A story about a friend...

I would like to tell you about a friend of mine. He’s been good to me these past few years that I have been a Christian, and I think he deserves some mention…

His parents were quite wealthy. In fact, where he is from, he was considered to be in the upper class. He had all the best education and experiences that were offered in his homeland. He did well enough in school to get to university level education. He was beginning to excel in his world. He was on the fast track to becoming quite successful himself. Along with his friends, who were looking to the opposite sex as well, he was enamored with a young lady. His life was rooted in the world, and for all intense purposes, by the standard of those around him, he was doing very well for himself.

Then one day everything changed. He was ready to fully step into the world, until he decided one fateful day to “draw his foot back.”

My friend went to his father and gave it all up. The wealth, the schooling, the social life. He saw the damage that the unrestrained and frivolous lifestyles were causing his companions. He would leave town with his nurse and strike out on his own in search for real Truth. The Truth found in the Gospels.

He would head for the mountains, settling near an old church, and eventually found some like-minded men to live with him. His holiness grew, and eventually he even manifested his first miracle, repairing a kitchen implement that his nurse had broken.

Due to this miracle, his growing wisdom and unlearned knowledge, his notoriety grew. So much so that he withdrew from those around him once again. He would retreat with no one accompanying him, to an even smaller village. His mission now was to live a simple and humble life, working hard for those around him and for the glory of God.

But on his trip to this new village, he met a monk, who convinced him to live the life of a hermit. My friend disappeared off of the scopes for a while, living in solitude and peace with God. After a few years, he was asked by monks of a neighboring monastery to be their abbot, which he agreed to with much trepidation. It did not work out well at all. It ended in his attempted poisoning, and retreating back to solitude.

After this experience, his renown grew. He began to perform more miracles, and many people came to him to learn from him. He eventually established other monasteries in the neighboring valley, overseeing them all, and writing down his Rule for the monastic life.

This Rule and his example would become the establishment of Western Monasticism. His rule could be summed up in two phrases, used to this day:

Pax (peace) and ora et labora (pray and work).

It is through this rule that countless monasteries, religious monks and nuns, oblates, and lay people, have grown closer to God.

My friend, Benedict, died around the year 547. This wonderful saint brought us one of the great treasures of our Catholic faith and was a true example of how to live a holy life, whether or not you are a monk. We would all due well to live by his Rule as much as our lives and circumstances can allow.

St. Benedict has been a huge influence in my own life. He was known on many occasions for fighting against the powers of darkness, and for this reason I have constantly looked to his example. In fact, he is my patron for baptism and confirmation, which for me happened about twenty minutes apart. I truly believe that he has interceded for me on more than one occasion, and I highly recommend anyone to research his life, his Rule, and study his Medal, and even wear one.

Today, July 11th, we celebrate his Feast Day. Let us thank God for the life and witness of Saint Benedict of Nursia.

Blessings and peace,
Dean

Church of England throws out Apostolic Tradition... Again.

I suppose this is old news. But first it was Henry the Eighth. The whole "I'm the Pope now" as Robin Williams likes to put it. Then the slow drift towards liberal protestantism, throwing out bits and pieces of liturgy and tradition here and there. Fast forward to the twenty first century, and we have the ordination of an openly gay Bishop. The acceptance of women priests. And now women bishops.

That's OK though, right? After all, it should be about majority vote, what feels right and good, and not the established teachings and traditions of the Apostles and Church Fathers, right? Naw, let's just vote on it people!

The Church of England finally voted to allow women bishops. I must admit, it makes sense, at least from their point of view. After all, if you have women priests, why not women bishops? It was the inevitable progression of things...

The sad part really, other than the further distancing of the C of E from Apostolic Tradition, is the matter of Ecumenism. This is just one more hurdle, no, in fact one more wall, a big giant steel reinforced concrete two-foot thick wall, that we have to work through. And personally, I am not sure we can work through this one...

