What To Do About Cultural Catholics

This one was a real problem for me when coming into the Church. What do you do when most of your friends and family think about this guy when you mention Catholicism?

"You wanna be Catholic? I'll make you an offer..."

You could always say you think about this guy when you think of Protestantism...

"Have a sip of my kool-aid"

But both images would be epic fails, and back and forth image throw-downs won't get intra-Christian dialog anywhere. All that said, cultural Catholics still present a serious impediment to the Catholic faith -- especially for faithful, Christ-loving, Protestants considering Catholicism. Because nothing makes the Catholic Church more attractive than:

Not so much. But while Mass isn't week-in-and-week-out populated with "cultural Catholics" (that's what Easter and Christmas are for), there are still thousands and thousands of people in almost any densely populated location who will eagerly admit "I'm Catholic!" when asked about their religious affiliation simply because they were baptized 2-5 decades ago. In fact, some Protestants (Evangelicals) love to call this group of Catholics "devout", especially when they "save them" on airplanes. For example:

Evangelical: "Did you feel that turbulence?"

Cultural Catholic: "What?"

Evangelical: "Did you just feel the plane dip?"

Cultural Catholic: "Yeah, so what?"

Evangelical: "If this plane went down in a ball of flame, and your body was turned into a piece of burnt toast, sprinkled about like fish food on top of the ocean, would you be with Jesus tonight?"

Cultural Catholic: "What?"

Evangelical: "Are you sure of your salvation? If you died right now, had a cardiac arrest, a brain aneurysm, a genetic defect that flared up, a hemorrhoid that hemorrhaged and caused you to lose too much blood, a"

Cultural Catholic: "Dude, what is your point?"

Evangelical: "Are you Catholic?"

Cultural Catholic: "Yes!"

Evangelical: "Then repeat after me, Jesus come into my heart..."

They are literally waiting on the wings. Then when the evangelical goes to his Bible study the next week, he will report, "Guys, I just want you to know that I recently converted a devout Catholic on a plane ride from Tucson. Can you believe he didn't know where he would be if he died from a massive hemorrhoidal hemorrhage. So sad."

And you know what? Our evangelical buddy is right! Cultural Catholics are sad. They hurt the body of Christ and bring shame to the Apostolic faith. However, I have two reasons why I can put up with them:

1. Religion creates culture

Culture is simply a set of behaviors codified by a certain group of people to maintain that which is good. Guess what? People think their religion is good; therefore, they codify behaviors which they hope will imbibe their particular religious sentiment in future generations. In many instances this can be a good thing, but it can devolve into a mere 'going through the motions'. We could call this small-t "tradition". In this way, this type of religious behavior can simply be an expression of cultural identity. "I'm Catholic" can be understand as a placeholder for "I'm Irish, not ________" or "I'm from Brazil, not ________". Such sentiment is not so much an expression of a religious attitude as it is of a cultural disposition that is religious in character.

So for starters, there are cultural Catholics because Catholicism is a bonafide religion that's been around the block for a while, and oh yeah, by the way, built all of western civilization.

Full Stop.

"But, Brent, didn't Jesus say he would rather us be cold or hot and not luke warm?"

A: Yes, but...

2. Jesus also said the Church would have tares

“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away. But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also....The slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.”- Matthew 13:24-30

Rule-to-live-by #1: If you would get in trouble wearing a piece of clothing to school, you shouldn't wear it to Mass.

Rule-to-live-by #2: If a dress is inappropriate for a PTA meeting, it is inappropriate for Mass.

Rule-to-live-by #3: When you pass the altar, you should show a little more respect than you would your 6th grade math teacher's desk.

Rule-to-live-by #4: The Eucharist is not a snack, and genuflecting is not a curtsey.

These random sagacious sound-bites brought to you by "Tares: At A Local Parish Near You!"

But you never know, a weed might not be a weed after all.

These flowers are often mistaken for "weeds"

By that last statement, I'm in no way implying that Catholicism is a free-for-all. I'm just saying that sometimes in the midst of all the noise, the clutter, and tares, there is a real soul really trying to reach God. That's the beauty of the Catholic faith. She's Noah's Ark, and we're all on board. The annoying barking sound won't stop until we get to heaven.

So, if you are considering Catholicism, don't be discouraged by the bad parish or the cultural Catholics. I imagine by now, you have already been taken in by the beautiful fruit of the Catholic faith as lived through the lives of her Saints. None compare to that fruit. There are also faithful Catholics everywhere who are striving by the help of God's grace to be saints. Join us! In addition, just remind yourself that it is nice to know when someone is in dissent from the Church since "the Church" in Catholic parlance -- unlike Protestantism -- is not just "that group for which you agree to agree" until of course you disagree and then go find "the Church" that agrees with you. You know, I'm talking about when Church shopping makes sense. To put it another way, obvious dissent that disgusts you is better than innocuous denominationalism.

