Dear Secular Media,
Stop covering the election of Pope Francis!
I will now present my reasons why.
1. If you're going to cover a religiously historical event, at least go for a little objectivity. I cannot count the times I have read the phrases "the scandalous Catholic Church," "an out-dated, dying religion," or "a time of strife and concern for the Catholic Church." (These quotes are not verbatim, but see an example in the first sentence here.) Using reason, I could make what I believe to be several solid arguments stating the same for the United States of America, what I and many consider to be a scandalous, dying nation in a time of strife and concern. However, I know better than to plaster my opinion all over an article without using any sources or facts to back up my claims.
2. Do not speak about things you don't understand. I don't need reasons to back up this claim, but I will provide them. Odds are that if you write for the media, you are not a Roman Catholic. Furthermore, your chances of being a practicing Catholic, let alone an orthodox one, are significantly decreased. Therefore, to write about whether or not the newly elected pope could move the Catholic Church "forward" on such topics as homosexual marriage, contraception, or women priests (to name just a few) is simply laughable.
Let this be the definitive statement on the Catholic Church's position on controversial statements: It is not possible for the Catholic Church to teach acceptance of the practices of homosexual marriage, contraception, or women priests, among many other controversial issues.
That's it. Bottom line. No exceptions, no distant or remote chances of change, nothing. It is more likely that a human being would walk to Mars wearing nothing but his skivvies, or a whale to survive for forty years in a desert while playing cards with an anthropomorphic representation of truth in the form of an animate Persian lantern. That is actual Church teaching (only maybe not in those exact words...the Latin word for skivvies is "interulus".) The Catholic Church is unchanging.
Now, this is not to say that it is impossible for the pope to promulgate contraception; it is unlikely, but entirely possible. He is still a man, a human with free-will. However, was this to be the case, that "church" would cease to be the Catholic Church. They would no longer be actual Catholics. This has, in fact, happened on several occasions (see Avignon Papacy or Sedevacantism.) But the actual Catholic Church, the one, true Church, remains with the same doctrines it has taught since its origin over two-thousand years ago (making it approximately 4.07 times older than all other Christian denominations, 8.44 times older than the United States of America, 153.85 times older than Crossroads community church in Cincinnati, and 222.23 times older than Facebook.)
I used the word skivvies. I invented a (really clever) fictional anthropomorphic character representing truth in the form of light (truth is light and all). I did math (math!) to compare the Church to other organizations.
That, Dear Media, is just how wrong you are.
3. Finally, nothing you ever say is true or even remotely accurate, thus disgracing the name of journalism worldwide.
That is all. Have a nice day.
Viva el papa!
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Life and Death
I recently read an article called "So what if abortion ends life?" I think it provides both a good example of the fact that we live in a culture of death and that this same culture has lost its grip on reason and logic. For a society that prides itself on reason over religion, it is sad to see that this false, distorted "reason" has become the religion of our society. The article as a whole is interesting to read, and I encourage you to read it for yourself before reading on.
In the article, the author says that, "a fetus can be a human life without having the same rights as the woman in whose body it resides." This is actually, absolutely true. There are extreme circumstances in which one's rights might be violated. For example, if a wealthy man continues to hoard massive quantities of food in spite of the starving population, then he loses his right to property. Or if a man attempts to commit treason against his government by assassinating the government leader, then he sacrifices his right to freedom. There are occasions where a man who commits murder might lose his human right to life, but this is rare and not for man to judge. In fact, we see this all the time as some one who commits a crime loses his right to freedom and is put in prison. There are instances where one can lose one's rights and thus still be alive and human without having the same rights as other humans. However, this is not the case in any possible way in this situation.
A fetus, as a human life, has done nothing wrong and cannot be blamed for the fact that the woman is pregnant. That is her choice. Sidebar: we pro-lifers are often called "anti-choice" for having stolen the rights of women to choose what to do with their bodies. This is also flawed logic; the woman has the free-will choice to choose whether or not to have intercourse. (Understandably, not all women choose to have intercourse, and this is a tragic situation that must be dealt with delicately. Rape is a terrible tragedy, and understand that for the remainder of this post, I will exclude victims of rape from my examples because it is a totally different circumstance. It does not make abortion right, but not for the reasons to be mentioned.) Yet it still does not mean that the fetus has lost its right for life. A fetus is the most innocent and pure human there is. If anything, I would agree with the author. An innocent unborn child does not have the same rights as the woman; it has more rights than the woman because it is completely innocent, while no other human being alive is.
The author also says, "(The woman is) the boss. Her life and what is right for her circumstances and her health should automatically trump the rights of the non-autonomous entity inside of her. Always." I don't even need to present a logical argument to counter this statement. It should just be common sense. It should just be fact. What a sad, sad world we live in where some one could make such a selfish statement and be supported by thousands.
For those who need an explanation, a mother is objectively called to sacrifice herself for the child in every way. It is the child's life before hers. Any mother would agree with me that they would rather sacrifice their own life over their child's. If some one is not ready to become a mother, they should not be having sexual intercourse. No one would give their child a gun if he was not ready to use it. (Gun rights reference intended.)
The author ends her article with this quote. "And I would put the life of a mother over the life of a fetus every single time — even if I still need to acknowledge my conviction that the fetus is indeed a life. A life worth sacrificing."
This is disgusting. This is the motto of the culture of death. This is what the culture of death is saying. No life is worth more than my own! No life is more important than mine! A child can die to make me happy, and I will decide whether the child lives or dies, stealing the choice from the child! I am pro-choice, after all.
