A Merry and Blessed Christmas to All

Within a couple of days we will once again celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. After 25 years living a very worldly and secular life, and having been blessed to awaken to the reality of Him, I can say in all honesty I no longer have cares for anything more than to see even one person who has been separated from Christ as I was find their way back to Him. I can loudly say, I love Jesus Christ above all else and through that love have found the fulfillment I never found in any other person or achievement in life, and I wish you and everyone the openness of heart to one day understand this joyful gift of fulfillment as I have come to know.

A very Merry and Blessed Christmas to everyone and may the light of Christ lead us all.

A Society Gone Wrong? Romans CH1

"For although they knew God they did not accord him glory as God or give him thanks. Instead, they became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless minds were darkened While claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for the likeness of an image of mortal man or of birds or of four-legged animals or of snakes. Therefore, God handed them over to impurity through the lusts of their hearts for the mutual degradation of their bodies. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and revered and worshiped the creature rather than the creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. Therefore, God handed them over to degrading passions. Their females exchanged natural relations for unnatural, and the males likewise gave up natural relations with females and burned with lust for one another. Males did shameful things with males and thus received in their own persons the due penalty for their perversity. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God handed them over to their undiscerning mind to do what is improper. They are filled with every form of wickedness, evil, greed, and malice; full of envy, murder, rivalry, treachery, and spite. They are gossips and scandalmongers and they hate God. They are insolent, haughty, boastful, ingenious in their wickedness, and rebellious toward their parents. They are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know the just decree of God that all who practice such things deserve death, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.” (Romans CH1: vs21-32

Lord, Bless Our Children and save them from the affects of our society's ignorance.

"Closed Communion" - Why?

“Closed Communion”

Why the Catholic Church does not offer the Eucharist unconditionally

 

"Closed Communion" is a general term more commonly used by many Protestant born faiths describing the position of the Catholic Church in regard to the dispensation of the consecrated Eucharist. In recognition of the true presence of Jesus Christ, the safeguarding of the consecrated Eucharist is and has always been of paramount importance not directed against any particular non-Catholic faith. It certainly should not be taken as limited toward Protestant Christians alone by any means.  In the sense that some non-Catholics consider themselves baptized Christians in faith and readily provide their version of communion to anyone openly regardless of faith beliefs, they do not comprehend why they are not considered entitled to receive communion within the Catholic faith. However, It should also be said the vast majority of Protestant denominations do not believe in the real presence of Jesus Christ in any communion as Jesus declared in scripture. Here we offer insight into the relationship between the Eucharist and the Catholic faithful as it has always existed.

 

Neither the Church during any period in history nor scripture supports the dispensation of the consecrated Eucharist openly without regard as to the faith-beliefs of those who may receive Him. In reading the ancient texts of the “apostolic fathers” the Eucharist has always been available only to those confirmed in their faith and in acceptance of the proclamations of Christ as the apostles themselves accepted and taught. Anyone who did not accept the consecrated bread and wine as the Body and Blood of Christ was not confirmed in their faith. In fact for a person to reject acceptance of His presence was considered heretical according to the ancient Christian texts. Such faith must include the unquestioning trust in the word of Christ. To “believe in” or “accept” Jesus Christ means to accept and obey His teachings and to live accordingly (Hebrews CH5: v9). Therefore it is only rational that the Catholic Church would maintain its position for all time and not begin openly offering the Eucharist to those who chose to depart from such serious elements of faith, let alone those who would deny the essence of the Eucharist. These circumstances would be considered more grave than dispensing the Body and Blood of Christ to those who had never been educated in the faith at all.

 

The significance of the protection provided the consecrated Eucharist in Catholicism can only be understood by those who recognize its “Sacramental nature”1 as was discussed in the previous chapter. As the Catholic Church bears the responsibility through the commission of Christ to preach His word and provide the means that all men may attain salvation in obedience [(Matthew CH28: vs18-20), (Hebrews CH13: v17), (James CH3: v1), (Luke CH10: v16)] and providing them His sacramental gifts, it also remains sincerely concerned for those who deny the transubstantiation of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. It further seeks to enlighten those who through lack of teaching do not know the severity of receiving the Body and Blood of Christ unworthily (1 Corinthians Chapter 11; v23-29).

 

The Eucharist, The Core and life of Christianity

Who will walk away…? Who will accept without questioning?

 

The mystery of the Eucharist has always been a test of faith and a reflection of the depth of our relationship with and trust in God’s Word, even for those who walked away from Jesus as spoken of in scripture. This is first attested to in the Bible passage of “John CH6: vs51-66”. However, in its very essence, the Eucharist is the lifeblood of Christianity. Without it there is no New Covenant because the New Covenant is sealed in the Body and Blood of Christ. If we claim to be a Christian and believe in Jesus Christ, it can not be conditional or selective based on what we are willing to accept.

Our Lord was and remains well aware of those who would not trust in His word (John CH6; v64). That is not to say we must understand everything, no one can know the mind of God. But we must accept with trust in faith. As Christians we acknowledge God as the Creator of all things from nothing and Jesus Christ as God incarnate or “in the flesh”, made man. If we say we accept this how difficult can it be for God to consecrate or “set apart” the bread and wine as an extension of His very being; to spiritually take up bread as He took up human flesh or to take up wine as He took up blood, the life force of the body. Both bread and wine, as does man, come from the earth as forms of life. In this case by His word it becomes HIS flesh and HIS Blood and sustenance for our soul.

 

Divinity of Jesus

Jesus expressed His Divine authority over all creation. He did so by His word in the raising of the dead and the healing of the sick just as He raised Lazarus from the dead. We as true Christians accept these things in faith. He made the blind see, the lepers clean and the crippled walk by His word and we accept these things in faith. He commanded the demons to enter the swine and destroyed them, tamed storms, winds, rough seas, and made trees flourish or wither and die by His word. We accept these things in faith without question but we can not and will never comprehend them in our human nature. Jesus also expressed His humanity as in the tears of love and sorrow He shed over Lazarus’ death, His sadness of the sins of man, His affection toward children, His anger in the temple, and His frustration with those who slept during His suffrage in the Garden, and His sacrificing Himself for His love of man.

