Sunday, April 25, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Some interesting articles offered without my usual pithy comments
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Vickie Gene Escapes "The Pretzel Hold"
When I was younger, I remember the joke about a wrestler who was undefeated because he used the "Pretzel Hold". Only one wrestler ever escaped from it and, if you want to know how, you can google it.
Vickie Gene Robinson, the Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire, recently came out with an interesting pronouncement. Apparently, when Saint Paul wrote of homosexual actions in Romans 1, the Apostle was referring to heterosexuals engaging in homosexual behavior. According to Bishop Robinson, Saint Paul had no way of knowing that there are people who are born with a genetic predisposition to same-sex attractions. So, therefore, there was no way that the Apostle could have known about homosexuality as we understand it today.
I'm not going to address Bishop Robinson's logic, there are others who will do that. What I do think is important is that we need to remember that Scripture is not bound or limited by its human authorship. There is a Divine author in every verse of Scripture. What this means is pretty straightforward: No matter what was in or not in Saint Paul's awareness, every word of Sacred Scripture can claim authorship from God.
Bishop Robinson can make whatever argument he likes regarding same-sex behavior. When he chooses a theological realm, he should be a little more careful about his understandings of inspiration and inerrancy.
Here's the link:
http://cnsnews.com/news/article/60952
Vickie Gene Robinson, the Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire, recently came out with an interesting pronouncement. Apparently, when Saint Paul wrote of homosexual actions in Romans 1, the Apostle was referring to heterosexuals engaging in homosexual behavior. According to Bishop Robinson, Saint Paul had no way of knowing that there are people who are born with a genetic predisposition to same-sex attractions. So, therefore, there was no way that the Apostle could have known about homosexuality as we understand it today.
I'm not going to address Bishop Robinson's logic, there are others who will do that. What I do think is important is that we need to remember that Scripture is not bound or limited by its human authorship. There is a Divine author in every verse of Scripture. What this means is pretty straightforward: No matter what was in or not in Saint Paul's awareness, every word of Sacred Scripture can claim authorship from God.
Bishop Robinson can make whatever argument he likes regarding same-sex behavior. When he chooses a theological realm, he should be a little more careful about his understandings of inspiration and inerrancy.
Here's the link:
http://cnsnews.com/news/article/60952
Saturday, January 30, 2010
They Say We Want an Evolution, We Just Want to Change the World...
Apologies to the late John Lennon for the title. Here's an article from The Remnant, a traditionalist Roman Catholic newspaper. You'll go ape over it!
http://www.remnantnewspaper.com/Archives/2010-01310-John-Campbell-Evolution.htm
http://www.remnantnewspaper.com/Archives/2010-01310-John-Campbell-Evolution.htm
Another great article from the American Spectator
http://spectator.org/archives/2010/01/26/obama-prepares-to-squander-ano
I've been struggling for a while to figure out why I find myself so irritated by the president. I know there are many reasons, but I was curious as to the root cause of my irritation. Leave it to Mr. Obama himself to assist me in finding the cause. He said in his ABC interview, "I think we lost some of that sense of speaking directly to the American people about what their core values are and why we have to make sure those institutions are matching up with those values."
To my mind, this statement represents the full expression of the president's hubris. I find it insulting that Mr. Obama believes that it is his job to tell us, the American people, what our values are or should be. It is his job to listen to us about our values and to adjust his positions accordingly. The arrogance of the man, his administration, and the radical left from which they come, is nothing short of astounding. They should be removed from office as soon as the electorate has the opportunity.
I've been struggling for a while to figure out why I find myself so irritated by the president. I know there are many reasons, but I was curious as to the root cause of my irritation. Leave it to Mr. Obama himself to assist me in finding the cause. He said in his ABC interview, "I think we lost some of that sense of speaking directly to the American people about what their core values are and why we have to make sure those institutions are matching up with those values."
To my mind, this statement represents the full expression of the president's hubris. I find it insulting that Mr. Obama believes that it is his job to tell us, the American people, what our values are or should be. It is his job to listen to us about our values and to adjust his positions accordingly. The arrogance of the man, his administration, and the radical left from which they come, is nothing short of astounding. They should be removed from office as soon as the electorate has the opportunity.
Septuagesima Sunday - Third Sunday before Lent
Today we begin the season of Pre-Lent. Pre-Lent is an almost forgotten season in today’s Christian calendar. In modern Christianity’s attempt to return to a more “primitive” observance, scholars who study Christian liturgy felt that Lent was sufficient and there was no need for this short three-week season of preparation that we begin today. Of course, this modern liturgical change reminds me of the following joke: Do you know the difference between a liturgist and a terrorist? Answer: You can negotiate with a terrorist. Of course, modern day liturgy scholars miss the point, as they usually do, that while Lent is a time to prepare for Easter, the Pre-Lent season is the time where we take stock of ourselves and of our Christian observance. It is a time when we examine the state of our souls to determine what kind of disciplines and penances will give us spiritual benefit in the upcoming Lenten season.