On the positive side however, there is always good that comes from the bad I suppose... With the continuing collapse of the Church of England and the Anglican Communion as a whole, think about all the people that will be ready to swim the Tiber? (See stories here and here)

Blessings and peace...

Tip of the Hat to The Shrine and Standing on My Head (which reminds me, Father Dwight's dream was intriguing...)

Happy Birthday Summorum Pontificum!

It has now been a year (July 7) since the release of Summorum Pontificum, the motu proprio that lifted the restrictions on the Tridentine Mass and made it more widely available to the entire Church.

As someone who was baptized, confirmed, and received first Holy Communion in an FSSP parish, I can definitely agree with the viewpoint that there are some places where the Catholic Mass is not being celebrated with the proper reverence that it is due. I believe that the direction Papa Ben is leading us is indeed where we need to go in restoring what has been lost in our wonderful church over the past few decades. That is to say a return to tradition, and a return to the fidelity of the faith, and a natural organic development of the sacred liturgy.

I commend our Holy Father for all that he has done to restore some of the traditions that have been fading over the past 40 years or so. God bless you Holy Father, may the Holy Spirit guide you always, and may your pontificate be a long one!

And no, I am not saying "out with Vatican II." There are many wonderful things that came from the council, but I believe that there are some people that have grossly misused some of it's writings. For starters, I would challenge anyone to show me where it says that Latin and Gregorian chant should have been abandoned for the vernacular, and some of the hokey "kumbaya" songs that we hear today.

Hint: It's not there.

And on this first anniversary, I think I am going to take the blog in a slightly new direction... Most of it has been thoughts and reflections from my own life and what I get from reading certain saints and scriptures. But I am going to add a few more things too. First off, I want to do a good deal more pro-life articles. And second, I am going to give my own take on some of the inner workings in the Church as well, especially when it comes to tradition and orthodoxy.

Keep in mind, I am neither a priest, nor theologian, these are simply my own opinions. But I with the grace of God dear brothers and sisters, I will do my best to report on things I find through the light of our One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Faith, and nothing more.

Blessings and peace,
Dean

Living the Faith

You must do what the word tells you, and not just listen to it and deceive yourselves. But the man who looks steadily at the perfect law of freedom and makes that his habit – not listening and then forgetting, but actively putting it into practice – will be happy in all that he does.

-James 1:22-25 (Reading for Vespers, 1 July 2008)

How often do we see others go to Church on Sundays, only to punch the proverbial “time card” with God and then proceed about their business as usual? How often do we hear someone talk about great intentions to help the needy, comfort the sick, spread the Eternal Word, yet they never get around to doing these things? How often do we see someone preach the Truth, the Christian Faith, and turn around and live the exact opposite?

More importantly, how often do we do these things ourselves???

Yes, the word of God and the teachings of the faith are vitally important to our Eternal Salvation. It is through the word of God and the handing down of tradition that we learn of the salvation that Christ brings us. Through studying the teachings of the faith, we can experience the love and peace of our Lord and Saviour, Christ Jesus, who died for each and every one of us. We should read and learn as much as we can, and spread this learning to the best of our ability, so that others may experience the truth.

But we must also live the Faith. And I’m not talking about just going to Mass on Sunday people! I mean really living it. Becoming involved in our churches. Volunteering for the poor, sick, and disadvantaged. Giving our time, talents, and energies in a life of self sacrifice and love towards others. As Saint Francis said:

Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.

My dear friends, we can preach the Gospel all we want. We can spread it to the ends of the Earth. We can talk, discuss, and debate till the cows come home. We can read all the best spiritual authors. We can read His Holy Word over and over again. But none of it will do anyone any good if we do not put it into action. Our lives themselves must be the evidence of our faith, not just our learning and our words. We must put it into practice. We need to bring Christ to the world through our actions and deeds, showing those around us what being a Christian truly means. Only in this way can we effectively spread the good news of Christ.

