GUNS OR BIBLE?

                                                            GUNS OR BIBLE?           

                             
What must be addressed is the crumbling liberal order that is creating monsters. The first step to stopping the shooting is to acknowledge liberalism’s inherent defects.

Liberalism has failed—not because it fell short but because it was true to itself. Liberalism declares, “Feel free to do as you please.” As liberalism progressed, it has fallen victim to its own success. When it reaches the end of its internal contradictions, it creates monsters.

Indeed, liberalism has fabulously succeeded in eroding the societal bonds of family, community and faith that have normally shaped and governed moral behavior in society. In the words of philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre, society has been reduced to “nothing but a meeting place for individual wills”, which individuals use as “an arena for the achievement of their own satisfaction.”

The later phases of liberalism now leave society defenseless against the ravages of the shooter-monsters.

However, the worst mistake of liberalism is that it deprives life of its meaning. Human nature is profoundly social. Remember John Don’s, “No man is an island, sufficient unto himself”. Deep social relationships give purpose to life. Individuals become frustrated when reduced to the shallow associations that fail to provide context and value to their existence. The political project of liberalism has turned individuals into increasingly separate, autonomous, non-relational selves, replete with rights and defined by our liberty, but insecure, powerless, afraid and alone.

Inside this God-forsaken moonscape, it is easy to understand why the shooters appear, as they fail to find meaning inside the loneliness of their existence. The shooters represent an extreme and radical fruit of the principles of liberalism.

Liberalism’s worst sin is to reduce God into a mere choice within the system. God has no official role in liberal society except perhaps that of some absent clockmaker who wound up the world and now leaves it alone to operate without him. The Church is effectively emptied of her functions inside its system.

Liberalism does not attempt to answer those existential questions which individuals have always asked about the purpose of life, the meaning of truth, the final destination of the soul, and the nature of God and true happiness. Individuals are led to believe there are no real answers to these essential questions. Individuals find they have no certainties to anchor their souls, despite craving for them.

Like it or not, nothing makes sense without the one true God. There is no reason to do good or avoid evil when it has no final consequences in eternity. History has no meaning when God does not direct the course of events. Where there is no Divine Providence that benevolently provides for needs, life takes on a brutal dog-eat-dog appearance. Where there is no Church to guide and teach, the worst passions dominate. When taken to its final consequences, liberalism presents a despairing worldview, in which man is the product of random causes inside an unintelligible universe.

Hence, one sees the dark, nihilistic side of the shooter-monsters who often desire their own annihilation in addition to that of others. That is why their motives are so mystifying since the shooters have long freed themselves from the moorings of a rightly formed conscience, rational behavior and the natural moral law.

Until these existential issues are addressed, the number of monsters will continue to increase, and society as a whole will continue to fragment and decay. Until Christ is enthroned as King, there will be no peace over the land, and the shooting will not stop. The Gospel of Jesus Christ, God made man, is the consummate and radical provider of the principles of a true liberalism based on love God and neighbour.

                                                         

MEANING IN TRAGEDY?

