David Ancell / Thursday, July 17, 2003 / Comments(0)
There is no shortage of “spiritual guides” these days that will tell you that Christiianity is not about obeying a law but about love. Some will also say that the purpose of living a Christian life is not eternal salvation but . . . . . These statements may be okay if the word “just” is inserted just before the word “about” in the aforementioned statements. However, it seems that in most cases, the author’s intent is to turn our focus away from the virtue of obedience or the goal of eternal salvation.
However, if presented from another vantage point, then the statements make sense. The law is the minimum. If I am seeking loopholes or am otherwise just trying to make sure that I have the letter of the law covered, then I am taking a minimalist approach to the love of God. It’s like the high school sophomore who asks his religion teacher: How many times can we kiss before it is a mortal sin? One must wonder why anyone would want to get as close to mortal sin as possible without actually getting there.
The same kind of reasoning can be applied to the idea of the need to preach the Gospel to all people. It may be that if I don’t preach to person X, he will go to Heaven anyway due to invincible ignorance of God. However, I should not be satisfied with that. I should desire person X’s growth in holiness. The more one grows in holiness, the more one can enjoy the beatific vision in Heaven. Likewise, I shouldn’t stop trying to seek still greater union with God just because I figure I have my bases covered and will be able to slide into Heaven.
Taking a minimalist approach is like going into a job thinking that you are going to do the minimum you can do to keep from getting fired. You won’t be happy there because. The other problem with a minimalist approach is that if you miss the low mark you aim for, you fail. I knew a guy in pharmacy school who said that he always tries to make a B in the class. If he misses it, he gets a C and still passes. Those who only go for a C wind up in big trouble if they miss their mark. Therefore, the person who is trying to barely squeak by may find out that he didn’t make it.
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David Ancell / Wednesday, July 16, 2003 / Comments(0)
This earlier post from Jeff Miller is just plain creepy. I can’t imagine why some teacher would assign students to write a suicide note. It’s even creepier to think that no one in school administration there thinks there is anything wrong with it.
I can only imagine what would happen if I had gotten this assignment. With my luck, my parents would have found it on the computer screen while I went to the bathroom or went to the kitchen to get something. They would approach me with horror. I have always had my parents’ trust, but in this case I don’t think I would be able to get them to believe that I was working on a school assignment.
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David Ancell / Wednesday, July 16, 2003 / Comments(0)
My Busted Halo debate is getting a bit ugly. This guy that I’m debating is making less and less sense to me. I don’t know at what point I should just decide that I no longer should dignify his comments with a response. He is now quoting “facts” that are sheer lunacy. I want to help, but I must admit I must guard myself against my tendency to enjoy being a thorn in the gluteal region.
UPDATE: I have removed the link. I don’t think it is becoming to make a public display of the guy.
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David Ancell / Wednesday, July 16, 2003 / Comments(0)
It appears that Dennis just found out about the cross he has to bear in that his dorm at the seminary does not have ethernet. He has to connect via a 33.6 kbps dialup!! Jesus wasn’t kidding about taking up a cross. In this day and age, that may be enough to make some men question their vocations. However, Dennis seems to be preparing himself well to meet the challenge.
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David Ancell / Tuesday, July 15, 2003 / Comments(0)
I have just read some news sources that say that Archbishop Justin Rigali of St. Louis, MO, is going to Philadelphia. I wonder if the Holy Father is doing a little restructuring of the American Catholic Church. To be honest, I would expect to see impressive results given the recent appointments made of such bishops like Timothy Dolan and Sean O’Malley. Despite all the dust that may fly from these movements, I think that we are seeing the groudwork being laid for the renewal of true faith. Do note that I am commenting on the movement of bishops and not saying that Cardinal Bevilacqua was a bad shepherd (though his name sure is hard to spell).
Some of our priests went to seminary at Kenrick-Glennon in St. Louis, and we have three newly-ordained priests from that seminary who are just outstanding. No doubt this is at least in part the work of Archbishop Rigali.
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David Ancell / Tuesday, July 15, 2003 / Comments(0)
Does anyone else plan to attend the Defending the Faith conference in Steubenville? I do. My vacation starts soon. I have just one more day of work this week. I will try to find a way to blog from there, but no promises. I’m not gone yet, but I wanted to give people a chance to tell me if they will be there.
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David Ancell / Tuesday, July 15, 2003 / Comments(0)
Next to the “but we like it” spirituality, we have the “That’s beautiful” accolade. You will hear it often after some emotional, but devoid of substance if not outright dissident, presentation. You may also hear it after some banal stupidity such as liturgical dancing. It’s always some woman who is on her way out of something like this who just cries out “That’s beautiful!” Nevermind that there is no substance, or worse, that it is unorthodox. It touched an emotional chord. Has anyone else ever experienced this at a cut-rate church event?
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David Ancell / Tuesday, July 15, 2003 / Comments(0)
I am not a believer in the “the worse it tastes, the better it must be for you” statement when it comes to spirituality (or anything else). However, I find that the opposite extreme (the better we like it, the better it must be) is equally wrong. Ultimately, we must do whatever is objectively pleasing to God. All other things being equal, we can choose what we like.
How many times do we hear an idea contrary to Church teachings, and the only response we get it “But I like [insert object here].” Further, sometimes a priest gains popularity solely because of his personality. In the south, it is especially bad. I dealt with people who were very popular solely because they have a charismatic personality. Granted, it’s great to have a charismatic personality, but there needs to be substance behind it. Likewise, in the spiritual life, it’s great to enjoy what we are doing, but what we are doing must be objectively good.
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David Ancell / Monday, July 14, 2003 / Comments(0)
Not too long ago, I posted this post about The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Understanding Catholicism. Like most dissident materials, it “takes you where you are” and then proceeds to leave you there. You will finish the book and still remain a complete idiot on Catholicism because the book is full of false teaching.
Well, I’m pleased to inform you that I recently discovered
Catholicism For Dummies(r) at a bookstore. A quick reading through key passages shows that the book is much, much better. If you have a friend looking for a very basic book on the Catholic faith, this one looks like a winner. I think I’ll buy a copy for my library.
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David Ancell / Monday, July 14, 2003 / Comments(0)
Perhaps some of you reading this have had to deal with the iconoclasts telling you that Vatican II said to remove all statues and other sacred artwork from your church. Well, at the Frassati Society, we have undertaken to read Vatican II, and we have found this great gem in Sacrosanctum Concilium, article 126:
Ordinaries must be very careful to see that sacred furnishings and works of value are not disposed of or dispersed; for they are the ornaments of the house of God.
Take that, reckovationists!!
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