December 2004 Archives

Just as an FYI, comments are likely to be slightly delayed moving forward. As many of you have seen, we get lots and lots of "comment spam" on a daily basis (spam posted in our comments). Half of it is pornographic and all of it is pathetically sad.

So, we've upgraded to the new Movable Type, which keeps comments off the site until they are approved. Hopefully, they'll eventually come out with a version that allows "approved commenters" by email address - that would fix the issue. Until then there may be a delay. But there won't be any more comment spam! ;-P

God bless,
Jahy

Christianity Today reports on more evidence that the Shroud of Turin is real. At this time only the carbon dating suggests otherwise. The article doesn't touch on this, but carbon dating is notoriously unreliable - there are numerous factors which could change the date hundreds or thousands of years. And frankly, I think you're assuming much if you believe 21st century scientists could be fooled by a medieval forgery of this type.

I've long felt that the Shroud is the actual garment Christ's body was wrapped in. It's interesting how many little pieces of Christian history we still have available - many of them recovered during the Crusades, of course. God gives us all the evidence and yet some still refuse to see.

O my Jesus, forgive us our sins and save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls into heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy.

God bless,
Jay

The numbers of dead coming out of the area devastated by the Tsunami are heartbreaking. You can help by donating to the victims and survivors here. I believe this one of the areas where Americans really shine: we're quick to donate time, money, and people to areas where terrible disasters occur. Please take a minute and send money, if you can.

Also, it's important to pray for those involved. Far more powerful than money, our prayers can bring healing. May God bring something good out of this terrible disaster.

God bless,
Jay

The Holiday edition of the Catholic Carnival is now online. As always, the postings are well-worth a few minutes of reading time! Stop by and check out what Catholic bloggers are saying.

God bless,
Jay

I’ve always felt that New Year’s Resolutions are perfect for Christians: we try to improve little by little and resolutions are essentially worthwhile goals for improvement. Of course, Christians should make sure to specifically focus on improving their spiritual lives when making resolutions or the point is moot.

So what are some great resolutions you should consider? I think there are a few areas we can always improve in: Prayer, Bible Study, and Personal Holiness. So I try to make a resolution in each area (at least one). And I’ve put some thoughts on each:

Prayer
- If you aren’t praying before every meal, this is a great resolution.
- If you aren’t praying everyday, this should be your resolution. It’s not difficult or too time consuming and the rewards are great. In reality, if you can pray every day for two weeks, you begin to form a habit, which makes it easier from then on – so be sure to focus hard on this the first two weeks.
- If you are praying everyday, make sure each day starts and ends with prayer.
- Really concentrate on how you pray. Try to pray that God’s Will be done, rather than for a specific outcome. We have limited knowledge about ramifications of actions, so we should trust in God to choose the correct path. In addition, remember to praise and thank God in your daily prayer and to ask forgiveness for sins.
- If you are doing this, then try to incorporate prayer into your daily life. For example, remember to say a quick prayer when you meet someone new or when someone has a problem. When you have a task at work or home, say a quick prayer asking for God’s guidance or help.
- Consider saying the Our Father prayer every day. It is the prayer Christ taught us and is full of theological insight that can be applied to our daily lives.
- Keep a prayer journal where you simply jot down personal notes from your prayers. This helps you to realize when prayers are answered and what is important to you.
- Resolve to add a prayer of thanks when something you previously prayed for works out.

