Discerning the will of God

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Who knows with certainty the will of God? Do we? The Catholic Church? the pope? bishops? priests? deacons? saints? mystics? seers? prophets? scholars?

The Catholic Church teaches that God's will can be determined through the Catholic bible and by tradition. We know from the Catholic bible that Jesus made Peter head of His Church. Jesus told Peter and His apostles that sins that they forgave are forgiven, and that sins that they didn't forgive aren't forgiven. What power! What responsibility.

The Catholic Church teaches that the pope is infallible when he speaks officially on faith and morals. We know from our Catholic educations that popes have only declared infallibility twice, both on matters of faith, one being that Mary was conceived without sin.

For me, discerning the will of God isn't as easy as some might have us believe. In trying to discern the will of God, I look to Scripture first.

The Catholic bible tells us that when Jesus was asked "what are the greatest commandments?" that He responded that there are two: love God with your whole heart, mind, and soul, and love your neighbor as yourself. Clear. Concise. Unambiguous. Because I know that Jesus is God, I KNOW that this is God's will. In the gospels Jesus speaks clearly and unambiguously on a number of issues--money, hypocrisy, adultery, feeding the hungry, taking care of the poor, etc. I KNOW the will of God on many issues from Scripture, because, God, Jesus, told us His will, clearly and unambiguously.

While Jesus speaks to us directly in Scripture on many faith and morals issues, He doesn't speak in Scripture to every faith and moral issue that arises--celibacy for priests, for example. Peter, Jesus' successor, was married; but, the Catholic Church says that it's God's will that priests be celibate. However, the Catholic Church hasn't declared its teaching on celibacy as infallible. So, is the Catholic Church CERTAIN that celibacy is the will of God? For me personally, I'm a LOT more comfortable saying that feeding the hungry is the will of God than I am saying that celibacy for priests is the will of God. Jesus told us clearly and unambiguously to feed the hungry, while He doesn't speak directly to us in Scripture concerning celibacy for priests.

I'm comfortable in saying that respect for the Eucharist is the will of God. The gospels tell us quite clearly of Jesus' love for the temple in Jerusalem. Ask Christians when Jesus was angry, and most will say when he drove the moneychangers out because they were desecrating the temple.

While Fatima is neither in the Catholic bible nor in dogmas of the Catholic Church, I believe that apparitions occurred there. I believe that an angel appeared to the children, before Mary appeared to them, and gave them this prayer:

"Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore You profoundly. I offer You the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges, and indifference which He Himself is offended. And, through the infinite merits of His most Sacred Heart, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of You the conversion of poor sinners."

I believe that as Catholics we have a GREAT responsibility to the Eucharist which the Catholic bible tells us that Jesus gave to us, and, by Jesus' own words, tells us that the Euchrist is His Body and Blood. Our responsibility to the Eucharist includes preserving and protecting the sanctuaries of our churches from the "indifference, sacrileges, and outrages" that the angel referred to, and make them respectful, prayerful places conducive to worshiping God. Our responsibility to do so is based on Jesus' own actions, recorded in the Catholic bible, that show His great love for His Father's house.

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Fort Sumter

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Jenny, Kyle and I went to Ft. Sumter in Charleston, where fighting began in the Civil War exactly 150 years ago on April 12, 1861.

Ft. Sumter, built in 1829 in a series of coastal forts built following the war of 1812, rests on dredged fill from Charleston Harbor and is accessible only by boat.
It’s small, REALLY small. It’s AMAZING how CLOSE that Ft. Sumter is to Sullivan’s Island
and to James Island.

The 85 soldiers stationed at Ft. Sumter on April 12, 1861 were “sitting ducks” as artillery shells rained down on them from both James and Sullivan’s islands. After 34 hours of continuous shelling, that seriously damaged perimeter walls, and completely destroyed the main gates, and the resulting fires that completely burned their living quarters, and surrounded Ft. Sumter’s ammunition magazines, Major Robert Anderson and his men abandoned Ft. Sumter to the Confederates on April 14, 1861.

In the movie “Glory”, starring Matthew Broderick, Union troops, trying to retake Ft. Sumter from the Confederates, land at the lighthouse on James Island and move northwards towards Ft. Sumter. The volunteer guide told us that in the movie that the ocean is on the left, instead of on the right. Oh well, that’s Hollywood! (Other than that little detail, it’s a great movie.)

