The Visit From Our Pastor.

Much has been and will be written about the visit of our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, to the United States of America, his homilies and addresses. To this revert, I am being introduced to this man who is mine and a billion other’s pastor. I found him to be intelligent, firm, and precise in his language. There is a gentleness to him that did not expect (he was called at one time the Vatican’s ‘enforcer’.
Good leaders will make you WANT to follow because his words bring a conviction that melts away personal selfishness. I see this attribute in Benedict XVI.
He is orthodox and I believe will start the process of bringing the Church back to the foundation on which it is built. We might not see it in our lifetime, but history will record Benedict to be a great Pope.
I believe it is imperative that Catholics everywhere remember our German Shepard in our daily prayers. For he is our pastor, and is the successor of Saint Peter. As Augustine wrote:
"If the very order of episcopal succession is to be considered, how much more surely, truly, and safely do we number them from Peter himself, to whom, as to one representing the whole Church, the Lord said, ‘Upon this rock I will build my Church’ . . . [Matt. 16:18]. Peter was succeeded by Linus, Linus by Clement, Clement by Anacletus, Anacletus by Evaristus . . . " (Letters 53:1:2 A.D. 412).

The Real Presence of Christ.

Quoting an anti-Catholic:
“You Catholic's don't know what you're missing when you don't rock with Jesus. Church is supposed to be fun and full of Joy and happiness. But yours seems like going to funeral and so dignified and boring. In my Church, sometimes we even dance in the Spirit, have Holy laughter, and run and dance. When God shows up anything can happen. Why do you want to restrict Him so much? What is all this that I am talking about? The manifest presence of God.”
Golfjack, Spero Forum.

When the Eucharist is removed from a Christian’s life, they are forever trying to find something to replace it with.
Some (like me) try Bible study. But no amount of knowledge, memorization, or meditation on the Sacred Scriptures can give me what the Eucharist gives me. Some try music. Emotional music can make my toe tap or bring me to tears. But as good as music is, it can never give me what can give me what the Eucharist gives me. Others, like our poor mislead friend above look for ‘miracles and manifestations’. They at least know there is something more, an encounter with the Divine. But there is no greater miracle or manifestation greater than that which is found in the Eucharist.
Jesus said “lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” This is made real through the Eucharist as we connect with the Risen Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus instituted the new covenant. He said this is my body with the focus on the bread. He said this is my blood with the focus on the wine. So when I take communion every Sunday I realize that by the power of the Holy Spirit I am in this everlasting covenant with God through the blood of His Son.
And as I take the elements into myself, by the power of the Holy Spirit I am receiving Christ into me, mind, body, and soul, and our lives flow as one. His body strengthens me, His blood renews life in me, He is feeding me His very self. Christ feeds us spiritual food and we, in eating and drinking, have received His very Life through the sacraments.
As Jesus sat down with two on the road to Emmaus “he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him” Later they told the Apostles: “what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.”
In the Holy Eucharist we have the one sacrament whose principal purpose is to increase sanctifying grace, repeatedly and often, through personal union with the Giver of grace Himself.
That is why the Holy Eucharist is preeminently the sacrament of spiritual growth, of increase in spiritual stature and strength.
That is why the soul already must be in the state of sanctifying grace when we receive Holy Communion—in other words, free from mortal sin.
Physical food cannot benefit a dead body, and the Holy Eucharist cannot benefit a dead soul.
Since I have returned to the Church, I have seen more spiritual growth than I ever dreamed possible. Things have become clearer to me than they were before.
In the arena, before they went out to die, Christians would partake of the Eucharist. And mystically, but also in reality, they went out stronger human beings to face whatever there was to face.
No amount “holy” laughter or “jumping and dancing” in the Spirit can replace that.
Catholics have the “manifest presence of God” in the Eucharist.

STILL Finding My Way.

Interesting reactions from both sides on last weeks Blog entry on different forums. Both liberal and conservative seemed to read more into the post than was there. Extreme liberals considered it an 'angry' post. Extreme conservatives GOT angry AT the post.
As I stated earlier 'Conservative' and 'liberal' can mean a lot of things, politically, socially, and theologically. There are many political and social issues that I would come down on either side.
So perhaps those labels are not appropriate since they have come to be mean different things to different people in the course of history. FDR and JFK would not be considered 'liberal' in the modern sense of the word.
So, forgive the baggage I picked up from my days in fundamentalism.
It disturbs me that our society is becoming more and more divided politically and is driven to extremes by ideologues. Robert Bork observed once that in his day (WW2 era) two political opponents could disagree and still remain great friends. Today, if one disagree, you’re not just wrong, you’re evil for thinking the way you do.
In the Catholic Church however, orthodox and unorthodox I believe is better terminology. As one fellow commented: “You are just a true Catholic. We just believe in the Teaching and authority of the Catholic Church and do not pick or choose as the liberals (unorthodox) do.”
The terminology might change, but commitment to our Lord does not.

Finding My Way in the Catholic Church After Twenty Years.

