Has the West Entered a Maccabean Period?

Many Christians in Europe and North America have abandoned at least most, if not all, of the Church’s values, teachings, and traditions in an attempt to “fit in” with the customs and values of a pagan, secular culture.

Like the Jews of the Maccabean period, who left their Jewish faith in the One True God and their Jewish culture for Greek gods and Greek culture, many European and North American Christians have left the Church to worship the gods of socialism, relativism, consumerism, and atheism (the god of self) and left behind a Chrisitian culture for a pagan culture.

Too many Christians are abandoning Christ in favor of “politically correctness.”  Too many Christians believe that their faith and how they conduct their lives are separate and distinct.  Faith and how a life is lived are not separate and distinct. Love of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is reflected in not only in worship and prayer, but also in work, play, and recreation – that is, every aspect and moment of one’s life.  Faith is a life lived in faith.

Judas Maccabeus and his family fought for the importance of a life centered on God and his commandments, statues and ordinances.  We as members of Christ’s body must stand up and speak the Truth revealed by Christ and a life lived according to His mercy, justice, and love.  We are to live our lives according to the beatitudes.

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The Babe Leaped in Her Womb

The babe leaped in her womb (Luke 1:41) is a verse that I frequently prayerfully meditate on.  John the Baptist leaped in Elizabeth’s womb when he encountered Christ veiled in the womb of the Blessed Mother.  I prayerfully mediate on my struggle to see Christ in all who I encounter.  It is not easy to see Christ in those who cause discomfort in my life.  But, they are ones who bring opportunities to encounter and to be comforted by Christ.

Initially, encounters with Christ may not be comforting.  To approach Christ we must acknowledge our sinfulness and surrender self to follow him.

It is difficult to see Christ in those who make us face our prideful, self-centeredness.   But, is it not Christ who scatters “the proud in the imagination of their hearts.” (Luke 1:51)  Is it not also Christ who will  “put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree” and who will “filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away.” (Luke 1:52-53)

Christ is present in those who challenge us to step outside of prideful, self-centeredness, to extend mercy to those in need; to think of another instead of self; to be humble and meek and not prideful when dealing with others; and to share what has been freely given with others.  Oh, the number of opportunities lost each day to encounter Christ!

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Eyes

Like a melody stuck within my head, a posting by Melanie Jean Juneau on her blog “Mother of Nine9” to the Daily Prompt “Art that Speaks to Me” has remained with me for the past week and a half.   My thoughts repeatedly return to the pictures of eyes she posted in her reply to the Daily Prompt.

Biblically, eyes are the windows of our heart. The heart is the focus of our being and true desires.  What commands the attention of our eyes is what commands the attention of our heart.  If our heart desires fleshly pleasures, fleshly pleasures will command the attention of our eyes.  If our heart desires earthly treasures, earthly treasures will command our eyes attention.

What would Jesus’ and my eyes look like when they meet?   What would we see as we graze into each other eyes?  Jesus knows my heart, and my struggles with my eyes.   Will the widows of my heart, reflect my desire to follow Christ or will they reflect my desires for earthly pleasures?  Will my eyes look upon the Lord with fear?  Or, will I heed his command and be not afraid, and look upon Him in tearful joy?

Will Christ’s eyes reflect a joyful welcoming?  Or, will His eyes reflect the pain and suffering my sinfulness has brought upon him? Will I be graced to see His loving and merciful eyes?  Will He see in my eyes my desire to be forgiven and to be with Him and dwell in His love forever?

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Called and Sent Forth by God

This Sunday the Pope Francis celebrated mass with seminarians, novices, consecrated laypersons, and celery, in his homily he reflected on their being called and sent by the Lord.  We typically associate being called and sent by the Lord with the ordained and consecrated. However, all baptized Christians are called and sent by the Lord.  God’s calling is not by happenstance. God personally calls each person. Each has a particular mission that God has prepared them for, and for which they will be accountable.  For this reason, I believe that Pope Francis’ remarks are germane to all baptized Christians.

Each calling includes a sending forth, a mission to bring the Lord to others.  Pope Francis spoke of three elements associated with calling and sending forth: solace of being called; the Cross; and prayer.

The joy of solace of being called is an invitation to experience God’s love and consoling embrace more deeply.  It is the experience of God’s love and embrace that allows for effective witness.  Every Christian, “is called to be a bearer of this message of hope that gives serenity and joy: God’s consolation, his tenderness towards all.”   The Pope emphasized that Christians are called “to bear witness to the mercy and tenderness of the Lord, which warms the heart, rekindles hope, and attracts people towards the good.”

Pope Francis further indicated that our solace comes from “the Cross that is always present with Christ”.  It is a symbol of “suffering, weakness and defeat, but also joy and consolation,” and if we remain within the mystery of the Cross, “we are sheltered both from a worldly and triumphalistic view of mission and from the discouragement that can result from trials and failures.”

Regarding the prayerful aspect of our mission, Pope Francis said that bring Christ to the world is “is done on one’s knees” and requires “a constant relationship with God.”   For this reason, prayer is important for evangelization.  Through prayer we are to let our “heart be the more closely united to Christ’s heart, full of mercy and love.”  It is important for each of us to “cultivate the contemplative dimension, even amid the whirlwind of more urgent and pressing duties.”

