Tasty Tuesdays: Eating Lessons from Yoga

Yoga, as I've said before, is a way of life and a philosophy-- a Rule of Life, if you will-- that extends far beyond the actual physical poses. 

Part of this way of life involves taking a good look at your diet and deciding what types of foods and habits will hinder your yoga practice and which types will enhance it and produce desired results. The goal of any yoga practice is sound health of mind, body, and soul... and a "yoking together" of the three so that they may be directed with intention towards what the yogi considers to be "good." In my case, towards a life of Union with the God of the Bible....in the case of others, perhaps, with themselves, with gods of the hindu pantheon, etc.

So, what type of food qualify as "Yogic?"

Ideally, yogis will consider eating SMALL quantities of HIGH QUALITY foods. The Small quantities is because we want to use nutrition as a tool but not indulge in excesses or overindulgence of what, in small quantities, is a good thing. The quality matters because we want to give our bodies nutrition that they will use, not bog them down with a slew of stuff that needs sorting, rejecting, etc. Our physical, mental, and spiritual energy are directly related to the situation inside our bodies... so we should be mindful (there's that word again!) of what we put in them and how we treat them. A good mix of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts is best for these purposes.

Some yogis eat meat, but in small quantities and on occasion, not as a daily staple at every meal-- the main reason being that meats contain toxins that bog down the system as well as being more difficult to digest and more challenging to assimilate. IF you eat meat every day, it's probably best to confine RED meat to once- a week or so, and instead try fish or lean white meat,  like chicken. Instead, replace meat dishes with beans and legumes.

Yogic tradition indicates that the fresher the food, the better, and the less cooked the food, the better, when it comes to produce. Recently, much scientific data has come out which agrees with this idea-- it seems that the fresher and less cooked the food, the greater the nutrition. So when snacking, for example, choose raw  fresh organic broccoli or carrots rather than leftover spinach quiche made with canned spinach. When you cook vegetables, a light steaming is usually best. Because of the great emphasis on moderation, most yogis agree that food should neither be consumed too hot, nor too cold. Modern science agrees and actually suggests that certain types of throat cancer can be caused by tissue damage caused by constant irritation of the throat with hots and colds. I'm not sure I believe that, but it's interesting.

In the "foods to avoid at all costs" department, you will find: Virtually all refined white sugars, brown sugar, raw sugar organic sugar. This includes food that may be labeled: "Fructose, Glucose, Galactose, Maltose, Sorbitol, Honey, Mannitol (421), Molasses, Corn syrup, Maple syrup, Date sugar, Maltodextrin, Lactose. " This is because Sugar is like poison to the system, creating toxins and slowing down the whole system. Kick the sugar habit as soon as possible. An idea to start with would be to replace all sugar and sweeteners with Stevia Rebaudiana, which is said to be much sweeter than sugar and all natural. Avoid ALL artificial sweeteners, of course, which are much worse than sugar and arguably poisonous for the system.

Serious yogis stay away from Alcohol, and relatively serious yogis will drink with extreme moderation and caution. Like sugar, alcohol contains toxins and is poisonous to the body. Another reason to avoid the use of alcohol is that the purpose of yoga is to awaken and invigorate the central nervous system, whereas alcohol clogs it up and destroys it with excessive use.

Alcohol first stimulates and then shortly afterwards depresses the central nervous system, whereas yoga stimulates and elevates the central nervous system... creating a natural high with no "downer" at the end.Using alcohol and practicing yoga regularly is counterintuitive, to say the least.

Alcohol also causes poor sleep, which can lead to a myriad of other physical, mental and emotional problems. Poor sleep, for example, can cause weight retention, mood swings, and hormonal imbalances.

One last thing: Yogis take TIME to eat.. they don't just scarf food down. This is for the very simple reason that when we eat slowly and take lots of time to chew, the digestive process is aided rather than hindered. This is important because good digestion is the first step to nutritional health. If your body is in good health,- and a regular yoga practice helps with this-- then even eating NON nutritious food slowly provides lasting benefits-- because your body will squeeze every last drop of nutrition from it and then eliminate the remaining toxins immediately. 

Hopefully this will give you some ideas for improving your own health via decisions about nutrition. It's never too late to start eating better! A regular yoga practice aids the body and works hand in hand with good food choices, which in turn will help to ensure  the "whole" person is healthy, active, and self-aware. But one need not practice yoga to enjoy the benefits of such a healthy philosophy about food... any form of physical exercise is important and useful to the body so that we can make the most out of what we have been given.

Freaky Fridays: My "Other" Life.

Are you experiencing strange phenomena in your home or place of business?

Popular television shows are making people more and more aware that paranormal activity is not only a reality but a far more common reality than one might think. At the same time, I like to think that spirits are like cockroaches- like attracts like, and when we focus on them we often realize that we are more aware of their constant presence than we would have liked! Sometimes we experience what we believe to be paranormal activity and immediately, things become gloomy and dark in our homes. We go through periods like this until we mentally "shake it off" and then things seem to improve. This cycle can sometimes go on for years.
Other times, no amount of "ignoring" will make the situation stop-- in fact, ignoring it only makes it get worse. No matter what, when we think something is going on in our home, we want to know what it is!! Natural curiosity is a strong catalyst for discovery and investigation.
There are now a slew of paranormal research associations near and far with broad ranging specializations designed to assist you with discovering if the "strange" activity in your home is indeed otherworldly... but what exactly are they looking for?