As Christians we are to accept these things in faith and our expression of that faith is in our trust without questioning His word. Yet there remain some who continue to deny Jesus’ proclamation of the Eucharist with no less justification than any other miracle we claim to accept. The faith of the apostles was confirmed in their unquestioning trust and acceptance of His word when Jesus asked them, “Will you also leave me” (John CH6; vs67-69). Again, we are not required to comprehend all matters of faith, only to accept, trusting in the Word of Christ.

 

One Nation Under God?

"One Nation Under God", but are we still?

Our nation is formed upon the principles of God and Christianity and we as a people claim to be predominantly Christian. Our constitution was formed to protect all religions and especially the faith of our people; the Christian faith. If you doubt it look at the murals in the capitol building and see the depictions including the cross of Christ in them. When our constitution is used by the faithless to infringe on our practice of faith, it is due to our silence to that abuse and our separation from God that allows it to be used in such a manner and it is only by our returning to God that will save this country from the eminent collapse we are facing if we remain absent of his word and morality. For those who spoof this and believe God is only loving and does not demand we live a code of charity and love without infringing on the faith and God given rights of others, they will not change or return to Him until they personally suffer the great losses a life without true faith spawns.... or the loss of the greatest country known to the world now weakened and cripple both morally, financially and in exceptionalism as it was born and previously flourished. One day their children will ask their parents, "what happened that we do not have the same freedom and opportunities that you had?" What will we tell them? We wanted free things in stead of freedom and voted for those who would give to us in exchange for the opportunity to prosper to our greatest desires and potentials?

Thanksgiving Proclamation of Abraham Lincoln

The “Separation of Church and State” as it has been manipulated in recent years is deceptive and abused by those intending to replace God’s own moral values as written in the hearts of all mankind with man’s contrived replacement, “political correctness”. Today we see how “political correctness” is nothing more than an avenue used by some to seek their own personal goals as is evident in its conflict and infringement upon the religious rights provided every American citizen under our Constitution specifically intended to preserve our rights to freely express our acknowledgment of God, whether publicly or privately, no less critical to our freedom than our right to free speech.

God’s intrinsic presence in the foundation and success of our country is made profoundly clear throughout history. Our "Declaration of Independance", our "Constitution of the United States", the first Christian Bible deemed officially acceptable by our government to be used in educating our children within our public schools, the Christian murals painted on the inner walls of our capitol building, and numerous publicly proclaimed prayers and proclamations of past presidents and government officials referencing prayer, God or our Creator, and invoking His intervention.

It is that time of year we publicly give thanks as a nation. In doing so let us give honest recognition to God upon whom our nation was founded, succeeded and without whom we can not recover as a nation.

 

Lincoln wrote the following proclamation on October 3, 1863, which was then enacted. The New York Times within two days published a copy of his proclamation. The idea seemed to catch on, and the northern states celebrated Thanksgiving on the date noted in Lincoln's proclamation, the last Thursday in November, which fell on November 26, 1863.

 

The text of Lincoln's 1863 Thanksgiving proclamation follows:

October 3, 1863

By the President of the United States
A Proclamation

 

The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God.

 

In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign states to invite and provoke their aggressions, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere, except in the theater of military conflict; while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.

 

Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense have not arrested the plow, the shuttle, or the ship; the ax has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege, and the battlefield, and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised, nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

 

It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American people. I do, therefore, invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a Day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens. And I recommend to them that, while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation, and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.

 

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United Stated States to be affixed.

 

Done at the city of Washington, this third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty-eighth.

 

Abraham Lincoln

 

Renewing the Church and Her Mission in the Year of Faith

Address at the Catholic Life Congress in Philadelphia

Nov. 17. 2012

BY ARCHBISHOP CHARLES CHAPUT

My comments today will be simple. I want to focus on just three points. The first point is where we are as a Church and as individual Catholics, given the current environment of our country. The second point is what we need to do about it. And the third point is who we need to be, or become, to live the kind of witness God wants from us. Before we get to that, though, I want to offer a few preliminary thoughts.

 

Language matters. It both expresses and shapes our thinking. Vulgar language suggests a vulgar soul. Obviously, lots of exceptions exist. A peasant can have a rough vocabulary and still lead a saintly life. And a political leader can have a golden tongue and still be a complete liar. But, in general, words are revealing. They have power because they have meaning. So we should take care to understand and use them properly.

 

The words of the Nicene Creed are the defining statement of Christian identity. They’re the glue of the Catholic community. Jews are Jews by virtue of being born of a Jewish mother. But being a Christian has nothing to do with blood or tribe or ethnicity or national origin. Christian identity comes from the sacraments, sacred Scripture and the Creed. What we believe and profess together to be true as Catholics is the foundation and

the cement of our unity.

 

Every word in the Creed was prayed over, argued over and clarified by decades of struggle in the early Church. The words are precious and uncompromising. They direct us toward God and set us apart from the world. When people sometimes claim that Islam and Christianity have so much in common, they need to read, or reread, the Creed. Catholics pray the Creed every Sunday at Mass as the framework and fundamental profession of our faith. Devout Muslims reject nearly every line of it.

 

God Have Mercy on Our Country

A nation claiming to be 80% Christian just re-crucified Christ again by its casual practice of faith if practiced at all, and by its abandonment of His Church and morality; for indifference, prejudice, deceit, perversity and selfishness for self-indulgence.

