All glory alone belongs to Jesus Christ our savior, our heavenly Father, Creator, and the Holy Spirit, sanctifier: the Holy Trinity and undivided unity, our beloved Lord!
God fulfilled his promise to Adam and Eve (see Gen. 3:15)! Through the offspring of the "Woman," Jesus Christ, Son of Mary, Satan , death and hell have all been defeated! Turn to Jesus Christ our Lord, through Mary, the "New Eve" and be transformed!
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Catholic Evangelization Society
michaelr
Opinion Editorial Page
Lent, 2010
Free Yourself NOW from Deadly (Mortal) Sin
With regard to gravity, the Roman Catholic Church has always taught that there are two divisions of sin: mortal or deadly sin and venial (see 1John 5:16). We must commit ourselves to live in a state of grace - free from mortal or deadly sin - for without this freedom our good works are meaningless and our soul is foul and dwells in darkness. Consider St. Teresa of Avila's thoughts on the subject of mortal sin:
"...I want you to consider what will be the state of this castle, (each human soul) so beautiful and resplendant, this orient pearl, this tree of life...when the soul falls into mortal sin. No thicker darkness exists, and there is nothing dark and black which is not much less so than this...While in a state like this the soul will find profit in nothing; and hence, being it is in mortal sin, none of the good works it may do will be of avail to win it glory; for they will not have their origin in that First Principle, which is God, through whom alone our virtue is true virtue. And since this soul has separated itself from Him, it cannot be pleasing in His eyes...I know a person to whom our Lord wished to show what a soul was like when it committed mortal sin. That person says that, if people could understand this, she thinks they would find it impossible to sin at all, and, rather than meet occasions of sin, would put themselves to the greatest trouble imagineable. So she was very anxious that everyone should realize this. May you be no less anxious, daughters, to pray earnestly to God for those who are in this state and who, with all their works, have become sheer darkness...When the soul...through its own fault leaves this spring (of a state of grace) and becomes rooted in a pool of pitch black, evil smelling water, it produces nothing but misery and filth."1
TODAY is the acceptable time to convert folks! Today is the day of salvation (see 2 Cor. 6:2)! Repent, change the way you think, shun mortal sin, make an immediate good confession to a devout priest - one who obeys magisterial teaching - and take life seriously! We must all be committed to live in a state of grace! Should we fall, we know God's mercy is there for us - we can go to confession, repent and try again. But we must resolve once and for all to live in a state of grace, to never again practice mortal sin!
"Save yourselves from this corrupt generation" (see Acts 2:40).
Kudos to Bishop Tobin
The Catholic Evangelization Society tips its hat to the Most Reverend Thomas J. Tobin, DD, Bishop of the Diocese of Providence Rhode Island! Recently, Bishop Tobin instructed U.S. Congressman Patrick Kennedy, NOT to receive Holy Communion due to Kennedy's pro-abortion political views which concretely OPPOSE the Sacred Tradition of the Roman Catholic Church.
Those who call themselves disciples of Jesus Christ ought to live just as He lived:
"This is the way we may know that we are in union with Him (Jesus Christ): whoever claims to abide in him ought to live just as he lived" (1John 2:6).
Scripture verse taken from the New American Bible, Confraternity of Christian Doctrine. Catholic Bible Publishers: Wichita, KS. 1987
Christianity
Is Not
Compatible
With
Paganism
The Apostle Paul's Second letter to the Corinthians has much to teach us about our response as Catholic Christians to God's continual call to holiness.
According to the New American Bible's exegetical footnotes, Paul "established a Christian community in Corinth about the year 51" (A.D.).1 His first letter to the Corinthians "...provides us with a fuller insight into the life of an early Christian community of the first generation."2 His Second letter to the Corinthians is "...the most personal of all of Paul's extant writings, and it reveals much about his character. In it he deals with one or more crises that have arisen in the Corinthian Church."3
One key point Paul makes in his Second letter, one that we can actualize (apply to ourselves in light of our situation as Christians today) is that Christianity is not compatible with paganism - righteousness (or moral conduct in conformity with Church teaching) and lawlessness have no partnership: in short, we must "cleanse ourselves of every defilement of flesh and spirit, making holiness perfect in the fear of God" (2 Cor. 7:1).
