Sophomore

“Every Thursday night, when most of the kids at my secular public university head downtown to drink and party, because I am Catholic, my friends and I head to the Catholic Center and have an hour of Adoration and fellowship.”
John B., College Junior

“Because I am Catholic I am able to share my faith with the crucifix I wear around my neck. People are able to come to me and ask questions – mainly Catholics who know I am a convert and am knowledgeable.”
Seth B., grade 11

“I’ve been very open about my Catholic faith this past year and everyone knows me now as the ‘Catholic’ one. It’s been really amazing because since I have that identity people have asked me questions about the faith, and I’ve even been able to get one girl interested in becoming Catholic.”
Alexandra M., grade 12

“I am involved in a few different faith based organizations, my roommate and I go to mass every Sunday and other holy days, and I’ve often explained the reason behind different Catholic holidays to classmates. As a science major, everything I learn makes me more amazed at what God is capable of.”
Rebecca P., College Junior

“I make daily mass, weekly confession & adoration, & evangelization opportunities priorities in my busy school & sorority schedule. I recently decided to ditch the underage drinking to better exhibit my faith & show others that there is another lifestyle choice that brings about true freedom, joy, & virtuous friendships.”
Hanna B., College Sophomore

“I try to remember the work that I do (probably lesson plans next semester for student teaching), despite all the stress, and no matter how unimportant it may seem can be for the greater glory of God if I unite my prayers works joys and sufferings with Him daily.”
Madeline, College Senior

“Being Catholic should not be like wearing a mask, it has become a part of who I am and who I am striving to become (a saint). I learned to forgive those who push me around and defend my faith when asked questions such as, why do you confess to a priest? Isn’t he just a man? Why do you people eat the body, are you cannibals? I learned that abortion is not ok and that being called a Catholic Church girl is a great compliment.”
Lovita V., College Freshman

And the winner is…

“One thing about have found compelling in my first year at Stephen F. Austin State University is my spiritual peace, specifically during finals. I would find myself in Adoration during study breaks seeking knowledge and guidance during rough times. Being Catholic gives me this opportunities and I cherish it.”
Alex C., College Sophomore

Alex won a free S2S: Student to Saint planner for the best response! A few of the responses above also deserved a planner too but I only had 1 planner.

A Letter to the Young Catholic Alone at Mass

This article comes from Ruth Baker at Catholic-Link.org.

Dear Young Catholic,

Just because you should be doing something doesn’t make it easy, nor does it mean you should have to do it alone and unsupported. There are times when being Catholic can be tough, when you feel like you are the only person in the entire world who believes what you believe and when the expectations placed on you are enormous and impossible. There are times when going against the grain of society is simply exhausting, faith is confusing, and sanctity doesn’t seem to have its own reward.

Maybe your faith is a massive struggle right now. Maybe you cannot see the relevance of it in your life. Maybe everything in your life is going well, but faith feels like an obligation. Or maybe things recently have been crashing down around you and God seems distant, cold and silent. Maybe anger and hurt cloud everything and you cannot see your future. Or perhaps you know that your faith means everything to you, but the price you pay for it is bigger than you ever imagined it to be and there is no one beside you to support you or encourage you.

Perhaps all you feel is self-judgement for the times when you made mistakes. Perhaps you are tired of explaining yourself, or of having to walk away from relationships when you refuse to compromise your self-worth. Maybe you have experienced so much rejection because of being a Catholic that you have nothing left to give anyone else. Perhaps you long for friends who share your faith, who understand who you are and why you believe these things. Maybe you wish you had someone to go to Mass with, to pray with, to explain your doubts and difficulties to. Maybe you are exhausted of defending the one thing that gives you so much joy.

Click here to continue reading.

Total Sexual Freedom

4,392,486,580 hours have been wasted on viewing pornography (source: world's largest porn website yearly tally). Let that sink in for a moment...FOUR. BILLION. HOURS.

That's at least 459,232 years. Modern man (homo sapiens) started walking the earth roughly 200,000 years ago.

Who do you think is at the top of the top 10 nations watching pornography? You guessed it: USA.