Anyways, I thought I would leave you with this nice video. If you don't know Pomplamoose, now you do and now your life is better. I thought the mafia theme was appropriate considering the topic of this post because everyone knows that the mafia are "devout" Catholics.

Peace to you on your journey.

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The Catholic Church is Attractive...

...because if "I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself."

You Have HOW Many Children?

My dear wife sent this to me today. It was so good, I could not wait until Friday to share it. 

Really. This is very funny stuff. 

I have actually used the "just trying to cover social security" line. I'm kind of ornery. When people ask questions about my family, I like to use it as an opportunity to talk about the joys of children and being a parent. 

The Catholic Church Is Unattractive...

...for the Same Reasons that Jesus Is.

Our Marketing Strategy Since 33A.D.

Why is the Catholic Church so unattractive? Doesn't she gives us beautiful saints, cathedrals and all of western civilization. What gives? Let's go through a quick tutorial. All but one of the Apostles were killed for their faith (only the caretaker of The Blessed Virgin was spared). Within a generation, we have the writings of St. Ignatius of Antioch. Here's what happened to him.

Marketing spot #2: "You too can be eaten by lions!"

You can see how this is becoming a less and less attractive proposition. When the new faith finally made it out of the fourth century, Europe became less combative. However, the Church knew she must go to "the ends of the earth." So, naturally, that meant Asia and Africa. Here's what happened.

The Chinese Martyrs

Uganda Martyrs

We have a pretty awkward acquisition strategy. It works, though. The third century theologian, Tertullian, said, "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church" (Apologeticus, 50). Does that seed grow up into something beautiful? Sure, it does. However, the family of God doesn't grow by not being fruitful. And, as our Lord said, "Amen, amen I say to you, unless the grain of wheat falling into the ground die, Itself remaineth alone. But if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world, keepeth it unto life eternal." (John 12:24-25)

Flash forward a few years and back to Europe. We learn about neat little stories about St. Thomas Moore and these folks:

That rope thing is not a swing

You get the picture. Christ said that if you are not willing to give up homes, wealth, family, friends, your very life, you are not worthy of Him. We know the story. The rich man went away disappointed because "he had many possessions."

"But wait rich man! You can have it all!"

Of course, there are some out there that speak of Christ that actually do an outstanding job marketing. They create value for their customers, and increase their market share weekly (thanks to fallen away Catholics). We, however, as Catholics seem to be in the business of the epic fail. Some say we are still failing. Nonetheless, two thousand years later, over a billion people, we are far from failure.

Why?

Because Christ is building His Church. 

At this point, I know that I really haven't answered the question that I posed in the beginning: "Why do people reject the Church?" The answer is simple. People reject the Church because of pride. Remember our Lord's words, "He that loveth his life..."

And that is what we do.

We love our life.

Our stuff.

Our denomination.

Our thoughts, our words and what we fail to do.

We love it.

And instead of responding to the Gospel, we stay put. Today, more than ever, the Church is unattractive. Modern life has moved beyond her. The world says "the human body is a machine". The Church says "it is the temple of God". The world says that "rules are meant to be broken". The Church says that "rules gives us freedom". The world says "religion is a personal affair". The Church says "go to Confession".

"If they hated me, they will hate you."

If you don't want to be hated, don't become a Christian. Especially, do not become a Catholic Christian. The "edge of glory" -- as has become a popular phrase -- is not what this world has made it out to be. "Glory", as the saints teach us, is something for the next life. Good thing for us, it is an eternal life. Yet in this temporal and short sojourn, the "edge" is a sharp, or I should say "thorny" threshold between now and then. Everyday, we are called to "pick up our cross and follow Him".

Everyday.

Full Stop.

Here's the secret.

"Be of good cheer. I have overcome the world". 

He got it.

The Church is Not Coke

The Catholic Church is not as we say in the south "Coca-cola". Not one of my more profound statements, I know. Well, maybe. Let me explain.

You see, some people say the Catholic Church needs a better marketing strategy. She's old, they say. She's slow, they say. Coke is fast. Coke is everywhere. Look how successful Coke is!

In reply, I say that products need marketing strategies. In fact, if you are being sold to, beware! It is precisely in the moment one realizes they are being sold to, that there has been some strategy crafted to coerce their hand to highlight the fuzzy feeling while diminishing the possibility of diabetes, they should pull back.

