Last night, under the cover of darkness, the legislature of the State of New York burned the midnight oil. What was the call for such dedication? Were they balancing the budget? Were they coming up with more practical means of administering health care? Were they cleaning up crime? Were they helping the poor? The answer to all of these questions is a resounding "NO". The priority that kept congress in session was to vote for the legalization of open sodomy.
Perhaps it seems cruel, or "hateful", to put it in such terms, but that is what we are doing. The term "homosexuality" is merely a euphemism for what was once clearly recognized as a perversion. It was, and is, akin to polygamy, pedophilia, incest, or bestiality. One fears that we may one day be enduring the legalization of all of these under the misguided notion of "sexual preference".
How did we get here? How is it that society has gone mad and all rational and logical thought has been tossed out of the window? How have so many been made captive to the philosophical agenda of the few elites?
It began with what we call the sexual revolution. This ideological revolt begins and ends with the notion that sex is a plaything. It is the right of every adult to use this plaything in any and every way that one sees fit. This fundamental right must not be inhibited by anyone else, especially the religious and conservative bigots who would keep us in the dark ages. However, that fundamental premise is fatally flawed and, with it, every conclusion that stems from that premise.
Sex is not a plaything. Rather, it is a power. It has, or should have, mystery and awe that surround it. This power is divine. It was given to us by God. It is the one way in which we are given the privilege to do something divine- we create human beings. This divine power was intended to take place in the context of a completely self-giving love. This is what marriage truly is. Cohabitation is not completely self-giving because each person has the option of stepping out of the relationship at any time. Sodomist relationships cannot begin to be compared with this as there is no natural means of creating anything. Only marriage the way God intended- between one man and one woman- can provide this context.
Sexual relations are intended to be pleasurable, but pleasure is not the intent. It is comparable to other natural functions such as eating or sleeping. Both are pleasurable but that is not their purpose. We eat for nourishment and we sleep to be refreshed. When we engage in these for their rightful purpose we benefit. But if we do so out of the sole motivation of seeking their pleasure we become gluttons and sluggards. In the same way, the purpose for sexual relations is procreation. God has created that process to be pleasurable. But if we seek it merely for its pleasures sake we have warped what God made holy.
We will show love to those who have embraced Sodomy, not by sharing in their lie that this is normal and acceptable, but rather by sharing with them the truth that they have become enslaved by this lie and that Christ can set them free from such bondage. Many have already walked this hard road of the cross and found the liberty, peace, and true happiness for which they always longed. My purpose in saying things here as I am is not to be divisive or "hateful", but rather to clearly speak the truth so that others may be free.
I confess, I am angry- not because my ideas or opinions are ignored, but because God is so openly and arrogantly mocked. I believe my anger to be righteous in this sense and I am unapologetic for the rhetoric I choose to highlight the grave sin of our nation. I am confident the Sodomist agenda will use the victory in New York to push their agenda even more aggressively. Before long I fear we will live in a Sodomist nation and that the refusal to capitulate to Sodomist demands will be the single biggest reason for the renewed persecution of Christians.
May God have mercy on New York! May God have mercy on the United States! And may God have mercy on a world gone mad!
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Sunday, January 9, 2011
The Downfall of Civilized Society
Along with many others, I was shocked and saddened to hear of the recent mass shooting in Arizona. How has something so horrendous become so much more commonplace in our society?
Today, while at Mass, something the priest was saying in his homily put it together for me.
For the last several years we have become an increasingly secular society. This is by design. We have worked hard to maintain an ever increasing separation between Church and State. Let God be in the churches, the synagogues, the mosques, the temples, etc, but not in the public arena. In our efforts to extricate ourselves from any notion of, or corresponding responsibility to, God, we have eliminated the only source of morality from our society. To replace it we have adopted the notion of moral relativism, which states that there is no absolute truth, no right and wrong, but only that which is perceived to be right or wrong according to the individual and circumstances.
Without a moral compass, our foundation has been knocked out from underneath us. Let me illustrate.
