Ever wonder about the Nativity set shown during Christmas season on EWTN? It's a priceless gem of a creation made by the Fontanini family. Today, the fourth generation of Fontanini produces miniature (and not so miniature) sets depicting the Nativity of Jesus, as well as other miniature Bible scenes. Fontanini Nativities are comrised of lifelike figures that are handpainted in Bagni di Lucca, Italy.
I have admired these figurines for quite a while, but one of my new churches, the one where I attend daily mass, has an original, the figurines are about 18 inch scale. I know this set had to cost $20,000. But it's so beautiful. Mother Angelica always said that the Lord should have better than 'good enough'. Which is why her network always thrives. Apparently, someone donated this set to this parish, obviously, someone who cared deeply. About our Lord, and about our Church.
God Bless You.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Bethlehem star
Last night, as I was laying down to sleep, watching EWTN, I saw a documentary on the Star of Bethlehem.
The style was sort of like something you'd see on Discovery Channel, but the narrator, a lawyer, Rick Larson, walks us through evidence. The stars are like a clock, moving with precise mathematical movements, which were figured out by Kepler, but he could never have done it all in his head. Besides, he had the wrong date. So Larson takes us through history and shows why the date was wrong, and how early tradition shows the right date, then using a planetarium software called Starry Night, rolls the centuries back to that date, and shows how the stars do what was prophesied, and how it all fits together. Then, using the same technique, he shows the day Christ was crucified. And he shows the dates, and how the wise men gleaned all this information. It was so mind-boggling, I'm at a loss to explain coherently. Go to www.bethlehemstar.net to find out more. The hour long documentary is very cheap, and they discount for quantity, so you know it's not a money-making venture. It's very well thought out and documented with footnotes.
I highly recommend this program.
The style was sort of like something you'd see on Discovery Channel, but the narrator, a lawyer, Rick Larson, walks us through evidence. The stars are like a clock, moving with precise mathematical movements, which were figured out by Kepler, but he could never have done it all in his head. Besides, he had the wrong date. So Larson takes us through history and shows why the date was wrong, and how early tradition shows the right date, then using a planetarium software called Starry Night, rolls the centuries back to that date, and shows how the stars do what was prophesied, and how it all fits together. Then, using the same technique, he shows the day Christ was crucified. And he shows the dates, and how the wise men gleaned all this information. It was so mind-boggling, I'm at a loss to explain coherently. Go to www.bethlehemstar.net to find out more. The hour long documentary is very cheap, and they discount for quantity, so you know it's not a money-making venture. It's very well thought out and documented with footnotes.
I highly recommend this program.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Keep Christ in Christmas
For as long as I can remember, the local TV station (of course, in New Orleans, where I'm from, that was run by the Jesuits!) would periodically run, during the holidays, a PSA message reminding us to keep Christ in your Christmas. But I cannot tell you how blind we are to the lack of Christ in the Christmas season.
Last night, my wife and I were out delivering presents, admittedly not going very far, but driving 10 miles, admiring the light shows some people had out, I noticed only one outdoor nativity scene.
Well, it all starts in your heart (and mine). This year, we rejected consumerism. Oh, we gave gifts. Baked cookies and divinity candy and sent them across country, locals got a cheesecake. Mostly, the ingredients cost less than $7 per package, and that mostly for wrapping. But the point is that it came from the heart, not from a wide-open wallet. Instead of choosing something from a catalog with very little thought, and having it sent, we made our gifts, wrapped them, packaged them and sent them. The wise men gave what they had, and they gave from their heart. They gave something they wanted to give because they wanted to. You shouldn't give yourself presents, as some commercials have touted (notably the Cadillac commercial), unless you are asked.
All this materialism, all this consumerism, all this me-ism. I want. Why? Because I want it. Well, this world is not about us. It's about God. God told us what he wants, it's in Exodus 20, and summarized by Jesus. Love God, and love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus even cajoles us to love others more than ourselves.
