Church and State

So, I continue to be dismal at updating my blog. I really can't wait till I get a new lap top. That would enable me to write during my commute.

Anyway, it has been an eventful week. Election time is always an emotional and intellectual stimulant. This was a pivotal election. Unity has been a big issue in our country for quite some time. Remember 2000? Sure we united over 9/11. It is easy to unite in a common anger/grief during a time of tragedy. Anger is a better uniter than grief, just look at Katrina. I recently saw a bumper sticker that read "We are definitely not united and most of y'all are sitting". The truth of this statement brought many thoughts to my head. Are we sitting in apathy, are we sitting in protest, are we "sitting on the fence", or are we just struggling to get by and trying to keep up with this crazy world is just too much? To steal a defense from a lawyer friend, "I am just doing the best I can."

Something hit me on election night, when my son asked me who I voted for in one of the "lesser" California races. I could not remember the name of the candidate I voted for just an hour before. With so many different government positions to fill, I did not have time (or the desire) to investigate the candidates enough to make my choice. So in some cases, I gave my vote away by going with a recommendation. In other cases, I gave my vote away by just confirming judges that I knew nothing about. In still other cases, I gave my vote away, by not voting for any candidate. Now this is not to say, I gave everything away. I knew exactly who I wanted as Governor, and I did research the propositions (some more than others). These were the reasons I voted, but how much of this countries leadership and direction is determined by people voting for someone or something that they know nothing about. That can be as bad as not voting at all. I think that is why campaigns hit us so hard with ads and mailings and recorded phone calls. I had Arnold, Bill, and Al all call me in one night (I figure since they know my home phone number we are on a first name basis). They hoped that we would remember just enough to vote the way they wanted us to, based on hearsay.

All this only related to what I really want to write about. I want to write about how we seem to separate Church and State in our personal political lives, just like we do in our business lives. A lot has been written about the politics of Evangelical Christians. I think this has had a negative impact on the views of Catholic Christians. I think Catholics are afraid to stand up for our beliefs because we don't want to be associated with the "religious right". Catholics are generally more low key. I could argue this is really because a lot of Catholics are struggling with their faith and don't know if they want to be associated with their religion at all, but that is another blog entry (State of the Church?).

The problem with the "religious right" is that they are focused on the wrong issues. They have been drawn into the areas that divide our country the most and have taken the stance that God is on their side, so vote for this candidate or this issue. I don't believe they are necessarily evil hypocrites, and I do believe they are trying to defend against real issues. They are just not the core issues. We have all lost sight of God's will, especially when it comes to politics.

So what is God's will? I would start with these two principles:

1) I believe the primary will of God is His command to Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength, and your neighbor as yourself(Mark 12:29-31). Another way to look at this is Micah 6:8
2) Our primary social charge is to take care of those in need (Deuteronomy 14:28-29 and James 1:26-27)

We have forgotten these principals. This is not to say the issues of Abortion and "Protecting" Marriage and the war in Iraq are not important. I believe we are approaching them wrongly. We have forgotten the poor, the fatherless, and the widow. Some have begun to notice this and remind us, even in the "religious right".

I believe until Catholics reconcile our crisis of Faith and stand up for the forgotten as Jesus taught us by his actions, we will continue to let this great nation become more divided or maybe even worse become so luke warm that we will crumble in apathy. May God place conviction and compassion in our hearts and mend our nation.

Grace and peace to you all.

How Great is Our God

Wow! Gina, Christian and I just got back from Joyfest at Great America (local theme park). Gina and I have been going to this day of Christian music together for years. Chris Tomlin was the headliner and his set was the most amazing concert experience I think I have ever had. I have been to a lot of concerts. I have had a lot of "worship" experiences. I was blown away by this night. It all began with one of the few covers that Chris sings. It was very cool that this prominent worship leader, who has written more songs that are used in worship than I can count, started off with our friend's song "Your Grace Is Enough". Although I generally prefer Matt's version of the song, this rocked. I was blown away with the thought that here were thousands of people, most of whom not only don't identify with the Catholic faith but might even have some animosity towards the Catholic Church, singing a song by a Catholic artist - loudly! Praising God through the words and music of an awesome, loving, faithful Catholic. God's Grace is indeed enough. Now Matt Maher would be the first to say that he hates the walls of misunderstanding and bickering that divide God's people (so do I) and I was honored to part of this event that blew all that away and allowed us to worship the Almighty God as one Church for a couple of hours. Thank you, Matt, for the song. Thank you, Chris, for sharing it with even more people and leading us in WORSHIP instead of performing a concert.
It was a concert for God, and we were all the performers. This was made clear from the beginning when the screen used to project the lyrics for every song said just that. Chris Tomlin's music is such a gift to us, as is Matt's. It is so singable and approachable. He sang a couple of songs from his new album that I had never heard before but I was singing along with him instantly. I hope that I am able to sing tomorrow at Mass, I was singing so loudly. I couldn't help myself. How great is our God!

A little venting

Hi,

Yes, I am still alive and there are things going on in the world to which I have been paying attention. We have had the Pope getting everyone excited about his choice of words while addressing the need for dialog with Islam. We have had an archbishop excommunicated. We have had a sex scandal involving young boys and a senator. Not to mention a few other ideas that have floated around in my head based on some things I have read. So buckle in, this might be a bumpy ride.

I have never been much of a diplomat. As I get older and presumably a little wiser (although I have learned that the two do not necessarily go hand in hand), I have learned the subtleties of communication and politics, but I am not always very good at them. Flattery is definitely not my strong suit, even with those I honestly care about, admire, or even make my heart skip a beat (just ask my wife). I do also recognize the beauty and importance of diversity of culture and thought, and that I certainly don’t have all the answers or can declare absolute truths. It amazes me at how cautious we all are about what we say about Islam. You may be saying, “Uh, Scott, they blow things up or cause riots when we tick them off”. To which I say, yes, there are extremists. Maybe even more than in other religions, and that definitely use large scale, publicized violence more often. That should not stop us from trying to engage people in communication and call out the things that are unacceptable in our point of view.

Speaking of extremists, Emmanual Milingo, the archbishop of Lusaka, Zambia, was excommunicated this past week for ordaining married priests in Washington, D.C. Marriage and the priesthood have been his main agenda for years now. He even went as far as getting married himself, but Pope John Paul II persuaded him to come back into the fold. Even now, the Church is definitely the religion of second chances (thank God), and Pope Benedict XVI is trying to give him another chance. Hear is an issue that is definitely causing a division in the Church. There are some that I am sure are applauding the "ordination". “It’s about time someone did this.” “I don’t see what the big deal is.” or “We wouldn’t have a shortage of priests if it weren’t for that celibacy rule from the dark ages.” To all of these, I say you do not understand the difference between a vocation and an occupation. The priesthood is not just an occupation. It is a vocation that also happens to be combined with the individual’s occupation – his daily work. I can see where it is easily confused, after all most married men have both a vocation and an occupation, so why would this be any different? The two are so intimately combined in the priesthood that they are impossible to separate. It is a matter of priorities. As a married man I can prioritize between my vocation as a husband and father and my occupation as a program manager. Allowing married priests as the norm (there are married priests that were ordain in other denominations) would be like endorsing polygamy. How do you prioritize between two spouses? I would argue you can’t without causing all kinds of misery, especially in modern culture.