The bottom line is this: to say who lives and dies is a right given to God alone. Yes, there are occasions where man is called on to make this decision. But it is only with great discretion, and never decided with complete certainty. No man can say with absolute certainty whether or not a man deserves to die. A man cannot even decide whether or not he deserves to live his own life.
Yet sacrifice...sacrifice as mentioned by the above author...is a great and worthy act. There is a special place in Heaven for those who sacrifice their lives for a greater good. But to take a life for your own good...that is not sacrifice. That is the opposite of sacrifice. That is not martyrdom, that is to kill the martyr.
Ultimately, the only life worth sacrificing is your own. And that is a life worth sacrificing.
In the article, the author says that, "a fetus can be a human life without having the same rights as the woman in whose body it resides." This is actually, absolutely true. There are extreme circumstances in which one's rights might be violated. For example, if a wealthy man continues to hoard massive quantities of food in spite of the starving population, then he loses his right to property. Or if a man attempts to commit treason against his government by assassinating the government leader, then he sacrifices his right to freedom. There are occasions where a man who commits murder might lose his human right to life, but this is rare and not for man to judge. In fact, we see this all the time as some one who commits a crime loses his right to freedom and is put in prison. There are instances where one can lose one's rights and thus still be alive and human without having the same rights as other humans. However, this is not the case in any possible way in this situation.
A fetus, as a human life, has done nothing wrong and cannot be blamed for the fact that the woman is pregnant. That is her choice. Sidebar: we pro-lifers are often called "anti-choice" for having stolen the rights of women to choose what to do with their bodies. This is also flawed logic; the woman has the free-will choice to choose whether or not to have intercourse. (Understandably, not all women choose to have intercourse, and this is a tragic situation that must be dealt with delicately. Rape is a terrible tragedy, and understand that for the remainder of this post, I will exclude victims of rape from my examples because it is a totally different circumstance. It does not make abortion right, but not for the reasons to be mentioned.) Yet it still does not mean that the fetus has lost its right for life. A fetus is the most innocent and pure human there is. If anything, I would agree with the author. An innocent unborn child does not have the same rights as the woman; it has more rights than the woman because it is completely innocent, while no other human being alive is.
The author also says, "(The woman is) the boss. Her life and what is right for her circumstances and her health should automatically trump the rights of the non-autonomous entity inside of her. Always." I don't even need to present a logical argument to counter this statement. It should just be common sense. It should just be fact. What a sad, sad world we live in where some one could make such a selfish statement and be supported by thousands.
For those who need an explanation, a mother is objectively called to sacrifice herself for the child in every way. It is the child's life before hers. Any mother would agree with me that they would rather sacrifice their own life over their child's. If some one is not ready to become a mother, they should not be having sexual intercourse. No one would give their child a gun if he was not ready to use it. (Gun rights reference intended.)
The author ends her article with this quote. "And I would put the life of a mother over the life of a fetus every single time — even if I still need to acknowledge my conviction that the fetus is indeed a life. A life worth sacrificing."
This is disgusting. This is the motto of the culture of death. This is what the culture of death is saying. No life is worth more than my own! No life is more important than mine! A child can die to make me happy, and I will decide whether the child lives or dies, stealing the choice from the child! I am pro-choice, after all.
The bottom line is this: to say who lives and dies is a right given to God alone. Yes, there are occasions where man is called on to make this decision. But it is only with great discretion, and never decided with complete certainty. No man can say with absolute certainty whether or not a man deserves to die. A man cannot even decide whether or not he deserves to live his own life.
Yet sacrifice...sacrifice as mentioned by the above author...is a great and worthy act. There is a special place in Heaven for those who sacrifice their lives for a greater good. But to take a life for your own good...that is not sacrifice. That is the opposite of sacrifice. That is not martyrdom, that is to kill the martyr.
Ultimately, the only life worth sacrificing is your own. And that is a life worth sacrificing.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Les Miserables
I recently took my girlfriend to see the highly-acclaimed film rendition of the popular Broadway musical, "Les Miserables," based on the excellent story by Victor Hugo. I enjoyed the music, as well as the cinematography and acting. But I must say that my favorite aspect of the entire movie was Hugh Jackman's portrayal of the hero, Jean Valjean. I noticed that I was not alone in my admiration of Valjean, as the social hemisphere appropriate for cinematographic discussion we know as Facebook has recently been littered with young mens' comments admiring Valjean and expressing their desire to become like him. I began to wonder why this was, and while praying about it, found some answers.
The character is very much so a father-figure throughout the story, as he tries to rescue Fantine from her life of misery on the streets of Paris, then later cares for Cosette, her child, after her death. But perhaps the most incredible example of Valjean's fatherly nature is when he rescues Marius, the young revolutionary who faces certain death at the battle of the barricades on the Rue Plumet as well as the man who holds Cosette's heart. Valjean prays for Marius to be brought safely home, and the song "Bring Him Home" perfectly exemplifies Valjean's greatest character strength. He is a valiant man who knows his strength lies in God, and it is through Him, with Him, and in Him that he finds the strength to do these deeds for His greater glory.
In this day and age, we can find a great role model in Valjean. The musical adaptation of "Les Miserables" deals with themes of faith, prostitution, and the dignity of life. Let us examine the prevalence of these themes in our own modern society and examine how Jean Valjean might have dealt with these issues.