Some examples of typical and atypical, but still commonly reported, paranormal activity:

• Loud, unexplained bangs, rappings or knocks, strange sounds, music, hearing distinct voices, crying babies or names being called which appear to come out of nowhere.
• Objects moving (either visibly or while you are out) without a human explanation.
• Strange feelings of extreme fear in certain rooms for no apparent reason, feelings of being watched or "not alone."
• vibrating sensations, feeling a blast of unusually cold or hot air where there shouldn't be, having hair pulled or body touched in some way.
• unexplainable cuts, scratches or bruises that appear and disappear suddenly.
• unusual coincidences (this is a broad topic but often manifests as something that just has no worldly explanation, for example: finding a lost item after finding something that points you to where you would find it and instantly recognizing the connection.)
• Visuals. These can be shadows, lights, body parts or even full bodied persons
   which appear and then vanish. 
• Smells that can not be explained, such as a certain type of perfume that appears at certain times or the lingering smell of feces in a home that has no reason to smell.

Other signs of activity to watch for in conjunction with some of these:

• Sudden, unexplainable changes in behavior or interests in family members
• An interest in the occult, or a marked change in interest in self-destructive behaviors like alcoholism, drug use or promiscuity.
• Preoccupation with new age  or esoteric teachings and ideas.
• Extremely unhealthful physical habits (eating only one type of thing, or not eating at all, for example.)
• A definite feeling of unease/fear/ lack of peace/ even chaos within a family on a regular basis or within a building or place.
• Strange coincidences such as all members of a family dying of unnatural causes or a generational inability to come out of poverty, a recurring sickness or mental sickness.
• A sudden ability to speak a different language, external knowledge of interior things which others have not revealed, new "abilities" such as increased psychic activity, trances, or visions which may prove accurate.
• Superhuman strength that did not exist previously.
• Night terrors, recurring nightmares, sensations of physical heaviness on the body which do not allow a person to move.
• New physical manifestations: tics that appear only when a certain mood or topic of conversation occurs, for example.
• A strong attraction towards certain religious items or a complete disgust with certain religious items.
• Markedly different behavior when certain types of activities take place, in particular in conjunction with religious activities. (for example, getting violently angry after receiving communion or being confessed, responding poorly to prayer or being unable to pray oneself.)
• A strong belief in the effects of the spirit world on oneself coupled with a desire to intensify the paranormal experiences.
• Strange behavior, such as talking to oneself or making gestures that are not deciferable.

Any of these things needs to be examined further if they are a regular occurance in your home or place of business, and most people today go the way of the professional Ghost Hunter, seeking out organizations that can confirm the presence of an "unnatural" activity. Because of their media popularity, many people are now "amateur" Ghost Hunters themselves, spending weekends and free time "investigating" houses they believe might be haunted. Some people, however, aren't as enthralled by paranormal activity. And that's the people who are victims of a haunting-- they daily experience the terrifying reality that others seek out for thrills and chills. When they call paranormal investigators, it's usually because they are frightened or tired of being surprised and curious. Not all, some will call because they think ghosts are cool and they want to know if the group can find any in their homes. The experiences of victims and seekers vary widely, but all remain within certain boundaries and are somewhat understandable when explained and investigated by experienced investigators who have developped experience and a body of knowledge, a science, from what they do.

(If you are local I strongly recommend contacting:
Fayetteville Paranormal Research and Investigations for assistance, as they will provide you with a complete, professional investigation and are mindful of the compassionate nature needed to actually help and not hinder someone involved in a frightening paranormal ordeal.)

My job begins where theirs ends. As a lay Catholic demonologist and deliverance worker, my job is to pray and counsel you and your loved ones as you cope with the positive result of your investigation.
Most people will need someone to help you answer the question: "My house really IS haunted! Now what?" Ironically, not many people think much of what they will do if it is, they simply want to KNOW if they are really experiencing what they think they are experiencing. It can be mentally distressing to second guess oneself during a paranormal experience, and having someone else confirm your experience can be very helpful.

I don't personally recommend using a paranormal research group, since many of them are secular in nature and will use occult techniques to get a "response" from the house. Instead, I suggest that you begin the endeavor to understand what's going on the same way I would suggest undertaking any big project: with prayer and time spent in the Word of God. However, I am well aware that most persons will elect to use a Paranormal Research group, if only for their own peace of mind that it "isn't just them." So what do you do when you hear them confirm your suspicions?

Many paranormal research societies will leave you with the certainty that something is going on in your house that truly cannot be explained by natural means, but then simply advise you to learn to live with it. Most will assert that "something's here, but it's harmless" without a more thorough investigation-- even though they cannot tell you why they believe it will be fine.
Often the investigation itself will stir up additional activity or change the nature of the activity, which some say will go back to "normal" once the investigation is over. Indeed, most paranormal research organizations are secular in nature and thus unconcerned --or unintentionally distant from--any answers regarding how to help a ghost that might be manifesting with a particular need, or the idea that there may be a real danger present, though invisible behind the "friendly" spirit they have encountered. (I in no way intend this to be an insult to many of my personal friends and acquaintances who run and work in paranormal investigations groups and who are good people with hearts of compassion for the victims. Rather, it is a word of caution to the slew of new "investigators" appearing on the scene-- if you are an investigator today, have you been trained? By whom? Are you offering a service that helps or hinders people from living a peaceful life? Are you doing this out of concern for victims or to satiate your curiosity? If the latter, do you allow your natural curiosity to endanger yourself, your team or your client? These are tough questions, but they need to be addressed.)