Only in doing this, will the Faith be spread to the four corners of the Earth.

And a word for my Catholic bothers and sisters!!! We have at our finger tips the fountains of Grace that are the Sacraments! These gifts from God to bring us to everlasting life! We must integrate the sacraments into the very core of our beings. For the sake of our souls, we need to take advantage of these totally unmerited gifts. We also have 2000 years of Tradition and writings from the fathers and the saints. At every chance we get, we should soak these up like a sponge, and integrate their lessons in our lives. We have the Fullness of the Truth and we need to take every advantage of it and live it to the fullest extent we can.

For my non-Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ…. Live your faith deeply and with love. Keep your hearts and minds open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. If you do this, He will lead you where you need to be. And if you’re ever interested in the Catholic faith, or even have a question or want a clarification, please, do not be afraid to ask. This web site is an excellent resource (Click Here).

My prayers are with you all. May Our Lord Jesus Christ bless and keep us, and may all the angels and saints pray for us.

Pax et bonum,
Dean

Sancte Benedicte, ora pro nobis.

Christmas

Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields
and keeping the night watch over their flock.
The angel of the Lord appeared to them
and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were struck with great fear.
The angel said to them,
“Do not be afraid;
for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people.
For today in the city of David
a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.
And this will be a sign for you:
you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes
and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel,
praising God and saying:
“Glory to God in the highest
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Luke 2:8-14 From the Midnight Mass for the Nativity of Our Lord (Christmas)

After reading this passage, I attempted to write about the Nativity of Our Lord. But I find myself at a loss for words. What is there that I can write that would do this wondrous moment in history justice? When God Himself became man! That alone would be enough to show how much He loved us. But then to take it so far as to die on the cross thirty-three years later…

Our Lord, Jesus Christ became man for us. He died for us. He wants us to be with him. All we must do is to accept his love into our hearts. Hopefully the scene of that small child in the manger, born bereft of wealth and power, will help us realize just how much He cares for His creation.

People talk of the meaning of Christmas, something that is lost quite often in the current age. The true meaning, is the birth of the creator of the universe as a man, a human being, just like you and I. Whatever your plans for today and tomorrow, we need to remember the true reason for the season. The fact that Our Lord is with us, now and forever. We just need to turn to him, trust in His mercy and love, and pray for His will to be done in our lives…

So I leave you with the above passage. May his humility and love be an example for all of us.

For the family and friends that I will not see today and tomorrow, you are missed greatly. I pray for a safe and blessed holiday.

For anyone who is reading, may our Lord’s grace and light be with you all this Holy Day, and may His mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the one who unequivocally said “Yes!” to the will of God, and put her trust in Him so that He may be born through her, pray for us, and be an example for how we can follow His will in our lives.

Merry Christmas, and God Bless.

-Dean

Nicholas

Nicholas was born in a small village, called Patara, in what is now known as Turkey. However, not much is known about his early life. He is known to have been very devoted to his faith, and born to a fairly well-off family.

It is said that he was involved in some way with fishermen and sailors, although in what capacity, it is not known. He seems to have eventually left his former life, eventually giving away his wealth, and becoming a priest, at a time when Christians were heavily persecuted. To give one's life in this way, at a time when Christianity was not exactly favored was heroic indeed!

After Christianity began to be tolerated in the East, it is said that Nicholas was raised to the honor of Bishop in the town of Myra. It is then that we hear of most of his deeds...

There is one tale that when Nicholas was on a voyage from Myra, he saved a sailor single-handedly from being lost in a terrible storm.

Another tells of a butcher who, hoping to make money during a famine, murdered several small children, hoping to sell them as meat. But Nicholas realized what had happened, and not only discovered the crime, but managed to resurrect the children.

