Tuesday, 25 March 2014
Now, for something completely different
I feel like this today....love the Japanese.
Thanks to Wiki. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Square_watermelon.jpg
Pray for the Persecuted Christians
The facts speak for themselves. Reliable estimates indicate that anywhere from 100-200 million Christians are persecuted every year; one Christian is martyred every five minutes. Approximately 85% of this persecution occurs in Muslim majority nations. In 1900, 20% of the Middle East was Christian. Today, less than 2% is.
More here and pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ abroad. Would you not want someone to pray for you under these circumstances?
More here and pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ abroad. Would you not want someone to pray for you under these circumstances?
Perfection Series II: lxiv-The Only Truly Perfect Creature of God
Our Blessed Mother could accept the message of Gabriel for one reason. She was pure of heart, mind, and soul from the moment of her conception. The Immaculate Conception, the most perfect person ever created by God, had been prepared from the moment of her existence for this day.
To be called to be the Theotokos, Mary was set aside among all women. She is "full of grace".
We cannot be like Mary, as she is unique. But, we can be holy as God has called us to be holy.
We can cooperate with grace to the extent that God created us to do so.
All saints are not equal. There are great saints, like SS. Bernard of Clairvaux, Therese of Lisieux, Catherine of Siena, Padre Pio, Augustine.
There are small saints like Blessed Margaret of Castello, Pier Giorgio Frassati, Tarcisius, Dula.
We can be the saints God has called us to be only if we allow Him to take away all sin and tendencies towards sin. Is this impossible? No, but we may fail now and then at first. The call to being in union with God demands work and attention. Those of us who were born in Original Sin, unlike Mary, Our Mother, must be humbled.
She is our model, but as the Queen of Saints, she is far above us, and we can only sit and her feet and learn from her how to please God. She is the greatest woman ever created and the New Eve, set on earth to bear the New Adam, Christ, the God-Man. By one man sin came into the world, and by One Man came salvation. Christ, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinit.y came from a perfect woman and from God the Father, through the Holy Spirit, to be Incarnated on earth. Christ, with the Trinity from all ages, at one time in history, became a tiny embryo in the womb of Mary. We can hardly grasp the meaning, the reality of the Incarnation. But, Mary did. She said "Yes" as she had been prepared from all time for this moment.
I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
Through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.
I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
The Theotokos, the God-Bearer, deserves our honor and praise. She is not merely the best of women, she is The Woman, called from all time, to be the Mother of God.
May we ask her today to lead us to Christ and to cooperate with grace to become saints.
May that be the grace for each of us today.
Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with Thee.
(I rarely disagree with Voris but) Original Sin is the Sin of Adam
The women's liberation movement is indeed evil. But, the feminization of men happened much earlier than the 1960s. The great storm of forty years ago was a result of the emasculation of men which had happened as early as three generations before 1960.
What weakened men over the centuries was not the uprising of women in the '60s and '70s, but the result of two world wars and the selfishness of the new generations of peter pans.
If one looks at the history of the family, the male leadership of the family became undermined at the latest in World War I. The First World War killed off the old aristocracy. The First World War killed off thousands of good Catholic men..
The best and the brightest men of Europe were killed in that unnecessary war. The cream of the crop of men from all the European nations died going over the trenches.
The Jazz Age revealed a "Lost Generation" of men who acted like peter pans, refusing to get married and playing until they died. Contraception grew up in the 1920s and 1930s. In fact, the Anglican Church approved contraception at the 1930 Lambeth Council. The men who were marrying and not marrying could be Christians and expect women to contracept.
Men took the lead at the Lambeth Council. Men decided on contraception there, and in the other Protestant denominations.
In 1970, the Presbyterian church allowed contraception and abortion.
In 1970, the Lutheran Church of America accepted contraception and abortion.
In 1977, the UCC accepted both.
Except for the Presbyterians, there were no female "clergy" at these times.
All these decisions came from men, who were voting to destroy the family.
One of the missing ingredients in those who blame the feminist movement for such evils is this history and the fact that many men came back from both World War I and World War II not wanting anything to do with discipline or authority. Peter pans existed a plenty in the 1960s.
The generation of peter pans grew up in the 1902s and 1930s first. Many women in that age group failed to find strong men as husbands, as the damage was done earlier. Boys were not trained to be like their fathers, or worse, they rebelled against strong fathers, leaving the women without protectors. This pattern repeated itself in the 1950s aand 1960s. How many dads told their daughters not to wear mini-skirts, or not to be out late; not to go to pubs, or not to date weak men? Few...very few dads really were involved in their daughters' lives in these times. Dads no longer looked out for suitable mates for their girls, letting females fend for themselves in this important decision. Few brothers watched out for the good of their sisters, instead, not growing up themselves, not taking responsibility in being protectors.
Women were rebelling against weak men, as well as those who abused their roles in the families. Did satan jump in and push the feminist agenda? Of course. But, the evil began with the abdication of men as real leaders in the family and in the Church.
To blame women is like Adam blaming Eve. It is not the sin of Eve for which we and Christ Himself suffered, but the sin of Adam, who refused to take responsibility for his own mate.
And, can we not see that the weakness of the clergy before Vatican II LED to Vatican II? The crisis in leadership had hit the Church earlier than the feminist movement. Those who think that the priests who were ordained in the 1950s did not contain in their ranks those who wanted to protestantize and liberalize the Church should look at the members of the committees. I have had priests in their 80s tell me that they became priests in order to make the Church more protestant. They succeeded.
The fact is that there was a leadership crisis in the Church from the 1930s, of those who wanted to have a Pan-Christian church. This ideal of false ecumenism came out of the fear of communism and fascism, but created a modernist mind-set which directly fed into the changes we see among Catholics today.
Men controlled the Church in the 1930s, not women, and these men were modernists and followers of the heresy of Americanism. The rot had set in much earlier than 1960.
Think again. If Adam had not accepted Eve's sin, there would be no Original Sin.
Men, start taking responsibility for your own lack of manhood and stop blaming the Eves of this world.
Adam's cowardice is the cowardice of all men who do not take responsibility for history.
Monday, 24 March 2014
Max The Last Story
Max and Father Simon talked for hours. Father decided to teach Max about the Faith one on one, as the RCIA was in full swing. A grateful Max agreed to meet once a week until Easter for two hours. He walked away with a Bible, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and A Treatise on Prayer by St. Alphonsus. Maybe Father Simon's lack of aestheticism revealed a sensitive spirit in other areas. Max avoided stumbling over the plants on the stoop.
On the way back to the shelter, Max ran into James coming home from work. James could not help but notice the stack of books in Max's hands. "Hey, those are Catholic books." James really was not surprised.
"James, too bad you are not practicing. You could be my sponsor." James did not answer. Then, he said,
"I found out that Karen is now in RCIA. Must be something in the air." The two walked on to the shelter, but first, they sat on their bench. Max paged through the books. He felt that this journey would prove not only interesting and spiritually beneficial, but fun.
James remained silent. "My one brother died when I was a kid. I got mad at God. He did not have to let him die. And, Mike died. I just do not understand why we are here."
Max waited a moment. "Why do you have to understand everything? God and the spiritual life are mysteries to us. We can only learn so much, but we have to try."
Their ruminations ended when a huge gust of wind brought in a shower of rain. Max put the books under his shirt, and they ran into the shelter.
At this time of year, in the last weeks of March, the number of men in the shelter had dwindled to about ten. Some of the Memphis men left to go back to the city. A few had found jobs. Some just disappeared.
James laid down on his cot. "I just don't feel well, Max." Max looked at James. He looked very ill. "I am going to phone a doctor."
James tried to sit up, but could not. He was too dizzy and he complained of chest pain. Max got the director of the shelter and together they determined that James had to go to the hospital. He had symptoms of a heart attack.
Max said, "An ambulance is coming. Is there anything else you want, James?"
"I told you death comes in threes," he gasped. "Call Father Simon, would you?"
James asked to use the phone, and within a few minutes, Father Simon was kneeling next to James' cot.
Max and the director stood apart. They could hear the words of the priest, absolving James of his sins.
Then, the doors burst open and the paramedics came in with a stretcher. Father Simon stood up and walked over to Max.
"This was a good thing you did, Max. I don't think he will make it." The paramedics began phoning the angioplasty doctor at the hospital. Then, one got out the defibrillator. They gave James two shots as well. But, after fifteen minutes, it was clear James was gone.
"Well," said Father Simon. "He is in a better place."
Max asked, "Do you mean heaven, Father?"
"I don't know for sure, but either there, or purgatory. He made a good confession, and I gave him the last rites. One cannot do much more than that. See you on Thursday."
Father left, but stopped and blessed James' body first. The paramedics covered the body up, and thanked Max and the director for phoning.
"He went so fast, it could have been something hereditary. We just saw this a while ago."
Max nodded. But, unlike Mike, James had opened his heart to God, as it was giving way.
"Thank you, Mary and thank you Jesus", was all Max could say.
On the way back to the shelter, Max ran into James coming home from work. James could not help but notice the stack of books in Max's hands. "Hey, those are Catholic books." James really was not surprised.
"James, too bad you are not practicing. You could be my sponsor." James did not answer. Then, he said,
"I found out that Karen is now in RCIA. Must be something in the air." The two walked on to the shelter, but first, they sat on their bench. Max paged through the books. He felt that this journey would prove not only interesting and spiritually beneficial, but fun.
James remained silent. "My one brother died when I was a kid. I got mad at God. He did not have to let him die. And, Mike died. I just do not understand why we are here."
Max waited a moment. "Why do you have to understand everything? God and the spiritual life are mysteries to us. We can only learn so much, but we have to try."
Their ruminations ended when a huge gust of wind brought in a shower of rain. Max put the books under his shirt, and they ran into the shelter.
At this time of year, in the last weeks of March, the number of men in the shelter had dwindled to about ten. Some of the Memphis men left to go back to the city. A few had found jobs. Some just disappeared.
James laid down on his cot. "I just don't feel well, Max." Max looked at James. He looked very ill. "I am going to phone a doctor."
James tried to sit up, but could not. He was too dizzy and he complained of chest pain. Max got the director of the shelter and together they determined that James had to go to the hospital. He had symptoms of a heart attack.
