Sunday, May 19, 2013
The Glory of God is Man Fully Alive
The glory of God gives life; those who see God receive life. For this reason God, who cannot be grasped, comprehended or seen, allows himself to be seen, comprehended and grasped by men, that he may give life to those who see and receive him. It is impossible to live without life, and the actualization of life comes from participation in God, while participation in God is to see God and enjoy his goodness. Men will therefore see God if they are to live; through the vision of God they will become immortal and attain to God himself. As I have said, this was shown in symbols by the prophets: God will be seen by men who bear his Spirit and are always waiting for his coming. As Moses said in the Book of Deuteronomy: On that day we shall see, for God will speak to man, and man will live. God is the source of all activity throughout creation. He cannot be seen or described in his own nature and in all his greatness by any of his creatures. Yet he is certainly not unknown. Through his Word the whole creation learns that there is one God the Father, who holds all things together and gives them there being. As it is written in the Gospel: No man has ever seen God, except the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father; he has revealed him. From the beginning the Son is the one who teaches us about the Father; he is with the Father from the beginning. He was to reveal to the human race visions of prophecy, the diversity of spiritual gifts, his own ways of ministry, the glorification of the Father, all in due order and harmony, at the appointed time and for our instruction. where there is order, there is also harmony; where there is harmony, there is also correct timing; where there is correct timing, there is also advantage.The Word became the steward of the Father’s grace for the advantage of men, for whose benefit he made such wonderful arrangements. He revealed God to men and presented men to God. He safeguarded the invisibility of the Father to prevent man from treating God with contempt and to set before him a constant goal toward which to make progress. On the other hand, he revealed God to men and made him visible in many ways to prevent man from being totally separated from God and so cease to be. Life in man is the glory of God; the life of man is the vision of God. If the revelation of God through creation gives life to all who live upon the earth, much more does the manifestation of the Father through the Word give life to those who see God.
The Glory of God
What is the Glory of God. This question is a surprisingly difficult one to answer. There are a variety of things which are the glory of God. In short, those things give glory to God through their actions.
Man fully alive is the Glory of God. When humans act as they were born to act, they give glory to God. Man is created with intelligence, reason, free will, the capacity to love, and the ability to be in communion with himself, his human companions, the world, and most importantly with God. When we as humans partake in acts such as these, we give glory to God, for we are fulfilling the goal of his creation of man. When we sin, we are not giving glory to God. When we act, it especially gives glory to God because we choose to act of our own volition. When we do the right thing, we chose to do the right thing. Because it is of our own free will, and not out of compulsion, we show that we choose his way; we think his path and goals for us are better than other ones. We further glorify his position as creator.
All of creation has the capacity to give Glory to God. When a squirrel runs around, and lives, and eats nuts, it is doing what it was created to do. Because it fulfills the task it was designed to do, it gives glory to God. Much like a smoothly running machine gives glory to its inventor, so to do the living things of this Earth give Glory to God. Inanimate objects too give Glory to God. They fulfill the task they were created to fulfill. A river fulfills is purpose by sustaining the living creatures with its water, irrigating fields, eroding the soil, and by generally being a pleasant place to be around. The tectonic plates are inanimate objects which work in conjunction with each other in order shape the surface of the Earth; they too give glory to God in this task. Inanimate objects are like sculptures; they give glory to God simply by being. Living creatures give a little more Glory to God because they enjoy the creations God has created for them. Data has shown that animals appear to exhibit at the very least basic emotions. They respond to the environment around them in ways that inanimate objects do not. In their appreciation for the world, they give Glory to God.
Therefore, the Glory of God is creation. In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth, and he saw that they were good. He created them, brought them forth from nothingness, and gave them intelligent beings to inhabit them. It is then the responsibility of those beings to Give Glory to God by being stewards of the Earth which gives God Glory, and by taking care of each other, for they themselves give God glory. Humanity failed in its tasks; it sinned and did not give Glory to God. However, by the paschal mystery we are able to be redeemed, forgiven, and reconciled with God. In doing so, man is able to be fully alive. We leave behind our original sin in the baptismal waters, and through God's grace we are in communion with him, giving him the Glory he deserves. That is the Glory of God.
