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Beware of Secular Catholicism – Archbishop John Nienstedt

Posted on May 8, 2012 by admin

Casual Catholics are casual in their faith and in their commitment to true communion with the teachings of Jesus Christ and His Church.

In the face of aggressive secularism, Archbishop Nienstedt of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, urges Catholics to return to Jesus Christ and proclaim that “Jesus is Lord.”

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Jesus Christ – Divine Apologist

Posted on May 4, 2012 by admin

Modern Men are Confused about Truth

Today, many deny that “truth” exists. Pluralism argues that all “truths” are equally valid, while relativism argues that no “truth” is valid. Ironically, and satanically, secular activists deny that “truth” exists while militantly manipulating government to enforce their own “truth” (relativism/pluralism). The denial of knowable absolute truth is simply a modern version of Satan’s deception in Eden.

It is confusion about “truth” that has led modern society into darkness. The rejection of truth has resulted in the collapse of marriage and families, the attempts to pervert marriage, the slaughter of millions of children through legalized abortion, the mainlining of sexual perversion and adultery, growing acceptance of euthanasia and the rejection of Christ by millions. The lack of clear catechesis in Truth and aggressive secular tactics has intimidated the faithful into silence in the public square.

Jesus Christ is Truth

The Gospels proclaim that Jesus Christ is the Truth (John 14:6; CCC 217) and that He was born to “bear witness to the truth” (John 18:37). In contrast to the Light of Christ, Jesus identifies Satan to be a liar and the “father of lies” (John 8:44). Only in Jesus have “mercy and truth…met each other” (Psalm 84:11). Only in Jesus do Truth, Judgment and Justice reside (Isa 45:19).

Through the Natural Law man can, through reason, know what is true and good and what is a lie and evil (CCC 1954). But only in Jesus Christ can man fully “know the truth…[that makes them] free” (John 8:32). Only Jesus promises to send “the Spirit of truth” to guide men to all truth (John 16:13).

The Strategic and Tactical Attacks on Truth

Jesus was attacked by Satan, religious Jews (Sanhedrin, Pharisees) and by secular political forces (Herodians, Romans). Strategically, the attacks focused on Jesus’ Identity/Authority (Jesus is not God, a carpenter nobody) and on Jesus’ Doctrines (teachings on Sabbath, table fellowship, marriage, etc.).

The tactics of attack included direct confrontation/debate, public harassment/intimidation, character assassination (Jesus is morally corrupt: a blasphemer, associates with sinners, a glutton, crazy, dangerous), subversive attacks (plots, schemes, infiltration), political manipulation (Jews ally with Romans) and ultimately, deadly coercion (The Passion). Today, these the same tactics are used against Jesus and His Church by those who deny Truth.

Jesus Christ –The Divine Apologist

Jesus Christ successfully defends Truth and gives a model for modern apologists. Jesus:

Irrefutably demonstrates His Divine Identity and Authority – Jesus alone defeats Satan in the wilderness (Matt 4:1-11), by repeatedly casting out demons (cf. Matt 8:28-34) and by using the Satan-inspired evil of Judas (Luke 22:3) for the Glory of the Cross and Resurrection (CCC 2853). He performs miracles (healing, power over nature and death), offers divinely inspired teaching (parables, sermons, use of scripture), shows omniscience (able to read minds, prophesize) and rises from the dead with a miraculous glorious eternal body. He leaves the full Truth in His Church and the Gospels.

Exposes and demolishes false doctrines in public debate using scripture and logic – Jesus publically rebukes religious authorities with direct winning logical arguments across a wide variety of doctrines (cf. Mark 10:2, 12:28; Luke 11:15, 14:1, 20:20, 20:32).

Publically speaks Truth to corrupt power – Jesus stands for Truth against the Jewish elites and corrupt economic powers. Jesus confronts the merchants and moneychangers and single-handedly clears the massive (35 acres) temple area (John 2:2:18). Repeatedly, He confronts the Pharisees and the Sadducees and provocatively corrects their falsehoods and rebukes them.

Is not deterred by anger, threats and intimidation – On many occasions, His enemies persecute and attempt and plan to kill Him (Luke 4:29, 11:53-54, 13:31, 19:47; John 5:16, 8:59, 11:53). Christ does not falter when questioned by Pilate, knowing that Pilate could spare Him (Matt 27:1-26). In all cases, Jesus never is intimidated or deterred from presenting the Truth.

Speaks the Truth bluntly when necessary – He tells Peter “Get behind me, Satan!” (Matt 16:23). He bluntly rebukes Simon the Pharisee (Luke 7:36-50). He calls the Pharisees “guilty” (John 9:41). Jesus pronounces the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit by the teachers of the law (Matt 12:22-32). He pronounces woe on the Pharisees and the experts of the law for their hypocrisy (Luke 11:47-54).

Acknowledges that many refuse the Truth – He says that the lost “have ears but can not hear” (Matt 13:13). To Pilate, Jesus says, “everyone who is of the truth hears My voice”, to which Pilate replies, “What is truth?” (John 18:37-38).