Max said, "An ambulance is coming. Is there anything else you want, James?"
"I told you death comes in threes," he gasped. "Call Father Simon, would you?"
James asked to use the phone, and within a few minutes, Father Simon was kneeling next to James' cot.
Max and the director stood apart. They could hear the words of the priest, absolving James of his sins.
Then, the doors burst open and the paramedics came in with a stretcher. Father Simon stood up and walked over to Max.
"This was a good thing you did, Max. I don't think he will make it." The paramedics began phoning the angioplasty doctor at the hospital. Then, one got out the defibrillator. They gave James two shots as well. But, after fifteen minutes, it was clear James was gone.
"Well," said Father Simon. "He is in a better place."
Max asked, "Do you mean heaven, Father?"
"I don't know for sure, but either there, or purgatory. He made a good confession, and I gave him the last rites. One cannot do much more than that. See you on Thursday."
Father left, but stopped and blessed James' body first. The paramedics covered the body up, and thanked Max and the director for phoning.
"He went so fast, it could have been something hereditary. We just saw this a while ago."
Max nodded. But, unlike Mike, James had opened his heart to God, as it was giving way.
"Thank you, Mary and thank you Jesus", was all Max could say.
Read This From Cardinal Burke
http://stlouis.cbslocal.com/2014/03/24/vatican-chief-justice-obamas-policies-have-become-progressively-more-hostile-toward-christian-civilization/
A great leader, and let us pray for him. Cardinal Burke speaks the truth. How many Catholics are listening?
POTUS meets Pope Francis on Thursday. I hope there are "words".
A great leader, and let us pray for him. Cardinal Burke speaks the truth. How many Catholics are listening?
POTUS meets Pope Francis on Thursday. I hope there are "words".
Max Sixth
Max told me three extraordinary things on Monday. The information he found online on Thursday, at the library, on the Eucharistic Jesus and the Real Presence astounded him. He said that if Catholics really believed in the Real Presence that St. Benedict's would be packed to the gills every Sunday, which the parish was not. Secondly, he told me that his prayer life was changing. Jesus had become "interiorized" and not exterior. Max mused that the reception of Holy Communion must be an experience like his of Jesus inside of him.
I agreed with everything he said. He wrote this to me in an email, which is my main source of information from Max.
................................................................................................................................................................
James, being Irish. told Max that death comes in threes. Max knew this was false, being in the Middle East for years and watching men die in random numbers. However, he did not argue with James. James seem to be waiting for two more people he knew to die, but in the meantime, he was offered a job. Bill had lost Mike in the auto repair shop, the only auto shop in town, and one with an superb reputation. Bill and his five brothers worked in the shop full-time. I had met these men when I visited the town years ago, when I met Max, James, and Mike. Travelling through the South, I had a bad experience, as my car had a strange flat. Bill told me I had bought a faulty tire somewhere. It had blown in several places all at once on the highway and I was very lucky not to have had an accident.
Thankfully, I was in a place where I could pull over to the side and phone a tow truck. Bill's Auto Repair was the number I found on my smart phone.
The problem of hiring a new person took a while to resolve as Bill's sons had to be consulted. The two boys did not want to "take over" the business, but go into IT and medicine in the autumn. Ken was a year older than Rob, but had worked in the shop a year after high school. Now, he and his brother would go to the local, excellent university and pursue new lives.
Bill's older brother, Tom, became ill the same week that Mike died. He had gone to Memphis for tests. So, technically, the shop needed two new men. Bill knew that James had talent as a mechanic. He had to consult with the others, but James was offered a job on Monday. He took it. He could wear his baseball cap all day in the shop if he wanted to do so.
The homeless shelter has a policy that is a person gets a job, that man can stay one month until he gets paid and until he gets his own place. The housing run by the city has a waiting list of six months. The houses were all built in the eighties and are of a high standard for public housing. These consist of two neighborhoods of duplexes, each with a small porch and a little picket fence. Each house has one or two bedrooms. Maggie lived in a one bedroom. James had been right about one thing. Another death followed that of Mike's, as within ten days, old Maggie was found dead in her little kitchen. Sadly, Punch had died as well, as Maggie must have been dead for a few days when found. Max wondered, but did not say this to James, "Was Punch the third death?"
The newspaper noted that Maggie was 93 and had been born in Lithuania. Whether she was in heaven or not was a subject not discussed by James or Max.
But, another extraordinary thing happened to Max. The death of Punch triggered a bunch of memories. Max remembered Andromeda, his dog in Iraq. He remembered all the months leading up to and from Sam and Joe's tragic deaths. He remembered his entire history except for the one month before he was in the hospital in New York.
Max decided to write all this down. I have not seen these stories, but he told me the writing was therapeutic and he hoped to share these with other men who had been abroad, especially the veterans. Max went to the pie shop by himself yesterday, as James was working at Bill's shop. All three "girls" were working as many tourists came to the shop for the weekend country dancing festival, and some stayed through the Monday.
Karen, Sue, and the waitress that was keen on Max, fluttered about the shop. Max had slept through the shelter breakfast, as he had been writing late at night with a small flashlight, so he ordered the full breakfast. The waitress keen on him had her long blond hair pulled back into a tight ponytail. Max noticed she had her nails done in green polish.
"Are you Irish, Kate," he asked? The tall waitress stared at him. "Oh, you noticed the green nail polish. Yep, I always put on green polish for St. Pat's Day. I guess I need to change the color today."
She was pleased that Max noticed, but Max noticed everything. She poured him some coffee and moved on to another customer. Max wondered if Kate was Catholic. Max realized that he had known two Catholics in Iraq. One was the staff sergeant, Kyle Cummings, who did go to Mass when it was offered. The other was the Catholic priest chaplain, Father Miller. Other than that, Max was not sure he had actually met other Catholics, but then, he never attended Mass, which he was told at the time, filled up the air tent where it was held.
Max thought about his dog, Andromeda. She had been trained to guard soldiers and other personnel. She had accompanied Max everywhere, and was killed on the day Sam and Joe died.
Until Punch's sad death, Max had pushed the memory of Andromeda down into some deep, deep hole in his consciousness. The day the news of Maggie and Punch's death, (did Punch count for three, Max wondered again?), circled about the town, Max remembered Andromeda and that night, he cried for a long time. Those in the shelter ignored him, as no one had their own rooms, but the three dozen cots were lined up like beds in an old-fashioned camp hospital, in three rows of twelve. The other men ignored Max's weeping, as they understood it was bad manners to question or even acknowledge tears in a grown man. Plus, most of them had their tears now and then as well.
In the morning, Max felt much better and was grateful for his regained memory. In fact, to show God gratitude, Max walked over to St. Benedict's and popped into the church. Now, this church had been built in 2006 after a fire destroyed the old one. The new St. Benedict's was a horror of modern architecture and bad taste. The entire church was shaped like a crown, which defied imagination, as St. Benedict never wore a crown, and the name of the church was not Christ the King. Inside, the walls were made of local stone, but the wood paneling in the sanctuary made that most sacred area look like a board room in an office building. A wooden cross without the corpus seemed to be stuck to the paneling. One hardly noticed this cross.
No one liked this architecture except the priest. And, no one knew why the priest liked it. At Easter, the ladies would try and make the stone walls and paneling look festive by draping pink and yellow material from the top to the bottom of the walls. They pinned dozens of fake butterflies of different colors all over the cloths. Their grandmothers had pinned false butterflies on the curtains in the parlors in the spring, in the 1930s, and this idea stuck in the church ladies' imaginations. In addition. long pieces of cloth festooned the center of the crown, reaching out from the sides of the church to the center window at the top. The entire effect created reminded most people of a wedding reception, or teenage girl's birthday party. The colors used mostly were not liturgical colors, and in Ordinary Time in the fall, the cloths were brown and orange, with fake autumn leaves of yellow pinned to the long sheets of non-liturgical colors. A few people drove out to the Catholic church in .....ton, in order to worship in a "real church." That church, St. Mary's, was over a hundred years old and had not been ruined.
Thankfully, as it was Lent, somber purple cloths graced the walls, and no long drapes adorned the interior of the crown. So, when Max entered the church he was not "grossed out" as James would say, by the decorations. Only two statues stood in this modern church and both were made out of wood. One was of Mary and the other Joseph. In a small chapel to the side, the Holy Sacrament Chapel, a large window of the Sacred Heart, salvaged from the old burnt church, had been placed above the altar. This chapel proved to be the favorite place for prayer, as it was more traditional and lovely. The priest had allowed some weddings in this chapel, as the brides preferred the large stained glass window as a backdrop to the wood paneling.
Father Simon had no taste in art or architecture, but he claimed he loved this church. He had brought in large potted plants, much to the chagrin of Rosie, who ran the local florist shop, and had provided the church with flowers for years. At least once a week, one could hear Rosie exclaiming the ugliness of the plants compared to her beautiful pieces. Her opinion held sway. Some brave church ladies had attempted to move the ugly plants after a spring clean, but Father moved those back.
Max did not noticed the plants as he made his way to the small Sacred Heart chapel. There, he experienced the same welling up of love that he had in the hospital so many years before.
Max had brought Will's rosary and a print-out from the library computer on how to say this. Max would give it a try.
An hour later, Max stood on Father Simon's doorstep, as the rectory was right next door. Max noticed that the entire porch was full of potted plants. No one answered, so Max walked over to the office, on the side of the rectory. Mary Kay Crimmins, the secretary, explained that Father could see him tomorrow at three. Max made an appointment. On his way out, Max almost fell over two more plants on the stoop of the office. Despite the plants, Max had made a decision. He now knew why people loved the rosary. Jesus had introduced Max to His Mother. And, Christ's Mother led Max to the Catholic Church. This was the third extraordinary thing Max told me.
I agreed with everything he said. He wrote this to me in an email, which is my main source of information from Max.
................................................................................................................................................................
James, being Irish. told Max that death comes in threes. Max knew this was false, being in the Middle East for years and watching men die in random numbers. However, he did not argue with James. James seem to be waiting for two more people he knew to die, but in the meantime, he was offered a job. Bill had lost Mike in the auto repair shop, the only auto shop in town, and one with an superb reputation. Bill and his five brothers worked in the shop full-time. I had met these men when I visited the town years ago, when I met Max, James, and Mike. Travelling through the South, I had a bad experience, as my car had a strange flat. Bill told me I had bought a faulty tire somewhere. It had blown in several places all at once on the highway and I was very lucky not to have had an accident.