Scripture and the Church, however, have consistently taught that there are spiritual elements around us who are neither benevolent nor uninterested in the human goings on around them. Experience teaches that the demonic nature is to deceive, and we have all heard at least one story where what started out as a playful haunting by an "innocent" ghost, once embraced and welcomed became a terrifying nightmare.
So how can you discern what exactly is going on in your home from a spiritual standpoint and eliminate it altogether if necessary? The goal, of course, is always your family's physical and spiritual safety.Many people find that paranormal activity they experience in one home causes them to flee... only to discover that they do not have any where to go since this activity is likely to follow them until it is dealt with. More often than not, although there are plenty of exceptions, we deal with haunted people, not haunted houses.

A "haunting" can refer to a person, place, or thing.

A PLACE is usually the site of a spiritual 'opening' of some sort--for example,  the site of an occult or overtly satanic ceremony,  or a place where a terrible and frightening ordeal  or other similar event has occured. There are houses in virtually every community which are simply "not right," in which strange things take place or in which chaos, fear and calamity seem to reign no matter who lives there or what they are doing.
A THING is usually an item which has been "charged." While everyday objects are not usually problematic, certain objects, such as coins, statues, images, dolls, or other things have been "blessed" or "cursed" or used in a ceremonial sense that opens them up to the spirit world. Sometimes the blessing can bring about the aroma of God's goodness, and other times the stench of hell. Many people keep cursed items in their homes for years without knowing anything about them, only to discover that they were the source of a spiritual problem in the house. These days, you can even purchase such items in auctions like ebay and visit them in paranormal museums!
A PERSON is the focus of the spiritual pestering. Some people are simply more aware than others when it comes to the spirit world, for various reasons (some cultivate it and try to "take" esoteric knowledge about spirits, others are simply "gifted" either from a  good and Godly source or from a demonic source.) Many people who have special powers of spiritual perception often lose them when they renounce certain sins or occult activities they are involved in. All of us come under demonic attack at one point or another. Opression is a relatively normal state that comes and goes... Satan's purpose is to destroy each individual life. However, some people are cursed or make  promises or even blood oaths with satanic entities that give them legal access to their lives. In rare cases, people become possessed by evil spirits, and in very rare cases, people can become perfectly possessed, or unwilling to be delivered.

As a spirit-filled traditional Catholic Christian, faithful to the Magisterium with more than thirteen years experience ministering in this field , my aim is simply to point you to specific resources that will help you on your journey, to pray for you and with you, and to serve as a liason, or translator, between you and your clergy member of any Christian denomination, as they are not always equipped to deal with the supernatural, surprising as that may be. Today, many priests and pastors are trained to guide you towards secular therapy, for example,  and not spiritual deliverance because they may not have had emphasized any teachings on spiritual warfare, on evil as a person and not just an idea, or on the war between the Devil and mankind. In fact, many priests and pastors you may encounter might suggest further occult or new age techniques to help you stop the problem, thereby making it worse. There are no magic formulas to assist people with hauntings. Like everything else, deliverance is achieved by grace, through faith in Christ. it takes trial and error, earnest self-seeking, and an eye for what to look for.


As a former victim of a haunting and a person who ministers by the Holy Spirit-given gift of discernment of spirits, I am very aware of the fear and the stigma that comes with reaching out to others about this kind of situation. I'm also aware of the psychological and spiritual repercussions of NOT heeding the advice of the Church. Because of my personal life experience, I am familiar with the paranormal scene emerging today as well as with occult religious experiences which have been known to "open doors," something which clergy often know next to nothing about. I have, myself, been delivered from my own demons, and my hope is that in sharing my experiences with you you will find solace and comfort in a world where very few people understand much of anything you might be going through.

The Bible says in Psalm 91:5 that you will not fear the terror of the night. Stand on this Word, which is for you today if you are experiencing a haunting and unsure of how to proceed. May the following information and the posts in my blog about paranormal activity as well as my demonology pages help guide you towards freedom from fear.

A guide to understanding Satanic activity:

- Ordinary activity: These include temptations to sin, and not one of us are exempt.

-Extraordinary activity: This takes six different forms. The first is external physical pain. Some illnesses, some calamity, and other types of elements which cause us suffering are included here, in particular "invisible blows" such as those suffered by the Cure d'Ars or Padre Pio. The second is called Diabolical Oppression and includes an attack in the health, jobs, or relationships of the person afflicted. The third is called Diabolical Obsession and involved an uncontrollable attack on the thoughts and/or dreamlife.This can and has been confused with mental illness, and a discerning eye is needed to know the difference. The fourth type is called Diabolical Infestation and involves the possession or demonic ownership of a place or thing. The fifth type is called Diabolical Possession and involves the maintenance of control over a person by an (often invited) demon. In this case, Satan can speak or act in the place of the person and without his/her consent. The ordinary signs of possession include: speaking in unknown tongues with fluency, superhuman/extraordinary strength, and the ability to know secret knowledge, such as another man's hidden sin or a future event. There is no "exact picture" of what to expect. Each case of possession is different. The last and final extraordinary activity of Satan is Diabolical subjugation or dependance. This occurs when an individual knowingly gives himself and his possessions over to the Enemy. The most common forms of this activity occur through the making of a blood oath or act of consecration to Satan.