But we don't.

We buy.

A lot.

Of stuff.

Junk.

Coke.

But...the Catholic Church, the Catholic faith, is not Coke. The Catholic Church doesn't need a marketing strategy anymore than the ocean does. In fact, we might say that our "marketing strategies" for the ocean do harm to it. We could even say that the ocean is God's marketing strategy. Nonetheless, we ignore His message and think He needs a better one. We turn God's beautiful landscape into this:

Yet if you've ever stumbled upon this:

you know the difference. And when one finds the truth, it is always like the second image. We long for this, to be with Truth in its raw and authentic "being". Of course Coke exists and so does Miami Beach, but both exist as an object of human art, and as such subject to a passing away. Sometimes, this obsolescence can even occur suddenly -- which is frightening. Thus, we are suspicious of both and for good reason, because we were made not for the fire but for eternity.

And so too must be the faith of the Church, lived not in Mormon-esque YouTube commercials choreographed to entice and allure yet constantly communicating a "production" that wreaks of salesmanship and assumes a naivety to the whole affair. Instead, the Catholic "strategy" must remain singularly unfocused. Unfocused? Yes, unfocused, because the moment we take the wheel and imagine that we are building His Church -- we have ceased to understand the magic. The magic is that the Catholic Church is His Church, and He is building it and His marketing plan is simple yet painful: martyrdom.

Will you join him?

That's right: death. Which is a counterintuitive theme for "marketing", I might add. Can you imagine a marketing campaign centered on the phrase:

"Come, die with me!"

If "the medium is the message", then death is the medium of Christianity. Which is the message of Christianity: death to self, a giving up of ego, an existence in a constant state of "for". At first blush, this would seem to be an awful proposition. No marketing agent would take this up. Even many Christian groups fail to make this their central message, instead trading it in for a few coins.

But the fact is, the message of the Gospel is just the opposite of marketing. It is the truth that in the experience of the real solicitude of the givenness of the other, a world would come to meet the Other who died on a Cross for them. This is the Truth we long for and that no product, even for a moment, can distract us from enough to quiet the voices in our head. It is why some of us constantly listen to music, fill our lives with meaningless "activities", and so forth, because we are trying to escape the fact that we have an eternal soul. But we do, and behind every "cutter" is someone who simply wants to know they are real. 

"Am I more than a consumer?"

"Yes. But, will you join Him?"

Anonymous Asks. I Answer.

Wow. So, I was encouraged by the recent outpouring of page-views in support of me ninja-fying® the myth that Catholics worship idols.  We don't of course, worship idols, anymore than a Protestant worships the Bible.

Hmmm...do some Protestants practice bibliolatry? Maybe, sure. I've more than once read a Protestant interlocutor claiming that "the Word" (in their case Scripture) was God. They use the Bible and Jesus interchangeably. Not good. Just to cite one example, Jesus counters this notion in Matthew 5:22. However, I think the more troubling issue is the orientation of the Evangelical worship space.

Which all started here:

That guy got boring, so they replaced him with this:

Which all replaced this:

source

Anyways, that conversation was not the point of this post. In the combox (in the blogger combox available when viewing my posts through a mobile device), "Anonymous" asked:

"I'm not catholic and I'm not asking my question to debate. I'm honestly just curious. How come you don't imagine the holy cross to be the actual cross that Jesus died (on), but the bread and wine is believed to be His actual flesh and blood? I'm just trying to understand."

You Catholics might be thinking this is a sub-par question. I don't think it is. Then again, I'm a professional educator by trade, so I honestly believe that no sincere question is a bad question. Here's what our friend is thinking:

A. Catholics imagine that the bread and wine become the actual body and blood of Christ
B. Catholics don't imagine that the cross becomes the actual Cross of Christ

What gives?

Let me make this very simple.

1. Catholics do not imagine anything about the Eucharist.

2. The Eucharist -- given to us under the appearance of bread and wine for which you are referring -- was instituted explicitly by Christ.

Where this all started

3. The institution of the Holy Eucharist happened at the Last Supper. It is not an artful expression of worship by men. Instead it is a Divine action instituted by Christ, conferred upon to his Apostles to "do likewise", and therefore is the "source and summit" of the Catholic faith (see third image above).

4. Therefore, Catholics believe that the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ because Jesus said, "This is my body" and "This is my blood".

5. Considered in light of the Passover and John 6, Christ is clearly offering us a way to participate in the sacrifice of the Lamb by consuming Him (who is our Paschal Lamb).

6. Christ never said, "This is my holy cross". Therefore, venerating the Holy Cross via proxy is merely a pious expression of devotion to the Real Cross of Christ.