One of Valjean's greatest tests comes when he is given shelter in a monastery after having been refused work or shelter anywhere else. Yet despite the kindness shown to him by the monsignor, Valjean steals his silver to provide for him. But when he is caught by the police and returned to the monastery, threatened with another nineteen years of slavery, the monsignor says that the silver was given to Valjean, and even gives him the last of the silver candlesticks, telling Valjean that the silver must be used for the greater glory of God. This act touches Valjean so much that he vows to live out the rest of his life fulfilling this goal. He becomes a changed man, prayerful and merciful, reflecting the charity shown him by the monsignor.
How much does this world need such kindness and mercy? And not just any kindness and mercy; but kindness and mercy based in charity. True charity founded in God's love.
When Valjean moves and becomes the mayor of a prominent city, as well as the owner of a textile industry, he fails to prevent the unemployment of Fantine, a young woman and a single mother who needs the job to support her daughter. Yet when her illegitimate child is discovered, she is fired by the foreman, and holds a grudge against Valjean for not coming to her aid. She then turns sells her body, both by selling her hair and two front teeth and becoming a prostitute. Yet when she is nearly arrested for striking a man who sought to use her, Valjean comes to her rescue, carrying her to a hospital as she is dying from malnutrition. Although Fantine does lose her life, it is only after having learned that Valjean has promised to care for her daughter and raise her well, giving Fantine a final joy in life before her death.
Mercedes-Benz recently announced a commercial to air during the Super Bowl. It will feature Kate Upton, a well-known supermodel. I have personally found myself very called to pray for Miss Upton, who is only 20 years old and, I believe, objectified as nothing more than a beautiful body. How many men know where she has been featured or how to find images or videos that allow them with the opportunity to objectify her? How many men know her favorite color, her favorite food, a movie that moves her, or a story she loves? How many men have looked at her body countless times but don't know her eye color? I believe this form of objectifying women to be very sad. Men are paying for her, buying her, her body, her sexuality, her soul, and using it for their own personal gain. To me, that is the definition of prostitution. Know that my words do not reflect my feelings for Miss Upton; I believe that she is a good woman who deserves love and respect, and I speak in defense of her. I wish her the best and I pray for her often. I believe Jean Valjean would do the same.
On numerous occasions, Jean Valjean is faced with the opportunity to take a life or allow a man to die. When no one goes to the aid of a man named Fauchelevent, who is trapped under a broken cart and left to die, Valjean rescues him even though he knows he is risking the discovery of his identity at the hands of Inspector Javert, the man who tortured him years ago as his guard while filling out his sentence. Again, Valjean rescues Fantine from her life of misery and attempts to heal her. Valjean rescues Marius when he is shot and wounded, risking his own life to save the life of this man for no other reason than that his adopted daughter loves him. Yet Valjean's truest act of mercy comes when Inspector Javert is kidnapped by rebels and held as prisoner. Valjean is given Javert to execute, but instead of killing him, Valjean spares his life. Valjean knows that there is dignity in all life, and he respects that life.
In English class today, students laughed with disbelief as our professor explained that it was common practice in 17th Century to kill misshapen babies by drowning them, this practice being based off the belief that the children were demonic changelings. Several of the students said that was ridiculous, and laughed at the ignorance of man four centuries ago. Yet today, we kill babies no matter the cause, which is, for some reason, is not considered as unspeakable an act as the practices of 17th Century Europe. We justify this violence on the "philosophy" of "choice," and state that it allows "reproductive freedom" for women, when it, in fact, enslaves them to men, giving man the freedom to have sex whenever he wants without having to be responsible for the repercussions that may follow. Women become nothing more than bodies that can be used for the pleasure of men and then ravaged as a living child is murdered within those very same bodies. As we approach the 40th Anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, the Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion and has since been the cause of over 55,000,000 abortions, we should remember the honor and dignity that is due to all human life and take the model example of Jean Valjean to heart.
Stories are never simply stories. Movies are never simply movies. Men are never simply men. The actions of Jean Valjean in Victor Hugo's legendary, "Les Miserables," are not coincidental. Hugo is writing to men across the world, inspiring them to have mercy on "The Victims" (a common translation of the French term, les miserables) of mankind and to treat them with true charity, just as Jean Valjean would do.
Now I am going to attempt to imitate the aforementioned Mr. Jackman by singing, "Bring Him Home," at the top of my lungs/vocal range.
The character is very much so a father-figure throughout the story, as he tries to rescue Fantine from her life of misery on the streets of Paris, then later cares for Cosette, her child, after her death. But perhaps the most incredible example of Valjean's fatherly nature is when he rescues Marius, the young revolutionary who faces certain death at the battle of the barricades on the Rue Plumet as well as the man who holds Cosette's heart. Valjean prays for Marius to be brought safely home, and the song "Bring Him Home" perfectly exemplifies Valjean's greatest character strength. He is a valiant man who knows his strength lies in God, and it is through Him, with Him, and in Him that he finds the strength to do these deeds for His greater glory.
In this day and age, we can find a great role model in Valjean. The musical adaptation of "Les Miserables" deals with themes of faith, prostitution, and the dignity of life. Let us examine the prevalence of these themes in our own modern society and examine how Jean Valjean might have dealt with these issues.
