Amusing Ourselves to Death

Not sure this post is going to gain me any readers, but that's not what this blog is about anyway.  And if you make it to the end of this post, I will be thoroughly impressed. 

I am reading a great book by Michael O'Brien, Harry Potter and the Paganization of Culture.  This is my first Michael O'Brien book, and I must admit, I love his writing style and am looking forward to reading more, including his fiction. 

In all honesty, it has been over ten years since I have read J.K. Rowling's series, and even then I only read the first three books.  At the time, I found them mildly entertaining, but nothing that really stimulated me intellectually, so I never was too interested in reading more.  As an avid reader and lover of adventure, I looked forward to the series when it was first released, but never really fell in love with the series like so many people did.  And though I was not formed in my faith at all during that time, I was a bit unsettled when I read them, but I did not understand why. 

No matter what side you are on in the debate over the Harry Potter books, O'Brien's take will open your eyes to so much more than what is superficially visible in reading J.K. Rowlings popular series.  O'Brien presents his thoughts in a rational, thought provoking manner that touches on what is happening in our culture at large.  In one section entitled "The pacification of the mind", he writes:

In his book, Amusing Ourselves to Death, media theorist and New York University professor Neil Postman describes how television has reshaped our society.  In the past, when Western man moved from an oral culture to the print-dominated or "typographic" culture, significant changes resulted in our capacity to absorb experience and abstractions.  The volume of information fed to the mind increased while the mind's ability to sort and evaluate the influx of data did not always keep pace.  With the advent of television another quantum leap occurred.  Flooded with powerful stimuli that bypassed the mind's normal faculties for filtering and interpretation, both the rational and the imaginative aspects of our minds became increasingly passive.  As a result, Postman warns, our ways of perceiving reality itself are becoming fundamentally distorted.  We now imbibe a massive amount of impressions in small bites that demand of us neither sustained attention nor truly critical thinking, thus rendering us vulnerable to manipulation.  We are dangerously close, he says, to that condition described by Aldous Huxley in Brave New World.  No longer conscious of our bondage we are soothed by endless entertainments.

Ouch.  That really hit home for me, being practically raised by the television (well, not really, but I did watch T.V. a lot growing up and it has somewhat formed me, for good and for bad).  The good news is that I hardly watch television anymore.  Every once in awhile I like to watch Journey Home on EWTN, but that is about it for me, except when coerced with popcorn by my dear hubby :).  Unfortunately, about 90 percent of the conversations happening outside of my normal circle of friends revolve around television programming of which I have no input.  The bad news is that I must admit to an internet addiction, so I can very much relate to what O'Brien says, "We now imbibe a massive amount of impressions in small bites that demand of us neither sustained attention nor truly critical thinking, thus rendering us vulnerable to manipulation."  There is good and bad on the internet, and as a person who is in love with her faith and a very healthy appetite for learning more (virtue studiositas), I am quite often susceptible to crossing over into the vice of curiositas.

And there is music too.  Sigh.  I love music.  Music is another form of entertainment that can evoke powerful memories and emotions.  But with God's grace, He is helping me to seek the good, the true, and the beautiful of His creation.  So much of my life has been formed by entertainment, but I am thankful for the grace of God's protection and bringing my heart to His, despite some of the bad influences I have had over the years.  And I'm thankful for the gift of imagination and memory, now in light of a conscience being properly formed (it's still a work in progress).  So why do I bring up music?  Well, because I found this for your entertainment (!!!) by Roger Waters (I am a Pink Floyd fan), Amused to Death:

