"Any American reader who wants to know where Obamification will lead should spend a week with me in the European Parliament. I’m working in your future and, believe me, you won’t like it.

 I am a great fan of Daniel Hannan, except we would disagree on drugs. Does anyone know his position on abortion?

And another interesting point of view from him....

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danielhannan/100227375/obamanomics-is-turning-america-into-detroit-ayn-rands-starnesville-come-to-life/

Dark Night of the Soul, Part 19

As mentioned before in the perfection series, St. David himself is an example of one who knew this movement of the Holy Spirit. John of the Cross makes here the distinction between the dark night of the senses-the purification of the senses, and the dark night of the spirit, the purification of the spirit.

John of the Cross' texts are all from the same site.  One can see the overlapping of ideas and experiences with St. Teresa of Avila. But, whereas Teresa is more descriptive, John is more systematic.

6. And in order to prove more completely how efficacious is this night of sense, with its aridity and its desolation, in bringing the soul that light which, as we say, it receives there from God, we shall quote that passage of David, wherein he clearly describes the great power which is in this night for bringing the soul this lofty knowledge of God. He says, then, thus: ‘In the desert land, waterless, dry and pathless, I appeared before Thee, that I might see Thy virtue and Thy glory.’90 It is a wondrous thing that David should say here that the means and the preparation for his knowledge of the glory of God were not the spiritual delights and the many pleasures which he had experienced, but the aridities and detachments of his sensual nature, which is here to be understood by the dry and desert land. No less wondrous is it that he should describe as the road to his perception and vision of the virtue of God, not the Divine meditations and conceptions of which he had often made use, but his being unable to form any conception of God or to walk by meditation produced by imaginary consideration, which is here to be understood by the pathless land. So that the means to a knowledge of God and of oneself is this dark night with its aridities and voids, although it leads not to a knowledge of Him of the same plenitude and abundance that comes from the other night of the spirit, since this is only, as it were, the beginning of that other.

7. Likewise, from the aridities and voids of this night of the desire, the soul draws spiritual humility, which is the contrary virtue to the first capital sin, which, as we said, is spiritual pride. Through this humility, which is acquired by the said knowledge of self, the soul is purged from all those imperfections whereinto it fell with respect to that sin of pride, in the time of its prosperity. For it sees itself so dry and miserable that the idea never even occurs to it that it is making better progress than others, or outstripping them, as it believed itself to be doing before. On the contrary, it recognizes that others are making better progress than itself.

8. And hence arises the love of its neighbours, for it esteems them, and judges them not as it was wont to do aforetime, when it saw that itself had great fervour and others not so. It is aware only of its own wretchedness, which it keeps before its eyes to such an extent that it never forgets it, nor takes occasion to set its eyes on anyone else. This was described wonderfully by David, when he was in this night, in these words: ‘I was dumb and was humbled and kept silence from good things and my sorrow was renewed.’91 This he says because it seemed to him that the good that was in his soul had so completely departed that not only did he neither speak nor find any language concerning it, but with respect to the good of others he was likewise dumb because of his grief at the knowledge of his misery.

Breaking News for Americans and English Update

Wall Street Journal ‏@WSJ

Breaking: State Department issues worldwide travel alert for U.S. citizens because of al Qaeda threat. http://wsj.com 

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2013/08/02/text-of-state-departments-travel-alert-on-terror-threat/?mod=e2tw


http://rt.com/news/uk-embassy-terror-threat-971/

Re-posting and reminder of June 6th chart and the Dark Night, Post 18

By request, a repetition...of the fruit of Garrigou-Lagrange...The Dark Night is part of the Illuminative State.

