Cooperation with Evil

In the last entry reference was made to cooperation with evil. What is that? How much is OK? Is it a sin for me to support a business that supports evil? All of these are questions that arise in the discussion.
To understand the morality of this issue, one must first look at the basis of morality. Too often morality has been seen in terms of can I do this and get away with it, i.e., Is this a sin. The true question one should ask oneself (and Christ) is, What more must I do to become holy? In other words, simply avoiding mortal sin is not good enough. It does not truly give God the glory He deserves. It is true, that if one manages to remain in a state of grace at the time of death, one is saved. I, for one, do not want to hear a list of things that I did to cooperate with evil and have only the defense, but that didn't constitute a mortal sin, did it?
Now, Satan has seen to it that we can scarcely avoid cooperating with evil in one way or the other. Often times we are left with choices between two or more goods, all of which cooperate with evil to one degree or another. That is the time where one has to choose the path of least cooperation with evil (we don't ever choose "the lesser of two evils" but rather the greater good or that which limits evil the most).
When one has the opportunity not to cooperate with evil at all, one should choose not to cooperate with evil at all. Even if the degree of cooperation is not such as to constitute the grave matter of a mortal sin, still, one should not electively cooperate with evil. Having just received my copy of the Boycott List from Life Decisions International, it is my intention to avoid cooperating with evil by avoiding patronizing corporations that give money to Planned Parenthood. When I have to lodge somewhere for the night, I will not stay at a hotel owned by a corporation that has given its sponsorship to Planned Parenthood. There are hotel from which to choose that do not, at least according to LDI's research, fund abortion. Sadly, Marriott, for whom I worked for over five years, has chosen to give to PP. Goodbye old friend. I have always preferred your lodging because I know it will be up to standards. Alas, I have found other places that have standards in their rooms and in the company they keep.
While Nike may mean victory in Greek, they have lost my business. There are other shoe companies that do not support the wanton slaughter of innocents with their money. Bank of America already earned my distrust when they posted a payment two days after they cashed the check from my account, conveniently late enough to charge me $35 for late payment. Their support of Planned Parenthood is over the top. Sadly other large banks have joined in as well. I'll be paying off the Chase card and shredding it. Wachovia and Wells-Fargo won't be getting my business either.
Now, there comes the sticky issue -- those companies or non-profit organizations (non-prophet?) that support Planned Parenthood and Embryonic stem cell research (in spite of the mounting evidence that it is a dead-end road). Some, in part may be because they do not themselves understand what it means to cooperate with evil. The Susan G Komen foundation (Race for the Cure), for instance, claims that it only paid for mamography services. It is sad that she would have anything to do with Planned Parenthood on the basis of their abortion record alone. What makes it ludicrous is that they are also one of the largest purveyors of artificial contraception in the county. HELLO! Have they not seen the research linking artificial contraception to breast, cervical, uterin, and ovarian cancer????? Why not just pay the fox to make sure the henhouse has not security problems! I am guessing that the American Cancer Society will have the same explanation [apologia] for their fund-giving. Did I tell you the devil was involved?? We are given the choice between helping these organizations raise money for cancer research, knowing that some percentage of it will go to Planned Parenthood? Fortunately, there are cancer centers that one can support without getting one's hand's stained with fetal blood.
There are a host of not-for-profit organizations that support embryonic stem cell research. In fact, if you name the disease, there probably is an organization on the list that thinks it would be OK to kill a few babies if it brings about a cure to their particular ailment. Is this not unbelievable? Michael J Fox, whom I used to respect, has a foundation in his name that thinks killing babies to cure Parkinson's is acceptable. There are organizations that want to kill babies for a cure for diabetes, cancers (many organizations, as there are many cancers), etc.
On the What-the-frak front, Save the Children, and the Council of Churches have both given money to PP. Then there's UNICEF -- Yes, I remember going around door-to-door asking people for money for UNICEF (thank you, Sister). Yep, they support (advocate) abortion and birth control.
The list is huge, and I recommend everyone go to the web site of Life Decisions International. Become a partner with them by donating. You'll receive a list, which will also help you to partner with them by letter writing and boycotting. For my part, I intend to the best of my ability, not to support any corporation or non-profit organization that has supported Planned Parenthood or embryonic stem cell research in any way. It will only be when people get the message out there that any contact with evil such as that taints an organization so badly as to make it unapproachable, that these organizations will back away from Planned Parenthood and embryonic stem cell research. When they back away, we will see improvements, because PP will run out of funds.