Meet Bella Santorum

H/T Michelle Malkin

Some Thoughts on Love, Faith, and Goodwill

From Abandonment to Divine Providence by Fr. Jean-Pierre de Caussade

Pure love sees, feels, and believes.  Pure faith believes without either seeing or feeling.  In this is shown the difference between these two states, but this difference is only apparent, not real.
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In this kingdom every soul can aspire to a crown, and whether a crown of love, or a crown of faith, it is always a crown, always the kingdom of God.  There is this difference it is true- the one in light, the other in darkness; but again what does this signify if the soul belongs to God and obeys His will?
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Let us not dishearten, nor rebuff, nor drive away anyone from that most eminent perfection to which Jesus calls everyone, exacting from them submission to the will of His heavenly Father and thus making them members of His mystical body.  He is their head only in so far as their will is in accordance with His.  Let us continually repeat to all souls that the invitation of this sweet and loving Saviour does not exact anything very difficult from them, nor very extraordinary.  He does not ask for talent and ingenuity, all He desires is that they have a good will and desire to be united to Him so that He could guide, direct and befriend them in proportion as they are so united.
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Oh!  what good policy is it to have goodwill!  What prudence there is in simplicity!  What ability in its innocence and candour!  What mysteries and secrets in its straightforwardness!
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To desire to love God is truly to love Him, and because we love Him we wish to become instruments of His action in order that His love may be exercised in, and by us.
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Goodwill, therefore, has nothing to fear.  If it fall, it can only do so under the almighty hand which guides and sustains it in all its wanderings.  It is this divine hand which turns it again to face the goal from which it has strayed; which replaces it in the right path when it has wandered.  In it the soul finds resources for the deviations to which the blind faculties which deceive it, render it subject.  It is made to feel how much it ought to despise them and to rely on God alone, abandoning itself absolutely to His infallible guidance.  The failings into which good souls fall are put an end to by abandonment.  Never can goodwill be taken unawares.  That all things work for its good is an article of faith.

Except that today I'm a mess...

Yesterday's post was written with peace in my heart.  Today, life is back to insanity.  The good thing is that God doesn't change with all this.  I'm up, I'm down, I'm calm, I'm crazy.  I'm an absolute mess.  He is the same.  Always.  In this present, seemingly insane moment, You Love me Lord, and I love You in return, despite all of my weaknesses.  And so His peace remains.

Let Your Mercy be on us Oh Lord, as we place our trust in You.

Hopefulness, Eagerness, Kindliness, and Gentleness

Many years ago, much earlier in my faith journey, I was praying at the Chapel at our local Newman Center. I asked God to show me how to live my life for Him, how to be a good wife and a good mother.  I was struggling with a lack of peace, with a lack of hope, and with a great deal of anger.  So often, I have doubts about my ability to be a good wife and mother, and back then I felt so alone with these doubts and with my own sin.  It seemed like everyone else around me had it so together, but I have since learned that many people, if not all, have these types of doubts.  I have also learned that all of us are fighting some type of battle, and that it is in our weakness that we find the strength of Christ, if only we turn to Him in our troubles.  And I am learning to love others the way God does, both in their weaknesses and in their strengths.

That day, He answered my prayer as I opened the hymnal to this song:




In this song, God gave me a way to look to Him at each moment of the day, with hopefulness and joy at the break of the day, with eagerness and faith at the noon of the day, with kindliness and grace at the eve of the day, and with gentleness and calm at the end of the day.  With the gift of looking to Him as He is, He gives us bliss, strength, love, and peace.  Now, I will be the first to admit that I forget this often, probably more often that not.  But He reminded me today, as I heard this song again earlier this evening (as Be Thou My Vision) while sitting in the living room with my husband after dinner, that the peace we have is His, and I am so grateful for His peace in our hearts. 

Lord of All Hopefulness

Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy,
Whose trust, ever child-like, no cares could destroy,
Be there at our waking, and give us, we pray,
Your bliss in our hearts, Lord, at the break of the day.

Lord of all eagerness, Lord of all faith,
Whose strong hands were skilled at the plane and the lathe,
Be there at our labours, and give us, we pray,
Your strength in our hearts, Lord, at the noon of the day.

Lord of all kindliness, Lord of all grace,
Your hands swift to welcome, your arms to embrace,
Be there at our homing, and give us, we pray,
Your love in our hearts, Lord, at the eve of the day.

Lord of all gentleness, Lord of all calm,
Whose voice is contentment, whose presence is balm,
Be there at our sleeping, and give us, we pray,
Your peace in our hearts, Lord, at the end of the day.



Note:  edited for clarity.

A Beautiful Story of How Art leads to God

Here is a beautiful story showing how Art leads to God from Rome Reports.  Thanks Ana Braga-Henebry for posting this at your blog.

Vultus Christi: Emerging from the shadows

Beautiful post today by Father Mark Kirby at Vultus Christi on St. Sebastian the martyr and St. Irene the healer:

Emerging from the shadows

Daily Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Family Daily Prayer to the Sacred Heart

Dear Sacred Heart of Jesus, we renew our pledge of love and loyalty to You.  Keep us always close to Your loving Heart and to the most pure Heart of Your Mother.

