For the time being, I am scheduled for Fridays on Calling All Catholics on WLOF, The Station of the Cross (FM 101.7), 5 PM.
We are calling all Catholics to see how the world looks through the eyes of faith.
Blind faith (a.k.a. “fideism”) is a vice, not a virtue.
God created us as intelligent beings. It's part of being in the “image and likeness” of God (Gen 1:27-18). God is not offended by our thinking about what and why we believe. On the contrary, Peter tells us we should “always be ready to give an explanation [Greek: apologos] to anyone who asks you for a reason [Greek: logos–word, logic] for your hope” (1 Pet 3:15).
Faith is a vision of reality granted to us by God-revealing-God.
Everything looks different when we see the world from the perspective of the faith.
We have good reasons for what we believe.
“Pope Benedict XVI announced a special jubilee year dedicated to St. Paul which begins on June 28th. He stated that the Church needs modern Christians who will imitate the apostle's missionary energy and spirit of sacrifice.”
Paul was born in Tarsus, which is in southern Turkey. His early ministry was in Turkey. I imagine that crossing over into Macedonia was a big step out of his “comfort zone.”
Catholic Encyclopedia (1917–a lot of scholarship has taken place since then–see the table below from the JBC):
| Year | Event | Scriptural refs |
| 35 | Conversion | |
| 37 | first visit to Jerusalem | |
| 37-43 | sojourn at Tarsus | |
| 43-44 | apostolate at Antioch | |
| 44 or 45 | second visit to Jerusalem | |
| 45-49 | first mission | |
| 49 or 50 | third visit to Jerusalem | |
| 50-53 | second mission | |
| 52 | (1 and 2 Thessalonians) | |
| 53 | fourth visit to Jerusalem | |
| 53-57 | third mission | |
| 56 | (1 and 2 Corinthians; Galatians) | |
| 57 | (Romans) | |
| 57 | fifth visit to Jerusalem, arrest | |
| 59 | arrival of Festus, departure for Rome | |
| 60-62 | captivity at Rome | |
| 61 | (Philemon; Colossians; Ephesians; Philippians) | |
| 62-66 | second period of activity | |
| 66 | (1 Timothy; Titus), second arrest | |
| 67 | (2 Timothy), martyrdom | |
| Date | Epistle | |
| 50-51 | 1 Thessalonians | Notes |
| 54 | Galatians | Notes |
| 54-58 | Philippians | |
| 54-57 | 1 Corinthians | |
| 54-55 | 2 Corinthians | |
| 57-58 | Romans | |
| 56-63 | Philemon | |
| 64-67 | Peter and Paul martyred in Rome during Nero's reign |
| 66-70 | Jewish revolt against Romans – 2nd destruction of Temple |
| 70-80 | Colossians | |
| after Col | Ephesians | |
| 51-100? | 2 Thessalonians | |
| ~100 | Titus | |
| ~100 | 1 Timothy (author of Titus) | |
| ~100 | 2 Timothy (author of Titus) | |
The seven unquestionably authentic letters.
Catholics are asked to choose some religious practice to honor the day on which Jesus laid down His life for us.
Once upon a time, the Church made abstinence from meat a serious obligation. Now we are free to choose our own way of setting this day apart from the rest of the week.
Readings of the day (32nd week, Ordinary time). One ordinary Sunday left, then the Feast of Christ the King (looking forward to the “end times”).
From last week:
NFP Special Conference Talk: Fr. Matthew Habiger, Dr. Damon Cudahee.
Ann, East Aurora: Why was Jesus not looking for his parents?
Tommy, Buffalo: Where can you find information on the Jubilee year?
Mike, Fort Erie: A comment on the election and an experience at the abortion clinic.
Fred, Rochester: What is Agape love?
Frank, Rochester: Question on John Chapter 6.
Ed, Rochester: A question on people other than Jesus raising people from the dead. (Why don't popes regularly raise people from the dead?)
And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ, so that we may no longer be infants, tossed by waves and swept along by every wind of teaching arising from human trickery, from their cunning in the interests of deceitful scheming. Rather, living the truth in love, we should grow in every way into him who is the head, Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, with the proper functioning of each part, brings about the body's growth and builds itself up in love.