Saint Paul understood the importance of spiritual preparation. In his first epistle to the Corinthians, he describes the Christian life as a race. Now this is a metaphor that would really resonate with the people of Corinth. Corinth was the home of the Isthmian Games, a series of games that were second only to the Olympics and were held in the years immeidately before and after the Olympic Games. The people of Corinth were proud of their games and were as devoted to them as Americans are to the Super Bowl, the World Series, and - in our case - Bulldog football.
So when Saint Paul said, “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize?”, he knew that he was striking a receptive chord within the Corinthian people and he was putting the Christian journey in perspective. The Christian lives his faith in the same way that an athlete runs a race, with one important difference.
In the same way that a Christian runs his race, he must first train for it. The athlete exercises and practices his sport until it becomes second nature to him. He works and works, repeating the same motions over and over again until they become burned into him. Fran Tarkenton was a great quarterback here at Georgia and he went on to become a member of the Hall of Fame for his outstanding pro career with the Minnesota Vikings and the New York Giants. He was asked once about how he became such a great passer. His reply was interesting. Tarkenton said, “When I was a kid, my father hung an old tire from a tree and set it swinging. I would stand fifteen yards away and throw the football at the swinging tire. I would do this for hours every single day, in season and out. I got so good at it that I began to try throwing the ball through the tire while it was swinging and I was running. It beat the boredom of standing in one place.” Hour by hour, day by day, Tarkenton practiced and mastered skills that would lead him to the pinnacle of athletic achievement. So it is with all of those who will stand in the glare of the winner’s circle.
Yet the heights of athletic achievement last only so long and, sooner or later, records are made to be broken and new stars come along. As the poet says, “Do not expect that you can ever collect for the hero you used to be.” Saint Paul says that the athlete competes for a “corruptible crown.” It’s an antiquated term and it refers to the olive laurel wreath that champions in the Isthmian Games would win. Paul reminds us that laurel wreaths will wither and die, silver trophies will tarnish, that glories will fade along with the memory of the champion. In the old days, when popes were crowned, three times during the coronation ceremony, a hooded friar would approach the pope and - in the midst of magnificent pageantry - he would light some flax, blow it out and wave the stinky material under the new pope’s nose. As the pope would recoil from the pungent smell of burnt flax, the friar would pronounce solemnly in Latin, “Holy Father, thus pass the glories of the world.” A stern reminder of what Saint Paul tells us, “Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.” We train for a prize that does not tarnish. We prepare for an Easter joy by purifying ourselves throughout Lent.
In this season of Pre-Lent, we will take the time to prepare ourselves for our upcoming Lenten observance. We will look at our selves and see where we have fallen short of what God asks of us. We will determine with God’s help what it is we need to do to draw closer to him. And we will do so with good cheer, knowing that God is calling us to a prize that does not fade, to a peace that passes all understanding. We will enter Pre-Lent with good cheer, making our own the words of the hymn:
Awake, my soul, stretch every nerve,
And press with vigor on;
A heavenly race demands thy zeal,
And an immortal crown.
A cloud of witnesses around
Hold thee in full survey;
Forget the steps already trod,
And onward urge thy way.
’Tis God’s all animating voice
That calls thee from on high;
’Tis His own hand presents the prize
To thine aspiring eye.
Then wake, my soul, stretch every nerve,
And press with vigor on,
A heavenly race demands thy zeal,
And an immortal crown.
Saint Paul understood the importance of spiritual preparation. In his first epistle to the Corinthians, he describes the Christian life as a race. Now this is a metaphor that would really resonate with the people of Corinth. Corinth was the home of the Isthmian Games, a series of games that were second only to the Olympics and were held in the years immeidately before and after the Olympic Games. The people of Corinth were proud of their games and were as devoted to them as Americans are to the Super Bowl, the World Series, and - in our case - Bulldog football.
So when Saint Paul said, “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize?”, he knew that he was striking a receptive chord within the Corinthian people and he was putting the Christian journey in perspective. The Christian lives his faith in the same way that an athlete runs a race, with one important difference.
In the same way that a Christian runs his race, he must first train for it. The athlete exercises and practices his sport until it becomes second nature to him. He works and works, repeating the same motions over and over again until they become burned into him. Fran Tarkenton was a great quarterback here at Georgia and he went on to become a member of the Hall of Fame for his outstanding pro career with the Minnesota Vikings and the New York Giants. He was asked once about how he became such a great passer. His reply was interesting. Tarkenton said, “When I was a kid, my father hung an old tire from a tree and set it swinging. I would stand fifteen yards away and throw the football at the swinging tire. I would do this for hours every single day, in season and out. I got so good at it that I began to try throwing the ball through the tire while it was swinging and I was running. It beat the boredom of standing in one place.” Hour by hour, day by day, Tarkenton practiced and mastered skills that would lead him to the pinnacle of athletic achievement. So it is with all of those who will stand in the glare of the winner’s circle.