Distortions of Christianity

Well, the newest in the series of films about the witch-boy Harry has come out. Once again our young people who have been poorly catechized will be misled. Then Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, in 2003, wrote to a German scholar who had written a book about the problems and dangers of the Harry Potter series. He told her, "It is good that you enlighten people about Harry Potter, because those are subtle seductions, which act unnoticed and by this deeply distort Christianity in the soul, before it can grow properly."
It seems pretty clear to most clear-thinking individuals where the current Roman Pontiff, now gloriously reigning, stands on the series. It is obvious that the series is dangerous to the formation of souls, especially of the young, but also of others who have not been thoroughly catechized (read here: those raised since 1965). It is clear that things such as the witches seen celebrating Christian holidays sends the message that Christianity and the black arts are not opposed.
It is also clear that the woman who wrote these stories is herself completely comprimised as far as Christian Moral teaching is concerned. Otherwise, she would not have made the big announcement last year that one of the big protagonists in the story suffers from same-sex attractions (SSA). Of course, having been compromised by modernism, she doesn't see his SSA as a problem, but just a different expression (much as witchcraft is just a different expression of Christianity in her world-view). Some have it, others don't ("muggles" or some such name is attatched to those who don't or can't practice the arts of Satan). Sounds like the "mundanes" of the world of Babylon-5 (which was infinitely more entertaining).
Now, having belonged to a gym that played movies in the cardio room, I have actually witnessed some of the movies (or parts thereof) from the series. Good cinematography and all that, but distorted. The lesson the children in these films show, much like the rest of the tripe Hollywood produces, is that you can do whatever you wish. They get away with doing things that are forbidden (even by the standards of their SSA-afflicted Headmaster), and get away with it. Typical Hollywood, the children disobey, and it turns out they were right after-all. How ingenious of them to come up with that. Hollywood has only run the disobedience saves the day subplot for 30-40 years! Oh, wait, isn't disobedience of the Devil? Subtle seductions as the Pope said.
Now, we have the unfortunate issue to deal with those who are in positions of influence over youth in our parishes, who take their children to see this stuff. This is scandalous! Of course, it's bad enough that any parents take their kids to see this. If there had not been an utter failure in catechesis over the last 30-40 years, we wouldn't have to worry about Catholic parents doing that. Unfortunately, most of us were just taught Jesus loves you, let's go make a banner! and nothing further. Hence, they see no problem with taking their children to see these movies.
Oh, did I mention that AOL-Time-Warner, who produces this tripe, also supports Planned Parenthood? Yes, that's right, your ticket to see the latest installment in the witch-boy series is remote material cooperation with evil! Still need a reason to stay home???

Vos fugam capietis et ego vadam immolari pro vobis.

In the second responsory for the Office of Tenebrae, the words of Christ are, in the literal sense of the word, con-fused. They are fused together. Please do not mistake this for the usual meaning of confused, as in mixed-up. This is a masterful fusing together, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
Sad is my soul unto death: stay ye here and watch with me; now ye shall see the mob that shall surround me: Ye all shall flee and leave me and I will go to be immolated for you. Behold, the hour is coming, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the hands of sinners. Ye all shall flee and leave me and I will go to be immolated for you.
The Office of Tenebrae, as pointed out on the New Liturgical Movement, is one of the most ancient of all liturgical celebrations in the Church. The Divine Office in the Roman Breviary is stunningly beautiful and expressive of the very mysteries that are being celebrated. If, as NLM recounts, St Benedict thought the Office of Tenebrae to be too ancient to change, why did Msgr Bugnini and his collaborators have no such scruples? If the Liturgies go back to the time before Benedict of Nursia, and are so expressive of the mysteries, why were they completely done away with?
If the Office of Tenebrae is one of the liturgical celebrations that the faithful attended other than Mass, why mess with it? This is one of those questions that will continue to be unanswered until the Last Day.
Last night, before mine eyes, I saw the this antiphon lived out. By the time I got devested, all the "faithful" had fled and left Him. It is truly heart-rending. I have never in my life been in a parish where this happened. I didn't expect there to be a huge crowd, but at least a few? Perhaps I should have learnt my lesson from 40 Hours, when none of the English-speakers came.
Again today, after the Solemn Afternoon Liturgy, having received the monition from me that the Church asks us to genuflect to the Cross, and leave in silence, I would have expected people at least to wait until they left the church building before beginning their inane conversations. You would think that the Lord's Passion and Death had not just been recounted and liturgically celebrated. Please, people, try to keep you conversations like those of the disciples of the Lord on the way home from burying Him.