As St. Paul urged the Corinthian community not to receive the grace of God in vain, so I urge you, my Catholic Christian brothers and sisters, not to receive the grace of God (His underserved help and gifts) in vain. Act on his grace when you receive it (for example, when you feel inspired to pray, pray!).
We cleanse ourselves of every defilement when we willfully choose to think as God thinks: when we think reverent, pure, chaste, virtuous thoughts and separate ourselves from worldly thinking, thinking that opposes Christian values. As we strive to become holy let us constantly recall to our advantage the old saying "you are not what you think you are, but what you think you are!
Christianity and paganism have no partnership! Let us ask God for the grace to live holy lives. We who claim to be Catholic Christians ought to live just as our savior lived (see 1 Jn.2:6).
,
Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, DC.
The Glory Of Israel...and of ALL Creation
Our blessed Lord Jesus Christ is truly the boast, the glory of all creation! He clearly displayed from birth His divine nature - he became poor, denying himself the slightest comfort - to be perfect in the virtue of poverty, meek and mild in an effort to reveal His great strength (again the power of the virtues of humility and meekness). Indeed, all of the beatitudes listed in the Gospel according to St. Matthew (Chapter 5) were clearly displayed by our savior from His birth! He was poor, meek, a peacemaker (drawing to himself even Kings from the East - hence, He was the greatest bearer of God's peace to all nations) pure of heart, one who hungered and thirsted for righteousness and suffered persecution in the cause of what is right (recall that Herod sought to kill him, for His mission was to redeem mankind and reign as eternal king).
As St. Francis of Assisi noted, how fortunate we who call ourselves Catholic Christians are to have such a savior: one superabundantly kind, self-giving, merciful, generous!
It is only just that every knee bend at the name of Jesus Christ, the true glory and boast of Israel...and the world!
-Michael J. Ruggiero, Director
Master of Arts in Theology
Franciscan University of Steubenville
March 9, 2010
Truth is the Foundation of Charity
Too many contemporary Catholics have surrendered to a certain grave misapprehension: they believe it uncharitable to evangelize the one, true Catholic faith because such evangelization reveals the differences that exist between the Catholic faith and the Christian faith professed by our dear but separated brothers and sisters. What these well intentioned, but misguided Catholics fail to realize is that charity is linked to all of the virtues (as St. Thomas Aquinas noted): for example, you cannot call yourself charitable and be unchaste or dishonest. Hence, truth is the foundation of charity, and evangelization of the revealed truths of the Catholic faith charitable - WHEN PROFESSED KINDLY, COMPASSIONATELY, INVITINGLY (never in a rude or divisive fashion).
You are being charitable when you spread the revealed truths of our faith in an inviting fashion!
Copyright 2010, CES
Hindering Souls in the Name of Compassion
While evangelizing over the summer, I attended daily morning Mass (English/Novus Ordo) one day at a popular Catholic Church. As Mass began, I was pleasantly surprised to see the pews filled with people from all walks of life.
A silent, becoming reverence was interrupted when, around 8:00 a.m., the faithful rose to greet the Pastor - a graying, professional looking man in his early sixties clad in priestly garments.
After ten minutes, the mild mannered Pastor gracefully moved to the ambo (pulpit) to proclaim the gospel. The gospel reading that day was from Matthew, Chapter 5, verses 31-32: "It was also said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, must give her a bill of divorce.' But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery."
A profound, silent pause filled the Chapel after the Pastor finished reading the gospel and the faithful seated themselves.