I took this principle into my heart in the last few years. I gave up my attachment to pornography three years ago. That includes the pornography in advertisement and public television, as well as 'men's' magazines and internet porn.
I gave up my attachment to smoking three months ago.
Some people say that it's very hard to give up attachments, but it's not so hard if you just allow Christ to take over your heart. I smoked for 40 years. I had society's attitude about feminine beauty for at least that long. Three years ago I started allowing Jesus to have my heart. Many attachments have just dropped by the wayside. He's deeper in my heart every day.
Start today. Pray to Jesus to take your attachment and replace it with his love. Try understanding what Jesus means in my previous post about Yoked...you see, a yoke is meant to be born by two beasts, you...and Jesus.
Last night, my wife and I were out delivering presents, admittedly not going very far, but driving 10 miles, admiring the light shows some people had out, I noticed only one outdoor nativity scene.
Well, it all starts in your heart (and mine). This year, we rejected consumerism. Oh, we gave gifts. Baked cookies and divinity candy and sent them across country, locals got a cheesecake. Mostly, the ingredients cost less than $7 per package, and that mostly for wrapping. But the point is that it came from the heart, not from a wide-open wallet. Instead of choosing something from a catalog with very little thought, and having it sent, we made our gifts, wrapped them, packaged them and sent them. The wise men gave what they had, and they gave from their heart. They gave something they wanted to give because they wanted to. You shouldn't give yourself presents, as some commercials have touted (notably the Cadillac commercial), unless you are asked.
All this materialism, all this consumerism, all this me-ism. I want. Why? Because I want it. Well, this world is not about us. It's about God. God told us what he wants, it's in Exodus 20, and summarized by Jesus. Love God, and love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus even cajoles us to love others more than ourselves.
I took this principle into my heart in the last few years. I gave up my attachment to pornography three years ago. That includes the pornography in advertisement and public television, as well as 'men's' magazines and internet porn.
I gave up my attachment to smoking three months ago.
Some people say that it's very hard to give up attachments, but it's not so hard if you just allow Christ to take over your heart. I smoked for 40 years. I had society's attitude about feminine beauty for at least that long. Three years ago I started allowing Jesus to have my heart. Many attachments have just dropped by the wayside. He's deeper in my heart every day.
Start today. Pray to Jesus to take your attachment and replace it with his love. Try understanding what Jesus means in my previous post about Yoked...you see, a yoke is meant to be born by two beasts, you...and Jesus.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Routine
It's easy for routine to become routine if you don't put your heart in it. Just think of all the routine things we do every day. Athletes do countless repetitions in the weight room, script plays, etc. Stage actors rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. We wake up and go to sleep at the same time. The routine of family life. People actually leave marriages because they get bored with the routine.
And we Catholics go to Mass, which can sound the same every time.
But routine is not a bad thing. In fact, routines can be comforting. Imagine if you're a team that needs a win to make the playoffs. It's late in the fourth quarter, you're down by 3. It's snowing, the wind is blowing, your players are injured and cold, and tired. The coach calls a play. It's probably going to be a play you have practiced dozens of times. Of course it is. That way, you can just let instinct take over, and the chances of success are much better.
The same is true with the Mass. Imagine, you're in a foreign country, or mass is being celebrated in a foreign language. (For example, you go to mass for Our Lady of Guadalupe, with a special 90-year-old presider who does the mass totally in Spanish...) You could zone out, but if you remember that Mass is how heaven and earth connect (remember we pray WITH the angels and saints...), you've been paying attention, and you can mentally recite the Liturgy of the Eucharist while the presider says it in Spanish, so you don't lose the meaning. Traveling in a foreign country, you have the same thing.
May I suggest that we all pay more attention to the words and the meaning of the liturgy of the Mass, learn it, love it, and live it? Our Lord died for it. Don't we owe him at least a few minutes each day?
And we Catholics go to Mass, which can sound the same every time.