Bible Study
(Note: start each session with prayer – this is important for personal interpretation of Scripture)
- If you aren’t reading Scripture everyday, try to start here. Just a chapter a day only takes a few minutes and can dramatically improve your understanding of the Bible.
- To be more aggressive, try to read the entire Bible in a year. Here’s a great guide that will complete the entire Bible in one year (it starts in December, but you can start in January and simply read December at the end). It’s available in PDF or Word format.
- If you’re already reading Scripture everyday, try to supplement your reading with additional resources. For example, read an overview of what each book is about before starting it or read Bibles with study notes included.
- To take study to another level, began reviewing words used throughout Scripture. For example, when a verse uses an ambiguous term or doesn’t seem to make sense, see how the word or phrase is used throughout the rest of Scripture. This often proves very insightful and can clear up issues. There are a number of online resources (search “Bible Gateway”) that make this easy. This can be as indepth as you like.
- Remember to try and apply what you are reading to your daily life. I recommend reading Scripture in the morning for this very reason – it’s easier to remember and apply it if you haven’t slept overnight since reading it. This is ultimately why we read Scripture: application.

Personal Holiness
- There’s an old belief that each person really struggles with one type of sin. If they can overcome this, then the others are easier to manage. Often the biggie comes from the seven deadly sins: lust, envy, pride, greed (avarice), anger, gluttony, and sloth. Try to figure out which one you suffer from the most and stop doing it. This is tied intimately into prayer.
- There are also virtues which we should aspire to. Try to choose one or two virtues to improve upon this year (the ones you lack the most). The virtues are humility, generosity, love, kindness, self-control, faith, temperance, and zeal. To improve, try to practically change your actions. I also recommend reading books about the specific virtue and how to increase it (there’s much out there).
- Try to avoid the situations that make you most likely to sin. In other words, examine your life for any situations that make it very likely that you will commit a sin; then avoid these situations as if they were sinful in themselves.
- Faith, Hope and Love. We can all improve here. Start by praying the prayer from Mark 9:24 daily for each of these:

Lord, I have faith. Help my lack of faith.
Lord, I hope. Help my lack of hope.
Lord, I love. Help my lack of love.

We believe that God answers prayers, so this is the best start.
- Give generously. Try to increase the time, talent, and treasure you give to others in need. The act of giving benefits the giver as much as the receiver – our gifts are always returned to us. By doing this, you increase your love for others and your selflessness.
- Give up that which does not benefit your holiness. This is the ultimate act of dedication to God. For example, that reality tv show you love - instead spend time in prayer or Bible study. Those “R” rated movies? How do they improve your spiritual condition? Really analyze everything you do and ask: Would Jesus approve of this? This is a higher level of spirituality and is very difficult (I struggle here personally).

What are your spiritual New Year’s Resolutions? I’d love to hear suggested resolutions and especially those from past year’s that worked well. Ultimately, we’re all on the same quest for heaven and any help is appreciated!

God bless,
Jay

Merry Christmas to All!

May the birth of Christ renew the joy and love in your life.

By the way, the word "Christmas" comes from an Old English combination of the words "Christ's Mass," which of course is held on Christmas morning. So be sure to get to mass today and celebrate the birth of our Savior.

God bless,
Jay

This is an excellent Christian poem about prayer and the Christ Child by Francis Thompson:

Little Jesus

Ex ore infantium, Deus, et lactentium perfecisti laudem.

Little Jesus, was Thou shy
Once, and just so small as I?
And what did it feel like to be
Out of Heaven, and just like me?
Didst Thou sometimes think of there,
And ask where all the angels were?
I should think that I would cry
For my house all made of sky;
I would look about the air,
And wonder where my angels were;
And at waking ‘twould distress me –
Not an angel there to dress me!
Hadst Thou ever any toys,
Like us little girls and boys?
And didst Thou play in Heaven with all
The angels that were not too tall,
With stars for marbles? Did the things
Play Can you see me? through their wings?
And did Thy Mother let Thee spoil
Thy robes, with playing on our soil?
How nice to have them always new
In Heaven, because ‘twas quite clean blue!

Didst Thou kneel at night to pray,
And didst Thou join Thy hands, this way?
And did they tire sometimes, being young,
And make the prayer seem very long?
And dost Thou like it best, that we
Should join our hands to pray to Thee?
I used to think, before I knew,
The prayer not said unless we do.
And did Thy Mother at the night
Kiss Thee, and fold the clothes in right?
And didst Thou feel quite good in bed,
Kissed, and sweet, and Thy prayers said?

