Reclaiming the True Meaning of Christmas: The True St. Nicholaus

Hello again everyone! First off let me start by saying Merry Christmas (yes, still within the twelve days, so this is still a valid greeting)! I pray that the birth of Christ is filling all with a renewed hope. In most recent post I wrote a short piece on the writings of St. Leo the great. The idea of that post was a reminder to myself and others that Christ is to be the center of Christmas.

The message transcends time. It is not just simply celebrating the event. No, we must accept Christ into our hearts. The new born Christ must now be given a place at the inn, for if we do not open our hearts to Him, we leave Him cold like He was that night. I say this especially for myself.

It is there that we can really truly reclaim what the the season is. That being said there are things that stem from it as well. So today I want to talk about Santa Claus, sort of. By this I mean to try as much as possible to unwrap (forgive the pun here) who the man behind the suit is. Yes we have the cultural image of Santa Claus, Chris Kringle, or Jolly Old St. Nick, but there was a real person behind this. No he did not have reindeer or live in the North Pole or even come down chimneys, but there is a reason for the character.

The real person was actually a bishop. A man now canonized as Saint Nicholas. But who was he and why is he honored?

The reality is that very little is known about him. All that is really known about him is that he was a fourth century bishop in Myra which is in Lycia, in Asia minor. The real famous story about him has to do with his charity towards a singular man (not to say that the bishop was not charitible to anyone else but this story is seemingly the best known). The man who Saint Nicholaus helped was a poor man who was unable to find appropriate suiters for his daughters of marrying age. Rather than see them sold off into prostitution, Nicholas secretly threw a bag of gold through the window on three different occasions. As a result, the man's daughters were able to get married.

Later on, this story evolved into the traditions of gift giving on St. Nicholas' feast. Eventually the name Santa Claus was born from a twist of tongue. Which brings me to the real man himself and what he exemplifies.

In this season of giving we have to remember why we give. You see we are not to give for the purposes of receiving. Instead, the giving is out of love towards the other. It is a sincere charity of heart. And that really is the example that Nicholas sets. That and the love of the poor preached by Christ.

So now, as we contemplate why we give, let us remember the true St. Nicholas. A bishop leading a holy life by God's grace and prompted by charity to serve the other with nothing in it for himself. It was Saint Francis who said, "it is in giving that we receive," because we often find that we receive more than we give. But the goal is to give without getting anything back. Friends, let us remember this during Christmas and always.

Reclaiming the Reason for the Season

It has indeed been a long time since I posted last. This situation however presents me with the perfect time to post again.

We are now just about at Christmas. For us as Christians, the advent season which almost complete is for preparation for the celebration of Christmas. That is to prayerfully prepare for the profound mystery of Word Incarnate coming into the world in Bethlehem.

I write this in part, because I am most guilty of not prayerfully prepairing myself to recieve and celebrate this mystery. Luckily for me, I had one of the times where the right things were discussed at the right time.

In this case it was a discussion on the Incarnation taken from the sermons of St. Leo the Great. In these sermons, the great pontiff brings to life the mystery and majesty of Christ's entry into the world. He does while imploring the faith to act on and deepen their understanding of the mystery.

And so now, touched by the sword of Truth, I am now graced to write this. It is my blessing to say that by God's grace, I will have a deeper apprecialtion for the Blessed Lord's nativity. And in writing this, I hope that it will encourage all.

With such a short time to go, it is important for us all to prayerfully prepare ourselves to receive the mystery of the savior's birth in Manger. Likewise you should bring us to prayerful meditation of the nativity during the Christmas season to come.

The way we start is by remembering what the season is all about. It is simply put about Christ. In these sermons, St. Leo reminds us who the Christ child is. To paraphrase the great saint (although if I incidentally direct quote him, there will be citation at the end of this), Christ is the Word who "in the beginning was with God and is God. (John:1,1)" He tells us that Christ becomes human without losing any of His divinity.

Indeed it is. Christ by His design deined to become human. In one sermon St. Leo tells us that to defeat the work of Satan, Christ had to become human. He had to be the creature born free of original sin. In so doing defeating the fall.

And there's more. In fact it so much and so packed that I think the best plan is to read them for yourselves. Leo unravels the mystery of God becoming man. That Christ took flesh but remained divine. And yet being human, elivates our very nature. And most importantly he urges us to act upon and meditate on the message of Christmas.

So what do we conclude? We must remember that at the heart of Christmas is Christ. That it is His birth we laud. It is His first act of humility. Once again I paraphrase St. Leo, that Christ had to be Divine to be our remidy and human to be our example. Brothers and sisters in Christ, this is the message we are to carry. This is the message to meditate on. Christ, Son of the Living God was born of the Virgin Mary on Christmas Day. All praise and honor to Him.

So now, despite this being all too brief, please let us reclaim the reason for the season.

Resources: http://newadvent.org/fathers/3603.htm (sermons 21-23 were of particular help) (sermons 21-29 are Christmas sermons)

The Fruit of Surrender: My Personal Journey to Manhood

I recently finished a post about surrender. In it I tried to lay down, however limited I am, an outline of the reasons why surrendering to the will of God is the ultimate answer and the path to true freedom. As I often do, I think it fell short. Sure, it is worth the read, but there is so much depth to this.

Having established that, in an act of providence I have another chance to reflect on this, but this time more personal. It is my own experience in which I have this opportunity.

To this point, this has been the best summer I have ever had. Sure it has had its challenges and little stresses. Sure, I am still on the job hunt, which can be very stressful. That being said, the growth I have experienced is without question and an amazing testament to the power of God. It is also a testimony to the freedom of surrendering to Him.

I consider the beginning of my summer to be right after graduation. It was a great time for me. I was happy to be done with academics and it seemed like things were going really well. I felt like I was really satisfied with where things in life were. I felt like I was on the right path, but it turned out I was wrong.

