March wind blows, virile
fights man and kite for control
taut string burns the palms
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Enamoured with the Dung
Phillipians 3:8
"Furthermore I count all things to be but loss for the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but as dung, that I may gain Christ: "
or, if I may paraphrase, in faux scottish brogue, "If it's not about Christ, it's crap!"
And the copious piles of it are blotting out the rest of the horizon. Political bickering, duplicitous posturing, griping about war and illusions of peace. It's all dung. So why are we so entranced by it?
Heretics, pushing theology-wrapped dung, have been all the news this week, along with some signs of episcopal vertebrae in dealing with the heresies. Part of what makes the heresies so dangerous to the faithful and faithless alike, is the episcopal action, or inaction, and the viewers' perceptions of it. In the Maguire case, there are many orthodox believers that think that the USCCB's denunciation was both late and tepid, and many liberal believers that may take offense at the same denunciation. No one is satisfied, and both sides' view of the Church is dimmed that much further.
It's a literally no-win situation. All a heretic has to do is push, and they win, knowing that any counteraction, or inaction, will further diminish the reputation of the Church.
Pray for our bishops, that they will stand up for the true Gospel, regardless of the cost. Pray for the heretics, that they can learn humility and obedience. And pray for the audience, that we can love the Church beyond the players on the stage before us.
"Furthermore I count all things to be but loss for the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but as dung, that I may gain Christ: "
or, if I may paraphrase, in faux scottish brogue, "If it's not about Christ, it's crap!"
And the copious piles of it are blotting out the rest of the horizon. Political bickering, duplicitous posturing, griping about war and illusions of peace. It's all dung. So why are we so entranced by it?
Heretics, pushing theology-wrapped dung, have been all the news this week, along with some signs of episcopal vertebrae in dealing with the heresies. Part of what makes the heresies so dangerous to the faithful and faithless alike, is the episcopal action, or inaction, and the viewers' perceptions of it. In the Maguire case, there are many orthodox believers that think that the USCCB's denunciation was both late and tepid, and many liberal believers that may take offense at the same denunciation. No one is satisfied, and both sides' view of the Church is dimmed that much further.
It's a literally no-win situation. All a heretic has to do is push, and they win, knowing that any counteraction, or inaction, will further diminish the reputation of the Church.
Pray for our bishops, that they will stand up for the true Gospel, regardless of the cost. Pray for the heretics, that they can learn humility and obedience. And pray for the audience, that we can love the Church beyond the players on the stage before us.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
I'm Not Dead (yet)
Jimbob's been fairly busy, despite Diogenes' opinion. I've been working hard at work, and at school, and with a basement remodel, and other projects.
My penance has been with mixed results; as sincerely penitent as I can be, I am still too self-indulgent in many respects. Pray for me. During Mass this morning, the priest exhorted us to not be disheartened by our failures, but to remain hopeful in Christ's mercy.
itaque qui se existimat stare videat ne cadat
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You, because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.
My penance has been with mixed results; as sincerely penitent as I can be, I am still too self-indulgent in many respects. Pray for me. During Mass this morning, the priest exhorted us to not be disheartened by our failures, but to remain hopeful in Christ's mercy.
itaque qui se existimat stare videat ne cadat
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You, because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.
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