Since I crossed the Tiber eight months ago, I have been carefully finding my way around and getting re-acquainted with the Church of my youth. I returned to the Catholic Church because, when I threw down the gauntlet of challenge, She convinced me that She is indeed the Church founded by Christ.
With a billion people world-wide, the Catholic Church is truly diverse. But at the same time, it requires obedience to the teachings of the Holy See. If one wants a ‘warm and fuzzy’ Jesus, the Catholic Church is not the place for them.
As I am writing this, a Catholic priest in Chicago has made the news by supporting a pro-abortion candidate for president. Recently, I encountered a priest who, to me, appeared to be bragging about his liberal views on homosexuality.
Having grown up in the Church, this comes as no great surprise. I was aware that the Church was far from perfect and not everyone is obedient to her.
Catholics have always taken a stand against racism and for social justice. However, the Church cannot be called ‘liberal’. The definition I am using of ‘liberal’ is one who because he or she can legitimately dissent from Church teaching. A conservative will assent to Church teaching and teach fullness of our faith.
There is a generation of liberal priests from the sixties and seventies who still hold power. These priests are also often not pro-life and believe social poverty issues are far more important than the slaughter of the unborn.
They have misguided their flocks into dissent on matters that are not up for discussion. The Christian conscience is to be guided by the Holy Spirit. The church is to be guided by it and the Pope, etc.
Liberal Catholics do more damage to the Church than any wide-eyed anti-Catholic. They create nominal ‘cafeteria Catholics’ who pick and choose what the doctrines of their Church they want believe in. They have created more fundamentalists, than fundamentalists have.
While some liberal priests are still in control on the parish level, the seminaries, and some of the bishoprics, they are slowly being replaced by those who obey to the Pope and the Church. Many of these replacements come from outside the US.
I have noticed, on a personal level, the differences between American priests and foreign-born priests. When I tell a foreign-born priest of my return to the Church, it is met with joy, interest and enthusiasm. With some American priests I have met, it is met with disinterest.
I did not return to the Catholic Church to discard Her doctrines and teachings. For what would be the purpose of returning?
I am a conservative Catholic and traditional. I believe the Bible is the Word of God and I submit myself to the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
I would like to see more Latin in the Mass, but I have nothing against the Norvus Ordo. I am under the authority of the Church and the Pope, who have upheld the doctrine for 2000 years.
On the other hand I will not be part of a schismatic group just because I am conservative and prefer some Latin in the Mass. For what would be the purpose of returning to the Catholic Church only to join with a group that has disobeyed their Pope? That is not conservative, that displays as much disobedience as the Protestant reformers did.
The Catholic Church is 2000 years old, and the gates of Hell will never prevail against her. As I find my way back into her arms, I will defend her against enemies both within and without.

Pony That Walks Christianity.

One of my favorite western movies is 'She Wore a Yellow Ribbon', starring John Wayne as Captain Nathan Brittles. Toward the end of the film Captain Brittles rides into an Indian camp readying for war. There he meets with his old friend, a chief, Pony That Walks who greets Brittles with "I AM A CHRISTIAN! HALLELUJAH!!" "Yes Nathan,” he says in broken English, “we are too old for war. You come with me, we hunt buffalo, get drunk together. HALLELUJAH!!" HALLELUJAH!!"
Every time I see that I say right there is a picture of modern American Evangelical Christianity. Lots of HALLELUJAHS!!", but no little else. What does your Christianity look like when it 'happens'?
James 2:18 says "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works."It's not enough to simply SAY "Hallelujah! I am a Christian!" Actions speak louder than words.
In the ancient world, when you got sick, unless you could afford a physician, you simply died. If you were a widow with children, you would starve to death, nobody was there to take care of you.
When the Church was born, all that changed. Christians took care of widows, orphans, the sick and the elderly. Those who died poor were given a decent burial. Many ancient pagans practiced infanticide by abandoning unwanted babies, so the church rescued those babies and gave them homes. Exiles and travelers received hospitality. Prisoners were visited and comforted. Hospitals were a Christian creation. St. Ephraem, St. Basil, and St. John Chrysostom built a great number of hospitals.
During the Middle Ages the plague took millions of lives. Priests, monks, and nuns took care of the sick and therefore died from the plague at alarming rates. Whole communities of monasteries and convents were wiped out.
Historically, the Church has taken seriously the words of St. Francis of Assisi:
“Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.”
Faith alone creates a lazy Christianity. I struggled for years to try to make it work. I would stand in a pulpit and say: what does your Christianity LOOK like? Having a Bible on your lap doesn’t make you a Christian anymore than having a uniform makes you a General.
Anti-Catholics (not all Protestants) de-emphasize works to such a point that it becomes non-existent. Fundamentalism builds no hospitals, soup kitchens, or homeless shelters. They become proud of the fact they have no works.
Anti-Catholics often say Catholics are trying to 'work their way into Heaven (a lie)', and then in practically the same breath say we 'have no spiritual fruit (another lie)' to prove our salvation.So, which is it? You can’t have it both ways.
Faith and works is like a fellow in a rowboat with two paddles. One paddle is faith, the other works. If only one paddle is used, the rowboat will go in circles, but when both are used, the boat goes foreword. Faith and works must go together.
Paul said "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling". Like a math problem, the answer is there, within the problem, but it must be worked out. Take this salvation that is yours and work it out in your life every day. When faith and works go together, life is as simple as a math problem. Faith and good works must go hand in hand. When we "work out our salvation" as scripture tells us to do, we do it with faith.
That is something we all struggle with, Protestant or Catholic.
We need more Francis of Assisi, and less Pony That Walks Christians.