Picks His battles – Jesus knows when to defend (numerous direct debates with Jewish leaders) and when to withdraw when it does not serve His purposes to be captured (Matt 12:15, Luke 4:30, John 6:15). Jesus chooses not to do direct miracles for the wicked (Matt 16:4).

Is not deterred by the weakness and confusion of disciples – Proclaims the truth even when His family thinks that He is crazy (Mark 3:21), when the disciples turn away (John 6:66), and when close disciples become confused (Luke 9:41, 9:55, Matt 26:69-75).

Makes the Truth personal – In addition to public sermons, Jesus teaches the truth directly in a personal way (cf. Woman at the well – John 4; Nicodemus – John 3).

Breaks false cultural/religious rules– Jesus picks grain on the Sabbath (Matt 12:2), heals on the Sabbath (Luke 14:1-6), eats with sinners (Luke 7:33-34) and touches the impure (Matt 8:3, 9:20, 25).

Takes aggressive action to promote Truth – Jesus physically clears the Temple (John 2:2:18), provocatively enters Jerusalem as a king (Mark 11:1-11), and suffers the Passion to proclaim Truth.

Prays that the Apostles be committed to Truth – At the Last Supper, Jesus ends His vocal prayer with the Father by proclaiming that Apostles “know the truth” and prays that they may be “sanctified” and “consecrated” in truth (John 17:17,19). The Church proclaims that all men come to be saved and know the Truth who is Jesus Christ (CCC 74) through the Holy Spirit (CCC 91).

Leaves His lasting legacy of Truth in His Church – The Truth of Jesus Christ is preserved by the Catholic Church through the oral Tradition and the written Gospels (CCC 126). The Church proclaims the Truth of Jesus Christ through preserving, interpreting and promulgating the Sacred Scripture without error (CCC 107). The Church is “the pillar and bulwark of the truth” (CCC 171).

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Father Jonathan Kelly – The Knowledge of Jesus Christ

Posted on April 20, 2012 by admin

Father Jonathan Kelly taught at CatholicManNight on April 20, 2012. Here is an outline of Father’s address on the Knowledge of Jesus Christ:

Jesus Christ speaks from who He is and what He knows, not from what He has learned or what He believes.

Key terms

Hypostatic union

In the history of the Church, counsels arise to determine answers to what is being questioned at the time.
- First heresy was that Jesus only appeared human because of the amazing things He did. It is called – Docetism (from the Greek word meaning “appear.”
- Then the pendulum swung the other way, Arius said that Jesus Christ was created by the Father. “Was not before he was.”
- Council of Nicaea in 325 settles it:
  - Jesus Christ is of the same essence of the Father, co-eternal, begotten not made (our Creed comes from Nicaea)
  - Fully God and fully man, true God from true God
  - Next question was, how is He both God and man?
  - Council of Chalcedon in 451 answered, “Without mixture, without confusion.”
  - Divine nature penetrates the human nature without changing it

Hypostatic union began at conception and will always exist
- Began at conception
  - His human intellect and His body did not always exist
During His life the Divine Word never leaves the man
- “My God my God why have you forsaken me…” The Divinity withdrew His protection, but never separated the union.” – Hugo of St. Victor
Future…endlessness of the union
- “and of His kingdom, there will be no end.” (Creed & Luke 1:33)
- “He holds His priesthood permanently, because He lives forever.” (Heb 7:24)

Knowledge of Christ

How does Jesus know things?
Because of the hypostatic union, He has two intellects, Divine and Human
- Divine intellect which is all knowing and this knowledge is not in question
- Human intellect is what is discussed
- So the question is really, “In what way does Christ know things in His human intellect?”

The human intellect is capable of three types of knowledge (Beatific, infused, acquired)

Beatific knowledge
1. “In the soul of Christ, from the first instant, there was intuitive vision.”
2. Christ sees God (Jn 3:11,32; 5:46; 8:14)
3. Christ knows the Father…does not have faith but knowledge Jn 8:54-55

i. A theologian recently got in trouble for saying Christ had faith. The response was (paraphrasing): if Christ has faith, it is not like our faith.

But the human soul did not have beatific vision comprehensively…because comprehension implies understanding in totality. The finite cannot comprehend the infinite.
He had the beatific vision from the beginning, He knows all that men have done and have done and are doing. It is always in actu.

Infused knowledge
1. Infused knowledge of some subject
2. Christ’s knowledge was per se infused (St. Thomas)
3. All created things, natural and supernatural, as far as they are knowable
4. Not always in actu
5. Acquired knowledge (knowledge acquired in the normal way)
  1. “He does learn, but only in the order of experimental verification of species already known. Thus whatever he taught he knew and he knew it prior to any learning he may have done regarding the experimental verification of the knowledge.”

i. Christ acquired experimental knowledge through the senses and use of intellect

ii. Learned to speak Hebrew, even though He knew Hebrew

To what extent is debated but must preserve the acquired knowledge of Christ to maintain His humanity

i. “And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon Him.” Luke 2:40

ii. “And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man.” Luke 2:52

iii. Opinion, but believe this was relatively small

Has inverse and proportionate relationship to infused knowledge

i. If He had lots of infused, less acquired and vice versa

ii. I agree with the theologians who propose that Christ had quite a small amount of acquired knowledge

