Monday, November 19, 2007

Unquestionable Evil

There is no doubt that our society is in some serious trouble. One needs look no further than out the front door to see just how far our society has fallen. What has driven our society to turn so far from God and from good? While all evil—great and small—separates us from God’s love, one in particular evil that has permitted our society to deteriorate is relativism. This philosophy, which centers on the idea that what is true for you may not be true for me, is not only contrary to natural law, but is a sure way to destruction and despair.

It is often said that Satan’s greatest trick is to convince someone that he does not exist. This is exactly what happens when someone falls into the trap of relativism. When one says, “What is true for you is not necessarily true for me,” what he is really saying goes a lot deeper: “What you consider sin is not what I consider sin.” Relativism is thus a direct rejection of the existence of the supernatural world that surrounds us in which evil tempts us. Since temptation does not exist by the standards of relativism, the role of Satan in the world becomes illogical. Consequently, the power of evil is diluted. And, when we as a society dilute the power of Satan, we dilute the power of God.

In the relativistic line of thought each individual person becomes the final judge of right and wrong—each individual becomes an equivalent of God. See how fatal relativism then becomes? At first what starts so seemingly innocent—“What is true for you may not be necessarily true for me”—soon becomes a mortal sin—“I decide what is right and wrong; I am the judge of good and evil.” Relativism is a perverted and convoluted form of rejecting the supremacy of God.

It is for this reason that relativism is in direct conflict with natural law. Each man has it written on his heart what is right and what is wrong. God has graced each man with the same innate sense of good and evil. When one tries to apply his own sense of right and wrong, he rejects the natural law engraved upon his soul. Nothing is more unnatural for man than to attempt to be the judge of right and wrong.

In doing so, man assures his own destruction. Though a man may tell himself countless times that a sin is not really evil, he will still feel the pang of guilt for that sin. This is because sin goes deeper than the flesh, deeper than the mind. Since the mind cannot conquer the soul, it is impossible for a man to feel completely guiltless when he sins, even if in his mind he is convinced that his actions are not sinful. In this manner, relativism causes a tremendous buildup of guilt that leads to destruction of the person. This accumulation of guilt either calluses the soul or it causes a person to indefinitely wallow in their remorse. Both affects create a slippery slope into the eternal despair of hell.

By submitting to the philosophy of relativism one embarks down a dangerous road. What starts as a simple line of thought soon ends in utter destruction and despair. In its completely unnatural ways, relativism rejects the existence of evil in the world. Moreover, it diminishes the power of God as the Supreme Judge. It hardens the hearts of men or causes them to dwell in a state of grief and guilt. The longer that our society continues to deem relativism as an acceptable philosophy the farther into sin we cast ourselves. We need to acknowledge that there is a definite set of morals and ethics that governs our world and we must not hesitate in holding ourselves accountable to these natural laws.

Sunday, November 4, 2007

Beyond Flirtation

The pose: Arms crossed, head tilted back, shoulder casually leaning against the wall, one leg over the other in a relaxed position. The expression: Eyes sparkling, smile aglow, eyebrows raised. The conversation: Random discussion about school, extra-curricular activities, friends and family. The train of thought: Wow! This person is amazing! What can I do to get this person to like me?

We have all been there before. We have all been enjoying ourselves at a party or conducting a meeting, trying to stay focused in class or simply hanging out with friends and in walks an attractive person. Before we know it, we find ourselves abandoning logic and coherency, submitting ourselves to the dangers of flirtation.

Flirtation is any and all behavior intended to attract the attention of the opposite sex with intentions other than friendship. That definition will suffice for now and there is nothing inherently wrong with flirtation in this sense. Imagine if no one ever sought to attract the attention of the opposite sex beyond friendship. Humanity would cease to exist since all romantic relationships would never form. In this sense, flirtation is essential.

Regretfully we have lost this pure form of flirtation. Rather, in today’s world there is a lurking danger that all too often masquerades as flirtation. It is that type of behavior described at the beginning of this paper. The most perilous part being those thoughts that flail about our distracted mind: “What can I do to will make this person like me?”

hough this idea is seemingly innocent, nothing can be more to a fatal to any relationship. "The hearts of many are taken captive, and intertwined with one another in vain and foolish affection, having no root but frivolous intercourse…And although these foolish love-passages usually end in carnal pleasures and vile lusts, such is not the original intention of those who practice them, else they would no longer be flirtatious, but manifest impurities." St. Francis de Sales makes a very good observation here. Flirtation begins with innocent, almost noble intentions. None of us explicitly intend to put our relationships in mortal danger when we question what might make us attractive to someone of the opposite sex. Yet, more often than not, we allow our hearts and minds to be poisoned by the obsessive pursuit of making ourselves attractive to the opposite sex. We soon find our relationships rooted in the shallow, rocky soil of self-gratifying indulgence of the flesh.

This form of flirtation is not only wrong, but it violates natural law. At the heart of this violation is the degradation of our intrinsic worth as human beings. When we allow our thoughts to obsess over making ourselves attractive to the opposite sex, we strip ourselves of our priceless nature. We end up marketing ourselves as a desirable product, soliciting ourselves as an enticing, “must-have” good. We spend hours being consumed by our outward appearance, sprucing up our bodies into a marketable package.