If you object to #6 on the grounds that Christ did not give us explicit instructions to do so, I ask you to go re-read my post, particularly the paragraph directly preceding section "II". If you object to my argument there, post a comment in that combox.

Thank you.

Peace to you on your journey

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Myth Busters: Catholics Worship Idols

As I stated in my post about Catholics not worshiping Mary, I believe it is fair to start with the assumption that most people know when they are worshiping something. I get it that we can all fall into false idolatry for things like food, sex and money. However, it seems rather odd that it would be claimed of a religion that they worship something that they do not themselves claim to worship. Moreover, even given that some people worship food, sex and money, I have yet to find the first modern Protestant who desires to do away with any of these three in an effort to avoid even the possibility of idolatry. So, it does not follow from the fact that some people may, in fact, worship Catholic statues that we should do away with statues altogether out of some kind of intrepid self-made-piety.

Yet despite all this reasonableness, the objection that Catholics worship statues remains a part of popular lore.

It's time to bust some myths up in this house.  First, let me present to the jury as evidence three years of experience:

1. I have never worshiped a statue.
2. I have never felt inclined to worship a statue.
3. Catholicism has never nudged me, even in the slightest, in the direction statue worshipping.

Protestants, we found you out!

Yet when you enter into google, "Do Catholics worship ______," the power of auto-complete is quick to spit out "saint", "idol" or "the pope". Blasted google auto complete!!! Oh separated brother where art thou? Why do thou search with unending joy or mysterious fascination for blog posts and articles on Catholics worshiping statues only to confuse google? Do thou in thou own religion find the absence of statues such a farce to your religious sentiment that your only consolation is to think ill of those who have them?

Instead, I think google auto-complete reminds us of an old adage: perception is reality. 

"Look at him!" He's, he's whu, whu....
what is he doing?"

Of course, perception is not reality. Perception informs our response to reality. One can certainly respond inappropriately to reality. I can have a perception that leads me to act irrationally. I can have a perception that makes me hide in my room all day for fear that a clown with an ice-cream gun is on the loose and may find me and bury me in a pool of butter-pecan. (that actually doesn't sound too awful) All that to say, the more my perception corresponds to reality, the more my response will be appropriate to reality.

"Catholics! You worship statues!"

No we don't.

"Catholics! You worship statues!"

No we don't.

In order to write a proper response, I will now turn to Scripture and experience. I think this myth can be dispelled both through a careful study of Scriptural idolatry in relationship to the revelation of God in Christ, and through a phenomenological rumination on the nature of the use of religious images -- statues included -- in Catholic practice.

I. The Bible: Egypt, Idolatry and the Incarnation

In order to put forward their objection, those who claim Catholics worship statues often cite the following verses:

"Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God,visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me." -Exodus 20:4-5

"And ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them." -Deuteronomy 29:17

"Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God."-Leviticus 26:1

In turn, they claim that Catholics violate the commandment by both creating and kneeling before statues. At first blush and without any context, this would appear to be a valid objection. However, God clarifies what he means in Exodus 20:23:

"You shall not make gods of silver, nor shall you make to yourselves gods of gold."

I want you to notice how a fundamentalist reading of this passage could ruin it. Does God allow for "gods of butter pecan ice cream" not just gods of silver and gold? No, because as the Scripture declares, "You should have no other gods before me!" But wait, Mr. Fundamentalist is here to eisegete even that one:

"That must mean I can have other gods after him!" .

Thus, it is easy to see how a fundamentalist reading of almost any passage of Scripture is destined for disaster. Getting back to Exodus 20:23, proceeding the passage, God gives the children of Israel explicit instructions on various images and likenesses He wants them to create (part of the context). These were icons and symbols -- some three dimensional -- of heavenly realities; foretastes of the true Temple that was to come (Christ). Thus, God's disapprobation is very specific and has the exile in Egypt as its object. In fact, the prohibitions in the Mosaic law, even the very language of the commandments, find their proper context -- their linguistic referents -- in Egypt. Why? Because the Egyptians were, even according to the Greek historian Herodotus, "religious to a higher degree than any other people".  This is important for our case, because we should understand that Egyptians built statues for one reason:

They worshiped them as gods. 

