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My Prayer Box
for Feast of the
Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome
from My
Catholic Tradition
“You cannot strengthen the
weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot help the
wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
You
cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You
cannot help men permanently by doing for them what
they could and should do for themselves.” -
Abraham Lincoln
To subscribe to the newsletter, please follow this
link. |
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On the Courage to be a Christian
by Archbishop of Denver Charles J.
Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. |
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The
Most Rev. Charles Chaput
is the Archbishop of the
Catholic Archdiocese of Denver Colorado, USA. |
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The
Roman statesman Cicero once said that, “nothing
can be useful if it is not at the same time
morally good.” It’s another way of saying that
the end never justifies the means. Our goals may
be admirable, but if we use evil methods to
achieve them, we undermine both our goals and
our own moral judgment.
What this means for American public life should
be obvious. Politics is the art of the possible.
Catholics should be realistic and flexible in
their political attitudes. But a hierarchy of
truths about human behavior exists, and it needs
to guide our decision-making. Some things have
more moral weight than others. We all
instinctively know this. Cheating on a test is
bad. Embezzling from our employer is worse.
Murdering our neighbor is worst.
Understanding the moral differences among social
issues is crucial. Not all evil things can or
should be illegal. A healthy culture can
tolerate some forms of evil in the interests of
social peace. Nonetheless, some acts are so evil
that tolerating them itself becomes a poison
that weakens the whole of society. Civil rights
were the key moral issue of a previous
generation. Historically, most black Americans
trace their roots
in this
country to slavery, and slaves did not have the
status of human persons under the law. The work
for racial justice was vital. It remains vital
today. But civil rights flow from an even more
basic human right: the right to life.
In our day, sanctity of life issues are
foundational—not because of anyone’s “religious”
views about abortion, although these are
important; but because the act of dehumanizing
and killing the unborn child attacks human
dignity in a uniquely grave way. Deliberately
killing the innocent is always, inexcusably
wrong. It sets a pattern of contempt for every
other aspect of human dignity. In redefining
when human life begins and what is and isn’t a
human person, the logic behind permissive
abortion makes all human rights politically
contingent.
In offering his own thoughts on Catholic social
teaching, the late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin
warned against the misuse of his “seamless
garment” imagery to falsely invest different
social issues with the same moral gravity. Many
social issues are important. Many require our
attention. But some issues have more weight than
others. Deliberately killing innocent human
life, or standing by and allowing it, dwarfs all
other social issues. Trying to avoid this fact
by calling the unborn child a lump of pre-human
cells is simply a corrupt and corrupting form of
verbal gymnastics.
Real Catholic citizenship requires much more
than a tribal loyalty to any political party. It
demands that we work (and make noise) within our
political parties to change them; to force them
to recognize and defend the sanctity of human
life, beginning with the unborn child and
extending to the poor, the immigrant, the
disabled and the elderly.
The words of Ignatius of Antioch, the early
bishop and martyr, are worth remembering. He
said, “Christianity shows its greatness when it
is hated by the world.” He also said, “Just beg
for me the courage and endurance not only to
speak but also to will what is right, so that I
may not only be called a Christian, but prove to
be one.”
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This
week’s column is condensed and adapted from
Archbishop Chaput’s new book, “Render Unto Caesar:
Serving the Nation by Living Our Catholic Beliefs
in Political Life” (Doubleday). The book is
available on the Web at Amazon.com, and also in
major bookstores. |
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To read the
article,
please click here. |
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Why
We do what We Do |
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Catholics Are Not Born-Again
So They Are Not Saved? |
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This usually means that
we are not saved since we did not get baptized
and "accept Jesus as our personal Lord and
Savior," a Fundamentalist criticism of infant
baptism, which Fundamentalists believe as
absurd since children cannot possibly make
such a commitment.
