#loving God loving neighbor growing in virtue etc!

[amicidomenicani]

Good morning father. Last Sunday, from the Gospel according to Mark, we read the passage about Lord Jesus appearing to the Eleven: “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. The one who has believed and has been baptized will be saved; but the one who has not believed will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed” (Mark 16:15-20). Reading this passage of the Gospel, it seems to me that true preachers can be distinguished from false ones because their words are followed by supernatural actions, such as healing the sick, etc. Too easy! In reality, it is very difficult to distinguish between inspired and malevolent preaches. Personally, I believe in the commandment of love: “And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22,37-40). I think it is the base and foundation of any religion and, particularly the second part, is the solution for the peaceful coexistence of all peoples. The millimetric distinction about the gravity of sins appears to me almost redundant. What do you think? Thank you Dear reader and friend, 1. Charity witness is certainly important and unavoidable. Jesus said: “By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35). 2. Nevertheless, miracles are also important because they strengthen faith. Jesus himself said: “Jesus answered them: ‘I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me’” (John 10:25). And: “If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father” (John 10: 37-38). “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves” (John 14:11). 3. Jesus says that miracles help to believe. Miracles have been especially important in the early days of evangelical preaching. St. Gregory the Great writes: “So maybe do we, who do not make these signs, not believe? But these things were necessary at the beginning of the Church. In fact, in order to grow, the faith of believers had to be nourished by miracles; as we do when we plant the shrubs: we infuse them with water until they have strengthened but, once they have taken root, we stop watering them” (St. Gregory the Great, Homily 29 on the Gospels). 4. He then adds that even today these wonders are renewed in a spiritual sense, that is, through love of God and of neighbor. Here the great Pope, and Doctor of the Church, agrees with you. In fact, he writes: “But in these signs and virtues there are things which we have to meticulously search. The Holy Church spiritually does every day what the Apostles bodily did: in fact, when the priests lay their hands on believers and prevent evil spirits from living in their minds by the grace of exorcism, what else do they do but cast out demons? And every faithful speaks new languages when he abandons the ideas of the century and keeps his thoughts turned to the holy mysteries; he also takes snakes with his hand, snatching evil from the hearts of his brothers through his good advice.

Those, who understand harmful proposals and do not follow in their fulfillment, drink poison without being harmed; and, whenever seeing weakened conducts in good people, while giving example by their own actions to strengthen them, they lay hands on the sick and heal them; all these are greater miracles since they belong to the spirit and, thanks to them, not the bodies but the souls are torn from death" (St. Gregory the Great, Homily 29 on the Gospels). 5. This is how “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31) is shown concretely by facts, indeed by true spiritual prodigies. With the hope that we all can manifest these wonders to the world, I bless you. Father Angelo

[hussein-allam]

Plato’s Recipe for Disaster

In the “Republic”, Plato argues that a good life can only be achieved by living justly. Justice however is not a straight forward concept and it could mean different things to different people. This conundrum becomes apparent as Plato’s discussion with his companions reveals multiple and often starkly contrasting interpretations. Plato realizes the importance of clearing up the confusion and attempts to pin down exactly what justice entails in order to light the way towards a good life. He proceeds to do that by likening the soul to a city where the best soul will mirror the best city. The devil however is in the details. As Plato constructs his model hypothetical city bit by bit with the goal of structuring a just and virtuous society within it, he arguably puts forward a vision that, if implemented, would produce one of the worst and most powerful tyrannies ever conceived.

Plato’s city contains three distinct classes of citizens: the rulers (guardians), the auxiliaries (a professional military), and the working class (laborers, traders, agriculturalists, etc.). The rulers, who are highly educated and knowledgeable, correspond to the rational decision making component of the soul; the auxiliaries symbolize the spirited part which is responsible for anger and impulsiveness; while the working class represents the appetites and bodily needs that tug at the soul. The interplay between these three components and the delineation of responsibilities amongst them, if done in a balanced and harmonious way, results in a temperate city or soul.

Temperance in the soul Plato defines as a sort of order in which rationality gains friendly mastery over the base pleasures and appetites. In this, rationality is aided by the soul’s spirited component which steadfastly upholds and empowers it despite the urges of the appetites as they go through pains and pleasures (131). When this happens and rationality is able to maintain a clear perspective about threats and fears a person is said to be courageous. In the context of the city, this translates as the ruling class securing consensual control over the auxiliaries and the workers. The rulers, exercising their fortitude and wisdom, are able to hold the appetite of the masses in check and rule the city to its collective advantage. In this they are aided by the auxiliaries who’s impulsiveness and propensity to lash out is transformed (by their training and education) into courage that is directed against legitimate threats or terrors (115), who’s presence is a force against chaos and rebellion, and who serve to defend the city against outside aggression. The working classes recognize the competence and wisdom of the ruling strata and willingly submit to their authority.

With the three classes thus interacting harmoniously together, not meddling nor encroaching on the others’ roles and responsibilities, justice is achieved (119). This just and harmonious situation guarantees that factions are non-existent within the city allowing its inhabitants to advance together and effectively act in concert (31). Within the context of the just soul, rationality is in control keeping the appetites at bay (neither starving them nor allowing them to run wild) and harnessing the power of the spirited component towards good and temperate actions. The just person is free from internal contradictions, strife, or guilt and is able to function well as an effective and useful member of society. He is able to keep his body healthy by physical exercise and his soul engaged by music and art safeguarding it from mental illness and depression (133). Other benefits accrue as well for the just person: friendship with the gods (which would presumably result in reward on earth and the afterlife); happiness; fulfilling the virtue of the soul by effectively carrying out its duties to rule, deliberate, and take care of things (34); and generally avoiding poor conduct such as theft, betrayal, adultery, and disrespect for elders (132). As a result he will be esteemed by his community and will enjoy a good reputation (293) as his friends and neighbors look up to him as a role model. Furthermore, the just person will, by virtue of the personal balance and harmony he has achieved, will be able to enjoy “the best pleasures and — to the degree possible — the truest” (289). The ‘good life’ is now at hand.

This contrasts sharply with the unjust person who is ruled by his passions and is unable to restrain his spending which causes him to fall into debt and bankruptcy; is abusive to his parents and puts his lovers before them; is driven to steal and expropriate the property of others; and who eventually betrays his country by seeking the aid of its enemies to enslave it (275). Such a person would be the furthest away from happiness and will lead a paranoid and wretched life. This is mirrored in the unjust city which falls into illiberality with all but a few of its citizens becoming enslaved and impoverished (277). Furthermore the unjust city lives in fear (whether imagined or real) of uprisings or raids from neighbors and wars from just cities.

If Plato’s creation of this mythical city had no other purpose than to illustrate the complexities of the soul and how justice might come to be within it, we might be contented with his analysis and accept his methodology. However, in creating this city, Plato laid out a plan for an allegedly superior political system that others may seek to implement literally or that he himself was promoting as a new alternative for Greek society. It is therefore important to dive in and explore the details of this system to establish whether it is indeed harmonious and just.

Plato begins by painting a portrait of normal people working and going about their lives in an urban gathering. As they grow in numbers and seek to improve their quality of life, they begin to expand their territory and possibly take over areas belonging to neighboring towns. Consequently he creates the warrior class to defend the city and aid in its expansion. To do so, he sets up a program of indoctrination that targets children at an early age to mould them as desired. To ensure that his program is successful, he expropriates the cultural heritage of the city and brings it under state control. Traditions and legends that are judged to be inappropriate or stand contrary to the state’s goals are abolished. Only narratives conducive to the creation of a fierce and courageous warrior class are allowed. This is Plato’s first ingredient in his recipe for disaster. He stifles free expression and the arts and allows what amounts to government-directed propaganda to dominate. Additionally, he actively stops talent and creativity from settling in the city and opts instead to “employ a more austere and less pleasant poet and story-teller” one whose “stories fit the patterns we laid down at the beginning, when we undertook to educate our soldiers (79).” Young children with as yet uncritical minds have no choice but to sponge up the official programming which is now devoid of anything that is not consistent with a single minded warrior: “For the young cannot distinguish what is allegorical from what is not. And the beliefs they absorb at that age are difficult to erase and tend to become unalterable” (59).

His next step is to brainwash the citizenry into believing a monumental lie of his own creation which he justifies by stating that he does so for their own good. Using state propaganda he explains that the gods created three kinds of people: those with gold mixed into their souls (the rulers), those with silver (the auxiliaries), and those with iron and bronze (the workers) (100). He thus cements his three-class society into a socially immobile, brainwashed, stratified monstrosity built on falsehoods. Rulers are suddenly ordained by the heavens to rule by virtue of a god-given gilded right to which all the people must submit owing to the inferior metals coursing through their souls.