Thankfully, I was in a place where I could pull over to the side and phone a tow truck. Bill's Auto Repair was the number I found on my smart phone.
The problem of hiring a new person took a while to resolve as Bill's sons had to be consulted. The two boys did not want to "take over" the business, but go into IT and medicine in the autumn. Ken was a year older than Rob, but had worked in the shop a year after high school. Now, he and his brother would go to the local, excellent university and pursue new lives.
Bill's older brother, Tom, became ill the same week that Mike died. He had gone to Memphis for tests. So, technically, the shop needed two new men. Bill knew that James had talent as a mechanic. He had to consult with the others, but James was offered a job on Monday. He took it. He could wear his baseball cap all day in the shop if he wanted to do so.
The homeless shelter has a policy that is a person gets a job, that man can stay one month until he gets paid and until he gets his own place. The housing run by the city has a waiting list of six months. The houses were all built in the eighties and are of a high standard for public housing. These consist of two neighborhoods of duplexes, each with a small porch and a little picket fence. Each house has one or two bedrooms. Maggie lived in a one bedroom. James had been right about one thing. Another death followed that of Mike's, as within ten days, old Maggie was found dead in her little kitchen. Sadly, Punch had died as well, as Maggie must have been dead for a few days when found. Max wondered, but did not say this to James, "Was Punch the third death?"
The newspaper noted that Maggie was 93 and had been born in Lithuania. Whether she was in heaven or not was a subject not discussed by James or Max.
But, another extraordinary thing happened to Max. The death of Punch triggered a bunch of memories. Max remembered Andromeda, his dog in Iraq. He remembered all the months leading up to and from Sam and Joe's tragic deaths. He remembered his entire history except for the one month before he was in the hospital in New York.
Max decided to write all this down. I have not seen these stories, but he told me the writing was therapeutic and he hoped to share these with other men who had been abroad, especially the veterans. Max went to the pie shop by himself yesterday, as James was working at Bill's shop. All three "girls" were working as many tourists came to the shop for the weekend country dancing festival, and some stayed through the Monday.
Karen, Sue, and the waitress that was keen on Max, fluttered about the shop. Max had slept through the shelter breakfast, as he had been writing late at night with a small flashlight, so he ordered the full breakfast. The waitress keen on him had her long blond hair pulled back into a tight ponytail. Max noticed she had her nails done in green polish.
"Are you Irish, Kate," he asked? The tall waitress stared at him. "Oh, you noticed the green nail polish. Yep, I always put on green polish for St. Pat's Day. I guess I need to change the color today."
She was pleased that Max noticed, but Max noticed everything. She poured him some coffee and moved on to another customer. Max wondered if Kate was Catholic. Max realized that he had known two Catholics in Iraq. One was the staff sergeant, Kyle Cummings, who did go to Mass when it was offered. The other was the Catholic priest chaplain, Father Miller. Other than that, Max was not sure he had actually met other Catholics, but then, he never attended Mass, which he was told at the time, filled up the air tent where it was held.
Max thought about his dog, Andromeda. She had been trained to guard soldiers and other personnel. She had accompanied Max everywhere, and was killed on the day Sam and Joe died.
Until Punch's sad death, Max had pushed the memory of Andromeda down into some deep, deep hole in his consciousness. The day the news of Maggie and Punch's death, (did Punch count for three, Max wondered again?), circled about the town, Max remembered Andromeda and that night, he cried for a long time. Those in the shelter ignored him, as no one had their own rooms, but the three dozen cots were lined up like beds in an old-fashioned camp hospital, in three rows of twelve. The other men ignored Max's weeping, as they understood it was bad manners to question or even acknowledge tears in a grown man. Plus, most of them had their tears now and then as well.
In the morning, Max felt much better and was grateful for his regained memory. In fact, to show God gratitude, Max walked over to St. Benedict's and popped into the church. Now, this church had been built in 2006 after a fire destroyed the old one. The new St. Benedict's was a horror of modern architecture and bad taste. The entire church was shaped like a crown, which defied imagination, as St. Benedict never wore a crown, and the name of the church was not Christ the King. Inside, the walls were made of local stone, but the wood paneling in the sanctuary made that most sacred area look like a board room in an office building. A wooden cross without the corpus seemed to be stuck to the paneling. One hardly noticed this cross.
No one liked this architecture except the priest. And, no one knew why the priest liked it. At Easter, the ladies would try and make the stone walls and paneling look festive by draping pink and yellow material from the top to the bottom of the walls. They pinned dozens of fake butterflies of different colors all over the cloths. Their grandmothers had pinned false butterflies on the curtains in the parlors in the spring, in the 1930s, and this idea stuck in the church ladies' imaginations. In addition. long pieces of cloth festooned the center of the crown, reaching out from the sides of the church to the center window at the top. The entire effect created reminded most people of a wedding reception, or teenage girl's birthday party. The colors used mostly were not liturgical colors, and in Ordinary Time in the fall, the cloths were brown and orange, with fake autumn leaves of yellow pinned to the long sheets of non-liturgical colors. A few people drove out to the Catholic church in .....ton, in order to worship in a "real church." That church, St. Mary's, was over a hundred years old and had not been ruined.
Thankfully, as it was Lent, somber purple cloths graced the walls, and no long drapes adorned the interior of the crown. So, when Max entered the church he was not "grossed out" as James would say, by the decorations. Only two statues stood in this modern church and both were made out of wood. One was of Mary and the other Joseph. In a small chapel to the side, the Holy Sacrament Chapel, a large window of the Sacred Heart, salvaged from the old burnt church, had been placed above the altar. This chapel proved to be the favorite place for prayer, as it was more traditional and lovely. The priest had allowed some weddings in this chapel, as the brides preferred the large stained glass window as a backdrop to the wood paneling.
Father Simon had no taste in art or architecture, but he claimed he loved this church. He had brought in large potted plants, much to the chagrin of Rosie, who ran the local florist shop, and had provided the church with flowers for years. At least once a week, one could hear Rosie exclaiming the ugliness of the plants compared to her beautiful pieces. Her opinion held sway. Some brave church ladies had attempted to move the ugly plants after a spring clean, but Father moved those back.
Max did not noticed the plants as he made his way to the small Sacred Heart chapel. There, he experienced the same welling up of love that he had in the hospital so many years before.
Max had brought Will's rosary and a print-out from the library computer on how to say this. Max would give it a try.
An hour later, Max stood on Father Simon's doorstep, as the rectory was right next door. Max noticed that the entire porch was full of potted plants. No one answered, so Max walked over to the office, on the side of the rectory. Mary Kay Crimmins, the secretary, explained that Father could see him tomorrow at three. Max made an appointment. On his way out, Max almost fell over two more plants on the stoop of the office. Despite the plants, Max had made a decision. He now knew why people loved the rosary. Jesus had introduced Max to His Mother. And, Christ's Mother led Max to the Catholic Church. This was the third extraordinary thing Max told me.
Fifth Max
James found his "T" hat in the Free Shop. Maggie met him at the door as he was going out. She needed to find net curtains, as Punch, her cat, regularly climbed her curtains at home and most of these hung in shreds.
"Punch thinks my nets are his playground." Maggie mused. "My other cat, Welcome, died you know. I shall see him in heaven, I hope." James looked surprised. "Don't you believe in heaven," Maggie asked?
"Yeah, I do, " answered James, "but I did not think you were a church-goer, Maggie." James' old Catholic upbringing sensed something. "I mean, we are supposed to be going to church to get to heaven."
"Naw, all people go to heaven, James. Well, I need to go. Talk to you later." Maggie toddled into the shop, and James stood in the doorway for a minute. He thought he might ask Max his opinion on heaven.
Ten minutes later, James sat down on his bench in the park. The sun shone brightly, but the air felt chilly. Down the road, the river had flooded over the roads and drivers were forced miles out of their way into the town from the country. Little traffic ran past the park today. Max came out of the shelter. He held something in his hand. James could see that it was red. Max came over and sat down.
"Your red dragon?" James noted that Max carried it out on Wednesdays.
"Yep, Sam was killed on a Wednesday. It's funny, but I cannot remember what I did Wednesday last, but I can remember Sam's death day like it happened yesterday and he died ten years ago."
James nervously squirmed, "Do you think Sam is in heaven?" Max thought, ah, now is the time to talk about God.
"Don't know for sure. I mean, we have to be really good to get to heaven and we have to follow the Commandments. You are an old Catholic. You should know."
James looked at his new cap, now in his hand. "Well, Maggie just said everyone goes to heaven."
Max stretched out his long legs. He put the red dragon on the space next to him and put his hands behind his head. "No, I don't believe that. The Scriptures are pretty clear about there being a hell, and even Jesus talks about people going to hell, and He is God."
"Well, I do not know. I hate to think of anyone in hell. I think there is a hell, too, but for really bad people." James was thinking of Mike. He did not understand how God could allow an atheist to die just like that.
Max continued. "Really bad means something else to God than to us, I think. For example, I am not a really bad or very good person, but I might not get to heaven. I have to work on stuff."
James was surprised. "Hey, you are a good guy, Max. What do you mean?" He thought of Mike again.
Max picked up his dragon. "I don't go to church. I do not honor the very first Commandment. Even Sam went to services when he could, regularly. I never did, even in my old faith. And, now, I can't decide where to go."
James looked at Max. "You mean someone could go to hell for not going to church on Sunday? That is pretty strict, Max." Max looked straight at James. "Yep, but I do not make the rules, God does. I have been thinking lately of going to church on Sunday. I mean, would you want to go with me?"
The sun slid behind some clouds. Rain seemed to be building up in the eastern sky, as the clouds grew darker. "Hey, we should get inside." James noted.
The two men walked quickly to the pie shop. Karen wasn't there, but Sue was. Sue also cut hair. Today, she was a waitress. "Hi, guys. Pies?"
"And coffee, please," answered Max. Linda had given him a tenner and he was treating James today.