For those who love charts...on the way to perfection, start bottom up

SYNTHESIS OF THE TREATISE ON THE THREE AGES OF THE INTERIOR LIFE BY GARRIGOU-LAGRANGE

(To be read from the bottom up)

Unitive life of the perfect ◊ full ◊ extraordinary, e.g., with the vision of the Blessed Trinity ◊ weak ◊  ordinary • eminent contemplative form • apostolic form ◊ initial ◊ not very continual union, often interrupted

Illuminative life of proficients ◊ full infused contemplation ◊ extraordinary or accompanied by visions, revelations ◊ ordinary •clearly contemplative form • active form, or form ordained to action, e.g., gift of wisdom under practical form ◊ weak ◊ transitory acts of infused contemplation (d. The Dark Night, Bk. I, chap. 9) ◊ initial ◊ passive purification of the senses more or less well borne (initial infused contemplation)

Purgative life of beginners ◊ full or generous ◊ fervent souls pious and devout souls ◊ weak ◊ tepid or retarded souls, not without relapses ◊ initial ◊ first conversion or justification

The Dark Night, Part 17

One of the main reasons why God calls the Bride into the desert is for detachment. Now, one does not go around in sackcloth and ashes in this stage, but continues doing whatever work God is calling one to do. The cleansing is private, the detachment quiet. In fact, in the Dark Night, one needs more and more solitude in order to hear the very still, small voice of God, as He does not speak to one in thunder or lightening at this stage.

The great gift of the Dark Night is self-knowledge.

Many people fight God instead of entering into the Dark Night of the Soul. This merely delays the stage to purgatory.

4. And here we must note another excellent benefit which there is in this night and aridity of the desire of sense, since we have had occasion to speak of it. It is that, in this dark night of the desire (to the end that the words of the Prophet may be fulfilled, namely: ‘Thy light shall shine in the darkness’84), God will enlighten the soul, giving it knowledge, not only of its lowliness and wretchedness, as we have said, but likewise of the greatness and excellence of God. For, as well as quenching the desires and pleasures and attachments of sense, He cleanses and frees the understanding that it may understand the truth; for pleasure of sense and desire, even though it be for spiritual things, darkens and obstructs the spirit, and furthermore that straitness and aridity of sense enlightens and quickens the understanding, as says Isaias.85 Vexation makes us to understand how the soul that is empty and disencumbered, as is necessary for His Divine influence, is instructed supernaturally by God in His Divine wisdom, through this dark and arid night of contemplation,86 as we have said; and this instruction God gave not in those first sweetnesses and joys.

5. This is very well explained by the same prophet Isaias, where he says: ‘Whom shall God teach His knowledge, and whom shall He make to understand the hearing?’ To those, He says, that are weaned from the milk and drawn away from the breasts.87 Here it is shown that the first milk of spiritual sweetness is no preparation for this Divine influence, neither is there preparation in attachment to the breast of delectable meditations, belonging to the faculties of sense, which gave the soul pleasure; such preparation consists rather in the lack of the one and withdrawal from the other. Inasmuch as, in order to listen to God, the soul needs to stand upright and to be detached, with regard to affection and sense, even as the Prophet says concerning himself, in these words: I will stand upon my watch (this is that detachment of desire) and I will make firm my step (that is, I will not meditate with sense), in order to contemplate (that is, in order to understand that which may come to me from God).88 So we have now arrived at this, that from this arid night there first of all comes self-knowledge, whence, as from a foundation, rises this other knowledge of God. For which cause Saint Augustine said to God: ‘Let me know myself, Lord, and I shall know Thee.’89 For, as the philosophers say, one extreme can be well known by another.

The Dark Night, Part 16

Aridity and abandonment were the two words I wanted to highlight in the last post. In this one, the word is detachment. In the Dark Night, one has given all to God and is becoming more and more detached from things, people, places. No longer does it matter where one is or what one is doing. All is in the enveloping shadow of God's Will. One may not even know what to do, but follows daily, step by step.

In a nutshell, one can say, "I no longer care what happens to me, as long as I am in the Will of God."