One of the more famous stories deals directly with charity. There was a poor peasant that was unable to provide a dowry for his three daughters, so it seemed that they would never be able to marry. But Nicholas, knowing the man's situation and not wanting the daughters to be forced into prostitution, decided to take action. Over three nights, he threw a bag of gold into the man's window, one for each daughter. This way, he had the dowry, and his daughters could get married. Some say that the man eventually confronted Nicholas, and he replied to the man that he should not thank him, but God alone.

He was always faithful to God, at one time even being imprisoned for his beliefs.

Nicholas became well known for his generosity throughout his life. There were many more instances of anonymous giving attributed to him throughout the region. Even after he passed, people who were inspired by his spirit of generosity, continued to give to those in need anonymously, often giving Nicholas the credit.

Throughout the centuries, his story grew, and people continued to look to his example. They saw in him the true spirit of Christian charity and love. Eventually, he became so popular, people began looking to him to pray on their behalf to God, in other words, he was now known as Saint Nicholas. He would become the Patron Saint (amongst many causes) against imprisonment, for sailors, for the poor, and most notably, the Patron Saint for children.

His feast day on the traditional calendar is today, December 6th.

Saint Nicholas' story and legend would eventually grow and change to what we now know as Santa Claus here in the United States. While the story has changed a good deal, his original spirit of generosity still lives on in the person of that jolly old elf that we look for on Christmas Eve, spreading joy to children of the world everywhere.

Saint Nicholas truly embodied the spirit of Christmas.

I hope and pray that we can all remember his example during this Christmas season, during a time in our history where so many people are focused inward, perhaps the good Saint Nicholas can be an example to look outward in love and charity...

Blessings to you and your families,
DJ

Advent

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
-Isaiah 7:14

So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.
-Matthew 24:44

Advent. On the traditional Church calendar, it begins on the first Sunday following November 30^th, and spans for four more Sundays, until the Feast of the Nativity on December 25, Christmas. This is also when the liturgical year in the Christian Church starts. And not just Catholics either… Orthodox, and several Protestant denominations including Episcopalians and Lutherans still observe Advent. This is a time of reflection, preparation, and joy. A time of new beginnings.

Over this next four weeks, we are called to remember the coming of Christ. The fact that God himself came down and became man. To think that the originator of all creation, from the smallest microbe, to the most magnificent galaxy, humbled Himself to become fully human... A true meeting point of the mundane and sacred, of our linear existence and the endlessness of eternity. No matter what you’re beliefs are regarding Jesus, there is no denying that history was forever altered in the birth of this small child!

And then to think of everything that he had to go through! If God wanted to, he could have wiped the Earth clean at any given moment, and started over. But did he? No. He loves his creation, and wants us to be with Him! So instead of using His omnipotence to wipe the slate, he descended on our Blessed Mother. He sat in her womb for nine months. He was born, without proper shelter among livestock, in poverty, with no Earthly prestige or power. In his humility, he gave us an example to live by. A perfect example, which we may never be able to live up to, but that we must try.

He was born so that He could give Himself for our salvation thirty-three years later, He came into this world devoid of material wealth, and left in humiliation. The master of all creation did this to prove His love for us, to show us that he cares for each and every one of us. To give us that new beginning, a fresh start.

He did all of this because He loves us! Because he cares for His creation, and wants us to have His Good News. He became man to save us, when He very well could have banished us from existence! Now, if that is not a loving God, I don’t know what is…

And as the passage above tells us, we must continue preparing. Because one day, He will come again, and when we least expect it.

We must be joyful in this Advent season. Joyful that our Creator came in the person of the child Jesus. We need to prepare for this unique and blessed event!

A friend of mine reminded me of another passage that is very touching. As usual, I couldn’t even remember the book, chapter and verse. I wasn’t even in the right testament… :)

Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends; as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

- 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, 13

This is the example that He set for us. The example that He demonstrated in his birth, life, death, and resurrection. It is this example we must remember during Advent, and beyond, and strive to imitate.

God bless,

-DJ