Thou canst not have forgotten all
That it feels like to be small:
And Thou know’st I cannot pray
To Thee in my father’s way –
When Thou was so little, say,
Couldst Thou talk Thy Father’s way? –

So, a little Child, come down
And hear a child’s tongue like Thy own;
Take me by the hand and walk,
And listen to my baby-talk.
To Thy Father show my prayer
(He will look, Thou art so fair),
And say: “O Father, I, Thy Son,
Bring the prayer of a little one.”

And He will smile, that children’s tongue
Has not changed since Thou wast young!

God bless,
Jay

Still don't have a Gmail account? I have some invitations and would be glad to give them as a Christmas present to anyone asking (first come, first served of course). Just post a request below or email me at jay [ at ] deo omnis gloria [ dot ] com.

Merry Christmas from Deo.

God bless,
Jay

PS - for those who don't know, a Gmail account is a free email account from Google. You get them by invitation only and it's a pretty unique interface that works great. It also will hold all the email you ever get . . . forever (lots of space).

Continuing our reflections on the Catechism, in particular the Seven Sacraments, I thought it would be good to step back and review what the Church has to say about the Sacraments as a whole.

ARTICLE 2 THE PASCHAL MYSTERY IN THE CHURCH'S SACRAMENTS

1113 The whole liturgical life of the Church revolves around the Eucharistic sacrifice and the sacraments.29 There are seven sacraments in the Church: Baptism, Confirmation or Chrismation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony.30 This article will discuss what is common to the Church's seven sacraments from a doctrinal point of view. What is common to them in terms of their celebration will be presented in the second chapter, and what is distinctive about each will be the topic of the Section Two.

I. THE SACRAMENTS OF CHRIST

1114 "Adhering to the teaching of the Holy Scriptures, to the apostolic traditions, and to the consensus . . . of the Fathers," we profess that "the sacraments of the new law were . . . all instituted by Jesus Christ our Lord."31

1115 Jesus' words and actions during his hidden life and public ministry were already salvific, for they anticipated the power of his Paschal mystery. They announced and prepared what he was going to give the Church when all was accomplished. The mysteries of Christ's life are the foundations of what he would henceforth dispense in the sacraments, through the ministers of his Church, for "what was visible in our Savior has passed over into his mysteries."32

1116 Sacraments are "powers that comes forth" from the Body of Christ,33 which is ever-living and life-giving. They are actions of the Holy Spirit at work in his Body, the Church. They are "the masterworks of God" in the new and everlasting covenant.

. . . is now online at A Penitent Blogger. Take a minute to check it out - it's a good collection of Catholic thought and is organized around The Family's Christmas Dinner.

God bless,
Jay

I’ve often heard the statistic cited that more suicides occur during the Advent/Christmas season than during any other time of year. This is not only depressing, but speaks to the materialism problem in our culture and the lack of simple meditation on the Gospels. For in the Christmas story, we read of hope’s triumph over misery.

Consider the reality of the story. Joseph, a newly married man, is ordered by the government to travel with his very pregnant wife, just so the government can count the number of people from the town. As a relatively poor man, this was undoubtedly a financial burden on the family, not to mention a problem because of the impending birth of Jesus. So, Joseph makes the trip and arrives to find out every hotel room in the city is taken. I imagine that he checked more than a few. It’s possible that Mary began contractions during this time (it’s a hard trip and she did give birth that night), so Joseph is very aware that the birth is going to happen anytime. Finally, he is offered not a room, but a smelly stable to sleep in. Not the ideal place for your wife to give birth. To make matters worse, it’s probably pretty cold according to scientific analysis of the weather during that time and it’s doubtful the stable is very warm. This is an occasion likely to bring despair on most of us.

