God's Providential Hand at Work

Happy New Year!

Yes, I've been negligent in writing this blog, but it's not as if the readership is clamoring for more!

I like to see how God uses me as an instrument of His will. This has happened, yet again, in the strings of cause-and-effects that have resulted in the writing of this post. Today Thursday January 7, 2021 is the feast day of St. Raymond of Pinafort. I read a few cursory pieces of information on his life, which led me to try to find his seminal text Summa Cassum - on the topic of codifying the sacrament of Penitence, both for priests and the faithful. More on that below.

Following some internet links in trying to find a pdf version of Summa Cassum further led me to an article about St. Raymond asking St. Thomas Aquinas to write a defense of the Catholic Faith to help convert Jews and Moors, which in turn led me to bookmark numerous works by St. Thomas Aquinas.

But, back to St. Raymond's Summa Cassum. After the remaining two runoff elections, the American election is now officially over. There were two immediate and significant results from the extreme left-leaning Democratic Party taking control of the Presidency, Congress and the Senate for at least the next four years. First, the dramatic events that occurred yesterday on Capitol Hill, which were nothing short of a coup, a takeover of the government by President Trump's supporters. Secondly, the forthcoming no-holds-barred attack on the gift of life that will be led by Vice President Kamala Harris, the prosecutor doing the abortion industry's bidding in going after David Deleiden.

Bearing all this in mind, this morning I was struck by these comments on passages from the Summa, which I found particularly apt to the United States. Professor Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira discusses how St. Raymond, preaching the Word of God to cities ahead of a Cardinal's visit, wonders about the spiritual health of a community. He goes through several arguments and counter-arguments as to how one can ascertain the degree of faith in a community. Then he reasons:

Notwithstanding, there is a test that we can apply to know when a city or an epoch is in a state of grace, and it works very well.

When persons in the state of mortal sin are together, there are three possible degrees of evil that can result. In the first degree, there are simply those who are in mortal sin, and nothing further. In the second degree, there are those who are glad to be in mortal sin; they have antipathy toward those who are in the state of grace. In the third and worse degree, there are those who promote mortal sin; they are openly hostile to those in the state of grace; they hate those who are good. Among those who represent these three degrees a curious psychological phenomenon takes place: they instinctively form a front against the good.

The consequence is that in a city where many people are in state of mortal sin, good persons are not well-received. On the contrary, in a city where many people are in the state of grace, the good are very well-received.

In epochs when saints are the object of general enthusiasm, one can say that most of the population is living in the grace of God. On the contrary, in epochs when saints are persecuted, it can be said that most of the population is not in the grace of God. The way an epoch treats a saint is the way it treats God. Most of the inhabitants of that epoch reveal their position before God in this way. The saint is an image of God; whoever loves the image, loves God, and whoever hates the image, hates God. (https://www.traditioninaction.org/SOD/j163sd_St.RaymondPenafort_1-23.html)

There we have it. The United States of America can be judged by how well they welcome and treat God, and also by how much they revile God in their lives.

Let us pray that God's Providential Will has a chance to reveal itself to, and in, this nation.

Desire Lines Workshop by Heather King

Hey, "creatives"! Here's a half-day workshop led by Catholic writer Heather King. It takes place December 5 via Zoom. Check out her introductory video below.

 

 

I only know of Heather through her writings for the Magnificat daily Mass and office readings - a yearly subscription gift from my dear friend Allanagh.

 

She (Heather) seems like a very interesting person to get to know. I hope to do so this winter through her book-length writings, which I would encourage you to also look at. I assume they are available everywhere, including on her website, in both print and digital formats.

 

While on the subject, check out Heather's website: https://www.heather-king.com/ 

McCorvey was paid. So what?

 

So, the latest news is that Norma McCorvey confessed to taking money to become an anti-abortion activist, even though she did not believe in the pro-life cause. What are we (Christians and all pro-life proponents) to make of her deathbed confession?

Nothing. Why should we?

Do people actually think that the whole pro-life movement is based solely on McCorvey's actions and words? If so, they are wrong.

Regardless which side of the debate used her stance(s), she did a world of good by speaking out against abortion. And yes, she was, at the time, the perfect person to voice an objection to abortion. Who cares if she did not believe in what she was saying, or if she did it for money? The message got out, and many true believers in the pro-life movement drew inspiration from her words and actions. McCorvey may have been a fraud, but the pro-life movement isn't, nor do her past intentions reflect on the necessity of standing up for the lives of the unborn.