October 17: pre-recorded show on Job.
October 24: discussion with Gina.
October 31: fundraiser on the air; I was in Chicago.
November 5: dinner with Fr. Haberger (NFP promoter, OSB).
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Octave of the two Martins (Nov. 4 to Nov. 11).
From October 24:
Gina Freitas - benefit at Salvatore's Italian Gardens for Nicaragua Mission. Journey of Hope Foundation. Hope for Nicaragua. Multipurpose building: chapel, classroom, retreat conference room. Bishop of Granada here. $100 a ticket. $750 per table. Live silent auction. Anne Marie.
Peter from Clifton Springs: he and his wife were wondering about some things such as the old and new covenant, numbers things like 10 days between Yom Kippur & Rosh Hashanna.
Amanuel (e-mail): Can you please give few examples of “sin against the Holy Spirit.” Also if time allows kindly comment on my question about the Just War Theory from two weeks ago. Thank you and God bless you!
Amy, Rochester, wondering about the use of labrynth in Catholic meditation: Is it a legitimate form of meditation?
40 days for life finished up this week, I think.
Brothers and sisters:
Realize that it is those who have faith
who are children of Abraham.
Scripture, which saw in advance that God
would justify the Gentiles by faith,
foretold the good news to Abraham, saying,
Through you shall all the nations be blessed.
Consequently, those who have faith are blessed
along with Abraham who had faith.
For all who depend on works of the law are under a curse;
for it is written, Cursed be everyone
who does not persevere in doing all the things
written in the book of the law.
And that no one is justified before God by the law is clear,
for the one who is righteous by faith will live.
But the law does not depend on faith;
rather, the one who does these things will live by them.
Christ ransomed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us,
for it is written, Cursed be everyone who hangs on a tree,
that the blessing of Abraham might be extended
to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus,
so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
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“He was the son of Juan de Borgia, the 3rd Duke of Gandia and Joana of Aragon, daughter of Afonso de Aragon, Archbishop of Zaragoza, who, in turn, was the illegitimate son of Ferdinand the Catholic (Ferdinand II of Aragon) and his mistress Aldonza Ruiz de Iborra y Alemany. Francis was also the paternal great-grandson of
Pope Alexander VI.”
“The Borgias or Borjas were an Italian noble family of Spanish origin remembered today for their corrupt rule of the Papacy during the Renaissance. They are in fact thought to be “history's first criminal family”, and a forerunner to the Italian Mafia.[1] The patriarch of the family, Rodrigo Borgia (1431-1503), “became a bishop, cardinal and vice-chancellor of the church.”[2] He was later elected Pope, taking the name Alexander VI and kept that position for at least eleven years. Other members of the Borgia family were Lucrezia Borgia and Cesare Borgia, daughter and son of Rodrigo Borgia, respectively. Among the many accusations against the Borgia family, some are of incest, adultery, murder, and scandal.” (
Wikipedia)
Rick's question: what is the difference between a solemnity, a feast, and a memorial?
Leftovers from last week:
We can only rely on the faith of our ancestors and accept the truth as it was handed to us through the apostles. They seem to be credible witnesses. The Church is based on the conviction that they were telling the truth about what they experienced.
Fridays are good; Sundays are better.
“Paul, an apostle not from human beings nor through a human being but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead” (Gal 1:1).
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Sts. Cosmas and Damian. Died ~287 AD. “Patrons of physicians and surgeons and are sometimes represented with medical emblems.”
In union with the whole Church we honor
Mary, the ever-virgin mother of Jesus Christ our Lord and God.
We honor Joseph, her husband,
the apostles and martyrs
Peter and Paul,
Andrew, James, John,
Thomas, James, Philip,
Bartholomew, Matthew, Simon and Jude;
we honor Linus, Cletus, Clement, Sixtus,
Cornelius, Cyprian, Lawrence, Chrysogonus,
John and Paul,
Cosmas and Damian) and all the saints.
May their merits and prayers grant us
your constant help and protection.
From last week:
Christina: Are we the only ones who have saints whose bodies are incorrupt?
Emmanuel from Rochester: In the light of “proofs” of the resurrection, in what sense are faith and reason opposed to each other?