Not only is this detrimental to the body (which soon becomes so stressed and fatigued with this constant strain that it begins to fail in its essential functions), but it completely ignores the spiritual aspect of our humanity. Pretty wrapping paper and a big, beautiful bow mean nothing on a present if all they decorate is a sludgy, stained gift.

In flirting, we must be more concerned about our souls as we are about our bodies. As much time as we spend in front of the mirror making ourselves outwardly attractive we must spend several times more in front of the Blessed Sacrament preparing our souls to be at point where we might even consider pursuing a deeper relationship with a member of the opposite sex.

This is not only desirable, but essential. God intended relationships between man and woman to be conducive to His love. Flirtatious behavior is naturally meant to be an exploration of mutual love with another person—not separate from God’s love but in complete union with God who is love. In its purest sense, flirting is a great gift used to discern a vocation to the grandeur of God’s love through shared love with another. When we reduce ourselves to creatures comprised solely of body and mind it becomes impossible to unite ourselves to God. It is in first seeking God with our entire being—mind, body, and soul—that we are able to come to a point where we can entrust ourselves with another’s soul.

That is essentially what romantic love is. The two become one and that one soul must find a way to heaven. In love, we take on the responsibility of ensuring that both parts of the one soul attain eternal life. So even the original definition this paper offers is wrong. Flirting is not simply about drawing the attention of the opposite sex with the intention of a relationship beyond friendship. It is about the discernment of a relationship with the potential of eternal and absolute unity of body and soul. Flirting must from the start seek and keep at its heart God who is love. With this solid foundation love can freely develop into a complete submission to God’s will, climaxing in the union of three—a man, a woman, and God.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

"Behold His Reward is Before Him"

It is not a hard task to draw connections between the Old and New Testaments for God destined that we receive His Living Word, whole and complete, devoid of fragmentation. For this reason, the Old and New Testaments often directly collate to one another. One such example is the prophecy of Isaiah 61-62 and the revelation of the Son of Man at the wedding at Cana in the Gospel of John.

“Behold, the Lord has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold your salvation comes; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him’” (Isaiah 62:11). At the wedding at Cana this prophecy is limitedly fulfilled. For centuries the Lord had promised His people a savior. From the first moments of our fall into sin, God has “proclaimed to the end of the earth” that He will save us from our sin. He had promised to send us our Savior and Messiah to redeem the world. It is at the wedding at Cana that Jesus first reveals Himself to the entire people of Israel. The beauty of the miracle at Cana is that without using words Jesus reveals the miraculous power He possesses as the Savior. At the wedding at Cana, however, Jesus does not reveal His true saving power. This is saved for the moment of our salvation on the morning of the Resurrection. Rather, the wedding at Cana is a foreshadowing of Christ’s Passion and Resurrection.

In their human limitedness, the disciples at Cana (see John 2:2) believe that their messiah will be a man of great power, someone to set them free of their earthly oppressors—the Romans. They think that if Jesus is to reveal Himself in a miracle then their enemies will be terrified at the power He possesses. They fail to realize that the true reward is with him. Thus when Mary approaches Jesus and asks Him to resolve the problem of the wine run dry, the disciples must have been excited. They must have thought to themselves, “Here is our chance to show those Romans that our God is with us. Just wait until they see what he can do.” To the disciples it must have looked like the opportunity to reveal their secret weapon had at long last come. It is for this reason that Jesus responds, “O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” In addressing Mary as “woman,” He universalizes the statement and extends it to the entire crowd. In her grace, however, Mary knows that a miracle at Cana would not be a revelation of the true saving power that her son possesses. In her faith, she tells the servants to listen to what Jesus has to say and follow accordingly. In the events that follow, Jesus uses the miracle at Cana as an example to His disciples of what His true saving power will be.

In the context of the Old Testament, it is easy to make the assumption that the savior will give plenty of rewards—earthly treasures and blessings—to those who believe in Him. This is how the disciples at Cana read the Old Testament passage from Isaiah. With the New Testament, we can see that this is not what is means. The miracle at Cana shows that the true reward and recompense for our sins is before Christ always—until His death. The true reward and recompense is that through the Passion and Resurrection we reap the benefits of Christ’s suffering. Like water poured into jars of purification (John 2:6), through Christ we are transformed into new and superior wine, ready to be served to the bridegroom (see Isaiah 62:5). In this context, Isaiah 62:11 is fulfilled in its entirety, for “behold his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.”

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Spiritual Direction

I find it amazing how in tune to our lives God is. He always knows what we need and sends it to us at just the right moment. While there are several examples of this in my life, one stands out above the rest. About sixteen months ago God sent me a spiritual director and a friend that has molded me into a better person. This man, Deacon Jim Pearce, put my life into perspective and, ultimately, brought me closer to God.

