Showing posts with label worship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label worship. Show all posts

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Serenity, Snoring, and Sacred Scriptures

I heard snoring behind me in the Adoration Chapel a few weeks back.

It wasn't me. I haven't fallen asleep there yet, as far as I know, although I've come close. It's a tranquil, serene, soothing place with soft light and a gently murmuring air system. (July 14, 2013)


The Adoration Chapel, Sauk Centre, Minnesota. November 13, 2013.

The Host in that monstrance is the room's focal point, of course: and the reason I go there for an hour each week. I'm hanging out with my Lord, sort of. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1178, 1418, 2691)

I've gotten into the habit of reading one of the Bibles they keep in the Adoration chapel. For one thing, it helps me stay awake. It's also a good way to make sure that I dip into Sacred Scriptures regularly.

Related posts:
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Sunday, July 1, 2012

The Gospel According to Chicken Man

I've been concentrating on Fortnight For Freedom: spending an hour each evening, praying with others between the parish church and the rectory; and writing at least one post each day about some aspect of religious freedom.

Even yesterday's post, about some 'crazy college kids' who want to change the world, involved freedom of conscience:

Living My Faith

Worship is important. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2083-2094) But I'm a practicing Catholic, so my faith isn't just something I do for an hour each Sunday.

I'm expected to serve God the rest of the time, too.

Some folks serve God in obvious ways: priests; deacons; nuns; monks. Everybody has a vocation, though, including the laity. For example, my vocation is marriage.

"The laity" are folks like me: Catholics who are single or married, and not ordained or in religious orders. (December 11, 2011) We're "marvellously called and prepared" for serving God.

I think I've got this right. For the laity, these become spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ, if accomplished in the Holy Spirit:
  • Works
  • Prayers
  • Apostolic undertakings
  • Family and married life
  • Daily work
  • Relaxation of mind and body
  • Even the hardships of life
    • If patiently born
    (Catechism, 901)
I put the full text of Catechism, 901, at the end of this post.

About faith and works: I don't think I can 'work my way into heaven.' (October 5, 2011) 'Just believing' isn't good enough, either:
"...Even the demons believe that and tremble...."
(James 2:18-20)

"Crime And/Or Evil"

I haven't heard an episode of the "Chicken Man" radio series in decades. A sort of avian Batman, this feathered crusader roamed Midland City in the Chicken Coupe, fighting "crime and/or evil."

As a whole, the Chicken Man series was fluffy entertainment. I'd never try writing a book called "The Gospel According to Chicken Man." On the other hand, someone wrote "The Gospel According to Peanuts:" and that's another topic.

One gag in Chicken Man had a kernel of truth, though. The Narrator declaimed, in a suitably over-dramatic way, that Chicken Man's mission was to fight "crime and/or evil."

At its best, secular law is based on sound ethics.

Sometimes it's not.

What's "legal" may not be right.

I'll get back to that idea tomorrow.

Related posts:
How the laity worship, in part:
" 'Hence the laity, dedicated as they are to Christ and anointed by the Holy Spirit, are marvellously called and prepared so that even richer fruits of the Spirit may be produced in them. For all their works, prayers, and apostolic undertakings, family and married life, daily work, relaxation of mind and body, if they are accomplished in the Spirit - indeed even the hardships of life if patiently born - all these become spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. In the celebration of the Eucharist these may most fittingly be offered to the Father along with the body of the Lord. And so, worshipping everywhere by their holy actions, the laity consecrate the world itself to God, everywhere offering worship by the holiness of their lives.' 434"
(Catechism, 901)
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Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Fortnight for Freedom Starts Tomorrow: Online Resources

Fortnight for Freedom

I've posted about the Fortnight for Freedom (June 21-July 4) before: two weeks of prayer; worship; and learning why religious freedom is important.

These resources came from the USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) website. I arranged the links to make finding particular resources easier:
I recommend visiting the USCCB Conscience Protection (usccb.org/conscience) and Fortnight for Freedom (fortnight4freedom.org) pages.

Prayer is important:
Related posts:
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Friday, November 18, 2011

The Crystal Cathedral, Cathedrals, and the Diocese of Orange

Depending on your point of view, this is good news, bad news, or completely irrelevant. I'm rather pleased about the development, myself:
"An [!] bankruptcy judge on Nov. 17 ruled in favor of the Diocese of Orange's $57.5 million offer for the iconic Crystal Cathedral over a bid from Chapman University.

"Bishop Tod D. Brown vowed on Thursday that the diocese will 'protect this wonderful structure as a place of worship and will soon provide our Catholic community with a new cathedral, pastoral center, parish school and more.'

"The Crystal Cathedral will meet the needs of the 1.2 million Catholics in Orange County, the 10th largest diocese in the nation...."
(CNA/EWTW News)
I've got a personal, sentimental, attachment to the Crystal Cathedral.

Local Favorites and Hidden Treasures, Anaheim/Orange County Visitor and Convention Bureau
(Adapted from Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau, used w/o permission)

Crystal Cathedral, Anaheim/Orange County Visitor and Convention Bureau
(Adapted from Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau, used w/o permission)

I'm a convert to Catholicism. My parents belonged to a nice, mainstream, Protestant denomination: and as they found it harder to get out of the house, they enjoyed Reverend Robert H. Schuller's telecasts from the Crystal Cathedral.