To ensure that his design is as resilient as possible, Plato decrees that children with potential are selected at a young age and separated into an encampment where they will lead a communal life of training and studying to become auxiliaries and rulers (101). In one fell swoop, gifted children are deprived of their parents. What impact will such an upbringing have on them? Will this create psychologically disturbed adults? It seems that Plato is creating a whole class of orphans – for better or worse. In fact, he goes further and abolishes the nuclear family altogether mandating that “friends share everything in common” (108). Love therefore is eliminated and the union of man and woman is reduced to a superficial fleeting moment arranged with the sole purpose of begetting children. This is a regimented emotional desert-scape that leaves no room for one of the most fundamental forces that define what it means to be human. How could this loveless state-dominated deprivation result in anything but stilted monolithic dysfunctional soldiers? How will just rulers emerge from this aloof class if they have been isolated since childhood from the majority of their people and simply cannot identify with their daily struggles?

Fans of the Republic may counter these arguments by maintaining that Plato’s city is only a model (or in platonic terminology, a form) with its wise benevolent rulers ensuring that the model is adequately insulated against the possibility of devolving into real world historical tyrannies. This position is unsound. A model must take reality and human nature into consideration. It must have in-built checks and balances that safeguard against the all too common tendency of humanity to slip into downward spirals of totalitarianism and malevolent dictatorship.

Plato realizes that his model is not fool proof and is vulnerable to deterioration and cycling into other forms of rule. This vulnerability however results from the rulers’ deviation from the laws that the model has set out for breeding and procreation when “they beget children when they should not” (241). He does not recognize that the rulers together with the system itself are the problem. He does not realize that he has created a blue print for a supercharged puritanical tyranny that is based on an ideology of superiority where the rulers actually believe that they have exclusive monopoly over truth and wisdom. No room is made for any self doubt or questioning voices. No room is made for critical art or journalism that can promote different points of view and expose mistakes.

Given a choice, we should opt to live in a bumbling democracy that makes frequent mistakes yet has the courage (enshrined in its institutions of plurality, professional journalism, and mass education) to confront and correct itself over time than be trapped in Plato’s sterile dystopian elitist city that has no practical chances at establishing long term durable justice. We should rather have our lives be based on difficult truths than on convenient lies; for it is better to be blinded by the sun than let Plato pull us down into his dark ideological cave of ignorance, subservience, and lies.

و كما قال الشاعر في أغنية "هنا القاهرة" لفنان المهرجانات الصاعد مصطفى عنبة:

أنا مجنون مجنون

بس عمري ما كنت زبون

فكك يلا من شغل الهمج

أنت وقعت مع إبن البلد

ابعد مالشمس احسن تتسلق

هنا القاهرة

لينك الأغنية https://youtu.be/2AFqG8xXSSg

لكن يحتسبله انه فتح الموضوع و استفذ التاريخ و بدأ سلسلة من الردود و الردود المضادة المستمرة الي وقتنا هذا

[pamphletstoinspire]

The Prophetic Saint Who Foretold What the End of the World Will Be Like

When the pope used the term “Angel of the Apocalypse” in the Middle Ages, people knew he was talking about St. Vincent Ferrer

St. Vincent Ferrer earned the title preaching the Gospel powerfully and persuasively, often on the Final Judgment and the coming of the Antichrist. Even Pius II’s Bull of Canonization called St. Vincent Ferrer “the Angel of the Apocalypse, flying through the heavens to announce the day of the Last Judgment, to evangelize the inhabitants of the earth.”

This year marks the 600th anniversary of St. Vincent Ferrer’s death on April 5, 1419, yet his words remain as powerful and necessary as ever. Before looking at his preaching on the Last Judgment, the Antichrist and the End of the World, let’s understand how powerful a preacher he was all over Europe, beginning in his native Spain, by looking at a mere speck of who he reached and the miracles he performed.

As a Dominican priest, Vincent Ferrer preached in his own native language or Latin, yet wherever he went, everyone miraculously understood his every word as if he were preaching in their language. Sinners by the thousands, even the most hardened, repented. When the curious Moorish king sent for him, after Vincent Ferrer gave just three sermons, 8,000 Moors converted and wanted to be baptized. Modest estimates put his conversion of Jews in city after city in Spain at 25,000.

At one major Church conference, Vincent’s preaching saw 14 of 16 rabbis converted on the spot. In Toledo as Jews became Christians they turned their synagogue into a church under the Blessed Mother.

Like Jesus raising the widow of Naim’s son, thorough the power of Christ St. Vincent stopped a funeral procession and commanded the corpse to rise, restoring the dead man to life. In all, he restored 28 dead people back to life. Even after he died, two dead people placed on his tomb came back to life.

He cured countless physical infirmities, working wonders through the name of Jesus and the Sign of the Cross. In one, he restored the use of the limbs of an incurably crippled boy who eventually became the Bishop of Barcelona.

In confession, he could read souls. He shared heavenly previews of future events, such as telling a mother her little son would become pope and canonize him — which happened as the boy became Callixtus III. (At the canonization Vincent Ferrer’s body was found incorrupt.) Earlier, during a Barcelona famine, he announced two ships were coming loaded with corn. Nobody believed. That same day, as predicted, the ships arrived.

Highly devoted to the Blessed Mother, he preached and demonstrated the power of the Rosary through immediate conversion obtained through praying it.

Preaching the Last Judgement

Jesus will come not like his first coming in humility and poverty, but “in such majesty and power that the whole world will tremble,” began Angel of the Apocalypse in a sermon. When he powerfully detailed the glory and the horror of separating the sheep and goats described in Matthew 25, record has it sinners were frightened and cried. He wanted them to do so because he himself was fearful of that day and fearful for all those he preached to.

Vincent told the throngs:

People will say ‘to the mountains and the rocks: Fall upon us, and hide us from the face of him who sits upon the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb’ (Revelation 6:16). Yet Jesus said, ‘But when these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your heads,’ ‘because your redemption is at hand’ (Luke 21:28).The Blessed Mother shall sit with him. Jesus will separate the peoples of the nations as a shepherd separates sheep from goats.

St. Vincent cautioned, “On that day it will be better to be a sheep of Jesus Christ that to have been a pope, or king, or emperor.”

Vincent powerfully detailed five virtues revealed in Scripture that distinguishes the sheep: “simple innocence, ample mercy, steadfast patience, true obedience, and worthy penance.”

First, simple innocence is when a person “lives simply, nor hurts anyone in his heart, by hating, nor by defaming in speech, nor striking with hands, nor by stealing. Such a life “is called simple innocence, which makes a man a sheep of Christ.”

In each case, St. Vincent next colorfully details reasons why. A sheep doesn’t attack with horns like a bull...

...nor bite with its teeth like a wolf, nor strike with hooves like a horse… if you wish to be a sheep of Christ, you should strike no one with horns of knowledge or of power, for lawyers strike by the horns of knowledge, jurists, advocates, or men who have great knowledge. Merchants by deceiving others. Lords and bullies strike with the horns of power, plundering or injuring, and extorting, using calumnies and threats, and the like. Listen to what the Lord says by the mouth of David: ‘And I will break all the horns of sinners: but the horns of the just shall be exalted’ (Psalm 74:11).

“Biting” is to defame your neighbor’s reputation, and devour by saying “nothing good praising someone, but only the bad,” so “defamers are not the sheep of Christ, but wolves of hell.”

Kicking like horses means to despise. Therefore, he warns, “children, do not hate your parents; nor parents, children; nor young people, old folks; nor the healthy, the sick; nor rich, the poor; nor masters, their servants; nor prelates, their clergy; and vice versa. It is clear what is simple innocence.”

Second, ample mercy means distributing your God-given temporal and spiritual gifts to the needy. “Because,” Vincent illustrates, “among all the animals a sheep is the most beneficial of animals.  For the sheep by growing wool, shows us mercy and benefits of mercy, because how many poor people does a sheep clothe?” Sheep give milk and food to eat to. We imitate and give love this way: our wool is “external and temporal goods, bread and wine, money and clothes and the like.” The milk is “interior and spiritual goods, by giving good teaching to the ignorant… If you have the milk of knowledge, of devotion, or of eloquence, you should give to those not having them.” Vincent reminds of Jesus telling the sheep, “For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink... naked, and you covered me” (Matthew 25:35-36).

Third, steadfast patience takes different forms, such as when someone “suffering from injuries inflicted or spoken to him does not want to concern himself with taking revenge. Rather he loves everyone in general, and prays for them all.” The analogy? The “sheep is a most patient animal, for if harassed while eating, or if struck, it does not defend itself, but goes elsewhere, nor does it avenge itself like a dog or a goat would do, but humbly yields.  O blessed is the person, man or woman, who has such patience, and takes no vengeance for injuries, but forgives, as God forgives him.”

Fourth, true obedience means ordering all thoughts, words and actions according to God’s will, not ours, just as sheep are so obedient that a child with a staff easily “can easily guide 30 or 40 sheep.” Remember Psalm 23? Remember Jesus illustrating the shepherd was able to leave 99 safely alone as he searched for the lost sheep?