Yet the heights of athletic achievement last only so long and, sooner or later, records are made to be broken and new stars come along. As the poet says, “Do not expect that you can ever collect for the hero you used to be.” Saint Paul says that the athlete competes for a “corruptible crown.” It’s an antiquated term and it refers to the olive laurel wreath that champions in the Isthmian Games would win. Paul reminds us that laurel wreaths will wither and die, silver trophies will tarnish, that glories will fade along with the memory of the champion. In the old days, when popes were crowned, three times during the coronation ceremony, a hooded friar would approach the pope and - in the midst of magnificent pageantry - he would light some flax, blow it out and wave the stinky material under the new pope’s nose. As the pope would recoil from the pungent smell of burnt flax, the friar would pronounce solemnly in Latin, “Holy Father, thus pass the glories of the world.” A stern reminder of what Saint Paul tells us, “Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.” We train for a prize that does not tarnish. We prepare for an Easter joy by purifying ourselves throughout Lent.
In this season of Pre-Lent, we will take the time to prepare ourselves for our upcoming Lenten observance. We will look at our selves and see where we have fallen short of what God asks of us. We will determine with God’s help what it is we need to do to draw closer to him. And we will do so with good cheer, knowing that God is calling us to a prize that does not fade, to a peace that passes all understanding. We will enter Pre-Lent with good cheer, making our own the words of the hymn:
Awake, my soul, stretch every nerve,
And press with vigor on;
A heavenly race demands thy zeal,
And an immortal crown.
A cloud of witnesses around
Hold thee in full survey;
Forget the steps already trod,
And onward urge thy way.
’Tis God’s all animating voice
That calls thee from on high;
’Tis His own hand presents the prize
To thine aspiring eye.
Then wake, my soul, stretch every nerve,
And press with vigor on,
A heavenly race demands thy zeal,
And an immortal crown.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Time to Affirm the Affirmation
Here's a neat blogsite created by Father John Roddy, Rector of St. Hilda of Whitby Anglican Catholic Church in Atlanta.
http://affirmationofstlouis.blogspot.com/
Here you will find the text of the Affirmation of St. Louis, the foundation document of continuing Anglicanism. Read it and, if you feel so moved, add your name and address to it. No comments on that blogsite, please.
http://affirmationofstlouis.blogspot.com/
Here you will find the text of the Affirmation of St. Louis, the foundation document of continuing Anglicanism. Read it and, if you feel so moved, add your name and address to it. No comments on that blogsite, please.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
OK, So Maybe It's Not All That Bad
My friend, Quin Hilyer, informs me that any bill coming out of conference committee could be filibustered in the Senate! So maybe hope will spring eternal!
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Why Ben Nelson Is a Liar: How to Sell Out the Unborn by Claiming to be Pro-Life
This morning, Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) announced that he was going to support the Senate Health Care reform bill. This bill, which no one outside of the Senate Democrat caucus has even seen, had been protested by Senator Nelson because it provided federal funding for abortion, something that has been prohibited because of the Hyde Amendment.
In his press conference, Senator Nelson announced that he could now support the bill because the pro-life position was being protect and that his state would receive a certain amount of Medicaid relief. So the Senator signs on to the bill because abortions will remain unfunded.
Well, not exactly.
The Senate version that will now pass in that chamber will almost certainly have provisions to prohibit abortion funding. After that, though, the fun really starts in Conference Committee.
When two bills are passed on a similar topic, one in the House and one in the Senate, the Constitution provides that they need to be reconciled into one bill by a Conference Committee of members of the House and Senate. These members come from the Committees that originated the legislation. The Conference Committee then produces a single piece of legislation that is voted on by a simple majority in each house without further amendment. The Conference Committee is not bound by any of the provisions in either of the two originating pieces of legislation and can add or subtract portions to the new bill.
Would it surprise anyone if a conference committee produced a bill that added back into it funding for abortions, along with a public option, along with death panels?
The bill would then go back to the House where it could be voted on without any further amendment. Then it's off to the Senate where Senator Nelson and others of his spineless ilk could bewail this new bill and vow that they could never vote for a bill that included such anti-life language. Then, he might just vote against it. By then it won't matter. All that will be needed is 51 votes in the U.S. Senate. Nelson can sputter and fume and vote against it, but the bill will pass with the readded abortion funding and be signed into law by the most pro-abort President in our history.
Now, do you really think that Senator Nelson is so naive that he lacks awareness of the procedures of Conference Committees and the powers that those committees have to change the bills? Do you really think that he is that ignorant, or is this posturing on his part to portray himself as a staunch pro-lifer to conservative Nebraskans in 2012 when he runs for reelection?
I'm betting on this: Senator Nelson is nothing othdr than a cynical politician who, while claiming to champion the right to life of the unborn, sells those very helpless little souls down the river for the filthy lucre of Washington largesse.
Great work, Senator. I hope that you can sleep tonight with an untroubled conscience.
In his press conference, Senator Nelson announced that he could now support the bill because the pro-life position was being protect and that his state would receive a certain amount of Medicaid relief. So the Senator signs on to the bill because abortions will remain unfunded.
Well, not exactly.