I've watched the programs: and enjoyed them, too. Schuller's brand of Christianity wasn't Catholic: but it was comforting.

I also like the architecture of the Crystal Cathedral. More about that in a bit.

Church, Satellite Campus, Cathedral

Chapman University wanted to buy the Crystal Cathedral property, and use it as a satellite campus. I have nothing against Champan U., but a satellite campus isn't a church. I think that, even with the best intentions, Chapman would have had a hard time keeping the appearance of the Crystal Cathedral: while converting the area into a functional campus.

Back to that CNA/EWTN News article:
"...Bishop Brown expressed sympathy for cathedral founder pastor Robert H. Schuller who filed for bankruptcy last October, after creditors sued for payment.

" 'We sincerely regret the difficult circumstances Dr. Schuller and his ministry have encountered,' the bishop noted. 'Despite these wonderful results, we are nonetheless saddened by the events that led us to today's award and offer our respect to Dr. Schuller and his ministry.'

"Under the terms of agreement, the bishop said that occupancy of the building 'will not be immediate' and that the Crystal Cathedral Ministries can continue to use the church and other campus structures for a period of up to three years...."
(CNA/EWTW News)
Maybe three years sounds like a long time. I'm glad I don't have the job of transferring Crystal Cathedral Ministries to another site. That's going to be a big job.

'It Doesn't Look Like a Church'

Although I haven't run into complaints about Crystal Cathedral not looking like a "real church," much less a cathedral, my guess is that at least a few folks are having fits over the metal-and-glass structure being used as a place of worship.

MOSSOT, Saint-Denis - Basilique - Choeur, used w/o permissionThe high end of church architecture for quite a few centuries were the great cathedrals of northwestern Europe. Folks seem to have forgotten how ugly those newfangled "Gothic" structures looked to the "civilized" folks in southern Europe.1 I've been over that before.

I suspect that, eight centuries from now, when 'everybody knows' that churches 'always' were shining piles of glass and metal, some folks will be shocked and horrified at whatever new wrinkle architects and engineers are developing.

Economics and Liturgical Requirements

The Diocese of Orange needs a new place for worship, because it's growing. The Crystal Cathedral was very attractive, since it is large enough: and even with their increased bid, will cost about half as much as they'd have spent on a built-from-scratch cathedral.

They're still going to have to make a few changes. Which doesn't mean hauling in tons of stone to make the Crystal Cathedral look like it was built with state-of-the-art late medieval technology:
"...The liturgist for the Orange diocese, Monsignor Arthur Holquin, said July 26 that several changes will need to take place in order for the Crystal Cathedral to become a Catholic worship space.

"Along with a central altar, a tabernacle and a baptismal font, the building would need a 'cathedra' or bishop's chair. While renovations are needed to the building, 'not much deconstruction would be required and the iconic personality of the original architecture and design would, for the most part, be retained,' he said."
(CNA/EWTW News)
I'm looking forward to see what they do with the place.

More (and less) related posts:
In the news:
1 See:
  • "Gothic Art And Architecture"
    Andrew Henry Robert Martindale, Professor of Visual Arts, University of East Anglia, Norwich, England, 1974–95
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Friday, July 8, 2011

The Diocese of Orange and the Crystal Cathedral: My Take

The Diocese of Orange serves about 1,200,000 Catholics.

Plans for building a 2,500-seat cathedral in Santa Ana have been around for more than a decade. The diocese hired an architect, and that's about it. I'm not surprised or shocked that the diocese hasn't gone ahead and gotten the thing built already - or that they're even thinking about spending money on a building project.1

For Sale - One House of Worship, Used

Crystal Cathedral Ministries has a 3,000-seat place of worship - the Crystal Cathedral. The organization Robert H. Schuller started is - not in the best shape, financially. I've read a couple versions of what's 'really' happening in the news: some of which may be somewhat close to accurate in spots.

A common thread that seems to be accurate is that for whatever reason - probably financial - the Crystal Cathedral may be up for sale.2

Robert H. Schuller, the Hour of Power, and My Parents

I've got a soft spot in my head for Robert H. Schuller: largely because his televised Hour Of Power brought a measure of church participation to my parents in their later years. Crystal Cathedral Ministries isn't Catholic, but Robert H. Schuller's "message of hope" was reasonable - "To be inspired and motivated through possibility thinking to grow in a loving relationship with Jesus Christ to be the persons God dreams, desires, and designed us to be."

As I've said before, the colorful screwballs who make the news are not representative of most Christians in America: Catholic or otherwise. (June 23, 2011)3

Some Televangelists, Labels, and Getting a Grip

I've seen Robert H. Schuller described as a "televangelist." I suppose that could be accurate. His actions were "evangelical," at least in the sense of being "marked by ardent or zealous enthusiasm for a cause." (Princeton's WordNet) And his weekly "Hour of Power" certainly made him a television personality of sorts.

I could use the same argument to call Fulton Sheen a televangelist.