How do we end and abolish the so-called "rape culture", sex trafficking, child pornography, abuse against women, etc etc? We cut the addiction at the source. ‪#‎PornKillsLove‬ ‪#‎PornKillsRelationships‬ ‪#‎PornKillsFamilies‬ ‪#‎PornKillsMarriages‬

Will I ever find "the one?"

Lady Gaga Thanks Priest for “Beautiful Homily” About the Eucharist on Facebook

From ChurchPop.com

Lady Gaga thanked a priest on her Facebook page for his “beautiful homily as always,” saying she was “so moved today.”

What moved her so much? She says the priest said “the Eucharist is not a prize for the perfect but the food that God gives us.”

The priest’s words are a reference to a line from Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, 47: “The Eucharist, although it is the fullness of sacramental life, is not a prize for the perfect but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak.”

In an accompanying photo, she is standing next to the priest and holding what appears to be a Bible, as well as to have either a cross necklace or a rosary in her shirt pocket.

Lady Gaga is one of the most followed celebrities on social media, with 61.6 million Likes on her Facebook page and 59 million followers on Twitter. As a music artist and performer, she is known for her raunchy style and promotion of sexual perversion.

Born as Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, she was raised in a Catholic family and attended an all-girls Catholic school through high school. Although her music has often promoted and celebrated things contrary to the Catholic faith, it’s not clear what her religious beliefs and practices are currently.

Thank you Father Duffell for a beautiful homily as always and lunch at my pop's restaurant. 
I was so moved today when you said.. "The Eucharist is not a prize for the perfect but the food that God gives us." - Father Duffell, Blessed Sacrament Church 
Nourishment. .

Aren't All Churches the Same?

Audrey Assad's Powerful Personal Witness

That 1 Day

It's the Triduum. That's TRID-OOO-UM.

Ummmmmm.....what's that?

It's the end of Lent, a three-day event where we remember the Passion, Suffering, Death, and ultimately Resurrection of Jesus. The Triduum has three parts:

• Holy Thursday -- We celebrate the Last Supper where Jesus gave us the Eucharist, washed the feet of his apostles, and instituted the priesthood. Soon after, his suffering would begin. It ends with a procession of the Eucharist around the Church and typically Adoration of the Eucharist until midnight.
• Good Friday -- The one day Catholics don't celebrate Mass, we remember the Passion of Jesus where he was betrayed, captured, tortured, wrongly convicted, lashed, mocked, made to carry the cross, and crucified. We venerate the cross as the symbol of God's love, Christ's sacrifice, and the place our hope died to rise again.
• Holy Saturday -- That in-between day when Jesus is in the tomb. We wait. When the sun sets, a beautiful celebration (liturgy) begins. By candlelight, we process into the Church, read our salvation story (up to seven readings and six psalms), and then when the Gospel is proclaimed, ring bells and bring up the lights. Jesus is risen! Alleluia! We also welcome new Catholics into full communion with the Church through the initiation sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation. It's a long Mass, but why not? It's the high point of history and worth celebrating.

We celebrate because Jesus wins. Love wins. God wins. We know the end of the story. Thank God we have hope in our individual brokenness, in our world's fallenness. We celebrate because Jesus wins.

Today is THAT 1 DAY when our Lord endured incredible pain physically, emotionally, and spiritually so that we could serve Him in this life and be forever with Him in the next life. Come worship today, Good Friday, THAT 1 DAY.

Mark Hart on Jesus Christ's Passion and Death

Fr. Mike: Tips for Praying

Midnight Watch

The Lost Meaning of the Sacrament of Confirmation

 

By Bishop Robert Barron
Courtesy of ChurchPop.com

It is sometimes said that Confirmation is a sacrament in search of a theology.

It is indeed true that most Catholics could probably give at least a decent account of the significance of Baptism, Eucharist, Confession, Matrimony, Holy Orders, and the Anointing of the Sick, but they might balk when asked to explain the meaning of Confirmation. Perhaps they would be tempted to say it is the Catholic version of a Bar Mitzvah, but this would not even come close to an accurate theological description.

