Their "faith" on full display

Kentucky woman ordained as priest in defiance of Roman Catholic Church: "Proponents of a female priesthood said Jesus was acting only according to the customs of his time."

So, let's get this straight, they are Christian, maybe even self-identify as Catholics.  So one of their core beliefs that we both agree on is that Jesus Christ was God incarnate.  He was crucified because He upset the authorities of the era, confronting them with Truth.  Revealing to us His plan.  But, the Son of God, Creator of the Universe, Jesus Christ only acted according to the customs of the time?

Right.

You are a faker.  You don't truly believe in Christ.  You believe in yourself and your right to define God.

Pro-life, obscenity and self-censoring...

Over the last day a few stories have caught my eye and caused me to spend a lot of time contemplating the conflicting thoughts in the minds of those that are pro-choice and questioning if there is a bit of hypocrisy in my own mind or the minds of some pro-life missionaries.  It's some complex thinking so, this is a rather lengthy post, but I think it is well worth discussing...

Talking to atheists can be quite frustrating

Stacy Trascanos hit the nail on the head in her post "What If I Denied the Existence of Science".

Another frustration presented in a similar manner might go something like this:

I ask a mathematician, "Teach me how to solve differential equations."

Mathematician gives me a long lesson and while demonstrating how to solve a problem I interrupt, "No that's wrong. I don't believe 1+1=2, I think it is zero."

The mathematician says, "No, calculus is based on fundamental arithmetic and standard decimal arithmetic includes the understanding that 1+1=2."

I say, "No, I say it doesn't.  So, explain how to solve that differential equation with the obvious understanding that 1+1=0."

She responds, "If you don't believe 1+1=2 and won't just accept that as a given fact for the sake of my explaining how to solve this problem I can't help you understand Calculus."

I say, "Oh sure, that's how all you mathematicians are.  You won't explain things to us non-mathematicians without using your rules and terminology.  That just proves your system is a bunch of made-up stuff."

Yep, substitute some dogma or doctrine of faith for Calculus and God for the base assumption of 1+1=2 and you have a lot of conversations I have with atheists.

Look, I don't mind talking to an atheist.  We can have meaningful exchanges about the existence or non-existence of God.  We may even be able to slide into a discussion of the nature of God.  But, if you want to talk dogma, doctrine, Tradition, practice and other elements of faith that are contingent on the existence of God and you won't just concede that point for the sake of discussion, it's as fruitless as teaching Calculus to someone that insists 1+1=0.

"Some days are better than others"

Our hope rests in the Lord.  It isn't a promise that each day off this life will be happy, it isn't a promise of daily pleasure.  Jesus didn't tell us it would be easy or that by believing in Him all our troubles or sorrows would vanish.  He told us the journey would be hard, he told us we needed to pick up our crosses and suffer with him, he promised us that those who would suffer or sacrifice, those that would show mercy and be peacemakers, those that would put God first, trust in Him, live like Him, love like Him would remain in Him forever.  There will be eternal joy, happiness, and love, what is promised is beyond our comprehension, but the suffering and sorrow is also part of the promise.  He isn't asking us to endure anything He wasn't willing to endure too.  And He didn't just suffer one day in Jerusalem, He gave up everything for 33 years, imagine choosing poverty for 33 years over a life of riches beyond measure, that is sacrifice. He also suffers with us daily, "Saul why do you persecute me?" 
But our hope is in His promise of what the Father has in store for us when we return home.  When we choose to return to His home and stop trying to deny or Father His place in our lives we can be assured that the prodigal son's welcome home was nothing compared to the welcome we will receive.

Some days are better than others, but the greatest days are the eternal ones that are promised to those obedient enough to take up their crosses and make the walk home.

Anger, Hatred and Irrational Rage

Anger, Hatred and Irrational Rage

I can't add anything worthwhile to Fr. Longenecker's commentary...

Fundamentalist Etymologies

An insightful article regarding the supposed pagan origins of the Catholic faith.

Read it for plenty of good explanations, but to summarize:  Just because we still call it Thursday doesn't make us all worshipers of the Norse god.

On the Road to Emmaus

Today's Gospel was Luke 24:13-35, the story of the disciples meeting the risen Christ on the road to Emmaus.  It got me thinking about my spiritual journey through the past several years of trial and suffering how early on depression, anger, and negative emotions were common, long lasting, hard to shake and how infrequently I fight depression or dwell on the negative now.  How the way I deal with things and the way I am more joyful now than many think there is reason for me to be...  How there are still times where I do get caught up on the things that are wrong or feeling depressed or self-pity or other negative emotions and how I try to pull myself from them, with varying degrees of success versus what actually has caused lasting change or what really does give me hope and the ability to be joyful and to accept God's plan...  And how it was right there in today's Gospel, it was the reason I got up and left my desk to be at Mass at 12:05 instead of at the burger place across the street eating lunch...