Daniel: Can you have wisdom without a lot of intelligence?
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From last week:
Jesus walking on the water.
Are parts of cities under the dominion of Satan?
Difference between permanent deacon and priest?
Are affirmations an Eastern and anti-Christian practice?
Discernment of spirits: why did I choose to be a Jesuit?
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From last week
Talked with Jim about his background–conversion, education, Pentecostal (charismatic) movement, Steubenville.
Fan the Flame Festival by WLOF on Sunday.
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Bonnie: Is it OK to receive Communion twice at the same Mass?
EWTN, Open Line, Colin Donavan.
Dave: Was the Church born when Jesus died on the Cross (blood and water from His side) or on the day of Pentecost?
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From last week
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10th anniversary bash at HSBC with Fr. Corapi.
Best way to pray inwardly, or without verbal prayer.
Dangers of pre-marital sex.
Glass chalice OK for Mass?
Bob and his wife rec'd tix for Tina Turnere conert …
Last week's leftovers
Jean from Rochester asked about how to identify whether a speaker is in good standing in the Church (Charles Curran).
Difference between venial and mortal sin. “If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly, he should pray to God and he will give him life. This is only for those whose sin is not deadly. There is such a thing as deadly sin, about which I do not say that you should pray. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not deadly” (1 John 5:16-17). “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful” (James 5:16).
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"Motu proprio", Latin, “on his own motive; of his own accord.” A particular kind of papal decree. E.g.,
"Ecclesia Dei" by John Paul II in 1988 dealing with the Lefebvre schism: “In itself, this act was one of disobedience to the Roman Pontiff in a very grave matter and of supreme importance for the unity of the church, such as is the ordination of bishops whereby the apostolic succession is sacramentally perpetuated. Hence such disobedience - which implies in practice the rejection of the Roman primacy - constitutes a schismatic act.(3) In performing such an act, notwithstanding the formal canonical warning sent to them by the Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops on 17 June last, Mons. Lefebvre and the priests Bernard Fellay, Bernard Tissier de Mallerais, Richard Williamson and Alfonso de Galarreta, have incurred the grave penalty of excommunication envisaged by ecclesiastical law.”
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Randolph from Hamilton, Ontario: Does Anglican Church still have valid orders? (I don't remember talking about this question. We may have missed it.)
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Memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787), bishop and doctor of the Church.
Catholic Encyclopedia: “Alphonsus was lawyer, founder [of the Redemptorists], religious superior, bishop, theologian, and mystic, but he was above all a missionary. … He fed the poor, instructed the ignorant, reorganized his seminary, reformed his convents, created a new spirit in his clergy, banished scandalous noblemen and women of evil life with equal impartiality, brought the study of theology and especially of moral theology into honour, and all the time was begging pope after pope to let him resign his office because he was doing nothing for his diocese. To all his administrative work we must add his continual literary labours, his many hours of daily prayer, his terrible austerities, and a stress of illness which made his life a martyrdom.”
From last week:
Finding God in all things. Have we lost the purpose of education today?
Can a priest dictate that people only stand to receive Communion at his church?
Questions relating to how Catholics vs non-Catholics treat Mary.
Got some feedback from the men's night with Fr. Poblocki–many confessions.
Adding Wednesday to the Friday fast was asked by Our Lady at Medjugorie.
From July 18th:
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Psalm 2 and
Psalm 89: Jewish expectations of their Messiah (Hebrew; translated into Greek as “Christos”; in English, “Anointed One”–the person anointed to be King or High Priest.
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From last week:
Ps. 2: “You are my Son, this day I have begotten you.”
Call from Rochester–organizing 40 days of life.
Men's night: “Why do men hate going to church?” Fr. Poblocki.
Elizabeth: St. Frances de Sales–did he have a temper?
Brother Lawrence, “Practicing the presence of God.” Connect to Jesus prayer, all kinds of spontaneous, personal, all-day prayer. “Don't ask your spiritual director if you can smoke while praying; ask him whether you can pray while smoking.”
Ed from Rochester: Why are there so many religious orders in the Catholic Church? People keep on thinking up news ways to serve God and His People.