Consummatum Est

As we begin Holy week, we see in the Liturgy a prime example of how fickle man can be. At the beginning of the week, the crowds are cheering as Our Lord enters the Holy City for the last time. They strew their cloaks on the ground before Him, and wave palm branches, shouting Hosanna Filio David, Rex Israel! Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini, Hosanna in excelsis! At the end of the week they are shouting Crucifige eum!
On Palm Sunday, we receive palm branches, which are blessed. They are a sacramental, that is to remind us that we wish to be in the former crowd, not the latter. By our works, we shout either Hosanna to the Son of David or Crucify Him. Sacramentals help us to be more open to the grace of God. The Church, in her wisdom, has established many sacramentals to aid the Christian Faithful in their journey to eternal life. One would be foolish to leave these tools of our salvation unused.
As Our Lord neared death, according to St John, he said consummatum est, as the Latin reads. The English translation does not do justice to this. There is nuptual imagery used here, consumation, by which the couple seals their marriage. The death on the Cross is the act by which our Divine Bridegroom sealed His marriage covenant with His Bride, the Church. There is also the connection to consume -- Christ, according to St Paul, takes up all history in Himself. He sanctifies all creation.
Many non-Catholics will use this passage to condemn the Sacrifice of the Mass. Of course, this is wrong, because they don't understand what they are condemning in the first place (they don't really know the Catholic teaching), and in the second place, they don't understand memorial.
In the Jewish understanding of memorial, it means more than just to commemorate or call to mind something or someone. When pious Jews celebrate the Passover, they understand that through that liturgical meal, God is making present the very events of their salvation from slavery in Egypt. They aren't just reminding one another about it! In the context of that celebration (probably anticipated), Christ establishes the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, commanding His Apostles Do this in memory of me.
The gift Christ gave to us in the Eucharist, through the gift of the Priesthood, is the ability to make present the events of our salvation. While celebrating the Passover for the last time, He transforms it and shows it to be a prefiguring of what He was to do. He then gives the power to His Apostles, who have handed it down through the generations, until He comes, to make the events of our salvation present in every time and place. The Jews knew that God transcends time and space, and is able to make events that are far distant present to us today.
When we celebrate the Mass, we are truly standing on the hill of Golgatha; we are peering with Sts Peter and John into the empty tomb; we are standing with the others on the Mount of Olives as He ascends! Imagine! Some think Mass is boring!
It is finished! At the same time, by the gift of the Eucharist, it continues through time and space to our present day, in our own town.

Sitio

As Our Lord hung on the Cross, he made the simple statement "I thirst." Like so much else in Sacred Scripture, this is meant to be polyvalent, that is to have many meanings. On the surface level, it means just what it says. After probably sixteen or more hours, since He left the Last Supper, Christ was thirsty. It is very doubtful that in the process of interrogating and beating Him, the Jews or the Romans offered a glass of water [although, the Romans could have done so just in order to prolong the torture of the Cross; they liked for the crucified to be around for a while]. Our Lord thirsted. His lips were dry, as was His throat. He had lost much fluid by the shedding of His Precious Blood, as sweat in the Garden of Gethsemane; during the "interrogation" by the Sanhedrin; during the scourging, the via Crucis and at last the crucifixion itself. In spite of this, He was no doubt perspiring quite a bit as well, since it was in the heat of the day that He was crucified.
As we look through this level of the meaning, it is important to know that it shows the humanity of Christ. His Sacred Humanity was not a veil or a ruse. Like the statement by Saint Matthew, He had fasted for forty days and forty nights, and He was hungry, this shows the reality of the Sacred Humanity that Our Lord assumed for our sake. He was not able magically to avoid hunger and thirst because of His Divinity.
On the deeper layer, peeling away at the onion, as it were, Jesus was athirst for souls. Mother Teresa of Calcutta saw it as her mission in life to quench the thirst of her Spouse for souls. In every convent of the Missionaries of Charity there is a Crucifix in the chapel with the words I thirst or Sitio near it, because Blessed Teresa saw this a crucial passage of Scripture for her spirituality.
The service she gave to so many in the slums of Calcutta was because she viewed them as being another Christ. She saw them as "Jesus, in one of His many distressing disguises." Taking seriously the scene of the Judgement in St Matthew's Gospel, she sought to give Christ food when He was hungry; give Him drink when thirsty, etc. She cared for Christ in the least of His brethren. All of this, of course is the quench His thirst for souls.
Christ thirsts for souls, not just for numbers, but on an individual level. Each and every person. He thirsts for your soul, and for mine. He thirsts for the soul of the person down the street; for the soul of the sinner who needs to repent. He thirsts for the soul of the person who has wandered far away from his Father's house that is the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. He thirsts for the soul of those who have always remained faithful, that they may be further perfected in Him.
It is in coming to Him to be purified that we can then become icons of Our Lord. If we have responded to His grace, others should be able to see Him in us! Then, as we go about ministering to Him in others, they will be brought to Him. We will quench His thirst.