Finally, we have Senator Foley. My first reaction was, you have got to be kidding me. The Co-chair of a committee that seeks to protect children is sending sexually explicit emails to kids? Not only is this appalling, it is almost laughably stupid? I am amazed that this took so long to come to light, but maybe I don’t understand the dynamics of this situation. I understand the fear and shame of an abuse victim, but this seems different. I guess it could be likened to sexual harassment. The boys were afraid for their futures if they turned in a well liked, powerful Senator. Still, I wish more of the bad guys/jerks of the world were stupid enough to give us a written record of their crimes/misconduct.

It is a crazy world. May God’s hand reach out and guide us and protect us. Wow, the commute must be making me a little edgy. This entry sounds more like my brother. :)

As for the other ideas I mentioned I will save those for now. They are both related to some good editorials in the San Jose Mercury News.

May God Bless us all with his grace and mercy.

God is Good

I have a really good excuse for not blogging this past week. I was on a wonderful retreat called Cursillo. I am exhausted. All I can say is that this showed me that God has won and the world does not stand a chance.

He was a beauty

Sure we all made fun of his enthusiastic accent and his boyish wonder. We all cringed a little when we saw him feeding the crocks while carrying his baby, which I am sure to him seemed as ordinary as a farmer that might go for a tracker ride with his child. I must say however, that I always get hooked when I am flipping through channels and come across Steve "the Crocodile Hunter" Irwin. He died today while shooting an underwater documentary after being stung by a stingray barb in the chest. I always thought he was a little crazy, but that is what enthralled me. My heart and my prayers go out to his family.

Work is for the person, the person is not for work

As we are about to celebrate Labor Day here in the United States, I must admit that this holiday means a little more to me this year. I am reminded about how blest I have been and how grateful I am that God has provided work for me. I hope that I am able to honor God in my work and in all that I do.

The U.S. Bishops have released a reflection for us entitled "A Labor Day Reflection on Immigration and Work". It has definitely reminded me that we always need to look beyond the politics and rhetoric of any issue and focus on people. The Gospel reading for today also got me thinking about my mindset and approach to life. It reminded me that tradition and law are wonderful gifts from God to help us find him, but ultimately the only law is the law of love that he writes on our heart. That does not mean we ignore the things that help us live with each other in a "civilized" world, but if we are only focused on the law, or the economy, or our fear, we will never listen to the voice of our Creator whispering in our hearts telling us we are all created in his glorious image. We all are precious in his eyes.

As you fire up the grill this holiday, or hit the department store sales, or go to work so that others can enjoy the day off, think about what a gift life is and what a gift work is, and praise God for all that he has give you.

New Beginnings

I started this blog back in the last week of March. My first entry was a new start. I have gone about a month without a post which is of course way to long. I have a good excuse. It was not that I had nothing to say or that I was having writer's block. I had been out of work for nearly six months, and I needed to focus all of my energy on my job search. Well I have achieved success. I started a new job at a digital audio technology company this past week. I am now ready to return to speaking my mind about all things Catholic and life in general.

The new job is not a full-time ministry gig like my last job, but it is at least somewhat music related and I have already been able to have a couple very open and wonderful conversations about my faith and ministry. I have a horrendous commute (total of four hours a day on trains), but I am starting to get used to that. The hardest adjustment has been being on such a tight schedule. Funny thing about the train is that it will not wait for me. The nice thing for my wife is that she knows exactly when I am going to walk through the front door. Kind of a cool thing is that I have started praying the rosary on the way home.

Other new beginnings are happening with the kids. My oldest son has started high school and is running cross-country. He is being put through some hard workouts. He is going to be in great shape. It is a lot of fun to see him mature and find his way in life. My other son has started kindergarten and my oldest daughter will be starting pre-school. Big changes for all of us. My wife says that she and our youngest are going to go take up ski-diving or something.

So, I hope I have not bored you to tears with all this. I say that as if anyone is still checking my blog after a month. :) I will continue with regular updates now that I am not so distracted with looking for a job.

Grace and peace,
Scott

This says it all

I don't usually like to post with just a link to another story, but to me this says it all. I may choose to comment on the politics in the Mid-East some time soon, but this story to me shows the very real, human impact of where extreme and violent ideologies lead. I know there are stories of this kind on both sides. Please take a moment to pray for a truly just and lasting peace in the Middle East.

Insomnia

Wow, it has been hot here in Northern California. I know it has been hot pretty much all over, but in most places that it is usually hot and humid the houses have air conditioning. We are spoiled here with the fact that even during the warm days of summer, it cools down in the evening so A/C is optional. That has not happened the last couple of days. Our house is so hot, I just can't sleep. So, I thought I would get up and add an entry to my much neglected blog.

The problem is that I am so tired, I can't even think straight. There is a lot to talk about (Israel and Lebanon, Bush's 1st Veto, etc). I just don't know if I can think straight enough to write anything worthy of the server space.

On the upside, I was blessed with a wonderful evening with my wife. We were able to have a date, thanks to a birthday gift and some free baby-sitting (thank you Andrew and Olga). It was a great chance to reconnect with each other. Word's cannot express the love I have for this woman.

Good night.

Courage

Wow, two posts in one day. I am trying to make up some ground.

The grace of God is amazing. After my last post, I decided to go to Mass this morning. I miss going to daily Mass and really need to start again. It struck me last night at XLT (praise and worship, preaching, and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament). That I have the opportunity to receive Christ in the Eucharist every day. I proclaim the real presence of Christ in the form of bread and wine (a huge stumbling block to many Christians), yet I choose not receive him everyday. I have a ton of "reasonable" excuses, but where are my priorities. Anyway, I went to Mass this morning and cried as we sang the opening hymn, "Servant Song".

What do you want of me, Lord?
Where do you want me to serve you?
Where can I sing your praises?
I am your song?

As part of my job search, I belong to a professional networking organization called ProMatch. There is a part of our meetings that we can ask for and/or offer connections. I use this part of the meeting a lot, and have often thought of asking if anyone would like to join me in prayer during the break. I came close one day, I even had a quote from Jeremiah that I was going to share. To my shame I have always wimped out for various reasons. Today, I did not wimp out. God gave me the grace to make his presence know and several people joined me to pray for the well being of the members of ProMatch and the economy in the San Francisco Bay Area. I was thanked for my courage, but it was not my courage, but God's grace.

I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth. (Psalm 121:1-2)

Rejection

It is fascinating to me how much our self-esteem is based on others' acceptance of us. That has been my experience. Even those that say, "I don't care about what others think," tend to say that to try to convince themselves or impress you. I am not saying that we all blow with the wind of public perception. There are plenty of people that have no power over us, because we don't let them. However, we all have a group of people that we relinquish this power to. For me currently, it is my family and recruiters/hiring managers. I know that the right job for me is out there, and that God will provide for me. I know that he is the only one that I need even try to please, and that he will love me even when I stumble.

Father grant me your grace and your peace and the faith to know your love.