Some habits are hard to break

Set free from the bondage of Egypt, the children of Israel had picked up a few, we could say euphemistically, "bad habits" in the course of their 430 year captivity. That's right, 430 years! Imagine the bad habits you could pick up living in a pagan society, not free to worship your God as you should, all while witnessing idolatry in every home and street corner. You might do silly things like hang national flags behind your pulpits and celebrate the inauguration of your country more than the Mother of your Savior (I digress). My point is that good ol' fashioned idolatry is really hard for us to wrap our minds around given that we are not inclined in even the least bit to worship idols in our scientifically enlightened society. Nonetheless, for the ancient Israelites, 430 years of being exposed to extreme idol worship had its effects. Think about it. God had just dramatically saved them from Egypt, performed numerous mind-boggling miracles in their midst, and they turn around and melt their gold into a baby cow and worship it.

I repeat. They worshiped a gold baby cow.

Seriously?

Yup. They worshiped a baby cow that they had just made out of their jewelry.  Ergo, it is plain to see that when God tells the children of Israel to not make statues of any kind, He is being specific:

DO NOT WORSHIP false gods. 

Come out of Egypt!

Moreover, we can know His prohibition is not against statues in general because He proscribes them in Exodus 25:17-22. In their proper context -- the worship of God alone -- they are valuable aids that point us to heavenly realities. Notice that God puts statues in a specific context: freedom from Egypt in the tabernacle of His dwelling. Idols represent just the opposite: bondage to the pagan way of living outside of the place of God's dwelling.

Fast forward to the New Testament.

St. Paul describes our salvation as a freedom from the slavery of sin, and the author of the book of Hebrews copiously goes about comparing our salvation to the exile from Egypt. Christ is described as the New Temple (John 2:19) and the Bread from Heaven (John 6:35). His Mother is the Ark of the New Covenant (Revelation 11:19). All of this culminating in St. Paul's description of Christ as the "image of the invisible God" (Colossians 1:15).

So let's connect the dots. Christ becomes for us the true image of God. Through the Incarnation, we are given not just explicit instructions on how to build heavenly images, but rather we are given an explicit encounter with the very Image Himself! Therefore, all Christian religious art is a response to this Divine encounter. Notice that St. John and St. Peter both go un-rebuked in the gospels when they are inclined to build tabernacles at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17, Luke 8, Mark 9). Religious images -- statues included -- reflect a natural response to an encounter with the Revelation of God. The true image of God given to us is no longer found in the shadowiness of type or analogy but rather in the concrete reality of the person of His Son. A Catholic statue, like the one at the top of this post, draws us into a truth that the statue re-presents to us, grounded in the person of Jesus Christ.

But some will still persist, "But where are the explicit instruction to do so?"

I say in response, that the reason for the explicit instructions in the Old Testament was the implicit assumption that the children of Israel had not encountered the true image of God. As Christians, the explicit revelation of the true image of God gives us an implicit freedom to respond to the true image in works of art that glorify God. We need no longer explicit instructions from God -- He has given us an explicit encounter with Himself. Alleluia! What the prophets could not see and the burning bush concealed, we are invited to behold in the person of Christ! Every Christian statue is intended to point us to a reality not that we conjure, but a Reality that we know.

II. A Phenomenology of Worship: God Is The Only Object

At this point, I am comfortable saying that Scripture, when read in its full counsel, does not generally forbid the making of statues -- especially in light of the Incarnation. If so, what then are Catholics doing when they kneel in front of them?

"Worshiping them!"

"No we aren't."

Let me explain. Catholic Churches are full of images and statues of Christ, the saints, and His Mother because we are the people of God who, as I mentioned, received the encounter with His Image -- Christ! We surround ourselves with images of the "great cloud of witnesses", and like a family photo album, relish in our heavenly fraternity.

image h/t: Taylor Marshall

These images and statues, especially of Our Lord and Our Lady, serve to focus our attention "on things that are above," as St. Paul instructs (Colossians 3:2). In other words, they can assist us in obtaining a frame of mind, an attitude, of prayer.

No practicing Catholic is worshiping a statue when they kneel before it. If the statue or image is of a saint, the Catholic might ask the saint to pray for them, but they don't think the saint is in the statue or the statue is the saint. (If you disagree with communicating with saints, I've got other posts for that. See here, here, here and here) When I stare at an image of Christ, like the one above (in fact I just stared at a statue of the image above during prayer time this evening), the image merely serves as a tool to direct my mind to Christ. Through the image, I adore the Sacred Heart of Jesus -- the real one -- and meditate on His inestimable Divine Mercy.

Now, if I were truly going to worship a statue or image, somewhere in my experience the object of my adoration would need to shift -- like the golden baby cow -- from Christ to the thing, but it doesn't. It never has. Even when I kiss the Holy Cross, like we do on Good Friday, I do not imagine for a moment that the cross I'm kissing is the actual Cross of Christ. However, I don't have access to that Cross. So, instead I kiss the cross at my parish in procession with all the faithful to show God -- whom I'm worshiping! -- that I love Him. In fact, even if I were venerating the true Cross, I would only be venerating it in virtue of the fact that God had hung on it!