Man fully alive is the Glory of God. When humans act as they were born to act, they give glory to God. Man is created with intelligence, reason, free will, the capacity to love, and the ability to be in communion with himself, his human companions, the world, and most importantly with God. When we as humans partake in acts such as these, we give glory to God, for we are fulfilling the goal of his creation of man. When we sin, we are not giving glory to God. When we act, it especially gives glory to God because we choose to act of our own volition. When we do the right thing, we chose to do the right thing. Because it is of our own free will, and not out of compulsion, we show that we choose his way; we think his path and goals for us are better than other ones. We further glorify his position as creator.
All of creation has the capacity to give Glory to God. When a squirrel runs around, and lives, and eats nuts, it is doing what it was created to do. Because it fulfills the task it was designed to do, it gives glory to God. Much like a smoothly running machine gives glory to its inventor, so to do the living things of this Earth give Glory to God. Inanimate objects too give Glory to God. They fulfill the task they were created to fulfill. A river fulfills is purpose by sustaining the living creatures with its water, irrigating fields, eroding the soil, and by generally being a pleasant place to be around. The tectonic plates are inanimate objects which work in conjunction with each other in order shape the surface of the Earth; they too give glory to God in this task. Inanimate objects are like sculptures; they give glory to God simply by being. Living creatures give a little more Glory to God because they enjoy the creations God has created for them. Data has shown that animals appear to exhibit at the very least basic emotions. They respond to the environment around them in ways that inanimate objects do not. In their appreciation for the world, they give Glory to God.
Therefore, the Glory of God is creation. In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth, and he saw that they were good. He created them, brought them forth from nothingness, and gave them intelligent beings to inhabit them. It is then the responsibility of those beings to Give Glory to God by being stewards of the Earth which gives God Glory, and by taking care of each other, for they themselves give God glory. Humanity failed in its tasks; it sinned and did not give Glory to God. However, by the paschal mystery we are able to be redeemed, forgiven, and reconciled with God. In doing so, man is able to be fully alive. We leave behind our original sin in the baptismal waters, and through God's grace we are in communion with him, giving him the Glory he deserves. That is the Glory of God.
A Commentary on Aquinas's 5 Proofs
Thomas Aquinas has 5 proofs in which he argues for the existence of a greater being, or God. My co-blogger Calvin intended to mention two of those proofs, but managed to mention three. The first proof he mentioned is what Aquinas calls the Proof of Efficient Causes. The second proof he mentions is the Proof of Design. The final proof Calvin mentions is the Proof of Graduation of Being. The other two proofs are similar in nature.
One of those two proofs is the Proof of Motion. Essentially Aquinas argues that our senses allow us to perceive that some things are in motion, and that others are not. He then states that things come into motion when potential motion becomes actual motion. We now call this the transfer from potential energy to kinetic energy. He proceeds be declaring that things cannot be both potentially in motion, and actually in motion; it must be one or the other. If something is potentially, but not actually in motion, then it cannot be both potentially or actually in motion; this would change it to an object actually in motion. Because an object cannot be both potentially and actually in motion, an object not in motion cannot move itself. The sequence of motion cannot continue ad infinitum, so there must be a primary mover. This argument is very similar to the argument from Efficient Causes.
The second argument is the argument from possibility and necessity. He states that things which come into and out of being are contingent beings, and that those beings exist in specific spaces of time. They could not always have existed. Therefore there could have been a time when nothing existed. A contingent being cannot bring itself into being; under the circumstance where all beings are contingent the universe would not have come into being. Therefore some being must be out of its own necessity. We call this being God.
I personally prefer the Efficient Causes argument out of the 5; the other four seem less sound. A couple of them rely on assumptions and possible circumstances. For instance, the second proof discussed here requires that there be time when no contingent beings existed, without providing a basis for that assumption.