May we love one another more and more each day, forgiving each other's faults as You forgive us our sins.  Teach us to see You in the members of our family and those we meet outside our home, and to love them, especially the poor and oppressed, that we may be instrumental in bringing about justice and peace.

Please help us to carry our cross daily out of love for You, and to strengthen this love by frequent Mass and Holy Communion.

Thank You, dear Jesus, King and Friend of our family, for all the blessings of this day.  Protect us and all families during this night.  Help us to live so that we may all get to Heaven.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!
St. Joseph, pray for us!
Our Guardian Angels, pray for us!
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.

From The Enthronement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus 

edited and published under the direction of 

His Eminence Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke 

Why I Love the Catholic Church

This video is awesome.  Jesus, you are the reason why I love the Catholic Church.  Mary, you are the reason why I love Jesus, and Jesus, you are the reason why I love Mary.

Thanks Father for making this video:




Check out more inspirational videos at Spirit Juice Studios

Prayer Request for Amelia

Please pray for Amelia and her family.  Amelia has been denied transplant (I think kidney transplant as her parents were meeting with nephrology department) by the transplant team at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia apparently because she is "mentally retarded".  This is heartbreaking.  Please pray for her doctors as well.  She has been diagnosed with Wolf Hirscchorn Syndrome.  You can read her story here.  This is unbelievable.  Thank you Daily Grace for posting it at your site.

UPDATE:  Here is the Lifenews article about this: 

Parents:  Mentally Disabled Daughter Denied Kidney Transplant

And I also put quotes around the term "mentally retarded" because that is the term that was used on Amelia's paperwork, according to the original heartbreaking post by her mom here.  Please continue to pray for Amelia, her family, and her doctors. 


Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
St. Joseph, pray for us.
St. Philomena, pray for us.
St. Jude, pray for us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.

When the Damage is Already Done

Have you ever said something you have regretted, sometimes almost instantly?  And in this day of social media and electronic communication, have you every written/typed/texted something you wish you could take back?  Recently, in an online conversation, in trying to be "helpful", I typed something that I could not take back.  In the end, it was not helpful at all, and I wanted so hard to delete what I had said, but really it would have done no good except maybe protect myself from others seeing what I had typed.  I could have deleted it, but the damage was already done.  I apologized, but my apology was ignored.  It is very painful when our apologies are not accepted, but also I can understand hesitation to forgive as I have been there before.  I would love to say that I could live a life with no apologies, but the fact is that I am human and I am going to mess up and say stupid things, even when I'm trying to be helpful.

In the aftermath of self recrimination and self doubt, God let my heart know with certainty, that no matter what we do, when we come to Him to seek forgiveness, He will never reject us.  Never.  He always receives our plea for Mercy with Love and forgiveness.  Do I forgive the way He does?  Or is my forgiveness cold and conditional?  And on the other side, do I seek forgiveness with love or with a desire to make myself feel better?  The damage has been done, but with Christ, all things are possible, and His Mercy endures forever.

Veiling and the Virtues of Humility and Confidence

Judy has a great post over at Community of Catholic Bloggers about Donning the Mantilla.  She really has some great things to say about this subject, and it really hit home for me.  As my love for Jesus in the Eucharist has grown, God has given me a desire to veil, but I do not believe there is anyone in our parish that veils.  And so, because of a lack of courage and because of my own pride, I do not veil.  And I am not sure at this point if my daughters would begin to veil without putting up a fuss since they are not used to it. 

It is a lack of courage because I am afraid of being the only one veiling.  And it falls into pride for me because I do not want my friends, family and other parishioners to think I am being prideful by wearing a veil.  And would it be prideful for me to wear a veil?  Or is is prideful to not wear a veil?  Judy really touches on this very question in her post.  It seems like it is a great act of humility and love, and that is how I would want to begin, solely as an act of humility and love for Christ and His Adorable Heart.  Would it remain as an act of humble love?  Is it prudent to veil at this time? 

I have many more questions than answers about this.  My heart is bogged down a bit with this.  And my husband is not necessarily in favor of me veiling either, but if I say I am being obedient to him, it really is just an excuse, because I know he can be persuaded on this subject.  And really, if God has given me this desire, why am I so afraid?

What do you think about veiling?

Go read Judy's post, it is excellent!

"Keep firm, go on, and fear nothing."