A survey of the most recent theologizing about Confirmation—the Documents of Vatican II, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the 1983 Code of Canon Law, etc.—reveals that this is the sacrament of strengthening, as the term itself (“confirmare” in Latin) suggests.

First, it strengthens baptized people in their relationship with the Lord Jesus and then it further strengthens them in their capacity to defend and spread the faith. The roots of it, of course, are in the great day of Pentecost when, through the descent of the Holy Spirit, eleven timorous and largely uneducated men became fearless evangelists, ready and able to spread the Gospel far and wide.

Keep in mind that to proclaim Jesus publicly in that time and place was to take one’s life in one’s hand—and the disciples knew it. And yet, on the very day of Pentecost, they spoke out in the Temple and in the public squares of Jerusalem. With the exception of John, they all went to their deaths boldly announcing the Word. I tell those I confirm that they are, in a certain sense, successors of those first men upon whom the Holy Spirit descended and that they have the same fundamental task. Their Confirmation, I further explained, is therefore not really for them; it is for the Church and the wider world.

Click here to continue reading.

Confirmation Sponsors and Female Priests

Four Reasons for Almsgiving

Biggest and Best List of Confirmation Saints

 

By Rachel Penate, LifeTeen.com

 

It happened. I tried to stifle the laugh, but it was impossible. She was just too funny, too sassy, too real… St. Thérèse of Lisieux had literally made me laugh out loud in adoration. How embarrassingly awesome.

Ever since I was 14, St. Thérèse had been a “saint-buddy” of mine, but it was in a simple moment while reading Story of a Soul (Thérèse’s autobiography) that her journey to sainthood became real to me. Her sassy, stubborn-headed, emotional self had truly spoke to me in such a real and personal way. She spoke to me like a sister.

The saints, our teachers

What an incredible gift we have in the communion of saints. The saints are like us! They are our ancestors, our teachers, our friends, our siblings. They are real, truly human. They are sinners, they are repentant children of God.

The saints lived on this earth and experienced suffering, joy, pain, broken promises, peace, frustration, war, injury, heart-break… they know our hearts. But mostly, they know what it takes to be united with God here on this messy earth. They know what it takes to live well for Him.

Why a saint for Confirmation?

We choose a Confirmation saint (like we choose a Confirmation sponsor) not out of due diligence to the “rule,” but rather because we realize how unfortunate it would be to travel alone. We recognize how important it is to know your Confirmation saint not only by name, but also by story. The saints have so much to teach us about this journey.

The following list is for you to use as a starting point in your journey to decide whom your “Confirmation saint-buddy” will be. Pick a saint who speaks to you somehow. Know their story. But, mostly know the power of their prayer. Ask for their intercession like you would ask for the prayers of your friends. Saying “yes” to a Confirmation saint is like saying “yes, you may always pray for my poor and weary soul.”

How fantastic is that!? I pray that in this process you don’t just find a Confirmation saint, but instead an incredible friend.

So, here it rolls… the list to top all lists. Happy picking!

Click here to see the lists.

NBA Coach Monty Williams Boldly Preaches Jesus at Funeral for His Wife

“Let’s not lose sight of what’s important,” NBA coach Monty Williams said recently at the funeral for his wife. “God is important. What Christ did on the cross is important.”

Williams’ wife was killed in a car accident when another driver crossed the center line and hit her car head-on. They had five children. A Christian funeral was held in Oklahoma, and Williams decided to address the crowd with a message of faith and hope.

“This is hard for my family, but this will work out,” Williams told the crowd at the funeral. “And my wife would punch me if I were to sit up here and whine about what’s going on.

“That doesn’t take away the pain. But it will work out, because God causes all things to work out.”

He was very explicit about his faith in Jesus: “What we need is the Lord. And that’s what my wife tried to exhibit every single day.”

He also called for prayers for the family of the driver: “Let us not forget there were two people in this situation, and that family needs prayer as well.”

And he said he forgives the person who killed his wife: “We have no ill will toward that family.”