All of the arguments are insightful, though, and certainly at least force non-believers to consider the existence of God.
One of those two proofs is the Proof of Motion. Essentially Aquinas argues that our senses allow us to perceive that some things are in motion, and that others are not. He then states that things come into motion when potential motion becomes actual motion. We now call this the transfer from potential energy to kinetic energy. He proceeds be declaring that things cannot be both potentially in motion, and actually in motion; it must be one or the other. If something is potentially, but not actually in motion, then it cannot be both potentially or actually in motion; this would change it to an object actually in motion. Because an object cannot be both potentially and actually in motion, an object not in motion cannot move itself. The sequence of motion cannot continue ad infinitum, so there must be a primary mover. This argument is very similar to the argument from Efficient Causes.
The second argument is the argument from possibility and necessity. He states that things which come into and out of being are contingent beings, and that those beings exist in specific spaces of time. They could not always have existed. Therefore there could have been a time when nothing existed. A contingent being cannot bring itself into being; under the circumstance where all beings are contingent the universe would not have come into being. Therefore some being must be out of its own necessity. We call this being God.
I personally prefer the Efficient Causes argument out of the 5; the other four seem less sound. A couple of them rely on assumptions and possible circumstances. For instance, the second proof discussed here requires that there be time when no contingent beings existed, without providing a basis for that assumption.
All of the arguments are insightful, though, and certainly at least force non-believers to consider the existence of God.
Confession to a Priest
Why do we need to confess to a Priest? Many people would say that we don't, but Catholic theology gives us an argument for why we must. The logic comes primarily from the ability of the bishops and priests of the Church to dispense graces to the human component of the Mystical Body. Christ gave the ability to forgive sins to his apostles and they passed down that leadership through the bishops and priests. It was for this reason that Reconciliation became a sacrament.
However, previously one did not only confess to a priest. A person who committed a mortal sin confessed in front of the entire Church, and then spent 2-3 years in public penance. However, priests in Ireland made Confession and Penance a more personal and specified act; this was done in order to help the recently converted Irish.
Another thing to consider when talking about the logic behind confession is that during confession, the priests acts a Christ. Much like when we partake of the Eucharistic Bread and Wine, the Priest is filled with Christ. It is because of this that we can confess our sins to him; we are confessing them to Christ through a mediator. Because the priests and bishops act as mediators for us, they are the only way we can truly confess to God/Christ. That is why we must go see a priest or bishop for confession.
However, previously one did not only confess to a priest. A person who committed a mortal sin confessed in front of the entire Church, and then spent 2-3 years in public penance. However, priests in Ireland made Confession and Penance a more personal and specified act; this was done in order to help the recently converted Irish.
Another thing to consider when talking about the logic behind confession is that during confession, the priests acts a Christ. Much like when we partake of the Eucharistic Bread and Wine, the Priest is filled with Christ. It is because of this that we can confess our sins to him; we are confessing them to Christ through a mediator. Because the priests and bishops act as mediators for us, they are the only way we can truly confess to God/Christ. That is why we must go see a priest or bishop for confession.
Proof of God's Existence
Before one can go into the existence of God, it is important to note that it is impossible to come to know God with human reason alone since God is an infinite being. This is where the grace of faith comes in; with faith, we strengthen our belief and knowledge of God without having seen God Himself. Faith is a key part in understanding the Sacred Scripture and Tradition, and is the starting point of knowing God. But for the skeptics, the proof that God exists can be seen through St. Thomas Aquinas' Five Proofs.