STEPS TO DELIVERANCE

1. "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 4:17)

The first and most important step is a thorough examination of conscience. A solid self-awareness and increasing knowledge of self will help you to understand your own sinful tendencies and the things which keep you bogged down with demonic thoughts instead of the thoughts of God. The easiest way to form one's conscience is to begin by daily reading and mediation on the Word of God and on the teachings of the Church and writings of the Saints. As you learn what "being a Christian" means and looks like, you compare yourself and your actions to those you see and read about in the Words of Scripture and the Encyclicals and other documents (letters, etc) of the Church. Thus, you keep yourself honest about what you have and have not done that is directly out of line with God's will for your life. Repentance is the first step to deliverance, and involves a true sorrow for the sins one has committed.

2. Therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. ( James 5:16)

Confession is a powerful tool that proves our repentance and deepens our appropriation of forgiveness and absolution. For Roman Catholics, confession assures our salvation by ensuring absolution at the hands of a priest, one of God's unbroken line of apostolic representatives given spiritually authority on earth.
 Confession is a crucial step after repentance to aid in the deliverance process. Confession removes our spiritual "filth" and any legal holds demonic influences may have on our person.

3.Lay ahold of God's Grace.

“Sacraments are outward signs of inward grace, instituted by Christ for our sanctification” (taken from the Catholic Encyclopedia). The Roman Catholic Church teaches that while God gives grace to man without outward symbols (or sacraments), He has also chosen to give grace to man through visible symbols. Because God has done this, man is foolish to not make use of this God-provided means of gaining sanctification. Thus, as a Catholic, you should turn to the sacraments as centers of accessible grace. This means you should receive Baptism, if you have not, and Confession, if you have not, and also receive Jesus Christ present in the Holy Eucharist. If you are married, you should also ensure you have been married sacramentally, if you are a priest, been given the graces associated with Holy Orders by ensuring your orders were recieved sacramentally, and if you are sick, receive the annointing of the sick.
If you are not a Catholic, note that the first part of the last paragraph says that God gives grace to man without the outward symbols as well. In other words, the sacraments are not the ONLY way of receiving grace. What else can you do? Pray, and ask God for Grace. The Bible says we must only ask, and we shall receive. (Matthew 7:7, John 14:3)

4. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. (Matthew 21:22)

Quite simply, the process of deliverance is to ask for deliverance and to appropriate it/ receive it when it ready to come. If you follow these four steps consistently and earnestly, seeking God with all your heart, mind, body and soul He will not fail to save you. And great shall be the peace of His Children! (Isaiah 54:13)

There are no magic formulas or spells to give you deliverance from demonic forces. You must exercise your will and depend on the wide mercy of God. There are sacramentals which can help, but not if they are used superstitiously or with faith placed in them (idolatry) as opposed to God's redeeming work. Some of the sacramentals I use and recommend are exorcised salt and water, chrism, the Miraculous Medal or St Benedict's Medal, relics of the Saints, the brown scapular or a blessed rosary or crucifix. But none of these things are efficacious in and of themselves, only by the power they are given from God to confer his grace. For many people, these can be stumbling blocks or even deepen the demonic attack. The Cross of Christ, applied to a life, is the ONLY solution and remedy for a demonic attack.

If you or a loved one are involved in a case of possession, you will still need the same things to be delivered. A Roman Catholic Priest who recites the Roman Catholic Exorcism over a possessed person for one or more days will often have success, but usually only if the above four steps are attended to first. Do not despair if you are certain of the possession of yourself or a loved one and cannot find sympathetic clergy or a willing Bishop. Scripture says that the prayers of the RIGHTEOUS MAN avail much. Though you may not find an exorcist or be able to receive a much-needed exorcism, a group of faithful people whose hearts are right with God usually will have as much success in praying for an afflicted person for deliverance as a full blown exorcist.

The business of demonic activity is profoundly dangerous. Do NOT attempt an exorcism without the spiritual authority to do so. Do NOT play with, engage, or otherwise interact with demonic entities. Do NOT underestimate the ability of the Enemy to outwit, tempt, and succeed at throwing you off track. Do NOT dialogue directly with a person manifesting demonically, and do NOT make a display of your occult knowledge or your ability to "get a name" from a demon, or other such ritualistic business. Simply humble yourselves and pray.. this is the ONLY solution to a demonic problem and you will find no other that actually work.

If you feel powerless to help yourself or someone else and aren't sure what to do next or how to proceed, I HIGHLY recommend that you simply pray the Holy Rosary daily, even hour by hour if necessary, for the deliverance of the person whom you wish to help. God answers prayer, and you need not fear the terror of  the night, nor the arrow that flies by day. God has provided your own arrows, warrior. Offer up prayers to the One who can answer, and do not get caught up in fleshly temptations to create grandiose scenarios of deliverance-- for we battle not against flesh and blood but against the powers and principalities and the rulers of this world and darkness.