One of Valjean's greatest tests comes when he is given shelter in a monastery after having been refused work or shelter anywhere else. Yet despite the kindness shown to him by the monsignor, Valjean steals his silver to provide for him. But when he is caught by the police and returned to the monastery, threatened with another nineteen years of slavery, the monsignor says that the silver was given to Valjean, and even gives him the last of the silver candlesticks, telling Valjean that the silver must be used for the greater glory of God. This act touches Valjean so much that he vows to live out the rest of his life fulfilling this goal. He becomes a changed man, prayerful and merciful, reflecting the charity shown him by the monsignor.
How much does this world need such kindness and mercy? And not just any kindness and mercy; but kindness and mercy based in charity. True charity founded in God's love.
When Valjean moves and becomes the mayor of a prominent city, as well as the owner of a textile industry, he fails to prevent the unemployment of Fantine, a young woman and a single mother who needs the job to support her daughter. Yet when her illegitimate child is discovered, she is fired by the foreman, and holds a grudge against Valjean for not coming to her aid. She then turns sells her body, both by selling her hair and two front teeth and becoming a prostitute. Yet when she is nearly arrested for striking a man who sought to use her, Valjean comes to her rescue, carrying her to a hospital as she is dying from malnutrition. Although Fantine does lose her life, it is only after having learned that Valjean has promised to care for her daughter and raise her well, giving Fantine a final joy in life before her death.
Mercedes-Benz recently announced a commercial to air during the Super Bowl. It will feature Kate Upton, a well-known supermodel. I have personally found myself very called to pray for Miss Upton, who is only 20 years old and, I believe, objectified as nothing more than a beautiful body. How many men know where she has been featured or how to find images or videos that allow them with the opportunity to objectify her? How many men know her favorite color, her favorite food, a movie that moves her, or a story she loves? How many men have looked at her body countless times but don't know her eye color? I believe this form of objectifying women to be very sad. Men are paying for her, buying her, her body, her sexuality, her soul, and using it for their own personal gain. To me, that is the definition of prostitution. Know that my words do not reflect my feelings for Miss Upton; I believe that she is a good woman who deserves love and respect, and I speak in defense of her. I wish her the best and I pray for her often. I believe Jean Valjean would do the same.
On numerous occasions, Jean Valjean is faced with the opportunity to take a life or allow a man to die. When no one goes to the aid of a man named Fauchelevent, who is trapped under a broken cart and left to die, Valjean rescues him even though he knows he is risking the discovery of his identity at the hands of Inspector Javert, the man who tortured him years ago as his guard while filling out his sentence. Again, Valjean rescues Fantine from her life of misery and attempts to heal her. Valjean rescues Marius when he is shot and wounded, risking his own life to save the life of this man for no other reason than that his adopted daughter loves him. Yet Valjean's truest act of mercy comes when Inspector Javert is kidnapped by rebels and held as prisoner. Valjean is given Javert to execute, but instead of killing him, Valjean spares his life. Valjean knows that there is dignity in all life, and he respects that life.
In English class today, students laughed with disbelief as our professor explained that it was common practice in 17th Century to kill misshapen babies by drowning them, this practice being based off the belief that the children were demonic changelings. Several of the students said that was ridiculous, and laughed at the ignorance of man four centuries ago. Yet today, we kill babies no matter the cause, which is, for some reason, is not considered as unspeakable an act as the practices of 17th Century Europe. We justify this violence on the "philosophy" of "choice," and state that it allows "reproductive freedom" for women, when it, in fact, enslaves them to men, giving man the freedom to have sex whenever he wants without having to be responsible for the repercussions that may follow. Women become nothing more than bodies that can be used for the pleasure of men and then ravaged as a living child is murdered within those very same bodies. As we approach the 40th Anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, the Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion and has since been the cause of over 55,000,000 abortions, we should remember the honor and dignity that is due to all human life and take the model example of Jean Valjean to heart.
Stories are never simply stories. Movies are never simply movies. Men are never simply men. The actions of Jean Valjean in Victor Hugo's legendary, "Les Miserables," are not coincidental. Hugo is writing to men across the world, inspiring them to have mercy on "The Victims" (a common translation of the French term, les miserables) of mankind and to treat them with true charity, just as Jean Valjean would do.
Now I am going to attempt to imitate the aforementioned Mr. Jackman by singing, "Bring Him Home," at the top of my lungs/vocal range.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Presence(ts)
While my title might be misleading, that is only because it is. However, as we Catholics remain in the Christmas season, I would like to write a post especially geared towards perhaps one of the most misunderstood concept of the Catholic faith:
The presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
Here's a little shocker for all the die-hard Catholics out there who might be reading my blog. There's a good chance that what I'm about to say will fill you with shock and awe, and perhaps even evoke cries of heresy and blasphemy. But here it goes.
Jesus Christ is not physically present in the Eucharist.
Now, before everyone dials the Vatican City's Heresy Hotline, allow me to explain.
To say that Jesus Christ is physically present in the Eucharist is not only incorrect, but insulting. How dare we bring the Son of God down to our level anymore than He willingly descended Himself? See, the Catholic Church believes that Jesus is both God and Man (for further information, see "hypostatic union" at the Catholic Encyclopedia. Or I guess I'll just save you the time http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07610b.htm) He took on His physical nature through the Incarnation, recently celebrated among Catholics at Christmas, but this did not negate His divine nature. Christ is both human and divine. One being, two natures.