As scripture states:
"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves" 2Corinthians 4:7

McCorvey is one such broken vessel, who leaked out - through all of her words and actions - a whole lot of God's power. Probably more of God's love for humanity and the unborn was revealed to the world by McCorvey than if she had actually believed in the pro-life cause to begin with.

Of course, she will have to face God for the choices she made, but regardless of her intention, she ignited the pro-life movement. And for that grace, we are grateful that God chose her to do His work.

Poem Based on Sunday Meditation

God's praises
in the songbird's trills.
His Graces
in my soul He fills.

The warm sun,
on my shoulders.
My sins, the Son,
carried like boulders.

Sunday morning meditation,
Sunday morning reconciliation.

The Need for Catholic Friends

I've discussed this view before, at conferences, in private conversations and with other Catholic friends: due to the Devil's ruling of the world, it is important, it is imperative, that Catholics hang out with other Catholics, in order that we may reinforce each other against the Devil and his ways.

I was therefore comforted when I prayed today's Morning Office and was reminded of this fact by the Psalmist, who wrote in Psalm 101:

I will walk with an innocent heart

  through the halls of my palace.

I will allow no evil thing in my sight.

  I will hate the man who retreats from perfection:

  he may not stay near me.

The wicked of heart must leave me;

  the plotter of evil I will not acknowledge.

The man who plots against his neighbour in secret:

  I will suppress him.

The haughty of eye, the puffed-up and proud –

  I will not support them.

I will turn my eyes to the faithful of the land:

  they shall sit with me.

Whoever walks in the way of perfection –

  he shall be my servant.

The haughty shall not live in my palace;

  the slanderer shall not stand in my sight.

Each morning I will suppress

  all the wicked of the land.

I will rid the city of the Lord

  of all that do evil.

"I will hate the man who retreats from perfection: he may not stay near me." In the same way that we are asked not to be scandalous, we have to acknowledge the scandalous ways of our acquaintances, coworkers, friends. Having done so, having warned them of God's love for the good, and his dislike of the wicked, we can do no more than turn our backs on them. Not literally, of course, that would not be compassionate or charitable, but spiritually, we must mark these people as someone who does not have our best interests at heart.

Psalm 101 offers such powerful, insightful words. The Psalmist teaches us how to behave, what to look for in friends, what to look for in enemies (of the Lord and the Lord's ways). We are also given our mission in the last line I quote: "I will rid the city of the Lord of all that do evil." Is that not the Church's mission, to bring about the Kingdom of God? Does "Thy kingdom come..." from the Lord's Prayer ring any bells?

Don't kid yourself. This attitude is not at all politically correct! However, I seriously doubt that when I die Jesus will pull me aside and tell me that I don't belong at the Heavenly Banquet because I wasn't politically correct during my life. Now, he might very well tell me that I wasn't compassionate or loving enough toward my enemies (and car tailgaters, grrr!), and he would have a valid criticism. But no one acting on his/her concern for social graces alone will ever get into Heaven. How do I know this? Jesus was killed for living his life opposing Jewish social customs, for saying that instead of stoning each other for perceived sins, we should love one another and forgive each other. He has already told us that this world is not ours, its ways are not our ways.

Even though we must give to Cesar what belongs to Cesar, we are not obliged to give Cesar any more than that, including our fealty, our love, our souls.

So, spend some time with your Catholic friends, teach each other about your faith, arm yourselves against the world and its evil ways. Be friendly, compassionate, loving (philia, agape) with your other friends, but don't get dragged down into their muck if they are unwilling to rise above it.

Nancy Pelosi Is A Catholic?

A Catholic. Really?

When recently asked if she hated Donald Trump this was her reply, as reported by CNN.com December 6 2019:

"I think this President is a coward when it comes to helping our kids who are afraid of gun violence," she said. "I think that he is cruel when he doesn't deal with helping our Dreamers, of which we are very proud of. I think he is in denial about the climate crisis. However, that's about the election."

"This," she said, tapping hard on the podium, "is about the Constitution of the United States and the facts that lead to the President's violation of his oath of office. And as a Catholic, I resent your using the word 'hate' in a sentence that addresses me. I don't hate anyone."

How dare she use her "Catholicism" in defense of any of her public positions, and especially one so politically motivated! This, let's recall is the same Democrat leader who is in Planned Parenthood's back pocket, who dares to advocate (as a Catholic) the abortion of pre-borns.

Pelosi doesnt hate anyone? What about the pre-born that she hates enough to allow to be killed? What about the women she hates enough to scar for the rest of their lives by allowing laws where their babies can be killed right before their eyes? What about the men who fathered these children and have no say into whether they live or die?