3. In the first place, the soul learns to commune with God with more respect and more courtesy, such as a soul must ever observe in converse with the Most High. These it knew not in its prosperous times of comfort and consolation, for that comforting favour which it experienced made its craving for God somewhat bolder than was fitting, and discourteous and ill-considered. Even so did it happen to Moses, when he perceived that God was speaking to him; blinded by that pleasure and desire, without further consideration, he would have made bold to go to Him if God had not commanded him to stay and put off his shoes. By this incident we are shown the respect and discretion in detachment of desire wherewith a man is to commune with God. When Moses had obeyed in this matter, he became so discreet and so attentive that the Scripture says that not only did he not make bold to draw near to God, but that he dared not even look at Him. For, having taken off the shoes of his desires and pleasures, he became very conscious of his wretchedness in the sight of God, as befitted one about to hear the word of God. Even so likewise the preparation which God granted to Job in order that he might speak with Him consisted not in those delights and glories which Job himself reports that he was wont to have in his God, but in leaving him naked upon a dung-hill,82 abandoned and even persecuted by his friends, filled with anguish and bitterness, and the earth covered with worms. And then the Most High God, He that lifts up the poor man from the dunghill, was pleased to come down and speak with him there face to face, revealing to him the depths and heights83 of His wisdom, in a way that He had never done in the time of his prosperity.

On the Dark Night Again, Part 15

Mother Teresa was in the Dark Night for fifty years or so. One must understand this is a necessary step to perfection.

St. John of the Cross describes the Dark Night of the Soul better than most saints and invented the term. In the next few days, I shall cover some, not all, of his points. If I could distil his wisdom in a few words, it would be these points.

One, consolations are either completely absence or rare at this stage of purification.

Two, one rests in suffering rather than resting in consolation.

Three, God is Present, but veiled, as in the Eucharist. He surrounds the person with love, but a love which cannot be grasped or understood in any human terms. He is totally Other.

Four, a person cannot rush through this stage. In fact, for many saints, it is very long.

Five, the two keys words are aridity and abandonment. But, one is at peace in both.

2. This is the first and principal benefit caused by this arid and dark night of contemplation: the knowledge of oneself and of one’s misery. For, besides the fact that all the favours which God grants to the soul are habitually granted to them enwrapped in this knowledge, these aridities and this emptiness of the faculties, compared with the abundance which the soul experienced aforetime and the difficulty which it finds in good works, make it recognize its own lowliness and misery, which in the time of its prosperity it was unable to see. Of this there is a good illustration in the Book of Exodus, where God, wishing to humble the children of Israel and desiring that they should know themselves, commanded them to take away and strip off the festal garments and adornments wherewith they were accustomed to adorn themselves in the Wilderness, saying: ‘Now from henceforth strip yourselves of festal ornaments and put on everyday working dress, that ye may know what treatment ye deserve.’81 This is as though He had said: Inasmuch as the attire that ye wear, being proper to festival and rejoicing, causes you to feel less humble concerning yourselves than ye should, put off from you this attire, in order that henceforth, seeing yourselves clothed with vileness, ye may know that ye merit no more, and may know who ye are. Wherefore the soul knows the truth that it knew not at first, concerning its own misery; for, at the time when it was clad as for a festival and found in God much pleasure, consolation and support, it was somewhat more satisfied and contented, since it thought itself to some extent to be serving God. It is true that such souls may not have this idea explicitly in their minds; but some suggestion of it at least is implanted in them by the satisfaction which they find in their pleasant experiences. But, now that the soul has put on its other and working attire—that of aridity and abandonment—and now that its first lights have turned into darkness, it possesses these lights more truly in this virtue of self-knowledge, which is so excellent and so necessary, considering itself now as nothing and experiencing no satisfaction in itself; for it sees that it does nothing of itself neither can do anything. And the smallness of this self-satisfaction, together with the soul’s affliction at not serving God, is considered and esteemed by God as greater than all the consolations which the soul formerly experienced and the works which it wrought, however great they were, inasmuch as they were the occasion of many imperfections and ignorances. And from this attire of aridity proceed, as from their fount and source of self-knowledge, not only the things which we have described already, but also the benefits which we shall now describe and many more which will have to be omitted.

All sourcing will be from here. 

If you want to read the others posts, use the tags or just type in dark night in the search bar.

Highlighting a Reader

I want readers to take a look at the references in the comments over the past week written by Martina Katholik. The references she has provided are dynamite. If you do not know German, use a translator on line. She has a blog at http://derkatholikunddiewelt.blogspot.ie/2013/07/vom-nutzen-der-widerwartigkeiten.html

Her comments are based on theological articles and links.  I do not give out gold stars, as that is done on another blog by my superior (smile), but she deserves a look and a commendation.