I believe the Pope’s words contain an important message for all who seek to bring Christ Crucified to a world so in need of His Love and Mercy.  Peace and Grace.

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Why Me, Lord?

I believe we have all asked the question – Why me, Lord?  I know I have.  My, why me? – usually includes – You surely know who I really am, Lord?  And, you want me!

And then, I turn to scripture.  The Lord did not ask those He called for their curriculum vitae or interview them to see if they had the proper qualifications and training.  He did question them about their abilities or skills to accomplish the task.

He simply called their name and said, “Come, follow me.”

Our response to the Lord should not be “Why me?” but “Here I am, Lord!”  From this response in faith, He will provide what we need.

Our response in faith, does not assure that the task we will be accomplished effortlessly or the journey easy.  We may struggle, and even fail at times. Peter did. He denied Christ not once, but three times.  Peter did not always understand the way of Lord.

As we travel with Christ we will most likely face similar difficulties and failures.   Our solace lies in His mercy and kindness, and that He chooses to work through our brokenness.  The Lord always remains faithful to those who answer His call in faith.  Herein, lies the success of those He calls.

So, lay aside those doubts, fears and the “Why me?”  Instead, simply say, “Here I am, Lord!”  Then, quietly listen to the whispers of the Lord with your heart.

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The Prophecies of Pope Paul VI and the Washington Post

I was surprised to learn that Pope Paul VI and the Washington Post had taken substantially similar positions regarding the dangers that contraception would bring.  With such dire warnings, we as a society forged ahead, guided by our desires to live according to our will rather than accept the truth implanted in our heart by God.

The 1930 Lambert Conference of the Anglican Church approved contraception for married couples in certain circumstances.  The following are excerpts of  “Forgetting Religion” from the March 22, 1931 edition of the Washington Post.  “Carried to its logical conclusion, the [Lambert] committee’s report, if carried into effect, would sound the death knell of marriage as a holy institution by establishing degrading practices which would encourage indiscriminate immorality. The suggestion that the use of legalized contraception would be ‘carful and restrained’ is preposterous.” The article continues: “It is the misfortune of the churches that they are too often misused by visionaries for the promotion of “reforms” in the fields foreign to religion.  The departures from Christian teachings are astounding in many cases, leaving the beholder aghast at the unwillingness of some churches to teach “Christ and Him crucified.”  If the churches are to become organizations for political and scientific propaganda, they should be honest and reject the Bible, scoff at Christ as an obsolete and unscientific teacher, and strike out boldly as champions of politics and science as modern substitutes for the old-time religion.”

Does this not sound like the situation we are today?  Marriage degraded.  Contraception pervasive.  Christ is no longer Christ crucified, but a “buddy,” guru, or someone to “friend.”  As predicted, society has deemed God obsolete.

Pope Paul VI did not write Humanae Vitae as prophetic document, however, it did include four prophecies: 1) the widespread use of contraception would “lead to conjugal infidelity and general lowering of morality”; 2) men who grew accustomed to the use of contraceptive practices may lose “respect for the woman” and, therefore, “no longer caring for her physical and psychological equilibrium” would come to consider her “an instrument of selfish enjoyment, and longer as his respected and beloved companion”; 3) acceptance of contraception would place a “dangerous weapon … in the hands of those public authorities who take no heed of moral exigencies”; and 4) acceptance of contraception would lead men and women to believe that they, and not God, had dominion over their bodies and bodily functions.

As a society we cannot deny that we have experienced a widespread decline in morality, in general, and sexual morality in particular.  Life has been devalued.  In the United States alone we have executed more babies than the Nazi death camps (56,384,500 babies since Roe v. Wade alone – Nazi death camps around 14,000,000 persons), and 1,300,415,100 babies aborted worldwide since 1980.  Morality has not declined; it has vanished.

As Pope Paul VI predicted, women are no longer respected.  Pornography is rampart. Sadly, women are no longer viewed as “flesh of my flesh, bone of bone” but as objects of pleasure.  Even more sadly, the acceptance of contraception by women has led them to view themselves as an object of pleasure.

We have seen our local, state and federal governments who have no regard for moral constraints use contraception as weapon of power.  Nations now impose contraception and abortion on their own citizens and those of other countries.

Persons now deem their bodies and bodily functions as gods.  Some have gone so far as to deemed their dominion over their bodies and bodily functions as sacred temples and sacred ground.

As a society we must renounce contraception.  It is obvious that it bares bad fruit.

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The Crushed Revives the Spirit and Heart

On high I dwell, and in holiness, and with the crushed and dejected in spirit.  To revive the spirits of the dejected, to revive the hearts of the crushed. (Isaiah 57:15)

The above verse from Isaiah resonated within as I pondered it this evening.  My thoughts turned to the Eucharistic – the bread, the wine and Christ  – and the aspects associated with each.