Vincent Ferrer’s simple summary for the shepherd’s commands includes these: “First that we live humbly” because Jesus said “learn of me, because I am meek, and humble of heart” (Matthew 11:29). Those with pride aren’t Christ’s sheep but the devil’s goat. Second, give with mercy and generosity. Who “disobediently goes by the way of avarice by committing usury, robbery, theft, etc., is not a sheep of Christ, but a goat of the devil.” Next, we must “walk by the way of cleanness, of chastity, etc.” Matthew 19:12). “Whoever therefore goes by the way of uncleanness and the filthiness of lust and carnality, such is not a sheep of Christ but a goat of the devil.”

Fifth, worthy penance must be performed for sins we’ve committed. The Angel of the Apocalypse emphasizes no one is exempt from sin, As Ecclesiastes (7:21) noted, “For there is no just man upon earth that does good, and sins not.”

“Therefore worthy penance is necessary, by sorrowing for sins and proposing not to relapse, confessing, and making satisfaction. And in this way penance makes a man a sheep of Christ.” To make the analogy, he explains in detail how a sheep is modest, but concludes a goat reflects “the notoriously shameless person, because everyone knows his wicked life and sins, like wicked clergy, and other notorious cohabiters, nor do they wish to cover it up with the tail of penitence; they are impenitent.”

The End of World and the Antichrist

St. Vincent Ferrer not only preached about these in detail but explained them in a letter to Pope Benedict XIII in 1412. Because his sermon is very long, encompassing explanations that focus on Luke 21:25-28, we’ll touch only on the highlights.

Jesus “warns us of the great evils and tribulations which are to come at the end of the world, and tells us of the signs which will precede His coming in judgment,” the Angel of the Apocalypse begins. He knew the Bible by heart and connected everything to Scripture.

God doesn’t leave us clueless. In his mercy, he often sends signs, “so that people forewarned of impending tribulation by means of these signs, through prayer and good works, may obtain in the tribunal of mercy a reversal of the sentence passed against them by God the judge in the heavenly courts; or at least by penance and amendment of life, may prepare themselves against the impending affliction.” Remember Noah, and Jonah?

Three of the “greatest and most terrible” afflictions will be “Antichrist, a man but a diabolical one; second, the destruction by fire of the terrestrial world; third, the universal judgment. And with these tribulations the world will come to an end.” Providence will give us warning signs in the heavens — sun, moon and stars.

The first is “Antichrist, a diabolical man, who will bring distress on the whole world.” He will deceive Christians in four ways.

First, in the sign of the sun (Luke 21:25).Vincent Ferrer explains, “In Holy Scripture Christ is called the Sun… Taking the word etymologically, we have: S-O-L (Super omnia lucens) – ‘Shining above all things’… God the Father sent Him into the world, saying: ‘But unto you who fear my name the Sun of justice shall arise’ (Malachi 4:2).” So what’s the sign given by the sun for arrival of the enemy?

St. Vincent reveals St. Matthew gives it precisely: “The sun will not give its light.” How’s that? Vincent explains the sun will and cannot be darkened in itself, but only when clouds obscure it:

In the same way, in the time of Antichrist, the Sun of justice will be obscured by the interposition of temporal goods and the wealth which Antichrist will bestow on the world, inasmuch as the brightness of faith in Jesus Christ and the glow of good lives will no longer shine among Christians. For, lest they should lose their dominion, temporal rulers, kings and princes will range themselves on the side of Antichrist. In like manner, prelates for fear of losing their dignities, and religious and priests to gain honors and riches, will forsake the Faith of Christ and adhere to Antichrist. Now he will be a veritable man, but so proud that, not only will he desire to have universal dominion in the whole world, but will even demand to be called a god, and will insist on receiving divine worship.

The evil one will be able to accomplish because Daniel (11:43) prophesies — ‘He shall control the riches of gold and silver and all the treasures of Egypt.’ “With this wealth he will gather together in arms all the nations of the world, to fight against those who oppose him — (Revelation 20:7)” and “seduce the nations” and “peoples, that is, with gold and silver and honors.”

St. Vincent continues, “There will indeed be signs in the Sun of justice, for then it will be obscured in the hearts of Christians, since from those hearts it will not give forth the light of Faith; all preaching of a better life will cease, owing to the interposition of… clouds of temporal goods.”

Materialism takes over.

St. Vincent tells us in every case why God all-powerful would permit this error the answer is the same — Wisdom 11:17: “By what things a man sinneth, by the same also is he tormented.”

“If therefore you do not wish to be deceived, now with all your hearts contemn and despise all earthly goods, and long for those of heaven, considering that the goods of this world are transitory and empty, while heavenly and celestial goods are eternal. In this way you will be strong.”

Next, signs in the moon. “In the Holy Scripture the moon signifies our holy Mother the Universal Church, which implies the worldwide union of Christians.” Reflecting the moon’s phases, the Church in the last phase “no longer in the state in which Christ founded it,” but “turned round to pride, pomp and vanity... mercy and liberality are changed into simony, usury and rapine; chastity becomes licentiousness, uncleanness and corruption; the brightness of virtue is changed into envy and malignity; temperance has become gluttony and voracity; patience has given place to anger, war and divisions among the peoples; diligence is superseded by negligence.”

Christ warned us: “There will arise false christs and false prophets. And they will show great signs and wonders in so much to deceive, if possible, even the elect” Matthew (24:24). Fooled with false “miracles.” “Since the people of the world sin against God by having recourse to the works of the devil, such as divination and fortunetelling… instead of laying their needs before the omnipotent God.” Think of all the occult around today.

Don’t be deceived but “place the whole of your faith and confidence in the name of Jesus Christ., and refuse to acknowledge any miracle unless it is worked in that same name; and so you will be strong against seduction.”

Third, “Stars shall fall from heaven,” Christ said (Matthew 24:29). Looking to Daniel (12:3), Vincent proves that refers to the masters, doctors, and licentiates in theology, some of whom “will fall from heaven, that is from the heights of the Faith (Daniel 11:36). Christ also permits this “because of the scandalous and wicked lives and the many sins” of some.

Christ warns us (24:21): “For there shall then be great tribulation such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, neither shall be. And unless those days had been shortened, no flesh should be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days shall be shortened.”

The Antichrist will reign for three and a half years, 1,290 days. When he is slain “by lightning on Mount Olivet and his death has been made widely known throughout the world, this our earth will exist for 45 more days; I do not say years, but days” (Daniel 12:11-12). The Doctors said “these 45 days will be given by God for the conversion of those who have been seduced by Antichrist, but Antichrist will have left behind him so great riches and pleasure that hardly any of the nations will be converted to the Faith of Christ. For there is no savior but Christ, and yet they will not be converted.” In Luke 17 Christ warns us it will be like in the days of Noah and Lot when people went about as usual.

Then “a certain dreadful expectation of the judgment and the rage of a fire shall consume the adversaries” (Hebrews 10:27). As David says (Psalm 96:3): “A fire shall go before him and shall burn his enemies round about. His lightnings have shone forth to the world; the earth saw and trembled. The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the Lord; at the presence of the Lord of all the earth.”

“Therefore,” Vincent Ferrer warns, “do penance now, forgive injuries, make restitution of any ill-gotten goods, live up to and confess your religion; If it were certain that in a short time this town was going to be destroyed by fire, would you not exchange all your immovable goods for something that you could take away with you?”

Only the treasure piled up already in heaven.

By: Joseph Pronechen

[wisdomrays]

Rights of Neighbors

QUESTION: Rights of neighbors are commonly ignored in our time, just like some other rights. What is the importance of observing neighbors’ rights in Islam? What are the benefits of such observance at the formation of a healthy society?

ANSWER: Observing neighbors’ rights is an issue that the Qur’an emphasizes, along with treating one’s parents kindly, being faithful to relatives, and caring for orphans. It is commanded in Surah an-Nisa (Women) (as interpreted): “…worship God and do not associate anything as a partner with Him; do good to your parents in the best way possible, and to the relatives, orphans, the destitute, the neighbor who is near (in kinship, location, faith), the neighbor who is distant (in kinship and faith), the companion by your side (on the way, in the family, in the workplace, etc.), the wayfarer, and those who are in your service. (Treat them well and bring yourself up to this end, for) God does not love those who are conceited and boastful.” (an-Nisa 4:36)

Here, directly following the command to worship God and not to associate any partners with him, doing good to parents is commanded. Actually, when love, respect, and yearning to meet someone are concerned, what comes after God’s right is His Messenger’s: we recognize our Lord thanks to him; we learn the way to perceive and interpret creation correctly thanks to him; and we understand that we are created and meant for eternity thanks to the messages he brought. In these respects, we are greatly indebted to him. However, as the verse mentioned above addresses this issue, not in terms of theory but practical deeds, parents’ rights, not the Prophet’s, are mentioned second. The fact that the beginning of the divine command is not related to faith in God but to worship Him also indicates this.

After mentioning parents, the verse commands doing good to relatives, orphans, and the destitute, respectively. Then, the verse draws attention to the rights due to neighbors by commanding the doing of good to both near and distant neighbors. Accordingly, all people living around us are included in this meaning, and they deserve to be treated well.