I met Deacon Jim when he was temporarily assigned to our parish while his wife finished her residency at a local hospital. It was the summer prior to my senior year of high school. I was at a point in my life when I was unsure about a lot of things, especially where my life was headed after high school. In this time of conflict and anxiety God sent me a much needed blessing. As we began to meet biweekly, Deacon Jim helped me come to the realization that the main cause of stress and fear in my life came from my inability to let God be God. I remember one meeting in particular that will always remain with me, especially in those times when I am afraid to consecrate myself completely to God.

This particular meeting happened to be over ice cream on a cold November day when I had recently returned home from visiting a college that I had been considering. I enthusiastically told him about my visit and how I knew that this college was where God was calling me to be. I then went into this long-winded speech about all the potential problems that lurked in the future were I to commit myself to attending this school. I complained about the distance it was from my family and friends; I fretted over the price of tuition and room and other fees; I demurred that the school was new and did not have a well established reputation, let alone that it was not yet accredited. As I listed off all my objections, he started to smile. The more I complained, the bigger his smile got. When I had finally finished he looked at me with that great big smile of his and said, “Since when do you think you get to play God, Neil?”

I had no idea what he was talking about. Never in my life had I presumed that I was God. I was definitely not assuming that I was God at that moment. The expression on my face must have told him that I was puzzled because he asked again, “Since when do you think you get to play God, Neil?” The question still boggled my mind. So, he went on to explain one of the most important lessons of my life. Deacon Jim reminded me that at the beginning of our conversation that day I had said something very essential to the point he was trying to make. More than this, though, I had believed what I had said: God was calling me to this school. It was His plan that I attend college there and nowhere else. I agreed with him and reaffirmed my belief in this.

“Then why are you trying to play God and figure out all the details?” I finally began to catch on to what Deacon Jim was getting at. With the help of my spiritual director, I came to the realization that my only worry in life should be conforming my will to the will of my Heavenly Father. Through prayer and careful consideration I had already discerned my vocation to go to this university. However, rather than surrender to God and let Him make it a reality I was intent on staying in control. In the process of retaining freedom in my life I became a slave to my worries and fear. Only in finally giving God control of the anxieties and daunting challenges that lay ahead did I gain the greatest freedom—full conformation to God’s will.

Had Deacon Jim not asked that question, I would never have made it here to JP Catholic. The days leading up to my departure for college would have overwhelmed me. In the end, my doubts and uncertainties would have left me hopeless and in despair. However, God placed Deacon Jim in my life. Because of him, I have had the courage to wake up every morning and surrender myself to the will of God. Because of him, I have gained the greatest freedom of all.

Monday, October 8, 2007

God Himself as a Lamb for the Burnt Offering

From the moment of our creation God has destined us for salvation through His Son and, consequently, through Himself. God has thus shaped and formed every moment of history to cultivate in our minds the climax of His Salvation. In this manner, every chapter, verse, word, and letter of the Old Testament is essential to our understanding of Christ’s sacrifice at Calvary. As Saint Augustine once said, “The New Testament is concealed in the Old Testament and the Old Testament is revealed in the New Testament.” While the entire Old Testament is vital to our understanding of the New Testament, one particular parallel of Christ’s sacrifice is Genesis 22.

The story of Genesis 22 is one familiar to most Christians as a parallel for Christ’s passion. From the second verse we see phrases that are found in the New Testament. The parallels continue to develop as the passage moves along. Isaac wanders with his father and two other men for three days before reaching the place destined for his sacrifice (Genesis 22:4). Then, his father lays on him the wood upon which he will be sacrificed once the mountain in the land of Moriah has been climbed (Genesis 22:6). Upon reaching the mountain, Isaac allows himself to be bound as he freely submits to his father's will (Genesis 22:9). However, the real story of Genesis 22 more than just parallels the passion of Christ. Rather, it foretells of it in a very real manner.

In this entire passage, one verse in particular, Genesis 22:8, must be given special attention. In the Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition the verse is translated as “Abraham said. ‘God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.’ So they went both of them together.” This verse is the climax of the passage, especially in the structure and diction of the statement.

It is very important that this verse reads the way it does. Abraham does not say “God will give us a sacrifice,” nor does he say “God will find us a sacrifice when the time is right.” Abraham says very explicitly “God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” Abraham foreshadows that God will give Himself for the sacrifice. It is not that God will give someone else in His stead for the sacrifice. It is not that God will search through history and find someone suitable enough to be given up for the salvation of the world. Even forty-two generations prior to Christ, God, through Abraham, tells us that it will be Him that saves us.

The other essential foreshadow of this verse is the fact that God will sacrifice Himself as a “lamb for the burnt offering.” This foreshadow speaks of the severity of the sacrifice that God will have to endure for us; a lamb will endure the fire to save us. In fact, Christ did this for us. As a pure, innocent, and unblemished lamb He endured the fires of hell in our place. In addition to bearing the pain of the cross, He took upon Himself every sin of every man and suffered the punishment that should rightfully be ours. God provided Himself as the Lamb to be our burnt offering.

It is not surprising that Genesis 22 correlates so well to the passion of Christ. It is in reading the Old Testament in light of the New Testament that passages such as Genesis 22 are revealed in their full glory. It is in reading the Old Testament in light of the New Testament that we see God’s divine plan for our salvation stretch throughout all time and all history.