"The way we may be sure that we know him is to keep his commandments. Whoever says, "I know him," but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him. This is the way we may know that we are in union with him: whoever claims to abide in him ought to live (just) as he lived." (1 John CH2: vs3-6)

Those who remain faithful will persevere as scripture tells us, and pray for the Mercy of Christ as we experience the results of the choice our nation has made.

"Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be famines and earthquakes from place to place. All these are the beginning of the labor pains. Then they will hand you over to persecution, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of my name. And then many will be led into sin; they will betray and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and deceive many; and because of the increase of evildoing, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved." (Matthew CH24: vs7-13)

Love of God or Secularism?

Homily of Fr William J Kuchinsky speaking of the love of God, our first commandment, and the conflict between living faithfully and today's overwhelming growth of secularism in our society.

We each are but one being, one person. Without the soul the body dies. There is no separation between body and mind and soul that enables us to live in ways defiant of God while remaining faithful to God. Many forget that just as our Creator is boldly and proudly acknowledged in the founding documents and principles that laid the foundation of our country, the very principles that while protected and appreciated in love of God led us to grow and to flourish as a nation we for centuries have exclaimed "God bless America", so must those principles be preserved to retain the gift of America as one nation under God.



Obama, Election and Christianity

As is undeniable by the testimony of our forefathers recorded in the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution which subsequently followed during the founding of our great country, America, regardless of whether an individual likes the idea or not, was established and has thrived successfully until recent times upon the principles of morality and faith in God, our Creator. By the historic and elegant murals depicting historic Christian moments in time that beautify the inner walls of the Capital building, to the Bible artifacts and records validating the very Capital building’s use for Christian worship services during the early years of our nations infancy, Christianity has been the unforced but predominant guiding light to our formation and success as a country. That success was reflected in our becoming the most powerful yet charitable and free nation in the world, respected by nations of peace while feared by those of human indifference.

Over the last 50 years the separation of “Church and State” has been distorted and abused by those who seek only self gratifications and power, to convince those unaware that this separation was intended to remove and keep separated from government the influence of morality and faith in God. In fact its intended purpose was clearly to preserve faith and morality as given us by God and recognized as our unalienable rights, while keeping government from adopting and forcing any one practice of faith on the people as had taken place previously while under the rule of England. But in this last fifty years we have gradually but progressively separated from living our faith in God and as a result have abandoned true morality. We have raised ourselves as a people to God’s level by establishing our own moral code we now refer to as “political correctness”. We have done this to our detriment. The greatest proof of the distortion of political correctness is most evident in its conflict with the very rights we hold so dear that were adopted to protect our unalienable rights and our free practices of faith. Today we see how a very small minority who deny any existence of God can successively limit our rights to freely practice our faith or show any public signs of prayer not only in government buildings and on government lands which in fact belong to the majority of the people, but in the general public. In this distorted morality we call political correctness we see ourselves now attempting to change the defined meanings of words such as “marriage”. Never before has marriage referred to any form of human relationship other than that between a man and a woman joined as one under God and consummated only in the intimacy of the act of natural human procreation, and now we intend this union to encompass the union between same sex partners, something that even the perversion of the Caligula society had not pursued. And our political correctness has spawned permissiveness.

 Today we have inadvertently found ourselves under the governance of a president who we elected to office four years ago and who in the opinion of many is undoubtedly considered the most socialistic, anti-christian, defiant and morally and politically corrupt individual to have occupied the white house. Many are not even aware of why he fits these catagories if they rely on such news medias as MSNBC, NBC, and a couple others to obtain their information, because they do not report on the negative when it comes to Obama if they can avoid it. But that is another story.

Our country has fallen to the influence of an extremely charismatic man who has done nothing positive for our country compared to his abuse of the power of the office of the president, led us to the edge of financial collapse; more openly subjected us to falling under future terrorist attack, brought us to a severely weakened political state throughout the world due to our abandonment of rational foreign policies and ignorance toward our allies, and unlike never before, has sent our own American ambassadors and retired military now government representatives into harms way, denied them adequate protection for four months as they requested it, and refused them when they fell under attack and cried for help for seven to nine hours, leaving them to be murdered at the hands of terrorists. Why? because to send them help would acknowledge the falsity in Obama's claim that he killed Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda is decimated. Sure he approved the killing of Bin Laden, then boasted about it until Al-Qaeda killed four of our government officals. But if the terrorists are not decimated, then to suggest they are would be to give the American people a false sense of security and open them up to become victims again, would it not?

 Our country was founded upon the principles of God as its foundation and guiding light and without those principles our country will not recover. Just as all life and creation was given us by God and just as our country was bestowed to us under God’s Blessing, our abandonment of God rejects His blessing and our Gift of America will be lost.

 At this election, Christians have a choice to make unlike any other election in the history of this country. To choose a leader who believes in Our Creator and the America God blessed us with, or to choose the political correctness that has replaced God’s instilled moral code. We may think God is more liberal in modern times, but as scripture tells us, He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Prior to voting it would be most proper to pray “the Lord’s Prayer” for guidance and vote according to your heart. I do not speak as an official representative of the Catholic Church, only as a lay person who once lived without giving God His due recognition but who now found true life in Jesus Christ.

 

This article reflects the author's personal opinions and or conclusions and are not to be considered representative of any official authority speaking on behalf of the Catholic Church.

‘Intrinsic Evils’ in Democratic Platform

Bishop Paprocki Warns of ‘Intrinsic Evils’ in Democratic Platform (2573)

 

He said that voting for a candidate who promotes actions or behaviors that are ‘intrinsically evil and gravely sinful’ makes a voter ‘morally complicit’ and places the eternal salvation of his or her soul in ‘serious jeopardy.’

by CNA/EWTN NEWS 09/27/2012

– Courtesy Diocese of Springfield, Ill.

SPRINGFIELD — Drawing particular attention to the Democratic Party platform’s support for “intrinsic evils” like abortion and same-sex “marriage,” Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Ill., has said that Catholics need to “think and pray very carefully” about their votes in the upcoming election.