No, she may not hate Donald Trump, after all, why would she? It would be like hating one's brother, since they are both cut from the same political cloth. But can she stand on her Catholicism as a reason? I don't think so. IN fact, many Catholics (those who understand their faith) believe that politicians like Pelosi should be excommunicated for expressing their public views contary to Catholic doctrine.

I pray for Pelosi's conversion of heart, for her to some day recognize the dignity and right-to-life of the pre-born and the teens who feel they can only turn to Planned Parenthood's abortion mills as a way out of their situation, and for her lack of respect for the family, the backbone of society.

Halloween Post - Better Late(ran) Than Never

Today is the feast day commemorating the dedication of the Lateran Basilica, hence the title of this post, nearly two weeks past Halloween.

And for more information on this feast day, click on the link: https://www.franciscanmedia.org/dedication-of-saint-john-lateran/

Book Review: A Letter to the Friends of the Cross

The Letter to the Friends Of The Cross by St. Louis de Montfort
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was truly a Lenten surprise! I previously read St. Louis Marie de Montfort's True Devotion to Mary, and although I found it quite enriching, it proved to be one of the most difficult books I had ever attempted to read - this coming from someone who has studied Phenomenology! So, my expectations were quite low, and even though this booklet was a gift to my wife by a Monseigneur friend of ours, I did not rush to open it and read it.

One of the things that attracted me to this book was its length. It comes in at under 40 pages, the main text is actually 25 pages long, and then there's an eight page ode to the Cross at the end.

The impetus of the book is Christ's admonition to us: "If any one wishes to come after Me let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me." (Luke 8-23)

De Montfort takes this message to heart and shows us that we cannot be followers of Christ (who was not spared His Passion), and expect not to suffer along with Him. If He, God's perfect Son, suffered, then we, imperfect beings that we are, should expect as much.

This is not a book for every Catholic. Those who embrace de Kempis' Imitation of Christ (one of my favorite Lenten spiritual readings) will also embrace the spirituality contained in this booklet. In fact, de Montfort cites The Imitation in one passage.

If you are looking for a short spiritual work to help you contemplate the Cross, this is it.

View all my reviews

Review: Faustina The Mystic and Her Message

Faustina The Mystic and Her Message by Ewa K. Czaczkowska
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I began the Extraordinary Year of Mercy by trying to read St. Faustina's Diary. Sadly, I struggled, and attributed my inability to make any headway due to a poor translation of the work. I mentioned my lack of success to my parish priest, who happens to be Polish, and after admitting that he had difficulties reading the text even in his (and St. Faustina's) native language, he loaned me his copy of Czaczkowska's book.

Faustina is an incredibly detailed look at the saint's life, from her infancy up to the Church's declaration and celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday, the first Sunday following Easter. Due to Czaczkowska's research and writing skills as an accomplished journalist, I learned everything I ever wanted to know about St. Faustina, her revelations, the two confessors she relied on to guide her with her visions and the theology behind the Divine Mercy.

Since St. Faustina moved around quite a bit in her order's convents, the book looks at the events of her life primarily from a geographical point of view. I thought this was an odd way of structuring a biography, but in this way Czaczkowska successfully gives us a sympathetic and fascinating account of the mystic's life.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in St. Faustina's amazing life.

View all my reviews

Review: Angels and Saints: A Biblical Guide to Friendship with God's Holy Ones

Angels and Saints: A Biblical Guide to Friendship with God's Holy Ones by Scott Hahn
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Like many of Scott Hahn's books, this one, too reads like a convert's guide for other converts to the Catholic Church. This book happens to focus on the Magisterium's historical teaching on angels and saints. As a cradle Catholic I wasn't particularly enlightened nor enthused by the odd choice of saints that make up the better part of this small book.

The Catholic Church has been around for over 2000 years, and we probably celebrate a dozen or so saints every day of the year so, other than out of some personal attraction to one saint or another, it seems difficult to understand Hahn's featuring of these saints.

Still, if you know nothing about the Catholic Church's position on saints and angels (and you actually want to learn what the Church teaches) this is probably not a bad place to start your research.

View all my reviews

Never Pass Up an Opportunity to Evangelize!

Even though it's the middle of summer: never pass up an opportunity to evangelize! ;-)

~JT~

Review: Jesus the Bridegroom: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told

Jesus the Bridegroom: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told by Brant Pitre
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is my favorite book by Catholic theologian Brant Pitre. In this latest hermeneutical work, Pitre explores the historical, cultural and biblical roots of the idea of Jesus defining Himself as the Bridegroom of the Church and, by extension, since we all participate in Christ's Mystical Body, of all the Faithful.