Any meaning in tragedy? When tragedy strikes, it is common for people to ask, “What does this mean?” When we witness some disaster or mass murder, there is a natural feeling that what has happened should not have happened. This innate sense of “wrongness” is a clue to meaning in these events. When we look to find meaning in tragedy, we must have the right perspective. We need to approach the question in a way that allows for a coherent answer, and this is only possible through a Christian worldview. Because God instills meaning into every moment and event in history, through Him we can begin to find meaning in suffering. The nature of this world lends itself to tragic events. Fortunately, God speaks to us, so that we can find not only meaning, but salvation and relief from the sufferings of the world. When studying physical motion, it is crucial to understand perspective. Speed and acceleration are only meaningful in relation to some other object; this object is the reference point. The way in which the reference point moves affects our perception. The same is true in our sense of right and wrong. For concepts of good, bad, right, wrong, or tragedy to be meaningful, they have to be anchored to a reference point that does not change or move. The only valid reference point for these issues is God. The very fact that we consider a mass murder wrong strongly supports the idea of God as the reference point for our sense of good and evil. Without God, even the events we consider the most tragic are no more meaningful than anything else. We have to understand the nature of this world and our relationship to God in order to draw any meaning at all from the things we see. God infuses every moment and every event with meaning and gives us confidence that He understands what we are going through. When Jesus instituted communion, He tied the past, present, and future together. 1 Corinthians 11:26 says, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup (the present), you proclaim the Lord's death (the past) until He comes (the future).” God’s knowledge of all events means nothing is insignificant to Him. If God knows when a sparrow falls, He certainly knows when we face tragedy (Matthew 10:29-31). In fact, God assured us that we would face trouble in this world (John 16:33) and that He has experienced our struggles personally (Hebrews 2:14-18; Hebrews 4:15). While we understand that God has sovereign control over all things, it is important to remember that God is not the source of tragedy. The vast majority of human suffering is caused by sin, all too often the sin of other people. For instance, a mass murder is the fault of the murderer disobeying the moral law of God (Exodus 20:13; Romans 1:18-21). When we look to find meaning in such an event, we have to understand why this world is the way it is. The hardship of this world was originally caused by mankind’s sin (Romans 5:12), which is always a matter of choice (1 Corinthians 10:13). While God is perfectly capable of stopping tragedies before they begin, sometimes He chooses not to. While we may not know why, we do know that He is perfect, just, and holy, and so is His will. Also, the suffering we experience in this world does three things. It leads us to seek God, it develops our spiritual strength, and it increases our desire for heaven (Romans 8:18-25; James 1:2-3; Titus 2:13; 1 Peter 1:7). In the garden of Eden, God spoke to Adam and communicated in clear and direct ways, not in abstract concepts. God speaks to us today in the same way. In some ways, this is the most important meaning to be found in any tragedy. Tragic events demonstrate much of their meaning in the way we react to them. C.S. Lewis said, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” This does not mean that God causes tragedy, but that He uses our reaction to tragedy to speak to us. Tragic events remind us not only that we live in an imperfect and fallen world, but that there is a God who loves us and wants something better for us than the world has to offer.

