Loyal Disrespect

"There are not many things which move me to anything like a personal contempt. I do not feel any contempt for an atheist, who is often a man limited and constrained by his own logic to a very sad simplification. I do not feel any contempt for a Bolshevist, who is a man driven to the same negative simplification by a revolt against very positive wrongs. But there is one type of person for whom I feel what I can only call contempt. And that is the popular propagandist of what he or she absurdly describes as Birth-Control...a child is the very sign and sacrament of personal freedom." (G.K. Chesterton, The Well and the Shallows)

I have thought rather long and deeply about this, before daring to put it into words. What I am saying in this post may come as a bit of a shock to some who read it, because in some sense it represents a bit of a "flip-flop" from a former position which I can no longer hold in honesty and integrity.

We often hear the phrase "My country, right or wrong," or "even if I didn't vote for him, he's my president," or other such non-statements. As Chesterton tells us, the man who says "My country, right or wrong," is saying as much as the man who says "My mother, drunk or sober." Of such silliness is the remark, "I respect the office, not the man."

Really? And, exactly how do you do that? For example, peering back in time, how would you advise a German citizen -- who happens to be Jewish--to respect the office of Fuhrer, but not the man; Hitler? Should he give the straight-arm salute? Should he be faithful in wearing his Star-of-David arm band? Please, tell me, how should he do this "respect the office" dance? I confess, that I no longer believe in such advice, and I will no longer give it.

I respect Responsible Leadership; but when the Fuhrer, or the President do not exercise Responsible Leadership, then I -- as a loyal citizen-- will not respect them; not even through the veneer of their office.

Now to my point. Barack Obama is pro-death. He is vigorously anti-life. His appointment of so-called "pro-choice Catholics" to a myriad of administration positions, and his appointment of "Catholic collaborators" to several others is a cynical attack on the Truths held and taught by the Holy Catholic Church. He believes in, and will fight to the death for a "fundamental right to abortion." That being the case, I don't care at all what his policies are on war, hunger, education, capital punishment, or anything else. I don't believe that he can be trusted on the key issue of the "fundamental right to life," therefore I believe he would lie and mislead with regard to any and all other issues. He is what he is, and I cannot trust him; I will not.

I am tired of this whole "work together on the issues we agree on" approach. Somehow, I have this idea stuck in my head that abortion really IS child-killing; that every abortion really DOES end in homicide. So, how--in God's Name--do I agree, for even a moment, to set that "issue" aside, and work on "other issues on which we agree?" To do that, means to set aside the child-killing "issue," WHILE IT CONTINUES TO GO ON, so we can talk about "other things." Someone tell me, please, which children who will be killed (while we talk about other things) are so expendable?

Would we sit down with a serial killer, setting aside the fact that he's going to continue killing, and work together on other issues we agree on? Would we sit down with a habitual rapist, setting aside the fact that he's going to continue raping, and talk about areas where we can cooperate? Would we sit down with Hitler, setting aside the holocaust, and talk about the value of a disciplined military? Does anyone get it?

Somehow, I cannot imagine a Knight giving respect to a nave who slays children--nor to a "lord" who orders or condones such slaying. In fact, we would expect the Knight to defend the defenseless.

I cannot respect both Life, and the forces aligned against it. And I will no longer pretend to do so.

A Living Sacrifice

"I BESEECH you therefore, brethren, by the mercy of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing unto God, your reasonable service." (Romans 12:1)

Due in large part to some of the things I have been reading of late (The Compleat Gentleman, The Parish Priest, A Civilization of Love, What's Wrong with the World, and Apologia Pro Vita Sua), I have been having wild, chivalrous thoughts running about in my head and heart.

I have been, until recently, at a loss as to how best to express these. Then, while preparing a class on the 9th and 10th chapters of St. Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews, something akin to a spiritual thunderclap caught my attention! In verses 5-7, St. Paul quotes Psalm 39:7-8, "Sacrifices and offerings You have not desired, but a body have You prepared for Me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings You have taken no pleasure. Then I said, 'Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God."

At the very same time as I was reading these words, my thoughts went to Romans 12:1, "I BESEECH you therefore, brethren, by the mercy of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing unto God, your reasonable service."

I now know exactly the one word to express what has been swirling around inside of me: Sacrifice! Sacrifice in the sense in which it is described and called for in these two Pauline texts (and elsewhere).