Why might this be important tonight?
- The way Jesus Christ lived His life, even though He had unlimited access to divinity, He did grasp at it
- Continually amazed that He held firm
- He could have run up Mt. Calvary but He chose to remain within His humanity even though it would mean falling under the weight of the cross
- He did not numb or medicate the pain
- We live in imitation of Christ
  - We must wait for God’s grace/guidance/knowledge/inspiration amidst any pain
  - He is the Great mediator; in Himself exists both humanity and divinity
    - He stands in the breach for humanity and He stood there fully God and man
    - You are called to stand in the breach, by God’s grace, as intercessor for your families and those entrusted to your care…Amen

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The Knowledge of Jesus Christ

Posted on April 20, 2012 by admin

Man’s Quest for Knowledge

Man has always been on a quest for knowledge. Ever since Adam and Eve’s fall to Satan’s temptation to “know good and evil” and to be “wise” (Gen 3), the knowledge quest has drawn men into sin. The Enlightenment failed because it sought to build knowledge through rational thought and the rejection of God. More recently, Marx (economics), Nietzsche (power) and Freud (sex) all proposed new knowledge that would bring man fulfillment. The dismal post-modern idea that there is no sure knowledge, seeks to deconstruct civilization into an atheistic, pluralistic and relativistic pool of confusion. The Internet has provided easy access to most human knowledge and experience including the promotion of darkest human perversion, just a click away. Politicians, media kings/queens and activists promote hyper-partisan opinions, gaining power/wealth, while dividing people into armed camps. Man’s use of the exploding levels of secular knowledge has not led to peace or joy.

The Powerful Knowledge of Jesus Christ

If knowledge is power, then Jesus Christ is the most powerful man who has ever lived. For Jesus Christ had intimate knowledge of God and a superior human knowledge. Christ’s powerful Gospel recreated civilization. In Christ’s Knowledge “is the new and definitive covenant…[and]…will never pass away…” (Catechesi Tradendae). The Truth and Knowledge of Jesus Christ is preserved by the Catholic Church through the oral Tradition and the written Gospels (CCC 126). The Church proclaims the Truth of Jesus Christ through preserving, interpreting and promulgating the Sacred Scripture without error (CCC 107). The Church is “the pillar and bulwark of the truth” (CCC 171) for today’s 2.2 billion Christians, the wider world and for all future generations.

The Divine and Human Knowledge of Jesus Christ

Human knowledge – The Church teaches that Jesus “assumed a rational human soul” that “is endowed with true Human knowledge.” His “knowledge could not in itself be unlimited; it was exercised in the historical conditions of his existence in space and time.” This is why, as he grew into manhood, Jesus could “increase in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52; CCC 471-472).

Jesus asks questions and acts to find out something He does not know (Mark 6:38, 11:13; Luke 8:30). To deny that Jesus learned is to deny that He learned things from his Mother, the people and other experience. Christ comes to have complete solidarity with man, impossible without the experience of human learning. Jesus learns through experience for He is truly human.

Divine Knowledge – As the Son of God, through His human knowledge “not by itself, but by its union with the Word, knew and showed forth in itself everything that pertains to God. Such is first of all the case with the intimate and immediate knowledge that the Son of God made man has of his Father…By its union to the divine wisdom in the person of the Word incarnate, Christ enjoyed in his human knowledge the fullness of understanding of the eternal plans he had come to reveal” (CCC 473-474). As the Divine Knowledge of Truth, Jesus’ life is a lesson in wisdom; words, silence, miraculous acts and through the smallest detail. Despite sharing everything with the Father, Jesus admits that He doesn’t know the Day of Judgment (Matt 24:36) but also that He was not sent to reveal it (Acts 1:7).

How Jesus Christ Demonstrates Knowledge

Demonstrations of Divine Knowledge:

Knows the Father in an intimate, direct and exclusive way – “No one knows the Son except the Father and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him”(Matt 11:27; also, John 1:18; 3:11; 6:46). “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). His knowledge is not through faith, but from direct knowledge of the Father. Jesus describes eternal life as “knowledge”: “this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3).
Interacts with the supernatural – Directly confronts Satan and is ministered to by angels (Matt 4:1-11), experiences the Holy Spirit (Matt 3:16) and talks with Moses and Elijah (Luke 9:30).
Reveals His knowledge of people’s hidden lives – Jesus knows what is in Nathaniel’s heart (John 1:47-49), the Samaritan woman’s history (John 4:17-18), the disciple’s arguments behind His back (Mark 9:33-35) and that Lazarus is dead (John 11:14).
Knows the future – Describes His Passion before the fact (Matt 12:39-41), knows the timing of His hour(John 2:4), predicts Peter’s denial and the disciples defection (Mark 14:18-21,27-31; Luke 22:31-39), His Resurrection (Mark 8:31) and the destruction of the Temple (Matt 24:2).