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From last time:
Talked about Jim's question: the close but paradoxical relationship between OT (TNK and LXX) and NT: we talked about the meaning of “covenant” (agreement, bargain, deal, contract, testament, committed personal relationship); started on “Christ.”
If “catholic” means “universal,” why can't everybody take Communion with Catholics? The whole world is invited to become Catholic; whatever keeps people from embracing the Catholic faith keeps them from taking Communion with us.
Has doctrine changed or hasn't it? Yes and no. E.g.: clarity about the divinity of Jesus; unity of God, the Son, with God, the Father.
Why does the Church have a pope? What are the reasons? Jesus chose Simon to be the “rock” (Kephas, Petros) and told him to feed and care for the flock. I left out the power of the keys in Matthew 16:18-19. Symbol of stewardship brings to mind parables of the King who goes away and leaves a faithful servant in charge of the household.
For today:
Paul is a providential link between the OT and the NT. He was 100% Jewish, thoroughly immersed and well-trained in his tradition. He was equipped by God to think about what does and does not carry over from that tradition into the New Covenant.
Finish talking about the differences between the OT and NT understanding of “Christ.” Jesus is “Priest, Prophet, and King.”
Last week:
St. Joan of Arc–Catholics aren't pacifists.
Dealing with drug dealers, criminal or sinful activity of neighbors.
May Catholics use contraceptives?
Wine at Mass for alcoholics.
Depression.
Trinitarian theology
“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God” (Jn 1:1).
“The Father is in me and I am in the Father” (Jn 14:10).
“The Father is greater than I” (Jn 14:28).
“I and the Father are one” (Jn 10:30).
Logos–The Word of the Father
The beauty of thinking about Jesus as the Word of the Father is that the Word remains in the Father while, at the same time, going forth from Him into the world. This is how words work with our minds. When we say something, we are trying to express a meaning that is within us so that others can “see” what we mean.
My e-mail system keeps a copy of everything I send to to people. The word remains with me even though I send it out to others. The Word abides in the Father even though He is sent into the world to reveal the Father.
Modern problems
Equality and Egalitarianism When we talk about equality, we are speaking in terms of measurement. We must specify the units by which we are affirming equality if we are to make good sense out of what we mean by the term. The Father, Son, and Spirit are equal in every perfection which belongs to the Godhead, because the three Persons are “one in being” (homoousios) with each other: glory, majesty, power, beauty, truth, eternity, knowledge, freedom. The difference in the Persons is one of relationship–they do not have the same (identical) relationship with each other. The Son is from the Father; the Spirit is from the Father and the Son (filioque clause); the Father has no origin–He is the only person in the whole universe of personal beings who has no father.
Ricky Jay and I are equal in the eyes of the law (civil rights). We are equally blessed by the sacraments: we are baptized with the same baptism, absolved from our sins by the same Savior, filled with the same Holy Spirit in Confirmation, and given Jesus Himself, whole and entire, in Communion. We are not equal in age, weight, hair distribution.
Happy Easter! Light an Easter Candle.
Pray for the grace of Pentecost.
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32nd anniversary of my first vows as a Jesuit.
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Leftovers:
Happy Easter! Suggestion to remember Easter for 50 days: light a candle every day in honor of the risen Lord.
Polish Mass on WLOF? Kitchen magnet with number on it???
The Roman Catholic Church ordains married men in the Eastern rites.
Happy Easter!
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Last week's topics:
Day for single parents.
Who may be anointed? (Knee surgery?)
History of the scapular.
Mt 27:53 - graves opened when Jesus died; resurrected people testify to Jesus after His resurrection.
Question about whether an ecumenical Bible was, in fact, Catholic (yes; it had all the Catholic books; it had an imprimatur).
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Last week:
Acts 2, 10, 15 – Christian de-literalization of the OT. “Council of Jerusalem.”
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Theotokos: “Mother of God.” First four councils of the Churh.
“For ourselves, too, we ask some share
in the fellowship of your apostles and martyrs,
with John the Baptist, Stephen, Matthias,
Barnabas, Ignatius, Alexander, Marcellinus,
Peter, Felicity, Perpetua,
Agatha, Lucy, Agnes,
Cecilia, Anastasia, and all the saints.”
