Vivat Agnus Dei

This question is the foremost question of ethics because it is what joins or separates—depending on our answer—what is objectively good from what we subjectively feel compelled to pursue. Every person desires to be happy, and rightfully so (cf. Ps 4:7; Jn 16:24, Ps 16:11 ). However, real happiness does not lie on the other side of evil (cf. Rom 6:23) . This is where the Catholic Church becomes unpopular, for it reveals the depth of humanity’s fall. If we pursue happiness through what in fact engenders suffering, we seek our destruction and rejoice in it (cf. Prov 14:12 ).[1] This destruction disposes us to greater comfort with evil, creating conditions in which undesirable realities arise—both internal and external—and relationships at every level (with God, others, and ourselves) are degraded (cf. Jas 1:14–15 ).[2] This raises the question of what constitutes real happiness—happiness that does not produce these absurdities yet makes one truly joyful and unburdened. I would argue, and...

Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist In The Matrix Resurrections (2021), Morpheus tells Neo: “People believe the craziest things these days. They think the world’s built on choice... when it's really just another system of control.” If you have the slightest ear to Hollywood news, then you have likely heard about the Lively v. Baldoni lawsuit and the petty attempts at control which are its foundations, and even the ubiquitous relationship-ending circumstances that concern attempts to control the other whether out of malice or fear. Another instance of this is the pro-choice woman lashing out by assaulting a pro-life reporter that has recently surfaced . In both these examples of the appeal to force fallacy, one may note that it reveals there is an absence of substance to claim to the contrary of better things. So the question arises a priori, "Is moral regulation proper or antithetical to freedom?" However, given these examples and the popular bend they are expressions of, ...

Painting: Martyrdom of St. Lucy One day, as I wandered through the X-verse, I came across a pro-choice conservative commentator, Tomi Lahren, arguing against anti-abortion laws on the basis of safety. Her claim was that abortion should remain legally permissible so that women would not be forced to seek unsafe, black-market alternatives. Needing a break but still wanting to stretch my logical muscles, I decided to analyze this argument. The Argument Summarized The law takes away safe means for me to kill my child. I have to kill my child. Therefore, the law takes away my safety for something I have to do. Or, more precisely and explicitly the Formalized Argument: Premises Related to Anti-Abortion Laws and Their Supporters P1: All those responsible for anti-abortion laws are supporters of anti-abortion laws. P2: All supporters of anti-abortion laws believe murder is never justified. P3: All who believe murder is never justified believe abortion is never justified. Premises Related to Ab...

"Confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed" (James 5:16).  I was at an Advent communal penance service, and to my shock, the building was sturdy enough to hold up. I, naturally, saw a priest and said, "Imagine seeing you here!" Still, to my shock, he said, "Imagine seeing YOU here! One might say you are a sinner." To which, I understandably and truthfully responded, "I am just here for the prayer." Another priest behind him laughed for some reason. Anyway, if you can handle all of this shock, and you might not, please keep reading. If not, just take a break here, and go for a walk, this is going to be a lot to unpack, and you may find yourself gritting your teeth, or developing migraine symptoms. Just do what you can. I am not talking about a literal shoe, I am talking about the classic person-to-description analogy, "If the shoe fits, wear it." If the truth hurts and others seem to condemn someo...

"Lay your heart into my perfect machine I will use it to protect you from me I will never let you see what’s beneath So good for you and good for me We told ourselves we’re Right where we ought to be Even you know, even you know This was all for nothing Just a sad show, just an ego" STARSET, PERFECT MACHINE Building from  Carter Carruthers, "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil", Vivat Agnus Dei, May 30, 2021. We are sick of how we give, expect, and receive love, not that we shouldn't but we should question how we do it in any relationship. The song quoted above is a great allegory for how the secular world approaches love, trying to fill the cracks, holes, and wounds in our hearts. It isn't very difficult to see the connection between this and the first sin. In our every sin, whether of omission or commission, we fail in willing the good often for lack of knowing what is truly good.  First, in the first sin, we can recognize the problem as Eve ...

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...

In the Christian understanding, the dignity of humanity is fundamentally rooted in the call to communion with God. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) articulates this idea, stating, "The dignity of man rests above all on the fact that he is called to communion with God"[1]. This call to communion is the foundational goal of human existence, encapsulating the state of "shalom" from the beginning, which represents the original state of man[2]. Communion, as an essential aspect of human dignity, is a multi-faceted concept deeply intertwined with love, spirituality, the reality of one's physical nature, and interpersonal relationships, ultimately reflecting our divine purpose and nature. Communion is a multi-faceted concept, deeply intertwined with love, which is its efficient cause. The mutual, abiding, dialogical state of communion between persons (the final cause) arises from both parties willing the good of the other through vulnerability. Love of God se...