"In my old religion, one just can't go to church anyway. It's like, one just can't go to church. I mean, there are rules and I hate to think about those." James ate his apple pie like a serious pie eater, fast and with relish.
"Explain, James. The only thing I know about Catholicism is what Will told me last year. You remember the boy who went into the seminary?"
"Nice young man." James drank some black coffee. "Well, Catholics have something called confession, and one has to tell one's sins to a priest, who forgives you. Then, you can go to church."
Sue brought more coffee. She stood by the booth."My grandma is a Catholic. She goes to St. Benedict's up the road. But, my mom fell away and we all just did not do anything. But, if I ever got married, I would want to be a Catholic."
Max smiled. All the waitresses here wanted to get married "real bad". "Why Catholic, Sue?" Max asked.
"Well, they believe God blesses the marriage and it lasts forever. None of this divorce stuff." Sue wandered off to another customer.
Max put two sugars into his mug. He needed sweeteners in the strong, black coffee at this cafe. James continued, "I have not been to church in such a long time, that I am scared to talk to a priest, to be honest."
"Well," said Max, "if you really believe that people go to hell, and that not going to church on Sunday is a sin, I guess we have to think about either going to hell or going to church." He ate his cherry pie.
The rain did not come, but the sky looked dark. "It is good thing that the shelter lets us in during the day. I think we are in for some bad weather." James noted that the wind had picked up.
Max took something out of his pocket as they walked back to the shelter. "What do you know about rosaries, James?"
He held up the knotted one Will had given him last year. It had a simple wooden cross on it with a simple wooden Jesus. Max thought it looked like something made in the Middle East. In fact, he knew that, as one day he asked Karen to read the words on the back of the cross, as his eyesight was not so good. "Made in Bethlehem", read Karen out loud.
Max was happy to hear that, as he had been in Bethlehem a long time ago. His dad and mom took his only sister and him to the Holy Land when he was twelve. Max had a twin sister. But, he never saw any of his family. His parents lived in New York and his sister worked in Chicago. She was single, like him.
"I can't remember much, but one prays to Jesus's mom on the rosary, thinking about the things that she and Jesus did while praying the Hail Marys."
Max wondered why Catholics prayed to Mary. He was intrigued. He would pray to Jesus about this. "I think we should try going to the churches, one by one. We can try them all out."
James shook his head. "Nope, I could not do that. If I was to go back to church, I would just be a Catholic again." Max seemed amazed. "Why?"
James looked really sick. His face, usually ruddy, seemed white and pinched. "The Catholics have Jesus in the Eucharist. I learned that in school, but I can't go unless I went to confession and I don't want to do that."
Max was shocked. He had never heard of Jesus in the Eucharist. He told me that this statement of James caused him "much upset" as James would say. Max decided to read about this Eucharistic Jesus. But, he said nothing to James. Max would go to the library later and use the computer to look up "Eucharist".
"Well, I am going to write a story, now, James, like I do on Wednesdays. So, I am going in ...see you later."
To be continued...
"Punch thinks my nets are his playground." Maggie mused. "My other cat, Welcome, died you know. I shall see him in heaven, I hope." James looked surprised. "Don't you believe in heaven," Maggie asked?
"Yeah, I do, " answered James, "but I did not think you were a church-goer, Maggie." James' old Catholic upbringing sensed something. "I mean, we are supposed to be going to church to get to heaven."
"Naw, all people go to heaven, James. Well, I need to go. Talk to you later." Maggie toddled into the shop, and James stood in the doorway for a minute. He thought he might ask Max his opinion on heaven.
Ten minutes later, James sat down on his bench in the park. The sun shone brightly, but the air felt chilly. Down the road, the river had flooded over the roads and drivers were forced miles out of their way into the town from the country. Little traffic ran past the park today. Max came out of the shelter. He held something in his hand. James could see that it was red. Max came over and sat down.
"Your red dragon?" James noted that Max carried it out on Wednesdays.
"Yep, Sam was killed on a Wednesday. It's funny, but I cannot remember what I did Wednesday last, but I can remember Sam's death day like it happened yesterday and he died ten years ago."
James nervously squirmed, "Do you think Sam is in heaven?" Max thought, ah, now is the time to talk about God.
"Don't know for sure. I mean, we have to be really good to get to heaven and we have to follow the Commandments. You are an old Catholic. You should know."
James looked at his new cap, now in his hand. "Well, Maggie just said everyone goes to heaven."
Max stretched out his long legs. He put the red dragon on the space next to him and put his hands behind his head. "No, I don't believe that. The Scriptures are pretty clear about there being a hell, and even Jesus talks about people going to hell, and He is God."
"Well, I do not know. I hate to think of anyone in hell. I think there is a hell, too, but for really bad people." James was thinking of Mike. He did not understand how God could allow an atheist to die just like that.
Max continued. "Really bad means something else to God than to us, I think. For example, I am not a really bad or very good person, but I might not get to heaven. I have to work on stuff."
James was surprised. "Hey, you are a good guy, Max. What do you mean?" He thought of Mike again.
Max picked up his dragon. "I don't go to church. I do not honor the very first Commandment. Even Sam went to services when he could, regularly. I never did, even in my old faith. And, now, I can't decide where to go."
James looked at Max. "You mean someone could go to hell for not going to church on Sunday? That is pretty strict, Max." Max looked straight at James. "Yep, but I do not make the rules, God does. I have been thinking lately of going to church on Sunday. I mean, would you want to go with me?"
The sun slid behind some clouds. Rain seemed to be building up in the eastern sky, as the clouds grew darker. "Hey, we should get inside." James noted.
The two men walked quickly to the pie shop. Karen wasn't there, but Sue was. Sue also cut hair. Today, she was a waitress. "Hi, guys. Pies?"
"And coffee, please," answered Max. Linda had given him a tenner and he was treating James today.
"In my old religion, one just can't go to church anyway. It's like, one just can't go to church. I mean, there are rules and I hate to think about those." James ate his apple pie like a serious pie eater, fast and with relish.
"Explain, James. The only thing I know about Catholicism is what Will told me last year. You remember the boy who went into the seminary?"
"Nice young man." James drank some black coffee. "Well, Catholics have something called confession, and one has to tell one's sins to a priest, who forgives you. Then, you can go to church."
Sue brought more coffee. She stood by the booth."My grandma is a Catholic. She goes to St. Benedict's up the road. But, my mom fell away and we all just did not do anything. But, if I ever got married, I would want to be a Catholic."
Max smiled. All the waitresses here wanted to get married "real bad". "Why Catholic, Sue?" Max asked.
"Well, they believe God blesses the marriage and it lasts forever. None of this divorce stuff." Sue wandered off to another customer.
Max put two sugars into his mug. He needed sweeteners in the strong, black coffee at this cafe. James continued, "I have not been to church in such a long time, that I am scared to talk to a priest, to be honest."
"Well," said Max, "if you really believe that people go to hell, and that not going to church on Sunday is a sin, I guess we have to think about either going to hell or going to church." He ate his cherry pie.
The rain did not come, but the sky looked dark. "It is good thing that the shelter lets us in during the day. I think we are in for some bad weather." James noted that the wind had picked up.
Max took something out of his pocket as they walked back to the shelter. "What do you know about rosaries, James?"
He held up the knotted one Will had given him last year. It had a simple wooden cross on it with a simple wooden Jesus. Max thought it looked like something made in the Middle East. In fact, he knew that, as one day he asked Karen to read the words on the back of the cross, as his eyesight was not so good. "Made in Bethlehem", read Karen out loud.
Max was happy to hear that, as he had been in Bethlehem a long time ago. His dad and mom took his only sister and him to the Holy Land when he was twelve. Max had a twin sister. But, he never saw any of his family. His parents lived in New York and his sister worked in Chicago. She was single, like him.
"I can't remember much, but one prays to Jesus's mom on the rosary, thinking about the things that she and Jesus did while praying the Hail Marys."
Max wondered why Catholics prayed to Mary. He was intrigued. He would pray to Jesus about this. "I think we should try going to the churches, one by one. We can try them all out."
James shook his head. "Nope, I could not do that. If I was to go back to church, I would just be a Catholic again." Max seemed amazed. "Why?"
James looked really sick. His face, usually ruddy, seemed white and pinched. "The Catholics have Jesus in the Eucharist. I learned that in school, but I can't go unless I went to confession and I don't want to do that."
Max was shocked. He had never heard of Jesus in the Eucharist. He told me that this statement of James caused him "much upset" as James would say. Max decided to read about this Eucharistic Jesus. But, he said nothing to James. Max would go to the library later and use the computer to look up "Eucharist".
"Well, I am going to write a story, now, James, like I do on Wednesdays. So, I am going in ...see you later."
To be continued...
Fourth Story from Max
I met Max in the park. Now, the park is really small. Because ....ville is small, the park is small. Actually, there are two parks. One is in the center of town and has been there since the 1890s. It has a gazebo and swings.
The second park is outside the town limits and one needs a car to get there. This park is where people go for picnics. There is a softball diamond in the park, and a swimming pool.
Max and James have "their" bench in the park. The homeless shelter backs onto this small park and is connected to the Methodist church. However, the Methodists do not run the shelter, the city actually does.
Max told me there were thirty men at any given time who stay in the shelter overnight. Some are from Memphis. There are shower stalls, the lock boxes, and breakfast. Lunch and dinner are not provided, but the Catholic Church has a dinner twice a week for any poor people who want to come. James and Max go there. That is where Max met Will last year.
Today, in March, James is still "going on" about Mike. Max knows that James is scared of death. But, Max is patient. He knows that James is not ready to hear about Christ and sin and death. Max believes in hell and in heaven.
Max told me this story. He was in a hospital in an eastern state, when he came back from the Middle East, and he was considering suicide. His old secularist ideas could not help him understand the deaths of Joe and Sam. No one visited him in the hospital at all. Max's family, well-to-do and ashamed of him, never visited him, not once.
The night Max had decided to take his life something happened. Max was in the hospital room when he felt a strong wind. He looked around. The two windows were the kind which were permanently shut. He had a night light in his room, which was sparse. He had a little hand electric "bell" to call a nurse if he wanted one.