“We cannot serve the Lord if we don’t have a heart of forgiveness. That family didn’t wake up wanting to hurt my wife. […] We… should be praying for that family, because they grieve as well.”

“God will work this out. My wife is in heaven. God loves us. God is love.”

10 Reasons Catholics Don't Evangelize (But Should)

This article originally appeared on Fr. Dwight Longenecker’s blog “Standing on My Head,” and is reprinted with permission. Visit his website, browse his books, and be in touch at dwightlongenecker.com.

At a priest’s conference not long ago the speaker quoted some statistics. Christians of different traditions were asked percentage wise how important evangelization was to their understanding of the Christian faith.

Mainline Protestants answered 60%. Evangelical Christians answered 85%. Catholics said 3%.

We Catholics skate around this one muttering catch phrases like “The New Evangelization” and we trumpet the few evangelization enterprises that are going on, and we self righteously quote St Francis (who never actually said it) “Preach the gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.”

There are some very clear reasons why Catholics don’t evangelize, and they are difficulties that run right to the foundation of our understanding and practice of the faith.

There may be more reason than these, but here are ten I can think of.

PS: I’ve saved the biggest and the worst for last….

1) Cultural Catholicism
A lot of American Catholics regard their religion like Jews do. It’s something you’re born into.

They scratch their head at the idea that someone would convert to Catholicism. “What, you mean you chose to be Catholic?” This is because they’re Polish or Irish or Italian or Lebanese or French. They’re Catholic in their bloodstream. It’s something you are, not something you do so much.

I remember encountering a French woman in South Carolina who wanted her baby baptized. I asked her what parish she went to. She looked at me with bewilderment. “But I aim Frensh! It is different in France! Nobody goes to church, but we are very Catholic!” Cultural Catholics never imagine that they should evangelize. “So I’m supposed to make you an Italian?” You see what I mean.

2) Over Sacramentalization
That’s just a long word way of saying that Catholics put sooo much emphasis on the sacraments that it is difficult for many of them to see that in and through and below the sacramental system is a genuine encounter of the person with Jesus Christ, risen ascended and glorified.

Because you have to be a Catholic to receive the sacraments of Holy Communion and confession, and because for so many Catholics that is the only way to practice their faith, the sacraments actually keep them from evangelizing. “I can’t bring my Baptist neighbor to Mass. She wouldn’t know what was going on and besides, she can’t come forward for communion anyway.” This is a good point. If you invite a neighbor of family member to Mass then tell them they can’t receive the Lord the whole exercise is likely to collapse into them feeling excluded.

3) RCIA
What is that? An company that used to make electronics?

The whole RCIA system is often cumbersome and user-unfriendly. If you have someone who is interested in becoming a Catholic you have to tell them about RCIA which starts in the fall (so what do you do when they come in April?) and goes through for months until Easter.

Meanwhile Pastor Bob at the local Protestant church says, “Come to church. Sign up. You’re in.” Proper catechesis is necessary, but a more creative and flexible approach would help.

4) Church or Jesus?
Too many Catholics confuse evangelization with getting people to join the Catholic Church.

The primary task of evangelization is meeting people where they are are introducing them to Jesus Christ. It is possible to do this without bringing in the Catholic Church with its whole devotional and sacramental system. It is possible to talk to someone in need and say, “You need to get right with God. You need to say, ‘Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God have mercy on me a sinner!’ That’s the first step.”

After they make that decision they can start to attend church and learn about the sacramental system and how to continue their relationship with Christ as a Catholic. The reason so many Catholics have a problem with this is because they are unsure whether they themselves have ever had that fundamental, rock bottom, first step conversion transaction.

Click here to continue reading.

Inspiring: Justice Scalia’s Son Preaches Powerful Christ-Centered Homily at Funeral

Fr. Paul Scalia, one of the nine children of the late Justice Antonin Scalia, delivered a powerful Christocentric homily at his father’s funeral at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C. on Saturday.

“We are gathered here because of one man,” Fr. Scalia began after a few acknowledgements, letting you believe he was speaking of his father. “A man known personally to many of us, known only by reputation to even more; a man loved by many, scorned by others; a man known for great controversy and for great compassion.”