Did you get that?

I'm worshiping God.

Not. The. Statue.

So, leave it alone. The myth that is. Oh yeah, and while you are at it, lay off google and go get yourself a statue or something and stop acting so irreligious.

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Stay Crunchy Video, A Post, and a Promise

If you don't know Ronald Jenkees (this is on his album Disorganized Fun), now you know. I heard him through my "Mute Math" station on Pandora. One word: Genius.

If you have not yet read this post by Patrick Vandapool, do yourself a favor. Read it. It is one of the better articles I've read in a while.
  

Last but not least, I will be publishing a new Myth Busters on Monday.

You know what, I've always wanted to know if Catholics worship idols...

Happy Easter!

What should you name your kid?...My Gemma and St. Gemma

My Gemma

If God blesses you with children, name them after Saints.

Why?

Why not? 

Two reasons.


First, a recent study came out which showed that 1 in 5 parents admit that they regret the name they gave their child. Did you think some movie was so awesome and the actor so cool that you just had to name your child after him? Do you now (since you've grown up) think the movie is a dud, and is the actor punch-drunk all over the front cover of tabloids in the supermarket?

Bummer. 

My daughter Leah (3 years ago), who
probably will not be the next soccer star.
Yes, her name is not a saint name.
We were not Catholic.

Another study showed how influential a name can be on even the types of activities your child will pursue. Wonder if your little darling "Jazzy" might have a thing for art and the occasional promiscuous night out on the town? The answer is "probably" because his little darling parents gave him that artsy-fartsy-rebel-of-a-name. Just sayin. It's possible, not necessary, but why not give your child the best chance possible...to not be a delinquent. 

Lastly, a gambit of studies (here's one) demonstrate that people don't trust names that are not common. In fact, only a century ago, choosing a common name was the thing to do. Parents didn't think it was cool to "show off" or demonstrate their own personal "uniqueness" on their child's name. Instead, the names "Mary" and "John" were the most popular (saint names). But then again, neither did society think that a child was an object to be thrown-away at epic rates. Think about it. If I said, "Will you let _________ borrow your car, or Frank borrow your car," which scenario makes you more comfortable? Just like the blank space, a name we are unfamiliar with breeds an immediate suspicion or lack of trust. One might even say that such behavior is a necessary, evolutionary mechanism by which we protect ourselves. In other words, the "dark alley" of the unknown is never the better option in whatever form it may take.

Second, name your children after saints because...well...YOU WANT THEM TO BE SAINTS! In most instances (barring "Scholastica"), the name is (1) a common or familiar name and of course (2) one that will give them a fantastic example to follow! That is what I like to call a parent WIN/WIN! Parenting is already difficult -- especially in the world we live today. We are given our children for such a short window of time, and our primary role as parents is to set them on the road to heaven.

Of course, Holy Baptism, Confirmation, Holy First Communion, Holy Confession, and catechesis in the home are the major ways that we work to accomplish that goal. However, choosing your child's name can help too.

St. Gemma Galgani,
ora pro nobis!

Why Do We Act Like A Fool Online?

Over at Ignitum Today, I'm thinking about that question and others. Here's a tid-bit:

Seriously folks, I am typing this blog post sitting in a real chair, looking at a real computer, watching real characters pour onto a real screen at approximately 80wpm. You are also reading this in a state that should be obvious to you that is real. If the Internet is not real, if our experiences there do not constitute reality, if “virtual” really provides something sub-real, then I say that coloring a coloring page is not real. For if any of the aforementioned are not real, then when I sit down with a package of crayolas and disappear into the lines and counters of Tickle me Elmo armed with the color red, I am no longer living in the here and now. I have entered into that place where reality and fantasy are no longer distinguishable.

That’s dumb.

And yet I imagine that none of this post comes as a shock to you. You knew the Internet was real, but decided to read this because you thought the question was interesting. However, I’m not convinced that we think about the real-ness of the Internet quite like we should. To illustrate this point, let me describe to you what the world, off-line, might look like if it were lived like we act on-line: ...

Read it all here!

Two Views of the Atonement

What is happening here?

The Reformed View:

• God the Father poured out His wrath on Jesus for every sin that you and I have ever committed
• Jesus literally took upon himself our sin
• Therefore, the crucifixion was a just act. Jesus was as guilty as a prostitute, murderer or thief and deserved death in lieu of Him being imputed the guilt for all the sins of the elect.