On factions, rumours, quarrels, divisions and schisms

I did not want to post so much today, but this is necessary. The Church is imploding from within. There are so many enemies at the gate, that we must become aware of our sins in causing problems within the Church.

Some problems cannot be avoided and must be directly addressed, such as heresy or schism.

In Corinthians, Paul writes of factions, most likely connected to rumours, quarrels, and other types of slander. Some translations use the term divisions, some factions.

I have noticed this happening more and more. The lack of charity among those who care about the Faith is almost as horrendous as the absence of charity among those who hate it.

Let me define these groupings, ending with schisms, to encourage an examination of conscience.

All these definitions are from the Oxford Dictionary on line.

One, factions. This is usually a political term, and refers to groupings, such as those we see in Egypt-Morsi and non-Morsi followers. those who want a Muslim theocracy, those who want a secular state and so on.  

In the Church, factions could be ideologues, like those who have departed from the teachings of the true Church and want to change the Church's teachings on marriage, for example. If these people start acting politically, they become a faction. 

• a small organized dissenting group within a larger one, especially in politics:

  the left-wing faction of the party
•  [mass noun] dissension within an organization:

  a council increasingly split by faction
  
  
  

Two, rumours. Rumours may  be true or false, and involve talking about other people. As you know, I am from the Midwest, where MYOB is the rule for all-Mind Your Own Business. To me, rumour does not have to be false to be undermining a parish or community. Rumours involve gossip, which is a sin


a currently circulating story or report of uncertain or doubtful truth:they were investigating rumours of a massacre

[mass noun]: rumour has it that he will take a year off

Three, quarrels. Now, there are some people who are confused about quarrels and arguments. That is because in the common language these mean the same thing. But, a quarrel involves anger, and subjectivity, as well as a lack of charity. A rational argument, as we see in Aquinas, or in debates, is an art being lost. This demands objectivity and the belief in objective truth.

Too many arguments, in the classical meaning, become quarrels, as people do not know how to argue points. I taught debate and logic, and when students finally learned to think objectively and avoid the fallacies. they understood the difference between formal argument and quarrels. For example, many Egyptians in the past three weeks have held up signs in Cairo stating they had no quarrel with the American people, but only Obama's policies. Arguments turn into quarrels when facts and objectivity are set aside.

• an angry argument or disagreement:he made the mistake of picking a quarrel with John
•  [usually with negative] a reason for disagreement with a person, group, or principle:we have no quarrel with the people of the country, only with the dictator
  
  

Four-divisions, which are much more serious, and here I take the second definition for my purposes here. Divisions are created when people take sides. Now, sometimes what we believe in and who we are as Catholics create divisions. Christ Himselft said He came to divide, and that is part of the truth of being in the world but not of the world. 

Divisions, however, can happen within the Church, and we can see that daily. The reason for divisions could be varied. 

2 difference or disagreement between two or more groups, typically producing tension:a growing sense of division between north and south

But, we may cause division just by being good, orthodox Catholics.

Luke 12:49-56

Douay-Rheims 

49 I am come to cast fire on the earth; and what will I, but that it be kindled?

50 And I have a baptism wherewith I am to be baptized: and how am I straitened until it be accomplished?

51 Think ye, that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, no; but separation.

52 For there shall be from henceforth five in one house divided: three against two, and two against three.

53 The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against his father, the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother, the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

54 And he said also to the multitudes: When you see a cloud rising from the west, presently you say: A shower is coming: and so it happeneth:

55 And when ye see the south wind blow, you say: There will be heat: and it cometh to pass.

56 You hypocrites, you know how to discern the face of the heaven and of the earth: but how is it that you do not discern this time?

If we are truly salt to the Earth, we shall cause divisions if we are orthodox. It just happens. It happens in families  in parishes, in schools, in dioceses. Sadly, for those who love the Church, such divisions, usually lead to schism and even excommunication.