Demonstration of Human Knowledge:

Has incredible big picture perspective – Jesus knows salvation history and has a clear understanding of the religious-political landscape. Knows the errors of the Sadducees, Pharisees, Essenes and Zealots. He has a plan for Salvation and makes it happen.
Institutes the Eucharist – Re-imagines elements of the Exodus (manna), the rituals of Passover (sacrificial lamb), table fellowship and Roman crucifixion and establishes the lasting life-giving Sacrament of the Eucharist.
Deep insights into lives and the motivations of humans – Jesus develops deep human knowledge that He uses to teach the Gospel. His 30 parables are masterpieces that have the power to touch lives today: The Good Samaritan, The Prodigal Son, Workers in the Vineyard, etc. The Parables demonstrate that Jesus is a keen observer of nature and people that He uses with vivid detail, humor and sympathy. He demonstrates specific knowledge of farming, business, ethic rivalries, religious life, community, etc.
Unparalleled genius of His Sermons - The Sermons of Jesus Christ are perpetual reminders of His genius that speak to each generation. His genius is recognized in His own time, and is compared to Moses, David, Solomon and Elijah; He is called the “Word”(John 1).
Uses superior Scriptural knowledge to correct powerful opponents – Christ demonstrates an encyclopedic knowledge of Scripture, referring to about 80 Old Testament passages from about 25 books. He uses His superior exegesis to publically rebuke/correct religious authorities across a wide variety of doctrines (cf. Mark 10:2, 12:28; Luke 11:15, 14:1, 20:20, 20:32).

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The Pain and Suffering of Jesus Christ

Posted on March 21, 2012 by admin

“Pain” – From Latin: poena, meaning ” torment, hardship”; ” condition one feels when hurt, opposite of pleasure” and “punishment.” “Suffering” – From Latin: sufferer,meaning “to bear, undergo, endure, carry or put under.”

The Pain and Suffering of Jesus (Catechism and Bible references noted; for other references regarding the pain and suffering of Jesus, see footnote below[1]).

Experiences the pain of being human – Jesus “became flesh in assuming a true humanity“ (CCC 476) and felt the many physical and emotional pains of being human. Thomas Aquinas assures us that “Christ endured every human suffering” and that “Christ’s pain was the very greatest.” (Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae; III, q. 46).
From an early age, Jesus feels a longing for the Father – At 12, Jesus feels the longing for God in the temple, though He obediently returns with Mary and Joseph (Luke 2:41-50).
Suffers during the Temptation – Jesus fasts for 40 days and felt hunger (Matt 4:2).
Lives a physically demanding life – A first century carpenter needed great physical strength and stamina and Jesus experienced fatigue and soreness. As itinerant preacher, Jesus walked many miles (one source suggests almost circumference of the earth; 25,000 miles) and felt fatigue.
Anticipates the great suffering of the Passion – As early as the Marriage at Cana, Jesus realizes that His “Hour” is coming (John 2:4). He predicts His Crucifixion and death multiple times.
Feels sorrow – Prior to raising Lazarus from the dead, “Jesus wept.” (John 11:35). Later, after the cleansing of the Temple, Jesus poignantly laments and weeps over the waywardness of the people of Israel (Matt 23:37-39; Luke 19:41-44).
Experiences the desecration of His Father’s House – He violently cleanses the temple of the money-changers and traders which He refers to as a “den of robbers” (Mark 11:17). The disciples interpret Christ’s emotion as “zeal” (John 2:17).
The poignancy of the Last Supper – We can imagine that Jesus experienced both joy but also poignant sorrow at the trials He would face, the betrayal/death of Judas and the scattering and coming anguish of the disciples.
Experiences agony in Garden of Gethsemane – Knowing from practical and His Divine experience of the horrors of crucifixion, He prays, alone, uncomforted by His sleeping disciples. Jesus sweats blood (Luke 22:44), a rare and painful condition called hematidrosis that occurs during times of great stress/mental suffering, leaving the skin extremely tender and fragile. Dehydration has begun.
Experiences the failure of His disciples – In the Garden, Jesus experiences the betrayal of Judas, who ironically betrays Him with a kiss (Luke 22:48) and the violence of Peter (Luke 22:51). Predicting that Peter will deny Him, Jesus then witnesses Peter’s denial (Luke 22:61).
Goes without food, drink and sleep – From the Last Supper, Jesus goes without food, water or sleep during a time of significant stress and physical exertion. He is forced to walk over 2 miles as He is paraded before the Jewish leadership, Pilate and Herod.
Is beaten and brutally scourged – There are several instances where Jesus is struck in the face and head (Matt 26:67 27:30) causing bruising and swelling. His nose was battered and swollen. The scourging (Matt 27:26) ripped His flesh in places to the bone, leaving over 120 wounds over His back, sides, legs and arms which ooze blood/plasma.
His head is punctured with the crown of thorns – The nail-like thorns penetrated the skin in many places and perhaps the skull, causing great pain and a marked loss of blood (Matt 27:29).
Struggles with the Cross – Jesus carries the Cross with help from Simon of Cyrene (John 19:17) a distance of almost ½ mile uphill. The Cross is heavy (100-200 pounds) bruising His shoulders. He falls three times scraping the skin off His knees.
Is Crucified – Weakened, He is nailed to the Cross with iron spikes that were driven through His palms and feet (John 25:20). The nerve density makes these wounds particularly painful and there was a significant loss of blood.
Mentally suffers on the Cross – He waits for death, watching Mary, John and others grieve for Him. He feels sorrow for those who kill Him, asking “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). He cries out to the Father in anguish (Matt 27:46).
Physically suffers and dies on the Cross – For three long hours, His many wounds hurt. He struggles to relieve the searing nerve pain and ripping flesh by nails. His shoulders ache as the joints are pulled. He thirsts due to lack of water and dehydration from blood loss and sweating. His painful cause of death by some combination of loss of blood, shock and asphyxiation.