The first two proofs explain that there has to be a first cause. Nothing in this world could have created itself and there must be a starting point for everything. In other words, something or someone must have put these things into existence. The second proof shows that this first cause must be an infinite being and because this goes back to the first two proofs; if this first cause, God, has a starting point, then it must have been created by something else. Therefore this being must be infinite throughout time. The next point is that this being must have qualities to it such as being hot, cold, good or bad since we can attach physical or artificial qualities to anything. Finally, Thomas Aquinas says that the order of nature presupposes a higher plan in creation. The laws governing the universe presuppose a universal legislature who authored the order of the universe. We cannot say that chance creates order in the universe. If you drop a cup on the floor it shatters into bits and has become disordered. But if you were to drop bits of the cup, they would not assemble together into a cup. This is an example of the inherent disorder prevalent in the universe when things are left to chance. The existence of order and natural laws presupposes a divine intelligence who authored the universe into being.
As for the religious beliefs such as God's plan for each and every individual, or all loving attribute, this must be accepted by one who has acquired the grace of faith.
The first two proofs explain that there has to be a first cause. Nothing in this world could have created itself and there must be a starting point for everything. In other words, something or someone must have put these things into existence. The second proof shows that this first cause must be an infinite being and because this goes back to the first two proofs; if this first cause, God, has a starting point, then it must have been created by something else. Therefore this being must be infinite throughout time. The next point is that this being must have qualities to it such as being hot, cold, good or bad since we can attach physical or artificial qualities to anything. Finally, Thomas Aquinas says that the order of nature presupposes a higher plan in creation. The laws governing the universe presuppose a universal legislature who authored the order of the universe. We cannot say that chance creates order in the universe. If you drop a cup on the floor it shatters into bits and has become disordered. But if you were to drop bits of the cup, they would not assemble together into a cup. This is an example of the inherent disorder prevalent in the universe when things are left to chance. The existence of order and natural laws presupposes a divine intelligence who authored the universe into being.
As for the religious beliefs such as God's plan for each and every individual, or all loving attribute, this must be accepted by one who has acquired the grace of faith.
There is no Salvation outside the Church
Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus. Outside of the Church there is no salvation. What is meant by this statement. Are all those who have never heard of the Church supposed to simply perish? What about those who do good deeds in the name of a different God? Or the Protestants, what about them?
The Statement which is the title is not meant to signify the absolute necessity of the Catholic Church. Those who cannot be part of the Church for a variety of reasons are granted special grace. In general however, the statement means exactly what you think it means; no one who is outside of the Church can receive grace.
Some people look at this statement and think about how unfair it is. How come I have to be part of the Catholic Church? Why can't I just be a good person? The reason is this; all men have sinned and therefore have fallen short of the glory of God. Without the grace and redemption from Christ, we cannot live with a God who we have not given adequate glory to. Heaven would be beyond any man's reach. The truth is that we need the grace of the sacraments to cleanse us from our sin and to keep us pure. We need those sacraments, and only the Catholic Church can administer them in their entirety. Christ himself instituted the Church, and Christ himself gave his apostles the duty of distributing the sacraments. The direct lineage of bishops comes from the apostles, and that tradition administers the sacraments through the Church.
Due to the concept of sacraments; people of different religions and Protestants especially sometimes receive the grace from them. Protestants often engage in Baptism and the Eucharist; they gain grace through those measures. Likewise, other religions often have their own rituals. For instance, those who practice the Islamic Faith are required to pray five times a day; under certain conditions a person could receive grace for that.
So the statement outside the Church there is no salvation is only partially true. The real truth though, is that inside the Church there is undoubtedly, incontrovertibly, and undeniably a guaranteed salvation.
The Statement which is the title is not meant to signify the absolute necessity of the Catholic Church. Those who cannot be part of the Church for a variety of reasons are granted special grace. In general however, the statement means exactly what you think it means; no one who is outside of the Church can receive grace.
Some people look at this statement and think about how unfair it is. How come I have to be part of the Catholic Church? Why can't I just be a good person? The reason is this; all men have sinned and therefore have fallen short of the glory of God. Without the grace and redemption from Christ, we cannot live with a God who we have not given adequate glory to. Heaven would be beyond any man's reach. The truth is that we need the grace of the sacraments to cleanse us from our sin and to keep us pure. We need those sacraments, and only the Catholic Church can administer them in their entirety. Christ himself instituted the Church, and Christ himself gave his apostles the duty of distributing the sacraments. The direct lineage of bishops comes from the apostles, and that tradition administers the sacraments through the Church.