That being said, to say that Christ is physically present in the Eucharist is to deny Him His divine nature. Christ is, instead, substantially present in the Eucharist. It is His real presence, His entire being and entity, both divine and human. So, I was not speaking heresy after all; merely being theologically merciless. However, with the recent passing of the celebration of the Birth of Christ, and therefore the Incarnation of God made Man, I find this to be a very interesting and inspirational point upon which to reflect. I encourage you all to do the same. Reflect on the fact that the presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist is not only His physical presence, but His divine presence. His divine and human body that has overcome the grave through His resurrection, and is now made more perfectly human. Something I came upon in my own reflection struck me as both strange and fascinating. If Christ's presence in the Eucharist is substantial, and His substance is both divine and perfectly human, more perfectly than my own, then Christ in the Eucharist is actually more present than I am. The world believes only what it sees and, consequently, only sees what it believes. Therefore, what is not visible is not real. (Which means that love is not real either...trust me. It's coming.) But how much more wonderful is my life for the gift of knowing that God, who I cannot see, is in fact more "real" than me. I, for one, am grateful for this. Can you imagine a world where I am more present than God? It would be terrible!
This Christmas season, let us thank God for His gift to us: the gift of Christ's Incarnation and Birth, and the gift of Christ's continued presence in our lives through the Eucharist.
The presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
Here's a little shocker for all the die-hard Catholics out there who might be reading my blog. There's a good chance that what I'm about to say will fill you with shock and awe, and perhaps even evoke cries of heresy and blasphemy. But here it goes.
Jesus Christ is not physically present in the Eucharist.
Now, before everyone dials the Vatican City's Heresy Hotline, allow me to explain.
To say that Jesus Christ is physically present in the Eucharist is not only incorrect, but insulting. How dare we bring the Son of God down to our level anymore than He willingly descended Himself? See, the Catholic Church believes that Jesus is both God and Man (for further information, see "hypostatic union" at the Catholic Encyclopedia. Or I guess I'll just save you the time http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07610b.htm) He took on His physical nature through the Incarnation, recently celebrated among Catholics at Christmas, but this did not negate His divine nature. Christ is both human and divine. One being, two natures.
That being said, to say that Christ is physically present in the Eucharist is to deny Him His divine nature. Christ is, instead, substantially present in the Eucharist. It is His real presence, His entire being and entity, both divine and human. So, I was not speaking heresy after all; merely being theologically merciless. However, with the recent passing of the celebration of the Birth of Christ, and therefore the Incarnation of God made Man, I find this to be a very interesting and inspirational point upon which to reflect. I encourage you all to do the same. Reflect on the fact that the presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist is not only His physical presence, but His divine presence. His divine and human body that has overcome the grave through His resurrection, and is now made more perfectly human. Something I came upon in my own reflection struck me as both strange and fascinating. If Christ's presence in the Eucharist is substantial, and His substance is both divine and perfectly human, more perfectly than my own, then Christ in the Eucharist is actually more present than I am. The world believes only what it sees and, consequently, only sees what it believes. Therefore, what is not visible is not real. (Which means that love is not real either...trust me. It's coming.) But how much more wonderful is my life for the gift of knowing that God, who I cannot see, is in fact more "real" than me. I, for one, am grateful for this. Can you imagine a world where I am more present than God? It would be terrible!
This Christmas season, let us thank God for His gift to us: the gift of Christ's Incarnation and Birth, and the gift of Christ's continued presence in our lives through the Eucharist.
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Advent Reflection
"Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy."
-John 16:20-22
Recently, while in Adoration, I read this passage of Scripture and reflected on it for some time. I think that it is a beautifully poetic passage that speaks a great deal to me. Hardship and suffering is a universal experience; perhaps the most universal experience. And often it seems that we will never rise out of our hardships and suffering.
The question of evil ("Why does it exist?") is one of the most prominent philosophical questions in the minds of people from all walks of life, regardless of age, gender, race, or position in life. And rarely does an answer present itself that is convincing. There are reasonable answers that hold great truth, and I have found many of these through my own personal searching (and by that, I mean complementing my inner meditation with some Peter Kreeft, C.S. Lewis, and G.K. Chesterton. But that is another blog post.)
But in this passage, Jesus Christ offers to His disciples an answer that is very difficult to accept, as it was for them. Yet Christ, as He so often does, offers an answer through a metaphorical analogy that is quite understandable:
Childbirth.
I will not claim to know the pains of childbirth. I will never know. But I imagine it's something awful.
That being said, we can understand that Christ compares the hardships of life to childbirth. No one will deny that it is incredibly painful. But how much joy does a woman take in gazing upon her child for the first time? How could anything else erase so great a pain save for so great a joy?
The Son of God speaks here with the history of all Christianity in mind. For centuries, the Jewish people awaited a savior; the Messiah. They suffered, they toiled, they wept and mourned and grieved. But then, the waiting was over, and the advent of our Lord arrived. The weeping, mourning, grieving was over. The angel of the Lord descended to Mary, bringing good tidings of great joy, and the Savior of the World came into the world as man, born of the Virgin Immaculately Conceived, and all evil was destroyed, all darkness cast out!
In this season of Advent, what greater joy is there then the knowledge that soon, all darkness will pass and only light will remain. You will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. Think about how long the people of God waited for the coming of Christ. It is allegorical of our waiting for Christmas at the end of Advent to make way for the Christmas season, allegorical of our waiting for the joys of Heavenly death at the end of life to make way for eternal life with Christ; the joy that cannot be taken away.
For all those suffering or enduring hardship, or even for those who have a difficult time waiting, this is a wonderful passage on which to reflect. Especially for those who fear death. Death is only the beginning; quite literally, childbirth. Through death, you are born anew into true life. True joy, true happiness, lies at the end of life, not within it. Christ knows all things, and He knows this and teaches this to us during this Advent season.