I suffered from a symptom called concupiscence. It is, simply put, the tendency to sin. It is one of the things about human nature that is hard to figure. I know sin is wrong, yet I do it anyway. It does not make much in the way of logical sense. In fact, if we use our reason, it makes no sense. This is when we come to the result of the stain of original sin, which is the fact that the will does not act in accordance with reason.

One of the things about sin, is that at some point we enjoy it. Some of them actually feel good, but that does not make them right. Things like the struggle for purity are challenging, because the sins against it feel good. The thing is the things of this world are, as I said in my other post on this subject, perishable and finite. The satisfaction that comes from many of the pleasures are temporary but the pain afterwards is often lasting.

The fact is that voluntary sin leads to disorder. Little did I realize how disordered I really was. Yes I was baptized as an adult and that cleanses me of sins from before then and gives me rebirth, but the scars accumulated from those sins did not go away. As I grew into the faith, I came to love the dogma and liturgy of the Church. The God of these things and the God of the bible is really God, but there is also a profound personal element to the experience. It is the meaning of a saying that states that "it is easier to love a God who you find for yourself." This is to say, each person should have an understanding of how God has worked in his or her life. In my case this was not a reflection I was making.

And so here I was gliding along. I needed to have a few curve balls thrown my way, which is what happened. I am not going to go into the exact specifics, but I will say that unfortunately Satan knows my weaknesses well. Luckily God does too, but Satan uses them for evil purpose. One thing I have been really blessed with are great friendships. These friendships are a method that God uses to bring me closer to him and it is my sincere prayer that I continue to bring others, including my friends closer to Him. Satan unfortunately has often used my care and love for the friends who God has put in my life as a gift to his advantage.

It is in this that the curve balls were thrown. These bumps revealed a deeper mess underneath the surface. Outwardly I was at peace, but inwardly, there was a war going on. My life was disordered. In these difficulties I saw the manifestation of the greater problem of concupiscence, which is the tendency to commit sin. Some things were things that dated back to before I converted. For some of my sins, in fact many, it took me years to even realize they were sins and took me entering into the faith for me to see some of these as truly problematic. And with some of the deeper seeded things, I maintained a certain obliviousness to them. It was here that God's grace intervened. God chose to show me directly how much damage there really was an how much I needed His healing presence.

Much of the struggle I had would be somewhat private, although part of my realization was that some of this had spilled over. It was Satan tried to make me feel overly guilty about. And while I owe my friends a ton for bearing patiently as I came through trials, I leave my debt to the love and mercy of God. The reality was that I needed to surrender. A part of that reality was that somewhere in me, I was unwilling to surrender. I had a hardness of heart. So I asked God to give me the willingness to surrender.

It was at the point that my answers came. As I started to truly surrender myself to Him, the fruits showed. My struggles became easier. I was facing up to things I had never really faced up to. I was realizing how fragile I am. Yet, I feel stronger than ever. God has greatly enriched me. With His work in my heart and His divine assistance, I am cultivating a better version of myself.

As I seek to become the man He intended me to be, I recognize that I must be a participant in His plan. As my roommate says, "playing ball" with Him. That is being open to Him and being ready to do His will. After all His will is perfect. I know I have a long ways to go, but I also recognize how far He has already brought me. This gives me both a persistence in trying to strengthen my relationship with Him, to grow in holiness, and to grow as a person and the patience to know that what God gives me today is sufficient. Overcoming challenges and personal character defects is not something that occurs overnight, but rather a process. It is something that takes time. That being said, I am excited because of the work God has done and is doing. I pray that I continue to be willing to surrender so that His work continues and He is glorified.

To this end I cannot take credit for any of the growth or freedom I am now experience. It is God working in me that is causing this to happen. It is after all God's grace that revealed to me how much I need His presence. Likewise, the peace I am experiencing is not my own. It is rather a peace that is founded in and on God. God has given it to me as gift. There is no greater freedom then to feel my will aligning with His. And for these ends I praise Him.

St. Maria Goretti: A Story of Courage, Reconcilliation, and the Value of Chastity

On this day, July 6, the Church celebrates the feast of Saint Maria Goretti. Her story is familiar to some. She was twelve years old when she was martyred defending her virginity. There are some who'll read this and not be familiar with the full story. It is worth telling for in it we are reminded that human sexuality is a treasured gift. We also see the power of forgiveness. Lastly, we will see redemption is the most beautiful form.

Maria was born in Corinaldo, Ancona, Italy on October 16, 1890. Her father moved the family to a town near Anzio. The family struggled with poverty. When she was young, Maria's father died of Malaria. Her mother struggled to feed the family. The neighbors had a son named Alexander. In 1902, Alexander, then 18, grabbed Maria from behind and tried to rape her. Maria told Alexander she'd rather die. He responded by stabbing her.

This point should give us pause. This young lady understood the value of her purity. She was unwilling to be so dishonored. That being said, it is very difficult to have courage in the face of death. For rape victims, it is important to remember that it was the other person who violated you and that it is no fault of yours. This is why Maria is the patroness of rape victims.

Having laid out this important little tidbit, it still is a remarkable example of just how much value our sexuality holds. She sets an example (in the extreme as many do) of the fact that this is not a gift to be neglected, but rather cherished and protected. This stands for men as well. It is important that men truly protect the dignity of women. Alexander is a man who was ready to deface it, as far too many are. Men should see the beauty of a woman as the human manifestation of the beauty of God. Thus men will be filled with a greater level of respect and things like this will not occur.

That being said, I digress. The story does not end there. On her death bed Maria forgave Alexander for the deed. Yes that is right, she forgave the man who killed her. In this she offers us an example of forgiveness rarely seen. Remember Christ said, "forgive them Father for they know not what they do," when he was about to be crucified.