One additional note: Catholic Christians believe the teachings of the Bible and the Church with regards to the doctrine of Purgatory. This doctrine states that the soul is not always "immediately" sanctified if they did not take the necessary steps to respond to God's grace while on earth.
 Because of this doctrine, combined with personal experience, it is my belief that not ALL hauntings are the result of a demonic entity, but that some can stem from a situation in which a soul in purgatory is somehow made known to a human person, ALWAYS For a purpose-- the purpose of receiving prayer.
So, with that in mind, understand that the advice I give will help no matter what--- if you believe that the entity you are encountering is a soul in purgatory, then I recommend the above four steps PLUS having a mass said by a priest on the premises or other appropriate prayers said for the release of said person.

That being said, it is my personal experience (and in line with the doctrines and teachings of the Church and Bible) that more often than not, even in a situation which seems to be clearly about a "lost soul," the ACTUAL situation is one of very cleverly disguised demonic proportions. In other words, don't mess around and always assume the worst.

Please visit my demonology blog for specific advice and assistance. http://catholicwarfare.blogspot.com/

May God  go with you and the angels and Saints protect you. And may you be empowered to halt the enemy and to fend off his attacks in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

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Theology Thursdays: Was Peter really the first Pope and our Rock?

In an interesting debate about the papacy, I read a post by my husband which attempted to lay out the relevance of Jesus re-naming Simon Peter. He appealed to our biblical understanding of the importance of the names we give, pointing out also that Jesus SPOKE Aramaic, thus the "greek" translation of Cephas holds little relevance in the first place, and further that the whole "in Greek, there is a distinction between "little Rock" and "Big Rock," makes no difference since that is true only of a particular dialect called "Koine" Greek, and the New Testament was not written in Koine Greek. Being an armchair scripture scholar, I certainly cannot claim to know Greek and Hebrew or to be able to tell you "exactly" what I am reading. Further, I can open a Strong's like any other idiot and lay claim to a Greek or Hebrew root word without actually knowing whether or not Strong's is always right on. I trust it, but why?
Suffice to say that the whole "It means this in Greek," "No, it means that!" Argument is ridiculous for the average person on a quest for truth and thus we must appeal to reason, logic, and the LENS through which we read the Scriptures. After all, everyone has a lens. Mine is 2000+ years old and still intact, how's yours?
:D
But I digress.... I thought it would be relevant, then, to attempt to "Speak the language" of the naysayers-- because while I don't speak Greek or Hebrew well, I DO speak Bible. And if you're a Papacy Naysayer, then chances are, so do you. In this post, then, I will attempt to make a PURELY biblical case for Papal Authority to Rule the Church as the Vicar of Christ. I'm not doing this to be difficult. I'm not doing this so that you would convert, although I clearly wouldn't argue if you woke up tomorrow deciding to be Catholic!But fear not-- since Catholics know one doesn't have to be a practicing Roman Catholic to enjoy the mercy of God, we don't worry TOO much about converting everyone to Catholicism. It is the SURE path, but not the only path. We do believe, though, that anything on this beautiful planet which leads you to Jesus came to you through His established Church in some way, which makes all of the negative press and attention the Catholic Church gets, especially from protestants, all the more frustrating for those of us who get it.
We hear, over and over again, how "unbiblical" everything we do is. In fact, once upon a time I left the Catholic Church because I was told it was unbiblical... and believed it. Thing is, most people forget that the very Bible they are using to try to condemn the Catholic Church was GIVEN to them by the Catholic Church. We're THAT biblical. :P I guess what I'm saying is, it's always good to be able to explain your Catholic Faith by using the Bible, because for some people, (and hey, I'm not placing blame, because I've been one of them!) there's only ONE way to talk about Truth and that is via the Word of God as it is collected in the series of inspired books we know as the Bible.
So first, let's look at some scriptures: 

Mt 10:1-4 says: "1He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil^a spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.

2These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him."

Mark 3:16-19 says: "16These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); 17James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder); 18Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot 19and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him."

Luke 6:14-16 says: "14Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, 16Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. "

Acts 1:13 says: "13When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James."

Luke 9:32 says: "Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him."

 Do you notice anything about these Scriptures? Peter is always named first, as the foremost apostle. These are the times when the "12" are named.... this should give us a clue about the importance of Peter's position within the early Church.

Next, we will go to a few other scriptures. 

Matthew 18:21: "Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him?..."

Mark 8:29: "He said to them: 'Who do YOU say that I am?' and Peter answered Him: 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

Luke 12:41: "Then Peter said to Him: Lord, do you speak this parable only to us or to all people?"

John 6:69: "Jesus said to the twelve: do you also want to go away? But Simon Peter answered Him, saying 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the Words of Eternal Life. Also we have come to know and believe that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

What about these? Notice anything they have in common?In all of these Scriptures, where the Lord addresses the twelve,  Peter spoke for all of the apostles.
 He literally represented them when speaking to Christ. Still not convinced? Let me take you to the feast of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came down upon them, birthing the Church:

"But peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them: 'Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem. Let this be known, and heed my words...." (Acts 2:14) In other words, Peter got up and preached TO and FOR the Church directly after the descent of the Holy Spirit that birthed the Church. This is again connected to the verse 6 and 7 of Acts Chapter 3, where Peter was the one who worked the first healing: "Then Peter said: Silver and Gold I do not have , but what I Do have, I give to you. Rise and Walk in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth." Clearly, we're onto something here.

But there's more!