Suddenly, bearing a distinct, cowardly expression, the Pastor declared, "I'm not even going to touch this gospel..." He then told us that God loves us. The tone and manner of his "homily" bore all the marks of a certain fearful, misguided compassion for divorced and remarried "Catholics."
By refusing to teach the truth about divorce and remarriage this Pastor, for the moment, interrupted the flow of the gospel reading and withheld God's grace from his people - truth, knowledge, and the opportunity to repent! In short, to a certain degree, he hindered the spiritual progress of everyone in attendance (consider the potential effect he could have had on everyone present had he preached the necessity of sacrificial love!).
A good number of precious souls took time out of their morning to humbly honor God, to hear the good news of Jesus Christ: that by our Baptism and faith in him we now have sufficient grace to overcome temptation, "...we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh" (Rom. 8:12), but rather have been emancipated from slavery to mortal sin (Rom. 6:6).
The new law giver featured in the gospel of Matthew, Jesus Christ our Lord, possesses power beyond our imagination - power to help us not merely keep the ten commandments but to "live out" the new law of blessedness - to be poor in spirit, meek, peacemakers, thirsty for righteousness and clean of heart (chaste) through the ongoing practice of benevolent love (self-denial for a greater devotion to God, for our own welfare and for the welfare of our neighbor).
Hence, we do not attend the Mass of the Catechumens (Liturgy of the Word) to be hindered and oppressed by the mediocrity and silence of those who outwardly claim to be our spiritual leaders yet, who in practice, manifest no commitment to the revealed moral truths of our faith (due to their alleged "compassion" for God's people: ie., "compassion" for Catholics who practice contraception, Catholic high school students who "sow their wild oats," and members of the "faithful" who divorce and re-marry.)
Rather, we are called to attend the Mass of the Catechumens by God in order to receive spiritual nourishment: nourishment conferred through the readings from Scripture and proper preaching of the revealed truths present in sacred tradition (the real Word of God); nourishment that will effectively prepare our hearts to re-present, with the priest, the timeless sacrifice of our savior to our heavenly Father in atonement for the sins of humanity and to receive our savior in Holy Communion.
"Priests owe it to everybody to share with them the truth of the Gospel..."1
- Michael J. Ruggiero Master of Arts in Theology Franciscan University of Steubenville 1 A. Flannery, Ed. Presbyterorum Ordinis. Decree On the Ministry and Life of Priests, Ch. 2. n. 4, Vatican Council II Documents. Costello: Northport, NY . |
There is No "Seamless Garment"
Recently, a U.S. priest criticized Bishop Thomas Tobin, D.D., of the Diocese of Rhode Island, for asking Patrick Kennedy (who resides in Tobin's Diocese) not to receive Holy Communion - due to Kennedy's pro-abortion political stance.
This priest (who will not receive any "press" here) foolishly embraced a post-Vatican II herterodox (or wrong/flawed) moral theological interpretive stance in his attack on Bishop Tobin: he declared that a "seamless garment" exists on life issues - that all moral transgressions (sins) pertaining to matters of life are of equal weight or gravity and therefore the Bishop was wrong to demand of Kennedy what he does not demand of politicians who promote the death penalty (or who favor war with Iraq).
Reason tells us that both this priest's position and the interpretive stance underlying it are false. For example how can the slaughter of an unborn child be equal in gravity (as a mortal sin) to administration of the death penalty to someone convicted rightly of murder? ( Societal administration of the death penalty isn't a mortal sin due to the element of justice involved. If a sin at all, it is probably venial, an overly severe act of retribution or a lack of mercy - See Genesis 4:11 ff.)
The unborn child wronged no one, hence, whoever took his or her life committed murder, but the one who received the death penalty willfully took a human life first and only subsequently received a severe punishment from society. Thus, society is much less sinful in its execution of murderers than people who kill unborn infants! It is less unjust, therefore, to willfully kill a rightly convicted murderer than to kill an unborn infant.