Max said he just put his head under a pillow. Then, he heard someone talking to him. "You have been measured and found wanting."
Max remembered the passage in Daniel regarding the king who died the night he saw this handwriting on the wall. Max sat up in his bed. He told me he felt cold and scared. Then, he saw someone standing in the corner of the room. It looked just like Death in the movies. This thing was black and hooded. Max stared.
Then, Someone Else came up and stood between Death and Max. This Man was so bright, so beautiful, Max could hardly look at Him. This Man did not speak to Max, but turned to Death in the corner and said this, "He does not belong to you. He belongs to Me. Look at My Wounds."
Death disappeared, "just like that" said Max. Then, the Bright Man held out His Hands to Max. Max saw the holes in the Hands. He knew Who this Man was. This was Christ.
Max reached out to touch the Hands, but the vision disappeared. The room was warm and a pleasant odor filled it. Max laid back down on the bed, stunned. Then, he noticed something. He no longer had any thoughts of suicide. He felt a deep peace. He told me he felt a great love welling up in his heart.
Then, Max sobbed and sobbed. The nurse must have heard him and came in. She was alarmed, but Max assured her he felt just fine.
The nurse insisted on taking all his vitals. Max wanted to laugh. He never felt healthier in his life.
By the end of the week, he was allowed to leave the hospital. He was deemed to be no longer a danger to himself.
When he walked out the door of the hospital, Max said Someone was walking next to him. Max knew the Person was Christ. Max stopped in the parking lot. "You should not be walking next to me, but ahead of me. I should be following You." Christ answered Max. "You are one of my Chosen People. I shall walk next to you always."
Max told me that from that day, he was sure Christ was with him always. Even when he is without work or a house, Max states that Christ is with him. Even today, in the homeless shelter, Max knows Christ is there.
to be continued....
The second park is outside the town limits and one needs a car to get there. This park is where people go for picnics. There is a softball diamond in the park, and a swimming pool.
Max and James have "their" bench in the park. The homeless shelter backs onto this small park and is connected to the Methodist church. However, the Methodists do not run the shelter, the city actually does.
Max told me there were thirty men at any given time who stay in the shelter overnight. Some are from Memphis. There are shower stalls, the lock boxes, and breakfast. Lunch and dinner are not provided, but the Catholic Church has a dinner twice a week for any poor people who want to come. James and Max go there. That is where Max met Will last year.
Today, in March, James is still "going on" about Mike. Max knows that James is scared of death. But, Max is patient. He knows that James is not ready to hear about Christ and sin and death. Max believes in hell and in heaven.
Max told me this story. He was in a hospital in an eastern state, when he came back from the Middle East, and he was considering suicide. His old secularist ideas could not help him understand the deaths of Joe and Sam. No one visited him in the hospital at all. Max's family, well-to-do and ashamed of him, never visited him, not once.
The night Max had decided to take his life something happened. Max was in the hospital room when he felt a strong wind. He looked around. The two windows were the kind which were permanently shut. He had a night light in his room, which was sparse. He had a little hand electric "bell" to call a nurse if he wanted one.
Max said he just put his head under a pillow. Then, he heard someone talking to him. "You have been measured and found wanting."
Max remembered the passage in Daniel regarding the king who died the night he saw this handwriting on the wall. Max sat up in his bed. He told me he felt cold and scared. Then, he saw someone standing in the corner of the room. It looked just like Death in the movies. This thing was black and hooded. Max stared.
Then, Someone Else came up and stood between Death and Max. This Man was so bright, so beautiful, Max could hardly look at Him. This Man did not speak to Max, but turned to Death in the corner and said this, "He does not belong to you. He belongs to Me. Look at My Wounds."
Death disappeared, "just like that" said Max. Then, the Bright Man held out His Hands to Max. Max saw the holes in the Hands. He knew Who this Man was. This was Christ.
Max reached out to touch the Hands, but the vision disappeared. The room was warm and a pleasant odor filled it. Max laid back down on the bed, stunned. Then, he noticed something. He no longer had any thoughts of suicide. He felt a deep peace. He told me he felt a great love welling up in his heart.
Then, Max sobbed and sobbed. The nurse must have heard him and came in. She was alarmed, but Max assured her he felt just fine.
The nurse insisted on taking all his vitals. Max wanted to laugh. He never felt healthier in his life.
By the end of the week, he was allowed to leave the hospital. He was deemed to be no longer a danger to himself.
When he walked out the door of the hospital, Max said Someone was walking next to him. Max knew the Person was Christ. Max stopped in the parking lot. "You should not be walking next to me, but ahead of me. I should be following You." Christ answered Max. "You are one of my Chosen People. I shall walk next to you always."
Max told me that from that day, he was sure Christ was with him always. Even when he is without work or a house, Max states that Christ is with him. Even today, in the homeless shelter, Max knows Christ is there.
to be continued....
Third Story from Max
In the town where Max lives, there is a great charity shop. People bring in clothes, toys, shoes and kitchen stuff, and anyone can take up to twelve items free per trip. No one is charged anything for the things, most of which seem new and in good condition. One reason why the shop is so full of good stuff is that the college students do not want to take things back home at the end of the third term, so they drop things off at the Free Shop.
Max needed a pair of boots. The winter was hard, as we all know, even in the southern states. His boots were full of holes. James needed some jeans and a hat. His team is the Texas Rangers, as he wanted to find a "T" hat. So, the two walked to the Free Shop. Only three ladies, besides the shop keeper, were there. One was a middle-aged lady who has ten cats and always talks to Max. Her name is Mary and she was in the diplomatic core for years. She loves coming to the Free Shop.
The second lady was Maggie, who is so old no one can tell how old she is. Her husband is dead and her three children are all dead. She lives in housing provided by the state. James went over to talk to Maggie about Mike, who Maggie knew. In fact, Maggie knew Mike's dad.
"The widow-maker is what that is called. Mike's dad died in minutes. It is hereditary." Maggie moved on to the shelves where the glasses were lined up. "Mike's dad died at work. Poor Mike did not have a chance."
James walked back to where Max was trying on boots. "I just do not get it. I still can't believe Mike is dead."
Max did not say anything. He just looked at his feet. He noticed he needed new socks as well. Might as well get them here.
A third lady in the shop came over to James. "Hi, James, did you hear about Mike?" Max wanted to ask Linda not to talk about Mike, but it was too late. "I saw him just last week. You know, he was an atheist and never went to church." Linda went to the Lutheran church on the corner. There were six churches in ....ville. One was Catholic, one Lutheran, one Methodist, one Latter Day Saints, one labeled the "Native American Church for Christ", and one "New Church in Christ". Linda somehow knew that Mike was an atheist. James knew that as well. So did Max.....
Linda turned to look at the handbags. James came back to where Max was sitting. "Man, I just do not understand why Mike had to die like that. All by himself, so suddenly."
Max looked at his new boots. It was not the right time to talk to James about God again. Not yet....
Max needed a pair of boots. The winter was hard, as we all know, even in the southern states. His boots were full of holes. James needed some jeans and a hat. His team is the Texas Rangers, as he wanted to find a "T" hat. So, the two walked to the Free Shop. Only three ladies, besides the shop keeper, were there. One was a middle-aged lady who has ten cats and always talks to Max. Her name is Mary and she was in the diplomatic core for years. She loves coming to the Free Shop.
The second lady was Maggie, who is so old no one can tell how old she is. Her husband is dead and her three children are all dead. She lives in housing provided by the state. James went over to talk to Maggie about Mike, who Maggie knew. In fact, Maggie knew Mike's dad.
"The widow-maker is what that is called. Mike's dad died in minutes. It is hereditary." Maggie moved on to the shelves where the glasses were lined up. "Mike's dad died at work. Poor Mike did not have a chance."
James walked back to where Max was trying on boots. "I just do not get it. I still can't believe Mike is dead."
Max did not say anything. He just looked at his feet. He noticed he needed new socks as well. Might as well get them here.
A third lady in the shop came over to James. "Hi, James, did you hear about Mike?" Max wanted to ask Linda not to talk about Mike, but it was too late. "I saw him just last week. You know, he was an atheist and never went to church." Linda went to the Lutheran church on the corner. There were six churches in ....ville. One was Catholic, one Lutheran, one Methodist, one Latter Day Saints, one labeled the "Native American Church for Christ", and one "New Church in Christ". Linda somehow knew that Mike was an atheist. James knew that as well. So did Max.....
Linda turned to look at the handbags. James came back to where Max was sitting. "Man, I just do not understand why Mike had to die like that. All by himself, so suddenly."
Max looked at his new boots. It was not the right time to talk to James about God again. Not yet....
Second Short Story from Max
James is Max's best friend. James and Max have blue cots next to each other in the homeless shelter. They share a lock box provided by the St. Vincent de Paul society for their few things. James used to be married and has photos in his half of the lock box. Max has never been married and has few mementos on his side. One thing he has is a rosary, which he has not had the courage to use yet. A young student named Will gave it to him last year. Will went into the seminary. James and Max spend quite a lot of time together.
They talk about the "old days" less and less, as Max has memory problems. But, James no longer wants to think about his past. James not only use to be married, but he use to be an alcoholic. Alcoholism ruined his marriage. He has three kids he never sees, as his ex-wife remarried and moved far away to another state. James does not have enough money to visit his kids.
What Max does talk to James about is religion. James is a Catholic. He is an Irish Catholic, but fell away from the Church thirty years ago or so. James is slightly older than Max and claims he fell away in college.
Max knows something James does not know, yet. Max knows that God loves him even though he is homeless. James thinks God hates him, and he is angry about his wasted past. He has not forgiven himself for a messed up life. Today, Max and James decided to walk to the far side of the town. The town, .....ville...has 5,400 inhabitants most of the year, but over 20,000 during the college terms, as a famous, middle-sized university takes over the town nine months out of every year.
James went to that university and even played football. He was a local hero. He met his wife in college and opened a farm implement business just outside of town. James was the J....D....rep. He and his wife did well, as the locals said, but the drinking became more and more part of James' life until Anne left him.
James had refused to change, but he finally did after the divorce, and after Anne remarried Carl. Carl is in the Navy. The couple with the kids moved almost directly across country, over 1000 miles away.