Due to the concept of sacraments; people of different religions and Protestants especially sometimes receive the grace from them. Protestants often engage in Baptism and the Eucharist; they gain grace through those measures. Likewise, other religions often have their own rituals. For instance, those who practice the Islamic Faith are required to pray five times a day; under certain conditions a person could receive grace for that.
So the statement outside the Church there is no salvation is only partially true. The real truth though, is that inside the Church there is undoubtedly, incontrovertibly, and undeniably a guaranteed salvation.
Eucharist as the Body and Blood of Christ
So what is transubstantiation you ask? Transubstantiation is the belief that when we eat the bread and drink the wine of the Eucharist, we are actually eating Christ's blood and body. But that is cannibalism! No, its not.To understand the concept, we must talk about substance, and accidents.
Substance is the actual nature of a thing; it determines what that thing is. Take for instance a dog. A dog will always be a dog, even if you paint it a different color and call it a bear. No matter what you do to the dog, it will always be a dog. This underlying being is called substance; it cannot be changed by changing the outside. Accidents are those outside things. The reason a dog is shaped like a dog is because each substance begets certain accidents. The substance of a dog causes the dog to have 4 legs and a tail. Accidents are physical appearances which can be changed, substances are physical realities which cannot.
So when the bread and wine are transubstantiated into body and blood, they retain the accidents, but not the substance. The substance of bread and the substance of wine are changed by God into the substance of the Body and the Blood of Christ. The reason it is not cannibalism is because the accidents change. The bread, now body, still looks and taste and smells like bread; so to with the blood. All things which can be perceived by the senses are the same; only the substance is different. And that is Transubstantiation in a nutshell.
The Vatican Beat us to It...
Just this year, Strake Jesuit announced its intention to give students an I-pad as a tool for learning. However, not until next year will we actually have those pieces of technology. In the mean time, the Vatican has released an app, MISSIO, which will communicate to the general populace the comings and goings of the Vatican.
Although the fact that the centuries old Church beat Strake Jesuit to embracing the I-Pad is in and of itself hilarious, it also speaks to the adaptability of the Church. Much like the U.S. constitution, the Church has been able to act in accordance with the changing times, and has survived throughout time because of it.
Take for example the sacrament of Penance. Back in the beginning of the Church, Penance was a two-to-three year ordeal which only happened to a person once or twice. Now, however, confession and penance happen often.
This is in part due to the role of Irish priest who were attempting to convert, and keep, the Irish people in Catholicism. The new-converts were having trouble adapting to the lifestyle change, and were sinning mortally and often. Rather than consign an entire island to hell, the Church decided to make more lenient and specific the penance of the perpetrator.
So although it is silly to watch Pope Francis attempt to make an I-Pad work, it's still important to understand the significance of that action.
Although the fact that the centuries old Church beat Strake Jesuit to embracing the I-Pad is in and of itself hilarious, it also speaks to the adaptability of the Church. Much like the U.S. constitution, the Church has been able to act in accordance with the changing times, and has survived throughout time because of it.
Take for example the sacrament of Penance. Back in the beginning of the Church, Penance was a two-to-three year ordeal which only happened to a person once or twice. Now, however, confession and penance happen often.
This is in part due to the role of Irish priest who were attempting to convert, and keep, the Irish people in Catholicism. The new-converts were having trouble adapting to the lifestyle change, and were sinning mortally and often. Rather than consign an entire island to hell, the Church decided to make more lenient and specific the penance of the perpetrator.
So although it is silly to watch Pope Francis attempt to make an I-Pad work, it's still important to understand the significance of that action.