I am reading Abandonment to Divine Providence again.  And I can see why in the introduction, Dom Arnold says to read Fr. de Caussade's work "with a certain amount of discretion, as every advice he gives does not apply to all readers indiscriminately."  While this book is not an easy read, it is very helpful in the spiritual life, read with discretion, of course.  Here is something that struck me regarding faith:

....the instinct of faith is an elevation and enlargement of the heart above and beyond all that is presented to the senses.

    The life of faith, and the instinct of faith are one and the same.  It is an enjoyment of the goods of God, and a confidence founded on the expectation of His protection, making everything pleasant and received with a good grace.  It is indifference to, and at the same time a preparation for every place, state, or person.  Faith is never unhappy even when the senses are most desolate.  This lively faith is always in God, always in His action above contrary appearances by which the senses are darkened.  The senses, in terror, suddenly cry to the soul, "Unhappy one!  You have now no resource, you are lost," and instantly faith with a stronger voice answers:  "Keep firm, go on, and fear nothing."

~Fr. Jean-Pierre de Caussade, Abandonment to Divine Providence

There is a lot in those words on which to ponder.

"Let your religion be less of a theory and more of a love affair." ~ G.K. Chesterton

Okay.... I broke down and watched the video "Why I hate religion, but I love Jesus" or whatever it's called.  There are all kinds of rebuttals out there and commentary which I didn't read, but I did see this from Bad Catholic, and I love it.  And I especially love Marc's banner for Bad Catholic that has a quote from G.K. Chesterton:

"Let your religion be less of a theory and more of a love affair." 

~G.K. Chesterton

YES!

Read all Marc had to say about the video at Bad Catholic.  Here's my favorite part ( and I emphasized my most especially favorite part in bold :)  ).

But in all seriousness, the last part of the video is awesome. It’s a darn good explanation of how Christ died for our sins, how we are saved not by our own merits, but by his Grace. I’m not sure why it goes against Christ to be a religion that teaches exactly what our man is teaching in this video.

“Because I believe that when Jesus said ‘It is Finished’, he meant it.” When Jesus said it is finished he died, and yes, without a doubt, his sacrifice was found acceptable to God. It truly is finished — nothing can take away the fact that we have been redeemed. But we can choose to reject this redemption. That’s why after the Resurrection, Christ appeared to Peter — upon whom he had said he would build His Church — and told him “feed my lambs.” Christ knew we would need instruction, guidance and example. Jesus established a Church to proclaim to the end’s of the earth that “It is Finished.” He established a religion to make known his salvation. I reject the video’s message, not simply because it wades in the shallows of theology, forever fearing to plunge into the depths of what Christ actually did here on Earth, but because it is lonely. It is a call to figure out the mysteries of God on one’s own, with nothing but a book one must deny was given to him by religion. No, this is silly. God gave us a Church to aid us on the journey, so that we might be one. To love Jesus and hate religion is equivalent to calling upon a doctor and smashing all his instruments when he arrives.

Well, that's about it..... I'm about 80 pages behind on a book that I have to have read by tomorrow for a book club I'm in.  No more youtube videos for me.  Pray I can get it read without falling asleep!!!

A.M.D.G.

Here is a good response to the video Why I love Jesus, but hate religion.  I actually haven't watched that video, but this one is good!  And considering my daughter, who is 10, just encountered some anticatholicism yesterday, it is timely for us. 

What happened  in a nutshell:  One of her friends told her, "A lot of people think Catholicism is messed up."  and "Why do Catholics add books to the Bible?"  and "I believe you only need to confess your sins directly to God."  All in the middle of an art class!  I'm proud of my daughter's response to this and that she held her ground and also told me about it even though she knew it probably meant she was not going to get to go on a playdate with her yesterday afternoon.  Although she did not have enough knowledge to talk about the ins and outs of the history of the Septuagint and the Canon of Scripture in the Catholic Church with her friend, she did have a great response about confession.  She told her friend that when she goes to confession she actually" is confessing directly to God, and that the priest acts in the person of Christ."  Pretty good for a 10 year old defending her faith to another 10 year old.   

I was torn about whether to let her go play with her friend anyway yesterday afternoon, but decided to have one-on-one time with her instead, so we went to our local coffee shop and had a wonderful talk! She is still friends with her, and I had a wonderful discussion with her friend's mother which made me realize how many misunderstandings and inaccuracies there are out there about our Catholic faith.  There are definite differences, but how will people know what we REALLY believe and where it came from if we are not willing to share it?  I am glad that her friend asked her questions and for my daughter's courage.... this is where her strong will is beneficial.  May we as parents help guide her to follow Christ and His Truth and to help her to grow in courage to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ with love and generosity.