A way to attain perfect faith

An authenticated saying of the Prophet, confirmed by great scholars including Bukhari and Muslim, stresses the importance of neighborliness. Indeed, Gabriel gave such insistent advice to the Prophet about neighbors that he thought Gabriel would nearly declare neighbors as inheritors to one another.

Given that a person’s inheritors are their closest relatives, we can imagine how important neighbors’ rights are in the sight of God. Actually, we do not know all of the advice concerning neighbors’ rights that Gabriel gave to the Prophet as the Messenger of God did not relate the details of the case. However, the fact that the Prophet nearly thought neighbors would become inheritors to one another indicates how much emphasis Gabriel placed on this issue.

Another saying of the Prophet relates this issue to faith: “Whoever believes in God and the Day of Judgment let him be good to his neighbor. Whoever believes in God and the Judgment Day, let him treat his guest. Whoever believes in God and the Judgment Day, let him speak goodness or be silent.”

As it is seen, being good to neighbors is mentioned as a requirement of having belief in the true sense. There is another point to note here: Faith in God naturally requires belief in other essentials of faith, including belief in the Judgment Day. It is additionally mentioned in this context, since goodness done here for the sake of God will be rewarded generously when the Judgment Day comes.

Good neighbors who offer the key to eternal bliss

The Messenger of God also gave warnings that a person who comfortably sleeps with a full stomach while his neighbor is hungry cannot be a believer in the true sense, and that a person whose neighbors are not safe from his harm cannot enter Paradise. If the rights of neighbors are stressed so much in the Qur’an and the Tradition of the Prophet, it is an issue of great importance. In this respect, a Muslim should embrace—near or distant—all of their neighbors magnanimously. People with sound faith should know how to share all of the beauties they possess with their neighbors; it is a requirement of Muslim ethics. When rights of neighbors are mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind is the material kind of aid, such as offering them food, clothes, and the like. As it is known, zakah—the prescribed alms—is given to Muslims only; however, other kinds of alms can be given to non-Muslims. For example, one can provide financial aid to near or distant neighbors whether they are Muslims or not, because these are basic human needs. Particularly in circumstances of poverty, Muslims should never let their neighbors starve, no matter who they are, and should absolutely provide them with support. Helping a neighbor find a job is also a very important means of doing good. But it is not a correct approach to reduce neighbors’ rights to material aid alone. Greeting neighbors and asking about their well-being, getting acquainted better through mutual visits, paving the way to friendly relations between people, and making efforts to eliminate negative feelings—if there are any—are also very important points. It is essential to establish a relationship with one’s neighbors, particularly for Muslims living in a foreign country. For example, they can take the opportunity on special days to make their neighbors happy with presents and visits. In this way, they can find chances to warm hearts, eliminate biased opinions about Muslims, and introduce their values to others. When the issue is seen from this perspective it is more easily understood that rights of neighbors should not be reduced to a notion of material aid.

Grounds of sin that grow into a disaster

There is another matter worthy of attention concerning neighbors that the Prophet mentioned. Adultery is many times over a graver sin if it is committed with a neighbor. As it is well known, forbidden and disliked acts have a certain ranking. For example, attributing certain things to God Almighty is such a grave sin that, as related in the Qur’an (Maryam 19:90) (as translated), it would nearly bring a great destruction: “The heavens are all but almost rent, and the earth split asunder, and the mountains fall down in ruins…” Similarly, there are certain kinds of sins that nearly shatter the heavens and earth asunder. As fornication between relatives fall into this category, such a sin between neighbors is evaluated by the Prophet in the same way—as an evil made worse many times over because the predominant feelings between relatives and neighbors must be trust and safety. Therefore, an evil committed by the people whom you trust will not be an ordinary evil; rather it will grow into an evil of manifold ramifications.

Bridges of friendship build through a bowl of pudding

Unfortunately, it is a bitter reality that there exists a serious void in terms of neighborly relations, as a result of neglecting our own values. To such a degree that even in Muslim countries, an entire society lives in their own worlds, retreated in their apartments. Neighbors knock on one another’s door only when there is disturbing noise, in order to warn the latter. Therefore, we need to do our best to make use of every possible means in order to eliminate this chronic problem. But it should not be forgotten that changing the established notions and understandings in people’s minds is not something easily done like taking off a suit. This issue requires persistence and resolved efforts. Sometimes, you take this chance through the tradition of cooking Noah’s pudding and offering your neighbor upstairs a bowl of pudding. Sometimes, you contact them while celebrating the birth of the Messenger of God, or sometimes, you show your good intentions on some other day that is important to your neighbor. Let us not forget, benevolence is a part of human nature and we do appreciate kindness. Therefore, acts of kindness will definitely make their effect one day, sooner or later. Maybe your neighbors will try you for a long time but once they see that you seek no personal benefit, they should gradually open their doors and mutual visits will begin. The Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, compared the situation of believers with respect to one another to a good building whose bricks are soundly integrated. Naturally, all the factors—observing parents’ rights, strengthening bonds of kinship, caring for the needy, and observing neighbors’ rights—mentioned in the initially quoted verse play an important role at building such a society. Since neighborly relations undergo serious destruction in modern life, the first attempts to enhance relations may not be welcomed at the beginning. However, acts of kindness—even an individual gesture of goodwill—continued in a resolved and steady way will melt the icebergs between people. After a while, they will stimulate good feelings in hearts and, over time, turn into such a strong connection that they will become solid bonds between individuals. Thereafter, individuals will support one another without any expectations in return. When one falls, the other will lend a hand, and they will set about a race of goodness toward one another. An ideal society, without clash and conflict, can only be built from individuals such as these.

In order to become a healthy society, it is an important duty for individuals to support one another at protecting against sins and getting rid of vices. God Almighty reminds believers of their responsibilities toward one another with the command (as translated): “…help one another in virtue and goodness, and righteousness and piety, and do not help one another in sinful, iniquitous acts and hostility” (al-Ma’idah 5:2). In the name of maintaining such a feeling of help and solidarity, relationships between neighbors provide a very significant ground and opportunity, in my opinion, and is a responsibility that should not be ignored.

[catholicartistsnyc]

Meet: Melissa Maricich

MELISSA MARICICH is an NYC-based actress, singer, dancer, producer and writer, as well as a Catholic Artist Connection board member. (www.mmaricich.com or melissa.maricich@gmail.com)

CATHOLIC ARTIST CONNECTION (CAC): What brought you to NYC, and where did you come from? How long have you been here, and why did you decide to move here? 

MELISSA MARICICH (MM): I was born and raised near Seattle, Washington. Specifically, a lovely spot called Maple Valley, where I grew up on multiple acres of countryside as one of nine kids. I started out as a dancer, but once my voice sort of "kicked-in" during high school I became involved in musical theatre which led to greater interest in acting and film. Because New York has both theatre and film I was encouraged to move here rather than LA initially. A couple of years after gaining experience in the professional scene in Seattle I did just that, and moved to New York to further my opportunities of work in the entertainment industry.

CAC: How do understand your vocation as a Catholic artist? Do you call yourself a Catholic artist?

MM: I want it to be very clear in my interactions with people that I am a Catholic, but I don't think my work could be termed "Catholic Art.” Our vocation as Catholics is to love and serve God and our neighbors, which we should do through our work, whatever that work may be; whether as postal workers or Hollywood / Broadway stars. I see my work as being a job (that I love to do), that often takes place in the secular arena, which is part of what gives me a greater opportunity to share the Good News of the Gospel.  Whatever our daily occupation may be, it should be a means by which we strive to serve and love. 

CAC: Where have you found support among your fellow artists for your Catholic faith?

MM: One of the beautiful things about life in New York is the hugely diverse places and ways one can make connections. I've met Catholic actors and artists in as many ways as the number of individuals I've connected with.  I've also hugely benefited from the Sheen Center and people I've met there - very particularly all the people I'm involved with for Catholic Artists Connection and Catholic Artists NYC... a perfectly "unbrazen" plug on my part, for the people making this very interview possible :)

CAC: How can the artistic world be more welcoming to artists of faith?

MM: The artistic world would have to make a decision to be humble enough, and open-minded enough, to entertain the thought that those with faith could have good reason for their beliefs. However we can only be responsible for ourselves and I think the artistic world will be more open to us once it is confronted with, and realizes, how many more of its members are people of faith than it currently suspects. That accomplishment rests in great part on our being more courageous, vocal and generous in sharing the Gospel. Of course, that definitely requires Prudence about the right time, place, and manner in which we share. (As an aside, I think that is a beautiful function the secular world unwittingly provides us with - opportunities to grow in virtue: particularly Prudence, Courage and Charity/)

CAC: Where in NYC do you regularly find spiritual fulfillment? Which parish(es) do you attend? 

MM: I've found a home and welcome at St. Joseph's Church in Greenwich Village. It has a vibrant community, with particular connections to NYU and the students there. It is served by wonderful Dominican priests. I've met performers through some of the parish ministries, even the Thomistic Institutes' talks and lectures there (which are hugely formative and inspiring I might add). I highly recommend signing up for the emails and updates for the Thomistic Institute events. I've not once been sorry I spent my time in attending them!

