Last Sunday, I found myself rediscovering the act of humility while ending up in a most unusual if not humourous situation. My friend, a Catholic seminarian, whose car had a burnt front light, found itself an unlikely source of salvation! It came in the form of my ever resourceful girlfriend!!!You see, I'm about as automotively (is that a word?) oriented as a humpback whale attempting to burrow underground. That being said, what transpired was actually quite funny, if not downright sad. My friend and I share many common interests, including theology, metaphysics and liturgical appreciation, yet changing a tire or repairing a burnt light is not our forte. The scene, both of us, with our facial hair holding a wrench and plyiers while discussing how DesCartes set into motion the decline of Western Civilization, caused my girlfriend to quickly assess that this scenerio was in total need of an intervention. Twenty minutes later, my girlfriend had successfully installed our seminarian friend's new car light, and I found myself with a new sense of humility. Needless to say, I'm still getting bugged for it, as my girlfriend found the ultimate tag team partner to chastise me,....MY FATHER!!! oh well,..
St Jude,(patron saint of hopeless cases..) Ora Pro Nobis!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
the Evangelical Appraisal....
For quite some time now, I have been getting my books through the Christian Book Depot in Montreal's West Island. It is operated by two of the most spirited faith filled individuals I have ever met. The beauty is that they wear their faith on their sleeve and are not afraid to evangelize it publicily. (I can recall Daniel Ali saying that he wished Catholics would be more easily identifiable and less 'private.') In truth, these individuals through their prayer and support have reaffirmed me in my walk with Christ, by the constant witness evident in their own lives. My heart is one with them as well as we both share the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
The question remains, however what keeps us separated? Aside from the obvious answer that arose out of the sixteenth century with Luther,.I would have to say slight indifferentism as well as a lack of understanding the proper ecclessiology. The faith they share, understands the Church as purely an invisible gathering of believers who have had a secondary conversion. That being said, there are true Christians in every denomination, Baptist, Catholic, Presbytarian,..so on. While this is true, the Catholic would argue that the fullness of Salvation can only come from the Catholic Church. So while every Christian group shares the scriptures, a moral code, Sacrements/ordinances,..all these 'things' properly belong to the Catholic Church.
I pray for my friends everyday. While their living testimony and love of Sacred Scriptures is beautiful, there is nothing like encountering Jesus's Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in the Eucharist! Unfortunately, misconceptions, (Mary, the Pope...) still exist, the main thing we as Catholics can do is start living our faith! That would be the best witness of all!
Sacred Heart of Jesus,..Have mercy on us!
Immaculate Heart of Mary,..pray for us!
The question remains, however what keeps us separated? Aside from the obvious answer that arose out of the sixteenth century with Luther,.I would have to say slight indifferentism as well as a lack of understanding the proper ecclessiology. The faith they share, understands the Church as purely an invisible gathering of believers who have had a secondary conversion. That being said, there are true Christians in every denomination, Baptist, Catholic, Presbytarian,..so on. While this is true, the Catholic would argue that the fullness of Salvation can only come from the Catholic Church. So while every Christian group shares the scriptures, a moral code, Sacrements/ordinances,..all these 'things' properly belong to the Catholic Church.
I pray for my friends everyday. While their living testimony and love of Sacred Scriptures is beautiful, there is nothing like encountering Jesus's Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in the Eucharist! Unfortunately, misconceptions, (Mary, the Pope...) still exist, the main thing we as Catholics can do is start living our faith! That would be the best witness of all!
Sacred Heart of Jesus,..Have mercy on us!
Immaculate Heart of Mary,..pray for us!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
August Heat,..
Well it has been a while indeed since I last blogged. To repeat myself, I find it truly amazing how an individual can start off by sincerely wanting to post at least one article per day and end up posting (or barely...)one per month.
Of interest to me right now is some news that came out of the Vatican recently about Pope Benedict wanting the faithful to receive the Eucharist on the tongue kneeling. Now obviously, there would be exceptions, for the aged and infirmed, but really what's the problem with that request? Catholics believe in the Real Presence, right? So for all intents and purposes we are receiving the body, blood, soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ truly present in the Eucharist, a Substantial presence which contains no potency. What that means is that we receive our Lord's 'Esse' under the appearance or accidents of bread and wine, simply put we don't chew on Jesus's fingernails, or limbs. Of course I say this because the 'Spirit of Vatican II' crowd complete with its lack of philosophical training, (yet all with degrees in psychology or emotional subjective psychobabble) seem to cringe when the Holy Father says something. The Motu Propio of 2007 comes to mind...Back to the issue at hand,..these sixties priests, all with good intentions, I hope cannot downplay the Real Presence anymore, yet they still do. Imagine joining a company, reading the terms and conditions of employment, if the Boss says something, it should override mid-level management. Apparently not in my diocese. I ask for Rosaries to be prayed,..
Sacred Heart of Jesus,..Have mercy on us!
Immaculate Heart of Mary,..pray for us!
Of interest to me right now is some news that came out of the Vatican recently about Pope Benedict wanting the faithful to receive the Eucharist on the tongue kneeling. Now obviously, there would be exceptions, for the aged and infirmed, but really what's the problem with that request? Catholics believe in the Real Presence, right? So for all intents and purposes we are receiving the body, blood, soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ truly present in the Eucharist, a Substantial presence which contains no potency. What that means is that we receive our Lord's 'Esse' under the appearance or accidents of bread and wine, simply put we don't chew on Jesus's fingernails, or limbs. Of course I say this because the 'Spirit of Vatican II' crowd complete with its lack of philosophical training, (yet all with degrees in psychology or emotional subjective psychobabble) seem to cringe when the Holy Father says something. The Motu Propio of 2007 comes to mind...Back to the issue at hand,..these sixties priests, all with good intentions, I hope cannot downplay the Real Presence anymore, yet they still do. Imagine joining a company, reading the terms and conditions of employment, if the Boss says something, it should override mid-level management. Apparently not in my diocese. I ask for Rosaries to be prayed,..
Sacred Heart of Jesus,..Have mercy on us!
Immaculate Heart of Mary,..pray for us!
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