Her mom apologized and was very gracious.  It was something that could have ended badly but ended up being a wonderful place to begin a dialogue.

Here's the video I was talking about before:



HT GNW_Paul on Plurk for the video

Resting In Gratitude

Exactly what needed to be said

For the first time in a long time, I am engaged in politics again, mainly because of Rick Santorum's surge in the polls.  I am not necessarily a Newt supporter, but I do like him better than I used to many years ago.  I like Santorum better.  But what Newt said at the debate Saturday night was exactly right, especially with regards to "secular bigotry":

“I just want to raise a point about the news media bias,” Gingrich said after a rhetorical skirmish about gay marriage. “You don’t hear the opposite question asked.

“Should the Catholic Church be forced to close its adoption services in Massachusetts because it won’t accept gay couples, which is exactly what the state has done? Should the Catholic Church be driven out of providing charitable services in the District of Columbia because it won’t give in to secular bigotry? Should the Catholic Church find itself discriminated against by the Obama administration on key delivery of services because of the bias and the bigotry of the administration?”

“The bigotry question goes both ways,” Gingrich added. “And there’s a lot more anti-Christian bigotry today than there is concerning the other side. And none of it gets covered by the news media."

H/T Vincenzo for text and video

The Mystery of His Love

God has drawn me to His Heart and to the Heart of His Mother in amazing ways.  He has sent me friends in St. John the Apostle, St. Augustine of Hippo, St. Gertrude the Great, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, St. Catherine of Siena, just to name a few.  The most astounding fact is how these Saints found me, rather than me finding them.  God has given them to our family, to me.  He cares about every single detail of our lives, of my life.

From a broken heart, I have sought Him and His Love, but it is He Who has found me, his prodigal daughter, his lost sheep.  He drew me to His Most Sacred Heart in the Blessed Sacrament.  He drew me to Him through speaking directly to the ear of my own broken heart.  He drew me to His bosom, to the Shadow of His Wings.  He has hidden me in His Wounds, and will never let me be separated from Him.  He has given me a Mother to teach me, guide me, and love me in a way that was missing from the brokenness of my childhood.  How Lovely is Your Dwelling Place, Oh Lord!  How marvelous are your ways, how saving is Your Love, Your Mercy, Your Strength, Your Kindness, Your Beauty, Your Heart.

Tomorrow, our family will consecrate our hearts and home to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  We will enthrone a beautiful image of Christ giving us His Heart.  Please pray for us as we receive Christ into our very lives in this special and profound way.

St John was given to St. Gertrude as a special protector.  He told her in a vision, "Come, come, beloved spouse of My Master, let us repose together on the sweetest bosom of Our Lord, in which all the treasures of beatitude are hidden!"

From St. Gertrude, The Great, Herald of Divine Love (Tan Books):

St. John stood to the left, and St. Gertrude to the right of our Savior.  As they reposed on the sanctuary of His Heart, and were ravished with inexpressible delights at Its beatings, this dialogue took place between them:  "Well-beloved of the Lord, did these harmonious beatings which rejoice my soul also rejoice thine when thou didst repose during the Last Supper on the bosom of the Savior?"

"Yes, I heard them, and my soul was penetrated with their sweetness even to its very center."

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Gertrude wondered and feared because of this amazing goodness of her Lord.  She thought it too great a condescension for the adorable Heart to remain continually near her to supply for her defects.  But Our Lord consoled and encouraged her by this comparison:

"If thou hast a beautiful and melodious voice, and takest much pleasure in chanting, wilt thou not feel displeased if another person whose voice is harsh wishes to sing in thy stead, and insists on doing so?  Thus My Divine Heart, understanding human inconstancy, desires with incredible ardor to be continually invited, either by words or signs, to operate and accomplish in thee what thou art unable to accomplish thyself.  Its omnipotence enables My Heart to act without trouble.  Its impenetrable wisdom enables It to act in the most perfect manner.  And Its joyous and loving charity makes It ardently desire to accomplish this end."

Thank you for your prayers as we enter more deeply into the faith and hope that Christ gives us through His Holy Church and His Holy Mother.

For more information about this vision of St. Gertrude of St. Augustine and The Holy Trinity, portrayed so beautifully by Isidoro Arrendodo, go to Idle Speculations.