Sts. Peter and Paul

I meant to write about this yesterday, but it was a busy day. Yesterday was the feast day for St. Peter and St. Paul. These guys are my heros (as they should be for every Christian). I think they are the perfect example of what Paul wrote about to the church of Corinth (1 Corinthians 12). Their gifts, their experiences, and their approach to sharing the Gospel were completely different, but they both proclaimed "Jesus is Lord" by the same Spirit.

Sts. Peter and Paul are my heros because I can relate to them both. I read about them in scripture and I can see a little bit of myself in each of them. Peter tried so hard, and every time he thought he had it figured out, he screwed up. Remember the whole "get behind me Satan" remark, and of course the denials. Even as the Church was growing, Paul had to correct him about his treatment of the gentiles. Yet, despite all of this, Jesus chose him, because he saw the real potential of this fisherman. I sometimes wonder what God sees in me. Does he see the potential of an Apostle or does he see a man that will always struggle with comfort and fear? I stumble often, and it is usually when I think I got this disciple of Christ thing figured out.

Paul was a know-it-all with a temper, who was humbled by God. My wife often calls me "Mr. Right", not only because I am the man that she married, but because I too can come across as a know-it-all. What can I say, I just happen to be correct a lot of the time, and if I don't know something, I generally will admit it. I know that sounds arrogant, but I am not trying to be boastful. See just like Paul. :) Paul conquered whatever fear might have held him back and just did it. This is not to say he jumped into danger without thinking. He was not stupid. He accepted that danger was part of the job description and trusted that God would protect him and sustain him, and God did.

Anyway, both of these men gave their lives for the Gospel. One was our first pope, the other was our first great evangelist. Through the intercession of these two great Saints, I pray for the grace to boldly proclaim the Gospel of Christ Jesus to everyone I meet as they did.

Clarification

Okay, so about my last entry. Yes, I realize that a portion of this money is going to programs I absolutely disagree with (i.e. Planned Parenthood). My point is that here is a man that has decided to give his billions of dollars of wealth away to a cause he believes will better humanity. I am sure (and I pray) that God will find away to use the Gates Foundation and its vast financial resources to do good for humanity.

You Can't Take It With You, and You Don't Want to Spoil the Kids

This week the second wealthiest man in the world, Warren Buffett, decided to team up with the wealthiest man in the world, Bill Gates to give away his fortune. Two things caught my attention in an interview about this about this:

1. Those that are given the wisdom and blessing of managing this kind of wealth need to look at the bigger picture.

"I always had the idea that philanthropy was important today, but would be equally important in one year, ten years, 20 years, and the future generally.

And someone who was compounding money at a high rate, I thought, was the better party to be taking care of the philanthropy that was to be done 20 years out, while the people compounding at a lower rate should logically take care of the current philanthropy."

Not that his motives were all about others

"I was having fun - and still am having fun - doing what I do. And for a while I also thought in terms of control of Berkshire."
"So if I had engaged in significant philanthropy back then, I would have had to give away shares of Berkshire. I hadn't bought those to immediately give them away."

2. I was also struck by his lack of interest in leaving a dynasty for his children

"I still believe in the philosophy - FORTUNE quoted me saying this 20 years ago - that a very rich person should leave his kids enough to do anything but not enough to do nothing. [The FORTUNE article was "Should You Leave It All to the Children?" Sept. 29, 1986.]

I am a big proponent for Stewardship. As the Bishops of the United States laid out in a pastoral letter, stewardship is the response of a true disciple. It is a recognition that everything we have is from God, and in order to show our gratitude we offer a portion back to God. I have no idea if Mr. Buffett is a believer. I do know that he recognizes that he has been given a great deal of blessing, and in turn he now wishes to use this wealth for a greater good. If that is not God at work, I don't know what is. I don't necessarily agree with all of of the efforts of all of the foundations that will benefit from his donations, but I think it is a positive thing over all and a good example for others.

In his second letter to the Corinthians Paul lays out a plea for financial help (even back then they had money talks).

Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is written: "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little."

Now I know most of us have not been given the financial blessing of Mr. Buffet and Mr. Gates, but most of us have been blessed with an income that provides for our needs and beyond. How have we shown our gratitude for that blessing? Have we given back an offering of our "first fruits" or do we give God our spare change?

May God bless you abundantly.

To Knee or Not to Knee...

The other day, I said I would comment on kneeling. The issue of kneeling or not kneeling during parts of the Mass is a subject of great debate. About a month ago (yeah, I know that I am late to the party), the controversy came to a new level of intensity when the pastor of a parish in Orange county warned parishioners that they could be in a state of mortal sin for kneeling after the Agnus Dei (Lamb of God). This is when we say "Lord, I am not worthy to receive you..." So to add to the controversy, apparently Orange Bishop Tod Brown (Orange being the diocese not the color of the bishop) backed the pastor, then asked for a retraction and backed the retraction which really wasn't a retraction (you still with me).

To be honest with you, this kind of thing frustrates me to no end. I think both sides need to rethink this issue, because they are both right (well I don't know about the mortal sin thing) and both wrong. Those that are compelled to kneel argue that "At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow..." and those that argue to stand site practicality and/or that by his sacrifice Jesus freed us of sin and made us worthy to stand in his presence. Both sides miss the point and more often than not, use their posture as a sign of their (self)righteousness. It is bad enough that the Church is divided into denominational groups, but we can't even find unity within the Catholic faith. And my brothers and sisters, that is what posture is really about - UNITY!

Here is what the General Instruction on the Roman Missal has to say about it.

Paragraph 42

The gestures and posture of the priest, the deacon, and the ministers, as well as those of the people, ought to contribute to making the entire celebration resplendent with beauty and noble simplicity, so that the true and full meaning of the different parts of the celebration is evident and that the participation of all is fostered. Therefore, attention should be paid to what is determined by this General Instruction and the traditional practice of the Roman Rite and to what serves the common spiritual good of the People of God, rather than private inclination or arbitrary choice.

A common posture, to be observed by all participants, is a sign of the unity of the members of the Christian community gathered for the Sacred Liturgy: it both expresses and fosters the intention and spiritual attitude of the participants. (emphasis added)

As for the issue in Orange county:

Paragraph 43

In the dioceses of the United States of America, they should kneel beginning after the singing or recitation of the Sanctus until after the Amen of the Eucharistic Prayer, except when prevented on occasion by reasons of health, lack of space, the large number of people present, or some other good reason. Those who do not kneel ought to make a profound bow when the priest genuflects after the consecration. The faithful kneel after the Agnus Dei unless the Diocesan Bishop determines otherwise.

With a view to a uniformity in gestures and postures during one and the same celebration, the faithful should follow the directions which the deacon, lay minister, or priest gives according to whatever is indicated in the Missal.

So if the local bishop determines otherwise, as much as an individual or group might dislike it, they should join their brothers and sisters in unity. I am not saying that you should not argue your point, I just wish you would find someplace other than the Mass to make your point. This goes for the Bishop that asked a woman to stand while she was receiving communion because she was making a scene. No, with all due respect, he was.

St. Paul tells us in his letter to the Philppians (Chapter 2, Verses 1-4 NIV translation)

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

This is not say that we just follow the crowd in blind obedience, but we do need to get over ourselves and be unified with Christ.