Catholic View on Divorce
It is only St Paul in his discussion on single life in 1 Corinthians 7 that he says, “To the unmarried I say that it is well for them to remain single as I do.” (v. 8) “Let her remain single or else be reconciled to her husband --and that the husband should not divorce his wife.” (v. 11). The sacramental nature of marriage makes it more than a physical bond, more than an emotional bond. It is, in its deepest meaning, a spiritual bond, built out of the depth of love between two souls. To consecrate a marriage is to bring it into concordance not with two wills but with three - that of the two souls involved and that of God. A sacred marriage is a covenant between two who love each other in God and with God, whose joining becomes an expression of the desire of each to love and serve God together. One might then ask, if marriage is supposed to be a man and woman loving one another, why can’t someone divorce their spouse if they don’t love them anymore? The answer to this is that when they were in love, their souls came together and they are a part of one another through their vows, therefore, if they divorce their human bodies will be separated but not their souls. because their souls are united for life on earth. it is inseparable during our life on earth.
Monday, May 13, 2013
St. Francis of Assisi
St. Francis was born around 1181 A.D. in Assisi, Italy. As a young man he loved to go to parties and spend time with women. He was from a rich family, so he bought himself the finest clothes and spent money freely. One day he refused to give alms to a poor beggar but as the man was leaving, he felt sorry for what he had done and ran after him with some money.After he fell ill twice, Francis realized that he was wasting precious time. He realized that he should be serving Jesus and began praying more and making sacrifices to grow strong in spirit. He usually gave his clothes and money to the poor and served the sick in hospitals but, he felt he had to do more. He fasted and began to go around in rags to humble himself. His father was so angry that he beat him and locked him up at home. Francis bore all this suffering for love of Jesus. His father later took him to a court saying that Francis would not be his son anymore unless he went back to being a rich and prideful son. But, Francis decided that he wanted to live a humble life and striped down all his clothes until he was naked and then he gave his father his clothes and walked away. Francis began to live as a beggar and his food was what people gave him. Everywhere he went, he begged people to stop sinning and return to God. Many men began to see how close to God this poor man really was, and they became his followers. Francis followed the example of Jesus closely by living a life of simplicity and teaching the Gospel message. That is how the great Franciscan order of priests and brothers began. They helped the poor and sick and preached everywhere. Even after the order had spread all over Italy, Francis insisted that they should not own anything. He wanted his priests to love poverty as he did. St. Francis had the power of working miracles. He loved all creatures and the birds and animals happily obeyed his commands! As a reward for his great love, Jesus gave him his own wounds, a stigma; two in his hands, two in his feet and one in his side but the humble Francis tried to hide them from people. He eventually died in 1226 A.D..
Sunday, May 12, 2013
St. Ignatius of Loyola
Inigo Lopez de Loyola started the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) was born in Guipuzcoa, Spain. His family was rich and he had twelve siblings. When he was young, he was sent to be a page at the royal court of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. In the battle of Pamplona, he won honor for his courage but, a wound in his leg from a cannon ball forced him to spend months in bed at Loyola Castle. Ignatius asked for some books to read. He like stories about knights, but only life stories of Jesus and the saints were available. Having nothing else to do, he read them. The books became very interesting to him and his life began to change. When he was fully recovered, Ignatius hung his sword before the altar of the Virgin Mary and put on simple robes and began to live a life of poverty. He then traveled through Europe and went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land before he settled in Rome. Before he could begin his great work of starting the Society of Jesus, he had to go back to school. The rest of the students were little boys and Ignatius was thirty-three years old. Yet Ignatius was ready to bear the shame and went to the class because he knew he would need this knowledge to help him in his work for Jesus. He used his time trying to teach and encourage people to pray. Ignatius was forty-three years old when he graduated from the University of Paris. After this, with six other students, he took his religious vows and became a priest. Ignatius and his friends, including Blessed Peter Faber and Saint Francis Xavier promised to work for God in whatever way the Holy Father thought best. In 1540 their order was officially recognized by the pope. Before Ignatius died in Rome, on July 31, 1556, there were one thousand members of the Society of Jesus or "Jesuits."
Perfect and Imperfect Contrition
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