The Senate version that will now pass in that chamber will almost certainly have provisions to prohibit abortion funding. After that, though, the fun really starts in Conference Committee.
When two bills are passed on a similar topic, one in the House and one in the Senate, the Constitution provides that they need to be reconciled into one bill by a Conference Committee of members of the House and Senate. These members come from the Committees that originated the legislation. The Conference Committee then produces a single piece of legislation that is voted on by a simple majority in each house without further amendment. The Conference Committee is not bound by any of the provisions in either of the two originating pieces of legislation and can add or subtract portions to the new bill.
Would it surprise anyone if a conference committee produced a bill that added back into it funding for abortions, along with a public option, along with death panels?
The bill would then go back to the House where it could be voted on without any further amendment. Then it's off to the Senate where Senator Nelson and others of his spineless ilk could bewail this new bill and vow that they could never vote for a bill that included such anti-life language. Then, he might just vote against it. By then it won't matter. All that will be needed is 51 votes in the U.S. Senate. Nelson can sputter and fume and vote against it, but the bill will pass with the readded abortion funding and be signed into law by the most pro-abort President in our history.
Now, do you really think that Senator Nelson is so naive that he lacks awareness of the procedures of Conference Committees and the powers that those committees have to change the bills? Do you really think that he is that ignorant, or is this posturing on his part to portray himself as a staunch pro-lifer to conservative Nebraskans in 2012 when he runs for reelection?
I'm betting on this: Senator Nelson is nothing othdr than a cynical politician who, while claiming to champion the right to life of the unborn, sells those very helpless little souls down the river for the filthy lucre of Washington largesse.
Great work, Senator. I hope that you can sleep tonight with an untroubled conscience.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Yet Another Attack on the Family in the Offing
Mimi and I just returned from a magnificent vacation in Europe. We spent 10 days crusing the Mediterranean visiting Barcelona, Marseilles, Monte Carlo, Florence, Rome, Amalfi, Sicily, Malta, Santorini, and Athens. Our cruise on the Insignia of Oceania Cruises could not have been more enjoyable.
So, we're back!! And guess what? The world is pretty much just as we left it. Here's the latest political nominee who is outspoken in their radical desire to dismantle the traditional family.
http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/10/obamas_eeoc_nominee_would_rede_1.html
This was just what I wanted to see after almost two weeks of rest and relaxation.
So, we're back!! And guess what? The world is pretty much just as we left it. Here's the latest political nominee who is outspoken in their radical desire to dismantle the traditional family.
http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/10/obamas_eeoc_nominee_would_rede_1.html
This was just what I wanted to see after almost two weeks of rest and relaxation.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Just what we've waited for: National Blasphemy Day!
See the following link. No comment from me is necessary.
http://www.religionnews.com/index.php?/rnstext/next_week_blasphemy_gets_its_own_holiday1/
http://www.religionnews.com/index.php?/rnstext/next_week_blasphemy_gets_its_own_holiday1/
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
We're All Out of our Freaking Minds Now!
Shortly after the election of President Obama, Newsweek published an issue with a red hand shaking a blue hand and the caption, "We're All Socialists Now." Newsweek has struck again, this time with an article entitled, "We're All Hindus Now." This article describes the slide in American religious thinking from Christian to something akin to Hindu. It's a sobering article and one that should be taken seriously by any serious Christian. No further comment is really necessary.
Here's the link:
http://www.newsweek.com/id/212155
Here's the link:
http://www.newsweek.com/id/212155
Monday, August 3, 2009
More Reasons Why I Am an Anglican Catholic
Here are some YouTube videos on some of the bizarre liturgical adventures in the Roman Church. It should be noted that many of these same liturgical adventures can be found in most other churches as well. However, thank God, they are NOT in the Anglican Catholic Church!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ovRwra4kzQ
Now here's one from the 2008 World Catholic Call to Action Conference. Catholic Call to Action was founded by liberals in the 1970's who were filled with hope that they could remake the church into a paragon of social justice. If there is a leftist cause, they have embraced it. This video (which I may have posted before) is from their closing Mass in 2008. To me, this is a perfect example of everything that can go wrong with a liturgy. Although it is tempting to only watch the video, listen to the words as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh_nqtp3VrU&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ovRwra4kzQ
Now here's one from the 2008 World Catholic Call to Action Conference. Catholic Call to Action was founded by liberals in the 1970's who were filled with hope that they could remake the church into a paragon of social justice. If there is a leftist cause, they have embraced it. This video (which I may have posted before) is from their closing Mass in 2008. To me, this is a perfect example of everything that can go wrong with a liturgy. Although it is tempting to only watch the video, listen to the words as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh_nqtp3VrU&NR=1
Monday, July 20, 2009
Two Great Articles on "Caritas in Veritate"
It is amazing to me that someone as brilliant as Pope Benedict XVI could produce an encyclical letter that was so incredibly uneven as Caritas in Veritate. This letter has managed to infuriate liberals and theological conservatives alike.