CAC: Where in NYC do you regularly find artistic fulfillment?

MM: A number of mentors, teachers and coaches are of course essential in this. It's fulfilling and satisfying to work with people who help you to be your best, who challenge you and help you to actualize your potential. I have a wonderful voice teacher (feel free to contact me if you are looking for one!). The Barrow Group (take Seth Barrish's class) and Jon Shears' "Take Action" Workshop (film work) are both wonderful resources. The Growing Studio and Max Theatrix are particularly helpful for musical theatre performers and making connections. The Growing Studio is how I was connected to my current agent. 

CAC: How have you found or built community as a Catholic artist living in NYC?

MM: I'd say the simplest description for how it has, and is continuing to happen for me, is simply by being open with the people I meet and by connecting as much in the moment with those who I come across as I possible. You'd truly be shocked at the strange way you can meet people in the business, and even other Catholic performers. Especially if you're simply willing to smile, say hello and introduce yourself. 

CAC: What is your daily spiritual practice?

MM: It can shift from time to time, but there are particular forms of prayer and different saints that tend to regularly be in the forefront. The Rosary - and with it Marian Consecration. St. Joseph, Francis of Assisi, Peter, Therese, Padre Pio, etc. etc. Whenever possible during the week daily Mass, and Adoration. And some kind of religious reading of which there's a large variety. Definitely anything Chesterton, or Lewis. Other recommended material is The Light of Christ, by Fr. Thomas Joseph White. A number of podcasts of which the most recent addition is Stacey Sumereau's "Called and Caffeinated". And Bishop Barron's "Word on Fire" is a staple.

CAC: What is your daily artistic practice? 

MM: They aren't ALL always daily simply due to constrictions of time, but, as much as I can I'll have hour-long voice practices a couple times a week, dance classes, reading on pertinent info for acting/material that is inspiring for production/writing ideas. 

CAC: What resources have you found helpful in securing housing/roommates?

MM: 80/20 Housing is quite the resource. For females, look into St. Agnes Residence or other women's residences. Unfortunately I don't know of the equivalent for guys... sorry fella's!

CAC: How can you find work in NYC? 

MM: If you are looking for a survival job, be willing to tell/mention it to random people you know or meet that you are looking for a job. I got my first hostessing job (glamorous, I know) because I mentioned in passing that I was looking for consistent work to a girl I was doing a temp-job with. She said, totally off-the-cuff "Oh, my roommate is leaving a place right now, and they are looking to fill it. I'll send them your resume." 

CAC: What other practical resources would you recommend to a Catholic artist living in NYC?

MM: Gingerb3ardMen Photography. Billy Bustamente Photography. Sean Turi Photography.

CAC: What are your top 3 pieces of advice for Catholic artists moving to NYC?

MM: Don't be afraid, and give yourself some grace and slack in expectations when you first arrive. (Of course don't slack in your devotion to doing what you know is necessary in pursuing excellence in your craft but DO cut yourself-slack in your expectations of immediate or worldly "success"). And make sure to get out of the city every now and then! Take the train up the Hudson or somewhere cute on Long Island. Get out of town every now and again. 

If you have recently arrived in this busy City, Welcome! Glad to have you here and look forward to meeting you soon!

[alteredangrydopaminediva]

A Moment in the Life of a Daughter-in-law... with “Christian,” in-laws; or THE Mother, the wife, the decision maker...DEAL WITH IT!

Gotta love these "Christians," especially the ones who are "family." Greed, Jealous, and Judgmental , and all because they didn't get to do what they wanted to do with MY KIDS. MINE. The ones who came from my body...Then, saying I need to "grow up," and answer a phone call, that I never got. In fact I was told the matter of whether or not MY CHILDREN were going on a trip, an hour away, on a school night in the pouring rain was closed, b/c their dad had already said no.

I have a screen shot of said "Christian," and their true colors...name, and all. Ugly comments, things like: how I change my kids' minds about where they want to spend the weekend, etc. And how: "Deanna needs to remember whose house she is living in..."

 I live in a house with my husband (married July 19, 2013). It is not like I am a visitor, or girlfriend, or just some random person. I am well aware of who owns the house, and have offered more than once to pay rent, rent to own, etc. and I am always told: "No, you need to get out ASAP."

 I thought one of the main characteristics of a true Christian was to love one another, help out your neighbor, or in this case FAMILY. So you go to church and praise the lord, even donate money for missionaries to go and live in other countries in other people's homes, but you have an EXTRA house...and a son, "your son's wife," **b/c you never call me daughter, and your grandchildren who need a place to live. My husband works, and the bills get paid, but we are not in the position to buy a house, and rental property is not cheap. This is the first year I have not been at home raising my children, as now they are both in school. I am trying to get started on a career...this does not happen overnight. And here at Christmas... The time of your Savior's birth, the Lord who was born in a barn b/c no one in Bethlehem had any room for a man, his wife, and her baby *wasn't Joseph's son..j/s. - You make ugly comments, and remind how it is YOURS. Trust me...we are aware. We have also contacted HUD, and have been waiting for months for them to contact us. 

This house sat here for years with no one living here, and yeah, we have been here for 5 years. But the sale didn't seem so urgent until we moved in. I have said Thank you, countless times...perhaps you didn't hear me b/c my hair is blue, or my make up is bright, or I am simply a disgrace in your eyes. But really, thanks for kicking me when I am down. Thank you for bad-mouthing me to your son/MY husband. 

So again I say it: Thank you for allowing me to live with my husband and children in YOUR house. I appreciate having a roof over my head, and my children a home everyday. 

As far as telling me to "grow up," I will be 35 next month. I have a degree w/ a double major. I have a plan to get certified in medical billing and coding. I just wanted those 1st 5 years with my children, that so many mother don't get, and I was lucky enough to enjoy. I do the laundry, dishes, cook *not every night, but most of the time, keep the house running,  and take care of my kids. Maybe I don't have it together as far as my professional life is concerned, but I do have a plan. I also made the very grown up decision to marry your son, since the ultimatum was: my husband and children (one of them was still in utero) could live here...but not me, unless we got legally married. Which we did, and I love my husband, and had always planned to marry him when I could afford to have the wedding i wanted, with my family and friends, and YOU there to witness it. We have been together since May 2000. 

But I digress, I feel like I am a late bloomer perhaps, but am in fact: a grown up. And check who carries what phone, bc I did not receive a phone call. And if you did call there was a good chance I  was taking care of my children...baths, dinner, homework, and some play time... and just didnt hear the phone...I don't have time to constantly monitor my landline. The cell I carry only runs on wifi, and therefore doesn't receive calls. And furthermore I dont actually carry that phone, it is for indulging my social media fix, and taking pictures. So yeah, I am angry... And this is just one of the reasons. Merry CHRISTmas. ****The 7 virtues of being a Christian: Charity

Charity, in Christian thought, the highest form of love, signifying the reciprocal love between God and man that is made manifest in unselfish love of one’s fellow men. St. Paul’s classical description of charity is found in the New Testament (I Cor. 13). Perhaps a review of Corinthians is needed...just a thought. I am not trying to take advantage of anyone. But we can't just become successful and have money out of the blue, especially with debt, children, living in 2018 and having a fam vs. your view of raising one in the late 80's and early 90's...HUGE DIFFERENCE in pay vs price of everything. SO yeah...we are trying, and you could also practice another of the 7 virtues of being a Christian: PATIENCE.

[ncurfman]

DJ: #47 Forty Year Old Wisdom

If you ever wonder, does life get better as you age? My answer is yes. If you chase after it. Even with some recent disappointments, I wouldn’t trade my life with anyone else. I’m grateful for the life I’ve lived, as I’ve lived it. The desire to “go back and fix” our past is useless. All we can do is embrace the movement forward. Willingly or unwillingly, life will move on.

For my small band of readers, I want to offer the little wisdom I have. And because wisdom is eternal, none of it is new or original. Still, what I have I give to you.

Jesus is real. The actual God of the Universe and beyond walked this earth, breathed our air, and burned under the same sun we do. He is our Light and our Exemplar, His love genuine and everlasting. And He is always available, ready to connect with us. 

Let your meat rest after you cook it. Can’t stress this enough. Regardless of animal or cut, let your meat rest for a minimum of five minutes, ideally ten, before you cut into it. For big roasts and whole chickens, more like fifteen to twenty minutes. 

Self-pity is not a virtue. With a truck-ton of experience to back me up on this, “feeling sorry for yourself” will accomplish zero in your life. I do not lack empathy for anyone, especially when life stacks up losses. The people I admire are the people who fight on and can laugh in the face of life’s bullshit. 

Similar to the last: Being a victim is not a choice, staying a victim is. Rain is going to fall on you. Relationships will collapse, hopes will burn to ruin, and shame will come calling. So what? You are not your failures. Do not allow your pain to define you or drag you into shame. 