“My job is not to tell you for whom you should vote. But I do have a duty to speak out on moral issues,” Bishop Paprocki said in his Sept. 23 column for the Catholic Times diocesan paper. “I would be abdicating this duty if I remained silent out of fear of sounding ‘political’ and didn’t say anything about the morality of these issues.”

He said that voting for a candidate who promotes actions or behaviors that are “intrinsically evil and gravely sinful” makes a voter “morally complicit” and places the eternal salvation of his or her soul in “serious jeopardy.”

There are “many positive and beneficial planks” in the Democratic Party platform, the bishop said, but some promote “serious sins.”

In 2008, he noted, the platform dropped its call for abortion to be “safe, legal and rare” in favor of the language “safe and legal.” It now supports abortion “regardless of the ability to pay.” He said this means either taxpayer funding for abortion, mandatory insurance coverage or coercion of hospitals to perform the procedures for free.

Bishop Paprocki added that the Democrats’ national platform supports same-sex “marriage,” deems “gay rights” to be “human rights” and calls for the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as the legal union of one man and one woman in federal law.

The bishop noted the existence of Republicans who support legalized abortion and others who support same-sex “marriage.” He said they are “equally as wrong as their Democratic counterparts,” but their positions do not have official party support.

Bishop Paprocki also examined the Republican Party platform and found that it has “nothing in it that supports or promotes an intrinsic evil or a serious sin.”

The platform’s support for allowing courts the option of imposing the death penalty in capital murder cases is not inherently opposed to Church teaching. He cited the Catechism of the Catholic Church’s teaching that the death penalty is permissible if it is the only possible way to defend human life.

Bishop Paprocki said that party’s differences about the needs of the poor and the challenges of immigration are “prudential judgments about the most effective means of achieving morally desirable ends, not intrinsic evils.”

He concluded his column with a prayer that God give Catholic voters the “wisdom and guidance to make the morally right choices.”

Read Article Here

Obama's War On America's Religious Freedom

There is much to be said in regard to Obama's intentions when it comes to reducing religious liberty in America. America; a country founded and flourished upon the publicly proclaimed God given rights of mankind - among those rights are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Soon if Obama is reelected, America will become a place where every reference to God will be removed from all outdoors and all places by all people except within the four walls of one's church. Christianity has been under attach and Islam has been supported up to now only partially by Obama, but soon...? How would Americans handle it if it turned out Obama was a Muslim sympathizer, I wonder...

 

Listen to author Phyllis Schlafly regarding the various changes that have taken place so far:

 

Part #2

 

Part #3

 

 

For more on this presentation go to

Phyllis Schlafly

 

A Diluted Party in Conflict With God?

 

A Diluted Party in Conflict With God? No question, but is that all we see? We must be clear of course not all in the Democratic party are Godless, Godlessness is not exclusive to democrats or any other group and in itself is a reflection of a person, not an entity. But it is undeniable the party has become so infected with the cancer of immorality fed by the individual pursuit of self-gratification and in many the lack of human decency that it can not legitimately muster the majority of votes necessary to support the reinstatement of an acknowledgment of God in the party's principles. By the outbursts, flailing of arms and "boos" against the return of the reference to God to its platform it expresses its resentment toward acknowledgment of God, our Creator, defying the very principles this country was founded and flourished upon, evidenced by our Declaration of Independence. This is not, not the Democratic Party many joined years ago.

We are supposed to believe President Obama had no prior knowledge of the removal of all references to God and Jerusalem from the platform; that aghast, he ran to the rescue to see it returned. But this is Obama's far left Democratic Party, if the Democratic Party can be stretched that far to the left. We know for some time now the President has avoided responding publicly as to whether he recognizes Jerusalem as Israel's capital. This is the president who at the beginning of his first campaign in 2008 refused to place his hand over his heart during the pledge of allegiance until he was convinced he had no choice if wishing to win the presidency; wasn't it he who wanted the initials of Jesus Christ covered up at Georgetown University while he was there to speak? Wasn't it Obama who has avoided saying that line of reference to "our Creator" when quoting from the Declaration of Independence? Isn't this the President who has been attacking Christianity and chipping away at our constitutional rights for the better part of his Presidency; The president who mocked those who reflect on the Holy Bible in Pennsylvania and cancelled the annual "day of Christian prayer" at the White House, replacing it with the recitation of Islamic prayer. Isn't this the president who is so desperately eager to promote uninhibited abortions and free birth control paid for by tax payer dollars and forced upon religious institutions against the principles of their faith?; the president who by his own suggestion would rather see Christian Hospitals and charitable organizations close to the loss of the public who need them, rather than honor the constitutional rights established for the free practice of religion as provided under the first amendment; Isn't this the president who has denied, by his own executive order, the family of a federal law enforcement officer their right to know how their son was killed and what responsibility if any the office of the Attorney General, Eric Holder, may have had in his death? I could but need not go on at this time...

Yet, after raising all these points, it is not the only proof provided us in this video. If we as a people step back from this video and look with unbiased eyes, we will witness our society as a whole; This is the society we created. We will see ourselves regardless of party or denomination and how we will be seen to our future generations. In fact, the conflict within the Democratic Party serves to show the conflict in our society brought about by the abandonment of morality and the practice of our Christian faith. If we do not return to those principles endowed upon us by our Creator when we were gifted this country, we can not expect this country to survive let alone us as a people. What then can we say in defense of our culture if this ideology is reflected in our public votes?

Atheist Billboards Attacking Christianity

For years now American Christians have been standing by silently while being attacked verbally and sued in civil courts at every opportunity by some, not all, atheist groups who claim they are sickened by our display of anything that represents the cross of Christ. It does not matter where the cross may be, even if they learn of one displayed in the desert they want it removed. They claim such depictions of the cross are a violation of their constitutional rights and should not be displayed anywhere in the public eye.