However, using the same term to describe folks like Robert H. Schuller and Fulton Sheen: and Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart might be a little misleading. I've discussed stereotypes and labels before.4

Why the Crystal Cathedral?

Robert H. Schuller's outfit isn't Catholic - and the Crystal Cathedral, despite the name, isn't a Catholic church. So why is the Diocese of Orange interested in buying it?

Maybe because it looks cool?

Well, maybe: but I think there's more going on than appreciation for architecture.


(Adapted from Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau, used w/o permission)


(Adapted from Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau, used w/o permission)

Here's what the Diocese of Orange says, about why they're placing a bid for the Crystal Cathedral:
"...'While we continue to develop plans for a cathedral in Santa Ana, it is prudent to evaluate the opportunity to engage in the pending auction of this property and to mitigate the chance that it cease to function as a place of worship, if acquired by others,' Bishop Tod D. Brown said on Tuesday.

"The Crystal Cathedral - an architectural landmark made with over 10,000 panes of glass and designed by the late Philip Johnson – would be an instant solution to the diocese's building needs and would cost roughly half the $100 million price tag for the planned cathedral....

"...'If the Diocese of Orange can prevent the loss of this important Christian Ministry and what the Crystal Cathedral has represented to so many for so long – and meet its own priorities for a new cathedral, we have a duty to at least review the options.'

"At the same time, Bishop Brown cautioned that no official plans have been made."
(CNA)
Okay, that seems to make sense: buying the already-built Crystal Cathedral would get the Diocese of Orange 500 more seats, and cost around $50,000,000 less, than building something from scratch.

Plus, doing so would keep a place that's been an important place of worship for quite a few folks from becoming something like a shopping mall or - movie theater? With 10,000 panes of glass?? Art gallery, maybe. Or a museum of inner tubes and tire irons.

'But - It Doesn't Look Like a Church?!'

The Crystal Cathedral doesn't look like the houses of worship built in Europe, about eight centuries ago - or the churches built in Rome eight centuries before that. Eight centuries from now, the Crystal Cathedral may be what churches are 'really' supposed to look like - not at all like those 'awful, ugly, new things.'

I've written about change before. And that's another topic.

Not-entirely-unrelated posts:
In the news:
Background:
A tip of the hat to thomaspringle, on Twitter, for the heads-up on the Diocese of Orange / Crystal Cathedral connection.

1 Greed isn't a good idea. At all.
"The tenth commandment forbids greed and the desire to amass earthly goods without limit. It forbids avarice arising from a passion for riches and their attendant power. It also forbids the desire to commit injustice by harming our neighbor in his temporal goods:
"When the Law says, 'You shall not covet,' these words mean that we should banish our desires for whatever does not belong to us. Our thirst for another's goods is immense, infinite, never quenched. Thus it is written: 'He who loves money never has money enough.'321"
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2536)
Making an idol of money - that's a really bad idea. (Catechism, 2113, 2424)

About building a new cathedral? We're commanded to worship God. (Catechism, 2083-2094) And - no surprise to someone who's been around people for decades - the setting for worship matters. (Catechism, 1183, 1184, 1186)

By the way: watching Mass on television isn't just like being there. Which has to do with the Eucharist. (Catechism, 1322-1405; summarized, 1406-1419)

2 Excerpt from today's news:
"The Diocese of Orange says it is potentially interested in buying a 3,000-seat glass church in Southern California that faces bankruptcy.

"The diocese announced on July 7 that it's currently looking for a building to meet the needs of the1.2 million Catholics in Orange County, the 11th largest diocese in the nation.

"Although it's been planning for over 10 years to build a new, 2,500-seat cathedral in Santa Ana, the diocese has only hired an architect for the project and is now considering converting the bankrupt church in Garden Grove into a Catholic cathedral.

" 'While we continue to develop plans for a cathedral in Santa Ana, it is prudent to evaluate the opportunity to engage in the pending auction of this property and to mitigate the chance that it cease to function as a place of worship, if acquired by others,' Bishop Tod D. Brown said on Tuesday.

"The Crystal Cathedral - an architectural landmark made with over 10,000 panes of glass and designed by the late Philip Johnson – would be an instant solution to the diocese's building needs and would cost roughly half the $100 million price tag for the planned cathedral...."
(CNA)
3 I'm a convert to Catholicism. As I've explained -
"...The area I grew up in was virulently anti-Catholic. My parents weren't - but I couldn't help but pick up the local culture's message about the Whore of Babylon. ... Lurid rants about the evils of the Catholic Church got me curious: ..."
(Curiosity and This Catholic, in "Why I Became a Catholic ")
I'm savvy enough - and have lived in enough areas - to realize that loud soreheads aren't necessarily typical. They're just hard to ignore. Or, sometimes, avoid. And that's another topic.

4 My take on stereotypes and labels:
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Saturday, April 16, 2011

Veneration, Worship, and All That

I am a practicing Catholic.

That means that I need to take what the Catholic Church says seriously.

So I am strictly, sternly, and definitely not allowed to worship Mary, the tree outside my window, or Elvis.

It's in the rules:
"Jesus summed up man's duties toward God in this saying: 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.'1 This immediately echoes the solemn call: 'Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God is one LORD.'2

"God has loved us first. The love of the One God is recalled in the first of the 'ten words.' The commandments then make explicit the response of love that man is called to give to his God.