But the interesting thing is that we don’t read of Joseph’s complaints or whining. We don’t read that Mary nagged Joseph or blamed him for the problems. In fact, the birth of Christ is so full of hope and devoid of despair that the conditions of the birth are often overlooked. Why would God come into the world in this way? Why would God choose such a troublesome situation in which to become man? Perhaps God was trying to teach us something about our own lives. After all, through this misery the greatest gift the world has ever known came about.

If we believe that God has a perfect plan for our salvation, a plan that began before the world was formed and is still being carried out, then we must believe that God not only allowed Himself to be born in these conditions, but actively willed it. God chose to become man in a smelly, dingy stable on a cold night. There are many reasons why He may have chosen this method of coming into the world, but I believe a key one was to minister to those who are sad, downtrodden, and despairing. After all, God allowed you into the situation that causes this sadness for a reason. God’s main reason is always the same: your salvation. He allows us to go through tough periods in order that we may be saved. What’s a little sadness on earth in comparison to the greatness of heaven? Nothing.

I think during this time of year we should meditate on the birth of Christ and how it applies to our lives today. It’s easy to be frustrated or upset over the small problems we face on a day-to-day basis, but Joseph and Mary point us to a higher spirituality. A faith so strong that we always trust in God’s mercy, grace, and in God’s plan, no matter how bad our current situation seems at the time. This is the hope that sets Christians apart.

May God bless you and yours this Christmas.

God bless,
Jay

II. THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY ORDERS IN THE ECONOMY OF SALVATION

The priesthood of the Old Covenant

1539 The chosen people was constituted by God as "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." But within the people of Israel, God chose one of the twelve tribes, that of Levi, and set it apart for liturgical service; God himself is its inheritance. A special rite consecrated the beginnings of the priesthood of the Old Covenant. The priests are "appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins."

1540 Instituted to proclaim the Word of God and to restore communion with God by sacrifices and prayer, this priesthood nevertheless remains powerless to bring about salvation, needing to repeat its sacrifices ceaselessly and being unable to achieve a definitive sanctification, which only the sacrifice of Christ would accomplish.

1541 The liturgy of the Church, however, sees in the priesthood of Aaron and the service of the Levites, as in the institution of the seventy elders, a prefiguring of the ordained ministry of the New Covenant. Thus in the Latin Rite the Church prays in the consecratory preface of the ordination of bishops:

"God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, . . .
by your gracious word
you have established the plan of your Church.
From the beginning,
you chose the descendants of Abraham to be your holy nation.
You established rulers and priests
and did not leave your sanctuary without ministers to serve you. . . ."

I. CONFIRMATION IN THE ECONOMY OF SALVATION

1286 In the Old Testament the prophets announced that the Spirit of the Lord would rest on the hoped-for Messiah for his saving mission. The descent of the Holy Spirit on Jesus at his baptism by John was the sign that this was he who was to come, the Messiah, the Son of God. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit; his whole life and his whole mission are carried out in total communion with the Holy Spirit whom the Father gives him "without measure."

1287 This fullness of the Spirit was not to remain uniquely the Messiah's, but was to be communicated to the whole messianic people. On several occasions Christ promised this outpouring of the Spirit, a promise which he fulfilled first on Easter Sunday and then more strikingly at Pentecost. Filled with the Holy Spirit the apostles began to proclaim "the mighty works of God," and Peter declared this outpouring of the Spirit to be the sign of the messianic age. Those who believed in the apostolic preaching and were baptized received the gift of the Holy Spirit in their turn.

1288 "From that time on the apostles, in fulfillment of Christ's will, imparted to the newly baptized by the laying on of hands the gift of the Spirit that completes the grace of Baptism. For this reason in the Letter to the Hebrews the doctrine concerning Baptism and the laying on of hands is listed among the first elements of Christian instruction. The imposition of hands is rightly recognized by the Catholic tradition as the origin of the sacrament of Confirmation, which in a certain way perpetuates the grace of Pentecost in the Church."

I thought we would continue to look at what the Catechism says about the Sacraments in terms of their place in the "Economy of Salvation".