CHRISTIAN LOSE SALVATION

Christian lose salvation Answer: First, the term Christian must be defined. A “Christian” is not a person who has said a prayer or walked down an aisle or been raised in a Christian family. While each of these things can be a part of the Christian experience, they are not what makes a Christian. A Christian is a person who has fully trusted in Jesus Christ as the only Savior and therefore possesses the Holy Spirit (John 3:16; Acts 16:31; Ephesians 2:8–9). So, with this definition in mind, can a Christian lose salvation? It’s a crucially important question. Perhaps the best way to answer it is to examine what the Bible says occurs at salvation and to study what losing salvation would entail: A Christian is a new creation. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). A Christian is not simply an “improved” version of a person; a Christian is an entirely new creature. He is “in Christ.” For a Christian to lose salvation, the new creation would have to be destroyed. A Christian is redeemed. “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:18–19). The word redeemed refers to a purchase being made, a price being paid. We were purchased at the cost of Christ’s death. For a Christian to lose salvation, God Himself would have to revoke His purchase of the individual for whom He paid with the precious blood of Christ. A Christian is justified. “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). To justify is to declare righteous. All those who receive Jesus as Savior are “declared righteous” by God. For a Christian to lose salvation, God would have to go back on His Word and “un-declare” what He had previously declared. Those absolved of guilt would have to be tried again and found guilty. God would have to reverse the sentence handed down from the divine bench. A Christian is promised eternal life. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Eternal life is the promise of spending forever in heaven with God. God promises, “Believe and you will have eternal life.” For a Christian to lose salvation, eternal lifewould have to be redefined. The Christian is promised to live forever. Does eternal not mean “eternal”? A Christian is marked by God and sealed by the Spirit. “You also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:13–14). At the moment of faith, the new Christian is marked and sealed with the Spirit, who was promised to act as a deposit to guarantee the heavenly inheritance. The end result is that God’s glory is praised. For a Christian to lose salvation, God would have to erase the mark, withdraw the Spirit, cancel the deposit, break His promise, revoke the guarantee, keep the inheritance, forego the praise, and lessen His glory. A Christian is guaranteed glorification. “Those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified” (Romans 8:30). According to Romans 5:1, justification is ours at the moment of faith. According to Romans 8:30, glorification comes with justification. All those whom God justifies are promised to be glorified. This promise will be fulfilled when Christians receive their perfect resurrection bodies in heaven. If a Christian can lose salvation, then Romans 8:30 is in error, because God could not guarantee glorification for all those whom He predestines, calls, and justifies. A Christian cannot lose salvation. Most, if not all, of what the Bible says happens to us when we receive Christ would be invalidated if salvation could be lost. Salvation is the gift of God, and God’s gifts are “irrevocable” (Romans 11:29). A Christian cannot be un-newly created. The redeemed cannot be unpurchased. Eternal life cannot be temporary. God cannot renege on His Word. Scripture says that God cannot lie (Titus 1:2). Two common objections to the belief that a Christian cannot lose salvation concern these experiential issues: 1) What about Christians who live in a sinful, unrepentant lifestyle? 2) What about Christians who reject the faith and deny Christ? The problem with these objections is the assumption that everyone who calls himself a “Christian” has actually been born again. The Bible declares that a true Christian will notlive a state of continual, unrepentant sin (1 John 3:6). The Bible also says that anyone who departs the faith is demonstrating that he was never truly a Christian (1 John 2:19). He may have been religious, he may have put on a good show, but he was never born again by the power of God. “By their fruit you will recognize them” (Matthew 7:16). The redeemed of God belong “to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God” (Romans 7:4). Nothing can separate a child of God from the Father’s love (Romans 8:38–39). Nothing can remove a Christian from God’s hand (John 10:28–29). God guarantees eternal life and maintains the salvation He has given us. The Good Shepherd searches for the lost sheep, and, “when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home” (Luke 15:5–6). The lamb is found, and the Shepherd gladly bears the burden; our Lord takes full responsibility for bringing the lost one safely home. Jude 24–25 further emphasizes the goodness and faithfulness of our Savior: “To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.”

WOMEN'S KEY ROLE

WOMEN’S KEY ROLE

Pope Francis has stated that women have a key role to play, stressing women must collaborate with men in carrying out their mission as an educator “in a serene and effective way.”

Francis spoke to members of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, headed by Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, in Rome for their annual plenary assembly.

The Pope pointed to three main areas of reflection for council members to consider regarding the theme of their discussion: valuing the role of women, educating in fraternity and dialogue.

When it comes to valuing the role of women, Pope Francis said that within a complex society marked by plurality and globalization, “there is need for a greater recognition of the ability of women to educate in universal fraternity.”

If women are able to freely put their gifts at the service of the entire community, “the way in which society understands and is organized is positively transformed, reflecting better the substantial unity of the human family,” he said.

Because of this, a beneficial model for society is one that amplifies the presence of women in social, economic and political life at the local, national and international levels, “as well as in the ecclesial,” he said.

“Women have the right to be actively involved in all areas, and their right must be asserted and protected even by legal means wherever they prove necessary.”

This, Francis said, involves “expanding the spaces of a more incisive feminine presence.”

“There are so many and many women who, in their daily commitments, with dedication and conscience, with courage that is at times heroic, have developed and put their genius to use, their precious traits in the most varied, specific and qualified skills combined with the real experience of being mothers and teachers.”

On the plenary theme of educating in fraternity, the Pope said women as educators “have a special vocation, capable of creating and growing new forms of acceptance and esteem.”

“The feminine figure has always been at the center of familiar education, not exclusively as a mother,” he said, adding that the contribution of women in the field of education is “inestimable.”

Education, he said, “brings a wealth of implications both for the woman herself, for her way of being, and for her relationships, for the way she deals with human life and life in general.”