However, the historic
Christian Church has always held that Christ's
law applies to infants as well as adults, for
Jesus said that no one can enter heaven unless
he has been born again of water and the Holy
Spirit,
John 3:3-7,
the same passage that Fundamentalists use to
justify their position.
"Jesus answered and
said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you, no
one can see the kingdom of God without being
born from above."
Nicodemus said to him, "How can a person
once grown old be born again? Surely he
cannot reenter his mother's womb and be born
again, can he?"
Jesus answered, "Amen, amen, I say to you,
no one can enter the kingdom of God without
being born of water and Spirit.
What is born of flesh is flesh and what is
born of spirit is spirit.
Do not be amazed that I told you, 'You must
be born from above.'"
The need for baptism
was first demonstrated by the Baptism of Jesus
in
John 1:24-34:
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"Some Pharisees
were also sent. They asked him,
"Why then do
you baptize if you are not the Messiah or
Elijah or the Prophet?"
John answered them, "I baptize with water;
but there is one among you whom you do not
recognize,
the one who is coming after me, whose sandal
strap I am not worthy to untie."
This happened in Bethany across the Jordan,
where John was baptizing.
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him
and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who
takes away the sin of the world.
He is the one of whom I said,
'A man is
coming after me who ranks ahead of me
because he existed before me.'
I did not know him, but the reason why I
came baptizing with water was that he might
be made known to Israel."
John testified further, saying, "I saw the
Spirit come down like a dove from the sky
and remain upon him.
I did not know him, but the one who sent me
to baptize with water told me, 'On whomever
you see the Spirit come down and remain, he
is the one who will baptize with the Holy
Spirit.'
Now I have seen and testified that he is the
Son of God."
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In the synoptic Gospels:
Mark 1:8
adds: "I have baptized you with water; he will
baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
Matthew 3:11
adds: "I am baptizing you with water, for
repentance, but the one who is coming after me
is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry
his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy
Spirit and fire."
Luke 3:16
adds: "John answered them all, saying, "I am
baptizing you with water, but one mightier
than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen
the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you
with the holy Spirit and fire."
But the Catholic Church always held that His
words apply to anyone capable of belonging to
his kingdom. He asserted such even for
children: "Let the children come to me, and do
not hinder them; for to such belongs the
kingdom of heaven,"
(Matt. 19:14).
And also,
Luke 18:15-17
reads:
People were bringing even infants to him
that he might touch them, and when the
disciples saw this, they rebuked them.
Jesus, however, called the children to
himself and said, "Let the children come to
me and do not prevent them; for the kingdom
of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not
accept the kingdom of God like a child will
not enter it."
In the article on Infant Baptism in
Catholic Answers,
this passage is explained:
The Greek word brepha
means "infants"—children who are quite
unable to approach Christ on their own and
who could not possibly make a conscious
decision to "accept Jesus as their personal
Lord and Savior." And that is precisely the
problem. Fundamentalists refuse to permit
the baptism of infants and young children,
because they are not yet capable of making
such a conscious act. But notice what Jesus
said: "to such as these [referring to the
infants and children who had been brought to
him by their mothers] belongs the kingdom of
heaven." The Lord did not require them to
make a conscious decision. He says that they
are precisely the kind of people who can
come to him and receive the kingdom. So on
what basis, Fundamentalists should be asked,
can infants and young children be excluded
from the sacrament of baptism? If Jesus said
"let them come unto me," who are we to say
"no," and withhold baptism from them?
ARE
YOU SAVED?
The cleansing and purifying of any remaining
sin, makes us fit for God’s holy presence.
This happens in what we call Purgatory (which,
in and of itself, is a controversial a topic
for the future). The apostle John states that
"you may know that you have eternal life"
(John 5:24).
Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my
word and believes in the one who sent me has
eternal life and will not come to
condemnation, but has passed from death to
life.
But this "assurance" has to be understood with
John’s other teachings in the same book: "for
this is the love of God, that we keep his
commandments" in
John 14:21-24:
"Whoever has my commandments and observes
them is the one who loves me. And whoever
loves me will be loved by my Father, and I
will love him and reveal myself to him."
Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him,
"Master, (then) what happened that you will
reveal yourself to us and not to the world?"
Jesus answered and said to him, "Whoever
loves me will keep my word, and my Father
will love him, and we will come to him and
make our dwelling with him.
Whoever does not love me does not keep my
words; yet the word you hear is not mine but
that of the Father who sent me."
These passages illustrate the need for
Baptism: to be made right with God, in the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Spirit. Nowhere does it say that being
born-again is "accepting Jesus as your
personal Lord and Savior," and THAT alone
guarantees salvation.
If infant baptism were not the rule in the
early Church, then we should have references
to the children of Christian parents joining
the Church only after they had come to the age
of reason. There are no such records in the
Bible.
Further, if children cannot be baptized,
Fundamentalists will just have to declare that
children who have not "accepted Jesus as their
personal Lord and Savior," since by their own
reasoning are not able to make that decision
on their own, are condemned to eternal
damnation. Now, who wants be the first to say
that to a dying infant?
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For
the article,
please click here. |
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Our
Faith: What you might want to know |
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Heaven and Earth/Angels and Men |
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The Office of Catechism
of the United States Congress of Catholic Bishops
website puts our knowledge of the Catholic
Faith to a test! |
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1. |
The
purpose
of angels is to: |
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be a messenger of
God |
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glorify God |
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serve the
accomplishment of the divine plan |
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d. |
a and b |
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all of the above. |
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2. |
What is both the
end
for which man was created and the fundamental
reason for his dignity? |
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3. |
True or false.
The angels specifically surround and serve
Christ. |
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4. |
Why does God
give an angel
to each person? |
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5. |
True or false.
Because God has willed the diversity of his
creatures and their own particular goodness,
their interdependence, and their order, it is
therefore true that all created things are of
equal value. |
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6. |
Which are part of the
state of “original
justice”? |
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Friendship with God |
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b. |
Harmony with
creation |
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Harmony with himself |
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d. |
Lack of suffering |
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e. |
Infused knowledge
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f. |
Choose none, any, or
all of the above |
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7. |
The
laws
inscribed in creation |
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are a sign of the
faithfulness of God’s covenant |
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are a principle of
wisdom and a foundation of morality |
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are only laws of
nature that are distinct from the moral
law |
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d. |
a and b |
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none of the above |
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8. |
True or false.
Man is destined to reproduce the image of
Christ in himself. |
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9. |
Which is true?
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A person is spirit,
but encased in a material vessel |
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A person is wholly
material |
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A person is a spirit
destined to final release from its body in
heaven |
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A person is a union
of body and soul |
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a and b |
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10. |
The fact of man being
made
male and female
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means that the man
or the woman is fundamentally incomplete
without the other |
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means that they were
created to be a communion of persons |
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is of minimal
significance |
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means that they are
complementary as masculine and feminine |
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e. |
b and d |
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To
learn more about Our Faith, please
click here. |
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Feast of the Dedication of the
Lateran Basilica in Rome
November 9,
2008
“Destroy
this temple and in three days I
will raise it up.”
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First Reading
from the Book of Ezekiel |
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Ez 47:1-2, 8-9, 12 |
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The angel brought me
back to the entrance of the temple, and I
saw water flowing out from beneath the
threshold of the temple toward the east,
for the façade of the temple was toward
the east; the water flowed down from the
southern side of the temple, south of the
altar. He
led me outside by the north gate, and
around to the outer gate facing the east,
where I saw water trickling from the
southern side.
He said to me,
“This water flows into the eastern
district down upon the Arabah, and empties
into the sea, the salt waters, which it
makes fresh.
Wherever the
river flows, every sort of living creature
that can multiply shall live, and there
shall be abundant fish, for wherever this
water comes the sea shall be made fresh.