Every Catholic priest must familiarize himself with this important, significant catechesis and teach it from the pulpit.

View all my reviews

Taking Down the Body From the Cross - Meditation

Taking Down Christ's Body from the Cross is the sixth prayer meditation in the Devotion to Mary's Sorrows.

Michelangelo's Pieta, image from Wikipedia

Whenever I think of Michelangelo's or anyone else's rendition of the Pieta, Mary cradling Jesus' lifeless body is always juxtaposed in my mind with Mary cradling the infant Jesus. This brings great comfort, in one sense, since it completes Jesus' ministry on Earth, which began with his incarnation, with the mystery of the marriage of divinity and humanity, which then led to His birth.

Besides a mother's loss, what did Mary feel when she held the body of Our Savior? Did she recall the angel's encounter thirty-three years before? Did she think of her quiet assent, her humble and faith-based ave, her assent to God's request? Did she consider all those times when the Holy Family had to flee from dangerous threats to her son? Did she wonder why the Innocents had to be murdered, when ultimately, Jesus still met his death in such an ugly, humiliating way? Did she recall that bitter-sweet event so long ago, at the presentation of Our Lord in the temple, when Simeon praised the baby Jesus and then warned our Blessed Mother that her heart would be pierced by sorrow?

As she holds his corpse, the weight of his flesh straining her arms, did she wonder how Jesus could be the Savior of the world when he couldn't, or wouldn't, save himself?

Was her faith in God tested, after seeing her Son brutally tortured for two days?

No, probably not. Mary had faith in God. And she was the most tested of God's earthly creatures, and for that she deserved to be crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth.

Book Review: Five Loaves & Two Fish

Five Loaves & Two Fish by Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A truly amazing and inspiring book.

For anyone feeling overwhelmed over the assaults on our Faith, this collection of prayers and autobiographical reflections by persecuted Vietnamese Catholic Bishop Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan will lift your spirits and open your heart to discipleship.

View all my reviews

Author Showcase: Matt Fradd

Catholic Apologist Matt Fradd

My author showcase features Matt Fradd. He is the co-author (with his wife Cameron) of the newly released Restored: True Stories of Love and Trust after Porn. His previous books include Delivered - True Stories of Men and Women Who Turned from Porn to Purity and Bought with a Price: Every Man's Duty to Protect Himself and His Family from a Pornographic Culture (introduction to text by Bishop Loverde).

A bit about Matt Fradd from his website: "I'm a Catholic apologist and speaker. That means I specialize in defending the Catholic faith: the existence of God; the historicity of Jesus; the truth claims of the Catholic Church. I hope to do it in a relatable way that will help you learn the faith and defend it with charity and confidence."

It is in this faith-filled context that Mr. Fradd explores the detrimental aspects of pornography on people's lives and also its disastrous effects on once-solid marriages.

If pornography has its hooks in you or someone in your family, if you think you are addicted - or you suspect someone you love might be, or if you want to understand more about this pervasive subject in our culture, Mr. Fradd's books and videos are for you. You can find links to Matt Fradd's books and videos on his website and at all major media retailers.

Matt Fradd's links:
http://mattfradd.com
https://twitter.com/mattfradd
https://www.facebook.com/mattfradd

I implore you to check him out. Today.
You won't regret it!

~ JT ~

Teresa's Garden Update

Fine Form Press has now placed a designation seal on all of my Catholic fiction!

Catholic Fiction Seal

I welcome the designation, because even though these are fictional works I still strive to stay faithful to the Magisterium's teachings regarding the doctrines of the Catholic faith. If I could find a benevolent Bishop who would give my fiction the official Imprimatur of the Catholic Church to show that the work conforms to Church teachings, I would welcome him with open arms. Alas, our local Bishop is quite busy these days...

I hope that Catholic (and non-Catholic) readers will enjoy my Catholic-themed works. They include novellas and novels: Teresa's Garden, St. Nicholas, The Wedding Scheme and Down By Contact.

My Catholic fiction and other genre fiction can be purchased from Amazon, Smashwords, B & N, itunes or your favorite e-book retailer. My middle grade children's writings are also available in print on CreateSpace.com and, soon, through Amazon.ca.