Because of this, men and women are called to contribute together in fostering universal brotherhood, which is, in the end, also an education “in the peace and complimentarity of their various and sensitive roles.”

“Women, intimately linked to the mystery of life, can do much to promote the spirit of brotherhood, with their care for the preservation of life and with their conviction that love is the only force that can render the world habitable for all,” he said.

In effect, women are often the only ones to accompany others, particularly the weakest in the family and in society, and victims of conflicts.

“Thanks to their contribution, educating in fraternity – due to their nature of inclusion and generating ties – can overcome the culture of waste,” Francis said.

Educating in fraternity is also an essential part of interreligious dialogue, he said, noting that women are often committed more than men in this area, “and so contribute to a better understanding of the challenges characteristic of a multicultural reality.”

However, “women can also become fully involved in exchanges at the religious level, as well as those at the theological level,” the Pope said, noting that many women “are well prepared to face encounters of interreligious dialogue at the highest levels and not just from the Catholic side.”

“This means that the contribution of women is not limited to ‘feminine’ arguments or to encounters of only women,” he said, adding that dialogue “is a path that man and woman must accomplish together.”

ECUMENISM: COOPERATIVE AND DIALOGIC

                  COOPERATIVE AND DIALOGUE ECUMENISM

Fr. Mervyn Carapiet

Cooperative ecumenism has to proceed on the presupposition that we do not have full agreement or full unity and do not expect it for some time to come. It requires that we love one another as brothers and sisters even now, looking forward to the time when the Lord will make greater unity possible, and in the meantime we will cooperate where we can and whenever we can to strengthen the worldwide Christian cause and the Christian people. The rule should be: whatever builds up, that we will try to do. Sometimes that rule indicates not cooperating in certain ways, though we might be personally ready for them, because of the need to take into account others who do not see things our way or to avoid worsening relations between the churches. Nonetheless, the spirit behind such an approach is to seek to lay down our lives for all those whom we recognize as true brothers and sisters in Christ, and with them to advance the cause of Christ. That, I am proposing, is the proper basis of cooperation.
Dialogue ecumenism and cooperative ecumenism proceed on two different bases, practically speaking. Dialogue ecumenism proceeds on the basis that we need to discuss our differences and try to seek agreement. Cooperative ecumenism proceeds on the basis that we will cooperate where we can in matters of common concern, even though we have disagreements. That does not mean we do not talk about them. Often one of the most helpful things we can do is to educate one another in our differences so that we do not presuppose something that we should not. It certainly does not mean that we regard the differences as unimportant. But the purpose of coming together is not to work out the differences but to love one another as brothers and sisters and work together in spite of the differences.
Cooperative ecumenism proceeds, when effective, on certain principles that can be stated as follows:

1. We need to accept the fact that there are issues that divide the churches, and we need to abide by the limits that our churches have set. We cannot solve fundamental interchurch problems and should probably not try to. Nor should we act as though they did not exist. We therefore have to accept that each of us will believe the doctrines of our church and be faithful to its essential practices and current discipline.
2. In our sharing together we will emphasize the central core of Christian teaching and practice that we share in common. We will do this partly because these truths in themselves call for such emphasis. But we will also emphasize the common central core of Christian truth because we can thereby foster our unity and serve the convergence of the entire Christian people.
3. In discussing our differences together, we should
• aim at having the peace in our relationships which will enable us to discuss differences in a loving manner
• avoid discussing those things we cannot yet discuss peacefully, gradually widening the circle of the things we can discuss as we experience the peace and trust to do so
• not be embarrassed by our own beliefs, nor be apologetic about them
• regard the things other Christians hold that we disagree with as mistakes a good Christian could make rather than as wrongdoing or a denial of Christianity
• not discuss our beliefs in a polemical way, but state them in the way that would be most acceptable to others
• ask whether the discussion is building up love and unity in the body of Christ or tearing it down.