[1] Pierre Barbet, A Doctor at Calvary (Fort Collins, Roman Catholic Books, reprint 1993); William D. Edwards – On the Physical Death of Jesus Christ (The Journal of American Medical Association, March 21, 1986; V 256); Frederick T. Zugibe, A Forensic Way of the Cross (International Science Symposium, March 2000).

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CatholicManNight Sponsors Shroud of Turin Events with Russ Breault – February 29, March 1 and March 2

Posted on February 13, 2012 by admin

CatholicManNight.com is sponsoring a special series of Lenten presentations on the Shroud of Turin on February 29, March 1 and March 2.

The Shroud of Turin is an ancient Jewish linen burial cloth and one of the great relics of the Church, venerated by popes and seen by millions.

On the Shroud is the faint image of man who has been scourged, crowned with thorns, crucified and lanced in the side.

Could the Shroud of Turin be the actual burial cloth of Jesus Christ? Is that even possible?

Explore the mystery of the Shroud of Turin with international expert Russ Breault. Russ will present a big screen presentation that unravels the mystery of the Shroud like a CSI Investigation.

Russ has been seen/heard on Discovery, the History Channel, CBS, EWTN, Relevant Radio and in parishes and colleges around the world.

There will be 4 events open to the public for you to choose from (note some events are for Men only, others are open to the whole family, so make sure to invite your wives and daughters). Also, make sure you click on the web links highlighted below to see promotional videos:

Providence Academy in Plymouth on Wednesday February 29 from 7 to 9 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. This event is open to men, women and kids. Providence Academy Shroud of Turin Event Video.

Holy Family Catholic Church in St. Louis Park on Thursday March 1 from 9-10 a.m. (after morning mass). This event is open to men, women and children.

Saints Peter and Paul in Loretto on Thursday March 1 from 7-9 p.m. This is a men’s only event. Fathers, bring your sons! Saints Peter and Paul Shroud of Turin Event Video.

St. Michael Catholic Church in St. Michael on Friday March 2 from 7-9 p.m. Fathers, bring your sons! St. Michael Shroud of Turin Event Video.

Brothers, this is a great evangelization opportunity, for people are genuinely curious about this mysterious relic of the Church.

Forward this information to as many people as you can and be a New Evangelist!

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Jesus Christ – Defender of Truth – Father John Gallas

Posted on January 14, 2012 by admin

Here is Father John Gallas’ homily given at CatholicManNight on January 13, 2011:

The topic for this evening is Jesus Christ, Defender of Truth. The emphasis Christ places on the importance of truth is clear from scripture: He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” Not I have the truth, but I am it. Tonight: Why knowing the truth is a vital necessity and why it is worth fighting for.

When we are created, the mind is a blank slate. We do not come forth from our mothers thinking about mathematics or even about God. Truth has to enter the mind through learning.

If we say, what is truth? Very simply, it is a correspondence between what is in the mind, and reality. If my ideas correspond to what is really out there, then I know the truth. I am in touch with reality. And this affects our whole lives, for what we think determines what we feel and what we do. What enters the mind expresses itself in our behavior. For example, watch the stands at a football game. When there is an opening on the right, and everyone sees this and is thinking, “Run to the right!” everyone in the stands will lean to that side. What is in the mind works itself out in behavior and in life in general.

What if truth is not what we have in our mind? In that case, we either have ignorance or error. Ignorance is a blind spot. It is not necessarily a bad thing. Most of us here are probably ignorant of how to perform an appendectomy, but we do not require that knowledge, so its not a problem. If we are ignorant of something necessary – like how to be a good father, who is God, how to obtain eternal happiness – then our blind spot is a problem.

Error is when not truth but falsehood enters the mind. Just last night some students from Loretto posted a video on facebook in which a man affirms, with much eloquence and charm, that Jesus is anti-religion. It is a tired old argument based on many false premises and a selective reading of scripture. Christ isn’t anti-religion: He founded the Catholic religion. As Our Lord said, “If the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!” Mt 6:23 Error is like a poison for the mind. It puts us out of touch with reality, sometimes with devastating consequences.

When I am in ignorance or error, what is in my mind will work itself out in my life, and unfortunately that is exactly what is happening in our society. We are walking through life out of step with truth, out of touch with reality, every bit as much as the person with a mental disorder, except that now, it is fashionable to be in ignorance or to subscribe to popular errors. If you are ignorant of who God is, many will respond with an error, saying, you’re a good person, you’ll be alright. Not so! It’s because we’re not good people that we need God! If we assert the error that religion is for weak-minded people, many in our culture will respond not with the medicine of truth but with the poison of affirming us in our darkness. Being a defender of the truth is to say, this is not an acceptable situation. Truth is the health of the mind. Some truths are worth dying for. Jesus is the truth.