On the Reformed view, Christ received the wrath of the Father as the sacrificial lamb.

The Catholic View:

• Christ offered himself to the Father as the perfect sacrifice for our sins.
• Jesus literally became the sin sacrifice for us.
• Therefore, the crucifixion was an unjust act. Jesus was not guilty yet he suffered like he was guilty.

On the Catholic view, Christ "shut off the spigot" of God's wrath -- so to speak -- because he was the perfect sacrificial lamb. In other words, His sacrifice was sufficient for all of our sins -- past and present -- because it was a perfect sacrifice.

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Think about the Old Testament. The Hebrew people made their sacrifice to appease the wrath of God. The lamb did not receive the wrath of God, but rather acted in proxy for the people and appeased God. It appeased God because they were obedient, not because the injuries suffered to the lamb were somehow sufficient -- materially -- to satiate a blood lusting deity. Similarly, God the Father did not yearn for the torture of His Son, but rather yearned for you and I. The Cross is not a story of wrath but of love. Love dying on the cross, Perfect Love acting in space and time so that mercy and justice could eternally kiss.

God's wrath is appeased, but not because the torture of Christ was somehow the quantitative sum of all of the torture deserved by you and I. No. God's wrath was appeased because in Christ -- our Paschal Victim -- God received the perfect sacrifice that could atone for our sins. That perfect sacrifice was Himself.

And even death cannot hold Love in the grave

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A Video for the Weekend!

HT: Pat at his awesome blog

I am really excited about blogging this next year. This season of Lent has brought me a much needed refreshing. I'm energized to defend the faith and look forward to tackling the objections that keep people out of the Catholic Church. Here's what I hope to do in the coming months:

• Ninja-fy™ some more Myths
• Talk about why I didn't become Orthodox
• Explore some more of what I like to call the "Catholic ghosts in the Protestant machine"
• Write some replies to some Protestant articles and blog posts
• Share with you more about my own personal journey into the Catholic Church
• AND give Rev. R.U. Reedy some more room to bring down the gold-dust glory!

Not to mention that I'm continuing the editing process of an incredible book. 

Thus, I request that you pray for me. I will pray for you.

Peace to you on your journey!

Where is the church (Church)?

Get in the car. Let's go for a ride.

(we start off down the road)

Where is the church? Or should I say Church?

What did that sign say?

"First Church of God"

I've found Her! The first church of God!

(small plaque reads: "founded in 1886")

What? Where was the Church before 1886?

(the car keeps moving)

What did that sign say?

"The Church of Christ"

Was that the Church? What's the difference between the "Church of God" and the "Church of Christ"? Is there something I am missing? Are those like two sides of the same coin? In other words, do those churches acknowledge each other as brother or sister churches?

"No"

(the car turns the corner)

"Second Baptist Church"

Keep driving.

"Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints"

Is that the church? Or should I say Church? Did the church become apostate and is now renewed in this church of the "latter-day saints"? Am I one of the "latter-day saints"? I think I believe. [pause] How will they know whether or not I am one? Is there a test? Will I pass it? If I fail it, can I take it again?

(turns into a parking lot. There is a large tent set up on some property adjacent Walmart)

"Revival: Come Experience the Living Power of God"

Preacher: "You don't need religion! You need a relationship with God. Only a relationship with God will save you. Not a religion. Religion is dead. Religion kills. If you want to experience the power of God, come down here and let me pray with you. Now repeat after me...

What does that mean? I thought religion was good? I thought I believed. I thought secular society says religion is bad, because religion tells it to not be secular. Why does this religious man believe religion is not good? Doesn't the existence of religion give this man his job? Seems to be biting the hand that feeds him...

(the car pulls out of the lot and turns onto the highway. picks up speed. everything is like a blur in the window)

Where is the church? Or should I say Church? These Christians seem to think this isn't a problem. Some of them say this is even a good thing. It's insane. I...I want to give up. I thought I believed. How can I tell what is true? Maybe I can go back to that church and take their test and find out. Maybe I am a latter-day saint after all.

Then Christ prays:

"As thou hast sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for them do I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. And not for them only do I pray, but for them also who through their word shall believe in me; That they all may be one, as thou, Father, in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou hast given me, I have given to them; that they may be one, as we also are one: I in them, and thou in me; that they may be made perfect in one: and the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast also loved me." -John 17:18-23

I thought I believed.

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I'm On Sirius Radio: The Catholic Channel 129

This Wednesday, I'll be talking about my conversion to Catholicism on the show "Seize the Day with Gus Lloyd". Here's some more info about the show from their website:

"Gus Lloyd gets your day started with a prayer and a smile. Seize the Day and live in the joy of the Lord! Gus chats with newsmakers, personalities and callers to discuss what’s on their minds and in their hearts."