I finished the encyclical last night and found myself scratching my head at the inconsistencies, wondering if Benedict had relied more on a committee to construct this work than on his own thought.
I was going to write a piece on this and then found two great articles that summarize the problem quite well.
The first is by Catholic theologian George Weigel. Here's the link:
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NTgwOWY5MDkyNTIzNmQ0OTQ5NzAyMTJiNTU3MTAzN2M=
The second was sent to me by a parishioner. This is probably the most coherent critique of the encyclical and here is the link to it:
http://www.american.com/archive/2009/july/morals-markets-and-the-pope
It strikes me as a great pity that Benedict, whose first two encyclicals on faith and hope were outstanding, would close out the triad with a dissapointing effort.
I finished the encyclical last night and found myself scratching my head at the inconsistencies, wondering if Benedict had relied more on a committee to construct this work than on his own thought.
I was going to write a piece on this and then found two great articles that summarize the problem quite well.
The first is by Catholic theologian George Weigel. Here's the link:
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NTgwOWY5MDkyNTIzNmQ0OTQ5NzAyMTJiNTU3MTAzN2M=
The second was sent to me by a parishioner. This is probably the most coherent critique of the encyclical and here is the link to it:
http://www.american.com/archive/2009/july/morals-markets-and-the-pope
It strikes me as a great pity that Benedict, whose first two encyclicals on faith and hope were outstanding, would close out the triad with a dissapointing effort.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Mesa Bravo: December 1, 1997 - July 10, 2009
Mesa Bravo, our "Big Boy", died peacefully this evening at home in Mimi's and my arms. He was 11 and a half years old.
Bravo was a grade A racer at three different tracks, Flagler, Derby Lane, and Jefferson County Kennel Club. He won 19 races and finished in the money over 60 times in his career.
He was retired in the fall of 2002 and brought to the Southeastern Greyhound Club Kennel in Acworth.
One Saturday, a friend of ours in the Greyhound Club told me that there was a fantastic boy greyhound at the kennel if I was interested. The next day, I drove up to Acworth after church to help out with kennel maintenance. I walked up to Bravo's run and was immediately face-to-face with a beautiful red/gold-brindle and white boy who weighed about 85 pounds and was tall enough to pet without stooping. I took him out to do his business while his kennel was cleaned and on returning I sat down in the big overstuffed chair. Bravo came up to me and put a paw by each hip and then buried his head in my chest. Bravo had found a home and I had found my "Big Boy."
His transition to the house had some amusing moments. He and Magic our first greyhound got into a territory marking contest that ended with a humiliated Magic wearing a diaper and Bravo in a belly-band.
Weeks after Bravo had acclimated to the house, I was lying in bed on a Saturday morning when Bravo jumped up and plopped down on the bed. He was soon asleep, with his eyes rolled back in his head and his breathing slow and steady. He had never been in a bed before. We stayed like this for about an hour and a half before I had to get up. A little while later, Mimi got in the bed and called to me, "Honey, did you spill a glass of water in the bed?" I had not. Bravo, however, had become so relaxed that he emptied his bladder all over Mimi's side of the bed. Greyhounds are not familiar with our creature comforts.
Mimi gave Bravo to me as my Christmas gift in 2002. Bravo was the most beautiful dog that I have ever seen. He was sweet, smart, and incredibly loyal, always willing to protect his family. In December of last year, Bravo was severely bitten by a pit-bull and his injury was made much worse because he spent most of his effort shielding me from the dog.
He developed bone cancer about two months ago, although it was finally diagnosed in early July. He remained reasonably comfortable to the end.
Mimi and I will shed many tears for Bravo, but the tears will be more than outweighed by the wonderful memories of this majestic, loyal, loving greyhound. We will see him in heaven.
The picture is of Bravo and daughter Melanie, taken when she was 12 and Bravo had just come into our home.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Hi! Billy Mays here for...
Probably one of the best pitchmen in the business has died at age 50. The big guy in the blue shirt, with his dyed black hair and beard, and high-pitched voice would enter my living room on a regular basis, "Hi, Billy Mays here for Oxi-Clean!" Or any one of a number of products.
Billy's career in sales was made by being identifiable as your next door neighbor. Over the years he aged like the rest of us. His agent or his vanity could dye his hair, but nothing could hide the belly that protruded over his belt.
Whereas Ron Popeel always was an instant channel switcher for me, Billy Mays fascinated me. Whenever he was on selling something, my attention would be as riveted as a four-year-old watching SpongeBob Squarepants. When it was announced that he would co-hosting a reality-show called "Pitchmen", I was in seventh-heaven.
By the way, if you're trying to get stubborn wine stains out of altar linen, "Hi, Billy Mays here for Oxi-Clean." Just soak your linens in an Oxi-Clean solution for one-half hour and then wash them as normal. Your linens will look as fresh as they did when they came from Almy! Thanks Billy! I owe you one.
I don't know what Billy's faith was, but I'll bet that if he's in heaven, he's pitching angel-wing cleaner even as we speak.
William D. "Billy" Mays, Jr.