Don’t let perfect defeat good. Perfect doesn’t exist. Don’t idealize jobs, institutions, leaders, people, or places. Once your stare hard enough you’ll see the cracks, and you’ll only have yourself to blame for having put the pedestal in place. 

You are not alone. Depression and anxiety whisper “you’re stuck and alone.” That’s bullshit. You are a human. And whatever problems you face, others have faced. They were not special. You are not the exception. You can defeat the dragon. 

Fight the dragon before it eats you. If you know you’re holding onto fear, or anger, or whatever, GO AFTER THAT SONOFABITCH! Don’t wait for your worries to run your life, because they will. 

If you don’t like you, no amount of love will be enough. My search for self-affection took a long time. I set the final pieces in place this year, and it’s fantastic. Compliments mean far less than they ever did. So wild how that works. 

Exercise. Everyday. A walk in nature is best. Not joking. Read this study, and this study, and this study. 

Chill out. You’re gonna be ok. Start by telling yourself, “I’m gonna be ok” over and over.

The Christian walk is about way more than avoiding sin and constant self improvement. Walking with Jesus is an honor of joy. Creating room for Jesus to be Jesus ultimately leads to everything good and satisfying in life. Cut yourself some slack, and breath when the weight feels heavy.

Pray. All the time. About Everything. Yes. Jesus is one-hundred percent interested in every detail of your life- your gassy lunch, that dude at work, politics, everything. Which leads to...

Be honest in prayer. If you’re feeling disconnected, pissed-off, happy, horny, sad, tired, sleepy, jacked, overwhelmed, busy, lazy, unappreciated, overstimulated, unworthy, peaceful, thankful...etc, start there. I can’t stress enough how much the Lord needs us to be honest when we pray, mostly for us. The Father does not want to hear what we think we should say. Talk about what’s real in your life. Once or twice a week I start with, “Lord, I’m feeling sorry for myself.” Within a few minutes I am no longer mired in self-pity.

Show up everyday to something buried in your heart to do. Your heart, my heart, and your mom’s heart have something in them we want to do. A longing. We ache and sour when that thing is ignored and belittled. Let your heart breath and grow.

Drink more water.

Eat more veggies. As American’s, we don’t do veggies really well. Also, we think corn is vegetable. It is not. If you need help, look to Asia or Europe for ideas. YouTube is a great resource to learn how to cook greens or eggplant or cauliflower.

Stop watching bullshit. Stop listening to bullshit. Stop reading bullshit. Whatever we put into our soul influences how we see the world and interpret life. I love Elliott Smith’s music, but it’s depressing AF. Dude had a rough life, so I can’t listen to it. 

You will always find a reason to do something...or not do that thing. This is from my dad, but it’s true. We humans will are quite amazing at finding ways to motivate or defeat ourselves. 

You will always encounter resistance when it comes to anything worth doing. Start a business? Get into a new relationship? Change careers? The promise of something good eventually gives way to the path of its realization, which is difficult for every worth while venture. KEEP GOING.

Laugh. A lot. At dumb things. Our 21st century worship of the intellect is a damn travesty. It sucks the joy and wonder from the world far too often. Let yourself find joy in the silly and unexpected. 

You can’t carry the world on your shoulders. I’ve tried. Many have tried. You are the rule, as we were. Let it go. 

When you need to know what side the gas tank is, look at the gas gauge. Every car has an arrow on the gas gauge, and that gas gauge points to the side of the gas cap, right or left. 

Butter, salt and pepper, and a touch of vinegar will make nearly anything taste better. Fat, acid, salt. I think that’s book. I’m not sure, but it’s basic Food Theory 101. 

Quit trying to be an expert. True expertise requires years of dedication and intent. If you haven’t spent years intentionally engaged in something, lower your expectations. Be kind to yourself.

Talent is real, but it means nothing without dedication and persistence. Success is about endurance and grit. Ever see someone doing something and think “I could do that.” The truth is you probably could, but do you have their endurance? 

Discounts are great, but not on the following items: Knives. Tattoos. Yeah....Seafood. Contractors.Mattresses.Lawyers.

Be disciplined, not controlled. Discipline is how we decided to respond to life. Control is how we try to get others to respond to life. 

Challenge the narrative in your head. When we get anxious or stressed, we usually only see two choices: the ideal we want or the certain disaster. I love to ask myself “What if that’s not true? What else is possible?”

Speak life and you will have it. Listen to your thoughts and the words you speak. Are you speaking life to yourself? To others? Cynicism is the shield of the afraid and downtrodden. Pick your head up. Speak life over yourself, and don’t stop till you position your heart toward heaven. 

Cultivate gratitude. Every single person has something to be grateful for. And most of us are lucky enough to have many blessings. Take time to recognize it in your life. Every, damn, day.

Judgment and comparison are thieves of life. If you find yourself in a position of constant judgment of others, or comparing your life to others...that’s your problem. It’s an act of self-protection. Take your ass on to Jesus and work through it. 

Lard makes a superior buttermilk biscuit. I’ve tried shortening and butter. But lard makes a far superior biscuit. 

Carbs are not evil, but too many carbs will make you fat. Enjoy your breads, potatoes, and rice noodles. Just make sure you eat your veggies and drink plenty of water. 

Wild animals are...wild...animals. You should expect a wild animal to act like a wild animal no matter how cute or tame they may appear. 

Procrastination is overhyped. I work better under the gun of a deadline. And I love the energy I get from knowing I’ve got to get a project finished. Besides, even if I’m not working on a project, I am thinking about it.  

Trust the Lord with your life. I amaze myself how often I tried to make something work, failed, and yet I’m ok. I’m where I need to be, headed toward the place I need to be. At 40, I trust the Lord.

Love the Lord with all you heart, all your soul, and all your mind. Be patient, kind, long-suffering, forward-moving, enduring, hoping, faithing, forgiving, gracious, persistent, and honest toward the Lord. I’ve walked with the Lord for 20 years. It’s a real relationship. And loving Jesus is the best decision I’ve ever made, and continue to make. 

Love your neighbors. Be patient, kind, long-suffering, forward-moving, enduring, hoping, faithing, forgiving, gracious, persistent, and honest toward your neighbors. Jesus never said it would be easy.

Love your enemies. Be patient, kind, long-suffering, forward-moving, enduring, hoping, faithing, forgiving, gracious, persistent, and honest toward your enemies. Only love can change an enemy into a friend. 

Love yourself. Be patient, kind, long-suffering, forward-moving, enduring, hoping, faithing, forgiving, gracious, persistent, and honest with yourself. If you don’t love you, you will not believe anyone else can love you. 

[cornerstoneeldridge]

Pastor Scott’s Perspective March 2019

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing… And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.” (I Thessalonians 5:11,14)

Many of you know that my primary spiritual gift is encouragement. The Holy Spirit has given me other ministry gifts as well, but my preaching, teaching, shepherding and leadership gifts are all influenced by the spiritual gift of encouragement. Different pastors have different gifts or gift mixes that will influence how they conduct their ministry.

Our Equipped for Ministry class defines the gift of encouragement/exhortation as “the Spiritgiven capacity and desire to serve God by stimulating the faith and obedience of others by giving the application of God’s Word.” As with the other basic motivational gifts mentioned in Romans 12:3-8, this gift is a basic inward drive that determines how we see the needs of others and how we approach Christian service. These gifts are not just special skills at special tasks, but rather the eyes to see and the desire and ability to meet certain needs. It’s not just an ability to do a job at church, but it’s what “makes us tick” and determines how we relate to others – and not just church members, but family members, co-workers, friends, neighbors, etc.

The primary motivation of a person with this gift is the motivation to encourage spiritual growth in others. This person delights in seeing people following steps of action toward spiritual growth, overall health and well-being. This person likes to see people making progress in following steps of action to solve problems. This person likes to see their advice and instruction being followed and practiced.

This person likes to see tangible results as people grow in maturity, health and fruitfulness. Wisdom often accompanies this gift, and when wise advice is given, it is expected that it will be followed. Therein lies a potential danger with this gift (every gift has a potential downside). Namely, becoming discouraged and impatient with a lack of follow thru or progress. Exhorting people to do better can cross the line into discouraging people by a performance-based acceptance that leaves people thinking that their efforts are never quite good enough to please the “encourager.” When exhortation is combined with impatience and a critical spirit – it becomes discouraging, and rather than being motivated to try harder and do better, others begin to feel “what’s the point – nothing ever pleases him – nothing is ever good enough for him.”

Of course, there is a place in our mentoring, discipling, coaching and parenting for holding others accountable for following through on action steps that produce growth, responsibility and better performance. That is the exhortation side of the gift of encouragement. But that can be overdone. And when it is overdone – or turns into a critical spirit -- it becomes discouraging and de-motivating.

We need emotional awareness and sensitivity and emotional intelligence to be able to discern whether our words are having the desired effect of motivating someone to do better – or whether our words are proving to be a source of discouragement and exasperation and are actually damaging the relationship. 