Suppose someone were to ask why stealing is wrong. Why is it wrong? It is because God has definitively stated, "You shall not steal." The foundation for the morality of not taking what does not belong to us is grounded in our faith in God and that God has said this is wrong. But if we remove God from the picture, there is no absolute reason to believe that stealing is wrong other than the fact that most people don't like having something taken from them. But even that is not compelling as various circumstances may justify theft over the comfort or preference of one who is victimized. Perhaps someone feels they have a right to someone else's things. Without an absolute moral foundation, there is no way to defintively state, "You shall not steal."
This brings me back to my opening thought. Why do people increasingly feel justified in murdering other people? Because we, as a society, have worked so hard to remove the moral foundation. Therefore, we can no longer state definitively, "You shall not kill." Relative morality will find a way to justify killing. People are doing it more and more. That is what we saw in Arizona. That is what we have seen in similar incidents in recent years. It's what we can expect to continually see as long as we are all going to go along with this notion that God must not be in the public arena.
Taken to its logical conclusion, we are witnessing the beginning of the end of civilized society. Because there is no foundation for society to stand upon other than moral absolutes. And there are no moral absolutes apart from God.
My plea is for the return of sanity and the rejection of this twisted experiment to redefine morality and to to remove God. Please, if you don't like reading these stories in the news, then become part of the solution by bringing God, and our responsibility to Him, back into the public arena.
Today, while at Mass, something the priest was saying in his homily put it together for me.
For the last several years we have become an increasingly secular society. This is by design. We have worked hard to maintain an ever increasing separation between Church and State. Let God be in the churches, the synagogues, the mosques, the temples, etc, but not in the public arena. In our efforts to extricate ourselves from any notion of, or corresponding responsibility to, God, we have eliminated the only source of morality from our society. To replace it we have adopted the notion of moral relativism, which states that there is no absolute truth, no right and wrong, but only that which is perceived to be right or wrong according to the individual and circumstances.
Without a moral compass, our foundation has been knocked out from underneath us. Let me illustrate.
Suppose someone were to ask why stealing is wrong. Why is it wrong? It is because God has definitively stated, "You shall not steal." The foundation for the morality of not taking what does not belong to us is grounded in our faith in God and that God has said this is wrong. But if we remove God from the picture, there is no absolute reason to believe that stealing is wrong other than the fact that most people don't like having something taken from them. But even that is not compelling as various circumstances may justify theft over the comfort or preference of one who is victimized. Perhaps someone feels they have a right to someone else's things. Without an absolute moral foundation, there is no way to defintively state, "You shall not steal."
This brings me back to my opening thought. Why do people increasingly feel justified in murdering other people? Because we, as a society, have worked so hard to remove the moral foundation. Therefore, we can no longer state definitively, "You shall not kill." Relative morality will find a way to justify killing. People are doing it more and more. That is what we saw in Arizona. That is what we have seen in similar incidents in recent years. It's what we can expect to continually see as long as we are all going to go along with this notion that God must not be in the public arena.
Taken to its logical conclusion, we are witnessing the beginning of the end of civilized society. Because there is no foundation for society to stand upon other than moral absolutes. And there are no moral absolutes apart from God.
My plea is for the return of sanity and the rejection of this twisted experiment to redefine morality and to to remove God. Please, if you don't like reading these stories in the news, then become part of the solution by bringing God, and our responsibility to Him, back into the public arena.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Reality Check
I obviously have no time to keep a blog. Still, there are times like today when it's nice to have the outlet of writing something down.
Recently, my wife and I watched a movie entitled A Man Called Peter. It is the story of Peter Marshall who became chaplain of the U.S. Senate in the late '40's. Peter Marshall was an exceptional preacher and there are some great excerpts from his sermons in the movie.
We've seen this movie many times before. But this time I was struck by how real Peter Marshall made Christ to the people. It is a characteristic I want to adopt. But going on from there I began to realize that what makes this work is being real.
I would like to think of myself as being more pious than I really am. But I want to be honest with myself, and others, about who and what I really am. I think I can make better progress by honestly admitting my failings rather than pretending they don't exist. My hope, is that I will find that, by God's grace, I am indeed progressing to the person I hope to become- a thoroughly real Christian.