Amazing courage

I thought this was very courageous - and a little bit sneaky. :)

A great question

I received a question about yesterday's postings. Rather than post another comment that might not get seen I wanted to reply with this entry. Rebecca asked:

referring to this and your last post i just happened across i have a question. if God doesn't change, and you believe the catholic church is His church, why would the mass change with the times?

Rebecca,

Thank you for your question. God has given the Church the gift of the Sacraments and the gift of the Mass. These things are for our benefit, not God’s. As I heard a priest friend of mine put it once (I am paraphrasing), it is not like God sits around needing us to say good things about him. At the Last Supper (the institution of the Eucharist), Jesus did not say, “Guys, you have been great. I really appreciate you coming tonight, and it would be great if you would get together after I am gone to remember the old days. You know, break a little bread, drink a little wine, maybe say some nice things about me...” He does not need our praise, we need His Presence. God gave us the frame work (the stuff that can’t change) and we with the prompting of the Spirit added some human styling, if you will.

That being said, Liturgy translates as the work of the people. It is given to us by God and divinely inspired (God is definitely in the middle of it), but the words, postures, and actions we take are all human, so of course it will change over time. Hopefully with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, these actions will draw us closer to Christ and help us enter more deeply into the mystery of the Life, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of our Lord. So, even though the “window dressings” of the Mass change, it is because of the human element involved, not because God changes.

The above are my views and interpretations, but who am I to comment on such a fabulous and profound question? The first document to come out of Vatican II was Sacrosanctum Concilium (The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy). This document set forth the reasons and “ground rules” for the reform of the Mass. In paragraph 21 your question is addressed almost directly.

In order that the Christian people may more certainly derive an abundance of graces from the Sacred Liturgy, Holy Mother Church desires to undertake with great care a general restoration of the Liturgy itself. For the Liturgy is made up of immutable elements divinely instituted, and of elements subject to change. These not only may but ought to be changed with the passage of time if they have suffered from the intrusion of anything out of harmony with the inner nature of the Liturgy or have become unsuited to it.

In this restoration, both texts and rites should be drawn up so that they express more clearly the holy things which they signify; the Christian people, so far as possible, should be enabled to understand them with ease and to take part in them fully, actively, and as befits a community.

I hope this answers your question and provokes some thought. I know it made me stop and think about it.

May the grace and peace of Christ be with you.

Scott

Let the bickering continue...I mean begin

I am sure we will see many more articles about the new translation of the Mass, but this I thought was just to good to pass up.

I also ran across a controversy going on in Orange county that I missed about kneeling. I will share some thoughts about that tomorrow.

I just don't know what to say anymore

Some of you may be wondering if I have writer's block. With the lack of posts that would be an obvious conclusion. No, it has not been writer's block. I have been tied up pursuing my next job opportunity (a journey I am still on). What the title really refers to is the dilemma/challenge we will be facing when the new English translation is approved for the Roman Missal (formally known as the Sacramentary). What am I talking about and why does this matter? Well, read on for this highly anticipated blog. :)

First a little background (if you know all this bear with me). The Roman Missal contains the prayers that are recited at every Catholic Mass. It contains what is called the Order of the Mass as well as other blessings and prayers. In 2002, Pope John Paul II approved a new Latin version of the Missale Romanum. Prior to this the Vatican also released a new instruction as to how this should be translated into other languages. The basic gist of the document was that translations should be as true to the Latin as possible. This is a change from the past in which greater emphasis was placed on the language to which it was being translated. Well this has kind of turned the English-speaking liturgical world on its head. The International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL) had to scrap most of the work on a translation they had been working on since 1973, because there was a new Latin version and because the rules for translation had changed. Check out "Lost in Translation: The Bishops, the Vatican & the English Liturgy" for the back story of all this from a pro-ICEL point of view. If you are a real liturgical geek, read this letter that described why the last translation was rejected by Congregation of Divine Worship.

So, it appears now that they have a translation of the bulk of the Order of the Mass that has been approved the Bishops of the United States. Like anything there are two camps on this issue (well maybe three if you count those that think the Mass should only be prayed in Latin). There are those that are angered by the translation that feel it should be left alone or should not be a literal translation and those that look forward to getting it approved so that we can move forward with it and be more in line with other the Latin and other translations.
I have gone back and forth on this issue. I don't look forward to the process of learning the new texts, and some of the translations feel clunky when I say them allowed (And with your spirit), but I feel a lot of the new translation clarifies some Catholic theology (...only say the word and my soul will be healed) or is more clearly reverant. As a few critics of my leadership as Director of Music at my fairly liberal parish would be quick to point out, I think it is important to make every attempt to stay true to the texts in the rubrics particularly the Eucharistic Acclamations. I am an advocate for inclusive language when referring to human kind, but have no problem and even prefer referring to God as Father, Lord, or with masculine pronouns. It drives me nuts when publishers go out of there way to remove masculine references to God. We are quick to grab onto the passages where Jesus tells us God wants to be so close to us that we can refer to him as "daddy", but we can't refer to God as him. That is just crazy, PC, zealous-femmist gibberish to me.

I think these are exciting times. There is unrest and division about what ultimately comes down to style, but there is also dialog and reflection on the true nature of God and his relationship with his Church. Ultimately it comes down to realizing that our words will always be inadequate to praise the Father, Creator of all, that Christ our Redeemer will still be present in the Eucharist and in our lives by the power of the Holy Spirit, and that even as the Mass continues to change throughout history, God will not.

Proud Papa

My son, Christian, is graduating from 8th grade on Monday. He was a 4.0 student this year. I am very proud of him. We went to an awards night at his school this week, where he was honored for his academic achievements. He also was unexpectedly honored for science as well. "Dad, it is my worst subject. I've had an A- in it all year!" (Sigh) To have those kind of problems.

I have been kind of slacking on the whole blog thing the last couple of weeks. Starting next week I will be focusing on articles about the Mass and everyday life (this is called Source and Summit for a reason).

I am doing much better today

Okay, so yesterday I kind of freaked out. I probably should have stayed away from the blog, but hey, I'm just trying to keep it real (insert street gesture of your choice here).

The images from yesterday will stay with me, but I have a much better perspective today. My friend Jeanette, who is an amazing woman of God and was also on the scene (she helped pull the girl out) helped a lot. She reminded me of how God was present in the midst of the horror and that he provided for these two kids in ways that they may never know. There was the fire extinguisher, the pocket knife, and people that were there to help (including a guy that happened to be tall enough to reach the driver). I am humbled to think that in the middle of a life an death situation, God could use me as an instrument.

My hat goes off to the men and women that deal with these things on a daily basis. I usually pray when I hear a siren, but I think I will approach that prayer with a new vigor.

Thank you, my Lord, for your unending grace.

What is a hero? Car crash in front of Gunderson High School.

I have struggled with wether or not to post anything about this, but it has had a major affect on me.