Yet there is another part to this story. This is where the power of forgiveness comes in and this is where the intercession of the saints in Heaven is displayed. It is also redemptive in its quality. Alexander, the man who committed the act was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He remained unrepentant for years. One night Maria came to him in a dream. He was in a garden and she brought him flowers. When he woke up, he repented. On the day of her canonization, he was present in Vatican square in tears. That is right, the man who had once committed murder was shedding tears of joy for the person he once killed was now recognized as a saint.

His is the story of redemption. Also it highlights the fact that Maria's forgiveness reached beyond death. Through her intercession, Alexander was brought back to the mercy of God. Thus also we are again reminded of the love God has for us all. We are His children and we have just to run to Him and He embraces us. Alexander was not only reconciled but he also experienced authentic conversion. He experienced sincere repentance. The power of this is beyond measure.

So there you have it. The story of an extraordinary young woman and the story of the man who took her life. Displayed in it are the virtue of courage, the grace of forgiveness, and the utter redemptive power of God. Let us bear in mind these things throughout this day and always. Saint Maria Goretti, patron saint of virgins and rape victims, pray for us!

facts courtesy of this web page: http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=78

The Redeeming Value and Message of a Movie: "61*"

I was watching baseball recently and my attention was brought back to the legendary summer of 1961. In that year, two Yankees, Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle put together one of the greatest seasons any pair of teammates put together. It also turned into the great home run race (this was until 1998).

It was 1998 and the memories that it brought back for those old enough that inspired Billy Crystal, a big Yankee fan to direct a movie entitled 61*. The movie was a historical fiction that brought the magic of that season back to life.

Also brought back to life in the movie was the fact that Maris was not well-received. At this point you may be wondering why I would write about a secular movie on a Catholic blog. The fact is that this movie actually contains a certain redemptive value. I think it is something that can make us conscious in our own morality. It also something we can bring to the society in general.

How so? As you watch the movie (which I recently did for the first time in a while), we see the plot unfold around one of the movie's two central characters, Roger Maris (the other being Mickey Mantle). As the movie unfolds, Maris becomes in a certain sense the hero of the movie. It is in him becoming the hero that the redeeming value comes forward.

At the time of the chase, Roger Maris was the unwanted hero. To Yankee fans who at points in the 1961 season booed him, and to the country, Roger Maris was not "the right man" to break the record. His big problem was that he was a quiet down home man. He was a faithful husband and a good father who preferred time with his family over time in public. He was often very private and very shy. In terms of the game, he was businesslike. He wanted to go out and just play. He was a good player who did not want to play for accolades or recognition. For this reason, people rooted against him. There attitude was this: how dare this "colorless" man break the great Babe Ruth's record?

This is exactly why having be the hero of the movie is so perfectly redeeming. In this hyper materialistic world, Maris is the antithesis. He was humble in that he did not go about bragging about his skills and showed humility in never looking for or asking for attention. Part of the reason that he was perceived as surly is because he often deflected the attention.

More to the point, Maris was a faithful and loving husband as well as a devoted father. He was man who tried his hardest to balance his vocation and his family life. He suggested to his wife having a house in New York so he could be closer to her and the kids, but the Maris family could not afford it.

There in lies the value. You see in this sense, he was not the charismatic hero, but he is a hero because he did not want to be. He was a good family man and that is something to aspire to. He was humble, which is a quality that all should exhibit, particularly Christians. He showed humility in the way he carried himself which we all must reflect.

So let us Christians and men in particular reflect upon these values. Let us aspire to them. Let us reclaim heroic virtue. Let us walk in humbleness and reflect humility. Let us be devoted God and to our fellows. Lastly an most importantly let us reflect Maris' greatest virtue, his courage which he displayed. Let us with the same courage against the trends of society walk on the path of holiness and righteousness.

The Answer: Surrender

I recently listened again to the marvelous homily given by Bishop Slattery at the Pontifical High Mass at the Basilica National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C.. In his homily the Bishop talked about suffering. He talked how suffering can reveal the mercy of God. His meditations may be the best I've heard on the subject (it's up there for sure). The homily can be found at this link (originally posted by Cleansing Fire) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_IW4lFjHh0. Part two can found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvsUXTvzSgQ&feature=related. The other thing that Bishop Slattery states so well. He talks of the obedience with which we become true disciples of Christ. This is to be obedient to the Father with the obedience of Christ.

It is this upon which I now meditate. One of the things my housemate and I has discussed often is the way to freedom. As it is termed, absolute freedom under the law. What does this mean? To many in society, freedom is being able to do what we like, but to the Christian, freedom is, as John Paul II stated so well, "the ability to do what we must." In simple layman's terms, do the right thing. In our terms, right action, guided by right reason. These are things ordered by God.

So what is this freedom? This freedom can only be achieved one way, surrender. For those that are reading and scratching their heads, that was not a typo. It may not make sense to some. In fact, it may seem backwards. The fact is that it is the truth. Jesus says "Deny yourself daily, pick up your cross, and follow me." He calls us to drop everything and follow him. As the good bishop said in his homily, the things of this world "are perishable and finite." We cannot grow connected to these things. The balance is to be part of this world and yet not. We must engage the world but not become enslaved by its temptations. Instead we as Christians have to turn to God and that which is imperishable and infinite. It is essential to remember that our hope is not in this world but rather in the next.

So what does this really mean? How am a connecting the bishop's homily to surrender? Well the answer is simple: one way we become obedient to God is to surrender to His will. Sometimes he allows us to go through times of difficulty. It is up to us to accept these and unite our suffering with that of Christ. As the bishop said, "Christ reveals Himself to those who suffer in Christ." What I am really going to try and hammer home is the relationship of our obedience to what this freedom is.

On the cross, Christ made the supreme sacrifice for all. He took the sins of humanity upon Himself. His blood is the blood of our redemption. Then he broke from the powers of death and was fully resurrected in His bodily form. Thus bringing about the restoration of life. The result of sin is the death of the soul, but for one who abides in Christ, he or she is freed from the death.