Visiting Ft. Sumter made history come alive!

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Fort Moultrie, on Sullivan’s Island, dates back to the War of Independence. Built of Palmetto tree trunks and sand, on June 28, 1776 Col. William Moultrie, and his 400 men, fought a day-long battle heavily damaging British ships attacking Charleston Harbor, forcing the them to retreat. Some time after the attack, Col. Moultrie was given the honor of designing South Carolina’s flag. His flag featured a white crescent moon on a dark blue background.


A palmetto tree was later added to his flag, representing the relatively crude walls (palmetto tree trunks) first constructed under his command.

Of course, no trip to Charleston would be complete without

Hope

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Yesterday Kyle, Jenny and I went to the 5:30 PM Vigil Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Savannah. Fr. Christopher D. Ortega was the celebrant and homilist.

Father Ortega spoke passionately of the Blessed Sacrament. He told us that Jesus, present PHYSICALLY in the Blessed Sacrament, loves us more than we will ever know, and wants us to spend time with Him in adoration. Before Communion Father Ortega reminded us “We don’t leave Mass after or during Communion. We are Catholics. This (Blessed Sacrament) is God.”

At a time when the institutional Church is more concerned with the inconsequential (changing words in the Roman Missal) instead of that which is REALLY important (increasing disrespect for the Blessed Sacrament occurring in the sanctuaries of our Catholic churches), Father Christopher Ortega is a beacon of Hope.
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Blessed Sacrament

Yesterday Jenny, Shelly, Tim, Kyle and I attended Mass at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Norfolk. It's a beautiful church with a beautiful sanctuary. During his homily the pastor, Father Joseph Metzger, remarked that "...the sanctuary at times is quiet and at other times is chaotic." Blessed Sacrament's sanctuary before Mass yesterday was chaotic with all of the talking that was going on. However, Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Norfolk VA is NOT alone. The same can be said ("chaotic") of the sanctuary of our church, St. Gregory the Great in Bluffton, SC, and of most Catholic sanctuaries today.

What has happened to the Church of my youth? When I was young no one spoke out loud in the sanctuary before, during, or after Mass, except for the priest. Even in hushed tones, conversation about golf, restaurants, friends, etc. is inappropriate for the sanctuary of a Catholic Church, then and NOW. Those who engage in such conversation are disrespectful of others who are trying to connect with God in prayer, and, more importantly, they are disrespectful of the Blessed Sacrament.

I'm a sinner. Yesterday I visited to Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Norfolk, VA. I may never pass that way again. If I were able to say one thing to the parishioners of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Norfolk, VA, I would say this:

"Consider the Name of your parish. Jesus is present PHYSICALLY in your tabernacle, as He is in all other tabernacles in the world. Show respect for Jesus and for others who are in the sanctuary trying to pray. Please return the sanctuary to a place of quiet reverence, prayer, and respect. (Please understand that I am NOT speaking of infants and toddlers who are too young to understand the significance of the PHYSICAL presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.)

To those of my generation (born in the first half of the last century), You have a particular obligation to return the sanctuary to that which existed in our youth. Consider the POOR example that YOU give to young Catholics with your idle conversation about golf, restaurants, friends, etc. Be considerate of others who are trying to pray. Consider the unique PHYSICAL presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament."


Fatima Prayer
Most Holy Trinity
Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore Thee profoundly. I offer Thee the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifferences whereby He is offended. And through the infinite merits of His Most Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of Thee the conversion of poor sinners. Amen.
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103%

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Here is a little something someone sent me that is indisputable mathematical logic. It also made me Laugh Out Loud.

This is a strictly mathematical viewpoint....it goes like this:

What Makes 100%? What does it mean to give MORE than 100%? Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%? We have all been to those meetings where someone wants you to give over 100%. How about achieving 103%? What makes up 100% in life?

Here's a little mathematical formula that might help you answer these questions: If:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z is represented as:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.
Then:
H-A-R-D-W-O-R-K
8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%
and
K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E
11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%
But,
A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E
1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%
And,
B-U-L-L-S-H-I-T
2+21+12+12+19+8+9+20 = 103%

AND, look how far ass kissing will take you.