This morning there was a car crash in front of the high school in my neighborhood. I just happened to be the one behind the car that flipped over. As I rounded the bend in the road, I saw debris fly in the air and onto the road. I did not see the car, but I knew a car must have hit one of the palm tress that divide Chynoweth Ave. As the car came into view, my "what happened?" curiosity and tiny amount of fear turned into horror. The car was flipped on its side on top of one of the small trees with a leg hanging out the window. I ran to the car to help the driver. It was then that I realized that this was not going to be pretty. As I approached the car it caught fire. I was afraid the car was going to blow up. So were the others that were now getting out of their cars to help.

I could not get the young man out of the car, because I needed someone to hold the door. I was not even sure he was alive. A man nearby wanted to help, but was afraid of the fire. We called for a fire extinguisher, which luckily someone had. It was then that I noticed a pair of legs under the car that were now catching fire. I also noticed that the driver's head was split open with a gash that travelled the circumference of his head that was bleeding badly.

After the fire was out, the other man held the door up as I pulled the young man from the car. He moaned and began to regain consciousness. I took him to the side of the road, while others bravely worked on getting the passenger, a young high school girl, out of the car. They called for a knife to cut her out of her seat belt.

I asked the young man (the driver) his name, he told me and then he began asking nonsensical questions. He did not know where he was or what had happened. I told him he had been in a car accident and he asked me if there was anyone in the car with him. I told him that there was. He then realized it was his girlfriend and he began to panic. All I could do was try to keep him lying down and calm. I did not even know if the girl was alive. Then the paramedics arrived. All I could do was pray.

After we were questioned and told we were free to go, I left the scene. I had to circle back around my neighborhood to go back home, but as I passed my church, I pulled in and went to the chapel. I wept the hardest I have in years. I was overwhelmed as I sat in the presence of Christ with this young man's blood on my clothes. Fear, terror, shame, anger, doubt, frustration, pride, sadness - these are the emotions of the moment and of the day.

People have said I am a hero, that I saved this boy's life. I doubt that. The man with the fire extinguisher might have saved all our lives, but I don't think I saved this boy's life. Did I overcome my terror to help him, yes. Did I give him some comfort in an awful situation - I hope so.

I am struggling with my pride. I honestly believe, that I just happened to be the guy on the scene. If it was not me, it would have been someone else. There is a part of me, however, that wants some glory for the role I played, and it makes me sick. For example, I am a little ticked that the news story makes it sound like he climbed out of the car screaming that his girlfriend was trapped in the car. That is not what happened. So, am I ticked because the story was inaccurate, or that it did not recognize what I did? Does it really matter. This all sounds stupid, and the few people that read this may think I am just beating myself up over nothing (see why I have thought about not posting anything). I just want to keep reminding myself that this was not about me. Tonight there are two young people in critical condition and two families that are seriously hurting. My heart and my prayers go out for them. I ask you to join with me in praying for them.

Everyone Needs a Cheering Section

Yesterday, I needed to get myself out of the house. I had been stuck inside most of the day, and I felt like getting outside and getting my body moving a little. I went outside to shoot some hoops. Our neighbor's 2 year old twins were outside with their cousins (2 and 5 I think). As I began to shoot I heard the girls yell, "Yea!" They were standing at the end of the court about 100 yards away watching me shoot baskets. Every time I made a shot they applauded and squealed with delight. Any time I would miss, I would hear something like, "Aaaahhh, he missed." Needless to say this motivated me to make more shots. As I warmed up, I began feeling it and was making shots pretty consistently. If I missed a few in a row, I would run in with a layup just to hear the cheers. I could not help but smile.

This got me thinking about life a little (because we all know sport is really just a metaphor about life, although we usually think of baseball for some reason). Couldn't we all use our own personal cheering squad? Wouldn't be great if every time we did something good we heard delighted cheers? And when we fail, wouldn't it be great to hear them saying, "Ah man, you were this close! Try again! You can do it!". Jesus, told us in Luke 15:10, "In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." Our cheering squad is in heaven. Can you imagine God the Father and Jesus Christ, his son, jumping up from there thrones and giving each other high fives when we turn from our sin? When we say "No!" to that nagging temptation we always give into. When we say, "I can't do this alone. Please send me your grace." Okay, it may not be high fives, but there is much rejoicing. Yea!

God bless you.

Finding the Voice of God

A mother told me a story this morning about her little boy.

The 4-year old was at preschool and was having a rather frustrating morning. The teacher was blowing bubbles for the students to chase. The little boy could not catch any and he asked the teacher why the bubbles were floating away today. The teacher took this time to teach the child about the wind.

"Can you please make it stop?"

"No. God makes the wind blow and only God can make it stop."

The boy stopped and looked to the sky for a moment. He then looked back at the teacher a little disappointed.

"He said no."

This made me think about the wonderful faith of children and their uncanny ability to hear the voice of God. How did we loose this ability? How did we let the noise of our lives block out the voice of the one who made us?

I am in a major discernment process right now. I wish it was as simple as the looking to the sky and listening to the reply. It probably should be.

I was able to spend time in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament on Friday night. All I could do was throw myself down before the Lord and beg for his mercy and guidance. How I wish God's response to my pleas for help were as clear to me as they were to the child. I long for that child-like faith.

Almighty and ever-living God,
I thank you for your presence in my life.
Grant that I may hear your voice above all others,
and that I may place your will before my own.
May your grace overflow in me.
I ask this through Jesus Christ, my Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Holy Crap! PVP beat me to it

Okay, so it has been a while. I have been very engaged in my search for work, and have not felt like blogging.

That being said, I was planning on doing a blog about the Jesus being totally divine but totally human. Basically, I was going to talk about how as Jesus, God had to poop, too. It is amazing to me that God would choose to dwell among us and get messy with life on earth.

Then I saw this in my favorite online comic - PVP. Scott Kurtz is truly a comedic genius at times.

I am headed down to LA this weekend to see Matt Maher and to get some training from the gang at LIFE TEEN. I am hoping that it will be very uplifting and that it will help me tune in to what God is trying to tell me these days. Please pray for me and my family.

Grace and peace,

Scott

"6 Million Dollar Man" B. Peterson

I was reading the paper today, when I came across an obituary for Bruce A. Peterson. He was a test pilot, and his crash of an M2-F2 in 1967 provided the footage for the opening credits of one my families favorite shows when my brothers and I were growing up - "The Six Million Dollar Man". He was quoted in 1975, when the show was in its prime, as saying, "I don't think it cost any $6 million to put me back together." In fact, instead of gaining super bionic vision, he lost sight in one eye. Cheesy 70's TV show aside, I am amazed at the tenacity of the human spirit and how resilient our feeble bodies really are. Bruce lived to be 72 and died of natural causes. Rest in peace.

Go Suns!

Okay, so this not my typical post, but what a game. The Phoenix Suns, in a must win game against the L.A. Lakers, win in overtime to force a game 7 in the first round of the playoffs. My son and I were on the edge of our seats. It was awesome, especially after watching Kobe Bryant win game 4 at the buzzer. It brought back memories of going to watch the Suns play when I was growing up, and watching games with my dad. It is nice to have that kind of escape with my son.

I love you, Dad.

Life or Death - Does Vengeance Bring Healing?