The last category today, as I could go on to heresies, is schism. Schism means that some people have decided to leave the Church either formally or informally. An individual who chooses disobedience may be in schism by being part of a schismatic group.  Some of the Protestants started off in schism but quickly fell into heresy.  One's immortal soul is in danger if one follows either a schismatic leader or a heretic.

 

• a split or division between strongly opposed sections or parties, caused by differences in opinion or belief: the widening schism between Church leaders and politicians[mass noun]:the persistence of this group could produce schism within society; the formal separation of a Church into two Churches or the secession of a group owing to doctrinal and other differences. 

St. Paul speaks to divisions in 1 Corinthians. Remember, the devil wants disruption. He is not only the Father of Lies, but the Father of Chaos and Confusion. Where there are factions, rumours, quarrels, divisions and schisms, you can be sure he and his minions are active. 

10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no schisms among you; but that you be perfect in the same mind, and in the same judgment.

11 For it hath been signified unto me, my brethren, of you, by them that are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith: I indeed am of Paul; and I am of Apollo; and I am of Cephas; and I of Christ.

13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul then crucified for you? or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

14 I give God thanks, that I baptized none of you but Crispus and Caius;

15 Lest any should say that you were baptized in my name.

16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanus; besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.

17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not in wisdom of speech, lest the cross of Christ should be made void.

18 For the word of the cross, to them indeed that perish, is foolishness; but to them that are saved, that is, to us, it is the power of God.

False Dichotomy between the Gospel of Christ and Church Doctrine

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/on-faith/wp/2013/08/01/pope-francis-the-end-of-fortress-catholicism/

The above article is making a false dichotomy between doctrine and the Gospels. This is a heresy long condemned in the Church.

The real Catholic understands that there is no difference between Scripture and Tradition, between the Gospels and Doctrine. Yet, this week, both some in the secular and some in the Catholic media have made this distinction.

It is a Protestant distinction. The Catholic teaching of the Gospels IS doctrine and the main duty of the bishops is to teach doctrine. The word doctrina first appears in the Vulgate.

1 Timothy 11-16 addresses this.

11 Such is the charge, such is the doctrine thou art to deliver. 12 Do not let anyone think the less of thee for thy youthfulness; make thyself a model of speech and behaviour for the faithful, all love, all faith, all purity. 13 Reading, preaching, instruction, let these be thy constant care while I am absent. 14 A special grace has been entrusted to thee; prophecy awarded it, and the imposition of the presbyters’ hands went with it; do not let it suffer from neglect.[6]15 Let this be thy study, these thy employments, so that all may see how well thou doest. 16 Two things claim thy attention, thyself and the teaching of the faith; spend thy care on them; so wilt thou and those who listen to thee achieve salvation.[7]

I am deeply concerned at the efforts of even some Catholic bloggers and clergymen to accomodate this modernist idea that doctrine is separate from the Teachings of Christ.

The Council of Trent produced the Roman Catechism, which was translated into English for the purpose of teaching the correct interpretations of the Bible. The Catholic Church holds the Deposit of Faith and the fullness of Truth. 

The bishops and the Pope are the custodians of Truth and thankfully, we have never had an infallible statement contradict the teachings of Christ. This is our heritage.

Do not let anyone steal it from you, neither the media, which hates the Church, or liberal priests and bishops.

Learn your faith so that you have the means to see what is true and good , through the eyes of the Church.

I suggest reading this entire encyclical by St. Pius X Acerbo Nimis, On the Teaching of Christian Doctrine

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/pius_x/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-x_enc_15041905_acerbo-nimis_en.html

I print just the beginning of it, for you to see how timely it is for us today.