Recently, my wife and I watched a movie entitled A Man Called Peter. It is the story of Peter Marshall who became chaplain of the U.S. Senate in the late '40's. Peter Marshall was an exceptional preacher and there are some great excerpts from his sermons in the movie.
We've seen this movie many times before. But this time I was struck by how real Peter Marshall made Christ to the people. It is a characteristic I want to adopt. But going on from there I began to realize that what makes this work is being real.
I would like to think of myself as being more pious than I really am. But I want to be honest with myself, and others, about who and what I really am. I think I can make better progress by honestly admitting my failings rather than pretending they don't exist. My hope, is that I will find that, by God's grace, I am indeed progressing to the person I hope to become- a thoroughly real Christian.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
The Day Approaches
It is now the hour for you to wake from sleep. The night is far spent; the day draws near. Let us cast off deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
Romans 13:11,12
This passage is taken from the Morning Office of prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours. It speaks of new beginnings. Now that we are in Christ, it is time to put away the sinful works of darkness and embrace the ways of Christ who is our Light.
Today's Gospel Reading for the Mass is taken from St. Luke's account of Zacchaeus. He was a tax collector, a very sinful man, who wanted to see Jesus. Jesus went to his house for dinner and forgave the man. His gratitude was evident in his resolve to live very differently from what he had before. This is true conversion; the reception of divine love and grace, and the corresponding transformation that follows.
Every moment of our lives provides us with such an opportunity. Whether we have been very religious, or not religious at all, God's grace abounds to the sinner in every place. No matter what you have done, this opportunity is available.
The night draws to a close. The day of our Lord's appearing is at hand. It is time to put away the works of darkness. Don't wallow in the failings of yesterday. Look forward to the life of Grace being offered to you in this moment. Let it be the moment of conversion. Let the day dawn and the Morning Star rise in your heart. Receive the warmth of the new day in Christ and go and sin no more!
Romans 13:11,12
This passage is taken from the Morning Office of prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours. It speaks of new beginnings. Now that we are in Christ, it is time to put away the sinful works of darkness and embrace the ways of Christ who is our Light.
Today's Gospel Reading for the Mass is taken from St. Luke's account of Zacchaeus. He was a tax collector, a very sinful man, who wanted to see Jesus. Jesus went to his house for dinner and forgave the man. His gratitude was evident in his resolve to live very differently from what he had before. This is true conversion; the reception of divine love and grace, and the corresponding transformation that follows.
Every moment of our lives provides us with such an opportunity. Whether we have been very religious, or not religious at all, God's grace abounds to the sinner in every place. No matter what you have done, this opportunity is available.
The night draws to a close. The day of our Lord's appearing is at hand. It is time to put away the works of darkness. Don't wallow in the failings of yesterday. Look forward to the life of Grace being offered to you in this moment. Let it be the moment of conversion. Let the day dawn and the Morning Star rise in your heart. Receive the warmth of the new day in Christ and go and sin no more!
Sunday, November 1, 2009
All Saints Day
Today is the Feast of All Saints. It is the time we remember all those who have died and are now in the Presence of the Lord. It is a very special feast in the Catholic Church.
Why do we venerate saints?
We do so to honor those who have lived holy lives. We want to hold them up as examples to be followed.
We also do so to glorify God. We realize that saints have attained such holiness only by the grace of God as given to us through our Lord Jesus Christ. To honor them is to glorify the One who has changed them.
Saints were every day people like us. They shared our circumstances and struggles. However, they chose to walk in the way of the cross and pursue holiness rather than give in to their own desires or the pressures of the surrounding society.
On this Feast of All Saints, I yearn ever more to truly be holy. I am so far from such a thing. But I trust in the Lord who has promised His power to all who call on Him in faith. By His grace I believe that I will indeed be holy and that I will be granted the gift of seeing Him face to face, if I endure to the end.
May the Lord grant us all such grace and may the prayers of all the saints aid us in our endeavor. Amen!
Why do we venerate saints?
We do so to honor those who have lived holy lives. We want to hold them up as examples to be followed.