Our desires on their own, save for our desire for God, are disordered. By the stain of original sin, our will does not act in accord with our reason. Our reason will tell us that God's will is perfect and that we have to submit to it. Our will however, will tell us it is too painful. Sometimes that submission can be painful. Often times we have to give up on certain things we feel matter. That being said, the reward that awaits in heaven for he who patiently bears his trials is beyond imagination.

Christ set the example of love and obedience by His sacrifice on the cross. He made His most sacred heart open and available so that we open our hearts to God. God's love for us is so strong, that if we let Him in, He will keep us close. The fact is that He gives us more than we need.

The fruit of our obedience is to experience more fully this love. To have the freedom from worldly desires and to have them become godly desires is more fruitful than secularists realize. The thing to remember is that this is true freedom. It is a freedom from the enslavement of sin.

As good as it may feel for one to give into selfish desires, they are not truly fulfilling. The true fulfillment comes from God. It is in this that obedience shows its fruit. Christ's action of obedience was to die, and so to must ours. This death is not a physical one, but rather a death to self. Thus by surrendering ourselves entirely to God, we render ourselves His servants and thus become more loving of those around us. By surrendering to God, we are filled with every goodness, even in those moments that are most painful (this is when God is our comfort). Lastly surrender to God brings the greatest level of joy. I can speak to it personally, and countless others will testify to the same.

Further Reflection On the Church's Teaching on Sexuality

I would like to continue reflecting on the Church's teachings on sexuality. My focus now shifts to John Paul II's Theology of the Body (TB). I am going to focus my attention on the writing of Christopher West. West is a noted Catholic theologian and has spent expansive amount of time studying the TB and is one of the preeminent authors on the subject. As he has spent more and more time researching this great work, he has gained tremendous insight into the meaning of the TB. To call his knowledge extensive would be an understatement. As a result of his insight, West has written a number of articles about the TB.

In one of his articles, entitled "What is the Theology of the Body & Why is it Changing so Many Lives?" West gives us a view into one of the most deep and beautiful things that we have at our disposal. West talks of the approach of the TB, which is to "shift the discussion from legalism ("How far can I go before I break the law?") to liberty ("What's the truth that sets me free to love?")." West hits the collective nail on the head not only for John Paul II's approach to the TB, but also in the way we must approach the Church's teaching on sexuality. The reason we must do so is as West states, because "the often repressive approach of previous generations of Christians (usually silence or, at most, “don’t do it”) is largely responsible for the cultural jettison of the Church’s teaching on sex."

The beauty of the TB that West so wonderfully brings to light is that it reaffirms the Church's teaching on sexuality while also changing the way it is approached. West emphasizes that John Paul reflected on this not only from scripture, but from human experience. The idea is to understand the practicality of this teaching. West goes on to say that "according to John Paul II, God created the body as a “sign” of his own divine mystery. This is why he speaks of the body as a “theology,” a study of God."

It is in this understanding that Christians in general and Catholics in particular get a deeper and greater grasp of the teaching and why it is still valid. But what about those who have not come to believe? We live in a secular culture, which means that we must go beyond the theological, which is something I addressed in my last post about this subject. In fact West himself touches on it and refers to one of the beautiful things about the TB. The TB is something that goes beyond just theology. In bringing in the human experience, John Paul helps understand the authentic meaning of being human and how we can live out our lives in a way that is both happy and fulfilling (this is actually me paraphrasing the article).

West is again correct in stating that society has distorted many people's viewpoints in order that they believe that sex before marriage is liberating. What has come from this and the often overly legalistic approach to sexuality is that people in a secular culture view the Church's sexual teachings as prudish and archaic. The fact is that nothing is further from the truth. Once again the approach is what matters.

As West continues, he sheds light on how the TB brings out the "nuptial meaning of the body." In this West brings to light that one of the central ideas of the TB was to help people understand how our sexuality is an expression of free, total, faithful, and fruitful love. If in sharing that gift we are not doing one of those things, then why are we having sex? The beauty of this is to go beyond just saying that sex is intended to be a reproductive act and not merely one for pleasure. It is to understand the uniqueness of human sexuality itself. That sex is not merely about the pleasure and enjoyment and likewise not only about procreation, but that the very act is full giving of oneself to the other. No other creature on earth has this gift. As West himself will attest, to understand this has enormous transformative power.

The message is one of such enormous beauty and fullness that it is bringing about a revolution. This is the central message of West's article and it is very true. The transformation is slow at first but it is catching. Like fire, it gains momentum. These truths which were being stomped out are now coming back. The body is once again seen as wonderful thing. The beautiful mystery that is the human body is reaffirmed in Christ himself. He gave himself on the cross as an offering of love. He did so freely, totally, and faithfully. In this sense, the marital covenant is taste of what is to come (again paraphrasing West). That in marriage, the offering of self is free, total, and faithful. That it is unique onto itself is something that goes without saying. That this is beyond just ordinary theology is an understatement. It is something beyond the mystic. It is power that has no equal. For more on this article and others by Christopher West, check out, http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/sexuality/se0109.html.

The Ascent of Mt. Carmel: St. John of the Cross Leads the way to Detachment

When I started this blog, I said that I would at times make a personal reflection on topics of interest to the faith. While I typically try and approach the faith from a more practical perspective, I cannot deny the mystic aspects of the faith, especially since my actual journey into the faith was in and of itself very mystical. The mystical aspects of faith for all who practice are both profound and personal. Each of us speaks to the graces we have received in a different way. We do so because God's grace impacts people differently and that is what makes each individual journey unique. So now, I am going to expand upon a familiar topic with a very personal touch.

The topic is detachment. Detachment is one of the most integral parts of being a servant of God and in particular, Catholic theology. The reason for its importance is what detachment is. True detachment is to empty oneself of desires and things that get in the way of the love God. Every person finds ways to distract themselves from God and prayer (I include myself more than anyone). The goal of the detachment is to rid oneself of these distractions so that person can grow closer to God.