In Acts 10:46-47, the gentiles who were to be baptized were revealed to Peter first. 

Then we have John 1:42.... Jesus renames Simon Cephas (Peter.) Kepha which means "ROCK" in Aramaic. (Not big rock, not little rock, just ROCK. With that in mind, how can we but see what our Lord means in Matthew 16:18-19.... "18And I tell you that you are Peter,^c and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades^d will not overcome it.^e 19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be^f bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be^g loosed in heaven.”  It becomes so simple: He gives the keys to the kingdom to Peter. Protestants quote this verse all the time, to remind us that we have Spiritual Authority, which is somewhat true. But in the passage, Jesus does not say "I will give believers the Keys...." but "I will give YOU the keys...." and He is talking specifically to Peter. 

So what are these keys? The Bible uses the same word, keys, as a symbol of Spiritual Authority. 

Isaiah 22:22 says- " "Then I will set the key of the house of David on his shoulder, When he opens no one will shut, When he shuts no one will open." And again, Revelations 1:18 says: "I am he that lives, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for ever more, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death."

So thusfar, we have seen that Peter was always "first" among equals, that he was the spokesman for the Apostles, that He was a preacher for them, that he was called "the rock" and that on this rock the Church was to be built, for he was given "keys" which are authority.Now let's look at John 21:17, where Jesus gives a very specific directive to Peter.

"He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”
And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep."

Feed my Sheep. What else could Christ possibly have meant? As if to emphasize this point, we turn to Luke 22:31-32. "And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”Strengthen your bretheren. Feed My Sheep. This is a clear picture of the task Christ is annointing Peter for. But How do we know he was to be received as the Vicar (substitute) of Christ?

Luke 10:1-2, 16: After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also,and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.”

John 13:20: Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.” (A Bible teacher I LOVE says that when scripture repeats itself, it's going to be on the test. ;))

2 Cor 5:20: We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.  

Galatians 4:14:  and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself. 

Acts 5:1-5:  ¹ Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. ² With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.

 ³ Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? ⁴ Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”
 ⁵ When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened.

Again, we see that not only did Peter take on a special role to be able to represent the apostles to Christ, but vice versa, He represented Christ to the apostles. 

I hope this helps you to see that when Catholics lay claim to the verifiable fact that our concept of the Papacy, which is built on Peter, who was firmly established in Christ, is a biblical concept, we aren't just being weird, uneducated, or biblically illiterate. We LOVE our Pope as much as we do because we are so thankful to have a Pope at all... someone to lead the WHOLE church, to feed His sheep (with the Eucharist) and to guide us. the very fact that a Pope exists, that there is an unbroken line of popes, and that these popes were "created" by the passing down of ACTUAL spiritual authority by the laying on of hands which can be traced back to the appointment Christ himself made in annointing first Peter, then the eleven, for the task of guiding His people.... it's a miracle. Praise to be God, always, for the miracle and blessing of the Papacy!
Can you be a Christian without a Pope? Surely you can, but why would you?

"“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”" -Matthew 7:24-27

V. Let us pray for our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI:


R. May the Lord preserve him, give him long life, make him
blessed upon the earth, and not hand him over to the power of his enemies.


V. You are Peter.


R. And upon this Rock I will build my Church.
Let us pray.


God our Father, Shepherd and Guide, look with love on your servant, Pope Benedict XVI, the pastor of your Church. Grant that his word and example may inspire and guide the Church, and that he, and all those entrusted to his care, may come to the joy of everlasting life. We ask this through Christ,our Lord. Amen.


Mother of the Church, pray for us.


Saint Peter, pray for us.

Willow House Wednesdays: thankful for advent

Barbie's “Thankful for Advent” Party

So sorry we missed you! Those who wanted me to post the discussion can read all about it in the wrap up below I made from my notes.

 

PART ONE (Welcome/ Greeting)

• The Call to attention: When everyone had begun settling down, I had the privilege of leading an opening hymn with my friend Cherry and my mother in law on the piano, O Come O Come Emmanuel. I had shivers running up and down my spine the whole time...what a great way to stop and center ourselves on the reason for the season! I have included the lyrics below.
• Opening Prayer : We invited the Holy Spirit to be with us and teach us how to be thankful for what we have and show us how to wait for Him.
• The round the Room intro Each person gave her name, favorite advent tradition, and a question/dilemma about advent we can solve together.

PART TWO: Thankfulness.

• Passed a Bible and had someone read each verse as we uncover what God thinks about giving thanks:

Col 1:12 Giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified and made us fit to share the portion which is the inheritance of the saints (God's holy people) in the Light

1 Thess 4:18 Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will].

Is 12:4 And in that day you will say, Give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name and by means of His name [in solemn entreaty]; declare and make known His deeds among the peoples of the earth, proclaim that His name is exalted!
Eph 5:4 Let there be no filthiness (obscenity, indecency) nor foolish and sinful (silly and corrupt) talk, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting or becoming; but instead voice your thankfulness [to God].

2 Cor 4:15 For all [these] things are [taking place] for your sake, so that the more grace (divine favor and spiritual blessing) extends to more and more people and multiplies through the many, the more thanksgiving may increase [and redound] to the glory of God.

2 Cor 9:11 Thus you will be enriched in all things and in every way, so that you can be generous, and [your generosity as it is] administered by us will bring forth thanksgiving to God.