"ARTICLE 1
"THE FIRST COMMANDMENT

"I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them.3

"It is written: "'You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'4

"I. 'You Shall Worship the Lord Your God and Him Only Shall You Serve'

"God makes himself known by recalling his all-powerful, loving, and liberating action in the history of the one he addresses: 'I brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.' The first word contains the first commandment of the Law: 'You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve him. . . . You shall not go after other gods.'5 God's first call and just demand is that man accept him and worship him."
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2083-2084)
That's clear enough.

Or, maybe not quite clear enough.

Mary, Jesus, and Getting a Grip

That prolific correspondent, Anonymous, left a comment yesterday:
"Anonymous said...

"Study the history of the Catholic Church and you will see why Protestants were/are so against Catholics. The Inquisition, Hitler, Lincolns Assassination, The Illuminati, The Ukashi. THe Catholic Church is the Whore of Revelation.

"Open Your Eyes, Jesus Christ is Lord. Not the Virgin Mary.
"April 15, 2011 5:11 PM"
(comment on "Catholics Not Allowed to Read Bible!! Catholic Church Banned Bible Ownership!!" (January 27, 2009))
I don't expect to change the views of anyone who is determined to believe that the Catholic Church killed Lincoln and worships Mary.

There's a fair amount of confusion, I think, about what the Catholic Church has to say about - well, about quite a few things. Including Mary.

Who, as I said, I am strictly instructed to not worship. Mary isn't God.

Why does this confusion exists? I don't know.

Maybe it's because Catholics don't, generally, go to churches with plain white walls. Maybe it's because we recognize that, over the course of the last couple thousand years, quite a few folks been have remarkably outstanding in the way they follow Jesus.

Again, I don't expect to convince anyone that the Catholic Church didn't kill Lincoln. Any more than I'd try to dissuade someone from their belief that shape-shifting, space-alien lizard people are secretly controlling Wall Street and the news media.

"Veneration" isn't "Worship"

I do, though, think it's time to review what two words mean: "veneration," and "worship."
"VENERATION (OF SAINTS): Showing devotion and respect to Mary, the Apostles, and the martyrs, who were viewed as faithful witnesses to faith in Jesus Christ. Later, veneration was given to those who led a life of prayer and self-denial in giving witness to Christ, whose virtues were recognized and publicly proclaimed in their canonization as saints (828). Such veneration is often extended to the relics or remains of those recognized as saints; indeed, to many sacred objects and images. Veneration must be clearly distinguished from adoration and worship, which are due to God alone (1154, 1674, 2132)."
(V, Glossary, Catechism of the Catholic Church)

"WORSHIP: Adoration and honor given to God, which is the first act of the virtue of religion (2096). Public worship is given to God in the Church by the celebration of the Paschal Mystery of Christ in the liturgy (1067)."
(W, Glossary, Catechism of the Catholic Church)
I quoted those definitions more than a year ago (December 13, 2009), and probably will again.

I've found the Catechism a pretty good resource, when it comes to explaining what the Catholic Church believes. It's not as interesting to read as the sports section might be - but I don't think that's the point. A few links to parts of the Catechism, about:
That's not an exhaustive list.

Finally, about worship, veneration, God, and everybody else:
  • We worship God
  • Our purpose is to
    • Know and love God
      • (Catechism, 1)
    • Do what Jesus told us to
      • (Catechism, 2)
    • Hand our faith on to the next generation
      • (Catechism, 3)
We venerate Mary. (Catechism, 972) Which is most emphatically not the same as worshiping her.

I don't expect to change the mind of anyone who's determined to believe otherwise: and I've mentioned that before, too. (November 1, 2010) By the way, I've got the teaching authority of "some guy with a blog" - which is why I cite my sources, and suggest that you follow the links and read what the Church has to say, yourself.

What actually got me started on this post was an article on CNS (Catholic News Service) about Beatification - which isn't Canonization. I'd write about that, too - but it's late, and tomorrow's another day.

Sunday, specifically: Palm Sunday; the start of Holy Week.

Which is another topic. Topics.

Somewhat-related posts:
Two of my favorite posts, about 'what folks know, that just ain't so:'
Finally, where the saying '..what folks know that just ain't so' came from - maybe:
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Friday, April 8, 2011

Incense: Reverence, Prayer, and a Shovel-Stoked Thurible

Something I like about being a Catholic is that, when we worship: we WORSHIP.



That table with the purple cloth on it? It's not just a table: It's an altar.

Folks use tables for lots of things. Altars? They're for worship.

The gold-covered book on the altar is what we call the Gospel book: containing Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

A gold-covered book on a stone table isn't exactly ordinary - not here in central Minnesota, anyway. But as Mass proceeds, there's another indication that I'm looking at something special.

Incense: Lots of Incense

Father Statz, the parish priest at Our Lady of the Angels church here in Sauk Centre, Minnesota, isn't stingy with incense.

Particularly during Lent.

Not that we're in the same class as the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral in Spain. Not even close.

I understand incense is loaded into the Santiago de Compostela thurible with a shovel. Father Statz uses a spoon to fill ours.