So the gift of encouragement needs to be exercised with a healthy dose of words of affirmation. Words that build others up rather than tearing others down. Words such as “well done” and “good effort” rather than “you should have done better.” Properly exercised, the gift of encouragement looks for the positive in others and affirms whatever growth and progress is taking place. 

And so Paul writes “Encourage one another and build one another up – just as you are doing.” Building up one another with words of affirmation is an important way of encouraging one another. And notice how Paul adds a word of affirmation to his exhortation: Just as you are doing. Practicing what he preaches. 

Then he goes on to say: “Admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.” Encouragement takes different forms with different individuals in different conditions and situations. 

Admonish the idle. The idle are those who are putting forth no effort. The lazy. Those who are not even trying to please improve. Yes, they need to be admonished, warned, exhorted.

Encourage the fainthearted. These are the wounded, the discouraged, the grieving, those who are losing heart and struggling to keep going. Encourage them. Comfort them. Instill hope in them. Build them up. Don’t admonish them. They aren’t idle – they’re just hurting and wounded and overwhelmed and sad. They don’t need a lecture. They don’t need additional burdensome expectations. They don’t need more accountability leaving them feeling inadequate and a failure. They need unconditional love. They need comfort. They need a friend. They need simple kindness. They need soothing, healing, comforting words. 

Help the weak. They’re not idle or lazy or rebellious or irresponsible. They’re weak. Help them. Bear their burdens. Come alongside them. Be a source of strength and hope for them. Give them whatever practical assistance they need. Don’t admonish them. Don’t make them feel worse about themselves than they already do. Be kind. 

Be patient with them all. What is the first characteristic of love mentioned in the famous I Corinthians 13 ‘love chapter’? Love is patient. And kind. Two of the fruit of the Spirit. How many marriage relationships and parent-child relationships and friendships and church relationships could be healed with just a consistent application of these two virtues: Be patient and be kind. Yes, some are slow to make progress. Be patient. Don’t give up on them. 

Are you more motivated to change and grow and improve when you are belittled and demeaned and criticized and treated harshly and impatiently – or when you are treated kindly and patiently and with words that encourage you and build you up? 

“Encourage one another and build one another up – just as you are doing.” I believe that one of the reasons why Cornerstone is a healthy church is because we have an encouraging church culture here. Yes, there are occasions when we need to exhort one another and hold one another accountable and even admonish one another. But our church culture and normal conversations and interactions with one another are more often characterized by encouraging one another, affirming one another, comforting one another, building one another up. 

And may that also be the case in our marriages and families. Children thrive best in an environment with plenty of encouragement. Yes, there are times when parents need to exhort and admonish and correct and discipline and hold kids accountable to doing what’s expected of them. But please don’t let your good intentions to raise responsible, obedient kids cross the line to becoming an unpleasable parent who exasperates and wounds your kids by constantly raising the bar just above where they can reach so that even their good efforts are never quite good enough. Too much correcting of every little flaw or mistake or childish behavior can lead to discouragement. Assuming you’ve done a good job of training and correcting when the kids were young, as kids get older, focus on encouragement. Focus on the relationship more than the rules. Encourage one another. Whether as a spouse or parent or teacher or coach or mentor or friend: Encourage one another.

[thirdpoliceman]

Chapter 2.2 - No and Thou Shalt Not

Spoiler: The narrator is killed by a booby-trap mine planted by Divney in lieu of the cash box. He then sees Mathers, sittting in a maroon dressing gown, bandaged about the face and neck (from the jellying the narrator delivered) with a tea set and oil lamp on a small table next to him.

After steeling himself, the author gets into a negatory-heavy back and forth with Mathers wherein Mathers explains that he led a sinful life and upon reflection had decided that the best way to avoid sin was to say no to everything, especially every offer or suggestion, whether from others or from within himself, including every question the narrator had been asking. (pp. 27-31)

Saying no to everything could be taken as a comedic reflection of the self-denial incumbent in Christianity, most prevalently in its monastic expression. The author would have been exposed to western monasticism growing up in the thoroughly Catholic Ireland of the 1920s. This would have included his school days at Blackrock College, which was founded by French Spiritans, formerly the Holy Ghost Fathers, though this is a spiritual congregation (with priests and lay brothers) and not a monastic order. Nonetheless, O’Nolan, like nearly all Irish of his time, would have witnessed around him many nuns, brothers, priests, and monks who had undertaken vows of poverty or other forms of “saying no” to the offers of the world around them, for asceticism, while being viewed somewhat skeptically in Western Christianity (Peter King, Western Monasticism, 33 (Cistercian Pubs., 1999)), nonetheless is featured in at least some aspects of all Catholic religious and clerical life. He would also have carried with him his own Catholic catechesis of self-denial as virtue.

Saying no to everything is actually also a pretty good strategy for avoiding sin. This makes sense because the universe of bad or sinful things one can indulge in is much larger than the world of good things one can do that can bring one closer to God. After all, eight of the Ten Commandments, say what not to do. 

I am the Lord your God . . . You shall have no other gods before me. This has to be the only commandment that’s gotten easier to keep in modern times. There are just not as many other gods competing for your worshipping these days. Jehovah and Allah? Same God, in theory. Hindu pantheon? Couldn’t say much about it other than lots of arms; not really grabbing me. Buddha? Not a god. Shinto? That’s just folding paper animals. Thor? Marvel fans and Norwegian metal heads. Amun-Ra? Thanks for the founding myths, but no more pharaohs. Greco-Roman pantheon? Mostly planets, as it turns out. In the classical Mediterranean, this one might have been tough, what with the wide variety of sincerely-believed in gods around and the prevalent pantheism and so forth. But now? I got this one. . . . Unless you mean figurative gods, such that money, or booze, or certain videos that could become “gods” before God to me if I were greedy, or gluttonous, or lustful. Then that could get sticky. But those are their own sins (see below) and if this commandment covered those, it would render them superfluous which is against a cardinal rule of statutory construction. So this one is basically aimed at idolatry and mishy-mashy, let’s be Christian, but also Muslim or whatever too-ism. I’m on pretty solid footing here.

You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. I slip up on this one a lot, but with some practice, following this one is very doable. It’s clear, unequivocal, and sets a pretty low bar, honestly. Thanks a lot, God. (That wasn’t sarcastic. Still, was that vain? I hope not. Otherwise, I’m off to a bad start.)

Remember the Sabbath and keep it Holy. There’s a lot more temptation here than there used to be (there’s always been some gray area, too, for “essential” professions and those with work reports due on Monday). Still, keeping this commandment is not a cakewalk. For starters, everyplace but that weird, locally-owned appliance store and Chick-Fil-A is open until at least 6 on Sunday in an effort to compete with Amazon, so shopping is tempting on Sundays. Dining out is too. For starters, I’d recommend the Avocado Egg Rolls at Kona Grill. No one has ever told me shopping or dining out are no-nos on Sunday, but you are making the employees work to serve you and its not exactly essential, except the Avocado Egg Rolls--you have to try them. Also, in today’s economy it’s a lot more likely you might have to work on Sunday even if you’re not a nurse or a quarterback. Fighting your Sunday work schedule with the religion excuse is pretty tough for most people who aren’t Amish or something as it’s usually greeted with a look that conveys, “What, you think you’re going to Heaven and I’m not, church boy?” or “Well, you’ll have plenty of time to go to church when you’re fired. Long live Ayn Rand and Mammon!” Luckily, I don’t have to work Sundays, so I’m good here.

Honor your father and your mother. Love you guys. Once you’re out of this house and financially independent, this one is a lot easier. Don’t hold a grudge. Respect their shit. I got this one . . . Wait, this gets a little more complicated for Catholics, with all the extending of it to siblings and society and raising your own kids right and what not. Still though, I think I can get this one. Just have to be diligent.

Thou Shalt Not Kill. You’d think this is easy! But, not so fast. This also includes not injuring yourself by abuse of food, alcohol, drugs, and the like. Now, as a married parent of a newborn who spends all day at home, this one is a lot easier than it used to be, but its one you really have to watch out for in this era of low alcohol and drug prices, oversized entrees, and the cocktail renaissance (“I’m not an alcoholic, I’m a tastemaker and a chemist!”).

You shall not commit adultery. Oh boy. I knew we were going to get to this one. Well, you knew it was going to come up eventually, so to speak. This one is tough. No doubt about it. It includes basically everything you’ve ever thought about doing that you don’t talk about in front of your mom that’s not included in Cmdt. 5. Essentially, if it is not sex inside marriage with no impediment to pregnancy, you’ve run afoul of this one. Also, it gets a little touchy on the homosexuality front in today’s political and civil rights climate. But remember, while you have to try, you get infinity second chances through confession . . . if you’re contrite. I know what you might be thinking, “But I’m not sure how contrite I’ll be tomorrow. And there’s so much temptation! Women’s Health today is basically Playboy from thirty years ago! And the tanning, forget about it. And the bras. And the shorts. And the INTERNET!!!! People sixty years ago or more had it much easier. They had to seek out temptation and they still failed all the time on Commandment 6. And you expect me to comply in the age of 4GLTE and incognito browser windows?” To that I say, draw some solace in the Didache, the oldest of Christian instruction manuals, dating to the first century:  “For if indeed thou art able to bear the whole yoke of the Lord thou shalt be perfect; but if thou art not able, do what thou canst.” Probably the most helpful advice ever given. I wish it was advertised a little more. So, good luck with this. I’d recommend getting married ASAP. Moving on.