1958-2009
RIP
Here's a neat segment of Billy ordering breakfast at McDonald's:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtYdDK1uTDI
Billy's career in sales was made by being identifiable as your next door neighbor. Over the years he aged like the rest of us. His agent or his vanity could dye his hair, but nothing could hide the belly that protruded over his belt.
Whereas Ron Popeel always was an instant channel switcher for me, Billy Mays fascinated me. Whenever he was on selling something, my attention would be as riveted as a four-year-old watching SpongeBob Squarepants. When it was announced that he would co-hosting a reality-show called "Pitchmen", I was in seventh-heaven.
By the way, if you're trying to get stubborn wine stains out of altar linen, "Hi, Billy Mays here for Oxi-Clean." Just soak your linens in an Oxi-Clean solution for one-half hour and then wash them as normal. Your linens will look as fresh as they did when they came from Almy! Thanks Billy! I owe you one.
I don't know what Billy's faith was, but I'll bet that if he's in heaven, he's pitching angel-wing cleaner even as we speak.
William D. "Billy" Mays, Jr.
1958-2009
RIP
Here's a neat segment of Billy ordering breakfast at McDonald's:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtYdDK1uTDI
Monday, June 15, 2009
Some Summertime Reading
I have a busy day ahead of me, but I want to post some links to articles to help you reflect on issues of our time.
First, George Neumayr shares some thoughts on the societal implications of the murder of late-term abortionist George Tiller:
http://spectator.org/archives/2009/06/12/scourging-at-the-tiller
Second, here's an article that parodies the difficulty of hiding from mainstream media and ties to it an unusual theme from Orwell's 1984:
http://spectator.org/archives/2009/06/12/who-are-jon-and-kate
Finally, here's Ken Connor's article, "Religious Liberty Stops at the Schoolhouse Door" from Townhall.com.
http://townhall.com/columnists/KenConnor/2009/06/14/religious_liberty_stops_at_the_schoolhouse_door
First, George Neumayr shares some thoughts on the societal implications of the murder of late-term abortionist George Tiller:
http://spectator.org/archives/2009/06/12/scourging-at-the-tiller
Second, here's an article that parodies the difficulty of hiding from mainstream media and ties to it an unusual theme from Orwell's 1984:
http://spectator.org/archives/2009/06/12/who-are-jon-and-kate
Finally, here's Ken Connor's article, "Religious Liberty Stops at the Schoolhouse Door" from Townhall.com.
http://townhall.com/columnists/KenConnor/2009/06/14/religious_liberty_stops_at_the_schoolhouse_door
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Sunday after Corpus Christi (Trinity I)
The Holy Gospel is written in the 16th Chapter of Saint Luke, beginning at the 19th Verse.
There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: and there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; and in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
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If you study the Bible, you will quickly see that the Sacred Scriptures are filled with stories of triumph. There’s the triumph of the people of Israel in their exodus from Egypt. There’s the story of the resettling of the Promised Land after the Babylonian exile. And who can forget the great victory of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, as he rose from the dead, conquering sin and death and promising eternal life to those who believe on His Name. Yes, from the beginning to the end, from the Alpha to the Omega, the Bible is filled with stories of victory over adversity.
However, there is a dark side to the Scriptures. There are stories of great tragedy in the pages of the Bible. Adam and Eve eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, losing their innocence and their direct relationship with God. Later, Esau sells his birthright to his brother Jacob for what amounts to a bowl of vegetable soup. Samson is seduced by a woman, losing his special place with the Lord as a Nazirite, only redeeming himself after he has been taken captive and blinded. Strapped between two pillars, he summons all of his strength and brings down the building upon his enemies. Yes, in addition to triumph, there is tragedy in the pages of the Bible.
Today’s Gospel reading, the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus falls into the tragedy category, I’m afraid. As we will see, the Rich Man is condemned to an eternity of torment, punished for ever in Hell. Even worse, his request to father Abraham to send Lazarus to his brothers to warn them of their impending fate is rebuffed, with the horrible words, “If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” How did this man of wealth, this man of power, find himself in this terrible, terrible judgment?
The fate of the Rich Man is even more stunning when you realize that this is a man who had it all. The Bible tells us that he dressed in purple cloth and fine linen. Purple cloth and fine linen? Purple is the color of royalty, the color of kings. Purple cloth was extraordinarily expensive in part because the ingredients required to make the dye were rare and costly, and in part because only a few skilled craftsmen could blend the ingredients in a way that would make the dye into a deep and rich violet. Linen was another fabric that was often reserved to Kings and princes. Linen was then, as now, a pure fabric, one that wore easily on the skin, and one that absorbed the sweat that naturally came about in the heat of the ancient near east. Purple cloth and fine linen was the stuff of kings and in choosing these clothes, the Rich Man was arrogantly proclaiming himself to be the equal to royalty. The purple and linen spoke to the Rich Man’s desire to be seen as subservient to no one, answerable to no one, accountable to no one.