My brother is much better at blogging every day. He strikes a wonderful balance of thought provoking issues and frivolity. After a plethora of fun yesterday, he switched gears to get us all thinking. I originally thought about just leaving a comment, but with a title like "Tough Day to be Catholic" how could I pass it up, and I needed a topic anyway. If this posting does not provoke comments, then I know I am writing to no one. ("Is there anybody...out there?" - Roger Waters)

So his post today was about Al Qaeda terrorist Zacarias Moussaoui and the death penalty. I agree with Bill, it is indeed tough to be Catholic, but not just today. Who deserves to live and who deserves to die? Many narrow it down to what they believe is a simple matter of guilt and innocence. Moussaoui is guilty of a crime that in part changed this nation forever. The men that truly bear the guilt of the death of thousands of U.S. citizens died with their victims - a very unsatisfactory cup for those thirsting for blood.

Throwing Stones
"If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." - John 8:1-11

Or if you look at it from another certain point of view...

"Luke, don't give in to hate -- that leads to the dark side." - Obi-wan "Ben" Kenobi - The Empire Strikes Back

(hey - a pun and a Star Wars trilogy quote in one post! Oh and parenthesis too! I know at least Bill is laughing.)

Anyway, back to the real issue. Hate and sin.

There are plenty of scripture passages that support capital punishment. Here is an interesting article that goes into great detail about it. But, what is our true motivation? I believe capital punishment is a product of sin (not just the sin of the convict).

Kevin Sanders of Logos Ministries describes sin as alienation that leads to separation that leads to sinful acts that cascade down through generations.

Sin is a vicious cycle. Jesus asks us to look beyond our hate ("love your enemies") and to forgive ("Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors") so that we can break the cycle of sin. That is hard! Does that mean there should be no restitution. Of course not. But killing a killer brings about nothing of true lasting value.

Does Vengeance bring peace of mind?
The thing that I find most striking about the need for vengeance is how we choose to hang on to hate. I have seen countless interviews with family members of murder victims where they say something to the effect of "I will never forgive him, I hope he rots in hell!" These quotes come before and after the execution of the murderer. This shows me that the death penalty does not bring peace to the families of the victims. I think that is incredibly sad.

I understand the anger. I even understand the hate. I selfishly pray that I never endure the same pain first hand. I also pray that we don't let these sins take even more victims - our souls.

Prayer

Prayer is powerful. I know that. Unfortunately it is kind of like knowing that exercise is good for me. Like exercise, I do much better in groups. Put me in an exercise class, and I enjoy it and actually go back for more. Surround me with people who want to pray, I could pray all day. I am even very comfortable praying with/for another individual that asks right on the spot. Heck, I even prayed with my 5 year old last night to help him go "potty" (he was constipated - is this blog personal or what?). So why is it that individual prayer is almost an afterthought to me? Don't get me wrong, I pray every day, but I usually have to remember. So what is so different? I found my answer at the blog Letters to God yesterday.

I know that the correct blogger etiquette would be to just link to the post but I felt it was powerful enough to warrant a direct quote.

Practicing the presence of God
I pause for a moment, aware that God is here.
I think of how everything around me,
the air I breathe, my whole body,
is tingling with the presence of God.

Freedom

I try to let go of concerns and worries
that may be dragging me down at this present moment.
I place any concerns I have in Gods hands
- at least for these few minutes of prayer.

Consciousness

I remind myself that I am in the presence of the Lord.
I will take refuge in His loving heart.
He is my strength in times of weakness.
He is my comforter in times of sorrow.

The Word

God speaks to each one of us individually. I need to listen
to hear what he is saying to me. Read the text a few times, then listen

What struck me about this is that last part. It is the listening that is the hard part. When you are praying aloud in groups, it is generally a one way conversation. Most individual prayer is like that too. Talking to God is easy and safe. It is the listening that is hard and scary.

I can remember a few times where I really felt I was having a conversation with God. It was the coolest and freakiest thing. It is also easy to rationalize that the voice I was hearing in my head, that I could not distinguish from my own, was just that - my own voice. Some how I know differently.

Listening to God is hard and scary. What did hearing the voice of God ever bring? Hardship, turmoil, even death. Moses had the coolest experience in the burning bush. Where did that lead? Plagues, leadership of the stiff-necked Israelites in the desert for 40 years. Jeremiah 20:7 put it best, "You duped me, Lord..."

Of course, listening to God is also the most amazing thing. Look at what Moses was able to do with God's help. Through Moses, God revealed his power and his wonders. Would we all be like Moses and the prophets or Blessed Mother Teresa or John Paul II, if we took the time to listen and didn't think we were crazy when we heard his voice?

"If today you hear God's voice, harden not your hearts..." - Psalm 95

Excuse me. This reminds me. It is time for me to shut up and sit and listen.

Death and Taxes and Resurrection (Vigil)

I know I have skipped over Good Friday, but I figured I better get through this before the Easter season is over.

Holy Week was the most challenging week I have had in ministry. It was very fulfilling, but it is one of those things that you cannot fully appreciate until it is over. For the Triduum, I directed a "choir" of musicians made up of people from our parish's various music groups. A challenge I planned on undertaking as part of my full-time ministry job at the parish. A job I no longer have, but I asked to lead the group anyway as a parishioner. The group was fabulous. I am blessed to be a member of a parish with such talented, loving followers of Christ. For those of you reading this that participated, your presence was felt more than you know.

I believe I was a successful failure in this endeavor. Let me explain. The Triduum was awesome and several people complemented the music and said how great it was to see the combined group. I failed in the sense that there were many mistakes made in my preparation as well as in the execution of the ministry - mostly during the Vigil service, mostly my fault. This is somewhat understandable. Of course mistakes happen, but they affected me deeply none the less. What I am most upset about is that my lack of preparation interfered with my participation in the celebration. I let my feelings and frustrations remove me from being fed by the Word of God during the Vigil.

Now before you think I am having a pity party or that I am just a self-centered fool (hey, it's my blog), let me share with you the wonderful love of God. By the 5th reading (Isaiah 55:1-11) on Saturday night, I was devastated. There were a number of little things that had happened so far, but I had just found out that I did not change our digital mixer to the right setup, which explained a number of sound issues. How could I forget to do something as basic as that?! I was literally about to cry and was just saying to God how sorry I was. I was sorry for the mistakes, but I was also sorry for letting my personal issues take priority. "This is not about me. Snap out of it! God send me your Spirit, so that I may glorify you."

It was time to proclaim the next Psalm. It was a gospel-swing setting that we did not get to practice much, and this particular Psalmist does not cantor on a regular basis. Pam is very talented and I knew it would be fine, but I did not expect what happened.

Pam began to proclaim, "God's love is everlasting. God's love is everlasting. God's love is everlasting, everlasting!"

These words washed over me as I began to sing the response with the assembly. "God's love is everlasting." I could feel this everlasting love penetrate me and say to me, "I love you. You do not have to prove your worthiness to me. You do not have to be perfect. You do not have to do anything. Just allow me to love you."

As Pam continued on to the verses of Psalm 136, she proclaimed the greatness of God. I mean she proclaimed it! She did not just sing these words. The Holy Spirit flowed through her and we could feel the energy in the place. That moment changed the rest of the service for me. Apparently, I was not the only one. Several people spoke to me about that moment.