EUCHARISTIC FAITH

 EUCHARISTIC FAITH

Let me relate an incident in the life of Mother Teresa. On one occasion she was visiting in South America and was walking towards a poverty stricken village, accompanied by a few of her sisters and some press photographers - since by then she was quite famous. As Mother approached the edge of the village, the children out to meet her, screaming with delight, holding and kissing her hands, dancing round her as she walked on. The poor village elders waited to greet her. The press reporters exchanged glances and speculated what these people would ask of her:  some tins sheets for their shanty houses, bags of broken wheat and milk powder, used and oversized clothes from Germany? So they were flabbergasted when Mother reached the group and they extended their hands and said:  “Mother, give us God. Mother, give us God!”

Some years ago, I spent a month in Nainital, staying in St. Francis’ Church, overlooking the lake. One morning, after Mass I stood outside the church by the railing of the church property. Two senior school girls, apparently Punjabi Hindus, walked right up to me and said, “Father, please open the church; we want to see God.”  Their request sounded very sincere, and the point is that it seemed to echo the request the poor of that South American village made to Mother Teresa: “Mother, give us God.” Let’s admit it: under the refinery of riches and the rags of poverty there is a hunger for God, of which the hunger for material bread is but a pale reflection.  God knows about this hunger; he placed it there deep in the pit of our beings. The hunger for divine reality is somewhat continuous with but of a much higher nature than our hunger for food and drink, our craving for appreciation and affection, our desire for immortality. The Holy Eucharist reminds us of that mystery within us that we must always keep open and alive and not smother by gluttony for material food, drink and worldly pleasure.

You must know this beautiful little verse

addressed to the Holy Eucharist:

“Heavenly sweetness unalloyed

Who eat thee hunger still;

Who drink of thee still feel a void

Which only thou canst fill.”

To paraphrase Ignatius of Antioch, in the Eucharist we not only puts our arms round Jesus but more importantly he squeezes us with a resounding bear hug. He just about takes our breath away. You cannot get any closer than that; and you probably don’t want to.

We have to admit, though, that when Jesus offered his flesh as the bread to eat and his blood as drink, he must surely have sounded as hard as nails. The Jews took Jesus’ words in a crass, material sense, and were shocked. But they need not have been, if only they had faith in him.

 When confronted with mystery, my advice is, “Believe now, understand later.” Jesus’ response to his shocked hearers was not to water down his teaching but to reinforce it and drive it home. Over the centuries, we Christians have come to understand that the “bread’ or the “flesh” is the person of Jesus, who gives himself in the Eucharist as food, which nourishes, supports and strengthens us, bringing us the fulfilment of our deepest needs and desires, and therefore profound joy. By eating his flesh, an intimate union of minds and hearts, an identity of ideals and attitudes emerges, so that it is no longer a merely human life we live, but Jesus Christ lives in us, and we are assimilated to him. {When you eat anything, the material you eat becomes your body; your body takes over. This is called assimilation. But when you receive Holy Communion, you become part of the Body of Christ, who takes over.}

If partaking of the Eucharist means anything, then it must mean transformation and renewal of mind and heart, becoming more Christ like. This is not some crude magical act. The Eucharist is the pledge and source of eternal life only to those who allow themselves to be “drawn into”, who consciously and freely “come to” Jesus in faith and self-surrender.

Let us now focus a little on our dear Lord Jesus himself. When cruel men were weaving the darkest plots against him, he was busy giving them the most precious gift he has. When they were only thinking of setting up an infamous cross to kill him, he was only thinking of setting up an altar to sacrifice himself daily for us. When they were preparing to shed his blood, the same Jesus Christ offered us his precious Blood as the drink of immortality, consolation and happiness. My dear friends, if you are in difficulties and sorrow, he will comfort and lighten your heart. If you are ill, he will heal you or strengthen you.

If the devil, the world and the flesh are battling against you, he will give you the weapons for resisting and winning. If you are poor, he will share his wealth with you for time and eternity. Allow yourself to be wrapped around by his love, and you will see what a loving God can do.