Indeed, in his arrogance and conceit the Bible tells us that the Rich Man would feast sumptuously every day. Now think about that. What would you say about a man who would travel with an entourage into Atlanta to Buckhead to spend hundreds of dollars every night at Bones or Ruth’s Chris? Would you wonder about his judgment? Would you wonder about his sense of propriety? But this man wouldn’t go to Buckhead to feast. No, he would gorge himself daily in his own home. Then, dressed as befits a King, he would come and go from his estate, passing through the gate of his property on his way to and from the city, where he would go to be seen in all of his glory.
And there, laying at the Rich Man’s gate, was the beggar Lazarus. Now, when the Bible says “laying at the Rich Man’s gate,” it means, in our terms, laying across the Rich Man’s driveway. In other words, it was impossible for the Rich Man to enter or leave his property without seeing Lazarus, in fact, without having to step over Lazarus. The Bible goes even further and says that Lazarus was so destitute and ill, that the dogs would come and lick his sores. Now, we’ve talked before about the dogs, remember? They weren’t licking Lazarus’ sores out of pity. No, they were trying to keep the wounds open and the flesh soft, so that when Lazarus finally died, the dogs would be able to feast in a way that Lazarus never could. What does Saint Luke tell us that Lazarus wanted? Nothing more than the crumbs that fell from the the Rich Man’s table. Not a full meal, just the scraps, just the stuff that we scrape of our plates into our dog’s bowls.
Then, Saint Luke tells us, both Lazarus and Rich Man die. Lazarus goes to heaven and the Rich Man is consigned to eternal torment. Why was sent to Hell? The Bible doesn’t tell us the nature of the judgment directly, but from the text we can immediately see a couple of reasons. First, the Rich Man never placed himself in right relationship to God. He presumed that he was the master of his own destiny and he arrogantly claimed for himself an authority that belonged only to God. Second, and closely related to the first, the Rich Man failed to recognize his neighbor Lazarus who laid in his driveway desperately hoping for the scraps that were fed to the dogs. Remember another passage, this one from Saint Matthew about the final judgment of the righteous and the unrighteous? Our Lord said to those unrighteous who stood at his left hand:
“Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”
And so it was that the Rich Man went to his torment, and Lazarus to his reward. The Rich Man consigned to a dominion where he would be forced into submission to demons and where his voracious appetites could never be satisfied. And Lazarus, given a peace and fullness that he had never known in this life.
If there is a lesson to be learned from this awful story, it is certainly not a pleasant or popular one. The lesson is this: Like it or not, agree with it or not, all of us will someday have to give account for our lives before Almighty God. All of us will have to answer and be judged for our deeds. What will that judgment find? Will it find us so wrapped up in our own pride, filled with the unbridled narcissism of the Rich Man? Or will that judgment find us humble before God, not claiming salvation as a thing that is our right, but praying that God will grant us the crumbs of mercy that fall from His table? Will our attitude be that of the Rich Man, who expected everything as his due? Or will our attitude be one of grateful thanksgiving for the gift of salvation that comes to us through our Lord Jesus Christ?
On this Sunday, as every Sunday, we have the opportunity to rededicate ourselves to God. We have the opportunity to “acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, which we, from time to time, most grievously have committed, by thought, word and deed, against the Divine Majesty of Almighty God.” And then, as Christians have done from time immemorial, we can approach the Altar to share in that Great Thanksgiving of the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. We can share in that heavenly banquet, where Christ feeds us with His Flesh and Blood. And in this Thanksgiving, in this Eucharist, we may be made whole and understand our place before God. In that Thanksgiving, we may see ourselves, not as the Rich Man arrogantly claiming his own freedom and living without regard to his neighbor. No, in this Thanksgiving, this Eucharist, let us pray that we may see ourselves as we truly are, sinners under the mercy of a loving God, sinners who have been forgiven and set free by the Body and Blood of their Risen Lord. So may it be now and always, world without end. Amen.
There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: and there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; and in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
------
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
If you study the Bible, you will quickly see that the Sacred Scriptures are filled with stories of triumph. There’s the triumph of the people of Israel in their exodus from Egypt. There’s the story of the resettling of the Promised Land after the Babylonian exile. And who can forget the great victory of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, as he rose from the dead, conquering sin and death and promising eternal life to those who believe on His Name. Yes, from the beginning to the end, from the Alpha to the Omega, the Bible is filled with stories of victory over adversity.
However, there is a dark side to the Scriptures. There are stories of great tragedy in the pages of the Bible. Adam and Eve eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, losing their innocence and their direct relationship with God. Later, Esau sells his birthright to his brother Jacob for what amounts to a bowl of vegetable soup. Samson is seduced by a woman, losing his special place with the Lord as a Nazirite, only redeeming himself after he has been taken captive and blinded. Strapped between two pillars, he summons all of his strength and brings down the building upon his enemies. Yes, in addition to triumph, there is tragedy in the pages of the Bible.