We also do so to glorify God. We realize that saints have attained such holiness only by the grace of God as given to us through our Lord Jesus Christ. To honor them is to glorify the One who has changed them.
Saints were every day people like us. They shared our circumstances and struggles. However, they chose to walk in the way of the cross and pursue holiness rather than give in to their own desires or the pressures of the surrounding society.
On this Feast of All Saints, I yearn ever more to truly be holy. I am so far from such a thing. But I trust in the Lord who has promised His power to all who call on Him in faith. By His grace I believe that I will indeed be holy and that I will be granted the gift of seeing Him face to face, if I endure to the end.
May the Lord grant us all such grace and may the prayers of all the saints aid us in our endeavor. Amen!
Monday, October 19, 2009
Not Just For Them
But it was not for him alone that it was written...
Romans 4:23
It's been virtually forever since I have posted. Most of that is due to changing schedules and online courses.
To get back to it...
Today we read of Abraham's faith. We are told by Paul that Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness (v. 3). But in this verse he points out that it was not written for Abraham's benefit alone. It was written for all who would read and believe. In other words, it was written with us in mind.
I wonder if we typically approach the Scripture with that kind of anticipation. Do we see the Bible as something written a long time ago to ancient peoples that we can learn something from? Or, do we understand that the Scriptures were written just as much to us as to the original audience? Is the Bible a book of history, stories, and poetry, or is it God's word to us today?
The answers are telling. If we look at it as something written to others, we come to it as something merely beneficial and inspirational. It's like reading greeting cards or Chicken Soup for the Soul, or something. But if it's God's word to us today, then we approach it with the expectation that we will hear something fresh, something new and relevant for our lives today.
Over the last couple of weeks I have had more than a few encounters with those who believe that much of the Bible is not to be taken literally, but rather that we are to glean the primary lesson from the passage and apply it to our lives. It seems to me that they are essentially in the first category. This may not be intentional and they may even deny it, but I cannot imagine that the impact of the Scriptures can be as great when you are telling yourself things like "this didn't really happen." On the other hand, when we come to the Scriptures with the simplicity of a child (Mt. 18:3), and take God at His word, and expect that He will speak to us through it as surely as He spoke to those of whom we read, then we will, indeed, hear the Spirit speaking and be able to follow what He is saying.
Abraham believed God, hoping against hope, and was rewarded for his faith. He did not earn anything from God, but he believed God, and, therefore, obeyed. There's a lot to learn from that. But there's even more to be applied as we hear God calling us to faith and obedience.
Romans 4:23
It's been virtually forever since I have posted. Most of that is due to changing schedules and online courses.
To get back to it...
Today we read of Abraham's faith. We are told by Paul that Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness (v. 3). But in this verse he points out that it was not written for Abraham's benefit alone. It was written for all who would read and believe. In other words, it was written with us in mind.
I wonder if we typically approach the Scripture with that kind of anticipation. Do we see the Bible as something written a long time ago to ancient peoples that we can learn something from? Or, do we understand that the Scriptures were written just as much to us as to the original audience? Is the Bible a book of history, stories, and poetry, or is it God's word to us today?
The answers are telling. If we look at it as something written to others, we come to it as something merely beneficial and inspirational. It's like reading greeting cards or Chicken Soup for the Soul, or something. But if it's God's word to us today, then we approach it with the expectation that we will hear something fresh, something new and relevant for our lives today.
Over the last couple of weeks I have had more than a few encounters with those who believe that much of the Bible is not to be taken literally, but rather that we are to glean the primary lesson from the passage and apply it to our lives. It seems to me that they are essentially in the first category. This may not be intentional and they may even deny it, but I cannot imagine that the impact of the Scriptures can be as great when you are telling yourself things like "this didn't really happen." On the other hand, when we come to the Scriptures with the simplicity of a child (Mt. 18:3), and take God at His word, and expect that He will speak to us through it as surely as He spoke to those of whom we read, then we will, indeed, hear the Spirit speaking and be able to follow what He is saying.
Abraham believed God, hoping against hope, and was rewarded for his faith. He did not earn anything from God, but he believed God, and, therefore, obeyed. There's a lot to learn from that. But there's even more to be applied as we hear God calling us to faith and obedience.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
The Family of Christ
"My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it."