A-S-S-K-I-S-S-I-N-G
1+19+19+11+9+19+19+9+14+7 = 118%
So, one can conclude with mathematical certainty, that while Hard work and Knowledge will get you close, and Attitude will get you there, it's the Bullshit and Ass Kissing that will put you over the top.
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Mepkin Abbey

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On Thursday we visited Mepkin Abbey in Moncks Corner, SC. It’s an extraordinary place! Our guide gave the history of the land back to colonial days. Our guide told us that the property had been about 7,000 acres. She wasn’t sure if it was still 7,000 acres; but, she guesses that it is still several thousand acres.

Henry and Clare Boothe Luce, who was a convert, donated the property to the Charleston diocese in 1940s. Trappist monks moved there in 1949. They’ve opened beautiful, inspiring Mepkin Abbey up to all visitors of all faiths. Our guide told us that persons from every walk of life and every faith have made retreats there, which are free of charge.

What a wonderful example of Christianity! The monks have put aside privacy and liability concerns to open their home to everyone, just as Jesus would do. In a world so consumed with legal concerns, and selfishness, the monks have enriched countless lives, including ours, by allowing us to visit their home.

A slide show of our visit is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOt2mFKBdgI
Photographs of our visit are at https://picasaweb.google.com/101199968059939978678/MepkinAbbey02
Mepkin Abbey’s website is www.mepkinabbey.org/
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What?

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According to generals and some others in Pakistan, we shouldn’t have “violated their sovereignty” in taking out Bin Laden. What? According so some, including the Huffington Post, other liberal media, and other liberals in the US, taking out Bin Laden wasn’t “legal”. What? These same people say that we shouldn’t celebrate killing Bin Laden. What?

If a terrorist kills scores of innocent people in our country, then we’re not supposed to take him out? Would I have a problem with an Israeli commando team coming into this country, unbeknownst to us beforehand, and taking out a terrorist who killed innocent Israeli citizens? Absolutely NOT!

I’ve got news for the generals and others in Pakistan, the Huffington Post, the liberal media, and other liberals around the world: THIS IS WAR, PEOPLE! In war, you take out mass-murderer enemies who murder innocent people. In war, you “cut off the head of the snake”. In war, it's “kill, or be killed”.

MANY psalms give praise and thanks to God, i.e., celebrate, for His delivering us from our enemies (http://www.lovethetruth.com/articles/psalms_and_enemies.htm). We should celebrate God delivering us from Osama Bin Laden. We should ignore those who suggest otherwise.
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Senior Texting Codes

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ATD At the Doctor's
BFF: Best Friend Fell
BTW: Bring the Wheelchair
BYOT: Bring Your Own Teeth
CMB: Covered by Medicare
CUATSC: See you at the Senior Center
DWI: Driving While Incontinent
FWIW: Forgot Where I was
FYI: Found Your Insulin
GGPBL: Gotta Go, Pacemaker Battery Low
HGBM: Had Good Bowel Movement
GHA: Got Heartburn Again
IMHO: Is My Hearing Aid On
LMDO: Laughing My Dentures out
LOL: Living on Lipitor
OMSG: Oh My Sorry, Gas
ROFL.CGU Rolling on the floor Laughing and Can't get UP
SGGP: Sorry Gotta go Poop
TTYL; Talk to You Louder
WTP: Where's the prunes
GGLKI Gotta Go, Laxative Kicking In
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“We Catholics have it easy…”

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“We Catholics have it easy. All we have to do is go to mass once a week, and we’re in (heaven).” I actually heard this in a homily at our church. I don’t think that the priest was kidding--I think that he really believes what he said! Jesus said that those who feed the poor, cloth the naked, shelter the homeless, etc. would see heaven, and those who didn’t wouldn’t. How can this priest reconcile his remark with Jesus’?

I have other questions. Which is more important—paying off a church mortgage in four years, or feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, giving shelter to the homeless, etc.? Jesus says the latter. Our church has raised millions of dollars from its parishioners to pay off its mortgage in four years. The amount raised for feeding the poor, clothing the naked, sheltering the homeless, etc. is a pittance compared to that amount.