Today’s Gospel reading, the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus falls into the tragedy category, I’m afraid. As we will see, the Rich Man is condemned to an eternity of torment, punished for ever in Hell. Even worse, his request to father Abraham to send Lazarus to his brothers to warn them of their impending fate is rebuffed, with the horrible words, “If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” How did this man of wealth, this man of power, find himself in this terrible, terrible judgment?
The fate of the Rich Man is even more stunning when you realize that this is a man who had it all. The Bible tells us that he dressed in purple cloth and fine linen. Purple cloth and fine linen? Purple is the color of royalty, the color of kings. Purple cloth was extraordinarily expensive in part because the ingredients required to make the dye were rare and costly, and in part because only a few skilled craftsmen could blend the ingredients in a way that would make the dye into a deep and rich violet. Linen was another fabric that was often reserved to Kings and princes. Linen was then, as now, a pure fabric, one that wore easily on the skin, and one that absorbed the sweat that naturally came about in the heat of the ancient near east. Purple cloth and fine linen was the stuff of kings and in choosing these clothes, the Rich Man was arrogantly proclaiming himself to be the equal to royalty. The purple and linen spoke to the Rich Man’s desire to be seen as subservient to no one, answerable to no one, accountable to no one.
Indeed, in his arrogance and conceit the Bible tells us that the Rich Man would feast sumptuously every day. Now think about that. What would you say about a man who would travel with an entourage into Atlanta to Buckhead to spend hundreds of dollars every night at Bones or Ruth’s Chris? Would you wonder about his judgment? Would you wonder about his sense of propriety? But this man wouldn’t go to Buckhead to feast. No, he would gorge himself daily in his own home. Then, dressed as befits a King, he would come and go from his estate, passing through the gate of his property on his way to and from the city, where he would go to be seen in all of his glory.
And there, laying at the Rich Man’s gate, was the beggar Lazarus. Now, when the Bible says “laying at the Rich Man’s gate,” it means, in our terms, laying across the Rich Man’s driveway. In other words, it was impossible for the Rich Man to enter or leave his property without seeing Lazarus, in fact, without having to step over Lazarus. The Bible goes even further and says that Lazarus was so destitute and ill, that the dogs would come and lick his sores. Now, we’ve talked before about the dogs, remember? They weren’t licking Lazarus’ sores out of pity. No, they were trying to keep the wounds open and the flesh soft, so that when Lazarus finally died, the dogs would be able to feast in a way that Lazarus never could. What does Saint Luke tell us that Lazarus wanted? Nothing more than the crumbs that fell from the the Rich Man’s table. Not a full meal, just the scraps, just the stuff that we scrape of our plates into our dog’s bowls.
Then, Saint Luke tells us, both Lazarus and Rich Man die. Lazarus goes to heaven and the Rich Man is consigned to eternal torment. Why was sent to Hell? The Bible doesn’t tell us the nature of the judgment directly, but from the text we can immediately see a couple of reasons. First, the Rich Man never placed himself in right relationship to God. He presumed that he was the master of his own destiny and he arrogantly claimed for himself an authority that belonged only to God. Second, and closely related to the first, the Rich Man failed to recognize his neighbor Lazarus who laid in his driveway desperately hoping for the scraps that were fed to the dogs. Remember another passage, this one from Saint Matthew about the final judgment of the righteous and the unrighteous? Our Lord said to those unrighteous who stood at his left hand:
“Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”
And so it was that the Rich Man went to his torment, and Lazarus to his reward. The Rich Man consigned to a dominion where he would be forced into submission to demons and where his voracious appetites could never be satisfied. And Lazarus, given a peace and fullness that he had never known in this life.
If there is a lesson to be learned from this awful story, it is certainly not a pleasant or popular one. The lesson is this: Like it or not, agree with it or not, all of us will someday have to give account for our lives before Almighty God. All of us will have to answer and be judged for our deeds. What will that judgment find? Will it find us so wrapped up in our own pride, filled with the unbridled narcissism of the Rich Man? Or will that judgment find us humble before God, not claiming salvation as a thing that is our right, but praying that God will grant us the crumbs of mercy that fall from His table? Will our attitude be that of the Rich Man, who expected everything as his due? Or will our attitude be one of grateful thanksgiving for the gift of salvation that comes to us through our Lord Jesus Christ?
On this Sunday, as every Sunday, we have the opportunity to rededicate ourselves to God. We have the opportunity to “acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, which we, from time to time, most grievously have committed, by thought, word and deed, against the Divine Majesty of Almighty God.” And then, as Christians have done from time immemorial, we can approach the Altar to share in that Great Thanksgiving of the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. We can share in that heavenly banquet, where Christ feeds us with His Flesh and Blood. And in this Thanksgiving, in this Eucharist, we may be made whole and understand our place before God. In that Thanksgiving, we may see ourselves, not as the Rich Man arrogantly claiming his own freedom and living without regard to his neighbor. No, in this Thanksgiving, this Eucharist, let us pray that we may see ourselves as we truly are, sinners under the mercy of a loving God, sinners who have been forgiven and set free by the Body and Blood of their Risen Lord. So may it be now and always, world without end. Amen.
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