Still, when he's done - there's no doubt that the altar, the crucifix, the Gospel book, and the first few pews have been incensed.

Why do we do this? Simple: it's in the rules:
"...Thurification or incensation is an expression of reverence and of prayer, as is signified in Sacred Scripture (cf. Ps 141 [140]:2, Rev 8:3)...."
(Incensation, Some General Norms for All Forms of Mass, "General Instruction of the Roman Missal" (March 17, 2003))
Those verses again, with links:
The Catechism has a paragraph or two about incense, too:
"The liturgy of the Word is an integral part of sacramental celebrations. To nourish the faith of believers, the signs which accompany the Word of God should be emphasized: the book of the Word (a lectionary or a book of the Gospels), its veneration (procession, incense, candles), the place of its proclamation (lectern or ambo), its audible and intelligible reading, the minister's homily which extends its proclamation, and the responses of the assembly (acclamations, meditation psalms, litanies, and profession of faith)."
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1154, and see 2581)
I've put these, and a few other links, at the end of this post, under Background.

Is Incense 'Biblical?'

My guess is that someone with a Bible and a bit of imagination could take Jeremiah 44:15-19, 23; and Exodus 30:9: and not only 'prove' that those heathen Catholics are defying God, but that we worship Mary. (We don't. (March 20, 2011))1

That verse from Exodus reads:
"On this altar you shall not offer up any profane incense, or any holocaust or cereal offering; nor shall you pour out a libation upon it."
(Exodus 30:9)
Someone reading that - and ignoring Exodus 30:7 - would have 'proof' that incense is profane. 'It says so, right there in the Bible! "Profane incense!"

I'd like to believe that nobody could be that silly: but back in the sixties I heard some 'Bible expert' explain why verses from Revelation described a particular missile launcher in the Soviet arsenal.

The Catholic Church has the Bible, Tradition, and the Magisterium to keep roll-your-own-theology 'Bible experts' in check.

Does the system work fast, every time? No. I've mentioned Job 5:7 before.

Anyway, it's fairly obvious that incense was very much part of how descendants of Abraham worshiped God. There's another reference to incense in Exodus 30:27. And, for that matter, Matthew 2:11. Okay: that's frankincense, a particular kind of incense, which has nothing to do with Frankenstein, Mary Shelley, or Boris Karloff.

And that's another topic. Topics. I've posted about the 'dark side' of Bible study before. (November 19, 2010)

Where was I?

Incense, Jeremiah, and getting a grip. Right.

Incense is Just Part of Mass

Incense isn't all there is to Mass - it's not even the most important part. And that's yet another topic. (Catechism, 1322-1419, for starters)

Incense, the way it's used during Mass, "is an expression of reverence and of prayer." It helps me stay focused on worship of my Lord.

Even if we don't have a shovel-stoked thurible at the parish church.

Vaguely-related posts:
Background:
1 What's Mary, mother of Jesus, got to do with Jeremiah?

Not all that much, really: but one of her titles is "Queen of Heaven."

And it says "queen of heaven" right there in Jeremiah 44:17.

Never mind that Mary wouldn't be born for about another six centuries when Jeremiah was around.
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Friday, December 17, 2010

Aerobic Worship

I didn't join the Catholic Church for my health.

Well, actually, I did: my spiritual health. And that's another topic.

On the other hand, going to Mass each Sunday may be just a tad healthier than going to weekly services at the Protestant church I grew up in.

It was just as well that the services only lasted about an hour - we didn't get to stand up and stretch all that often.

Going to Mass, now: That's a different story.

All that standing up, sitting down, standing up, kneeling, and walking up to receive my Lord? It's not quite 'light exercise,' but it sure isn't just sitting still, either.

Not-completely-unrelated posts:More, about Mass and the Eucharist: Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1322-1419
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Sunday, November 28, 2010

Oh, For the 'Good Old Days?'

Back in my 'good old days,' the late 1950s and the 1960s, cantankerous old coots who were around the age I am now sometimes bewailed the state of the world. Back in their day, apparently, all was right with the world. Children were all well-mannered, youth diligent in preparing for a hard-working adulthood, and - well, you get the picture.

Some of my 'good old days' were the sixties - and I am not going to get off-topic.

The point is, I think there's a tendency to think that there was a sort of 'golden age,' when folks were more sensible, and didn't question whatever a cantankerous old coot - like me? - doesn't want questioned.

I'd say that Eden was like that - but I've read about what went down there. (Genesis 3:24)

Like it says, a little over 20 books later:
"2But man himself begets mischief, as sparks fly upward."
(Job 5:7)

Cromwell: A Johnny-Come-Lately

The notion that a place of worship should have all the visual appeal of a packing crate's interior isn't anything new. The idea was around long before Oliver Cromwell smashed his way into English history. I've discussed the Lord Protector before. (November 19, 2010)

Where was I? Images. Places of Worship. Sensory deprivation as an aesthetic ideal. Right.