God is so awesome!

God also continues to provide in our need. I was afraid we were going to owe taxes, because of my wife's consulting business. As I am unemployed at the moment, we could not afford a big tax bill. Well it turns out all those tax credits help more than the wealthy. I made so little last year that the government owes me money, and this is not a case where I had to much taken out of my paycheck. Manna from heaven!

Check your pride at the door (it might get stomped)

Okay, I am 34 years old and 6'6''. My son is 13 years old an over 5 feet tall. We just got served 3 times in the game of HORSE by my 10 year old 4" nuthin' nephew. The kid is like a machine!

Maybe I need to practice a little more. Anybody got an old Atari? I always won on the Atari.

The Feast - A reflection on Holy Thursday

Holy Thursday was awesome! The anticipation had built up throughout Lent and was finally released in a joyous celebration of the institution of the Eucharist (the Last Supper). We had finally entered into the Triduum.

I am often overwhelmed with two aspects of the Eucharist - the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus made present in what was ordinary bread and wine (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). The first is the intimacy of Communion and the second is how heaven and earth join in the celebration together.

Intimacy

I am what you might call a "finicky" eater. I don't just put anything in my mouth, although I am sure healthy-diet purists would cringe at some the fast food I love to eat. I am picky about what I want to eat. I can even remember being concerned about how Communion would taste when I was a child. Jesus chose to become present to us in a way that we could consume him. God wants us to be that close. "Take and eat, this is my Body..." Wow!

True Communion

Every time we celebrate Mass we are joined by the angels and saints in heaven. We are getting a taste of the Eternal Banquet. Have you ever really thought about that. Heaven and earth join together. Thing of all your loved ones that have gone before us. You want to be close to them? Go to Mass!

Bringing It Altogether in Service

I will write more about these two concepts later, but I wanted to mention them, because these things happen every day at Mass, but on Holy Thursday, there is just something unique about the experience. Maybe it is because of the call to service that is made so abundantly clear on this night. Before he gave us himself in the Eucharist, Jesus showed us how to serve. I can totally relate to Peter in this scene. Jesus is washing the feet of his followers. Can you imagine having the Son of God wash your stinking, dirty feet? I would have been like Peter.

"Lord, are you going to wash my feet? Sorry, but no, you will never wash my feet. I should be washing yours with my tears and hair like that hysterical woman. I am a sinner. You are my Lord."

"Cool it, Rocky. Sit down or you will have no part of me."

"Then dunk my head as well! Wash me clean!"

(based on John 13)

After this Jesus tells them, "Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."

So, for me Holy Thursday comes down to this: Jesus wants to be with us so badly that he lets us consume him, and he wants us to be like him so much that he showed us how in the simplest of ways - a basin and a towel.

Finally, here is a song that I wrote a few years ago about my longing for the Christ in the Eucharist. It is called "The Feast". We sang it on Holy Thursday. If you would like the sheet music leave a comment.

Peace.

Triumph and Agony (Palm Sunday)

Happy Easter!

Okay, so it took me a little longer to reflect than I predicted. I must admit I am still very tired, and Gina and I still have not adjusted back to a normal sleeping schedule. What a week.

So, I think for the sake of readability, I will post a few separate entries instead of one long one about the whole week. Yes, I should have done this as we went along, but oh well.

Holy Week started off with a bang for us, literally. While traveling on a very narrow, curvy mountain road named Bear Creek Road on Palm Sunday, we had a tire blow out. Luckily I did not lose control of our van, and other than my bloody knuckles from changing the tire, no one was hurt. I was also glad that it stopped raining long enough for me to change the tire. That was kind of how the day went.

I must admit that I have never been a big fan of Palm Sunday. It is a schizophrenic day that we remember Christ's joyful and triumphant entrance into Jerusalem, but we also proclaim his Passion. I was in kind of a grumpy mood to begin with, and I was actually hoping it would continue to rain so that we would not have to process from outside (a technical challenge for the musicians). Was this the way to start the week we call "Holy"?

As a kid, I always thought it was the craziest thing that people could go from being worshipers to betrayers and murderers. One minute they are shouting "Hosanna!", the next they are yelling "Crucify him!" We may not go through such drastic changes in our faith, but I sometimes think about the difference of our Sundays and the rest of the week.

Looking back at Palm Sunday, all I can say is that maybe the real message is that there is more glory in the Cross and our suffering, then accolades and praises. Without the Cross, there is no Easter Joy.

Christ is Risen

Alleluia!

What a week. How great is our God, for he has conquered death and raises us to new life with Christ. We are truly blessed.

The Triduum celebration at Holy Family was amazing. I will write all about our crazy, roller coaster week after I have had a good night sleep. We have not been to bed before 1:30 AM this entire week (last night it was 2:30 AM), so I am going to spend a quiet night reflecting on everything that has happened. Tune in tomorrow for my reflection.

Happy Easter! Alleluia, alleluia!

Holy Week

It has been a few days since I posted anything. It is Holy Week and I have been swamped with preparations for the Triduum (three days). This is the Super Bowl of liturgies - one liturgy broken up into 3 services. They consist of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil. Of course these are not like your ordinary Sunday Mass. The preparation for it is always a huge task. Our music rehearsal went until 11:30 PM last night. So anyway, please forgive me if I don't post much over the next couple days.

Peace and grace,

Scott

Life Imitating Art

How come our parish councils never tackle the important issues - like those pesky rabbits?

In a strange case of life imitating art, it seems a parish in a small village in Northern England has a vegetable-eating monster on their hands. Give over!

The Power of the Name

Have you ever noticed that the name of Jesus makes people uncomfortable? People, even Christians, find it much easier to talk about God than they do about Christ Jesus. I am not any different. There are times when the name of the Lord (see?!) makes me feel awkward. I must admit that this causes me a great deal of shame. I think that is the key to the problem. I am ashamed.

It is not that I am ashamed of Christ (that would be unbelievable). I am ashamed of my sin. I am ashamed of my hypocrisy. I am ashamed of being ashamed.

There are several ways that my finite mind pictures Jesus and what he thinks of this. First, there is the gentle, understanding healer that reaches into my heart and lets me feel his love. I love that feeling. It hurts sometimes, but the freedom it gives is beyond description. Another image is of him slapping me aside the head and saying "Snap out of it! Don't you remember I died for you! I died for the price of your sin and have set you free. Why won't you let go of your guilt? Why do I have to wrestle it from you?" Rich Mullins said it wonderfully in this song "Hold Me, Jesus",

"I'd rather fight you for things I don't really want, then to take what you give that I need."

I think I am also afraid of the power that the name of Jesus holds. In Luke 10:17 the disciples return to Jesus and proclaim that "even the demons submit to us in your name." We have that kind of power in the name of the Lord. It is kind of scary. I don't particularly want to face demons. I don't want to fight this spiritual war in the trenches. That is the kind of attention that you get when you proclaim the name of Christ Jesus (there, I said it again).

Heaven help me, because I can't help myself. It is scary and sometimes it makes me and others uncomfortable, but I just have to let you know.