Max tried today to explain to James that he does not have to be perfect to be loved by God. Max tried to explain that Christ forgives and forgets. But, James does not want to forget anything. He lives in the past.
Max wanted James to be open to God today of all days, as this is James' birthday. James asked Max, "Why are we here, anyway?' Max answered, "To give glory to God."
(James does not believe Max). "Then why are we homeless? Why do other drunks have it nice, and here, I am sober, but still homeless?"
Max said he looked at the ground, which was full of green grass and small yellow flowers. They walked a long time to a cafe on the west side of town, where a nice lady usually sells them huge slices of pie "dead cheap".
One of the waitresses seems keen on Max, but Max knows he is too ill for a relationship. Besides, he does not want to get married. He cannot support himself, much less a wife and kids.
James rambled on about how God loves some people more than He does him. "Sure," agreed Max. "God can love anyone how He wants to, but He still loves you. And, maybe, just maybe, He wants you to be homeless just now."
James threw his fork on the table. "What?" He stood up.
Max said, "Sit down. What I mean is we do not know how God loves us. How do we know how God loves? All we know is that He died on the Cross for our sins. He loved us that much."
James answered that he thought Max was stupid and full of daft ideas. Max agreed.
They finished the cherry pie and walked back to the park. (Some people ignore Max and James, but some people say "hi"). James wanted to stop at the auto repair shop where he use to work. Max said, "Sure".
He knew that James wanted to see his old friend Mike. But, Mike was not there. The owner, Bill, told James that Mike was found dead at home, of a massive heart attack. Apparently, Mike's dad died the same way.
Max noted that James was really upset. James seemed in shock. Maybe, thought Max, James never thought about death. Max has thought a lot about death. They walked back to the park slowly. "I cannot believe this. Mike is dead. I just don't get it. Why are we here?"
Max decided not to answer James. Not yet......
They talk about the "old days" less and less, as Max has memory problems. But, James no longer wants to think about his past. James not only use to be married, but he use to be an alcoholic. Alcoholism ruined his marriage. He has three kids he never sees, as his ex-wife remarried and moved far away to another state. James does not have enough money to visit his kids.
What Max does talk to James about is religion. James is a Catholic. He is an Irish Catholic, but fell away from the Church thirty years ago or so. James is slightly older than Max and claims he fell away in college.
Max knows something James does not know, yet. Max knows that God loves him even though he is homeless. James thinks God hates him, and he is angry about his wasted past. He has not forgiven himself for a messed up life. Today, Max and James decided to walk to the far side of the town. The town, .....ville...has 5,400 inhabitants most of the year, but over 20,000 during the college terms, as a famous, middle-sized university takes over the town nine months out of every year.
James went to that university and even played football. He was a local hero. He met his wife in college and opened a farm implement business just outside of town. James was the J....D....rep. He and his wife did well, as the locals said, but the drinking became more and more part of James' life until Anne left him.
James had refused to change, but he finally did after the divorce, and after Anne remarried Carl. Carl is in the Navy. The couple with the kids moved almost directly across country, over 1000 miles away.
Max tried today to explain to James that he does not have to be perfect to be loved by God. Max tried to explain that Christ forgives and forgets. But, James does not want to forget anything. He lives in the past.
Max wanted James to be open to God today of all days, as this is James' birthday. James asked Max, "Why are we here, anyway?' Max answered, "To give glory to God."
(James does not believe Max). "Then why are we homeless? Why do other drunks have it nice, and here, I am sober, but still homeless?"
Max said he looked at the ground, which was full of green grass and small yellow flowers. They walked a long time to a cafe on the west side of town, where a nice lady usually sells them huge slices of pie "dead cheap".
One of the waitresses seems keen on Max, but Max knows he is too ill for a relationship. Besides, he does not want to get married. He cannot support himself, much less a wife and kids.
James rambled on about how God loves some people more than He does him. "Sure," agreed Max. "God can love anyone how He wants to, but He still loves you. And, maybe, just maybe, He wants you to be homeless just now."
James threw his fork on the table. "What?" He stood up.
Max said, "Sit down. What I mean is we do not know how God loves us. How do we know how God loves? All we know is that He died on the Cross for our sins. He loved us that much."
James answered that he thought Max was stupid and full of daft ideas. Max agreed.
They finished the cherry pie and walked back to the park. (Some people ignore Max and James, but some people say "hi"). James wanted to stop at the auto repair shop where he use to work. Max said, "Sure".
He knew that James wanted to see his old friend Mike. But, Mike was not there. The owner, Bill, told James that Mike was found dead at home, of a massive heart attack. Apparently, Mike's dad died the same way.
Max noted that James was really upset. James seemed in shock. Maybe, thought Max, James never thought about death. Max has thought a lot about death. They walked back to the park slowly. "I cannot believe this. Mike is dead. I just don't get it. Why are we here?"
Max decided not to answer James. Not yet......
Sunday, 23 March 2014
A Short Story from Max
Max lived in a homeless shelter. He was given some change and saw a small stuffed animal in a Hallmark store which tickled his imagination. What few knew was that Max had been a war journalist. He had experienced a nervous breakdown in the Middle East and could not hold a job. His family, abandoning him, thought he should just "buck up" and find a job.
But, with a medical history of breakdowns, Max could only do things for a short while. Then, he would have nightmares. The small animal in the window of the shop reminded him of something he could not quite remember.
And, he did not have enough change to buy it. Max was 42, tall and very thin. He looked much older than his age. One of the few vets to have never taken drugs and one who did not drink, he did not fit into certain "programs" where he lived. Thankfully, Max lived in a southern state, so he could be outside most of the time. At night, he slept in the shelter.
Max did not go to church. He had been raised Jewish, and left that religion for a secularism, which no longer kept him steady. His modern philosophies died on the battlefield. Two of his buddies were blown up in front of him, which resulted in Max's first breakdown. But, Max had found God and Christ through his limited experiences. He knew that Jesus was really true God and Man. Now, Max was no theologian and could not explain to others what had happened to him. He had seen Christ. He had walked with Christ.
Now, in early March, he found himself in the emergency room of a small hospital. He had been bitten by a stray dog and had to have rabies shots, as the dog could not be found. Max knew he was in for more pain.
He had been triaged, owing to a serious car accident involving a horse and rider, therefore, he waited patiently in the waiting area. Max sat down next to a well-dressed man, who was bent over. Max felt sorry for this man.
"Sorry you are so upset," Max said. The man, about 50 years old, sat up and stared at Max. "Thanks. My wife is in there in serious condition."
"I shall pray for her," Max said. The man stared at him again. "Do you pray?"
"Yes, I do." The man said, "But, you look like you have had hard times."
"Yes, Sir, I have, but it all could be worse. But, you are lucky to have a wife."
The man answered, "I have not appreciated her enough. She is a lovely woman. Her horse bolted on the side of our property and ran into a lane, just as a car came up. Her pelvis is completely smashed and she has head injuries."
Max looked at the floor. "I shall pray right now." And, he did.
The man sat up straight and looked at Max. "Here, take this note I am writing and keep it until you need it."
Max took the folded sheet and put it in his pocket. He kept praying. Just then, a doctor came out and asked for Mr. Colridge. The rich looking man got up and followed the doctor into the back rooms.
Then, a nurse came up and asked Max to follow her. She said they were going to start a series of shots and that he would have to come back six times for shots and check ups.
Max nodded and went into his cubicle. The shot hurt, but Max offered the pain up for Mrs. Colridge.
As he sat there drinking juice the nurse brought in, Mr. Colridge walked past the opening to Max's cubicle.
"Hey, my wife is going to be airlifted to Memphis. She is going to be fine. Lots of work, lots of physio, but fine. I guess your prayers work."
Max answered, "God is good." And, the man nodded, leaving quickly.
The nurse came back. "Do you have someone to take you back to the shelter?"
Max answered, "No, Ma'am. I take a bus down to the park."
"Well, we shall keep you here for a bit, and then you can go. See you soon."
Max drank another carton of juice. He was thinking of the Colridges.
When Max finally got back downtown and sat on "his" park bench, he decided to look at the note Mr. Colridge had given him. The note stated, "This man helped me so give him anything he wants in the shop. Mr. James Colridge, owner of the Delrich Gift Shops."
Max laughed out loud. Then, he got up off his bench and walked a half-mile to the Delrich Gift Shop. He asked the girl for the red, small animal in the window. She obviously did not want to wait on Max, but she picked the stuffed toy out of the window and put it on the counter.
"Do you have money for this?" Max took the folded paper out of his pocket.
"I have this." The girl looked at the note and replied, "Stay here for a minute. I have to get the manager."
In a few minutes, a young man came out and looked at Max. He looked at the note. "Yes, this is Mr. Colridge's handwriting. Give the man the toy. If it is fake, I shall pay for it."
The young woman looked at both the manager and Max, but she obeyed. She put the small red animal in a bag. The manager grabbed some candy and small things off the side of the counter and put those in the bag as well.
"Thanks," said Max and he walked out, with his small parcel of goodies.
Sitting on the bench, Max took out the small red animal. It seemed to remind him of something. Then, he remembered. Sam, one of his buddies who was killed in front of him, had loved war games. He would talk of the Red Dragon Infantry where he could choose his weapons. Max did not play games, but he and Sam were like brothers. The small red dragon reminded him of Sam.
Max said a prayer to God thanking Him for Sam, for Joe, the other man killed, for Mr. Colridge, for Mrs. Colridge. He wondered at the connections among all peoples. He wished these connections were more obvious to others.
Then, he began to eat the little candies in his bag. At the bottom of the bag lay a pen and a small tablet of paper. Max ate and wrote this story.....he felt his talent coming back. "Thanks, Sam, " he said, and wrote away.
But, with a medical history of breakdowns, Max could only do things for a short while. Then, he would have nightmares. The small animal in the window of the shop reminded him of something he could not quite remember.
And, he did not have enough change to buy it. Max was 42, tall and very thin. He looked much older than his age. One of the few vets to have never taken drugs and one who did not drink, he did not fit into certain "programs" where he lived. Thankfully, Max lived in a southern state, so he could be outside most of the time. At night, he slept in the shelter.