Dealing With Iconoclasts: Been There, Done That

St. John of Damascus' feast day is coming up December 4, I read in a CNA article. He's not one of the well-known Saints in this part of the world: Like St. Francis of Assisi, or Father Damien - now Saint Damien of Molokai. (May 11, 2010)

St. John of Damascus lived over a dozen centuries ago. An excerpt from today's CNA article:
"Arab Christian theologian to be celebrated Dec. 4"
CNA/Catholic News Agency (November 28, 2010)

"Catholics will remember and celebrate the life of the great Arab Church Father St. John of Damascus on Dec. 4.

"Eastern Orthodox Christians and Eastern Catholics, whose tradition has been particularly shaped by his insights, will celebrate the saint's feast on the same day as the Roman Catholic Church.

"Among Eastern Christians, St. John (676-749) is best known for his defense of Christian sacred art, particularly in the form of icons. While the churches of Rome and Constantinople were still united during St. John's life, the Byzantine Emperor Leo III broke radically from the ancient tradition of the church, charging that the veneration of Christian icons was a form of idolatry.

"John had grown up under Muslim rule in Damascus, as the child of strongly Christian parents. His excellent education - particularly in theology - prepared him well to defend the tradition of sacred iconography, against the heresy of the 'iconoclasts,' so-called because they would enter churches and destroy the images therein...."
(CNA)
It's possible that whoever smashed statues at the Mother Cabrini shrine (November 25, 2010) that he (or maybe she) was being the hammer of God, smashing heathen idols.

Come to think of it, Colorado was in the news last month, with religiously-inspired vandalism. ("Crowbar for Christ in Colorado?" (October 7, 2010)) And that's another topic. Almost.

Art and the Catholic Church: Statues, Yes; Idolatry, No

The Catholic Church has a word to say about practicing idolatry: Don't. (April 10, 2010)

We do not worship statues.

Another point: Just as all statues are not idols, not all idols are statues. (February 22, 2010)

The Catechism has a good definition of what idolatry is:
"...Idolatry consists in divinizing what is not God. Man commits idolatry whenever he honors and reveres a creature in place of God, whether this be gods or demons (for example, satanism), power, pleasure, race, ancestors, the state, money, etc...."
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2113)
The 'don't do idolatry' rule is important. So is art. The Catechism has a bit to say about what art is - and why we create it. (2501-2503, for starters)

Smashing Statues, Talking Sense

About 13 centuries ago, St. John of Damascus pointed out that sacred art is okay.

In a way, not all that much has changed. About four centuries back, Oliver Cromwell made a name for himself destroying statues - and people. Earlier this month, someone smashed statues in a Colorado shrine.

And, more to the point, the Catholic Church is still here, carrying out the orders we were given on that mountain in Galilee. (Matthew 28:16-20)

Related posts:In the news:
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Thursday, September 23, 2010

God's Creation: He Seems to Think Big

Writing a post in another blog (Apathetic Lemming of the North) had me researching flint tools and current estimates for the age of the universe. The post itself will show up tomorrow morning, and deals with an Air Force captain who says that space aliens are turning off our nuclear weapons and the government is covering it up.

I don't take his claims all that seriously: not because I think space aliens are Satanic, or the government can do no wrong. I have trouble buying the idea that people who travel between stars (minimum - 'they' could be from another space-time continuum) would be interested in shutting down our nuclear weapons.

That's where my research into flint came in.

Come to think of it, if the space aliens were meddlesome missionaries who were out to help us whether we wanted it or not - and that's another topic.

Checking out the age of the universe and some related matters, I had to wade through quite a lot of what's called 'creation science.' Some of it quite imaginative.

I Prefer Living in the Real World

Well, maybe Bishop Ussher was right.

Maybe God looks like Charleton Heston in the role of Moses.

Maybe we're living inside that "dome in the middle of the waters" and NASA is a Satanic plot to deceive the faithful. All that talk about orbits and landing on other planets. There's nothing about Olympus Mons in the Bible! That proves that NASA is lying!1 (If a person pushes the 'it's gotta be in the Bible' assumption to include phenomena some Bible-thumpers have accepted.)

I doubt it: but then, I also assume that airline pilots aren't agents of Satan. The flight paths some of them take would be hard to explain, if ancient Semitic cosmogony was spot-on literally accurate.

Still, it could be done. People can be very imaginative.

Besides, I'm a Catholic, and it's 'well known' how Catholics don't believe the right things and aren't allowed to read the Bible and stuff like that. (See "If Catholics aren't Supposed to Read the Bible, How Come We're Told to Read the Bible?" (May 31, 2010))

Why do I accept the idea that
  • Gregor Mendel and Copernicus weren't lying through their teeth?
  • Earth is roughly spherical?
  • Things change?
It's not because I don't think God exists.

God; the Universe; and Bayonne, New Jersey

It's because I think God exists, and that He created a world that is orderly. (Genesis 1:1-Genesis 2:4)

Sure: Genesis doesn't mention the alpha constant. It doesn't mention Bayonne, New Jersey, either. Or the continent that New Jersey is on.

That doesn't mean that North America doesn't exist.

The way I see it, God made us - and knows that we are able to work out some things on our own. Like how to make automobile engines and how rapidly objects fall.

I've Got a Brain: Maybe I'm Supposed to Use It

Do I think it's wrong to be interested in God's creation? No.