Along both banks
of the river, fruit trees of every kind
shall grow; their leaves shall not fade,
nor their fruit fail.
Every month they
shall bear fresh fruit, for they shall be
watered by the flow from the sanctuary.
Their fruit shall serve for food, and
their leaves for medicine.” |
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Responsorial From the Book of Psalms |
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Ps 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9 |
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R. The waters of the
river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling
of the Most High!
God is our refuge and our strength,
an ever-present help in distress.
Therefore, we fear not, though the earth be shaken
and mountains plunge into the depths of the sea.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of
God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city
of God,
the holy dwelling of the Most High.
God is in its midst; it shall not be disturbed;
God will help it at the break of dawn.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of
God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
The LORD of hosts is with us;
our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Come! behold the deeds of the LORD,
the astounding things he has wrought on earth.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of
God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
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First Reading
from the Letter to the Corinthians |
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1 Cor 3:9c-11, 16-17 |
Brothers and sisters:
You are God’s building.
According to the grace of God given to me,
like a wise master builder I laid a
foundation,
and another is building upon it.
But each one must be careful how he builds
upon it,
for no one can lay a foundation other than the
one that is there,
namely, Jesus Christ.
Do you not know that you are the temple of
God,
and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
If anyone destroys God’s temple,
God will destroy that person;
for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.
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Reading From the
Gospel of John |
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Jn 2:13-22 |
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Since the Passover of
the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
He found in the temple
area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as
well as the money-changers seated there.
He made a whip out of
cords and drove them all out of the temple
area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the
coins of the money-changers and overturned
their tables, and to those who sold doves he
said, |
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“Take these out of here,
and stop making my Father’s house a
marketplace.” |
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His disciples recalled
the words of Scripture, Zeal for your house
will consume me. At this the Jews answered and
said to him,
“What sign can you show us for doing this?”
Jesus answered and said
to them,
“Destroy this temple and in three days I will
raise it up.”
The Jews said,
“This temple has been under construction for
forty-six years, and you will raise it up in
three days?”
But he was speaking
about the temple of his Body. Therefore, when
he was raised from the dead, his disciples
remembered that he had said this, and they
came to believe the Scripture and the word
Jesus had spoken. |
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Suggested Readings |
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intersection of
morality, reason, and politics. This isn’t
just a book for Catholics, but for anyone who
cares about the state of America’s soul —and
how that concern might shape the 2008
elections.”
—John
L. Allen Jr., NCR and CNN senior Vatican
correspondent, Amazon |
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Happiness Is a Serious
Problem: A Human Nature Repair Manual
by Dennis Prager.
In this unique blend of self-help and moral
philosophy, talk-radio host Dennis Prager
asserts that we're actually obligated to be
happy, because it makes us better people.
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Praying With Frederic Ozanam
(Companions for the Journey Series)
-
Paperback, by Ronald Cm Ramson (Author) |
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Praying With Louise De
Marillac (Companions for the Journey Series)
by Audrey Gibson (Author), Kieran Kneaves
(Author) |
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Praying with Vincent de
Paul (Companions for the Journey)
2004, by Thomas McKenna
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The Rise of Christianity:
How the Obscure, Marginal, Jesus Movement Became
the Dominant Religious Force ....
(Paperback) by Rodney Stark
(Author)
From the Publisher
"... this account of Christianity's remarkable
growth within the Roman Empire is already the
subject of much fanfare. |
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"Anyone who has puzzled
over Christianity's rise to dominance... must
read it,"
...
Read the first page. |
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Living Liturgy:
Spirituality, Celebration, and Catechesis for
Sundays and Solemnities, Year A,
2008 (Paperback) by C.PP.S. Joyce Ann Zimmerman
(Author), Thomas A. Greisen (Author), S.N.D. de
N. Kathleen Harmon (Author), M.S. Thomas L.
Leclerc (Author) |
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"Perfect for home use or to prepare for weekly
liturgy . . . It includes help for the
celebration, ideas for catechesis on the
particular event, and ways to understand the
readings more deeply. Finally, it includes
sample questions from which priests, deacons,
lay groups, ministers and others can jump off
into deeper discussion." |
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Straight Answers, Answers
to 100 Questions about the Catholic Faith
by Ph.D Rev. William P.