II. BAPTISM IN THE ECONOMY OF SALVATION

Prefigurations of Baptism in the Old Covenant

1217 In the liturgy of the Easter Vigil, during the blessing of the baptismal water, the Church solemnly commemorates the great events in salvation history that already prefigured the mystery of Baptism:

"Father, you give us grace through sacramental signs,
which tell us of the wonders of your unseen power.
In Baptism we use your gift of water,
which you have made a rich symbol
of the grace you give us in this sacrament."

1218 Since the beginning of the world, water, so humble and wonderful a creature, has been the source of life and fruitfulness. Sacred Scripture sees it as "overshadowed" by the Spirit of God:

"At the very dawn of creation
your Spirit breathed on the waters,
making them the wellspring of all holiness."

1219 The Church has seen in Noah's ark a prefiguring of salvation by Baptism, for by it "a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water":

"The waters of the great flood
you made a sign of the waters of Baptism,
that make an end of sin and a new beginning of goodness."

1220 If water springing up from the earth symbolizes life, the water of the sea is a symbol of death and so can represent the mystery of the cross. By this symbolism Baptism signifies communion with Christ's death.

1221 But above all, the crossing of the Red Sea, literally the liberation of Israel from the slavery of Egypt, announces the liberation wrought by Baptism:

"You freed the children of Abraham from the slavery of Pharaoh,
bringing them dry-shod through the waters of the Red Sea,
to be an image of the people set free in Baptism."

1222 Finally, Baptism is prefigured in the crossing of the Jordan River by which the People of God received the gift of the land promised to Abraham's descendants, an image of eternal life. The promise of this blessed inheritance is fulfilled in the New Covenant.

The Eucharist....this is the big issue everyone. It has been the reason for the conversion of countless Protestants to Catholicism. It is "the source and the summit of Christian life." I would ask that everyone take time to read this section from the Catechism, it explains much and provides an excellent biblical overview on the Eucharist. Enjoy!

III. THE EUCHARIST IN THE ECONOMY OF SALVATION

The signs of bread and wine

1333 At the heart of the Eucharistic celebration are the bread and wine that, by the words of Christ and the invocation of the Holy Spirit, become Christ's Body and Blood. Faithful to the Lord's command the Church continues to do, in his memory and until his glorious return, what he did on the eve of his Passion: "He took bread. . . ." "He took the cup filled with wine. . . ." The signs of bread and wine become, in a way surpassing understanding, the Body and Blood of Christ; they continue also to signify the goodness of creation. Thus in the Offertory we give thanks to the Creator for bread and wine, fruit of the "work of human hands," but above all as "fruit of the earth" and "of the vine" - gifts of the Creator. The Church sees in the gesture of the king-priest Melchizedek, who "brought out bread and wine," a prefiguring of her own offering.

1334 In the Old Covenant bread and wine were offered in sacrifice among the first fruits of the earth as a sign of grateful acknowledgment to the Creator. But they also received a new significance in the context of the Exodus: the unleavened bread that Israel eats every year at Passover commemorates the haste of the departure that liberated them from Egypt; the remembrance of the manna in the desert will always recall to Israel that it lives by the bread of the Word of God; their daily bread is the fruit of the promised land, the pledge of God's faithfulness to his promises. The "cup of blessing" at the end of the Jewish Passover meal adds to the festive joy of wine an eschatological dimension: the messianic expectation of the rebuilding of Jerusalem. When Jesus instituted the Eucharist, he gave a new and definitive meaning to the blessing of the bread and the cup.

1335 The miracles of the multiplication of the loaves, when the Lord says the blessing, breaks and distributes the loaves through his disciples to feed the multitude, prefigure the superabundance of this unique bread of his Eucharist. The sign of water turned into wine at Cana already announces the Hour of Jesus' glorification. It makes manifest the fulfillment of the wedding feast in the Father's kingdom, where the faithful will drink the new wine that has become the Blood of Christ.