In comparison to other nations we are a nation formed only a short time ago, but undeniably founded under the principles of God’s law and moral virtues as our Creator (Declaration of Independence). History states as a country we are and virtually always have been predominantly Christian forming this country accordingly. It is true however, that many of us have become soft in the way we live and in presenting our Christian values. But we failed until now to realize that because of this display of softness we have become apparent soft targets for those atheist groups bent on attacking and destroying what remains of Christianity in the United States of America.

Today however, the hatred of the atheist groups who attack Christianity has turned against themselves by their own hands by showing in their own billboard advertisements that we as Christians do have the right to display the cross of Christ publically under the same constitutional rights they publically display their billboards defaming not only what the cross symbolizes, but what we believe in our faith.

Jesus Christ taught us when we are struck on the cheek to turn the other cheek. He did not mean for us to seek to be struck again, but to stand peacefully but firmly in our faith. It is time to stand for our Christian beliefs. Be proud to stand for Christ.

Please pass this on that others may realize it is the same rights these atheist groups display their sentiments and symbols publically on billboards and even try to sue us by that allows us to display the cross just as freely. If you are a Christian I ask you display the cross somewhere, even on the back window of your car. Use two pieces of tape to form it if you wish to. Let others know you are not ashamed to be Christian.

Does God's Love Embrace Sinfulness?

2000 years ago Our Father in heaven gave to us His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to serve as our Messiah, providing each one of us who would accept His love and guidance in every generation hence forth the means to personally reconcile and reunite with Him. The indescribable degradation against God’s will committed in mankind’s betrayal and sinfulness was so great that the only sacrifice deemed adequate to offer the Father on behalf of mankind that could overcome our sinfulness was the sacrifice of His own life purely out of love and selflessness for man; His mortal life sacrificed for man’s eternal life. Jesus sacrificed Himself by submitting Himself to the most horrid of torments, tortures, humiliations, degradations and the most agonizing of deaths man could conceive of, to be performed by the hands of the worst of mankind for the salvation of the reverent of mankind. And all any person would have to do to accept this forgiveness and salvation is to freely accept God in the love of Christ and live by the calling Jesus taught us.  

As vast numbers of Catholic and non-Catholic Christians in other countries today are being shot to death for remaining devout to their faith while attending Mass in their churches, many American Catholics are embracing their own adaptation of Catholicism. Yes, many of us who are free to worship Christ faithfully do so casually

Who's Instigating Hatred?

A Christian organization known as the "Family Research Council" or FNC located in Washington D.C. was targeted August 15th, 2012, by a single gunman who allegedly resented their ideologies and non-acceptance of same-sex marriage because they promote the biblical principles of family and mirriage. The gunman had fifteen Chick-Fil-A sandwiches in a carry bag which also contained additional fully loaded clips or magazines to reload his gun should he get that far along in his intended shooting spree. By the grace of God, he was however, intercepted by the building manager who after being shot in the arm was still able to disarm and subdue the gunman until the police arrived. The FNC organization is a Christian non-profit group that supports family life and values and the biblical and historical definition of marriage as it has always been defined; that is as a union sealed by God between one man and one woman only throughout man's recorded history and in scripture.

Only a couple of weeks ago in a seemingly unrelated incident, 

A Prison Mentor’s Reflections

(This blog is written by a Christian volunteer who has been mentoring at a Federal Women’s prison for approximately five years through the Life Connections Program, a faith based organization bringing the message of faith and hope to those anticipating release. It is the reflection at the close of a single evening.) 

This evening, as I drove home from the prison after an hour of mentoring with the light of a full moon and listening to Andrea Bocelli singing Ave Maria, I could feel God's presence all around me. I told the Lord I was tired as I usually am after an intense hour of dialogue with a prisoner.  Emotions run high.  But knowing God was with me, I told Him I had missed that feeling of closeness with Him on occasion this week, mostly due to my wandering mind; not being focused on Him and letting other things invade my space.  Prison mentoring brings me back to center.  My inmate is grateful for my presence; it gives her chance to vent, share, cry, and wish for freedom, privacy, and time alone with her Lord.  We on the outside have freedom. We are not locked up and no, we have committed no crime for sure.  All they want is to know that someone cares; someone from the outside; someone who can bring the outside inside with a message of hope and of God’s love.  We get so caught up in our own petty worries and fears that we really do not realize those who are trapped behind bars, admittedly through their own fault, but never the less still are looking from behind bars for a glimpse of freedom, while we look from the outside through the bars with freedom at our side. When the sound of the gate closes as we enter or leave, there is a large "bang". When entering the prison we are subjected to the usual security measures similar to the airports; pat downs, metal detectors and hands being stamped for our safety and God forbid, we become involved in a prison riot. We realize we cannot leave unless granted permission with an escort to take us back out of the confines of the unit.  Freedom is precious.  The slamming of the gate is a reminder of just how precious it is.  It is a sound that resonates throughout the room and one a person never forgets or gets used to.  

We all tend to get caught up in the moment but I realize every time I enter those prison gates, how grateful I am for that freedom which God has blessed me with and all of us with.  I wonder sometimes how the early martyrs felt when the gate slammed behind them.  When their freedom was extinguished because of their faith, did the sound of the gate, the dark of the dungeon, the loss of light and separation from loved ones cause them anxiety, fear, doubt and pain?  

When walking through Mamertine Prison in Rome where St. Peter was imprisoned for some months awaiting his death, I pondered all the feelings he must have had.  Interestingly enough, he converted almost all the guards who watched over him. 

I have been asked many times “how can you go to the prison?”  I could never do what you do”, they say.  Of course I remind them of Mathew’s passage in chapter 25: 35-36 “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.” (NAB)  I continue to tell them, it is a “calling” that I cannot ignore. 