“That man, of course, is Jesus of Nazareth.”

Fr. Scalia continued: “It is he who we proclaim: Jesus Christ, Son of the Father, born of the Virgin Mary, crucified, buried, risen, seated at the right hand of the Father. It is because of him, because of his life, death, and resurrection, that we do not mourn as those who have no hope, but in confidence we commend Antonin Scalia to the mercy of God.”

Fr. Scalia was referencing the fact that Catholic funeral masses are offered for the repose of the soul of the faithful departed, rather than being simply memorial services.

“In the past week, many have recounted what Dad did for them. But here, today, we recount what God did for Dad, how he blessed him. We give thanks, first of all, for the atoning death and life giving resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

“Our Lord died and rose not only for all of us, but also for each of us. And at this time we look to… his death and resurrection, and we give thanks that he died and rose for Dad.”

Fr. Scalia went on to list other reasons for gratitude: that Justice Scalia received the Sacraments, that he was married for 55 years, had a deep Catholic faith, and loved his country.

He recounted the Church’s teaching on purgatory, and called for people to pray for his father. “We are here, then, as he would want, to pray for God’s inexplicable mercy to a sinner; to this sinner, Antonin Scalia. Let us not show him a false love and allow our admiration to deprive him of our prayers. We continue to show affection for him and do good for him by praying for him, that all stain of sin be washed away, that all wounds be healed, that he be purified of all that is not Christ, that he rest in peace.”

And he offered an exhortation for all listening to consider their own eternal destiny. “Finally, we look to Jesus, forever, into eternity. Or better, we consider our own place in eternity and whether it will be with the Lord. Even as we pray with Dad to enter swiftly into eternal glory, we should be mindful of ourselves.”

“Every funeral reminds us of just how thin the veil is between this world and the next, between time and eternity, between the opportunity for conversion and the moment of judgement. So we cannot depart here unchanged.”

“It makes no sense to celebrate God’s goodness and mercy to Dad if we are not attentive and responsive to those realities in our own lives. We must allow this encounter with eternity to change us, to turn us from sin and towards the Lord.”

Church Hierarchy Explained in One Infographic

Four Reasons for Fasting

Jim Gaffigan, Harry Connick Jr. Feature in New Divine Mercy Documentary

Our Lady of Guadalupe in One Infographic

Pope Francis' Five-Finger Prayer

Preparing for Lent

How to Gird Your Loins in One Infographic

I'm Sorry VS Thank You

When we inconvenience someone, we may feel like we are in their debt. If we find ourselves in that position, Fr. Mike Schmitz encourages us to apologize to that person, but even beyond that, to offer our gratitude in response to his or her forgiveness. We should especially respond this way when we offend our merciful God, who wants to forgive us our debt and help us move forward with grace.

The 15 Most Epic Signs at the March for Life 2016

 

 

Click here to see more signs.

The Historic Turnpike Mass of 2016

 

As you may have heard, a Catholic pro-life student group going home after the March for Life got stuck on the highway.

With tons of time and not much to do, they did something incredible: they build an altar out of snow and had Mass on the side of the highway! Some people nicknamed the spot the St. John Paul the Great hillside chapel.

Bad weather can’t stop the Mass!

Click here for photos, links, and the lowdown.

Mercy

This excerpt comes from the book Beautiful Mercy by various authors, including Christopher West, who authored this part.

The Latin word for mercy, misericordia, means "a heart which gives itself to those in misery." Our world today exhibits a veritable desert of misery related to our failure to understand the true meaning of love and how our sexuality is meant to express that love. Pope Francis' oft-quoted description of the Church as "a field hospital after battle" couldn't be more fitting in our post-sexual revolution world.