This Sunday, Gaudete Sunday, the Third Sunday of Advent which is dedicated to joy, reflect on this passage and keep in your prayers all those who fear death.
And if your heart beats twice, then you can love twice as much. : )
-John 16:20-22
Recently, while in Adoration, I read this passage of Scripture and reflected on it for some time. I think that it is a beautifully poetic passage that speaks a great deal to me. Hardship and suffering is a universal experience; perhaps the most universal experience. And often it seems that we will never rise out of our hardships and suffering.
The question of evil ("Why does it exist?") is one of the most prominent philosophical questions in the minds of people from all walks of life, regardless of age, gender, race, or position in life. And rarely does an answer present itself that is convincing. There are reasonable answers that hold great truth, and I have found many of these through my own personal searching (and by that, I mean complementing my inner meditation with some Peter Kreeft, C.S. Lewis, and G.K. Chesterton. But that is another blog post.)
But in this passage, Jesus Christ offers to His disciples an answer that is very difficult to accept, as it was for them. Yet Christ, as He so often does, offers an answer through a metaphorical analogy that is quite understandable:
Childbirth.
I will not claim to know the pains of childbirth. I will never know. But I imagine it's something awful.
That being said, we can understand that Christ compares the hardships of life to childbirth. No one will deny that it is incredibly painful. But how much joy does a woman take in gazing upon her child for the first time? How could anything else erase so great a pain save for so great a joy?
The Son of God speaks here with the history of all Christianity in mind. For centuries, the Jewish people awaited a savior; the Messiah. They suffered, they toiled, they wept and mourned and grieved. But then, the waiting was over, and the advent of our Lord arrived. The weeping, mourning, grieving was over. The angel of the Lord descended to Mary, bringing good tidings of great joy, and the Savior of the World came into the world as man, born of the Virgin Immaculately Conceived, and all evil was destroyed, all darkness cast out!
In this season of Advent, what greater joy is there then the knowledge that soon, all darkness will pass and only light will remain. You will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. Think about how long the people of God waited for the coming of Christ. It is allegorical of our waiting for Christmas at the end of Advent to make way for the Christmas season, allegorical of our waiting for the joys of Heavenly death at the end of life to make way for eternal life with Christ; the joy that cannot be taken away.
For all those suffering or enduring hardship, or even for those who have a difficult time waiting, this is a wonderful passage on which to reflect. Especially for those who fear death. Death is only the beginning; quite literally, childbirth. Through death, you are born anew into true life. True joy, true happiness, lies at the end of life, not within it. Christ knows all things, and He knows this and teaches this to us during this Advent season.
This Sunday, Gaudete Sunday, the Third Sunday of Advent which is dedicated to joy, reflect on this passage and keep in your prayers all those who fear death.
And if your heart beats twice, then you can love twice as much. : )
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Why I (And Every One Else) Cannot Live Without Story
Stories are the backbone of humanity.
We love them. We crave them. We need them.
Think about a story that changed your life. A work of literature, prose or poetry. Perhaps it's a story you heard from a friend or family member. Not just the stories that you love because they're interesting. Not even the ones you enjoy because they were made into good movies. Think about the ones that really affected you. The ones that still affect you to this day.
I cannot remember a time when I was not writing stories. But, then again, that is because I cannot remember a time I did not love them.
From the time I was a little boy, I can remember that I was fascinated with the art of story. I learned to read at a very young age, and began writing not much longer after. Even before I learned to write myself, I would have my mom write down or record the stories I told her. Some of my earliest memories consist of my mother writing down my words by the side of the public pool, holding a tape recorder up to my mouth, or merely listening as she lay in bed, as it was still too early to be respectfully awake. Some of my favorite stories were fairy tales, of course. The more Disney they were, the better. Then Robin Hood, King Arthur, and even Ivanhoe. I remember firing arrows across the playroom with my brothers, or jousting each other from atop our couch-cushion steeds. Then, Star Wars came into the mix. The moment I learned how to make a lightsaber noise with my mouth, I became a Jedi Master. My brother's jump-rope became Indiana Jones' whip and, subsequently, George Mallory's climbing ropes (this was, of course, after my mother realized that the presence of my father's bullwhip in the house, despite it being high up in the closet, posed a serious threat to my two twin brothers, both older and bigger and bad-guyier.) When super-heroes became a part of the equation, and my early adolescent years became filled with reading as many comic books as a boy my age could handle (I am unashamed of this fact: I have read the first 150 issues of the original Spider-Man series), and I knew that I would never be the same. Then came the classics. Jules Verne remains one of my favorite, with Robert Louis Stevenson and William Shakespeare entering the fray as well, accompanying ancient classics, such as the Iliad, the Odyssey, and the Aeneid, as well as all forms of mythology. (I will confess, I love but one Hemingway book, and that is "Old Man and the Sea." The rest I do not find appealing.)
Stories are inescapable. They are essential to life. It is a rare occasion that some one goes through their life without hearing a story, telling a story, or experiencing a story. But why? Why are these stories so important to us? Why is it that men feel compelled to tell their stories, share their stories, listen to stories?
It is because without them, we fall apart.
We need stories to encourage us to do the incredible things that, elsewhere, we would never believe we could accomplish.
We need stories to keep us going when the going gets rough; that when the world seems too dark to go on, or when all hopes seems lost, the stories can show us the light.