I read an article recently that said “Each year, more than 700,000 individuals are released from state and federal prison.  Another 9 million cycle through local jails.  When reentry fails, the costs—both societal and economic—are high.  Statistics indicate that more than two-thirds of state prisoners are rearrested within 3 years of their release and half are re-incarcerated.” (Taken from Reentry in Brief, a product of the Federal Interagency Reentry Council) 

I hope I can, at the very least, bring the light of God's love to those I mentor.  If I can even save one soul for Christ out of all I interact with or at the very least keep one inmate from returning to prison, I will feel some sense of accomplishment.  I do not ask for God's glory, just his love and strength to do this which gives me the confidence and courage I need to show the outside to those on the inside. To soften the "bang" of the gate a little and give hope to the hopeless, love to the loveless and the love and peace of Christ to all who desire it........ I continue to thank my Lord and Savior for this opportunity.

 JRB (A Contributor to SDM)

Test For a Christian

We say we are Christian which in its claim defines us as one who knows, believes in and lives by the teachings of Jesus Christ. In this regard church affiliation makes no difference at all. As a nation, by our own word we then are in fact overwhelmingly a Christian people. Are we proud to be Christian – that is to say a brother or sister of Jesus Christ? Or are we embarrassed to live and express that faith?

When it comes to morality and the liberalism and permissiveness of our society and all we have supported or promoted, either personally or by our selected government representatives, do we believe in our heart we can be as two individual people in one – one who is devout in a relationship with God and one entitled to support or do as we choose without being held accountable?

Here is a test to discover for yourself where you stand in a relationship with Christ. Perhaps it may serve to help and guide each of us in determining what choices we should make regardless of the issue.

In a private place, recite verbally and thoughtfully “The Lord’s Prayer”, the prayer Jesus Himself taught us to pray to Our Heavenly Father, and immediately following this prayer, try to verbalize the choice you are intending to make. If you ARE Christian and ARE truly in a relationship with Jesus Christ, after reciting “The Lord’s Prayer” and saying your intention to support or renounce the particular issue (for example, abortion rights, the legalization of same sex marriage, etc.), you will know undeniably if your intended choice is acceptable to God as well as your accountability. A person may fool others but can not fool them self or God.

May the Holy Spirit guide us all.

Reflect on 1 John CH2: vs4-6.

Go Chick-fil-a Go Christian

Dan Cathy, the president and chief operating officer of "Chick-fil-a", appearing on “The Ken Coleman Talk Show”, voiced his position as a Christian in that he supports marriage according to its “biblical definition”. His public support of God’s will according to scripture and his concern over the direction our society is heading has raised some attention by both those who support and defend marriage according to its consistent, historic and biblical definition, as well as those of the “liberal” side of society, many of whom by today’s standards have actually surpassed liberalism reaching a level of perverse permissiveness within our American culture. What I find most telling is the arrogance of the politicians who publicly threaten to break the law by abusing their public office to retaliate against this man because he has Christian values. We're not that far from those values ourselves considering at least many of our parents lived by faith and morality not too many years ago.

Personally I have never patronized a “Chick-fil-a” so I can not comment on their products but after reading some of the offensive responses made by those who claim themselves to be “liberal government officials”, it is obvious they are not so liberal in regard to others positions that conflict with their personal views at all.

Whether it be Boston Mayor Thomas Menino’s statement that he will block the Chick-fil-a chain from coming to Boston because of the company president’s stance on marriage” (that's illegal mayor), or Chicago’s Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s siding with Mayor Menino in condemning Dan Kathy’s devotion to his Christian faith and scripture (no surprise there), allow me to present this as clear as possible: any governing representative holding public office who uses his elected office to interfere with a citizen's right to pursue legitimate business opportunities because of their Christian moral values, such politician breaches the constitutional rights due every citizen of the United States, causing such breach by the abuse of his or her office and should resign that office regardless of any official legal action that may or may not occur. that is of course if they are of good moral character them self.

According to Mayor Emanuel, "Chick-fil-a” values are not Chicago values.” The fact of the matter is, historically and theologically speaking, Mr. Cathy is the one expressing an understanding and respect for moral values while Mr. Emanuel is clearly suggesting Chicago does not possess such values.

There is nothing that was expressed by Mr. Cathy that any true Christian should find offensive let alone not agree with if familiar with the Bible. According to the claims of over eighty percent of the population of the United States, we are a predominantly Christian country - or do we just claim to be? It appears that both Mayor Menino and Emanuel should do a little historic research into what marriage is, what Christianity teaches, and the adopted social permissiveness that led to the collapse of Rome during the era of Caligula. In fact, I recommend the same research for anyone who feels today’s moral decay is a positive step for humanity, because we have arrived at the same level of social moral decay and perversity as that society did during the first century, are very close to our own collapse, and yet we have the audacity to historically refer to Caligula as a perverse and insane mad man.

 

I will be patronizing “Chich-fil-a”

In Who We Trust?

Recently Mr. Obama claimed those who found and succeed in business in this country are not successful because of their own ingenuity, investment, risks and efforts or God given talents, but because of the opportunities government provides them. As such they should be beholding to the government. This is a fundamental notion once held by the USSR where government held the place our Creator once held in the United States before our evicting God form the principles of our country.

No, Mr. President, the government does not nor can it claim such a perverse position in the United States of America. It was the ingenuity, investment and efforts of men to the point of sacrificing their lives when necessary - citizens who proudly announcing their faith in God and the principles of moral judgment and the acknowledgment of the respect due all men that founded this country and formed the government “by the people and for the people”, long before government or this country existed. It did not grow by itself. It was in recognition of our Creator and moral values that this country was founded upon and it is the eviction of God and morality that has led our nation through extreme greed and liberalism to the point it is today, the verge of collapse. By the same principles, it will be through God alone this country may return to the prosperous and respected nation the world once acknowledged as the most powerful and successful nation in the world; one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. From its birth, it was as the Declaration of Independence proclaimed long before the Constitution was set forth in text:

 “When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator (God being the creator) with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life (Life being the first unalienable right), Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…”.