St. John of the Cross is particularly important because he provides us with an example. He is often called the empty vessel. He calls his journey "The Ascent of Mount Carmel." For those unfamiliar Mount Carmel is where the prophet, Elijah is visited by God. The reason for calling John the empty vessel is that he empties himself of all things that are between him and God to grow closer with him (thus ascend). Mount Carmel is also known as the Mount of Perfection. To reach it's summit is to be perfected by God. In his ascent, all things that distracted him from God were weight on his shoulders. He stopped each time and emptied himself. We are called to do the same. Granted we must be careful as to not take it too far by eliminating the essential nature of the Sacraments (which some do) and the importance of showing reverence. At the same time, we must understand that some things done for the good can become attachments that lead us away from God.

In my own life, my understanding of St. John's theology has deepened by personal experience made possible by God's grace. I have by this grace reached a point where I understand detachment better and start to really partake of it. So this reflection is going to be personal but I hope it brings light to this subject. Once again, no credit goes to me. All the honor goes to God for it is His actions in my life and the way he works through my friends that this is possible.

My journey into true detachment only really started recently. Despite my best attempts not to, my intentions for doing for others sometimes slip into self glorification. I think almost anyone struggles with it, but it was of particular concern, because I am a servant of God. Everything I do should and must be directed towards Him. All I do for others needs to be for His greater glory. Because I have this knowledge my failings to do so have thus been magnified.

It was in this past year, that I really reached a crossroads. I had much on my mind and was allowing myself to get tightly wound, thus hiding my true self. Not to say being tightly wound was me being fake, because it was very real. At the same time, at my best, I am very easy going, relaxed, and laid back. In this mode, I am able to be more giving of myself and not have as much limitation. The thing was I was blocking that. Worse still there was a particular thing that I needed to let go of.

Try as I might, I was unable to do what I needed to do. My reasonable and rational approach was to pray. I asked God to help guide me. Things started to turn but there was still an inner struggle. The key was I was missing a piece. The piece I was missing was doing the right thing as an act of faithfulness to God. Without giving too much details, I talked with a friend about the struggle and that friend told me to remember that all I do is an act of faith in God. That was the key.

My new prayer to God included doing the right thing as an act of faith in Him. I did not know where it would lead, but I stopped trying to let go and was thus actually able to let go. I immediately felt a change. I was suddenly more relaxed and easy going again. I suddenly was happy with where my life was and not asking for more. I finally was seeking to do things with no return for me. Not to say I did not have times like this before, but there was something more permanent about it. I have everything I need, and ask no more.

For me this was detachment in a great form. Not to say I don't need more of it, because believe me I do, but to say this is not a huge stride in the right direction would be an error. This is my great blessing that I share. In my ascent up the mount of perfection this has allowed me to climb higher than I have ever been. The summit is still distant but it beckons. With the Lord, I have a yoke that is easy and a burden that is light. Upon realizing these things, I returned to St. John and read his meditations again. Thus I have gained greater understanding. I hope that by sharing the work of God's grace, I can shed light on it and shed greater light on this important practice. The prayer for detachment always starts with emptying ourselves of that which distracts us from God. It continues as we allow Him to lighten the load so that we can climb again. I so thankful to Him for all he has done directly and through the friends who aided me.

From Boyhood to Manhood

Almost everybody knows 1 Corinthians 13. It is the famous passage about love, but there is an often overlooked part of this passage. It is verse 11 of that chapter in which Saint Paul says, "When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. But, when I became a man, I put away the things of a child" (Douay-Rheims translation). So what does this all mean?

For me personally and for men in general this sums up the call to be real men. And what is real manhood? Real manhood is being a man who models himself in the image of Christ. Yes guys, it is true. Jesus is the best example of true manhood we have. And what are Jesus' characteristics? He is humble, courageous, selfless, just, respectful, strong, loving, forgiving, compassionate, and truth seeking just to name a few. In basic terms, real manhood is very different from what society labels it to be.

So what is the secular societal view of manhood? Well it depends on what sect of society you are talking about. In the mainstream, we see manhood portrayed as the tough guy who sleeps with a lot of women. This whole idea that real manhood is about being with as many women as possible and having sex. Further more, it has become expected that men look at women as objects. This viewpoint states that men should be devoid of emotion and that to show emotion is to be less manly or to be gay. On another end, we have a pull to the opposite. This comes from the militant feminist movement. This is the movement to emasculate men and get them more in touch with their "feminine" side.

The problem is both go too far. Yes it is perfectly acceptable for a man to cry. After all Jesus wept when Lazarus died. In fact, it is unhealthy for a man to be emotionally devoid. The thing is that a man does not have to be "in touch with his feminine side" to do this. Here is another thing, men can respect women without all the fluff. So what about that Jesus-like man? What is he like? How is he to function?

As I said earlier and restate again, the Jesus-like man reflects the characteristics of Jesus in himself. This is to be both in his conduct as well as his personal life. When he needs to be, he is tough. Yet he can also balance that by being gentle. He needs to be ever mindful of his choices and hold himself accountable. He must be willing to be firm in correcting others, but also forgiving of misdeeds. He must be able to aide his brother to improve while being every mindful of his own need for improvement. As Jesus said, "Remove the wood beam from your eye first, then remove the splinter from your brother's eye." It is the whole idea of recognizing one's own faults before pointing out those of another. This simple recognition is what we call humility, which everyone must seek. The Jesus-like man must also be respectful. That applies in his charity towards his fellow man no matter what the circumstance, as well as his treatment of women. The first comes in the recognition of the dignity and equality of the human person. Even if we do not like a person, there is still respect and care due to that person. This is not just a trait that should be held by men, but rather all people. The second is the idea that a woman is a beautiful pearl of God's creation. Women are His crown jewel as it were. Women are daughters of God (whether they know it or not). That means that since God is king, then women are princesses. The are worthy of the dignity and respect any prince worth his salt should be giving. Yes guys, women are not pieces of meat, they are people. Women are absolutely equal in dignity to men and should be treated as such.

