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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Rich Mullins' "Creed"

New video featuring Third Day and Brandon Heath (who has a new disc out) covering Rich Mullins' classic tune "Creed"

And I believe what I believe
Is what makes me what I am
I did not make it, no it is making me
It is the very truth of God
and not
The invention of any man
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Does Richard Dawkins Exist?

why yes, my neighbors do know I'm . . .

CATHOLIC
(O;
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The Harmonious Reason of Aquinas

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"How can we live in harmony?
First we need to know
we are all madly in love
with the same God."

"There is but one Church
in which men find salvation,
just as outside the ark of Noah
it was not possible
for anyone to be saved. "
St. Thomas Aquinas


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Morning has Broken

As the ice melts from the slight warmth of the morning sun, so too I pray that the warmth from the Risen Son I receive in the Eucharist this day, might melt some of the ice around my frozen heart and stone cold soul.
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How things have Changed

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"Is birth control abortion? Definitely not. An abortion kills the life of a baby after it has begun. It is dangerous to your life and health. It may make you sterile so that when you want a child you cannot have it. "

Is Birth Control Abortion, Planned Parenthood pamphlet, Aug. 1963
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The Blogger as Artist as Photographer

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Just taking a pic of a frame I designed
(it's actually two frames . . . two frames in one)

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Moral Relativism = Protestant Dogma?

I must admit that Derek Webb was once one of my favorite song writers, as well as a truth seeker who I hoped (hope) might one day discover the authentic Christianity of our Holy Catholic Church. Lately though it seems his new religion is that of arrogance and pretense.

This "controversial" video (the controversy being he says a PG rated potty word in it, which his Christian record label objected to) has him in full self righteous/self pity expounding the moral relativistic bromides of tolerance for the homosexual lifestyle (sadly, his tolerance doesn't extend to anyone who disagrees with him, as he accuses them of "hate") and that we should be just worried about the poor and starving first, not considering that if he looked through Christ's eyes he might be able to see the emaciated souls dying of the spiritual anorexia of a lifestyle of sin.

Now, Derek is still a Protestant, and of course hasn't considered that the "sola scriptura" bible-worship in the land of a million popes means that each person is free to interpret the Bible as the spirit (or low blood sugar) leads, and in turn that Fred Phelps is as much a child of Martin Luther's pride as he is.

The odd thing is that I think Mr. Webb and I are coming from the same place. With me the thirst for Jesus (and frustration over the superficiality of big screen Evangelicalism) lead me to seek the Truth which lead me to the Church Christ gave us. Sadly Derek is still part of the never-ending Protestant reformation that is built on sinking sand, and continues to pull others, whatever their sexual orientation, down into it.

Granted, in this Disney version of Christianity, you are "once saved, always saved", so Webb is blissfully ignorant that he is actually calling for us to willfully "love our brothers and sisters" right into hell.

He, as a Protestant, has also most likely never been taught the Christian virtues of humility or obedience, as all the so called controversy over this song, was really about a guy (or musician) disobeying his boss (or record label) . . .and I can't help but wonder if he ever even pondered how many starving mouths coulda been fed with the all money that was instead used with legal fees over this little boy's need to say "s@#t"?
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Rrrr-i-i-i-g-h-tt

with roses

.“Every day unbelievers and sinners cry.
‘Let us crown ourselves with roses.’
But our cry should be,
“Let us crown ourselves with roses
of the Most Holy Rosary’”
St. Louis De Montfort
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Prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas

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"Almighty and eternal God, behold, I approach the Sacrament of Thine only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ...as one who is sick to the physician of life...unclean to the fountain of mercy... blind to the light of eternal brightness, as one poor and needy to the Lord of heaven and earth.

Therefore I beseech Thee, of Thine infinite goodness, to heal my sickness, wash away my filth, enlighten my blindness, enrich my poverty, and to clothe my nakedness, that I may receive the Bread of Angels, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords with such reverence and humility...contrition and devotion...purity and faith...purpose and intention, as may conduce to the salvation of my soul."

St. Thomas Aquinas

Tom O'Toole has a nice article on this prayer, at his blog Fighting Irish Thomas
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