1 Tim 4:4 For everything God has created is good, and nothing is to be thrown away or refused if it is received with thanksgiving.

• Asked: “What can we do to cultivate gratitude in our lives?”
• Some ideas-- Create a thankfulness journal or list: at this point I had one of the guests read from the Willow House villa plate I had displayed where each guest has written down (as they arrived) five things to be thankful for. (our Villa collection plates are able to be written on in dry erase marker!) Taking a walk and listing them.
• Asked: What does gratitude build in us or help us to overcome?  PATIENCE. Gratitude teaches us to walk in peace through a season of waiting, like Advent. It's a change in perspective.

PART THREE: THE STORY OF ADVENT

• Asked: “What exactly is advent?” (This is the place to acknowledge the importance of Jesus' arrival as a gift for mankind at Christmas, where we celebrate the birth of the Messiah. Many people don't stop to think on the incarnational reality--- that GOD became MAN and humbled Himself from LOVE to be with us and remain with US.) During Advent, we prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ-- in remembrance of His birth, in preparation for His second coming, and in anticipation of the "new" way He will come into our hearts at Christmas. Advent lasts the four weeks previous to Christmas Day.
• Had a guest share her testimony of Jesus at Christmas... I shared mine because Christmas eve was the day I ENCOUNTERED the risen Christ.
• Explained that Advent has two aspects. The first is JOY in PATIENCE. We learn to wait for the good we know is coming to us, believing the Promise. Have any of you had to practice the virtue of patience and perseverance in Hope? When?
• Advent's second “characteristic” is penitential. The Messiah came to save a penitent people with sorrow for their sins, not a proud and haughty people. To demonstrate this, Jesus came to a humble maidservant and was born in a manger. We are sinners, so at advent, we take the time to reflect on ways we have hurt others, God and ourselves. We ask for forgiveness, and we give forgiveness where we have failed to do so. This is a time of inward reflection... we prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ!

PART FOUR: ADVENT WRECKAGE.

• Advent season can be confusing in our materialistic society. We spend the day after thanksgiving until the day of Christmas furiously racing around buy, buy, buying and then we take down the tree the day after Christmas and say “Phew, I'm exhausted” and TOTALLY miss the point.
• FACTOR ONE- people are stressed because of money, mostly because they don't have enough to spend on gifts. We brainstormed solutions, like NOT giving money but time, instead. Budgeting, taking advantage of sales (and like one family, two sisters, who were present, maybe making getting the shopping done "right" a tradition-- they have a TON of fun together building memories on black friday. )
• FACTOR TWO- people are stressed out because of extreme loneliness or because of their families. We brainstormed solutions here, like inviting the lonely, picking up the phone more, learning to "accept" life,  and focusing on GIVING instead of receiving love. Someone suggested sharing your large (possibly slightly annoying) family with a lonely person. Hah! :P
• FACTOR THREE- People are stressed out because of Travel. We brainstormed solutions and give ideas like “DON'T travel and focus on home” or “Make the traveling part of your gift.... find a way to demonstrate generosity to each person you encounter during the trip, etc." and make a difference. Even just offering a smile is an act of generorosity.
• FACTOR FOUR- People are stressed out because of Time. There is no secret to time management, but we brainstormed solutions to include slowing down to live well – the liturgical year really helps with this-- and scheduling, setting up routines etc. The two biggest solutions are simplifying and organizing. Cherry recommended a great resource to help women take care of the housecleaning part of time stress: FlyLady.com

PART FIVE- THE GOOD STUFF...TRADITIONAL OBSERVATION

• Liturgical tradition is the root of all advent traditions. Because Advent comes from the Catholic Church's liturgical season, you might want to know that the traditional colors are purple (just as they are at lent, for the penitential aspect.) and the traditional concept is to NOT have Christmas but anticipate Christmas. We dont' put up our decorations, like our Christmas tree, until DEC 24^th! (there is no "hard and fast" rule about this, but traditionally, we decorate for Christmas AT Christmas and for the following weeks, and we keep advent decorations simple and focused on the anticipation of Christmas, not Christmas itself.)
• An advent wreath is the number one "advent decoration." It consists of a wreath surrounding four candles (usually purple, again to represent contrition for our sins) and often has a fifth white candle in the center representing Christ. We light one candle the first week of advent (during a family meal, at a family prayer time, etc) and none of the others. We light TWO candles the second week of advent, etc etc. until Christmas when we can light ALL the candles. This is a visible "calendar" that marks the sacred time of Advent for us.
• the Jesse Tree is a tree, named for the Root of Jesse, on which we hang ornaments that represent the scriptural events in prophesy that lead us to Christ. Each day, a new ornament is hung (or drawn, pasted, etc) and a new scripture is read. Again, there is no "right way" or "wrong way" to do a Jesse Tree.
• Advent Calendar is a drawing that has built in doors or windows which we can open on each day of advent. These often have candy, chocolate or a treat behind each door to delight children, but are best used as tools when they have a scripture representing the messiahship of Christ.
• The Creche is a manger scene. Where I am from in the South of France, we make these figurines from clay representing all of the villagers. Then we add them to our Creche, decorating with moss and cotton and sand and twigs and many other things that make it come to life. It all starts with the stable, of course, and a figure of Mary and Joseph, but then you add the other characters as the days go past--- the villagers, the shepherd, the animals, and eventually the Magi. The villagers often represent the family. For example, when I had my first child, my grandmother added a woman carrying a baby to represent me in our village.