Today, truth is under attack, and I would like to highlight three particular attacks on truth that I believe we are witness.

First, the peer pressure attack, by which I mean something very particular. You strive to be a good man, you love God, but then people you love start to go astray. Your child decides to move in with their fiance before the wedding, or you have a child or a brother or a friend who says, I am not heterosexual, and you are subtly pressured to give approval. What happens? In many instances, Catholic parents cave in. And we become like Adam in the garden: I know God said this is wrong, but Eve did it! I have to stick with Eve! Not so! Eve made a mistake.

On the natural level, God gives you a greater love for your children than for anyone else. Yet love that is not in accord with truth is not love. The spiritual medicine is to bestow the truth in love. How different would the world be today had Adam behaved manfully, and said, Eve, you are wrong, I will not follow you down that path, but I will still love you. Serpent – the influences of evil – I’m going to kill you. You’re gone. The medicine for the peer pressure attack is to eliminate the evil influences and the lies to the full extent of our power, to mend and love the fallen, without giving approval to evil actions, and it takes a lot of patience and a lot of courage. But it’s you and Jesus together.

Second, for lack of a better term, truth is being attacked by the hubris of superficial knowledge. I’m talking about the person who read an article in a medical magazine and now they know how to diagnose. The person who met an angry priest once so now they know the truth about Christianity. The person who heard a bible passage that mentions violence, so now they know what the bible is all about. Unfortunately, this is precisely the kind of Catholics we are producing and educating. With only 30% of Catholics practicing their faith, something has gone dreadfully wrong. Successfully handing on the faith intact from one generation to the next is like moving the football downfield toward the endzone, passing it from the hands of one player to the next. We might say Catholic youth formation today, with some noteworthy exceptions, has the effectiveness of the Minnesota Vikings offense: We aren’t moving the ball, in many cases.

As a consequence, many today receive in their Catholic formation or Wednesday night religion only a fragmentary image of who Christ really is, and then they examine this image and they can see that it has nothing to offer, they don’t realize that it is superficial, and so they move on. They’ll say, “Oh yes I love the Church, but I disagree with the Church on this or that.” But how can you disagree with what you do not understand? For example, I have met many people who say they disagree with the Church’s teaching on purgatory. But when I ask, what is that teaching, exactly? How does the Church see the roots of this essential doctrine in the Old Testament, in the nature of God’s gradual process of the sanctification of man, in the damaging consequences of sin which must be repaired before entrance into paradise – they fall silent. The medicine for this attack is knowledge. We’ve got to pursue ongoing education in knowledge of the faith, taking classes, reading books, listening to cd’s, even keeping the Penny Catechism at the dinner table and reading just one line each night — so that we can speak with intelligence against the weak attacks given by those with only fragmentary knowledge of Christ. Even the weakest attack will be successful if it comes against a defenseless village.

And finally, I would be remiss if I did not also point out the temptation to use truth as a blunt weapon for hitting people over the head. To tolerate lies is a failing, but so too is that proclamation of the Gospel which pays no heed to finding the right time and place, and remembering charity, tact and joy.

This evening, in the presence of Christ our Lord, let us examine our relationship with truth. Do we adhere with religious submission of intellect and will to the teachings of Christ, as given by the Church? Do we exercise courage as well as tact in taking a stand against the many attacks against truth in our families and in our society? Do we seek to have a thorough knowledge of Christ in both prayer and reading, so that we may better be prepared to defend the truth? May Our Lady of Fatima watch over each of us and our families.

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Jesus Christ – Defender of Truth – Divine Apologist

Posted on January 13, 2012 by admin

Modern Men are Confused about Truth

Jesus Christ is Truth

The Strategic and Tactical Attacks on Truth

Jesus Christ – Defender of Truth – The Divine Apologist

Jesus Christ successfully defends Truth and gives a model for modern apologists. Jesus:

Makes the Truth personal – In addition to public sermons, Jesus teaches the truth directly in a personal way (cf. Woman at the well – John 4; Nicodemus – John 3).

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Jesus Christ – Divine Friend

Posted on December 16, 2011 by admin

Modern Men Lack True Friends

Many men lack true friends in today’s culture. Studies show that large numbers of men lack close friendships, which is correlated with less happiness, more depression, more loneliness, poorer health and shorter life spans. Friendship matters and there is a crisis in male friendship.

Modern culture confuses masculine friendship. Male friendship is portrayed as shallow, good-times focused, comically “manly” or encouragingly homosexual. Rather then seek real friends, many men are retreating into virtual worlds of computer games and “Facebook friends”.

The causes of the male friendship crisis are many. Friendships do not thrive in smaller, more mobile families that have increasing levels of divorce. There has been a long-term dramatic fall in men’s social involvement in church, civic and social groups. Work pressures reduce men’s social time and working wives require men to help pick up the slack in parenting. Men are distracted from building friendships due to a huge media smorgasbord of TV, video games and the internet. The increasing self-obsessed narcissistic modern culture has not taught the virtue of self-giving friendship.