When marriages are crumbling and children are growing up without both a mother and father; when idealized and hyper-eroticized images of the human body have become our cultural wallpaper and people are valued only if they are accordingly stimulating; when the gross distortions of hardcore pornography have become our main reference point for understanding sexual behavior, and sexual addiction masquerades under the banner of liberation; when the blessing of fertility is considered a curse to be eliminated and the innocent human life that springs from sexual union a threat to be exterminated; when governments institutionalize gender confusion and insist the sexual difference has no real meaning; when parents refuse to identify their children at birth so they can "choose their own gender identity" later in life; when society glorifies those who mutilate their bodies so they can "become" the other sex and vilifies those who raise warning flags; and when our Christian parents, teachers, pastors, and confessors are largely unable to respond to these challenges in any compelling way for lack of proper formation themselves, we are a deeply, deeply wounded people.

"I see clearly," said Pope Francis, "that the thing the Church needs most today is the ability to heal wounds." And this means that "ministers of the Church must be ministers of mercy above all."

How did you become a sister?

Ways to Read the Bible

Información para ICYC 2016 por los padres

A Call to Battle

March for Life: Coming Jan. 23

On Fridays, we #FIGHTPORN

If you liked the previous blog post, here's a follow-up from Chiara. Again, be warned that she's raw and unfiltered in her writing, but the truth is being shared, so I'm posting it.

Wow. Serious holla at all of you good people. I am completely overwhelmed by the gracious responses I’ve received over the past several days (and words of affirmation are not one of my stronger love languages… sometimes I may struggle to convey my thanks in the moment, but I am truly grateful).

So here’s a picture of me repping #FighterFridays last week:

Fighter Fridays

Interested in purchasing one of these super nifty t-shirts for yourself? Check out my friends over at Fight the New Drug & The Porn Effect.

http://store.fightthenewdrug.org/
https://shop.theporneffect.com/

A trendy photo filter is cool, but let’s be real: I don’t have the luxury of fighting the battle against pornography and masturbation just on Fridays. This #instagram post isn’t me being a “hip young activist” fighting to end hunger in rural Kenya. Because I assume that most “hip young activists” fighting to end hunger in rural Kenya are not in themselves a hungry Kenyan child. I, on the other hand, am addicted to porn. Contrary to your run-of-the-mill addict, my drug is dirt cheap and can thrive inside my own head. My brain is a never ending clip reel, just waiting to derail my sobriety at any given moment. Thanks, brain. You’re a real gem.

#Lovesies

I assume most are familiar with the idea that we live in an oversexualized society: rape culture, unrealistic standards of beauty, and 12-year-olds doing it in the gym bathroom (some of you think I’m joking…). But to put it in perspective, let me enlighten you on what it’s like to live in this world as someone who gets turnt walking past an Abercrombie & Filth billboard.

Click here to continue reading.

A Horrible Idea

This is a blog post by a teen I knew as her youth minister in Seattle, current friend, and fellow fighter. It's raw, it's got a couple cuss words, and it approaches a difficult topic in a way you may not have heard before. Read on if you can relate.

If radical honesty isn’t your cup of tea, I won’t blame you for ignoring what I’m about to say.

In fact, this could all be a horrible idea, but I’m gonna say something, because most women aren’t saying anything (and I’m Italian, so vulnerability and speaking my mind are strong suits).

Here’s the story:

Imagine an 11-year-old girl, curious about the world, home alone with a computer. Have you ever gone to look something up, typed ONE wrong letter in the web address, and ended up seeing a lot “more” than you planned? Most people rapidly close the window and try again. Some people stop and look… especially curious 11-year-olds.

Then I looked again. And again.

Browser history –> DELETE

Give me a few weeks, and I had developed a meticulous ritual of moving the Ethernet cable from our newer desktop computer to the ancient one we never used (but still had sitting out), booting it up, looking at pictures I didn’t understand (yet desperately pined to see), carefully deleting the browser history, powering down, and moving the Ethernet cable back into place. All this because somehow I knew it wouldn’t be kosher with the parentals.

This went on for years – no hyperbole. We’re talking 365 x 4 (at least). I only got caught once, and even then, mia famiglia didn’t realize the half of it. I managed to talk my way out pretty easily (what can I say – Italians are manipulative, too).

If somehow you haven’t gathered the gist of what I’m getting at, it’s this big ugly word that makes people feel uncomfortable.

Click here to continue reading.