 This is why God once Blessed America and this is the only means to its healing.  

Penny's, Target, and Starbucks now teach us morality?

Thomas Peters of CatholicVote recently addressed corporate efforts by such companies as J.C. Penny's, Target, and Starbucks, who now publically are supporting the drive by homosexual groups in their push for the redefinition of marriage.

"Over the last year or so, gay rights organizations have stepped up their efforts to get corporations involved," said Peters. "It's not the business of corporations to define marriage."

Starbuck's not only issued a public statement saying that redefining marriage is one of their "core values," but went as far as to file an Amicus brief to try to get state laws protecting marriage between one man and one woman struck down. "Amazingly, there is even a petition online to get Merriam-Webster to change their definition of marriage," said Peters. "Words define morality. Definitions matter."

Some may succeed in changing a dictionary definition but they will never be able to hide the truth by changing scripture.

Is this what a predominantly “Christian” nation has come to? Abandoning “organized religion” as unnecessary and moral values as “old school” to be guided morally by companies such as these… J.C. Penny's, Target, and Starbucks?

This is beyond pathetic. But we should realize one very important aspect. The fact that we would have to redefine the definition of marriage to make it suit an obvious perversion of its true meaning tells a great deal about the society we have created. If any Christian thinks this is a reasonable solution to justify to God what we support or even promote in this life, consider who it was that defined the relationship in the first place.

I for one will stand with Christ in the teachings and morality of His calling; I will retain my self respect by not supporting what is in opposition to nature, science, God, and moral dignity and if I may be so defiant, I will never again patronize any commercial entity that seeks profits by promoting causes that oppose our Creator or my Christian faith or attempts to distort reality by pushing for a redefinition of an institution founded upon the will of God.

How many Christians are willing to stand up for their faith now? How many will return to the faith they claim to be but have not honestly lived by in recent years? How many will continue to deceive themselves until they stand before the One who they can not deceive?

Catholic Polls - contraception coverage mandate

Today, June 8th, 2012, yet another poll came out regarding Catholics and Obama's HHS mandate. The group “Public Religion Research Institute” released a poll that found 52% of voting Catholics do not believe the contraception coverage mandate should apply to religiously affiliated colleges and hospitals. Only 45% of Catholic voters said the rule should apply to these ministries.

 Although it is a “positive” to see the Catholic majority (by a thin margin) are supportive of the Catholic Church against the mandate, it is extremely saddening that such a vast number of Catholics do not follow their principles of faith at least at this time. It is not that I do not understand how this can be the case after having been separated from living my faith for 25 years, I do. This is exactly why I find it so saddening. As a separated Catholic not practicing my faith for several years living among many people who were as indifferent to Catholicism as I was, I know all the excuses that come with it. But I also have learned over the last nine years of research and study into Christianity and Catholicism how ignorant I was to Christ and the faith He established and I have come to know Him in a way that I pray others will one day seek Him for themselves.

 There is no doubt in my mind that not a single Catholic would ever oppose let alone abandon the Catholic faith if they knew it properly. As in all relationships, you can not enter into a truly honest relationship with anyone without coming to know them. The fact is, too many Catholics know little to nothing of their faith as compared to what they should know and as a result, they misconstrue what it means to have a relationship with Jesus if they even express a sincere interest in the first place.

 I pray that others who are distant from their faith will one day open their hearts and accept the blessing offered them as it was offered to me – that they accept the inspiration to seek the truth and pursue it before time in this life is finished. For those who return to Christ like the prodigal son or daughter, there is a loving relationship and a fulfillment in life they could never have discovered otherwise. But if anyone thinks God did not know what was to come, or did not know what our choices would be in the society we have formed today, or there is anything in life that scripture does not address with relevance for any period since the formation of the Bible until the consummation of the world, that person deceives them self.

Time to rethink our priorities....

“For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine but, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity, will accumulate teachers and will stop listening to the truth and will be diverted to myths.” (2 Timothy CH4; v3-4)

“The way we may be sure that we know him is to keep his commandments. Whoever says, "I know him," but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him. This is the way we may know that we are in union with him: whoever claims to abide in him ought to live (just) as he lived.” (1 John CH2: vs4-6)

“…God handed them over to degrading passions. Their females exchanged natural relations for unnatural, and the males likewise gave up natural relations with females and burned with lust for one another. Males did shameful things with males and thus received in their own persons the due penalty for their perversity. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God handed them over to their undiscerning mind to do what is improper. They are filled with every form of wickedness, evil, greed, and malice; full of envy, murder, rivalry, treachery, and spite. They are gossips and scandalmongers and they hate God. They are insolent, haughty, boastful, ingenious in their wickedness, and rebellious toward their parents. They are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know the just decree of God that all who practice such things deserve death, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.” (Romans CH1: vs26-32)

Conservative vs. Liberal Christians

Here we are. A society that defines itself either liberal as opposed to conservative, right verses left, far left verses far right or independent. We classify ourselves this way in all aspects of life but in this case we will refer strictly to our Christian faith and most especially our Catholic faith.

We boast of our advanced intelligence and express our “modern philosophies” but are we all that modern? No, not at all. Our society has digressed to a level of permissiveness that is perverse while we strive to redefine what we know is truth to conform it to fit what is most self indulging. In fact, today our social standards and permissiveness mirror that of the Caligula society during the first century. We’ve explained this in previous articles so we will not repeat the distorted elements or lack of morality that conform us to that era again here.  