Friendships Through Christ

In ancient times, Aristotle stressed the importance of friendship, categorizing the types of friendships by their purpose: friends that gather for good times, friends where there is mutual utility (e.g. business, shared goals) and friends that seek of the good for each other. Aquinas makes it clear that the highest good is eternal good and that Christian friendships are thus a superior form of human friendships. The Church teaches that friendship with Jesus is the highest form of friendship (CCC 142) and that those who die in friendship with God can be assured of salvation (CCC 1030).

Men can find true friendship with Jesus Christ, the Divine Friend and by building communio with other men who together share commitment to Christ. There are no substitutes for friendship with Jesus and no human friendship is complete without Christ.

Jesus Christ – Divine Friend

Jesus Christ’ friendship comforts men and teaches them how to build Christ-centered friendships:

Jesus longs for friendship with others – Jesus comes to man so that the Truth can be known, to free men from sin and so that men might have access to God (Summa Theologica, III, Q40). Jesus seeks friends, spending three days in the Temple, calling the Twelve and tirelessly travels to meet and build friendships. He seeks the comfort of His close friends in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Jesus offers, but doesn’t force, friendship – Jesus specifically calls the Twelve and they respond. Others follow Jesus including many women. Some do not wish to build friendship with Jesus including the disciples who do not accept Eucharist as the real presence (John 6:66), the Samaritan village that refuses to accept Jesus (Luke 9:53) and the rich young man (Mark 10:31).

Builds friendships with different personalities – Jesus builds friendships with all sorts of personalities: Passionate and impulsive (Peter), aggressive and ambitious (James and John), a zealot (Simon the Zealot), a calculating tax collector (Matthew), courageous and questioning (Thomas), cunning/sly (Nathaniel/Bartholomew), corrupt (Judas), loyal but confused (Philip), unassuming (James the younger), active (Martha) and spiritual (Mary, Martha’s sister).

Builds friendships with people from all walks of life – Jesus built strong friendships with men (e.g. Twelve, Lazarus) and numerous women including Mary, Martha, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James and Susana. Jesus builds friendships with people of different stations in life (fishermen, tax collectors), religious affiliations (Nicodemus/Pharisee), levels of wealth (Peter and Joseph of Arimethea) prostitutes and former demoniacs (Mary Magdalene).

Has close circle of male friends – Jesus Christ calls the Twelve to be His close friends, but has an inner circle (Peter, James and John) and one disciple called beloved (John). He calls them friends (John 15:15) and brothers (Matt 12:49), sharing everything He has heard from His Father (John 15:15).

He serves His friends – Jesus responds to the needs of His close friends including healing Peter’s mother in law (Luke 4:38-29) and raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:44). Jesus saves the disciples in the storm (Matt 14:22-33), defends them from the Pharisees (Matt 12: 1-8), washes their feet (John 13:5) and protects them when He is arrested at Gethsemane (John 18:8).

He teaches about building friendships – At the center of all true friendships is the Charity of Christ. Jesus teaches specific examples of charity by making friends with accusers (Matt 5:25), not judging a brother (Matt 7:1-5), how to gently correct a brother (Matt 18:15-18), forgiving (Matt 18:23) how to rely on friends (Luke 11:5-8), rewarding the initiative of friends (Luke 7:6) being humble in friendship (Luke 14:10), building friendships with the poor (Luke 14:12), the importance of celebrating with friends in thanksgiving (John 2:1-11; Luke 15:6,9) and friendly/brotherly love (Matt 20:13, 22:12).

Emphasizes table fellowship – Jesus emphasizes the sharing of meals with others as part of friendship (Mark 2:15; Matt 9:10), performs miracles by feeding large groups (Matt 14:13-21) and offers the lasting Sacrament of the Eucharistic meal (Luke 22:7-39).

He corrects and teaches his friends – Several occasions stand out from Jesus’ continuing friendship during His earthly ministry: forcefully correcting/cautioning Peter about Satan (Matt 16:23), explaining the parables to the disciples (Mark 4:10-20), allowing Peter to sink in the storm (Matt 14:31), calling Judas “friend” even as Judas betrays Him (Matt 26:50) and forgiving/reconciling with Peter after his denial (John 21:15-19).

He emphasizes prayer with friends – Jesus demonstrates the importance of prayer through His own practice (e.g. Gethsemane), teaches about prayer (e.g. Sermon on the Mount), promises to be present when friends gather in prayer (Matt 18:20) and gives them the Lord’s Prayer (Matt 6:9-13).

Makes it clear what is necessary for Divine Friendship – “You are my friends if you do what I command you” (John 15:14) and “do the will of My Father” (Matt 12:50).

Offers His life for His friends – “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).

Jesus leaves a lasting Christian legacy of fellowship – After Pentecost, the disciples gather together, holding steadfastly to the Apostle’s teaching about Jesus, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayers (Acts 2:42).

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Jesus Christ – The Divine Evangelist

Posted on November 9, 2011 by admin

Satanspel – The Devil’s Story

At Eden, Satan seduces Man with the false story (from the Old English “spel”) that humans can have “all knowledge” and “become like gods” (Gen 3:5). The turning away from God and His Truth to the devil’s false story, the Satanspel, is the fall of Man into Original Sin.