Luke 8:21
It would seem that if anyone had an inside track to eternal life it was the members of Jesus' own family. Yet, in this passage we see that this was not the case. They had to come like everyone else. In fact, maybe being related to Jesus was actually a hindrance. They watched Him grow up. They knew Him in ways that others didn't. To them, He was no one special. For this very reason their eyes were often blind to the revelation of who He truly is.
But the bigger issue, for us, is where do we find ourselves? We are not related to Jesus. Yet, can we find a place in His family? The answer is yes. When we listen to His word and obey it, we are His relatives. But pay careful attention to what is being said. It is not enough to hear the word of God, or know the word of God. We must be doing the word of God. We must obey! And we must obey daily, not just sporadically. If this was the case for Jesus' own mother and brothers, then how much more must it be the case for us. There are no exceptions; obedience equals relationship.
Isn't that rather legalistic? No, it's not. We all operate the same way. The only real relationships we have are those in which we love the other person enough to be committed to them no matter what. This is really what Jesus is saying. We can't have a relationship with Him if we will only be committed to Him when we want something from Him. That's not a relationship, it's prostitution.
Now this also raises an issue about the place of Mary, our Lord' s mother. Doesn't this passage show that she really didn't get it and couldn't possibly be all the things Catholics say she is? No, not really. Mary didn't understand everything that was going on. Episodes like this one in which she was concerned for the welfare of our Lord indicate that she simply didn't have some of the insight that she gained after hearing His words. But this doesn't mean she was sinning. In fact, we may look at this passage and understand that in the eternal perspective, Mary does not receive all the attention she gets merely because she gave birth to our Lord, but also because she truly was an exemplary disciple. She obeyed the word of God from the heart every time she was given the opportunity to do so. Would that we could say the same!
To live as one of Jesus' own we must continually be humbly seeking Him in prayer and in the Word. As we meditate on the Word, we must be sure that we are looking for the ways this is practically lived out in our lives. As we do, we show that we really are members of Christ's family. What a great privilege! What a tremendous joy!
Luke 8:21
It would seem that if anyone had an inside track to eternal life it was the members of Jesus' own family. Yet, in this passage we see that this was not the case. They had to come like everyone else. In fact, maybe being related to Jesus was actually a hindrance. They watched Him grow up. They knew Him in ways that others didn't. To them, He was no one special. For this very reason their eyes were often blind to the revelation of who He truly is.
But the bigger issue, for us, is where do we find ourselves? We are not related to Jesus. Yet, can we find a place in His family? The answer is yes. When we listen to His word and obey it, we are His relatives. But pay careful attention to what is being said. It is not enough to hear the word of God, or know the word of God. We must be doing the word of God. We must obey! And we must obey daily, not just sporadically. If this was the case for Jesus' own mother and brothers, then how much more must it be the case for us. There are no exceptions; obedience equals relationship.
Isn't that rather legalistic? No, it's not. We all operate the same way. The only real relationships we have are those in which we love the other person enough to be committed to them no matter what. This is really what Jesus is saying. We can't have a relationship with Him if we will only be committed to Him when we want something from Him. That's not a relationship, it's prostitution.
Now this also raises an issue about the place of Mary, our Lord' s mother. Doesn't this passage show that she really didn't get it and couldn't possibly be all the things Catholics say she is? No, not really. Mary didn't understand everything that was going on. Episodes like this one in which she was concerned for the welfare of our Lord indicate that she simply didn't have some of the insight that she gained after hearing His words. But this doesn't mean she was sinning. In fact, we may look at this passage and understand that in the eternal perspective, Mary does not receive all the attention she gets merely because she gave birth to our Lord, but also because she truly was an exemplary disciple. She obeyed the word of God from the heart every time she was given the opportunity to do so. Would that we could say the same!
To live as one of Jesus' own we must continually be humbly seeking Him in prayer and in the Word. As we meditate on the Word, we must be sure that we are looking for the ways this is practically lived out in our lives. As we do, we show that we really are members of Christ's family. What a great privilege! What a tremendous joy!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