1336 The first announcement of the Eucharist divided the disciples, just as the announcement of the Passion scandalized them: "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?" The Eucharist and the Cross are stumbling blocks. It is the same mystery and it never ceases to be an occasion of division. "Will you also go away?": the Lord's question echoes through the ages, as a loving invitation to discover that only he has "the words of eternal life" and that to receive in faith the gift of his Eucharist is to receive the Lord himself.

On this blog, we have repeatedly stated that the following passage (along with the Last Supper narrative) is a clear teaching of Christ on the Eucharist:

John 6:51-56. "I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh." Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, "How can this man give us His flesh to eat?" So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.” [Emphasis mine]

Only the Catholic Church interprets this verse in a literal way, which I believe Jesus intended (my emphasis above points out some of the reasons why); Christ states that His flesh is “true food” and His blood is “true drink.” But it’s also important to note that Jesus wasn’t using metaphorical language – He was using phrases like “gnaw my flesh” and “chew my flesh” to get across the very real character of His teachings.

The argument from non-Catholics has always been that Jesus was speaking metaphorically or symbolically. He didn’t really mean this. After all, they say, Jesus also called Himself a door and a vine. So I thought I would point out from Scripture why these two can’t be compared. Let’s start here:

Acts 2:42. They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

This passage is talking about the Christians in the early Church. So, there are two trains of thought here. The non-Catholic, who argues that the “breaking of bread” is merely symbolic, and the Catholic, which argues that the “breaking of bread” is a reference to Mass in which we accept the Eucharist.

If you accept the non-Catholic position, they are “devoting” themselves to a meaningless task: the breaking of bread. What’s the point? Why not just be devoted to “the apostles teachings and to fellowship . . . and to prayer.” Why did Luke feel this was as important as the other three things listed?

As a Catholic, it makes perfect sense. They are devoting themselves to the Oral Word (teaching of the Apostles), to fellowship (loving their neighbor, etc.), to the breaking of bread (the Mass), and to prayer. All are parts of a truly Christian life. What’s odd is that they aren’t devoting themselves to “opening a door” or “growing a vine” or any of the other metaphorical examples Christ gave of Himself. This clearly emphasizes the role of “breaking of bread.” Also, some argue that “breaking of bread” means community or fellowship. This also is illogical, since Luke has already listed “fellowship” in the four. If “breaking of bread” meant the same thing, then why would it be listed twice? I think the next passage will clarify even more:

1 Corinthians 11:27-30. Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.

This is perhaps the most direct teaching on why the non-Catholic position is wrong. As a non-Catholic, Christ isn’t really in the bread or wine. He is merely symbolized by it. Why would we die for unworthily consuming a symbol?. Paul is telling us to carefully examine our souls to make sure we are worthy before consuming the “bread” or drinking the “cup of the Lord” (a reference to the Last Supper).

As a Catholic, this verse again makes much sense. Christ said that the bread is truly His body and the wine is truly His blood, so of course those who consume God unworthily will get sick and possibly die. This makes much sense; you are what you eat in essence. If a dehydrated man drinks a lot of water, he will be sick and probably vomit. If a unholy man consumes the Eucharist, which is pure holiness (God), he will be sick and, according to Paul, might even die. This doesn’t sound like a symbol to me.

Until someone can point out Scripture that says “examine yourself before walking through a door or you might die,” then we only have bread and wine to examine. If we believe Scripture is infallible, how do our beliefs line up with these passages? Better yet, if we believe Scripture is infallible, how can we go another day without consuming God in the Eucharist? Come home to the Catholic Church today.

God bless,
Jay

The 8th Catholic Carnival is now online. It is formatted using the three Cardinal virtues (Faith, hope, charity) and there are some great posts included. Take a minute and read them yourself.

God bless,
Jay

The Golden Globe nominations are out and The Passion of the Christ isn't among them. The movie only made about $600 million, so maybe they didn't notice the little Christian flick? Yeah right.

