Through the Heart

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"Going against Church teaching yet still callin' yerself a Catholic
is like sittin' down for a Steak at Ruth's Chris
and still callin' yerself a Vegetarian"
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Last Lecture or First Homily

Seminarian Philip Johnson from Deacon Watkins on Vimeo.

Like everyone, I was suckered into watching "The Last Lecture", but unlike most folks it made me sad in a different way. It was full of the Oprah-esqe type of "live life to the fullest" kind of bumper sticker philosophy that I had already heard a bazillion times, but yet the "why" seemed to be somewhat absent and although it of course pulled at the heartstrings of this ol' sap, it left me feeling it lacked truth somehow.

The young seminarian in this video understands both the "why" of his/our life, as well as , at least as much as anyone can, the purpose in his suffering. Diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor while in the seminary, he speaks of finally knowing his vocation and his hope to one day, God willing, becoming a priest. After you watch, please add this young man to your prayers, with the hope that he will be able to be the celebrant at Mass at least once, before he joins in the great mass in heaven.

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No Sola Silly

The media was a buzzin' about the new "Confession" app available for the iphone, which is really more an "Examination of Conscience" tool. From what I've read, it was mainly designed to help poorly catechized Catholics get back into the pre-Vatican II habit of regular confession.

While the hype is somewhat annoying, though not as bad as it could be, I for one am happy for anything that helps my brothers and sisters take advantage of Christ's gift of this sacrament. So many "Catholics" I have met rarely if ever go for reconciliation, but yet still receive communion (another sin in itself). I have met daily communicants who are also on the daily "pill", and others weekly members who are shacked up . . .this is the state of our family's ignorance, and if this app can help, I say I'll pay the $2 for ya.

Regular reception of God's mercy is also the way we become merciful.

This is is also a great opportunity for us all to help educate our non-Catholic brethren, as it never fails to start a nice dialogue when I exclaim how much "I love confession!". There is too also a chance for us to remind the Bible-worshipers that the idea of "confession by i-phone" is just as silly as that wacky concept that Christ would, during a time when 90% of the world was illiterate (and would remain so for the next millenium), leave sole authority for His church to a book (something, the average Joe wouldn't be able to afford until the invention of the printing press some1500 years away).
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Touched by an . . .

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One of the common problems with my condition is that my legs occasionally decide it's their coffee break, and I take a lil' stumble. The other morning as I made my way down the spiral staircase to make my whole body some java, the legs decide they wanted to go back to sleep . . .and so D'art fall down and go boom! (which woke me up considerably, so that no coffee was needed this particular morning).

When I realized I wasn't dead, I gave God , and the angel he has assigned to me, a "thank you". I did cut several of my fingers rather badly, as well as busted up my knee and ankle, so I've been mending them this week. . . and yes, no medical insurance does in fact suck eggs!

But anyway, I am not writing to whine, but to share to the blogsphere (because I'm actually a lil' timid about sharing this next bit of info any other way) something else that came from this this event. After my shower yesterday I happened to spot some other bruises, but this time under my arm and in an area that wasn't touched by the fall. As I looked closer at the cluster of five blueish-purple marks, I realized that they were arranged with four above one, looking very much like the marks I once had when I was 8, after my dad yanked me from the path of an oncoming car.

Yes, these discolorations very much resembled a hand print, and all I could think was that my poor guardian angel must have been holding on pretty hard that morning, and I wondered how bad it might have been if he wasn't there.

Anyway, you are free to believe as you like, just as I am free to again thank and praise God for His constant presence in the life of someone as thoroughly unworthy of it as me.
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Ave Maria

Words of a truly Rich man

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"See, I believe that if you were chosen, that if you were elected. I believe if God has anything for you, it's not just to make you happy. God did not choose you and call you out of this world just to make you high.
And God didn't choose you and God didn't call you out of this world just so you that could be pious.
Because there are enough pious people and enough happy people in the world.
What God called you for, and what God called you to is to make a difference in the world.

You know, there are a lot of people who have never heard the gospel of Christ. Somehow, I have a little bit of trouble when I see people spend fifteen, sixteen bucks a hit to hear some flashy Christian group say 'Jesus is Lord' to the tune of fifteen bucks a person when there are people who live not far from here who can't even afford to buy a Bible. And somehow, it seems a little bit weird that we should have more ministers in this country and fewer people, when in the world where there are so many people who would give anything to have a minister, they can't find them, because they're not there, because they're in our country.

I don't believe that God chose you and blessed you so that you could heap those blessings up upon yourself.
I believe God chose you and you and you and every one of you others, because He wants to make a difference in this world.
And you know what?

What I think is scary about God is He didn't come up with any 'plan B.'

That He left the church here, and the church is the only group of people and the church is the only institution in the world that can bring about a change. This government cannot do it, so stop depending on the government. Educational systems cannot do it, so stop trusting educational systems. The church was chosen by God to make a difference.

And you know what, people? You ain't going to make a difference by building more bombs. And you ain't going to make a difference by putting on more makeup and showing up on more television shows. And you're not going to make a difference by having the loudest P/A or the biggest crowd at your concerts.
You're gonna make a difference when you lay down your life, and in complete submission to God, choose to die with Him in service to other people.
And I had this great realization one night, and that's when I wrote this song." Rich Mullins

And as I lay me down one evening,
I thought of Jesus on the hill
And how for men He was weeping,
When it was Him they were going to kill
And I know it would have saved them
Had they only just allowed
None are stronger than the humble
And few are weaker than the proud

And then my thoughts, they turned to David,
And how he watched his father's flocks
How the music that he was playing
Could calm the demons in a mighty man's heart
And when the prophet came round looking for a king,
He sought young David out,
'Cause none are stronger than the humble
And few are weaker than the proud

And I know that you know about Moses,
And how he left the Pharoah's courts
When he saw the injustice
Done to the people, the people of the Lord
And though his fears drove him to hiding,
The Lord his heart with courage soon endowed
'Cause none are stronger than the humble
And few are weaker than the proud

And none are stronger than the humble
And few are weaker than the proud
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