Do I think it's wrong to use our minds to study God's creation? No.

I also think it's not wrong to use our legs to move from one place to another: although God could, I'm sure, move us around if He wanted to. But He gave us legs: I don't think it's a great stretch of the imagination to think that He expects us to use them.

God Thinks Big: I'm Okay With That

Could I worship God if I lived in a dome that kept the waters from flooding the comparatively small patch of real estate I lived on? Sure. No problem.

There's a huge body of evidence indicating that the world isn't quite like that. Can I worship God in the world as we have reason to think it is today? Sure. No problem.

I might not have made creation quite this big, or this old: but I'm not God.

It looks like He's decided to make a world that is almost unimaginably vast. I am not going to tell the Lord of Hosts that He can't do that.

Related posts:
1 There's nothing about Olympus Mons in the Bible! True enough, but the 'it's not true if it's not in the Bible' argument isn't used all that much these days, or applied consistently.

For good reason: that line of reasoning, consistently applied, would require devout residents of New Jersey to believe that they live in a place that doesn't exist.
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Friday, April 9, 2010

Coming Up: Divine Mercy Sunday



That's not one of the familiar "Divine Mercy" images. It's the Merciful Jesus Carving that generally stands in a corner of St. Paul's church sanctuary here in Sauk Centre, Minnesota.

One of the guest posts in this blog was written by the man who sculpted the statue. (March 7, 2009) He wrote another homily, "The Divine Mercy: A Homily, Mercy Sunday 2002" (April 7, 2002), that's on the Brendan's Island Website.

Divine Mercy Sunday: April 11, 2010

I've written about Divine Mercy Sunday before. One thing that's special this year is a novena for Pope Benedict XVI that starts the day after tomorrow: Divine Mercy Sunday, April 11, 2010. I've written about that before, too. ("Novena for Pope Benedict XVI, April 11-19" (April 5, 2010))

A novena is a set of prayers said over a nine-day period. Wait: I've said that before, too.

Related posts:Divine Mercy devotion in Sauk Centre, Minnesota:More, from the Vatican:Other "Divine Mercy" Websites:
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Saturday, January 2, 2010

Working on Sunday: At Growing the Christian Interior Life

Holy days of obligation and servile work came up, briefly, in yesterday's post. (The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God: Yeah, It's Kind of a Big Deal)

Again, holy day of obligation is "a day when Catholics must attend Mass and refrain from servile work, and Episcopalians must take Communion" (holy day of obligation, Princeton's WordNet).

That's clear enough. (WordNet is a secular resource, by the way - and a pretty good online dictionary)

But what's "servile work?" That's a little more complicated:
"(submissive or fawning in attitude or behavior) 'spoke in a servile tone'; 'the incurably servile housekeeper'; 'servile tasks such as floor scrubbing and barn work'
"(relating to or involving slaves or appropriate for slaves or servants) 'Brown's attempt at servile insurrection'; 'the servile wars of Sicily'; 'servile work' "
(servile, Princeton's WordNet)
Going really literal, I could say that since I'm not a slave (my surname may mean "slave," but that's another topic), and I'm not particularly submissive in behavior, and don't work in a barn or scrub floors, I can work on Sundays.

I could say something like that, but I think that'd be missing the point.

Checking around, online, I get the idea that most people who use the term "servile work" assume that everybody else understands what it means. Or, maybe it's a term that's too rarely used to warrant much discussion. Either way, I didn't come up with anything that was from what I consider a reliable source.

"Working on Sunday:" That I found discussions of.

Why Sunday? Why Not Worship on the Sabbath?

Since I'm a Catholic, I recognize Saturday as the sabbath. And Sunday is the big day for worship each week.
"Jesus rose from the dead 'on the first day of the week.'104 Because it is the 'first day,' the day of Christ's Resurrection recalls the first creation. Because it is the "eighth day" following the sabbath,105 it symbolizes the new creation ushered in by Christ's Resurrection. For Christians it has become the first of all days, the first of all feasts, the Lord's Day (he kuriake hemera, dies dominica)-Sunday:
"We all gather on the day of the sun, for it is the first day [after the Jewish sabbath, but also the first day] when God, separating matter from darkness, made the world; and on this same day Jesus Christ our Savior rose from the dead.106"
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2174)
Which is why dates running down the left side of most calendars in this country are Sundays. It's the first day of the week.

Okay: That's why we have Mass on Sunday. Every other day of the week, too: but Sunday's is the one we're supposed to get to, if it's at all practical.

What's the score on "servile work" on Sunday?

Working on Sunday: The Catholic Church has Rules About That

One thing that American culture's stereotypes almost have right about Catholics is that we have rules. Lots of them. If you're looking for a church that preaches salvation through warm fuzzies and feeling spiritual, without a lot of practical restrictions on your behavior: This isn't it.

(I think it's a really good idea to get on board with the Catholic Church, but I can't 'make' you. And wouldn't try. My job is to deliver the message. What you do with it is your responsibility.)

As a Catholic, I recognize that there are - when you boil it all down - two rules:
"...You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind...." and "...The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.'..."
(excerpt from Matthew 22:36-40)
I suppose they're more 'principles' than 'rules.'