La Virgen esta llorando

There is an expression I heard in Mexico, La Virgen esta llorando -- The Virgin is crying. I can only imagine the tears of the Virgin as she beholds the university that bears her name in South Bend Indiana.
So many have weighed in on the controversy of Notre Dame (Our Lady) University inviting THE MOST pro-abortion President to speak at their annual commencement this May. Even for the Casa blaca vacantist this is stunning, since, eligible or not, the man resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. He has exercised the great power given him for evil time and again. To think he was compared by one Orthodox prelate to Alexander the Great. It seems he is more like Julian the Apostate when it gets right down to it.
The scandal comes from ND inviting him to speak at commencement, and worse yet, they're giving him an honorary Doctor of Laws Degree! How can a supposedly Catholic institution give a degree honoring the juris prudence of a man who has virtually signed the death warrents of thousands of children? How can you honor the juris prudence of a man who wishes to relieve physicians, nurses and hospitals of their right to choose (not to murder) while defending a woman's supposed right to choose (to murder)? This is unbelievable and tragic. My heart goes out to the thousands who are alumni of what was once a fine institution.
Archbishop Fulton J Sheen was correct when he pointed out that it would be less dangerous for the faith of our young people to send them to a secular college than to a place like Notre Dame, where they may be duped into thinking they are learning Catholic values and teachings [this was after the Land-O-Lakes accord, when ND and others declared their "academic freedom" from the Magisterium].
I urge alumni and other donors to make their dissapointment known the next time they receive a letter from ND asking for support. I urge parents and young men and women to seek a truly Catholic college to attend.

Eli, Eli, lama sabacthani?

Our Lord, from the Cross, quotes Psalm 21's opening verse, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?" Right off, the Scripture scholars tell us, this means that He intends to place the whole of the Psalm in their minds. This Psalm is one that describes the Passion of Christ rather accurately: the dividing of the clothing, the piercing of the hands and feet, and so on.
This means, however, that Our Lord also intends the end of the Psalm which speaks of praise for the faithfulness of God. The Psalmist generally ends Psalms of Lament with such praise.
Christ bore for us the weight of our sins. This was the weight of the sins of the world -- all of them. If one mortal sin separates us from God, imagine the weight of them all. Many of course, will rush in to remind me that Christ always had the beatific vision. It is true that many theologians have held that through the centuries. However, it is not something de fide tenenda. Personally, I cannot tell you if He did or did not behold His Father's face at all times. I do think there is merit to the other theologians, who remind us that He emptied Himself, as St Paul teaches us, taking on the form of a slave. In other words, He became man, and man does not share the beatific vision in this life. Another point in favor, as we recall, is the teaching of the Angelic Doctor that it is not possible to sin or experience temptation in Heaven, because once we behold God, we could never choose an false good. If Christ beheld God the Father at all times, how was He tempted?
For our sake, Christ may have felt complete abandonment from His Father. Rather than deny His divinity, this strengthens it! What other so-called god of the ancient world would empty himself that completely? This is a ridiculous thought to non-Christians. God becomes man!
In his kenotic state (the state of emptiness), Our Lord was able to sense separation from the Father. This is how He loves us, that He emptied Himself that much!
Another side to the story is that the sensation of abandonment by God, is not reality. We know that the Father did not abandon the Son (or us for that matter). In the spiritual life, as we feel the most distance from God, we are, ironically, the closest to Him. So many spiritual writers remind us that it is when we feel the wood of the Cross in our own lives, that we are closest to Christ. It is as though, because the embrace is so close, we can't see Him.
When we feel abandoned by God. we remember that He is probably closer than we imagine. The cry of Christ from the Cross also teaches that it is OK to express ourselves honestly to God. So many think it would be irreverent to speak to God in any way other than grovelling. God wishes us to be friends and more sons in the Son. A son can tell his father how he is feeling. It is when we are most honest with God that our prayer is most pure.