But routine is not a bad thing. In fact, routines can be comforting. Imagine if you're a team that needs a win to make the playoffs. It's late in the fourth quarter, you're down by 3. It's snowing, the wind is blowing, your players are injured and cold, and tired. The coach calls a play. It's probably going to be a play you have practiced dozens of times. Of course it is. That way, you can just let instinct take over, and the chances of success are much better.
The same is true with the Mass. Imagine, you're in a foreign country, or mass is being celebrated in a foreign language. (For example, you go to mass for Our Lady of Guadalupe, with a special 90-year-old presider who does the mass totally in Spanish...) You could zone out, but if you remember that Mass is how heaven and earth connect (remember we pray WITH the angels and saints...), you've been paying attention, and you can mentally recite the Liturgy of the Eucharist while the presider says it in Spanish, so you don't lose the meaning. Traveling in a foreign country, you have the same thing.
May I suggest that we all pay more attention to the words and the meaning of the liturgy of the Mass, learn it, love it, and live it? Our Lord died for it. Don't we owe him at least a few minutes each day?
Monday, December 15, 2008
Ways of sinning without doing anything wrong (yourself)
Back on the election results and Catholics not voting like Catholics, I watched Fr. Corapi Saturday evening speaking on the message of Fatima. This showing was several years old, as are most of Fr. Corapi's showings on EWTN.
But boy, was it poigniant? Having everything to do with how we voted a month and a half ago!
I knew that you could sin in your thoughts (such as looking lustfully at a provocatively dressed woman or surfing pornography on the net), but did you know there were 9 ways of committing a sin by being idle? Here they are:
1. Counsel: Giving advice or direction to the evil-doer;
2. Command: Ordering or inducing another to commit sin;
3. Consent: approving of the sin, before or after its act;
4. Provocation: Inciting or urging one to commit sin;
5. Praise or flattery: Inciting or urging one to commit sin by praise;
6. Concealment: helping one to commit sin by offering to conceal the crime;
7. Partnership: Sharing the fruits of another’s sin;
8. Silence: Not speaking out when we should, or not acting to prevent sin when obliged;
9. Defending evil: Attempting to justify the evil actions of others.
So how many times have you heard "I'm personally opposed to abortion, but I think it's a woman's right to choose..." So you're safe by never having abortion, but if you never speak against it, don't vote against someone who historically did nothing to stop it, tell someone that you won't judge if they choose to have an abortion, pay for someone to have an abortion, assist someone by driving them to the abortion clinic, or tell people why someone who's pro-abortion should be placed into office...guess what?
It seems to me that the lines to go to confession should be getting longer and longer. I'll be there before you, because I didn't do enough to educate my fellow Catholics on this issue.
But boy, was it poigniant? Having everything to do with how we voted a month and a half ago!
I knew that you could sin in your thoughts (such as looking lustfully at a provocatively dressed woman or surfing pornography on the net), but did you know there were 9 ways of committing a sin by being idle? Here they are:
1. Counsel: Giving advice or direction to the evil-doer;
2. Command: Ordering or inducing another to commit sin;
3. Consent: approving of the sin, before or after its act;
4. Provocation: Inciting or urging one to commit sin;
5. Praise or flattery: Inciting or urging one to commit sin by praise;
6. Concealment: helping one to commit sin by offering to conceal the crime;
7. Partnership: Sharing the fruits of another’s sin;
8. Silence: Not speaking out when we should, or not acting to prevent sin when obliged;
9. Defending evil: Attempting to justify the evil actions of others.
So how many times have you heard "I'm personally opposed to abortion, but I think it's a woman's right to choose..." So you're safe by never having abortion, but if you never speak against it, don't vote against someone who historically did nothing to stop it, tell someone that you won't judge if they choose to have an abortion, pay for someone to have an abortion, assist someone by driving them to the abortion clinic, or tell people why someone who's pro-abortion should be placed into office...guess what?
It seems to me that the lines to go to confession should be getting longer and longer. I'll be there before you, because I didn't do enough to educate my fellow Catholics on this issue.
Leaving Mass early
Last Friday, I went to daily mass, as I do most every day. The mass went long because it was the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Our Mexican bretheren can be very ardorous in their devotion. I suspected that Mass would be longer than normal, and that I would be late for work.