At this very troublesome and difficult time, the hidden designs of God have conducted Our poor strength to the office of Supreme pastor, to rule the entire flock of Christ. The enemy has, indeed, long been prowling about the fold and attacking it with such subtle cunning that now, more than ever before, the prediction of the Apostle to the elders of the Church of Ephesus seems to be verified: "I know that . . . fierce wolves will get in among you, and will not spare the flock."[1] Those who still are zealous for the glory of God are seeking the causes and reasons for this decline in religion. Coming to a different explanation, each points out, according to his own view, a different plan for the protection and restoration of the kingdom of God on earth. But it seems to Vs, Venerable Brethren, that while we should not overlook other considerations, We are forced to agree with those who hold that the chief cause of the present indifference and, as it were, infirmity of soul, and the serious evils that result from it, is to be found above all in ignorance of things divine. This is fully in accord with what God Himself declared through the Prophet Osee: "And there is no knowledge of God in the land. Cursing and lying and killing and theft and adultery have overflowed: and blood hath touched blood. Thereafter shall the land mourn, and everyone that dwelleth in it shall languish."[2] 2. It is a common complaint, unfortunately too well founded, that there are large numbers of Christians in our own time who are entirely ignorant of those truths necessary for salvation. And when we mention Christians, We refer not only to the masses or to those in the lower walks of life - for these find some excuse for their ignorance in the fact that the demands of their harsh employers hardly leave them time to take care of themselves or of their dear ones - but We refer to those especially who do not lack culture or talents and, indeed, are possessed of abundant knowledge regarding things of the world but live rashly and imprudently with regard to religion. It is hard to find words to describe how profound is the darkness in which they are engulfed and, what is most deplorable of all, how tranquilly they repose there. They rarely give thought to God, the Supreme Author and Ruler of all things, or to the teachings of the faith of Christ. They know nothing of the Incarnation of the Word of God, nothing of the perfect restoration of the human race which He accomplished. Grace, the greatest of the helps for attaining eternal things, the Holy Sacrifice and the Sacraments by which we obtain grace, are entirely unknown to them. They have no conception of the malice and baseness of sin; hence they show no anxiety to avoid sin or to renounce it. And so they arrive at life's end in such a condition that, lest all hope of salvation be lost, the priest is obliged to give in the last few moments of life a summary teaching of religion, a time which should be devoted to stimulating the soul to greater love for God. And even this as too often happens only when the dying man is not so sinfully ignorant as to look upon the ministration of the priest as useless, and then calmly faces the fearful passage to eternity without making his peace with God. And so Our Predecessor, Benedict XIV, had just cause to write: "We declare that a great number of those who are condemned to eternal punishment suffer that everlasting calamity because of ignorance of those mysteries of faith which must be known and believed in order to be numbered among the elect."[3] 3. There is then, Venerable Brethren, no reason for wonder that the corruption of morals and depravity of life is already so great, and ever increasingly greater, not only among uncivilized peoples but even in those very nations that are called Christian. The Apostle Paul, writing to the Ephesians, repeatedly admonished them in these words: "But immorality and every uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as become saints; or obscenity or foolish talk."[4] He also places the foundation of holiness and sound morals upon a knowledge of divine things - which holds in check evil desires: "See to it therefore, brethren, that you walk with care: not as unwise but as wise. . . Therefore, do not become foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is."[5] And rightly so. For the will of man retains but little of that divinely implanted love of virtue and righteousness by which it was, as it were, attracted strongly toward the real and not merely apparent good. Disordered by the stain of the first sin, and almost forgetful of God, its Author, it improperly turns every affection to a love of vanity and deceit. This erring will, blinded by its own evil desires, has need therefore of a guide to lead it back to the paths of justice whence it has so unfortunately strayed. The intellect itself is this guide, which need not be sought elsewhere, but is provided by nature itself. It is a guide, though, that, if it lack its companion light, the knowledge of divine things, will be only an instance of the blind leading the blind so that both will fall into the pit. The holy king David, praising God for the light of truth with which He had illumined the intellect, exclaimed: "The light of Thy countenance, O Lord, is signed upon us."[6] Then he described the effect of this light by adding: "Thou hast given gladness in my heart," gladness, that is, which enlarges our heart so that it runs in the way of God's Commandments. 4. All this becomes evident on a little reflection. Christian teaching reveals God and His infinite perfection with far greater clarity than is possible by the human faculties alone. Nor is that all. This same Christian teaching also commands us to honor God by faith, which is of the mind, by hope, which is of the will, by love, which is of the heart; and thus the whole man is subjected to the supreme Maker and Ruler of all things. The truly remarkable dignity of man as the son of the heavenly Father, in Whose image he is formed, and with Whom he is destined to live in eternal happiness, is also revealed only by the doctrine of Jesus Christ. From this very dignity, and from man's knowledge of it, Christ showed that men should love one another as brothers, and should live here as become children of light, "not of revelry and drunkenness, not in debauchery and wantonness, not in strife and jealousy."[7] He also bids us to place all our anxiety and care in the hands of God, for He will provide for us; He tells us to help the poor, to do good to those who hate us, and to prefer the eternal welfare of the soul to the temporal goods of this life. Without wishing to touch on every detail, nevertheless is it not true that the proud man is urged and commanded by the teaching of Christ to strive for humility, the source of true glory? "Whoever, therefore, humbles himself. . . he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."[8] From that same teaching we learn prudence of the spirit, and thereby we avoid prudence of the flesh; we learn justice, by which we give to every man his due; fortitude, which prepares us to endure all things and with steadfast heart suffer all things for the sake of God and eternal happiness; and, last of all, temperance through which we cherish even poverty borne out of love for God, nay, we even glory in the cross itself, unmindful of its shame. In fine, Christian teaching not only bestows on the intellect the light by which it attains truth, but from it our will draws that ardor by which we are raised up to God and joined with Him in the practice of virtue

