The Porn Generation

This is a very powerful article about the effects of pornography on youth.  It is up to parents to educate themselves and their children about what unrealistic and objectifying sex does psychologically and morally.  And that does not mean playing the "You're going to hell because you looked at it!" card.  This is the worst thing to do for children, as they will react to this negatively.  Education about the beauty of the human person -- all of the human person -- requires that we look with dignity on sexuality.  It ends with a sobering statement, one that all parents need to realize:

"[Parents] need to get tech-savvy, and as toe-curling as it seems, [they] are the first generation that will have to talk to [their] children about porn."

Think about it; pray about it.

His Call; Our Answer

The following is a theological reflection given for house prayer at St. Meinrad Seminary.  The reading on which it is based is Ephesians 1:15-23:

As members of a house of formation for the priesthood, we have, no doubt, spent quite some time thinking about our “call:” our vocation.  During my time here, I have found that I often try to understand this call in one of two ways: what do I have to offer, and what can be done in me?  These viewpoints are important, especially if we take into consideration what our lives might be like as priests. 

While the priestly life is filled with many graces, it only takes five minutes of candidly speaking with our pastors to realize that it is also filled with very real problems.  For the sake of the Church, we will be asked to do what may seem impossible to us at this point in our life; we will be presented with overwhelming obligations, under-appreciated tasks, and isolating situations.  We will struggle against the powers of evil, found in our neighbor, and in ourselves.

So, in order to meet these challenges, we must be prepared, we must be formed to do what will be required of us.  Our resolve to obedience, to perseverance, to initiation must be tested; our ability to face the inevitable obstacles of sin and sinner, both in others and in ourselves, must be strengthened and honed. 

But in all of this preparation, in the quest to grasp our vocation, we must be remember, as the reading makes clear to us tonight, that it is not our vocation we are called to have, it is the Father’s, and so it follows that it is not our gift we are called to give, but his.  

“The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory” has opened the “eyes of [our] hearts to be enlightened, that [we] may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance… what is the surpassing greatness of his power… in accord with his great might” (Eph. 1:18 and following)

If we can remember and acknowledge this in our lives, my brothers, God will use us to reflect the salvation He has prepared in the sight of every people, who is Christ our Lord.

We will then realize that what we have to offer is not a call, it is an answer.   

What is yours?

Christian Universities in Okla. Challenge Abortion Pill Mandate :: OBU

Christian Universities in Okla. Challenge Abortion Pill Mandate :: OBU

"Do not be afraid"

(The following is a homily written for my "Advanced homiletics" class, here at St. Meinrad Seminary. )

Let me take you on a journey. 

Close your eyes and envision a large stone dungeon, filled with the smell of burnt hair and grease. 

A row of eight pairs of shackles is attached to one of the walls, and all of them are empty except for one pair, which holds a middle-aged woman. 

On the opposite wall is a table, with various knives, blades, and, oddly, a platter with a roasted pig on it, apple in the mouth and all.

In the center of the room lies a young man.  He has been tortured beyond imagination, all while the woman, his mother, has had to watch. 

On the verge of death, he remembers the words of the Psalmist: “I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my word” (Ps. 17:6) 

He hears his mother whisper: “Do not be afraid,”

and at that moment, they both have the certainty that only hope can give;

the certainty that God is there with them.

This story is given to us partially in the first reading; Chapter 7 of II Macc. 

It is one of the most heart-wrenching stories I have ever read. 

It tells us of a family that literally gave up everything to follow God’s Law: their comfort, their bodies, their lives.

But what is even more heart-wrenching to me is that this story is not a lone event in history;

it can be seen happening this very day. 

In Syria, for example, kidnappings, arsons and riots have led to a death toll that is unimaginable,

and the cause can be traced in large part to religious intolerance.[1]

Closer to home, we find that, in 2008, there were nearly 10,000 reported victims of hate crimes in the US,

2000 of which were victims of religious persecution.[2] 

I wonder if, by now, you are as thoroughly disturbed as I am.

 

It is natural to be afraid of this feeling;

We avoid being disturbed because it is not comfortable. 

It goes against the idea that we are “exceptional,” that we are “better” than what history has told us about ourselves.

Yet, when our lives are disturbed, we are forced to look for refuge in something – anything – that will help us.

When physical or emotion crises rise, or when we feel isolated or besieged by attacks to our very soul, the kings of sinfulness and selfishness demand from us a choice.

A choice for the ultimate good, or self-preservation.

I think the first reading today gives us a way to know which choice to make. 

It reminds us that, in the end, it is vain to hold on to what this world can offer, because even that can, and will, be taken from us. 

It shows us that we are called to give of ourselves, so that other’s may know God’s ability to sustain us. 

It shows us that we are asked to have faith in God’s power to overcome death, even when death is staring us in the face.

The family in this reading gave up their lives so that the community of God’s People might persevere in union with God. 

They knew, with unwaivering hope, that by “disdaining” the pleasures and comforts of this world, they would regain them again in the world to come,

They knew that they would be preserving the true freedom of God for His Children (See II Mc 7:6). 

That they would be holding fast to the certainty that God heard their cries for redemption,

And that He had answered them by giving them a certainty that there is more.

That there is sharing in God’s eternal Life.

When our lives are in union with God’s Will, He shows us that we do not have to be afraid of the hardships that life may throw at us,

because He hears our cry. 

When those physical or emotional crises arise, we can rest assured of God’s Grace, preparing us and sustaining us.

When feelings of isolation or fear present themselves, we can trust in God’s Presence. 

When we are faced with personal challenges of the soul, God consoles us with the Promise He made to those who seek Him in good faith.