Saunders (Author)
Review by: Reverend William G. Curlin Bishop of
Charlotte
Straight Answers offers Catholics a simple and
direct response to the many questions concerning
the Catholic Church. It spells out profound
truths in very |
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simple language for all who seek a better
understanding of their Faith. I highly recommend
it for Catholics, both young and old. |
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The Power of Intention:
Learning to Co-create Your World Your Way
From Amazon:
After years of spiritual study and reflection,
inspirational speaker and |
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bestselling
author Wayne Dyer has emerged a highly esteemed
teacher. His current message about tapping into
the power of intention may sound like good old
positive thinking: just stay focused on what you
want, rather than focusing on the lack of having
what you want. But the teaching here goes deeper
than just controlling thoughts (although he does
acknowledge that thought control is a
surprisingly challenging and significant
endeavor).
This book might
help readers land a better job, but it's more
relevant for those who are ready to detach from
an ego-driven life filled with quick fixes of
happiness and step into a more authentic,
joyful, and spiritually fulfilling life. His
core teachings speak to tapping into a universal
source of energy that can also be called the
"power of intention." |
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The Chariot of Israel:
Exploits of the Prophet of Elijah
THE CHARIOT OF ISRAEL: When Elijah was caught up
to heaven, his disciple Elisha cried out, "the
chariot of Israel, and its horsemen." Elisha was
referring not to the chariot but to the prophet.
This study of Elijah’s life will captivate you
as it walks you through a pivotal period in
Israel’s history, and illustrative maps will
give you a better picture of the physical
geography of this ancient land. |
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Read
more about the Liturgical Year |
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The Origins of the
Liturgical Year (Pueblo Books)
by Thomas J. Talley (Author) The Rev. Dr.
Thomas J. Talley, Professor of Liturgics
at the General Theological Seminary in New
York, is one of the leading liturgists in
the country. He gives us a fresh
examination of the complex history of the
Liturgical Year. |
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The Cultural World
of Jesus: Sunday by Sunday, Cycle C.
(Bestseller! the Cultural World of Jesus:
Sunday by Sunday)
by John J. Pilch (Author)
Reader
Review: The book by Pilch provides those
who not only fill the pulpits across this
country but also all interested in the
cultural world in which Jesus lived with a
lot of pertinent information that sheds
light on a lot of areas that have been
"muddled" in the past. Yes, I highly
recommend this book. - James Mauldin |
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Learn
more and read the Old Testament. |
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Preaching from the
Old Testament
by Elizabeth Achtemeier (Author) Reader
Review: The author of these thirty-two
short chapters begins and ends with the
assumption that problems we experience
with the Old Testament are our problem,
not the Bible's. This subordinating of the
Bible reader to the well-weathered book he
holds in his hand opens doors, not to
forced |
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harmonisations of problematic
passages, but to fresh reappraisal of
difficult texts on their own terms. -
David A. Baer |
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The Navarre Bible:
Pentateuch (The Navarre Bible: Old
Testament)
This volume helps
you make the first five books of the Old
Testament a vital part of your spiritual
reading and practical growth in the
Christian life. It contains the full
English and Latin texts of these books,
along with extensive and
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faithfully Catholic
commentaries. Like other volumes in the
world-renowned Navarre Bible series, these
commentaries draw on Church documents, the
exegesis of Fathers and Doctors of the Church, and the works of
contemporary spiritual writers — particularly
St. Josemaría Escrivá, who initiated the
Navarre Bible project. |
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Comments and Suggestions are Most Welcome.
If you have any comments or contributions,
please
use the form in this link.
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