So what is true manhood about, when society tells us different? True manhood is about rising above. True manhood is to lead and become example. Christians in general are called to be the light of the world. We carry in us the hope that comes from God himself and we are called to shine it. Men in particular have great responsibility in this. For whatever reason, God in His wisdom chose men to be spiritual leaders. Whatever our faults and weaknesses are, men are to lead others to salvation. In accepting this responsibility we must be courageous. I include myself in this because I am truly the least of all men. I have much to learn and much to detach myself from.

The journey is simple. It starts when men use their brains. It continues when men function as beacons of hope. It is enforced when men set an example that is positive. It is carried out when men become men. "Don't say, 'That's the way I am—it's my character.' It's your lack of character. Esto vir!—Be a man!" ~ St. Josemaria Escriva

This is the call of Saint Paul. It is to pass from our childish ways and become true men of God who seek His will above all else.

The Freedom and Truth of Chastity and Purity

Times are changing. We can look around us and there is no doubt about it. In an increasingly secular world there are questions regarding morality, ethics, and social issues. As a result of their strong stand on issues, in particular moral issues, religious institutions come under scrutiny. Chief among these is the Catholic Church. Among the issues that is a hot button so to speak is sexuality. The Church's teaching on appropriate sexuality has always been clear and firm. Now more than ever the societal expectations are butting heads with the Church's teachings. This brings up questions as to the validity of these teachings.

To set the stage here, let us review the facts. We live in a society where birth control is readily available. As a result the societal definition of safe and responsible sex has shifted. Such a shift has many people saying that the Church is not really in tune with the society. Further still, purity, once considered by many to be a virtue is now seen by and large as frightening. People are even going as far as to say that the Church should adjust its teachings, because chastity is outdated.

Amidst these facts and inquiries there are questions that are overlooked. Two in particular come to mind and they are connected. The first is: is the question of weather the Church is out of touch with society really the right question to ask? Directly related is the question of: what if the society is in fact out of touch with the Church's teaching?

As I go into the meat of this post, it is this second question that I will address. As a Christian and in particular a Catholic I will absolutely say without fail that the society is out of touch with the Church. That being said, I recognize that many more secular readers will dispute this. I also write this mindful that in order make an argument like this I have to be practical. In this world with so many saying that these teachings are out of date, it is all the more important to proclaim them.

That being said, unlike my previous posts, I intend for this to be read by a broader audience. As some who know me know, one of my role models is Jason Evert who gives a talk in which he makes chastity and purity practical for all. In the same spirit is how I must approach this. One of the best ways to start this is by reacquainting ourselves with love.

Now while many will insist that love has a dark side, at its best it is selfless and beautiful. To steal from St. Paul's letter to the Corinthians (13:4-8): "Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends; as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away." This is the definition of the most beautiful love.

A friend of mine said something along these lines, "If you can't share fully with the person you are married to, then the marriage is a lie." I could not think of a more true statement. This is the essence of married love. The practical question one might ask is: how do I do this? Is there a way that I make sure that I am sharing fully with my spouse if and when I get married? This is where chastity can move from purely a religious argument to a practical argument.

It is my goal with this post to bring to light many misnomers and explain more deeply why this teaching is still valid today. It is all my intent to show that this is not just a life for the few but rather for the many and in fact, everybody. This area has become one of my great passions for many reasons and I've put quite of bit of research to it. By no stretch of the imagination am I an expert on the subject; however, I have through various channels been given a certain insight.

In our humanity we have many gifts. In particular are the gifts that come with romantic love. They are beautiful and wonderful things. They are a part of us and they are ours. In a very real sense, they are special. Like anything good they are cherished and respected. These are not trivial things, but rather deep and important. So, doesn't it make sense that we should treat this gifts as such? I mean marriage is supposed to be sharing fully with someone. Doesn't it make sense that we share things with that person that we haven't shared with anyone else? The answer to both of these questions is a resounding yes. Many of the so called, "restrictions" of the pure life are tangible ways to do this.

This brings up one of the great misnomers of modern society. That is that living a chaste life is to be sexually repressed. I can speak from my own experience on this, chastity is many things, sexual repression is not one of them. Sex is a wonderful thing and a beautiful thing. Above all else it is a special thing. Special things are meant for special relationships and there is no more special relationship than marriage. It is one of the most unifying acts in our nature. It draws people together. This is not trivial. I mean how exciting would it be if the first time you have sex is with the person you love the most in this world? How awesome would it be if your first sex is with the person who you have decided to give your whole life to? I mean that is one of the key premises to marriage, loving someone so much that you give your whole life to them. This is such a tangible way to make sure that you do, by saving your gifts until that time.

Now continuing on to the other aspects of chastity. One of the interesting things that many people believe is that they can wait until marriage, but do everything short of having sex. Hmm , I think we are entering into a gray area here. One of the most interesting things about chastity that people do not realize is that the limitations it suggests are practical ways to help one abstain from sex. I mean it is whole heck of a lot easier to keep a promise of abstinence if one doesn't do things that tempt people to have sex. To understand what one can do and cannot do is great way of understanding yourself better. In this way you learn your limits, as well as your strengths and weaknesses. From a more Catholic prospective, it is the promise to avoid the near occasion of sin. Setting reasonable and respectful boundaries is healthy for relationships. It helps the two people grow with each other minus many of the superficial aspects. I mean it is so amazing to share time with a person, because you care for that person, as opposed to spending time with that person to fulfill a yearning for physical romance. And the thing that shocks people most about chastity is that it becomes less about what you cannot do and more about what you can do. You realize how you best share with a significant other and you end up not regretting what you have done.

This is my counter to yet another misnomer. Chastity says, "you can't do this and you can't do that". But there is so much you can do. This way the focus shifts building relationships based in respect for yourself and respect for the other, and spending time together for mutual growth. In this way you move towards the type of love that St. Paul spoke of. It is more reachable than people think and it is so rewarding.