According to the Word of God, our "reasonable service" is our presenting of our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God!

Living Sacrifices! This means that I am to "do" this while I yet live. The heroism, chivalry, knighthood, and discipleship to which I am called is one built of many seemingly small, "insignificant" acts in which I sacrifice my human will and body in a manner which is holy and pleasing to God.

These so-called "small, insignificant" acts of the will, have huge spiritual significance. It is by these heroic deeds, often unseen, that I may faithfully fulfill my role in the Great Battle between Good and Evil. Daily, by my submission to the will of God, I engage the forces of darkness--and participate in the eternal victory of Christ the King--our Sovereign High Priest.

The message for me, in all of this, is that there really are no "small, insignificant" deeds. Everything has consequences. The life of the Catholic Christian is not some sort of card game, where you get a certain number of wild-cards; "freebies," that you can do with what you wish, and not have it count against you. There are no "free passes." Every choice, every decision, every thought, word, and deed carry with them spiritual significance. In each of these, I let it be known for Whom I stand; to Whom I submit, and in Whose service I am engaged.

As the Lord has spoken through the prophet Jeremiah, and again through St. Paul, He has put His laws on our hearts, and has written them on our minds. This being so, there must be a reason--a purpose. I believe the purpose is this: That we present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God; our reasonable service.

Vivat Iesus!

"Haec est fides catholica; quam nisi quisque fideliter firmiterque crediderit, salvus esse non poterit."

"This is the catholic faith. One cannot be saved without believing this firmly and faithfully."

On this Monday after Trinity Sunday, I find myself reflecting on the many near-heresies I have heard in reference to the Most Holy Trinity. In my experience, most homilies on this Great Solemnity are fine right up to--and including--the statement "The mystery of the Holy Trinity, briefly stated, is that there are three divine persons in One God." The majority of homilists would do well to stop there, and go on to talk about the weather, gardening, and the beauty of the coming summer season.

Unfortunately, most go on to attempt some sort of explanation of the mystery. Most often, this unwise venture leads to some form of functional assignment of various Godly attributes to certain of the members of the Trinity. We all know where this goes: Creator, Redeemer, Sanctifier. Usually, by this point of these would-be homilies, I have either tuned out mentally, or actually removed myself quietly from the assembly.

The assignment of particular God duties to certain persons of the Trinity is heretical, in that it implies a separateness that cannot abide within the Holy Trinity. While "Enquiring minds" do indeed "want to know," some things simply cannot be explained; hence The Mystery of the Most Holy Trinity.

The difficulty in comprehending the Trinity is legendary. A story about St. Augustine comes to mind:

St. Augustine, studied the mystery of the Holy Trinity and although he was at his wits' end, he still could not comprehend it. One day he was walking on the sandy beach by the ocean. There churned in his mind the mystery of the Holy Trinity. He was talking to himself: "One God, but three Persons. Three Persons--not three Gods but one God. What does it mean? How can it be explained? How can my mind take it in?" And so he was torturing his mind and beating his brains out, when he saw a little boy on the beach. He approached him to see what he was doing.

The child had dug a small hole in the sand. With his little hands he was carrying water from the ocean and was dumping it in the little hole. St. Augustine asked, "What are you doing, my child?" The child replied, "I want to put all of the water of the ocean into this hole." Once more St. Augustine asked, "But is it possible for all of the water of this great ocean to be contained in this little hole?" And the child asked him in return, "If the water of the ocean cannot be contained in this little hole, then how can the Infinite Trinitarian God be contained in your mind?"

Perhaps this is why the Church has long had the tradition of offering the Athanasian Creed for our consideration on this Great Solemnity.

I close today's post by offering it for yours:

"Whosoever will be saved,
before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic Faith.
Which Faith except everyone do keep whole and undefiled,
without doubt he shall perish everlastingly.

And the Catholic Faith is this:
That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity,
neither confounding the Persons,
nor dividing the Substance. For there is one Person of the Father,
another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost.
But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost, is all one, the Glory equal, the Majesty co-eternal.
Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost.

The Father uncreate, the Son uncreate, and the Holy Ghost uncreate.
The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible,
and the Holy Ghost incomprehensible.
The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Ghost eternal.

And yet they are not three eternals, but one eternal.
As also there are not three incomprehensibles, nor three uncreated,
but one uncreated, and one incomprehensible.