Should my church be telling me what I should give to (pay off the mortgage), and how much ($10K)? How does our church reconcile this with Jesus’ teachings?

Catholic Relief Services has aligned with Caritas in taking contributions for the victims of Japan’s earthquake and tsunami. The money that they collect will not be used for emergency food, water, clothing, and shelter, but instead will be put into a bank account and used later for counseling. Jesus said feed the hungry, clothe the naked, give shelter to the homeless.

We’re all well aware of the pedophile priest scandal, including the cover-up. Does the church have the moral authority to tell me what I should do when it has done such a poor job itself?

I have questions. I’m looking to God for answers, not the church.
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Thank You, Lord

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Today, when we learn that brave Navy Seals killed Osama Bin Laden in a daring raid in Pakistan, I'm reminded of a scene from the movie Patton. General Patton (played by George C. Scott) is at a temporary headquarters on Third Army's drive to Bastogne to rescue 101st Airborne soldiers who had been surrounded by German enemy for weeks. It was snowing.


-You want to see me, general?

-Oh, yeah, chaplain. I'm tired of 3rd Army having to fight Germans. . . . . .with supreme command, no gasoline. . . . . .and now this ungodly weather. I want a prayer, a weather prayer.

A weather prayer, sir?

Yes, let's see if you can't get God working with us.

Gonna take a thick rug for that kind of praying.

I don't care if it takes a flying carpet.

I don't know how this will be received, general. Praying for good weather so we can kill our fellow man.

I assure you, because of my relations with the Almighty. . . . . .if you write a good prayer, we'll have good weather. And I expect that prayer within an hour.

Yes, sir.


Next, the movie shows Gen. Patton outside, at night in the snow, praying the prayer that the chaplain wrote. The next scene (the following day) shows US fighter aircraft flying combat support in clear blue skies.


MANY psalms ask God to deliver us from our enemies (http://www.lovethetruth.com/articles/psalms_and_enemies.htm).


Thank You, Lord, for the brave Navy Seals who accomplished this mission. Thank You for delivering enemy Osama Bin Laden, murderer of MANY innocent people.

“ordinary”?

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Tomorrow is the seventh Sunday in “ordinary” time. ...“ordinary”?

Jesus was fully human (He ate, He slept, He worked, He wept, He suffered,…) But, “ordinary”? NO! EXTRAORDINARY! He was found teaching in His Father’s house when He was a boy. God spoke of Him when He was baptized by John. He performed MANY (extraordinary) signs (miracles). He was transfigured with Moses and Elijah (God spoke of Him again). He changed bread and wine into His Body and Blood. He rose from the dead. He appeared to many after his resurrection. He ascended into heaven. He sits at the right hand of the Father.

We’re the ones who are ordinary. We talk out loud in church about golf, restaurants, friends, etc.--IN FRONT OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, while others try to pray. We leave mass while communion is being distributed. We say that we are made in His Image. I don’t think so.

Tomorrow should be called “the seventh Sunday in ‘EXTRAORDINARY’ time”.
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In His Image? REALLY?

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I’ve been taught since I was a small child that God created man “in the Image and Likeness of God”.

Really? Greed, pride, dishonesty, arrogance, abuse, etc.?

Man has perverted God's Image. Instead of searching for God as God is, man has made God into what he wants. To suggest that we are made in God’s Image does a GREAT disservice to God.

Instead of talking in church, and leaving Mass during the distribution of communion, men should be on their faces praising God for His Infinite greatness and goodness. We should be begging God to forgive us for comparing ourselves to Him.
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fans, saints & miscellaneous

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My nephew posted the following on his facebook page after his hometown team, the Atlanta Falcons, suffered a lopsided loss in the playoffs:

Paul: “you got to give it to aaron rodgers. even as a falcons fan, you just got to give it to aaron rodgers.”

A friend posted: “paul you are a terrible fan.”

I posted: “you're right, Paul! only diehard homies can't see that aaron rodgers and the packers were better last night...it's all about getting better...the falcons will be better next year... things could be worse--you could be a Redskins fan!

Not long afterwards, Jenny read in the newspaper that the beatification for Pope John Paul II is scheduled for May.