In Christianity there is a call to faith that is expressed by a way of life of which we are taught by Jesus Christ. Scripture and the Church together teach that way of life and the moral values that are intrinsic to live as true Christians. Scripture does not teach a conservative way of Christian life or a liberal way of Christian life. It does not teach us we can selectively defy the teachings of Christ in our faith determined by what is most convenient or self gratifying to us as individuals. It does not teach us we can manipulate our conscience to serve our greater desires within a particular culture. The cultural elements of any given society are after all, nothing more than the adopted practices of the majority based on opinions. Opinions change based on what one considers as advantageous to the individual within that culture or period.

But God does not change; neither does moral values or truth change, but rather are respected or rejected. Principles of faith are either abided by or ignored. There are no conservative or liberal versions of Christian faith; we invented these categories to serve our own interests. We must be honest with ourselves before we can be honest with others. Many of us ignore our call to worship the Lord even one day a week. We claim sin is not sin, sexual promiscuity is not lacking in self respect or respect toward others, pregnancy to a single parent or outside of a marital commitment is acceptable and does not deprive a child of the benefits of a loving parental commitment or the influence of being raised by a father and mother during the growth of a child, divorce is as valid as marriage, abortion is not murder of human life, homosexual relationships are not adverse to nature, science, morality or the will of God, marriage is merely a civil agreement between any two people and is not a covenant intended strictly between one man and one woman but whoever chooses to enter into it including those of the same sex.

The fact is, if one believes in God and the judgment each of us will one day face, we must turn back to recognizing reality and stop kidding ourselves by claiming to be conservative or liberal in matters of living our faith. We must realize that claiming our conscience is good with the choices we make even when defiant of scripture and the Church either reflects an ill-informed conscience or a conscience that we have distorted for self-gratification. Is it difficult to live a truly Christian life? Not if you know your faith well enough to have a meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ. As in any loving relationship, self control and moral values are expressed willingly in the desire to preserve a loving relationship. Truth: there is no conservative Christian faith. In matters of faith, those considered conservative are actually striving to live their faith properly and “liberal” is living faith by convenience. Will we be judged on our choosing to live a truly Christian life or liberal way of life? The answer is in the following verse from Revelations, by which one can judge for them self the eternity they choose for them self. 

 "I know your works; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, 'I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,' and yet do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I advise you to buy from me gold (grace) refined by fire (purified by perseverance in faith) so that you may be rich (righteous), and white garments to put on so that your shameful nakedness may not be exposed, and buy ointment to smear on your eyes so that you may see.”  (Revelations CH3: vs15-18)

Catholic - Abusing the Term

“Woe to those who tug at guilt with cords of perversity, and at sin as if with cart ropes! …Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil, who change darkness into light, and light into darkness, who change bitter into sweet, and sweet into bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own sight, and prudent in their own esteem!” (Isaiah CH5: v18, and vs20-21)

Recently I have been made aware of public comments made from independent groups that designate themselves as “Catholic” in their organization’s name but oppose Catholic principles or legal actions filed by the Catholic Church in defense of our constitutional rights under the first amendment. Usually I disregard such groups because they are obviously looking for recognition by showing their diversion against the Church. But this time I feel the obvious should be pointed out to show the absurdity in groups such as these.

Groups who promote themselves as Catholic such as “Catholics for Choice” for instance, a pro-choice organization (in favor of abortion or the murder of innocent preborn human beings usually performed by physically shredding them apart) prove themselves by the abuse of the reference “Catholic” to be hypocrites at best who obviously have no valid knowledge of scripture, Catholicism or man’s relationship with God. Yes, this is what they express of themselves by relating their organization’s mission to Catholicism. In fact, their referring themselves as promoters of the right to kill preborn human beings while referring to themselves as being of the Catholic Faith is misleading to non-Catholics and demeaning against faithful Catholic Christians who believe and strive to live in accordance with the calling of Christian life. As such they should be recognized for the hypocrisy expressed by their adopted title and the reflection of their ignorance in their knowledge of the faith they claim to belong. The promoting of abortion results in self-excommunication. What they do represent is dissention from faith, not the faith.

Another group, “Catholics United” has expressed their own ignorance by suggesting the Catholic Church must have some “secret agenda” for filing the law suits it has recently filed in seeking defense under the first amendment rights of religious freedom. Let me initially respond by pointing out that numerous religious groups, Christian and non-Christian alike are uniting in their opposition against the HHS mandate which is the primary element of this issue. I would be more inclined to believe it is “Catholics United” who may have their own personal agenda for opposing the lawsuits rather than the Catholic Church filing for surreptitious reasons.

Suggesting this legal defense filed by the Catholic Church under the constitution in some way opposes charitable acts is a perverted play on conscience. The Catholic Church provides charitable services throughout the world including all over the United States. These services include providing food to the hungry, shelters for the homeless, schools for the unfortunate, medical services to the ill, the suffering and the dying, and no one in need is denied regardless of their religious beliefs. That is Charity. The Obama administration by their own law insists the Catholic Church NOT provide these services to anyone other than Catholics and not hire anyone except Catholics if the Catholic Church wants to stay in conformity to its religious principles.  In other words, Obama would have all those who are hungry, homeless, uneducated in poverty, ill, suffering, and dying be turned away from the charitable works of mercy offered by Catholicism, AND all those who are currently employed by Catholic institutions be removed from their jobs and replaced by Catholics only. Now who is it that is denying charity to the needy?

According to the Obama administration, the forced HHS mandate was to serve as a protective measure under commerce to relieve the financial stress and availability of health care but wouldn't that be more relative to say, capping or attempting to control the high cost of gas due to its influence on the economy? Funny that was never mentioned...

These legal actions are a forced response seeking defense and relief from the willful disregard and attempted fragmentation by this President and his administration against the religious rights protected under the constitution; these are the foundation of this country. Failure to protect and defend any constitutional rights once violated can then result in the systematic dissolution of principles previously protected under any article of the constitution. Once a process of diminishing principles of rights under the constitution has been proven effective, groups such as “Catholics United” and others may one day find themselves without a right to free speech, or to assemble at all which incidentally has come under attack in recent years as well.