~JT~

Review: Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’ of the Holy Father Francis : On Care for Our Common Home

Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’ of the Holy Father Francis : On Care for Our Common Home by Pope Francis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I understand that the Church (and especially Pope Francis, taking his name from St. Francis) has to make a formal statement about the Church's social doctrine and this is the optimum time to say something about the pastoral care of our planet and its varied cultures and denizens, but I question the efficacy of disseminating this message in an encyclical.

First of all, Laudato Si' could use an edit. It is at least twice as long as it needs to be. I found it repetitive and tedious.

Also, the Pope's message is intended for everyone, yes, but he mostly addresses the issues of two social groups: the disenfranchised poor and the consumer/capitalist-oriented rich; the haves and the have-nots; first-world and third-world peoples. The main problem is that these two groups have different lived experiences and so speak different languages. For example: what do people in North America know about digging through mountains of garbage to find the day's food? What do third world people know about shopping at Wal-Mart and being faced with the "choice" of thirty different chewing gums?

I fear that each group will only be able to relate to their own situation and, as the Pope warns, the poor (who have no political clout) will continue to suffer for the rich's selfish consumerism.

The text had barely been released and critics (American media) were already criticizing the encyclical's communist-leaning themes. So much for the worldwide collaborative effort to eliminate the problem at the geo-political level.

The Church does not need yet another document outlining its social doctrine, or bemoaning the destructiveness of miss-used technology. The track record speaks for itself, especially in Gaudium et Spes - the Pastoral Constitution of the Church in the Modern World.

Sadly, as far as the issue of the Earth's care is concerned, no dire words of warning issued from the Vatican (a moral voice that even many misinformed Catholics are ignoring more and more these days) will create the necessary economic or social revolution.

Consumers will simply not delay instant gratification for a 'possible' environmental change to be enjoyed by a 'possible' future generation.

Pope Francis, and all idealists, welcome to the future: it is now.


View all my reviews

Review: Searching for and Maintaining Peace: A Small Treatise on Peace of Heart

Searching for and Maintaining Peace: A Small Treatise on Peace of Heart by Jacques Philippe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book doesn't crack my Top Five Essential Catholic Books to Read, but I would put it in sixth or seventh spot. This is the first book/treatise by Father Jacques Philippe that I've read, but I will be reading many more. Searching for and Maintaining Peace is a book that does exactly what it says it will do. I enjoyed Fr. Philippe's straightforward commonsense, yet profoundly theological, style and approach to finding peace and maintaining it both in everyday life and in a Catholic context. Explaining and understanding the issue of sin is fundamental to his treatise. Fr. Philippe is not a Carmelite, but he draws time and again from St. Thérèse, St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross. I highly recommend this short treatise to anyone who might be interested in deepening their Catholic spirituality.

View all my reviews

Where Were You, Lord - Prayer

I've been inspired lately to write some prayers. Here's the first:

Where Were You, Lord,

I asked,

when I knelt for hours and prayed for your guidance?

The Lord answered:

Did you not feel me in the cool breeze I sent you?

No, Lord. I got cold and went inside.

The Lord replied:

Did you not hear me in the Robin's song?

No, Lord. I found the birdsong distracted my prayer and

I shut the windows.

The Lord replied:

I sent the warm rays of the sun to shine on your face.

But, Lord, I got uncomfortably hot.

So I closed the blinds and turned on the air conditioning.

The Lord replied:

I am here now, and always will be.

No, not right now, Lord.

I've too many things to worry about.

~JT~

Book Review - Crossing the Threshold of Hope

Crossing the Threshold of Hope by Pope John Paul II
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Be not afraid! (to read this book).

I loved this Q & A between an Italian journalist and St. John Paul II, but it did present some challenges. This book is unique in that the style is informal, yet the content ranges from deep philosophical theories (JP II's patented phenomenological background) to theology (in his replies he refers to many of the Church's Encyclicals and the Magisterium's documents issued after the Second Vatican Council).

The range of topics covered (the renewed Marian devotions, human rights, abortion and the culture of death, ecumenism, attitudes regarding Muslims and Buddhists, the Church's relevance in the modern world, the problem of good and evil, etc.) offers a goldmine of information on John Paul II's own personal views and those views are complimented with the Church's official position. The answers provided are succinct, yet complete.

Although it is clear that this interview takes place at the close of the twentieth century, most of the topics covered have been debated and explored by the faithful since Jesus' time.

Be warned, however, that one will walk away from reading Crossing the Threshold of Hope with a fairly extensive reading list.

This small volume of insights is essential reading for Catholics who take their faith seriously and for readers interested in further exploring Catholic theology and social doctrine.

View all my reviews