Jesus Christ is my Lord and my Savior. He wants to be yours too. So much so that he took on the weight of all our sins and died on the cross for our salvation. It sounds crazy, but he is that crazy about you and me.

Ecumenical Movement in Technology

Today Apple Computer, Inc. announced Boot Camp. This software will be in the next version of OS X and will make it easy for users to make their Intel based Macs boot into Windows. This is interesting news. I find this rather ecumenical since we have known since 1994 that Mac OS is Catholic and Windows is Protestant. Apple's strategy is of course to make it easier to convert. So reach out to our Protestant brothers and sisters and help them buy a Mac!

Now for something completely different...

After that last post, I figured I needed to offer something a little lighter. :)

Check out this commercial for the Commadore 64.

Faith: In My Head or My Heart?

I took the day off from blogging yesterday. I had a lot going on in my head and my heart and couldn't really figure out what to write. My brother posted links to some hilarious trailers on his blog that made my wife and I laugh out loud (I believe I can fly...). One of the trailers was hosted from a website that had a link to a couple of articles. The articles pertained to an argument about the character of God in the Bible. Excuse me while I try to be intellectual.

In his article "Walk Away", Daniel L. Pock lays out an argument against the "divine inspiration of the Bible" (see Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 105-108) and how it is "a great subject for getting people all worked up." I'll say. Although over-simplistic, his argument is thought provoking and his writing style down-to-earth and humorous. It boils down to this. Pock's argument is that the Story of the Garden of Eden and Original Sin in the Bible (Genesis 2-3) shows that God set us up for failure to make us feel dependent upon him. This kind of "volatility and injustice" could only come from humans, not the divine, so how could the Bible be divinely inspired? I think it is good to ask these kind of questions to get the mind going and stir up the heart. My pastor once wigged me out for several days when he asked the questions, "What would have happened if Mary had said 'No'?" and "What if Mary wasn't the first woman God asked to bear his Son?"

Apparently this article hit people's faith at the core. One reader wrote,

"In the last couple of days since I read this site, it is hard for me to be glad that Jesus is my Savior, because now it seems like He's saving me from something He started in the first place!"

Wow!

In response a gentleman wrote a very lengthy rebuttal. Although I applaud his efforts, and I will probably read more of his articles, it was extremely frustrating to read because of its length and the style of the writer. The rebuttal focuses on the arguments (basically that the character of God is NOT cruel and volatile in the Bible) rather than addressing the question of divine inspiration. This is probably good debate form. If you disprove the other person's proofs you show the faults of his conclusions. The problem is that in some ways he supports Pock's argument.

"The data is way too scarce (e.g. we have only two remarks by the serpent!) and there is too much missing information." Exactly! It is like the argument that the Universe had to be created, because something so vast and ordered could not just exist. Don't we believe that God just exists.

I am not a philosopher and not even a schooled theologian. I am just a man who wants to love the Lord with all my heart, soul and mind. Sometimes these parts of me fight each other. Sometimes the mind tells me my heart is crazy or the heart will tell me that my mind is thoughtless. The soul, however, tells me to have faith, because it longs to be home with God.

"Faith is certain. It is more certain than all human knowledge because it is founded on the very word of God who cannot lie. To be sure, revealed truths can seem obscure to human reason and experience, but "the certainty that the divine light gives is greater than that which the light of natural reason gives." "Ten thousand difficulties do not make one doubt." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 157)

Trying a new application

It is after 10 PM. The kids are in bed, and I am working on music for Easter Vigil. I can't believe it is almost Easter.

The real reason for this entry is to test a new app I found. If I like it and end up buying it, I will let you know what it is.

Longing

Have you ever missed someone so much it hurt? I must admit, that I do not usually "miss" people when we are apart for short periods (a few days). In those cases, we are usually apart because a set task separates us and we know that we will be back together again shortly. The task is usually distraction enough to keep my mind off of missing the person.

This weekend, my wife is on retreat. I am very excited for her. She does not often get to take a few days away from motherhood and the day to day pressures of life. Usually, when one or both of us are at a retreat we are "working"/ministering to someone else - a rewarding experience, but not the same. I was able to go on a men's retreat a few years ago with my brothers and my father. It was life changing. I hope and pray that this weekend is a wonderful experience for her and that she is able to connect with God in new and profound ways.

I miss her. Beyond that, I am longing for her.

Last night I was reflecting on this. What is different this time? The kids have been great. I think it was a record that they were all in bed by 8:30 last night. I have had plenty to do (dropping kids off and picking kids up from school, looking for work, cleaning the house, taxes, etc.). In fact, I have had to consciously take a break to write this blog. Then it struck me.

My longing for my wife, Gina, is my longing for Christ.

The Church teaches us that marriage is a sacrament - an outward sign of inward grace, instituted by Christ for our sanctification. (Catechismus concil. Trident., n.4, ex S. Aug. "De Catechizandis rudibus")

Or as author Christopher West puts it:

"Spouses not only image the love of God within the Trinity; they also image the love between God and all humanity, made visible in the love of Christ and the Church. By virtue of their baptisms, the marriage of Christians is a sacrament. That means it's a living sign that truly communicates and participates the union of Christ and the Church. (Good News About Sex and Marriage , Christopher West, p. 20)

I can't tell you how many times Gina has been the face of Christ to me. It is her love that has made the love of God more real. It is her forgiveness that has shown me the forgiveness of Christ. It is her presence that has helped me feel the presence of the Spirit.

I miss her. No, I long for her.

Interruptions

I had been feeling a little low the other day. I have been searching for work this month after being laid off for the second time in 2 years. Not that I have come to the point of throwing myself a pity-party or anything, but fear is starting to creep in. Gina had gone to work, the boys were at school, and the girls were watching TV, so I decided to take this moment of quiet to pray. This is hard to do in a family with four kids.
I had just read something interesting on the web about spirit verses matter and praying to see past the flesh to our spiritual reality. I am a "practical" guy that is learning to see past the practical. Over the last couple years, I have been rediscovering how to jump in and take a chance when my mind tells me to think it through and be cautious. With the help of my children and a book by Michael Yacconelli titled Dangerous Wonder , that I read a few years ago, I am rediscovering my child-like faith. It was being tested today, so I began to pray.
I sat quietly and began to put into words my longings and my fears, my dreams and my doubts. I began to feel my eyes water and my pain lift as I asked God for guidance. Then, my 3 year old daughter entered the room and interrupted my prayer. I was a bit annoyed. I was frustrated that my quiet time with God was "“ruined". She climbed into my lap and snuggled in close to me. I asked God for focus.

"I love you, Daddy."
I love you, Daddy.

I prayed for direction. As I was admiring my daughters beauty and innocence, she stood on my knees and put her arms straight out. "Ta Daa!" she exclaimed. The Cross - where beauty, innocence, and purity met ugliness, pain, and messiness. I was a little repulsed by this line of thinking. How could my daughter'’s play remind me of the crucifixion? She did it again, "Ta Daa!"

I wanted direction and I could not ignore this - the beauty of God's love for me, reflected in my love for my daughter presenting me the Cross.

A new start

I tried the blog thing once before, but got distracted. I will attempt to use this one to stick to the thing I like to talk about the most - my Catholic faith.

Peace and grace,
Scott