Thou shall not steal. OK, we’re breathing a little easier now after the double-whammy of 5 & 6. Keep in mind though, that this includes a lot of economic stuff, like not paying an unlivable wage, price manipulation to get advantage on the harm of others, corruption, appropriation of the public goods for personal interests, work poorly carried out, tax avoidance, counterfeiting of checks or any means of payment, any forms of copyright infringement and piracy, and extravagance. So just remember, being a slack-ass piece of shit at work is stealing too. And, on the flip side of the coin, so is being a hard-ass, greedy owner/boss.

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. This commandment covers a lot of ground about just not being a bad person. In addition to outright perjury, this bad boy covers rash judgments and presumptions, disclosure of another’s faults without reason (detraction), calumny, gossip, flattery, bragging, boasting, etc. But if you can avoid talking shit about others, lying, and bragging about yourself, you should be OK here for the most part. There’s also a lot of ways to venially violate this commandment (e.g., white lies), unlike with six. So even if you mess up here, just pray about it. You won’t get caught in a state of mortal sin if the Second Coming happens before confession on Saturday (whether this Saturday or the last one before Holy Week next year, whenever you might go). OK, so don’t talk shit about people. Got it. We’re almost there, and the last two are basically one!

You shall not covet your neighbor's house . . . wife . . . or anything that is your neighbor's. This one is pretty tricky because it covers internal dispositions of covetousness of the flesh. So, basically lust. I feel like this one is there just to really hammer home that you should try to keep your mind pure, not just your body. But obviously, impure sexual thoughts is one of the most difficult of the sins to keep at bay, so it seems a little onerous to have this commandment on top of “Big Six.”  Maybe there’s another reason for it, though. Maybe it’s here to serve as a tax evasion charge that the U.S. attorney hits a criminal with when they can’t prove the extortion racket. Or the constitutionally dubious sodomy charge when they can’t quite prove the rape, or the false imprisonment, or Mann Act violation. “What’s that? You say you didn’t actually have sex with her. You were just over at here house, eh? Well, guess what? NINTH COMMANDMENT, buddy! We saw you looking at her at the bar. Listen, you can plea this out to coveting now, but if you want to go to trial we’re going for lust, adultery, the whole smear. You’re lucky we came in when we did.” OK, so there’s been some good and some bad so far, but only one to go.

You shall not covet your neighbor's house . . . wife . . . or anything that is your neighbor's. (Wait, what?) This one takes much the same language of Cmdt. 9 and focuses on the coveting of material goods, not the flesh. So this one covers greed and envy, primarily. This can be hard for some to keep, I’m sure. Keeping up with the Joneses is a national pastime after all. But just don’t be greedy, be happy with what you have, and you should be OK. There, you did it! Even if you didn’t keep all the commandments, you tried. Now go to confession.

So other than remembering the Sabbath and honoring your mother and father, and going to church on Sundays, there’s not much else you have to do. In fact it’s the doing that gets you into trouble: doing drugs, doing “it,” etc. In fact, if you said no to everything but what you had to do to stay alive (like Mathers), kept the Sabbath, honored mom and dad, and went to Church on Sunday, I’d say you’d have a guaranteed ticket to Heaven. You wouldn’t even have to go to confession because you wouldn’t have done or failed to do anything you had to do or not do. So with so many more things to say no too than to say yes to, if you are looking to lead a holy life in a Catholic worldview, as Mathers is in the novel, it is wholly logical for him to conclude that the best way to redeem himself from his sinful life is to say no to everything.

This being a darkly comic novel, however, both Mathers and the author quickly discover a Jesuitical workaround to Mathers’s principle of prohibition. The narrator will just start questions with, “Do you refuse to tell me...?” Then Mathers will say no, and answer the question. Ta da! Mathers slyly admits that he’s okay with this sidestep:

So if you ever hear someone offer a priest a drink by saying, “Father, would you turn down a glass of whiskey?” you now know what’s going on.

[stephenaltrogge-blog]

Movement and Progress Are Not the Same Thing

In the world that we live in and the culture that we breathe and consume, we easily equate two things that need to be kept separate – progress and movement.

It’s a simple mistake to make. It often seems like the combination of the two makes sense, but a conflation of progress and movement is secretly dangerous; it can leave us with confused priorities, hopes, and goals.

I want to prove one simple truth to you, and to myself, as I write this: movement and progress are not necessarily the same. And, moving does not necessarily mean progress.

Why Is This Important?

We live in a society where the concepts of progress and movement have become one. Any movement or change (of geography, careers, relationships, etc.) that seems to be ‘up the ladder’ becomes progress. Of course, the ladder seems to be scored on platform size, notoriety, income, etc.

Once we accept this standard, we begin to think that if we want progress we must include moving and large-scale change. Our goal is progress, so we assume it really is just necessary to always be moving. We put ourselves on a treadmill where we begin to find contentment in the next progression: the next movement, career change, city change, relationship change, financial change, etc.

It leaves us with a culture (in and outside of the church) where leaving is either than remaining.

But what if progress is more than simply moving? What if progress can actually include staying? What if progress can look like remaining? Often in the Christian life, that is just the case.

“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.” 2 Peter 1:5-7

The Faith to Remain

If progress in life, ministry, and career requires moving, then we will be quick to look for reasons and opportunities to move (often as soon as we face opposition). We think that difficult things aren’t meant to be, so we look for something to move on to.

We celebrate the pastor that moves across the country. Thinking, it must be good because it involves movement. We assume that it is especially good if that church is bigger, with a bigger budget and platform than the one he left.

I’m not here to say we should never “move.” At times God will call you to leave your pastorate, your state, your career for a new one, etc. I am gently pushing back against the “hyper-movement” culture in which we live.

We Miss Out

If we think that anything that is good progress must include the leaving of one thing for another, then we will miss out on incredibly valuable blessings in life.

With that mindset, we often demonstrate that we have wrong priorities: bigger budgets, bigger homes, nicer cars. This attitude damages our ability to be content because we assume that good things are somewhere we have yet to reach. We assume that the happy life is the next job, the next pastorate, the next wife, family, kid, raise, state, or city.

But what does this really look like? As I battle this in my own heart, it is a recurring lesson that God has put me where I am, and I need to serve and be faithful wherever that may be.

I need to be reminded regularly that just because my current context has resistance or obstacles does not mean that my context is bad and needs to be vacated. I need to be reminded that God is big enough to pull me through rough circumstances and do great things during those circumstances.

You and I won’t learn that lesson if we are looking to be fulfilled by the next career, kid, wife, husband, pastorate, church, job, raise, or house. We need to be fulfilled by Christ. We need to be content following His priorities wherever He has placed us. Even if following Him in our current context is difficult, boring, or unremarkable.

What Does This Mean?

This is how my lessons have played out in my mind:

Pastor, you don’t need a new church with less difficult people. You need to be faithful where you are. God has sovereignly placed you exactly where He wants you to be. You don’t need a new church with less baggage, a bigger budget, or a nicer building; focus on drilling the gospel into your mind daily and then doing the same for every single one of your members with a radical, ordinary consistency. 

Students, you don’t need to move to a big city to be a success. You don’t need to enroll in the most prestigious school. Evaluate the skills you have been given by God, and look at how you can best leverage them for His mission in work and life. If that includes a huge move to a new city, then do it. However, don’t go through life thinking that you aren’t a success until you raise your standard of living high enough. You need to be faithful to God, your family, and your local church, whether it is normal or extraordinary. 

Men and women, you don’t need a bigger house in a nicer town. Whether in a big house or a small one, in a big city or a small town, you need to serve your families. You need to leverage your work to reach people for Jesus Christ. You don’t need to measure up to the neighbors with the pool and the nice car. You need to be faithful to your family and your local church, because God gave them to you.

New Perspective

Instead of hoping for the new move, we need to pray that God would give us contentment and faithfulness where we are. As we grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ, we will find true contentment that God gives (with or without movement).

We need to celebrate the pastor that has the patience to remain in one church for 30 years instead of only celebrating the one who moved to a bigger platform.

We need to celebrate the man who works a humble trade for decades to support his family while modeling Jesus Christ to them his whole life. We need to celebrate the virtue of faithfulness in the ordinary, regular, everyday life.

Much of life will feel like tests that we want to escape from by simply moving on. However, God wants to teach us, grow us, give us joy, and use us, even in the midst of remaining where we are.

Any progress that is not progress in the knowledge and likeness of Jesus will leave us empty, searching for more progress.

We need to celebrate the virtue of living for the mission of God where we are, not where we wish we were.

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4

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