Vivat Agnus Dei

Read Readings Do you ever notice the feeling of anticipation that accompanies Advent? To me, Advent is a season symbolic of the journey of this life: we wait in eager hope for the life to come—the fullness of health, happiness, and holiness in Christ—and we conform ourselves so as to receive that fullness with eagerness and readiness, that is, to long in the proper way. In this sense, it is a livelier Lent, because it holds the anticipation of Christ in one hand and the strong conviction that all promises are about to be fulfilled in the other. As I read—and even before I read—I could not help but feel overcome by the sense that the biggest thing is about to happen: the one thing God has been laboring toward with us, namely the fulfillment of every covenant, God among us; what was destroyed in our sins and the sins of others beginning to be undone; people who once sneered now rejoicing in communion. It is much like last Sunday’s reading from Isaiah 11, which highlights how those natura...

Painting: "Jacob recieving Joseph's bloody coat" by William-Adolphe Bouguereau There is a lesson that is almost always learned fully only when painfully in this fallen world, and in a sense, it is the problem. This truth is only so crushing because it is the cause of every betrayal. It is a fact that convenience is often a significant factor in determining what relationship is chosen, which is chosen against, and worse, when. I have experienced the betrayal of people I trusted because I wanted to, those I trusted because I had to, and had a close friend betrayed. However, I am also guilty of choosing things out of convenience mostly with our Blessed Lord Who is deserving of all my love, and other times with people although not usually as extreme as the aforementioned times I was at the other end. As a finite creature made for love having very little of it in return, I could say just how much it sucks, but I am afraid it exceeds the reach of words. For God, Who knows our e...

Since we have consistently tried to elucidate the concept of love in its deepest truest sense it feels appropriate to continue by expanding on its various aspects. This time we shall discuss what the human will needs to make/prove love true. Love joins with reality in the knowledge of the universal and particular good of a person. (Further, introduction to this aspect of love can be found when we discussed the what and how of love .) First, we must question what our perception tells us about what is good first for ourselves and next for others. After all, we are called to "Love others as yourself" and " treat them as you wish to be treated "(Luke 6:31; Matthew 22:37–39, Luke 10:27, Mark 12:30-31). Aquinas says "Goodness and being are really the same, and differ only in idea; which is clear from the following argument. The essence of goodness consists in this, that it is in some way desirable. Hence the Philosopher says (Ethic. i): "Goodness is what all des...

Parable of the hidden treasure by Rembrandt In a world where human effort often leads to success, it may be tempting to believe that eternal life can be achieved through our own endeavors. Just as we might work diligently to lift ourselves out of poverty, one might assume that eternal salvation can be earned through human effort alone. However, the teachings of the Church, the writings of saints, and Holy Scripture reveal a profound truth: eternal life is a divine gift that cannot be merited by human effort alone. Just as we cannot cure ourselves of disease without the guidance of a physician (Sirach 38:1-15), we cannot attain eternal life without cooperating with God's grace. This essay explores the nature of grace and its essential role in meriting eternal life, affirming that it is only through God’s grace that we can hope to achieve salvation. First, the necessity of grace is deeply rooted in the teachings of Thomas Aquinas, who asserted that “the free gift of God is eternal li...

"The more one does what is good, the freer one becomes. There is no true freedom except in the service of what is good and just. The choice to disobey and do evil is an abuse of freedom and leads to "the slavery of sin." Freedom makes man responsible for his acts to the extent that they are voluntary. Progress in virtue, knowledge of the good, and ascesis enhance the mastery of the will over its acts."  CCC 1733-1734 It goes without saying that an addict can hardly control their tendency to sin in the particular way to which they are accustomed, but is that truly relevant for other sins or even nonaddicts? It seems the answer is yes. One way or another we give up, our expected freedom, but in what way and to whom is the real question. Yet, there remains one apparently more relevant, question of what the better option is. I would answer that freedom guided by Goodness Itself is better than anything lesser than Him, and that if surrendered to sin or the enemy there ca...

This post is a sequel to "What is love?"  and could be understood as the "why and how" of love. In our day, love is often reduced to good, comfortable feelings i.e. affection. In the main cultural stream at present, "love" is so confused with sexual relations that people feel inclined to contradict the meaning of marriage and somatic structure in pursuit of what they believe to be love structure. Love cannot be only these things, even though affection and sexuality are good in their proper place and order. This confusion comes to justify sin and make life only about us. However, this is contrary to God's plan insofar as it is contrary to our actual good. Ipso facto, the idea of love is to be guarded and upheld or thus profaned to the point that it hardly be recognized, much like how Christ Himself was beaten, tortured, and rent to the point He was almost impossible to look at with the slightest purity/justice of heart. If we do not do so contrary to re...

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20) This command is profoundly clear from Christ and yet its practical implications can often feel elusive. What does it mean to "make" disciples? What does it mean to be a "disciple"?  Simply it is putting on the Mind of Christ through "apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers"(cf. 1 Corinthians 2:16, Acts 2:42). The sacraments are a part of this insofar as He mentions Baptism in the same command. It is also clear there is a call for preserving, living, and passing on the faith. Just as discipleship was simply a fraternal education in the Christian life. The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls (Donald DeGrood) casts a vision that encompasses much of...

Photo: In 2014, Pope Francis undertook a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and prayed at the Western Wall. This wall is known as the “Kotel”, is the last remaining outer wall of the ancient Jewish temple, and this wall of the temple was closest to the Holy of Holies. This moment relates to this post in light recent events in Israel concerning the Hamas War. Turn on the news, and you will find all kinds of really bad news. This is so much the case most of us either don't turn on the news, despair about things as they are, or become so jaded concerning the greatest of crimes and conspiracies, that we interpret crimes casually. This jadedness extends to our own sins with which we are so familiar, that we begin to not see their malevolence. The question we have already answered in the past month is that there is something amiss here and it is not solved by adding correct propositions or trying harder but receiving deeper the love of God, through both justification and Sanctification.[2]...

"I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate." Romans 7:15 There are many songs, many passages in scripture, and many addicted who will discuss this tendency. This tendency is fundamental to the corruption/fallenness of our relationship within ourselves, our de-integration. The truth is from the same will, we will the good, we also will the bad and there is reason for this and it is not undone the way we often think i.e. by having a correct understanding of moral truths and fortitude/effort. When speaking of Nathaniel, Jesus jokingly says, “Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him.” (John 1:47 NABRE) Of course, a true "son of Jacob" refers to Him who is called now Israel, whose sins are numerous as described in scripture. It is fascinating that the foremost of our Patriarchs is a key example here. We follow His faith, not his sins of course. Nevertheless, we all have this problem regardless of what th...

"Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, 'Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you...."  (Acts of the Apostles 17:22-23). [1] "Truth Himself speaks truly, or there is nothing true" (Thomas Aquinas, Godhead Hear in Hiding) When discussing matters of truth, particularly on divisive issues, is it ever permissible to engage with another person's perspective to test its validity? Among some individuals often labeled as "rigid"—those perceived as unwilling to entertain any view contrary to their own—the answer often appears to be a firm "no." This stance, however, presents significant problems. It renders genuine evangelization nearly impossible and can hinder personal growth in conformity to truth...