The point is that in all moral transgressions (unless the sins are exactly the same) different weight or gravity always exists: ie., stealing $10 from Bob down the street causes less privation, in terms of due measure, than stealing Bob's car!
Beware of flawed moral opinions arising from well-intentioned but misguided "thinkers."Bishop Tobin showed great spiritual mercy to Patrick Kennedy (he implicitly instructed the ignorant Congressman ) when he asked him, due to his pro-abortion stance, to refrain from receiving holy communion.
No "seamless garment" exists with regard to the gravity of sin.
Michael J. Ruggiero, SFO
Director
Master of Arts in Theology
Franciscan University, Steubenville
Be A "Solitary" Person
The famous pop song singer Neil Diamond reminded the world of how deceitful romance is when he produced his acclaimed song "Solitary Man."
As you ponder the lyrics below, keep in mind that the powerful feelings of attraction you feel throughout the day, everyone else also feels! Thus, it is fair to postulate that the first degree of responsible love lies in a commitment to chastity!
Solitary Man
"Melinda was mine 'til the time that I found her, holding Jim, loving him, then Sue came along loved me strong that's what I thought, me and Sue, well that died too.
"Don't know if I will but until I can find me,
a girl who'll stay and won't play games behind me,
I'll be what I am, a solitary man.
"I've had it to here being where love's a small word,
part-time thing, paper ring,
and I know it's been done having one girl who loves you,
right or wrong, weak or strong.
"Don't know if I will but until I can find me,
a girl who'll stay and won't play games behind me,
I'll be what I am, a solitary man."
-Neil Diamond
We must be wise today! We must not be deceived by beautiful but deceptive feelings of attraction! Remember, our savior promoted chastity (and celibacy for those who can "accept it" - see Mt. 19:12) out of mercy for mankind! If we continually practice chastity, we'll experience great peace of mind and see beautiful things in our lifetime!
Michael J. Ruggiero, SFO
Director
Master of Arts in Theology
Franciscan University of Steubenville
Don't be a Slave to Sin
Created things are near nothingness, for all have come from nothingness. In our "being on the way," our movement in life, (Josef Pieper calls this "status viatoris"1) the gift of our human freedom allows us to choose sin - which is nothing more than "a turning aside toward nothingness"2 or to choose not to sin - which is the self-denying choice of freedom (which ultimately leads to fulfillment).3
Hence, during every moment of temptation, man has the opportunity to be the master of sin or its slave, to suffer to some degree (through self-denial) in order to fulfill his choice not to sin (and hence, for the moment conquer it and please God) or to give into sin (become a slave to it) and feel a momentary, base, false gratification (and displease God by not doing His will).
When man chooses to sin, he fools himself, for each sinful choice leads to greater nothingness, to a movement away from the glorious image and likeness of His majesty, Jesus Christ (a movement away from God which distorts his thinking, leading him to see people as objects for disordered pleasure or gain). When man denies himself and refrains from sin (choosing virtue) he makes himself more into the image and likeness of Jesus Christ - true God and true man - experiences fulfillment and imitates God's divine nature by expressing sacrificial love for God and neighbor!
Thus, like Cain (in Genesis), each day we are given the opportunity by our loving God to choose His will formally and in our particular actions: to be the Master of sin or not (Gen. 4:7), to show sacrificial love for God and neighbor by refusing to sin and be fulfilled or to be selfish, sin and choose nothingness.4
Today is the day of salvation and fulfillment - "...sin is a demon lurking at the door: his urge is toward you, yet you can be his master." (Gen. 4:7b)
-Michael J. Ruggiero, SFO
Director
Master of Arts in Theology
Franciscan University of Steubenville
_________________________________
1-3, Pieper, Josef. On Hope. Ignatius:
San Francisco
, 1986. p. 13-14
4 Bible references are taken from the New American Bible: Confraternity of Christian Doctrine,
Washington D.C.
, 1970.