 And I get my cue from St. Thomas Aquinas, the Angelic Doctor of theology, who stated that a clear sign of one’s predestination was a special love of the Holy Eucharist. In other words, if over the years you have developed a loving habit of spending some time every day praying before the Blessed Sacrament, let me assure you that you are marked out for heaven; you’re probably there already; your life on earth is only a shadow, and death makes no difference.

To the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well, Jesus said, “I have water you know not of, springing up unto everlasting life.” And the woman said, “Sir, give me this water.” To the people on the hillside he declared, “I am the Bread of life.” And they said, “Sir, give us this bread.” On the Feast of Tabernacles Jesus stood up in the Temple and cried out, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.” And to him we reply, “Lord, slake our thirst as only you can.”

St. Thomas Aquinas wrote a good amount of Latin poetry extolling the Holy Eucharist, which is still sung in the original. One such is the “Adoro te devote,” the final verse of which goes like this:

“Jesu quem velatum nunc adspicio

Oro fiat illud quod tam sitio

Ut te revelata cernens facie

Visu sim beatus tuae gloriae.”

And that could be our prayer, if you don’t mind my translation:

“Jesus, whom now veiled I see,

I pray that what I so thirst for will be

That I may see thy countenance unfolding

And may be blessed thy glory in beholding”.

HOLY NAME OF JESUS

At the Holy Name of Jesus, Every Knee Shall Bend

“At the annunciation, the angel Gabriel gave him the name Jesus as his proper name, which expresses both his identity and his mission.” (CCC 430)

It is significant that the first thing the Archangel Gabriel tells Mary about the son she will conceive is his name. Even before Our Lady learns of her son’s divinity, she is told to name him Jesus. Clearly, the name of Jesus is of great importance, which may be the reason so many people say it, whether with reverence or in vain.

On this Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus it’s good to consider the power of names, and especially the name Our Lord was given when he assumed our human nature. It is a name that can heal and protect us.

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, “The word Jesus is the Latin form of the Greek Iesous, which in turn is the transliteration of the Hebrew Jeshua, or Joshua, or again Jehoshua, meaning ‘Jehovah is salvation.’”

This explanation aligns with what the angel of the Lord told St. Joseph in the dream he had after he discovered Mary’s pregnancy: “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Mt. 1:21)

Saints throughout history have taught about the saving power of Jesus’ name. St. Bernard had a special devotion, as did Sts. Bernardine of Siena and John Capistran. Many miracles have resulted from invoking the name of Jesus, which should remind us of the blessings we have received from the Savior.

The monogram of the Holy Name of Jesus is IHS, which represents the first and last letters of Ihesus, as Jesus’ name was written in the Middle Ages. The Jesuits adopted this monogram as the emblem of the Society of Jesus.

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, when we invoke the Name of Jesus with confidence we can receive healing and help with bodily needs; consolation in spiritual trials; and protection against Satan, who fears Jesus’ name. Our Lord tells us in Jn. 16:23 that through his name we also can receive every blessing and grace.

Clearly, there is great power in the Name of Jesus, and also in the other names given to him in Scripture and Sacred Tradition, including: Lord, Savior; Christ; Messiah; Prince of Peace; Lion of Judah; Redeemer; Son of Man; Son of David; Emmanuel; Good Shepherd; The Way, the Truth, the Life; The Gate; The Vine and The King of Kings.

God also gives us names, in addition to the ones our parents give us. He calls us child of God, beloved, his adopted son or daughter, believer and of course Christian.

Although the Lord has lovingly named us, we often give ourselves false names such as: loser, failure, not good enough, victim, ugly, fat, poor, untalented, unexceptional, unworthy, unloved, unhappy, boring …

Just as Jesus’ name reveals his mission on earth, I think there is self-actualizing power in the names we give ourselves. The Archangel Gabriel told Mary what to name the Messiah and we should let Our Lord name us, instead of inventing false names for ourselves. As Jesus shows us the truth we can find refuge in his Holy Name.