It’s Not My Fault

John_Belushi_the_blues_brothers-43995197It’s Monday, the sun is shining, the squirrels are scurrying about, the birds twittering happily, red and gold leaves are trembling in the autumn breeze…it’s all so delightful that I thought I’d give you a real downer of a post.

I recently heard an interview on NPR (Yes, I listen to NPR occasionally. Purely for anthropological reasons I assure you) with Ann Doswett Johnston, a recovering alcoholic, who’s the author of a new book discussing her addiction entitled, Drink.

In it, she discusses the double-sided coin of feminism, which has empowered women to drink like a man does without any stigma attaching to them, while acknowledging that because women are built differently (ya think?), they are more likely to abuse alcohol. She further points to the aggressive marketing of liquor companies aimed directly at young women. National statistics seem to support her claim of a rise of alcoholism in women, especially among the ranks of the college aged and young professionals.

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A Matter of Life and Death

www-St-Takla-org___Jesus-with-Sinned-Woman-05I’ve written before about the Christian view of life and death so this will be a short post.

It seems to me that we westerners—and by that I mean western civ—dislike talking about death, much less thinking about it. There’s no time in the day for dwelling on unpleasant subjects when there’s so much to be done!

If we ever do take a moment to reflect that death is coming for us some day, it’s usually only when someone close to us dies, and then only fleetingly. It’s an uncomfortable thought, vaguely disconnected from the life we’ve constructed for ourselves. However, like Hamlet, we wonder what dreams may come when we’ve shuffled off this mortal coil, and it gives us pause.

Not so the Christian—or so it should be. The Christian knows that this life is a pilgrimage leading to our true home of blessedness with God, therefore he has hope. But the Christian also prays along with the Psalmist, that he might have the wisdom to number his days, realizing that life is indeed short and that he must give an account of it to God.

Honestly, for me, that thought is terrifying. Terrifying enough to compel my repentance? So far, painfully slowly. I pray that God will grant me time, because I have a great deal to answer for.

Still, I am hopeful as I should be. Like my patron St. Dismas, I recognize who it is that judges me. I know Him to be merciful. He knows that I am but dust.

I Have No Words

All right, yes I do.

Eddie Diaz, age 26, died unnecessarily by falling under a train. Why?

Witnesses told police that Diaz realized he left his cellphone on a bench as the train left the station. Diaz then broke the glass of the emergency safety mechanism, pulled the emergency stop lever and exited through the front passenger door, police said.

What does this say about Mr. Diaz and his priorities? More than that, what does it say about the society we’ve fashioned for ourselves, that a person would come to see something so insignificant as worth his life?

  • Young people in Chicago shoot each other over a pair of gym shoes.
  • Women choose to kill their unborn child in favor of a relationship, career, or their “freedom.”
  • Men and women divorce after decades of marriage because the thrill is gone.
  • People of all ages abuse drugs and alcohol as a means to cope with life’s stresses.

As a species and a culture, our selfishness is staggering. Ironically, it’s that very selfishness that militates most against our own good and well-being.

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.¹

 

¹ Eph 4:22-24 NIV

 

Preach It Brother!

talentsOn His Blindness

When I consider how my light is spent
Ere half my days in this dark world and wide,
And that one talent which is death to hide
Lodg’d with me useless, though my soul more bent
To serve therewith my Maker, and present
My true account, lest he returning chide,
“Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?”

I fondly ask. But Patience, to prevent
That murmur, soon replies: “God doth not need
Either man’s work or his own gifts: who best
Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best.
His state Is kingly; thousands at his bidding speed
And post o’er land and ocean without rest:
They also serve who only stand and wait.

 ~ John Milton, 1652

The Feast of the Assumption

dormitionicon
In a very touching reversal of Nativity icons, Christ is pictured here holding his mother.

Had another existential discussion with a friend yesterday. Yeah, that’s all we writers do, sit around, sip absinth, and wax philosophical about all manner of ephemera.

Except in this case the subject wasn’t ephemeron. It is something that bears on my identity as a Roman Catholic Christian and it bugs me.

Before you click away to something less…um, cosmic, let me entice you with the promise that I’ll keep it short. Hey, if Heaven & Hell didn’t get me excommunicated, maybe this will.

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Heaven & Hell

dantes_infernoA friend of mine borrowed my copy of the first part of Dante Alighieri’s triptych, the Divine Comedy. This sparked an interesting discussion of heaven and hell.

Thinking about it forced me to confront what I really believe about the hereafter, in the context of my faith and Church teaching, so I thought I’d share it with you.

Now, this post isn’t intended to be a theological dissertation, just my musing aloud. If I say something that offends, please write it off as my honest attempt to communicate what is in my heart in 600 words or less.

At every Mass, the faithful recite a “profession of faith,” which in most cases is the Nicene Creed, the seminal statement of the Christian faith proceeding from the first ecumenical council convened in the fourth century. In it, we proclaim, “He (Jesus Christ) will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and His kingdom will have no end.”

This speaks of the great, last judgment. But what about my own particular judgment? It may be that I will die before Christ’s return. I will meet Him face to face. What will He say to me? Where will I spend eternity?

That’s THE question isn’t it? The bottom line of life is what will eternity be for me?

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The Work of God

hard-work[lounge lizard voice]

Okay, I’d like to take it down a bit now…

So yesterday, I’m reading the gospel of John:

25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” 26 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” 28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” 29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”¹

Easy enough, no?

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