This is probably an indication that The Passion will be ignored by the Oscars as well - the Golden Globes correctly predicted most of the Oscar winners last year (at least in big categories). It's interesting because Gibson made a good little movie. So why would it be ignored? I can only think of one reason: subject matter.

Pathetic.

God bless,
Jay

I keep hearing the claim that Mary is “invisible” or “faint” within Scripture, which I disagree with. As we near Christmas, Catholics often think of a woman with God actually within her body. As any parent understands, mothers have an automatic and intimate connection with their newborn children that arises from developing the child for nine months. It is worth considering why God chose Mary to carry Jesus out of all women who had ever lived. No one, I repeat, no one has a more intimate connection with God than Mary, the New Ark of the Covenant that held the Word of God within her human body.

So, we get back to Scripture. I wanted to point out the numerous passages in the Bible that refer to the Mother of God and focus on how she is depicted.

Mary in the Old Testament

Genesis 3:14-15. The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all cattle, and above all wild animals; upon your belly you should go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

This is referred to as the protoevangelium or “first gospel” since it is the first mention of how God will restore the world – through a “woman” and her “seed.” Everyone agrees that the “seed” referred to is Christ, so the “woman” must be Mary. It’s also important to note that God didn’t say “my seed,” even though this would also be true. God chose to refer to Christ as “her seed” and immediately suggests the title “Mother of God” for Mary. Mary is often referred to as “woman” in Scripture (as we shall see), since she is the ideal holy woman: she trusts God so completely she consents to whatever He wishes.

Is Hanukkah in Scripture? This is an interesting question, because the answer depends on whom you ask. If you ask a protestant, the answer is “No,” which would mean that the celebration of Hanukkah was a “tradition” handed down outside of Scripture. However, Hanukkah is part of the Septuagint, which was the Old Testament used all the way up to the Reformation (15th century). During the Reformation, Martin Luther removed nine books of the Old Testament including the books that described Hanukkah (he also wanted to remove “James” in the New Testament but was talked out of it). Initially, he simply moved them to the back of the Old Testament, but in our day protestant Bibles are printed without these books.

Hanukkah is a celebration started and described in first and second Maccabees. It celebrates the cleansing of the Temple after Gentiles defiled it. If you argue that Maccabees isn’t Scripture, then you have to concede that the Jews handed down some of their beliefs orally (in reality, you must believe this anyway, because none of the Old Testament was written until Moses’ time and it wasn’t completed for centuries). Or, if you believe that Martin Luther didn’t have the authority to change the books of the Bible, then Maccabees is Scripture.

For a good overview of Hannukkah, read both books. However, you can see the celebration in 1 Maccabees 4 and 2 Maccabees 10. In particular, 2 Maccabees 10:8 notes that it was decided that the Jews would celebrate Hanukkah every year and Jewish people continue that tradition through our times.

It's unfortunate that most protestants lack historical knowledge about Scripture as well as Christian tradition. Of course, it has been argued many times that "To be deep in history is to cease to be a Protestant" (Cardinal Newman, a convert).

God bless,
Jay

UPDATE: It looks like Mel Gibson has selected his next Christian movie: The Maccabees. Here's an article on his plans.

This week's Catholic Carnival is now online. It's focused on Advent and provides a good overview of what Advent is and how we live it. I highly recommend you take a few minutes to read it.

God bless,
Jay

As many of you have heard, the mayor of Denver has effectively secularized Christmas. A church group wanted to march in the city's "Parade of Lights" (that just happens to coincide with the day we celebrate Christ's birth, apparently), but the mayor barred them, since Christmas carols may be offensive to some. Give me a break.

However, Michelle Malkin has found a wonderful way to protest in her Lump of Coal campaign. Essentially she is sending a lump of coal in a Christmas box to the mayor and asking others to do the same. This is a nice simple way to send Mayor Hickenlooper (I didn't make that one up) a message: Christmas is about Christ. If you don't like it, Mayor, then stop having parades!