The Divine Infant Was Lord at His Birth...
Our beloved savior, Jesus Christ (the Divine infant) who loves you was indeed Lord from his conception (conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary), Lord at His birth! How do we know this? By faith, yes, but also by the clear display of His holiness (Godly qualities/virtues): He gave entirely of Himself from His birth for the welfare of humanity. He practiced perfect poverty, humility, even all of the theological and cardinal virtues from His birth - He was perfect in prudence and justice(consider that He alone is fit to judge even the poorest of the poor, for from His birth He embraced poverty), perfect in faith and humility (as the circumstances surrounding His birth reveal), perfect in Hope, for he relied on His heavenly Father through Joseph and Mary, and especially perfect in charity, for He generously called all people to adore Him, both the poor and rich alike (though the poor were truly "called" first!).
When we recall the human element in Sacred Scripture - the fact that the gospels are truly historical documents drawn from important primary and secondary sources, and a precise lived tradition (stemming from and centered around the transforming power of Jesus Christ) and that these sources confirm His divinity both in His deeds and words, it becomes apparent that Jesus Christ alone is Messiah, King of Kings, indeed was so from His conception and birth!
When we recall the divine element in Sacred Scripture, that it was inspired by the Holy Spirit (and hence, in substance consists of the very words of God in the words of men), it becomes apparent that someone omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient, and all loving came to save His people and restore their union with God: that person was the Eternal Word of God, the divine infant Jesus Christ, the son of Mary.
Honor and blessings to you, divine infant Jesus! We acknowledge that you alone were Lord at your birth!
-Michael J. Ruggiero, SFO
Director
Master of Arts in Theology
Franciscan University of Steubenville
Recent Opinion Articles...
Larry David and HBO Offend Christians
On the "Michael Savage Show" the evening of October 25th, it was reported that "comedian" Larry David put urine on a picture of Jesus Christ and ate in an offensive fashion "Nativity Scene Cookies" (on his base "sitcom" show).
Enough!
The Catholic Evangelization Society urges all Catholics to call HBO Consumer Affairs at 212-512-1208 and both cancel your subscription to HBO and lodge your formal complaint against HBO and Larry David.
Further, we urge you to notify all advertisers who support Time Warner Cable (and the stations it carries which receive advertising dollars - Time Warner carries HBO) that you will not support them since they support this show indirectly by sponsoring HBO.
As Catholics we need to continually demand from the secular world reverence and respect for our beloved savior.
Honor Your Mother
The Queen of heaven, advocate for humanity, mediatrix of all grace and co-redemptrix (in a subordinate sense), the Ever Blessed Virgin Mary, longs to be your spiritual Mother and to assist you in your temporal and spiritual needs. Honor her today by praying the Rosary and receive God's grace through her ( His undeserved gifts and help through her)! The Church declared Mary to be the Mediatrix of all grace, the one through whom God confers his grace - his undeserved gifts and help! Isn't it important for you to receive God's gifts? Take the time to introduce yourself to our Blessed Mother, the Mother of our savior, today!
E-mail us if we can assist you in either praying the Rosary or if we can answer any theological questions you have about the Ever Blessed Mother of God...humanity's spiritual Mother.
_______________________________
Oppose F.O.C.A
CES encourages all who visit this website to oppose the "Freedom Of Choice Act," the pro-abortion bill pushed by our well intentioned but misinformed President Obama. God alone is the author of life and death and his right to create must be safeguarded. True freedom lies in keeping our Lord's commandments and in disciplining our carnal desires, NOT in allowing our carnal desires and selfish views of life to be exercised and promoted at will!
Call your federal legislator and our newly elected and well-intentioned President today and oppose F.O.C.A!
A Reminder:
Pray your
Rosary!
It is your shield!
Remember,
also, to
honor our
Blessed
Mother, she who
surrendered her
only son to our
Almighty Father
for the love of
you!
Catholic Evangelization Society
michaelr