BBC on Gay Couple Suing--Told You So, British Catholics

from the Beeb

Wealthy gay dad, Barrie Drewitt-Barlow, says he and his civil partner Tony will go to court to force churches to host gay weddings.

He told the Essex Chronicle that he will take legal action because “I am still not getting what I want”.

A Government Bill legalising gay marriage passed Parliament recently but it included measures to protect churches from being forced to perform same-sex weddings.

more here

http://www.christian.org.uk/news/gay-couple-to-sue-church-over-gay-marriage-opt-out/

The article noted something painfully obvious--

In January this year a leading lawyer cautioned that the plans left the Church of England open to legal challenge.

The Prime Minister was sent a copy of the legal opinion by Lord Carey, a former Archbishop of Canterbury.

In June 2012 Crispin Blunt MP, who was then a Justice Minister, admitted that the Government’s plans could lead to legal issues.

He said the Government is “seeking to protect, indeed, proscribe religious organisations from offering gay marriage”, but he continued: “That may be problematic legally”.

Every priest and every bishop in Great Britain who did not speak about this from the pulpit and encourage their congregations to fight against the bill are all responsible for the persecution to come. 

UPDATE A Catholic priest is England was phoned by a gay couple recently and they asked him if he would do a homosexual "marriage". Of course, the priest said no. I shall not give the diocese. 

http://guildofblessedtitus.blogspot.ie/2013/02/a-time-machine-back-to-1581-death-of.html

Bloggers, We Are Ananias

Those who know their Scripture know of a man in Acts who was called by God to do a difficult task. Ananias seems to be an ordinary man. His virtues included listening to God, taking the vision and message to heart, and despite fear, acting on his call to heal Paul.  Here is the passage:

Ananias Restores the Sight of Paul, Jean Restout II, 1719.

Acts 9

Douay-Rheims 

9 And Saul, as yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest,

2 And asked of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues: that if he found any men and wemen of this way, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

3 And as he went on his journey, it came to pass that he drew nigh to Damascus; and suddenly a light from heaven shined round about him.

4 And falling on the ground, he heard a voice saying to him: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

5 Who said: Who art thou, Lord? And he: I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. It is hard for thee to kick against the goad.

6 And he trembling and astonished, said: Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?

7 And the Lord said to him: Arise, and go into the city, and there it shall be told thee what thou must do. Now the men who went in company with him, stood amazed, hearing indeed a voice, but seeing no man.

8 And Saul arose from the ground; and when his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. But they leading him by the hands, brought him to Damascus.

9 And he was there three days, without sight, and he did neither eat nor drink.

10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias. And the Lord said to him in a vision: Ananias. And he said: Behold I am here, Lord.

11 And the Lord said to him: Arise, and go into the street that is called Stait, and seek in the house of Judas, one named Saul of Tarsus. For behold he prayeth.