First program with Ricky Jay.
Genealogies of Mt & Lk: how persuasive were they to the Jews?
Discussion of why the Jews rejected Jesus: He didn't live up to their expectations of what the Messiah/Christ should do.
Why did Jesus tell Mary M.not to hold on to Him after the resurrection? John 20.
What graces you get from holy water?
Do you still have to fast 1 hour before receiving Communion? Taking medicine does not break the fast.
Is the evil eye real?
Should an aunt attend her niece's wedding (a civil ceremony)?
People can call from Canada. And the program is webstreamed.
Full texts--USSCB.
Reading 1 - Is 58:1-9a
Thus says the Lord GOD:
Cry out full-throated and unsparingly,
lift up your voice like a trumpet blast;
Tell my people their wickedness,
and the house of Jacob their sins. …
This, rather, is the fasting that I wish:
releasing those bound unjustly,
untying the thongs of the yoke;
Setting free the oppressed,
breaking every yoke;
Sharing your bread with the hungry,
sheltering the oppressed and the homeless;
Clothing the naked when you see them,
and not turning your back on your own.
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your wound shall quickly be healed;
Your vindication shall go before you,
and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer,
you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am!
Responsorial Psalm - 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 18-19
Psalm 51 - David's Miserere
Gospel - Mt 9:14-15
The disciples of John approached Jesus and said,
“Why do we and the Pharisees fast much,
but your disciples do not fast?”
Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn
as long as the bridegroom is with them?
The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them,
and then they will fast.”
Today's readings
Reading 1: 2 Sm 11:1-4a, 5-10a, 13-17
The story of David, Bathsheba, and Uriah the Hittite
Psalm 51 – The Miserere
Responsorial Psalm
51:3-4, 5-6a, 6bcd-7, 10-11
R. (see 3a) Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:
“Against you only have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight.”
I have done such evil in your sight
that you are just in your sentence,
blameless when you condemn.
True, I was born guilty,
a sinner, even as my mother conceived me.
Let me hear the sounds of joy and gladness;
the bones you have crushed shall rejoice.
Turn away your face from my sins,
and blot out all my guilt.
Gospel: Mk 4:26-34
Jesus said to the crowds:
“This is how it is with the Kingdom of God;
it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land
and would sleep and rise night and day
and the seed would sprout and grow,
he knows not how.
Of its own accord the land yields fruit,
first the blade, then the ear,
then the full grain in the ear.
And when the grain is ripe,
he wields the sickle at once,
for the harvest has come.”
He said,
“To what shall we compare the Kingdom of God,
or what parable can we use for it?
It is like a mustard seed that, when it is
sown in the ground, is the smallest of all
the seeds on the earth.
But once it is sown, it springs up
and becomes the largest of plants
and puts forth large branches,
so that the birds of the sky
can dwell in its shade.”
With many such parables
he spoke the word to them
as they were able to understand it.
Without parables he did not speak to them,
but to his own disciples
he explained everything in private.
Followup from last week: “Beloved, do not trust every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they belong to God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 Jn 4:1). “Testing the spirits” is also know as
"discernment of spirits."
How can we tell what ideas, feelings, desires, insights come from God? “Lord, if it is you, tell me to get out of the boat and come to you across the water” (
Mt 14:28).
A woman's father believes that he is
talking to his guardian angel, Centrifuge. Last week's show ended with a fellow talking about being guided by his dead girlfriend. Such
private revelations need to be tested against what we know from Tradition.
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Best example of the evil of
necromancy–King Saul summoned the spirit of Samuel through the Witch of Endor (
Samuel 28).
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Second installment on my story: starting to pray in the chapel; questions about priesthood; Peggy's encouraging words.
“Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been
none greater than John the Baptist; yet the
least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he” (
Mt 11:11). You can see that Jesus is just using John as a reference point for greatness that His audience would understand the day that He was talking with them. Jesus is not saying:
Is it proper to say that the Church in the New Testament was organized as a democracy with power coming from the ground up?
Kingship of Jesus
appointment of apostles by Jesus
appointment of deacons by the apostles
appointment of other leaders by St. Paul
The best examples of “majority rule”–Acts 1 (election of Matthias) and Acts 15 (Council of Jerusalem). In both cases, the apostles were seeking God's leadership, which is “top-down,” not “bottom up.”