So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty,
and the Holy Ghost Almighty. And yet they are not three
Almighties, but one Almighty.

So the Father is God, the Son is God,
and the Holy Ghost is God.
And yet they are not three Gods, but one God.
So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord,
and the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not three Lords, but one Lord.

For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge
every Person by himself to be both God and Lord,
So are we forbidden by the Catholic Religion to say,
There be three Gods, or three Lords.
The Father is made of none, neither created, nor begotten.
The Son is of the Father alone, not made, nor created, but begotten.
The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son,
neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding.

So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons;
one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts.
And in this Trinity none is afore, or after other;
none is greater, or less than another; But the whole three Persons
are co-eternal together and co-equal.
So that in all things, as is aforesaid,
the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped.
He therefore that will be saved is must think thus of the Trinity.

Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation that he also
believe rightly the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess,
that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man;
God, of the substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds;
and Man of the substance of his Mother, born in the world;
Perfect God and perfect Man,
of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting.

Equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead; and inferior to the
Father, as touching his manhood; Who, although he be God and Man,
yet he is not two, but one Christ;
One, not by conversion of the Godhead
into flesh but by taking of the Manhood into God;
One altogether; not by confusion of Substance,
but by unity of Person. For as the reasonable soul
and flesh is one man, so God and Man is one Christ;
Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell,
rose again the third day from the dead.
He ascended into heaven, he sitteth at the right hand of the Father,
God Almighty, from whence he will come
to judge the quick and the dead.
At whose coming all men will rise again with their bodies
and shall give account for their own works.
And they that have done good shall go into life
everlasting; and they that have done evil into everlasting fire.

This is the Catholic Faith, which except a man believe faithfully,
he cannot be saved."

...in montem sanctum tuum et in tabernacula tua

"From the beginning man has offered sacrifices in fulfillment of his obligations to God. Under the Old Law, sacrifices were divinely prescribed and regulated. At the temple in Jerusalem, smoke rose daily from the holocausts, and the blood of victims crimsoned the stones of the great altar. These sacrifices--pleasing as they were to God--were but types and figures of the one great sacrifice to come -- that of Calvary...

The Sacrifice of the Mass and that of Calvary are the same sacrifice, the 'one oblation,' because the Priest and Victim are the same -- Jesus Christ. The only difference is that on Calvary Christ offered Himself in a bloody manner; in the Mass He offers Himself in an unbloody manner...

When we participate...in the offering of Mass, we shall find that the cataracts of the deep are opened and the heavens rain down showers of grace. We shall find fountains of the merits of Christ pour their floods of benediction over our souls, that Christ, lifted up as on Calvary, draws our hearts to Himself."
(Rev. Ralph Gorman, C.P., Editor of The Sign, Preface to "The New Marian Missal," 1950)


One could never seriously write the above words as a description of a protestant communion service. These words of Fr. Gorman make no sense whatever unless applied to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass; the liturgical and sacramental crown jewel of the Catholic Church.

How many of us stop to think about what the Mass "really is?" For this present discussion I don't really care if you're a "modern Mass Catholic," or a "TLM Catholic," I only care that you are a Catholic, loyal to the Holy Father -- Pope Benedict XVI.

That being established, I ask again, how many of us really stop to think about what the Mass really is?

I once heard a story of a Muslim fellow who said to a priest, "If I believed what you claim to believe about the Mass, I would fall on my face and not dare to look up until I was dismissed."

Think about that! If that Muslim believed that the Mass was the essential re-presentation of the sacrifice on Calvary of the Son of God to His Father for the redemption of sinners, AND that the consecration of the bread and wine changed them into the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ--True God and True Man, he would fall on his face and not dare to look up until he was dismissed!

And we? Many of us sit like bums at a bus station, reading our bulletins and talking with those around us. Some of us even bring toys for our children to play with in the pews -- so they run no risk of boredom (and no risk of learning obedience).

What DO we really believe about the Mass? Make no mistake; our "operative belief" will show in our chosen attitude and actions.

What does my attitude say about what I believe? What do my actions say? Am I conscious of going "unto the altar of God"...unto His holy mount, and into His tabernacles?

That IS what the Mass IS. We either honor God or blaspheme Him every time we dare to be present at the Holy Sacrifice.

Now, to me, THAT's a sobering thought.

"Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa..."