The grains of wheat must be crushed, ground to a fine powder until the grains remain no more in order to be transformed into bread.  The grapes must be crushed, their juice bleed out, their skins torn and shredded in order to be transformed into wine.

Likewise, Christ was crushed, his skin torn and shredded, his blood drained from his body.   This is what He suffered because of our sins.  This is also what He suffered in union with those who are rejected, dejected, and marginalized.  It is Christ and His presence in Eucharistic that heals those who answer His call and follow Him, it is He who revives the spirits of the dejected and the hearts of crushed.

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ABANDONMENT

As we look about, it can feel as if God has abandoned us.  He appears to be absent from the affairs of the world.  Has He departed?  Must we despair?

By no means!  This is not a time to feel abandoned by God.  Rather, it is the time to abandon ourselves to God.  He may appear to be asleep while storms and darkness engulf the world, as when the boat containing Christ and disciples was battered about on the Sea of Galilee as Christ slept.  What was Christ’s answer to the disciples fear? “Why are you afraid, O men of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

Our consolation is not in the fate of the world.  Our consolation is our faith in God.  He calls us to seek Him in the darkness and storms of this world.   His call is a call for us, in all of our imperfections, to carrying the light of His truth and desire to have all His daughters and sons united with Him.  This is time to renew and strength our faith and to follow Him in faith.

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Today’s Evening Psalm

As I reflected on the Psalm for today’s evening prayer,  my heart cried for all who are confronting the evils of abortion and same-sex marriage in their countries.  My thoughts wondered back to the Northern Kingdom of Israel, how the Northern Kings and people corrupted temple worship and committed abominable acts against God and one another.  Selected verses from Psalm 26, which resonated within my heart follow with my thoughts italicized:

Examine me, Lord, and try me;

Lord, I feel so tired with those around me who believe your commandments and statues matter not, or that, you the eternal, have ways that are outdated.

O test my heart and my mind,

Lord, I feel tested on all sides; I pray for strength to preserve to the end; I pray for the wisdom and knowledge to bring your truth and love to those who have drifted away or who know you not.

for your love is before my eyes

Lord, I see your love for your Church and faithful servants, the many saints you have provided us in this age; I pray for your continued protection and merciful love.

and I walk according to your truth.

Lord, I try to walk according to your truth; teach me your ways; teach me to be meek and humble of heart; help me to empty myself, immerse me in your truth and love. 

I never take my place with liars

Lord, I am a lowly sinner; help me to avoid the company of sinners; to avoid the temptation to be my own God and establish my own commandments and statues and define what is evil and good, not according to your commandments and statues, but according to what I have established according to my own standards.

and with hypocrites I shall not go

Lord, help me to see the Pharisee in me; help me to follow your commandments and statues according to your way and not the way that best suits my politics, feelings, desires, or benefit; help me to discern your way properly through prayer and an understanding of the teachings of those who you have vested your authority in, the Pope and magisterium of the Church.

I hate the evil-doer’s company:

Lord, the flesh pots of Egypt are sweet, easy, and comforting; help me to avoid the easy, wide path that leads to the slavery of hell; yoke me to the cross of your son, which brings freedom, joy and eternal life. 

Do not sweep me away with sinners,

Lord, I am a member of a nation that sacrifices the blood of innocent and helpless on the alar of greed and selfishness, make us not Sodom and Gomorrah but Nineveh.

nor my life with bloodthirsty men

Lord, help me not be counted among the sinners by inaction; inflame we with love and truth, arise the Jonah within me.

in whose hands are evil plots,

Lord, protect us from the evil plots that abound and threaten our freedom to live our life in worship of you; the evildoers want to limit our worship of you to our private acts, they do not understand that we live every minute of our lives in worship of you; as we live, so shall we die, in worship of you.

whose right hands are filled with gold.

Lord, the wealth of gold is limited to this world; your glory reins forever.

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Attacking Our Humanity and Our Relationship with God

After creating man and woman, “God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.’”  (Genesis 1:22)

Man and woman were created by God to be given in marriage to one another.  God blessed the marital union from the beginning.  The purpose of the marital union is to be fruitful and multiply, to fill the earth, subdue it, and to have dominion over it.

The sacredness of the union between man and woman in marriage, the fruitfulness of the marital union, and man’s dominion over the earth are being vigorously attacked.  The purpose of the attacks is to undermine who we are as man and woman, our relationship with God, and our relationship with His creation.  These attacks are attacks at the root of our humanity and our relationship with God and his creation.

As the evil one twisted God’s word when he spoke with Eve in the Garden so as to get her eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he how twists God’s words regarding the sacredness of marriage, life, and our relationship with God’s creation to once again separate man from God.  Man was tricked in the Garden, and once again he is being tricked by the evil one’s twisting of words.

We need not be intimidated by these attacks.  Marriage may be redefined, abortion may continue another two-score or more, and the earth viewed as superior to man for more than another thirty years, but such works of the evil one will not stand. God will prevail; His plan will be accomplished.

Does this mean that we must relax, because victory is at hand.  No, it does not.  It means we must persevere in faith and with hope, and battle these evils by speaking the truth with love.  As always, we are to persevere in prayer.

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