Yet another misnomer is the idea of sexual liberation. There is a fairly dominant notion that having lots of sex is liberating. I beg to differ. It is in fact slavery. A slavery to ourselves. Sure people have a certain notion and care as to weather the other is enjoying this, but ultimately, whether admitted or not, people seek their own ends in it. Some argue this is human nature, but this where I say that we cannot just say it's our nature and sit on it. Instead, all of us must work towards improving self (I chief among that crowd) in order to overcome our selfish ways. In doing so we can work towards lives of service to others. As I said earlier and bears repeating, the love Saint Paul talks about is one devoid of self interest. Although I can speak best for myself, I know that Jason Evert and other chastity advocates will say the same thing. I cannot tell you how free I feel. I mean I was there once. I was in the place where many that read this post are. I thought chastity is so old fashioned and prudish. Then I did a complete 180. I have found so much freedom devoting myself to this. I am, for lack of a better word, liberated. I am so much more able to give myself to others. I am able to be good to friends for their sake and not for self praise.

In this way I have grown so much. I appreciate everything I have and am grateful that I have held on to so much. I have gained a greater respect for these gifts and in the process myself. The result is that I have become a more joyful man. I am by grace, more at peace, because I already have all I need. Not to say that I do not one day want to find someone and get married. As a matter of fact I do. But for now, I can wait patiently, not needing it. Thus when the time does come I will be ready to love whoever she is for her own sake.

Now the last point and a difficult one, starting over. Let's face it, humans make mistakes. Often times we go past our boundaries. Often times we go so far that we feel as if there is no way back. There are things that many believe if you lose you cannot get back. One such person was Jason Evert's wife Crystalina. Back in her late middle school days or early high school days (I forget which) she was dating a football player. He essentially said, "prove that you really love me." She lost her virginity to him. After he left her she felt like she had lost something she couldn't get back. By and large, she fell into a trap. She at certain point stopped caring, but then something changed. She turned it around and is now married to one of the best men on the planet. Also for guys. Girls, if you find guy who hasn't struggled with sexual sin at some point in his life, more power to you. For most of you, I can guarantee you that your future boyfriends, and future husband struggled with it. And for you guys, there is hope. Stories like Jason's are powerful because he overcame it. The fact is that sometimes you need to lose something valuable to realize how important it is. I for one can testify to this. I learned from having not guarded my gifts as well as I should have and learned just how important they are. It is my commitment to chastity now that has helped me get over any guilt and shame I felt. What I tell you all is true. This is something everybody can do. In this way, you can grow in so many ways, and have, as Jason entitles his talks, romance without regret.

Christ: The Eternal Passover

It is Easter time. This past week was Holy Week. Not incidental is the occurrence of the Jewish holiday of Passover in this very same Holy Week. I am blessed to have been raised in that tradition, for it has given me a deeper faith in Christ. I believe that in seeing the prefigurement of Christ in the Passover story is an excellent way to enliven our understanding.

The Passover Seder itself is a todah, which means sacrifice. The Passover meal is a meal of sacrificial nature. It is not just a remembrance of the events, but rather it is an actual reliving of the events. There is a joy in the freedom celebrated in the passover, but a consciousness and seriousness regarding the suffering the Jews went through before gaining that freedom and also recognition that there was a high price to obtain it. Even though the Egyptians were not believers in God, they are still God's children and thus Jews cannot and should not take pleasure in their suffering (and neither can anyone who believes in God).

In a very real way this is our approach to Mass and should be. In the same way, we rejoice in the freedom Christ bought for us by his death and we rejoice at his resurrection which makes it possible for us to have new life. Yet at the same time we are aware of the high price at which our freedom from sin is bought. After all, Mass brings us to Cavalry and the Cross. This is something we must approach with seriousness and soberness.

Returning to Passover, the Lord commanded the Jews to slaughter an unspotted lamb. The lamb would be a one year-old male. Now with the exception of age, this lamb is a clear prefigurement of Christ, but I will discuss that more in the latter part of this post. It is with this lamb's blood that the Jews painted the lintel of their doorposts so that the angel of death would pass over the homes of the Jews. The Jews were also instructed to partake in the Lamb.

So in returning to the importance to us as Christians. Jesus Christ lived a sinless life, thus unspotted. He is called the Lamb of God. On the cross, He offered Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of all men. It is with his blood that we are redeemed. Thus the doorpost is the doorpost of our souls. Mass is in itself the Passover Seder. We are first nourished by the word of God that tells the story of Christ's mission and teaching. Then in the Liturgy of the Eucharist, we relive Christ's sacrifice and thus the story of how our freedom from the death of sin was bought. In receiving communion, we partake in the Lamb. We must remember that Christ's sacrifice is continual. He offers himself to the Father every day on the alters of Churches all over the world. Thus we can say Jesus Christ's sacrifice is eternal. Thus the Passover which Christians celebrate is eternal. Christ has made Himself the eternal Passover. By the grace of the Holy Spirit, He made bread and wine into His body, blood, soul, and divinity at the Last Supper. He commanded the Apostles to continue this. Thus we are commanded to receive the Eucharist, which by the power of the Holy Spirit is Christ's real presence.

Christ has by this sacrifice given us freedom. A freedom that must not be taken lightly. We must seek constant renewal in the Sacrament of Penance, in which Christ gives us new life and as often as possible, partake in our eternal Passover which guards our hearts and minds, and frees us from the bondage of sin.

Christ the eternal Passover, have mercy on us. Happy Easter all! May God bless you! Christ is risen, Alleluia!

The True Meaning of St.. Patricks Day

Today is March 17, which means it is St. Patrick's Day. As we know this has often been seen as day of excessive drinking and irresponsible behavior. Like many other days of significance, it has become overly commercialized. In this way we have often forgotten the meaning.