So this Wednesday I'll be the mind and heart they are dissecting. The interview will be at 8:00am. If you have Sirius radio, please do check it out!

When Did I Persecute Jesus?

During the reading of the gospel on Palm Sunday, we respond in a way that simulates our own participation in the events of our Lord's Passion.

"Crucify Him!", we chant as if we were there, as if we gave voice to those who carried Him to His death.

Where are we in the crowd?

And yet it is difficult for us to imagine where or how we exactly participated in the events of that fateful day. We know it was our sin that was the reason of His suffering. We've heard it a thousand times. Yet, when do we persecute Jesus? When do we demand the perfect One's death?

In a fundamental way, this is, of course, impossible. Despite popular myth, Catholics do not re-crucify Christ. We participate in the one, final, sacrifice of Jesus. Full. Stop. Yet, regardless of That Sacrifice's finality, Sacred Scripture records that we can, even now, persecute our precious Lord. At His glorious Ascension, the disciples left rejoicing knowing that the Holy Spirit would be with them, and even more that Christ would always be with them, chiefly in the Holy Eucharist. Why? Because their eyes had been opened "in the breaking of the bread" (Luke 24:35). Christ also said that we would be accountable for how we treated the "least of these", for in how we treat them, we communicate our love for Christ.

"When did we feed you?", we'll ask.

"When you did it unto the least of these," Christ will reply.

Yet it is in neither mode that I want to reflect upon in this post. Certainly there are those who neglect our Lord in the poor and in the Eucharist. For those, we solemnly cry, "Lord, have mercy." Sadly, this can be a personal prayer.

In Acts 9:4, Saul, soon to be transformed into the great Apostle, heard the most awful and mysterious charge. From what he thought was the sky, yet what must have seemed a voice more close to himself than even his own, he heard the words:

"Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?"

Persecute Christ? When did he ever? As we meditate upon our Lord's charge, we realize that in the person of St. Stephen -- and others -- we find our answer. While Saul may have never even placed his eyes upon Christ while He was on earth much less thrown a stone at Him, for most of Saul's life he had picked up stones against the Church. You see, when you persecute the Church you persecute Christ.

This reality should bring us together as Christians. I truly believe that the greatest ecumenical dialog that can take places is persecution, and I'm not talking about some Christian suffering without a Lexus for Jesus. I'm talking about death. I'm talking about misery. I'm talking about agony. For it is when we both -- you and I -- partake of the chalice of suffering that we enter into the mystery of His Body, broken for you and I, and from this shared agony we must long for -- together -- the shared cup of His Precious Blood.

If we suffer with Christ, we will also share in His glory.

Join Him In Prayer for
Christian Unity

It will be through the glory of Christ that His Church is made One. Ut unum sint! May we, this Palm Sunday, welcome Christ in our midst. May we, in this hour of trouble, remember that in this hour we enter into our finest moment. As if by fire, we will be refined, as if dearly beloved children, we shall be brought into trial and tribulation. Be of good cheer. He has overcome the world.

For it is through persecution that the heart is revealed. Do you feel it? Do you sense the kiln's temperature growing -- the Refiner's gaze ever more focused? And we should remember in our prayer that it is only the Refiner that can overcome the walls that divide us. He is the Corner Stone. Therefore, we should expect that in these days of persecution, the faithful should be counted on less hands, but I have hope that as our numbers shrink, a united Christian family is just beyond the horizon that appears to be a reddish haze.

Like Jericho, the walls of division within the family of God can fall when we are united in purpose and led by the Holy Spirit. What seems impossible, now, is possible for all things are possible in Him. Take this day to pray that when the Church enters through the gates of our village, we should greet Her like this:

...knowing that when we fail to accept His Church, it will be better for Sodom and Gomorrah than for us on that day of judgment (Matthew 10:15). In our proper response, we will prepare ourselves for the coming of our glorious King. May He return to find His Kingdom One, as He and the Father are One. Ut unum sint!

Ut unum sint!

I Relent! I'm...

...submitting to the Protestant Magisterium, leaving the Church, and moving to Charlotte. I know this may come as a great shock or disappointment to many of you. But, you can help! Please help me select a new church home in Charlotte. I did a search for "church" in Charlotte at the yellow pages website. Here were my results:

This is impossible. Never mind.

April Fools.

Just. Be. Catholic.

You might also want to check out these posts here, here, here, here, and here (more links soon).

For a bit of serious reflection on this topic, read:

"When Church Shopping Makes Sense"