The Satanspel of today promises that a “modern” secular society (humans can be gods) and information technology (knowledge) will lead to the salvation of humans. Secularists seek to neutralize God in the public square and promote an individualist order where all humans can fulfill their personal cravings for material goods and sexual perversion. The “knowledge” of Eden is the “information” of today with Man submerged in a swamp of information through ever-more intrusive media devices. In the “information overload”, the trivial, obscene and morbid seduce Man into greater and greater distraction from God, with Man falling into ever-greater darkness of sin.

Gospel of Jesus Christ the Divine Evangelist

In Divine contrast to the dark lies of the Satanspel, the Gospel (literally, “Good news” or “God’s story”) is the Truth of Jesus Christ. Jesus, whose name means “God saves”, brings the Divine good news that God Is and Man can be saved by God through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, He, Himself, is the Good News, for He is God who comes into the world through the Incarnation to save Man from the dark spell cast by Satan. The Good News is the Story of Salvation for mankind. The Good News is that, rather than the randomness of deconstruction and cold evolutionary forces without a plot or storyline, there is the Truth of the Salvation Story in Jesus Christ.

What Jesus Teaches as Divine Evangelist

The Gospel Himself, Jesus Christ the Divine Evangelist teaches that:

There is a Kingdom of God – Rather then the confusion and waywardness of Israel or the deception of the human tendency to want to become gods, Jesus Christ brings the Good News that God exists and rules eternity in His Kingdom (CCC 544).

Salvation is the Story – Rather then a long string of meaningless events, human history has a trajectory in God. Even in the treason of Eden, God describes the victory over Satan in the protoevangelium (Gen 3:15; CCC 410), in which Mary, the New Eve, through her seed Jesus Christ, will conquer evil. The Gospel is the Good News of the God Story, that Man can be saved from Original Sin and death, that Satan has been defeated (CCC 1086) and that there is a way of life and a way of death (CCC 1696). Jesus Christ is the turning point in Salvation History, fulfilling all the promises by God in the Old Testament (CCC 1964-70). Men are given a real history, a family history, in the Bible and the Traditions of the Church.

Jesus, Himself, is the Good News of the New Covenant – In the Incarnation, Jesus gives definitive proof of God’s existence. Jesus pays a high price and works tirelessly to bring the Good News, walking thousands of miles, healing the multitudes, living without a home, accepting the Will of the Father to submit to the injustice of puny men unto death. In the Incarnation, Jesus gives God a human face and man preserves this idea of Christ’s Good News in the blessings of Icons (CCC 1160).

Man must repent and accept the Good News – Jesus comes to set the record straight. Man is in deep trouble because of Original Sin, which is the opposite of the Gospel (CCC 389). Man must reject the false idols of human gods and scientific rationalism. Man has a choice and is accountable (1 Pt 4:17) for conversion (CCC 1427). Man will either be in the kingdom or outside with “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt 22:13). Man must not be ashamed of the Gospel (Rom 1:15), “live a life worthy of the Gospel” (CCC 1692) and be prepared to give up all for the Gospel (CCC 2544).

There is Salvation in Christ – Jesus Christ ushers in a New Covenant, paying the price for human sin through His Crucifixion and offering all men the new life of the Resurrection (CCC 571). Christ teaches that there is no salvation for man without self-sacrificing love.

Man must embrace the Gospel through lifelong catechesis– Jesus Christ, Himself, is the Word, which is the Gospel. The Gospel is promulgated in writing and speaking (CCC 76). Man must continually be catechized and pass along the faith to the next generation through education/catechesis (CCC 2226).

Man must embrace the Church – Jesus Christ establishes His Church so that men can know the Truth be given Grace through the Sacraments. The Apostles pass along the authority for Christ’s Church on earth to bishops so that “the full and living Gospel might be preserved in the Church” (CCC 77) as their first and primary task (CCC 888). The Gospel is preached at every mass (CCC 1160). Christ establishes communio in the Church and the fraternity of brotherhood (CCC 2636).

Men are commanded to evangelize – Jesus preaches the Gospel with His own lips (CCC 75) and commands the Apostles to understand and preach the Gospel to all nations (Matt 26:13; Mark 13:10) for it is good news for all nations (CCC 528). Today, Man is called to be obedient evangelists (CCC 3; CCC 673), for the preaching of the Gospel has the power through the Holy Spirit to renew culture in Christ (CCC 2527). Man must take the Gospel seriously for it has been passed down for 2000 years with great hardship and sacrifice.

Responding to the Gospel has requirements – To fully respond to the Gospel, Man must embrace renewal in prayer (CCC 821) and be drawn into the sacraments (CCC 977). Jesus leaves a perpetual evangelization of man through the Sacraments (CCC 1247). To bear witness and promulgate the Gospel, Man must live a life faithful to the Gospel (CCC 2044: CCC 2226; CCC 2472).

Men must persevere to preach the Gospel – Christ teaches that there is great resistance to His Gospel, and despite apparent defeats and setbacks, Man must never cease to preach the Gospel (CCC 854).

He will send the Holy Spirit – Key to the Gospel is the promise that Christ makes to send the Holy Spirit to give the power to transmit the Gospel (CCC 2600, 2640).

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