We need stories to show us the good guys from the bad guys; to give us role models and heroes whom we aspire to be like.
We need stories to show us how to fight for good.
We need stories to teach us to believe.
We need stories to show us how to love.
In my experience, I have always looked to the stories I love to teach me to carry on. The human experience differs, and for this reason, there are many various stories. This allows for every one to connect to the stories that touch them the most.
An example of this is found in looking at the monsters and villains that our heroes have had to face over time. I find comic books to an excellent example of this. Take the heroes of the two most popular comic book publishers of the 20th Century, Marvel and DC.
When the comic book first took off with the emergence of Superman in 1938, Superman was fighting the average, ordinary, everyday criminal and rescuing the world from natural disasters. But with the USA's entry into World War II, Superman began to fight Nazis, as did a character who would later be introduced into the Marvel Universe, Captain America, created for the sole purpose to champion the American war effort.
During the 1950s, the heroes began to fight the last of the crimelords as well as Communists.
In the 1960s, the plethora of characters that make up the Marvel Universe was born out of the Cold War. Radiation created some of the most well-known heroes of our day and age, specifically the Fantastic Four, the Incredible Hulk, and (my personal favorite) the Amazing Spider-Man.
The 70s and the early 80s saw the involvement of anti-war sentimentality, as well as heroes who fought to prevent substance abuse and racism, as well as the beginning of super-heroines.
The late 80s and 90s saw an interesting turn of events. As Generation X was coming to its summit, the world of comic books saw super-heroes that were no longer one-dimensional, but now fought many of the demons within, and even fought other super-heroes. Our heroes now fought robots, computers, artificial intelligence, and the looming certain doom that would be come the internet.
Then, in modern years, our heroes are born from genetic experiments and must fight similar experiments. Today's heroes are much like the 90s in that they are two-sided, but the increasing fear of terrorism and the fear of any one man gaining too much power has inspired a whole new world of villains to fight.
This is just one example of how the heroes of our times are both inspired by us and inspire us. And we need these heroes. We need all of the heroes who have endured throughout time, the ones that never die, the ones like King Arthur, Luke Skywalker, Robin Hood, Cinderella, Spider-Man. I could go on and on (and, in fact, I believe I will at some point. But that's another blog post.) The ones that fight the same villains we fight; that face the same struggles we face. The ones that overcome. The ones that teach us to persevere and overcome.
The fact of the matter is, we need these stories. They inspire us with hope, beauty, goodness, and the truth of the human experience. They give us heroes, models, ideals. They teach us many things, better than any other method of teaching. Nothing beats a good story.
Unfortunately, nothing that I have said in this entire article (blog...blurb?...rambling?...) can beat what I am about to show here. From the words of the great J.R.R. Tolkien, the direction of legend Peter Jackson, and the talent of Mr. Sean Astin.
Samwise Gamgee on the Power of Story
And there you have it. J.R.R. Tolkien would have agreed with me (he did, actually.)
The power of story should not be underrated nor under-appreciated. The next time you hear a good story, take a minute to reflect on just how grateful you are that you live in a world with story, a world where story is so powerful and so necessary. Thank your Maker for having given you these stories.
And then, go tell some of your own.
Stories change the world.
We love them. We crave them. We need them.
Think about a story that changed your life. A work of literature, prose or poetry. Perhaps it's a story you heard from a friend or family member. Not just the stories that you love because they're interesting. Not even the ones you enjoy because they were made into good movies. Think about the ones that really affected you. The ones that still affect you to this day.
I cannot remember a time when I was not writing stories. But, then again, that is because I cannot remember a time I did not love them.
From the time I was a little boy, I can remember that I was fascinated with the art of story. I learned to read at a very young age, and began writing not much longer after. Even before I learned to write myself, I would have my mom write down or record the stories I told her. Some of my earliest memories consist of my mother writing down my words by the side of the public pool, holding a tape recorder up to my mouth, or merely listening as she lay in bed, as it was still too early to be respectfully awake. Some of my favorite stories were fairy tales, of course. The more Disney they were, the better. Then Robin Hood, King Arthur, and even Ivanhoe. I remember firing arrows across the playroom with my brothers, or jousting each other from atop our couch-cushion steeds. Then, Star Wars came into the mix. The moment I learned how to make a lightsaber noise with my mouth, I became a Jedi Master. My brother's jump-rope became Indiana Jones' whip and, subsequently, George Mallory's climbing ropes (this was, of course, after my mother realized that the presence of my father's bullwhip in the house, despite it being high up in the closet, posed a serious threat to my two twin brothers, both older and bigger and bad-guyier.) When super-heroes became a part of the equation, and my early adolescent years became filled with reading as many comic books as a boy my age could handle (I am unashamed of this fact: I have read the first 150 issues of the original Spider-Man series), and I knew that I would never be the same. Then came the classics. Jules Verne remains one of my favorite, with Robert Louis Stevenson and William Shakespeare entering the fray as well, accompanying ancient classics, such as the Iliad, the Odyssey, and the Aeneid, as well as all forms of mythology. (I will confess, I love but one Hemingway book, and that is "Old Man and the Sea." The rest I do not find appealing.)
Stories are inescapable. They are essential to life. It is a rare occasion that some one goes through their life without hearing a story, telling a story, or experiencing a story. But why? Why are these stories so important to us? Why is it that men feel compelled to tell their stories, share their stories, listen to stories?
It is because without them, we fall apart.