Readings of the day.
Reading 1 – Acts 22:3-16
The story of Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus.
Responsorial Psalm – 117:1bc, 2
R. (Mark 16:15) Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
Praise the LORD, all you nations;
glorify him, all you peoples!
For steadfast is his kindness toward us,
and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.
Gospel – Mk 16:15-18
Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them:
“Go into the whole world
and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved;
whoever does not believe will be condemned.
These signs will accompany those who believe:
in my name they will drive out demons,
they will speak new languages.
They will pick up serpents with their hands,
and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them.
They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
6 calls
started sharing my own conversion story
troublesome call right at the end: gnosticism–looking inside ourselves instead of listening to the gospel, which comes to us by hearing the Word of God.
tithing question from an engaged woman (Torah–>grace)
Eight callers.
Jason's first show.
How best to present the pro-life message to the parish?
How to explain Benediction to teens?
One man called to say how happy he was to return to the Catholic Church after 30 years away.
Full text.
Reading 1: 1 Sm 8:4-7, 10-22a: choice of Saul as King
Responsorial Psalm – 89:16-17, 18-19
R. (2) For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
For to the LORD belongs our shield,
and to the Holy One of Israel, our King.
Gospel: Mk 2:1-12
“Which is easier, to say to the paralytic,
‘Your sins are forgiven,’
or to say, ‘Rise, pick up your mat and walk’?
But that you may know
that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth”
–-he said to the paralytic,
“I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home.”
He rose, picked up his mat at once,
and went away in the sight of everyone.
They were all astounded
and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”
The use of icons in prayer (Stanley Cup at the Art Gallery that day!).
Ex Corde Ecclesiae--1990: The idea of an American Catholic University. My training as doctoral candidate and my life as a professor.
Sunday obligation for the elderly, the sick, travelers, etc. “Virtue is the mean between extremes” (Aristotle, Aquinas, the Buddha, Confucius).
The language of the Scriptures is not as technical as our own.
“Brother” does not necessarily mean “son of the same mother and father.”
It can mean “close blood relative”–a cousin or nephew:
Genesis 13:11
1 Thess 2:9
Lev 10:4
Gen 29:15
1 Chr 23:21-22
I deal with this and other questions on my College website.
“The Church is not Catholic because she is spread abroad over the whole of the earth and can reckon on a large number of members. She was already Catholic on the morning of Pentecost, when all her members could be contained in a small room, as she was when the Arian waves seemed on the point of swamping her; she would still be Catholic if tomorrow apostasy on a vast scale deprived her of almost all the faithful. For fundamentally Catholicity has nothing to do with geography or statistics. If it is true that it should be displayed over all the earth and be manifest to all, yet its nature is not material but spiritual. Like sanctity, Catholicity is primarily an intrinsic feature of the Church” (DeLubac, Catholicism, 48-49).
“God won't let bad things happen to good people.”
“We're supposed to have 'the patience of Job.'”
“Don't question God. Just shut up and suffer. If you ask God questions, He will get angry.”
9:22-24
It is all one! therefore I say: Both the innocent and the wicked he destroys.
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When the scourge slays suddenly, he laughs at the despair of the innocent.
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The earth is given into the hands of the wicked; he covers the faces of its judges. If it is not he, who then is it?
The first section is the First Principle and Foundation from St. Ignatius' Spiritual Exercises. The second part is a list of truths that I use to help me counter depression.
I was created to praise, reverence, and serve God,
our Lord, and by this means to save my soul.
All other things on the face of the earth are created
to help me attain this end.
I must use them insofar as
they help me attain my end and avoid them insofar as
they keep me from attaining my end.
I am a man of God.
I am a man of the Church.
I am full of grace.
I am a masterpiece of grace.
I am God's handiwork.
I am a child of God.
I am a son of the Father.
I am a brother of Jesus.
I am a spouse of the Holy Spirit.
I am beautiful because I am loved.
I am beautiful as I am because I am loved as I am.
I am beautiful now because I am loved now.
God loves me totally.
God loves me now.