Max did not go to church. He had been raised Jewish, and left that religion for a secularism, which no longer kept him steady. His modern philosophies died on the battlefield. Two of his buddies were blown up in front of him, which resulted in Max's first breakdown. But, Max had found God and Christ through his limited experiences. He knew that Jesus was really true God and Man. Now, Max was no theologian and could not explain to others what had happened to him. He had seen Christ. He had walked with Christ.
Now, in early March, he found himself in the emergency room of a small hospital. He had been bitten by a stray dog and had to have rabies shots, as the dog could not be found. Max knew he was in for more pain.
He had been triaged, owing to a serious car accident involving a horse and rider, therefore, he waited patiently in the waiting area. Max sat down next to a well-dressed man, who was bent over. Max felt sorry for this man.
"Sorry you are so upset," Max said. The man, about 50 years old, sat up and stared at Max. "Thanks. My wife is in there in serious condition."
"I shall pray for her," Max said. The man stared at him again. "Do you pray?"
"Yes, I do." The man said, "But, you look like you have had hard times."
"Yes, Sir, I have, but it all could be worse. But, you are lucky to have a wife."
The man answered, "I have not appreciated her enough. She is a lovely woman. Her horse bolted on the side of our property and ran into a lane, just as a car came up. Her pelvis is completely smashed and she has head injuries."
Max looked at the floor. "I shall pray right now." And, he did.
The man sat up straight and looked at Max. "Here, take this note I am writing and keep it until you need it."
Max took the folded sheet and put it in his pocket. He kept praying. Just then, a doctor came out and asked for Mr. Colridge. The rich looking man got up and followed the doctor into the back rooms.
Then, a nurse came up and asked Max to follow her. She said they were going to start a series of shots and that he would have to come back six times for shots and check ups.
Max nodded and went into his cubicle. The shot hurt, but Max offered the pain up for Mrs. Colridge.
As he sat there drinking juice the nurse brought in, Mr. Colridge walked past the opening to Max's cubicle.
"Hey, my wife is going to be airlifted to Memphis. She is going to be fine. Lots of work, lots of physio, but fine. I guess your prayers work."
Max answered, "God is good." And, the man nodded, leaving quickly.
The nurse came back. "Do you have someone to take you back to the shelter?"
Max answered, "No, Ma'am. I take a bus down to the park."
"Well, we shall keep you here for a bit, and then you can go. See you soon."
Max drank another carton of juice. He was thinking of the Colridges.
When Max finally got back downtown and sat on "his" park bench, he decided to look at the note Mr. Colridge had given him. The note stated, "This man helped me so give him anything he wants in the shop. Mr. James Colridge, owner of the Delrich Gift Shops."
Max laughed out loud. Then, he got up off his bench and walked a half-mile to the Delrich Gift Shop. He asked the girl for the red, small animal in the window. She obviously did not want to wait on Max, but she picked the stuffed toy out of the window and put it on the counter.
"Do you have money for this?" Max took the folded paper out of his pocket.
"I have this." The girl looked at the note and replied, "Stay here for a minute. I have to get the manager."
In a few minutes, a young man came out and looked at Max. He looked at the note. "Yes, this is Mr. Colridge's handwriting. Give the man the toy. If it is fake, I shall pay for it."
The young woman looked at both the manager and Max, but she obeyed. She put the small red animal in a bag. The manager grabbed some candy and small things off the side of the counter and put those in the bag as well.
"Thanks," said Max and he walked out, with his small parcel of goodies.
Sitting on the bench, Max took out the small red animal. It seemed to remind him of something. Then, he remembered. Sam, one of his buddies who was killed in front of him, had loved war games. He would talk of the Red Dragon Infantry where he could choose his weapons. Max did not play games, but he and Sam were like brothers. The small red dragon reminded him of Sam.
Max said a prayer to God thanking Him for Sam, for Joe, the other man killed, for Mr. Colridge, for Mrs. Colridge. He wondered at the connections among all peoples. He wished these connections were more obvious to others.
Then, he began to eat the little candies in his bag. At the bottom of the bag lay a pen and a small tablet of paper. Max ate and wrote this story.....he felt his talent coming back. "Thanks, Sam, " he said, and wrote away.
Manifesto on Perfection Series
The perfection series exists for three reasons, Readers.
One, to help you love God more and experience the love of God.
Two, to help you skip purgatory-in other words, be a saint now.
Three, to build up the one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church. For, as you become purified and perfected, you will experience love of neighbor more and more, plus your gifts and virtues will finally blossom.
.
One, to help you love God more and experience the love of God.
Two, to help you skip purgatory-in other words, be a saint now.
Three, to build up the one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church. For, as you become purified and perfected, you will experience love of neighbor more and more, plus your gifts and virtues will finally blossom.
Cult of Personality Again
Years ago, I wrote an article on the "cult of personality", which has engulfed the imaginations of people all over the world. Whether a man or woman is good or bad, this cult of personality involves following famous or infamous individuals across the globe.
Now, I have never been a person to be attracted to personalities. I skipped seeing the Beatles as a teen in my area, as I could not stand the adoration of four not-so-perfect men which swept through my generation. In fact, as I have written on this blog, two girls broke down in hysteria in gym class, and had to be led to the nurse's office, the day they found out Ringo Starr had gotten married.
I did not idolize the local heroes of high school football. I did not idolize the president of the student government. Some girls did.
I never idolized the rich or the poor just because such people were rich or poor.
Being impervious to following rock stars or politicians, members of the monarchy or movie stars, I have not really understood the power of false charism. To be watching and following such people makes up a complete waste of time, time I can spend looking at the Cross on the wall here.
Are some people's lives so boring, or are some people so lacking in creativity that these folk must read about births, deaths, marriages, divorces of the rich and famous?
Ho-hum.
The following of Putin falls into the category of the "cult of personality". He has been made a saint by some who have given him the halo for just being a macho man or because our own president is weak, especially in foreign affairs.
Saints earn their stripes by being humble and loving God first, rather than themselves. The way to sainthood must be seen as an arduous journey, not a photo op.
In our own country of America, many idolize POTUS and wife; why I do not know.
I would not have idolized Washington or Lincoln. They were men with a job to do and they did it. Basta. Do I give honor to honorable people? Of course-but the key phrase in that sentence is "honorable".
I have one human idol and He is the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. I am allowed to idolize Him as He really is God, not a false god.
By the way, we become those we idolize. Think on that....
to be continued....
Now, I have never been a person to be attracted to personalities. I skipped seeing the Beatles as a teen in my area, as I could not stand the adoration of four not-so-perfect men which swept through my generation. In fact, as I have written on this blog, two girls broke down in hysteria in gym class, and had to be led to the nurse's office, the day they found out Ringo Starr had gotten married.
I did not idolize the local heroes of high school football. I did not idolize the president of the student government. Some girls did.
I never idolized the rich or the poor just because such people were rich or poor.
Being impervious to following rock stars or politicians, members of the monarchy or movie stars, I have not really understood the power of false charism. To be watching and following such people makes up a complete waste of time, time I can spend looking at the Cross on the wall here.
Are some people's lives so boring, or are some people so lacking in creativity that these folk must read about births, deaths, marriages, divorces of the rich and famous?
Ho-hum.
The following of Putin falls into the category of the "cult of personality". He has been made a saint by some who have given him the halo for just being a macho man or because our own president is weak, especially in foreign affairs.
Saints earn their stripes by being humble and loving God first, rather than themselves. The way to sainthood must be seen as an arduous journey, not a photo op.
In our own country of America, many idolize POTUS and wife; why I do not know.
I would not have idolized Washington or Lincoln. They were men with a job to do and they did it. Basta. Do I give honor to honorable people? Of course-but the key phrase in that sentence is "honorable".
I have one human idol and He is the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. I am allowed to idolize Him as He really is God, not a false god.
By the way, we become those we idolize. Think on that....
to be continued....
Promised Article from My Russian Friend
The confusion regarding Putin may be clarified by some of the points in the following post. A friend of mine who is Russian wrote this for me.
A lot of opinions have been expressed regarding the recent
crisis in Ukraine and the Russian annexation of Crimea. I have especially been
troubled by some comments I have read on traditional blogs. I would like to
address some of the opinions expressed there.
Lest I be accused of being duped by the US government and
media propaganda, let me assure you that until three days ago I had read reports from neither regarding this issue. Instead,
I have been reading the very few remaining independent Russian sources (most of
them have been shut down) and talking to friends and family still living in
Russia.
1.
Putin wants stability for his country.
This is true enough, but stability at what cost? If there
was one thing we had in the Soviet Union, it was stability. All was stable and
crystal clear. One knew exactly what to think and what to say, and if you did
not think or say that, there was a provision in the criminal code that could be
applied to such “de-stabilizing” individuals. Fingers on both hands are not
enough to count the members of my family who were imprisoned and executed by
that “stable” regime.
Putin has not re-opened the GULAGs, so far as I know, but he
has systematically centralized power and struck down opposition, both through
legislative measures and other kinds of pressure. These
measures have been stepped up since the beginning of the crisis in Ukraine.
Most recently Putin’s government has passed a bill that allows the Russian
authorities to block web sites, without a court order, for promoting rioting
and extremism. What exactly constitutes extremism is left to the discretion of
the officials. This measure was quickly applied to Putin’s political opponents.
This occurrence is neither singular nor new. One of my former classmates is a
political analyst who has been critical of Putin’s government for a
number of years now, and for the same number of years he has been unable to
publish anything in any major Russian newspaper or appear on any major TV
station.
2.
Putin is a Christian man who supports religion.
I don’t have insight into Putin’s conscience, but should we
not at least be somewhat suspicious of this old union that is presented in a
new light? A union between a man who made his previous career at KGB – an
agency that has a history of persecuting Christians – and the same church
hierarchy that not so long ago assisted that agency in this task?
Interestingly, Putin in a talk aired by the Russian TV
channels a few years ago said: “As you know, we have eastern Christianity – the
Orthodox Church. And some Christian theorists claim, that it is in many ways
closer to Islam than, let’s say, Catholics.”
3. At
least he is making laws that support the family. His government is giving
financial assistance to families for having more children. He passed laws
against homosexual propaganda.