Applying those two basic principles to what people do 24/7/365 that makes for all the rules.

So, Catholics have a lot of rules to follow. I must be some kind of conformist, right?

Hardly. I've written about that before: "I'm Not Awed by Authority, I Don't Conform Easily: So I Became a Catholic?!" (September 19, 2009). I don't particularly like conforming to some leader's idea of what is and isn't appropriate. But when the leader is God, I think it's a good idea to follow.
Sunday, the Sabbath, and All That
A little more, about why Sunday is a big deal:
"Sunday is expressly distinguished from the sabbath which it follows chronologically every week; for Christians its ceremonial observance replaces that of the sabbath. In Christ's Passover, Sunday fulfills the spiritual truth of the Jewish sabbath and announces man's eternal rest in God. For worship under the Law prepared for the mystery of Christ, and what was done there prefigured some aspects of Christ:107
"Those who lived according to the old order of things have come to a new hope, no longer keeping the sabbath, but the Lord's Day, in which our life is blessed by him and by his death.108
"The celebration of Sunday observes the moral commandment inscribed by nature in the human heart to render to God an outward, visible, public, and regular worship 'as a sign of his universal beneficence to all.'109 Sunday worship fulfills the moral command of the Old Covenant, taking up its rhythm and spirit in the weekly celebration of the Creator and Redeemer of his people."
(Catechism, 2175, 2176)
So, what's that "outward, visible, public, and regular worship" of God? Going to church on Sunday is part of the picture, but there's more. Quite a lot more, actually: there's a lot more to that part of the catechism than these excerpts.
'Don't Work on Sunday' - Isn't that Kind of Negative?
The idea that we shouldn't do servile work on Sunday isn't as negative as it sounds. It isn't so much an instruction to not work, as it is an exhortation to make sure that the important work (in another sense of the word) gets done:
"Just as God 'rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done,'121 human life has a rhythm of work and rest. The institution of the Lord's Day helps everyone enjoy adequate rest and leisure to cultivate their familial, cultural, social, and religious lives.122

"On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are to refrain from engaging in work or activities that hinder the worship owed to God, the joy proper to the Lord's Day, the performance of the works of mercy, and the appropriate relaxation of mind and body.123 Family needs or important social service can legitimately excuse from the obligation of Sunday rest. The faithful should see to it that legitimate excuses do not lead to habits prejudicial to religion, family life, and health.
"The charity of truth seeks holy leisure; the necessity of charity accepts just work.124
"Those Christians who have leisure should be mindful of their brethren who have the same needs and the same rights, yet cannot rest from work because of poverty and misery. Sunday is traditionally consecrated by Christian piety to good works and humble service of the sick, the infirm, and the elderly. Christians will also sanctify Sunday by devoting time and care to their families and relatives, often difficult to do on other days of the week. Sunday is a time for reflection, silence, cultivation of the mind, and meditation which furthers the growth of the Christian interior life."
(Catechism, 2184-2186)
"Sunday is a time for reflection, silence, cultivation of the mind, and meditation which furthers the growth of the Christian interior life."

Has a sort of monastic feel, doesn't it? Pretty good advice, though.

I started this post to help me follow up on an impression I'd gotten yesterday, that I ought to review my Sunday habits and the idea of "servile work."

I haven't done "servile work" in one sense for a long time. I'm a writer and artist, so my work is mostly digging up information, sorting out ideas, and creating images. I love what I do. Which made it easy for me to let quite a bit of work spill over into Sunday.

Tracking down facts and arranging ideas didn't feel like "work," since it's something I like doing. And I'm not too worried about what I've done, since I see the myriad facets of creation as the work of God. I could rationalize that I've been 'reflecting' on God all the time, and just go ahead with business as usual.

That's probably not the best idea. Like I said, I'm not too worried: but I also think it's time for re-tooling my habits.

I've already been holding off writing the Sunday post for my Sauk Centre Journal until after sunset on Sunday. And, as of this week, I've gotten the three daily posts for another blog's Sunday quota written and programmed for posting Sunday morning.

But that's just 'not working:' making room for something more important.

I've put "Sunday is a time for reflection, silence, cultivation of the mind, and meditation which furthers the growth of the Christian interior life" on a sheet of paper and set it at (sitting) eye level, to the left of my desk.

That, alone, won't make a difference: but now I'll be reminded of what Sunday's about at fairly frequent intervals. And, I trust, see to it that I hang out with my family, reflect on the wonder and glory of God, and work at growing this Christian's interior life.


'Christian interior life' sheet, fresh from the printer. January 2, 2010.

Posts about work, rules, or whatever: More:
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Marian Apparition: Champion, Wisconsin

Background:Posts in this blog: In the news:

What's That Doing in a Nice Catholic Blog?

From time to time, a service that I use will display links to - odd - services and retailers.

I block a few of the more obvious dubious advertisers.

For example: psychic anything, numerology, mediums, and related practices are on the no-no list for Catholics. It has to do with the Church's stand on divination. I try to block those ads.

Sometime regrettable advertisements get through, anyway.

Bottom line? What that service displays reflects the local culture's norms, - not Catholic teaching.