12 (And he saw a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hands upon him, that he might receive his sight.)

13 But Ananias answered: Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints in Jerusalem.

14 And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that invoke thy name.

15 And the Lord said to him: Go thy way; for this man is to me a vessel of election, to carry my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel.

16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.

17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house. And laying his hands upon him, he said: Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus hath sent me, he that appeared to thee in the way as thou camest; that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight; and rising up, he was baptized.

19 And when he had taken meat, he was strengthened. And he was with the disciples that were at Damascus, for some days.

20 And immediately he preached Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

21 And all that heard him, were astonished, and said: Is not this he who persecuted in Jerusalem those that called upon this name: and came hither for that intent, that he might carry them bound to the chief priests?

22 But Saul increased much more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt at Damascus, affirming that this is the Christ.

Ananias is never mentioned again. His call was to overcome fear and trust in God. Saul had already killed followers of Christ,  put some in prison, and had been at the stoning of St. Stephen. Saul's actions terrified the Christian community. Yet, Ananias had to respond to God's call to go and heal this man chosen to be the Apostle of the Gentiles.

Ananias was a servant, a man who obeyed God even though he was afraid. He was not one of the apostles. He was an ordinary Christian doing his duty. And we have a duty, to only teach orthodoxy, to be obedient to the Church, in all things.

So, too, we write and teach, and try to correct error. Like Ananias, sometimes we feel fear, as we know we are going into enemy territory.

Yet, if Ananias had ignored God and followed his emotions, God's plan for the Gentiles would have been crushed, by fear and disobedience.

No fear.."Is it not written,"Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves" (thanks to the reader who reminded of this quote I have used all week)

A must share thanks to Alastair Roberts for the link

http://twistedsifter.com/2013/07/detailed-close-ups-of-van-gogh-artworks/

Bl. John Paul II and Perfection Three

This vocation to perfect love is not restricted to a small group of individuals. The invitation, "go, sell your possessions and give the money to the poor", and the promise "you will have treasure in heaven", are meant for everyone, because they bring out the full meaning of the commandment of love for neighbour, just as the invitation which follows, "Come, follow me", is the new, specific form of the commandment of love of God. Both the commandments and Jesus' invitation to the rich young man stand at the service of a single and indivisible charity, which spontaneously tends towards that perfection whose measure is God alone: "You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Mt 5:48). In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus makes even clearer the meaning of this perfection: "Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful" (Lk 6:36).

"Come, follow me" (Mt 19:21)

19. The way and at the same time the content of this perfection consist in the following of Jesus, sequela Christi, once one has given up one's own wealth and very self. This is precisely the conclusion of Jesus' conversation with the young man: "Come, follow me" (Mt 19:21). It is an invitation the marvellous grandeur of which will be fully perceived by the disciples after Christ's Resurrection, when the Holy Spirit leads them to all truth (cf. Jn 16:13).

It is Jesus himself who takes the initiative and calls people to follow him. His call is addressed first to those to whom he entrusts a particular mission, beginning with the Twelve; but it is also clear that every believer is called to be a follower of Christ (cf. Acts 6:1). Following Christ is thus the essential and primordial foundation of Christian morality: just as the people of Israel followed God who led them through the desert towards the Promised Land (cf. Ex 13:21), so every disciple must follow Jesus, towards whom he is drawn by the Father himself (cf. Jn 6:44).

...

As he calls the young man to follow him along the way of perfection, Jesus asks him to be perfect in the command of love, in "his" commandment: to become part of the unfolding of his complete giving, to imitate and rekindle the very love of the "Good" Teacher, the one who loved "to the end". This is what Jesus asks of everyone who wishes to follow him: "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" (Mt 16:24).
21. Following Christ is not an outward imitation, since it touches man at the very depths of his being. Being a follower of Christ means becoming conformed to him who became a servant even to giving himself on the Cross (cf. Phil 2:5-8). Christ dwells by faith in the heart of the believer (cf. Eph3:17), and thus the disciple is conformed to the Lord. This is the effect of grace, of the active presence of the Holy Spirit in us.

from Veritatis Splendor