The Mayor's address:

Mayor John W. Hickenlooper
Denver City and County Building
1437 Bannock Street, Suite 350
Denver, CO 80202

What a fine Christmas gift for Hickenlooper (I have this need to retype that name). Hat tip to Relapsed Catholic for the info.

God bless,
Jay

Hello Everyone! This is just a quick post to make all of you aware of a wonderful resource that is available online....that's right, it's the Catechism of the Catholic Church. I challenge all of you to take time to learn what the Catholic Church teaches and professes to believe. The link below will take you directly to this online version. I recommend using the Catechism of the Catholic Church Table of Contents with Paragraph Numbers feature. It will make looking things up a lot easier.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

I hope all of you are having a wonderful Advent season. You all remain in my prayers.

In Christ,
Joe

Although Catholics automatically understand the Advent season (they have lived it since their birth), non-Catholics are unlikely to understand exactly what Advent means or is. Advent is more than just a time of year, it is an anticipation of Christ Himself.

The word Advent is from the Greek for “coming” and is used to describe the four weeks preceding Christmas. There are always 4 Sundays in Advent, which begins typically on the last Sunday of November (this Sunday also represents the first day of a new Liturgical year). Advent is similar to Lent in that we are spiritually preparing for the coming of God; in this case, for His coming as the Christ Child. During this time Scriptural readings during Mass focus on Christ and our anticipation of His coming, both at the end of the season on Christmas Day and at the end of time.

So how do we prepare for Christ’s coming? Typically in several ways.

Personal Focus
Our focus shifts directly to the Holy Family, specifically on the coming of the Christ Child. When we pray we pay special attention to the birth and life of Christ as well as the purity of the Holy Family. In addition, this is the Year of the Eucharist, so extra focus will be made on the Eucharist and it’s role during our preparation for the coming of God.

During the preparation, Catholics go to confession and put special focus on personal holiness, so that we might be ready for Christ’s coming. Families include special practices that are meant to keep our eye on the goal: Christ Jesus.

Advent Wreath
The Advent Wreath is probably something most people have seen. Traditionally, it’s an evergreen wreath that sits on a table with four candles coming out of it – three purple and one pink. Each night candles are lit (one the first week, two the second, etc.), a reading is read, and prayers are said for the coming of Christ as well as for our families and the world during this holy time of year. The last week before Christmas, the pink candle, which represents our joy in God’s coming, is lit along with the purple candles.

There are many sets of potential readings that can be used; for example, my parish offers a booklet of Advent Wreath prayers every year that we use. For those with a family, the Advent Wreath is a perfect way to keep your family focused on God during a very materialistic time of year. The Wreath forces us to stop each day and spend time in preparation, which is the point of the Advent season.

The Jesse Tree
The Jesse Tree is another way to focus on Christ. It involves slowly creating a tree representing Christ’s lineage over four weeks time. It can be done using the literal family tree of Christ or by using spiritual “relatives” that prefigured some aspect of the Christian mystery. The Jesse Tree prepares us by focusing on the time before Christ’s arrival, so that the birth of Christ can better be understood. Personally, I’ve never done the Jesse Tree (I am a convert), but I plan on using it as my children get older.

The Nativity Scene
Typically, Catholics call this a “crèche,” but it is exactly what you’re thinking of. I prefer not including the baby Jesus in the Nativity scene until Christmas day – we leave it up through January 12th. Again, this is simply a visible reminder that this is Advent and we should be focusing on the birth of Christ.

Interestingly enough, the Nativity is one of the customs still practiced by many non-Catholics. In fact, this is the one time during the year that even Fundamentalists have a statue of Mary in their homes!

Conclusion
Advent is a time of preparation. By focusing on the coming of Christ, we can’t help but prepare our souls a little more for His final coming. During this time we pray, we help the poor, and we work on the state of our lives. I invite all Christians to prepare with us for the coming of God.

God bless,
Jay