We need stories to encourage us to do the incredible things that, elsewhere, we would never believe we could accomplish.
We need stories to keep us going when the going gets rough; that when the world seems too dark to go on, or when all hopes seems lost, the stories can show us the light.
We need stories to show us the good guys from the bad guys; to give us role models and heroes whom we aspire to be like.
We need stories to show us how to fight for good.
We need stories to teach us to believe.
We need stories to show us how to love.
In my experience, I have always looked to the stories I love to teach me to carry on. The human experience differs, and for this reason, there are many various stories. This allows for every one to connect to the stories that touch them the most.
An example of this is found in looking at the monsters and villains that our heroes have had to face over time. I find comic books to an excellent example of this. Take the heroes of the two most popular comic book publishers of the 20th Century, Marvel and DC.
When the comic book first took off with the emergence of Superman in 1938, Superman was fighting the average, ordinary, everyday criminal and rescuing the world from natural disasters. But with the USA's entry into World War II, Superman began to fight Nazis, as did a character who would later be introduced into the Marvel Universe, Captain America, created for the sole purpose to champion the American war effort.
During the 1950s, the heroes began to fight the last of the crimelords as well as Communists.
In the 1960s, the plethora of characters that make up the Marvel Universe was born out of the Cold War. Radiation created some of the most well-known heroes of our day and age, specifically the Fantastic Four, the Incredible Hulk, and (my personal favorite) the Amazing Spider-Man.
The 70s and the early 80s saw the involvement of anti-war sentimentality, as well as heroes who fought to prevent substance abuse and racism, as well as the beginning of super-heroines.
The late 80s and 90s saw an interesting turn of events. As Generation X was coming to its summit, the world of comic books saw super-heroes that were no longer one-dimensional, but now fought many of the demons within, and even fought other super-heroes. Our heroes now fought robots, computers, artificial intelligence, and the looming certain doom that would be come the internet.
Then, in modern years, our heroes are born from genetic experiments and must fight similar experiments. Today's heroes are much like the 90s in that they are two-sided, but the increasing fear of terrorism and the fear of any one man gaining too much power has inspired a whole new world of villains to fight.
This is just one example of how the heroes of our times are both inspired by us and inspire us. And we need these heroes. We need all of the heroes who have endured throughout time, the ones that never die, the ones like King Arthur, Luke Skywalker, Robin Hood, Cinderella, Spider-Man. I could go on and on (and, in fact, I believe I will at some point. But that's another blog post.) The ones that fight the same villains we fight; that face the same struggles we face. The ones that overcome. The ones that teach us to persevere and overcome.
The fact of the matter is, we need these stories. They inspire us with hope, beauty, goodness, and the truth of the human experience. They give us heroes, models, ideals. They teach us many things, better than any other method of teaching. Nothing beats a good story.
Unfortunately, nothing that I have said in this entire article (blog...blurb?...rambling?...) can beat what I am about to show here. From the words of the great J.R.R. Tolkien, the direction of legend Peter Jackson, and the talent of Mr. Sean Astin.
Samwise Gamgee on the Power of Story
And there you have it. J.R.R. Tolkien would have agreed with me (he did, actually.)
The power of story should not be underrated nor under-appreciated. The next time you hear a good story, take a minute to reflect on just how grateful you are that you live in a world with story, a world where story is so powerful and so necessary. Thank your Maker for having given you these stories.
And then, go tell some of your own.
Stories change the world.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Loneliness
There is a certain
element of truth to the idea that there is only so much loneliness a
man can take. When placed in solitary confinement for too long, a man
can literally lose his mind. It is because the mind is a social
thing, and a society cannot function in the mind of one man. There
must be some greater form of society unknown to man. Something
invisible to the eyes of man.
Yet this is not our
topic of discussion. Rather, I would like to bring up a point.
There is only so
much loneliness a man can take because there is a such thing as a
collective soul.
That is not to say
that there is one great soul that we all take part in; no “oversoul”
such as is implied by Vedantic Hinduism, or even Ralph Waldo Emerson
(although Emerson does make some good points.) There is an individual
and individually created soul in each individual person. It is what
grants them said personhood. However, there is, to a certain extent,
a form of unity between the souls of humanity.
We, as humans, are
called to be social beings. Yet this aspect of humanity, unique to
humanity, is often misinterpreted. Being social and being extroverted
are not equivalent. Rather, being social is more similar to being
considerate.
I discovered a
better understanding of the nature of society, ironically, through
loneliness. I have often found myself missing one or many person(s)
of great importance to me. And it is in these times that I have
realized that I miss having some one to talk to, but that I miss
having some one talk to me even more. And therein lies the nature of
society.
The nature of
society is to communicate and interact and to be communicated to and
interacted with. We are all integral members of a molecular
community, each person a critical atom in a molecular chain that is
both adaptable and fragile; adaptable in that when a member is lost
or removed, the community continues to function, yet fragile in that
the community is still easily upset by said loss or removal. Due to
this, we not only have a calling to cultivate our own lives by
engaging in community, but we are called to cultivate the community
by participating in the social lives of its unique and numerous
individual persons. Consequently, the nature of loneliness is dual,
to be engaged and to engage.
There is a certain
element of truth to the idea that there is only so much loneliness a
man can take.
Yet it is also true
that man is never truly alone.
Let us thank our
Creator for our social souls and for the collective community of souls he has provided for us to care for all souls.
The Lord God said,
“It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper
suitable for him.” -Genesis 2:18
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