Dad was a free thinker. He didn’t let anyone else tell him how it is or how he should think.

Mom didn’t particularly like Dad expounding on his thoughts when they went “against the grain” of popular thinking, ESPECIALLY when they went against the grain of popular thinking in the Catholic Church. Jenny is a lot like Mom in that regard, when it comes to me expressing my view on popular thinking, including that of the Catholic Church.

I’m sure that Paul’s friend didn’t mean to slam him. But, I know my nephew. He’s a GREAT and KNOWLEDGEABLE sports fan. But, he doesn’t allow for his love for his home team to override his intellect, which is considerable.

I have NOTHING against Pope John Paul II. Clearly, he was a GREAT man and a GREAT pope. However, it has been a longstanding practice in the Catholic Church NOT to consider holy people for sainthood until they have been dead for a LONG time. That practice has changed relatively recently. That recent change has caused me to rethink the subject of saints.

The Catholic Church’s position is that it is proper for us to call upon saints in our prayers to God to intercede for us.

Most Protestants, to the best of my knowledge, do not ascribe to saints. As I understand it, Protestants feel that our prayers should be directed to God, and that we don’t need intercessors.

Personally, I don’t necessarily have a problem with the Church’s teaching on saints. But, I do have a problem with the new, revised process.

The Catholic Church has MANY canonized saints—MANY more saints than the calendar has days. Even doubling and tripling up on some days, there still aren’t enough days in the calendar to venerate ALL canonized saints with their own special day. Do we REALLY need any more canonized saints? Also, if we feel the need for an intercessor, then why not ask those who have died, and we know were good and faithful Christians, like our mother or father, grandmother or grandfather, godmother or godfather, etc., to intercede for us?

As far as the process of sainthood is concerned, why change the longstanding practice of waiting for decades after a person dies to begin the canonization process? Has shortening the process cheapened it? Has it become “political”? IMHO, these are valid questions. Maybe it would be better to suspend the process of canonizing more saints rather than to canonize more and more saints in less and less time. Direct our prayers to God. If we feel that we need an intercessor, then call on one of the MANY existing canonized saints, or your own intercessor, who you knew to be a good and faithful Christian.

The process for annulments in the Catholic Church has been criticized as being “political”. Some are able to get annulments relatively quickly, while others can’t get them at all. With some annulments it’s difficult to see what the “impediment” to marriage was when the couple were married by a priest, lived together for years, and had children together.

Like Dad, I find myself thinking more for myself the older that I get. When I was a child in Catholic grade school, I was taught that if you’re good that you go to heaven, and that if you’re bad, you go to hell. I have come to realize that this teaching was wrong. Protestants believe that our being saved has NOTHING to do with what we do, but is ALL about what God did for us. He sent His Only Son to redeem us, to pay the debt, and to open the gates of heaven for us. It’s ALL about Jesus, and what HE did for us.

So, when it comes to fans, saints, annulments, or salvation, I don’t need popular thinking, or ANYONE else, for that matter, to figure it out for me. Like Dad, I can figure it out for myself, thank you.

Ray Koenig, Jr.
January 16, 2011
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Christina Taylor Green

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“Her life began on a tragic day, and ended on a tragic day. Everything in between was beautiful.”

What a beautiful way for a father to describe the short life of his daughter!

Christina Taylor Green was born on September 11, 2001, the day that many innocents died in a horrific attack on this country by fanatical Islamic terrorists. She died on Saturday, January 8, 2011 when a deranged murderer attacked Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and other innocents in a Tuscon, Arizona parking lot. Thirteen were injured, some gravely, including Rep. Giffords. Six died, including 9-year old Christina.

It is impossible to make sense of this horrible tragedy; but, I am reminded of Another whose earthly Life began and ended in tragedy. We may think of Jesus’ birth as a happy day, and it was, for us. But, the price of redemption for those who He loves was great. God became man. The Creator became like his creatures. Is what was glorious for us tragic for God? I think so.

“His Life began on a tragic day, and ended on a tragic day. Everything in between was beautiful.”

Could it be that God wanted one who bears His Holy Name to be with Him? I think so.

Pray for us, Christina, as you enjoy the loving embrace of Your Heavenly Father and Mother.
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