Then, on Saturday evening, I noticed a family leaving Mass directly after receiving the Lord in communion. It was so easy, because the EM serving the precious blood stands near the side door to the parking lot. Note: I've seen the same family do this every time I've seen them at Mass, so it's not due to the Christmas season or parties, or whatever.
Personally, I never attend Mass with an exit strategy. If I cannot stay for the end, I go a different time. I do understand that things happen, but...My question, for your consideration and comment: Is it acceptible (to you, not judging others) to leave Mass before the priest pronounces "Ite, missa est."
Then, on Saturday evening, I noticed a family leaving Mass directly after receiving the Lord in communion. It was so easy, because the EM serving the precious blood stands near the side door to the parking lot. Note: I've seen the same family do this every time I've seen them at Mass, so it's not due to the Christmas season or parties, or whatever.
Personally, I never attend Mass with an exit strategy. If I cannot stay for the end, I go a different time. I do understand that things happen, but...My question, for your consideration and comment: Is it acceptible (to you, not judging others) to leave Mass before the priest pronounces "Ite, missa est."
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Went to Daily Mass this morning for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. It's rather difficult to attend Mass when the language is different, but I found myself saying the priest's part in my brain to keep me focussed on the Eucharist and the Mass as Heaven on Earth.
Thanks to Our Lady for showing herself first in the Americas, and showing us who's really the important people to our Lord-the poor and afflicted. May this understanding of why our Lady appears to children and the poor infuse itself into our hearts during this period of mass consumption, the secular holiday of Christmas.
Thanks to Our Lady for showing herself first in the Americas, and showing us who's really the important people to our Lord-the poor and afflicted. May this understanding of why our Lady appears to children and the poor infuse itself into our hearts during this period of mass consumption, the secular holiday of Christmas.
Yoked
Dec 10th's gospel reading about "Come to me all you weary and heavily laden, and I will give you rest." really touches me especially at this time of year.
All the advertising is about buy this and buy that to make someone (or yourself) happy. The car commercial where the guy is muttering about the great toys he got as a kid, and now as an adult, all he got was a sweater-vest, so he went out and bought a shiny new car. The video games, the latest LCD TV. Ad nauseaum.
I used to be like that. I got so selfish and self-centered that I thought it was OK to watch some of the tripe on TV and on the internet, and eventually separated myself from my family.Well, I got slapped upside the head, as we all do sometimes, and as we all need sometimes.
But I was shown Christ's love, his better way. He opened his arms to us and promised that, if we accept his yoke, he will help us bear it. I still have a long way to go, but recently, I finally gave up my attachment to cigarettes (after 40 years of smoking) just by trusting in Jesus and letting him help me through the initial period. There are still moments when I crave, or give in, but they are so few and far between. I just have to know that when I smoke, I'm not trusting Him enough.
I go through daily purification since becoming Catholic almost 3 years ago, and look for some way, every day, to give up those sinful attachments, one a day, every day.
All the advertising is about buy this and buy that to make someone (or yourself) happy. The car commercial where the guy is muttering about the great toys he got as a kid, and now as an adult, all he got was a sweater-vest, so he went out and bought a shiny new car. The video games, the latest LCD TV. Ad nauseaum.
I used to be like that. I got so selfish and self-centered that I thought it was OK to watch some of the tripe on TV and on the internet, and eventually separated myself from my family.Well, I got slapped upside the head, as we all do sometimes, and as we all need sometimes.
But I was shown Christ's love, his better way. He opened his arms to us and promised that, if we accept his yoke, he will help us bear it. I still have a long way to go, but recently, I finally gave up my attachment to cigarettes (after 40 years of smoking) just by trusting in Jesus and letting him help me through the initial period. There are still moments when I crave, or give in, but they are so few and far between. I just have to know that when I smoke, I'm not trusting Him enough.
I go through daily purification since becoming Catholic almost 3 years ago, and look for some way, every day, to give up those sinful attachments, one a day, every day.