So what is St. Patrick's Day really all about? Actually the better question is who is it about? The answer is one of the greatest saints. Saint Patrick was a bishop in Ireland. He was sent to Ireland in order to minister primarily to non-christians (although he ministered to the small number of christians as well). In order to spread the gospel message and bring people to the faith, he used the rituals already in place and incorparated. For instance he used fire to celebrate Easter, because that is what the Irish did to worship their gods. In fact this tradition can still be seen at the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday. Of course the even greater result of his work was the conversion of many to Christianity.

So let us now pause and reflect on the true meaning of this wonderful feast day. It is to honor a man who by God's grace brought Christianity to non-Christians. He lived for the gospel message and due to his merits the grace of God, he is recognized as a saint. May we take this day to pay homage and respect our Lord who gave us Saint Patrick as an example.

Saint Patrick, pray for us.

You Cannot Make a Practical Arguement without having it be Theological: Why a Women's Priesthood is a non-Existant Argument

In this day and age, many people come up with some, shall we say, interesting ideas. On any number of issues, people will suggest something. Somethings on the surface seem very practical. In fact if you look at them through a societal lens, they are practical. That being said, the Church, while being part of this world is at the same time not of this world.

One such topic is the priesthood. In recent times there has been a great outcry of the fact that women cannot be ordained to the priesthood. Many have made arguments for it. At first glance some of these arguments make sense, much like other arguments that seem practical. We live in society in which there has been a movement towards and push for egalitarianism. So in this new society, there is no reason that there should not be a woman priesthood, right? Hold the phone, we missed something important. If you have not guessed already, the thing we are missing is theology.

That is right, theology is essential in making any religious argument. If we look at theology, we find a very good theological basis for an all-male priesthood. On the other hand, there is no theological basis for a women priesthood. Anyone who is looking for what goes against it should look at some key church documents regarding the subject. I am putting three in: http://www.newadvent.org/library/docs_df76ii.htm; http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_15081988_mulieris-dignitatem_en.html; http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_22051994_ordinatio-sacerdotalis_en.html
There are probably people reading this wondering how I connect this to faith and reason. The answer is really simple.

The fact of the matter is that an argument made about an issue of faith is not practical unless it has theology to back it up. The argument for a woman's priesthood is no different. Beyond that, it is not a matter of superiority of the sexes. In fact, man and woman are absolutely equal in dignity. They are not, however, equal in role. This is not to say that a woman living out the calling of God (wherever He calls her) is a lesser calling, because it is not. It is different. And for feminists who say this is sexism, my response is: is it sexism to say there are things that a woman can do that a man cannot? In the same God wills that men be able to do certain things a woman cannot.

There are some who will say that Jesus appointed men to be apostles due to the times. These same people will say that because Jesus defied conventions, we should. Well it is true that Jesus defied conventions and that is why he was crucified. This is however, where pro-woman priesthood advocates hang themselves. Again there is an ignorance to reason. Jesus was never afraid to go against the grain. If anyone in history were to ordain a priestess, it would have been Him. Based on this fact, we can definitively state that Jesus did not chose men because of societal constructs.

There is the supernatural aspect which I have touched on, but not really gone into great detail on.. We as Catholics believe that Jesus was both human and divine. Simply put, true God and true man. If we take His nature as God into account, we have to say that He had some other reason. Will we ever fully understand it? Probably not, but it is faith to trust in God. After all, He is infinitely smarter than we are. We humans do not have the power to change something God established. God will work how He works and we are just his servants following His command.

Suffering: Truth and Importance

This past Sunday, Fr. Antinarelli gave one of the best homilies I have heard preach. Yes, father said a very true statement about insurance companies (he said that they are "legalized thievery"). More importantly he talked about suffering. He talked of the cross. The cross, the tool of our Lord's death gives meaning to our suffering. He reminded all that there is spiritual fruits to suffering. He used the example of John Paul II. As a result of an assassination attempt, John Paul II developed Parkinson's Disease. Many called for his resignation, but he did not give up the throne of Peter. Rather, he accepted his suffering with love and out of love of the Churches. He showed that life has value.

Now these ideas that Father talked about are by no means original. In fact they have been written about preached about and spoken of. That being said, in this day and age, to be reminded again that suffering does, in fact have a purpose. In this secular world of ours, many people use suffering as a way to disprove God. However, we must understand that while God does not create suffering. He allows suffering to test the faithful. This is a way to see how faithful one is. He does so to remind us how much we need Him. It is especially so in the case of non-believers. Let us take Haiti. As my friend and mentor, David Higbee stated (I think I'm not getting this exactly right, but the general idea is there), "Haiti has been ruined by Voodoo". Here we have a country governed by a corrupt government with the most anti-God sentiments possible. This government was ill prepared for a natural disaster. The results were, as we all saw, catastrophic. It is in times of suffering that God gives us comfort. Now returning to the center point, we must always focus on the cross. For this we understand that suffering has a greater purpose. We do not choose our suffering but rather we accept it.

In bringing up the example of John Paul II, Father Antinarelli gave us a modern day example of accepting one's suffering. John Paul II never resented his suffering, rather, he kept his eyes on the cross and thus became a shining light. It is in John Paul II's acceptance of his suffering that we are reminded that our suffering is nothing compared to the mortification and suffering of Christ. As we go upon our Lenten journey, we are ever mindful of the cross. Let us always remember in times of trouble that we should not complain, but rather fix our eyes on the cross, and allow Christ to comfort us.

Hello

So for my first blog post I just want to say hey. Just so people know what I'm about. I'm a recent convert from Judeism to Catholicsm. My journey to Christianity has been as the blog title says, grace personified. I have been been very to be exposed to the orthodox practice of the faith. Through this I have seen the depth and beauty of the faith and have come to understand why the Church teaches what it does and what gives it the authority to teach.

My posts will often based on my opinion of a homily I heard, or to address an issue pertinent to the faith that I'd like to expound upon. I hope you enjoy.

In Christ,
Jon Gillenson