Yes, Putin is encouraging people to have more children. He
is doing so because the population of Russia is decreasing with catastrophic
speed! Germany has similar laws in the hopes of increasing its population, and
by the way, so did Joseph Stalin. And yes, Putin opposes homosexuality, but
laws against it existed in the Soviet Union. The Soviets understood that they
must support the family to avoid a population crisis that Russia is facing now.
It is ironic that Putin himself divorced his wife of many years
during the year he declared to be the year of the family.
4. He
went after Russia’s corrupt oligarchs who had stalled
the development of the Russian economy.
That seems to be true on the surface, but in
reality Putin only went after the oligarchs who politically opposed him. Very
different was his treatment of wealthy supporters. One example is Roman
Abramovich (one of the richest men in the world). He is not opposing Putin and
is allowed to conduct his business “as usual.” The most significant
oligarch bleeding Russia to the point of death is the gas-extraction company
Gazprom – one of the largest companies in the world – in which the Russian
government has the controlling stake (and believe me, one has to have the
“correct” political views just to work there).
5.
Crimea joined Russia following a legal referendum.
This one really puzzles me. The
referendum was conducted on what was Ukrainian territory at the time without
any involvement from Ukraine. The referendum was hastily cooked up in two weeks
and conducted with the ubiquitous presence of individuals in unidentified
military uniforms, while being boycotted by large Ukrainian and Tartar
minorities. Should these facts not at least draw some questions? Should they
not at least cast some doubt on the 99.5% “in favor” vote?
6. The
coup in Ukraine was staged by Americans.
This is another puzzling one. Given the history of
oppression by the Soviet regime and the treatment of the Ukrainians even prior
to the revolution, is it really so unbelievable that Ukraine, as some other
former republics, would want to practice self-determination and to distance
themselves from Russia as far as possible? It is their unfortunate position
that they must now choose their poison – alliance with Russia or the EU. But I
am not at all surprised that they, without any edging from the Americans, would
want to choose the latter.
.....Comments?
And thanks so much to my friend for this post.
Reposting from Advent in Lent
I am resposting this as I have had recently a realization of one of the greatest sins found in this country. Americans demand a certain standard of food and have lost the sensitivity to simplicity. In the doctor's office, the television was on and a morning show highlighted receipes. Do all Americans now eat desserts daily? At one time, desserts were served and eaten only on the high holy days and special occasions. I am shocked at the fact that desserts seem to be expected in many families.The amount of food eaten and the choices indicate an enslavement to food here in the States. God forgive us.
Sunday, 22 December 2013
The Sins of Christmas Time-Gluttony
It seems to me that nations have corporate sins; that is, that national cultures gravitate to some sins more than others.
If I had to identify the American culture with one sin it would be the deadly sin of gluttony.
If one travels anywhere in the world, and comes back to the States, what is most noticeable are these things.
One, the amount of food people eat daily.
Two, the amount of good people waste daily.
I was visiting two households lately where the freezers were full of outdated food-seriously outdated food.
The host in one told me he has to throw away food all the time as he buys too much, and then does not use it.
All the food he was throwing away was expensive meat and fish, mostly from Trader Joe's.
I was shocked.
25% of what Americans buy is thrown away. 40% of what we produce is not eaten.
http://organicconnectmag.com/america-wastes-nearly-half-its-food/#.UrY9CNJDuyY
The second shock is the amount of food people expect to have at one meal.
People also snack here. I wish all Americans would spend time in other countries and notice the dinners and such people eat.
Much, much less, even the middle classes eat less and restaurants serve smaller portions.
One gets use to eating less food and expecting less.
It is actually healthier.
That Americans eat all the time, and in such quantities, grieves me. And, there are many, many, more obese young people here.
Gluttony is over-indulgence and over-consumption of food and drink.
Gluttony is also taking too much pleasure, and spending too much time over food buying, or preparation.
There is an odd idea in the Midwest that to love is to feed-and to feed is to love. Men and boys are spoiled at home with food daily. I can see the difference here than in Europe, where excessive eating is not seen as a specific sign of love.
And, in some counties in England, wheelie bins are only emptied once every two weeks. Americans cannot imagine that.
Here is St. Thomas Aquinas on Gluttony: http://www.newadvent.org/summa/3148.htm
to be continued....
Back to The Dark Night and Venial Sin
I have written in the past two days on the Illuminative State, which follows the Dark Night of purification. Sadly, too many Catholics run a ring around the goal of suffering, and do not want to let God purify them. One can follow the tags on this subject.
Our example for the final state of Union is the Blessed Virgin Mary. She was without defect by the Will of God, but she is more than willing to help us pursue the road which leads away from sin. To be led away from sin, one must be willing to not even commit venial sin and root out the causes thereof.
Detachment is the key.
Venial sin weakens the will and pollutes the soul. Too many bad teachers of the way of religion have ignored the detrimental effects of venial sin.
One who reaches perfection is without sin. The tendencies to sin have been destroyed. We must ask God over and over to free us from such tendencies.
Finally, we must not forget that detachment from creatures was far greater in the Blessed Virgin than in the greatest saints, since she never committed the slightest venial sin. It was even greater still in the holy soul of Christ, who not only never actually sinned, but who was, even here on earth, absolutely impeccable. Therefore it is truly an exaggeration of simplicity to say: "It is impossible to find a mean between having and not having defects.
" What is true, is that there is no mean between being or not being absolutely impeccable, between continually avoiding or not avoiding every venial sin, between wishing or not wishing to strive henceforth to avoid them more and more. According to St. Thomas, "man (poenitens) needs to have the purpose of taking steps to commit fewer venial sins." (13) According as this will is more or less intense or fervent, he will actually avoid them more or less. Detachment from creatures will increase with the progress of charity or of attachment to God. Father Chardon strongly insisted on this point in his beautiful book, La croix de Jesus.
From all evidence, there are many degrees in what St. Thomas expresses in this manner: "Perfection can be had in this life. . . by the removal from man's affections not only of whatever is contrary to charity, but also of whatever hinders the mind's affections from tending wholly to God." (14) In this detachment there are many degrees even in regard to the exclusion of venial sins: "Those who are perfect in this life are said to offend in many things with regard to venial sins, which result from a weakness of the present life." (15) This statement is not exaggerated in its simplicity; it is rather the simple expression of Christian good sense.(16)
And more here....with more references to St. Thomas Aquinas.
The soul can free itself of certain moral defects only by docility to the special inspirations of the Holy Ghost. It would be entirely false to say that if the soul cannot deliver itself from them without these special inspirations, "these defects are no longer voluntary and therefore do not hinder perfection." The gifts of the Holy Ghost are given to all the just precisely to enable them to receive with docility these special inspirations, whose superhuman mode, that is at first latent, grows progressively more manifest if the soul is docile. St. Thomas says in fitting terms: "Whether we consider human reason as perfected in its natural perfection, or as perfected by the theological virtues, it does not know all things, or all possible things. Consequently it is unable to avoid folly and other like things mentioned in the objection. God, however, to whose knowledge and power all things are subject, by His motion safeguards us from all folly, ignorance, dullness of mind, and hardness of heart, and the rest. Consequently the gifts of the Holy Ghost, which make us amenable to His promptings, are said to be given as remedies for these defects." (18)
We hold, therefore, that the special inspirations of the Holy
Ghost are necessary that the soul may be purified of a certain rudeness or harshness, of dullness, of spiritual folly, and other similar defects, which are not only opposed to a certain psychological purity, but to moral purity. Without progressive docility to these special inspirations of the Holy Ghost, the depth of the soul will not be purified of its more or less unconscious egoism which mingles, under the form of indirectly voluntary negligence, in many of our acts and in many more or less culpable omissions.
Ghost are necessary that the soul may be purified of a certain rudeness or harshness, of dullness, of spiritual folly, and other similar defects, which are not only opposed to a certain psychological purity, but to moral purity. Without progressive docility to these special inspirations of the Holy Ghost, the depth of the soul will not be purified of its more or less unconscious egoism which mingles, under the form of indirectly voluntary negligence, in many of our acts and in many more or less culpable omissions.
To say that the passive purifications are not necessary to perfect moral purity would be to deny the necessity of the passive purification of the will, which frees the acts of hope and charity from all human alloy.(19) In this connection we may profitably recall what St. Teresa wrote in her Life: "For instance, they read that we must not be troubled when men speak ill of us, that we are to be then more pleased than when they speak well of us; that we must despise our own good name, be detached from our kindred, . . . with many other things of the same kind. The disposition to practice this must be, in my opinion, the gift of God; for it seems to me a supernatural good." (20) The meaning which the saint gives to this last expression is well known. Moreover, she remarks more than once that the progress of the virtues normally accompanies that of prayer, and that profound humility is ordinarily the fruit of the infused contemplation of the infinite grandeur of God and of our own wretchedness. This growth in virtue is not something accidental; it is the normal development of the interior life.
St. John of the Cross clearly holds that the passive purifications are necessary for the profound purity of the will. It will suffice to recall what he says of the defects that necessitate the passive purification of the senses and that of the spirit. In The Dark Night of the Soul (Bk. I, chaps. 2-9, and Bk. II, chaps. I f.) he speaks, especially in the last two chapters named, of the "stains of the old man" which still remain in the spirit, like rust which will disappear only under the action of an intense fire. Among the defects of proficients which require "the strong lye of the night of the spirit," he mentions rudeness, impatience, secret pride, unconscious egoism which causes some souls to use spiritual goods in anything but a detached manner, with the result that they fall into illusions. Evidently they lack not only psychological but moral purity. Finally, in the opinion of St. John of the Cross, these passive purifications (which belong to the mystical order) and infused contemplation of the mysteries of faith are indubitably in the normal way of sanctity since he wrote the two following propositions, which are of primary importance in his work: "The passive purification of the senses is common, it takes place in the greater number of beginners"; being passive, it belongs not to the ascetical but to the mystical order.(21) "The soul began to set out on the way of the spirit, the way of proficients, which is also called the illuminative way, or the way of infused contemplation, wherein God Himself teaches and refreshes the soul" (22) St. John of the Cross most certainly wished to note here not something accidental, but something that is produced normally in the way of sanctity when a soul that is truly docile to the Holy Ghost does not recoil in the face of trial.
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