Catholics-starting over
Recently, my wife and I made the decision to change parishes. This decision was based on the pastor, who doesn't teach the faith correctly. He's a liberal who openly voted for Barack Obama. No, he didn't vote for him because he's pro-abortion. But he did vote for Barack Obama. As a faithful Catholic who strongly believes everything the Church teaches and tries to live it, we know that abortion is inherently evil, that euthanasia is inherently evil, that embryonic stem-cell research, cloning and gay marriage are never right. So how could any real Catholic vote for Barack Obama?
The very fact that Mr. Obama opposes all the 5 non-negotiables the Catholic Church professes, to me, negates any reason to vote for him.So after three years of trying to support this pastor in all ministries-as a lector, a Eucharistic Minister of Holy Communion, a daily Mass goer, sacristan, RCIA catechist, and financial supporter, we left.God led us to a more faithful parish. The parishioners, I'm told, are quite liberal, but the pastor preaches on faith and morals. He agrees with the Church.
•We sometimes hear the phrase, “cultural Catholic.” It reminds me of the “kosher style” restaurants in certain Jewish neighborhoods. The food looks and tastes kosher, but it is not kosher, and no observant Jew would eat in one. A person who insists on claiming Catholic identity while proclaiming any doctrine inconsistent with Catholic faith is a heretic.
•CCC 837 “Fully incorporated into the society of the Church are those who, possessing the Spirit of Christ, accept all the means of salvation given to the Church together with her entire organization, and those who -- by the bonds constituted by the profession of faith, the sacraments, ecclesiastical government, and communion -- are joined in the visible structure of the Church of Christ, who rules her through the Supreme Pontiff and the bishops. Even though incorporated into the Church, one who does not however persevere in charity is not saved. He remains indeed in the bosom of the Church, but “in body” not “in heart.”
•A Catholic is a person united with the Pope in every matter of faith (love God) or morals (love one another). There is no such thing as a “dissident Catholic.” If a vice-president of the NAACP were suddenly found under a Ku Klux Klan bedsheet he would not be called a dissident civil rights leader. He’d be called into the president’s office, fired on the spot, and kicked out the door.
We Catholics are called to treat with kindness those who oppose us, but in the end a Catholic is defined by his beliefs.
The very fact that Mr. Obama opposes all the 5 non-negotiables the Catholic Church professes, to me, negates any reason to vote for him.So after three years of trying to support this pastor in all ministries-as a lector, a Eucharistic Minister of Holy Communion, a daily Mass goer, sacristan, RCIA catechist, and financial supporter, we left.God led us to a more faithful parish. The parishioners, I'm told, are quite liberal, but the pastor preaches on faith and morals. He agrees with the Church.
•We sometimes hear the phrase, “cultural Catholic.” It reminds me of the “kosher style” restaurants in certain Jewish neighborhoods. The food looks and tastes kosher, but it is not kosher, and no observant Jew would eat in one. A person who insists on claiming Catholic identity while proclaiming any doctrine inconsistent with Catholic faith is a heretic.
•CCC 837 “Fully incorporated into the society of the Church are those who, possessing the Spirit of Christ, accept all the means of salvation given to the Church together with her entire organization, and those who -- by the bonds constituted by the profession of faith, the sacraments, ecclesiastical government, and communion -- are joined in the visible structure of the Church of Christ, who rules her through the Supreme Pontiff and the bishops. Even though incorporated into the Church, one who does not however persevere in charity is not saved. He remains indeed in the bosom of the Church, but “in body” not “in heart.”
•A Catholic is a person united with the Pope in every matter of faith (love God) or morals (love one another). There is no such thing as a “dissident Catholic.” If a vice-president of the NAACP were suddenly found under a Ku Klux Klan bedsheet he would not be called a dissident civil rights leader. He’d be called into the president’s office, fired on the spot, and kicked out the door.
We Catholics are called to treat with kindness those who oppose us, but in the end a Catholic is defined by his beliefs.
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