Could it be that our task then,

today and every day,

is to allow God to teach us how to place His Will for us in the place of our own wills? 

This is something He wants to do for us; He wants to liberate us from sin and raise us to glory.

Let’s try to recognize this and hold fast to the hope that God gives us “through his grace, encourag[ing our] hearts and strengthen[ing] them” (II Thess. 2:16) to say yes. 

Do not be afraid; God has heard our voiceless cries for redemption, and He has answered us.

---

[1] http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2012/09/25/syria-save-the-children-report.html

[2] http://www2.fbi.gov/ucr/hc2008/data/table_01.html

---

The 5 Stages of Evangelization

1. Pre-evangelization—a preparatory phase (often seen in the work of missionaries) to assist in meeting the basic human needs so as to prepare hearers for the Gospel (NDC, 49).
2. Missionary Preaching—directed towards non-believers (by ignorance or choice), followers of other religions and young children this involves the initial preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (NDC, 49).
3. Initiatory Catechesis—the formation of catechumens, children and youth.  “The function of initiatory catechesis is to introduce the life of faith, the Liturgy, and the charity of the People of God to those being initiated (NDC, 50).”
4. Mystagogical Catechesis—from initiation to participation in the life of the Church, especially its liturgy and missionary activity (NDC, 50).
5. Permanent or Continuing Catechesis— “Involves the systematic presentation of the truths of the faith and the practice of Christian living.  The function of permanent catechesis is to nourish the faith of believers throughout their lives (NDC, 50).”

 

(this is from a presentation given in my Catechetical Ministry class, taught by Fr. Brendan)

 

 

The Pope, Atheists, and Tabloids

Yesterday, the Holy Father gave a homily in which he stressed the importance of "doing good" throughout the world.  Please, do NOT take my word, or ANYONE ELSE'S WORD, on this: READ THE SCRIPT OF HIS HOMILY FOR YOURSELF. 

Ok... I feel a little better now...

Anyway, there seems to be a misunderstanding of the Holy Father's words regarding atheists.  In the homily he states: 

"The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! ‘Father, the atheists?’ Even the atheists."

Taken out of context, I can see why people would be going crazy.  It sounds like he's uprooting all of Catholic tradition by saying the acceptance of the Christian Faith is as legitimate of a choice among faith traditions as the choice to dine at McDonald's or Burger King.

But no.  I'm relying on YOU to read the text of his homily, but the most important thing to remember is the distinction between REDEMPTION and SALVATION.  

You know, if you are a professed Christian who doesn’t believe that Christ is the redeemer of the world, you’re a heretic (see article IV of the Catechism of Trent).  Pope Francis didn’t say atheists were saved; he said they were redeemed.  And while that might sound like semantics, it’s an important distinction because it shows us that our specific salvation is contingent upon our choice to accept Christ's universal redemption. 

I feel the need to go into this in more depth at a later time.  Hopefully I'll get a chance to do so very soon. 

The Dangers of Exceptionalism

 

Today I stumbled across an op-ed piece from the New York Times by... wait a minute... who?  Yes, I read it right: Vladimir Putin, the Russian President.

It caught me off guard; at first I thought it was just a hoax -- someone must've put a piece in the opinion section with a pseudinem or something... But no.  President Putin actually wrote it. It's become a big news maker, being a remarkably out-spoken move on the part of any world leader... other than the pope, of course.

In the article, which I highly encourage you to read, I think Putin makes some good points.  While we all may have different oppinions on the legitimacy, the authority, or even the intelligence behind the United Nations, it does, nonetheless, represent a body of nations that, at least at some level, strive for peace.  As Putin states:

"The United Nations’ founders understood that decisions affecting war and peace should happen only by consensus, and with America’s consent the veto by Security Council permanent members was enshrined in the United Nations Charter. The profound wisdom of this has underpinned the stability of international relations for decades."

At the outset of the formation of the UN, steps were made to legitimize it by tapping into the legitimate authority found in its members.  With a growing threat to undermine this established safeguard, however, comes the further degradation of delicate balance.  Putin goes on:

"No one wants the United Nations to suffer the fate of the League of Nations, which collapsed because it lacked real leverage. This is possible if influential countries bypass the United Nations and take military action without Security Council authorization."

 While other aspects of the op-ed piece stuck me as fair, some parts political, and big chunk a bit hypocritical, it was how Putin finished that left me pondering:

"I would rather disagree with a case he [President Obama, in his recent national address] made on American exceptionalism, stating that the United States’ policy is 'what makes America different. It’s what makes us exceptional.' It is extremely dangerous to encourage people to see themselves as exceptional, whatever the motivation." (emphasis mine)

This ending to his article was profoundly counter-cultural for Americans, and I'm afraid that the wisdom behind these words may have been lost because of it.  Our culture is firmly rooted in such a staunch individualism, that to be "exceptional" is the principal way we identify ourselves, forgetting completely the ramifications to the community our actions may bring.  Indeed, the community is not our concern: our only concern is the preservation of our personal "freedom" to do what we want, as we please; a freedom void of any substantial thought for the "other;" a freedom fundamentally "from" rather than "for" the ultimate and shared good.

Politics aside, my hope is that our nation can come to realize that patriotism is not correlative to use of force at all costs, nor is it some irrational "ghettoization" of our nation from the rest of the world. It is a well-founded and hard-fought confidence in the legacy of our nation alongside the respect for the dignity of humanity found throughout the world.  As Putin, I think, eloquently puts it at the end of his article:

"We are all different, but when we ask for the Lord’s blessings, we must not forget that God created us equal."