  

  This is my Grandmother in Provence, putting the finishing touches on our Family Creche during Advent.

  
  
• Caroling. Advent is a time to bring the anticipation of Christ to people, so making time to do things like going door to door to Carol is amazing. We have all had transformative experiences in caroling and can't recommend it enough for the simple joy it brings people.
• Focusing on giving (not just money) by giving time to people, making things for people, etc etc. We talked about making an anonymous gift for someone you know is really in need, or making cookies for strangers and neighbors.
• Because we Catholics observe a liturgical year, we have MANY occasions to give gifts during the year: at the birth of a child or on a birthday, on a feast day, at easter, the beginning of lent, or epiphany, etc. Why not put gifts to GIVE AWAY under your tree this year? What's stopping you?

WRAP UP

• Remember that Thanksgiving teaches us to slow down and be grateful, which breeds the ability to find patience during a long wait. Advent, then, is the celebration of waiting for the fulfillment of Joy, which we find at Christmas. What a powerful season of inner reflection this should stir in us!
• I had a Willow House table set up to remind my guests that now is the perfect time to book a party and share TIME with your friends. I made sure to give one of the party guests a Willow House gift as she left to ensure that she understood that Willow House means what it says: that we want to instill generosity as a virtue in our consultants. I am certainly thankful to be a part of such an incredible company that fosters this spirit in others.
• Because we should all want to GIVE MORE and GET LESS this season, I asked each guest to start now. As we closed, I challenge them to commit to praying for at least one person present during ALL of advent. We held hands and prayed the Our Father and some Words of encouragement for each woman present as she prepared her heart and mind to meet Christ in a powerful new way this Thanksgiving and Advent season.
• BELT OUT: O HOLY NIGHT or another O COME O COME EMMANUEL
  
  
  O Come O Come Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give them victory o'er the grave
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai's height,
In ancient times did'st give the Law,
In cloud, and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.  

The following is technically a Christmas song, but captures the REASON for our joy at Christmas so completely. It also contains personal significance for me and for a family I love dearly. As you sing it, listen to what you are singing-- Scripture says that there is POWER in the words we speak and St Augustine says that "he who sings prays twice."

O Holy Night!

The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!

My love and prayers for you all this Thanksgiving and Advent season.
Barbie.

Mama Mondays: Babymaking

The kids were playing in the other room while I cooked dinner.
Over the monitor, I heard my daughter say to my son: "Come on, let's check and see if I have any babies coming."
My heart sank, and I prayed in the Spirit as I walked towards the door and pushed it open quietly to "catch them in the act" wondering what I was going to say, exactly.
To my surprise, I found them sitting side by side on the bed, very clothed.
My son had stuck a play thermometer in her mouth and was patiently taking her temperature while she quietly waited for the beep with a pretend clipboard and chart in hand on which she scribbled details about how she felt. Ah, the bliss of an NFP family. :P

For more information about NFP, please click here.

Freaky Fridays: A real ghost on film?

There are plenty out there to explore. This one caught my attention yesterday: http://www.fox8.com/news/wjw-ghost-story-exclusive-ss-txt,0,6557407.story

Happy viewing.

Theology Thursdays: 12 Claims every Catholic Should Know

12 CLAIMS EVERY CATHOLIC SHOULD BE ABLE TO ANSWER
from Crisis Magazine

1. "There's no such thing as absolute truth. What's true for you may not be true for me."

People use this argument a lot when they disagree with a statement and have no other way to support their idea. After all, if nothing is true for everyone, then they can believe whatever they want and there's nothing you can say to make them change their minds.

But look at that statement again: "There's no such thing as absolute truth." Isn't that, in itself, a statement that's being made absolutely? In other words, it applies some rule or standard to everyone across the board -- exactly what the relativists say is impossible. They have undone their own argument simply by stating their case.

The other problem with this statement is that no relativist actually believes it. If someone said to you, "There is no absolute truth," and you punched him in the stomach, he'd probably get upset. But by his own creed, he'd have to accept that while punching someone in the stomach may be wrong for him, it might not be wrong for you.

This is when they'll come back with an amendment to the original statement by saying, "As long as you're not hurting others, you're free to do and believe what you like." But this is an arbitrary distinction (as well as another absolute statement). Who says I can't hurt others? What constitutes "hurt"? Where does this rule come from?

If this statement is made based on personal preference, it means nothing for anyone else. "Do no harm" is in itself an appeal to something greater -- a sort of universal dignity for the human person. But again, the question is where does this dignity come from?

As you can see, the further you delve into these questions, the closer you come to understanding that our concepts of right and truth are not arbitrary but are based in some greater, universal truth outside ourselves -- a truth written in the very nature of our being. We may not know it in its entirety, but it can't be denied that this truth exists.

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2. "Christianity is no better than any other faith. All religions lead to God."

If you haven't heard this one a dozen times, you don't get out much. Sadly enough, the person making this claim is often himself a Christian (at least, in name).

The problems with this view are pretty straightforward. Christianity makes a series of claims about God and man: That Jesus of Nazareth was God Himself, and that he died and was resurrected -- all so that we might be free from our sins. Every other religion in the world denies each of these points. So, if Christianity is correct, then it speaks a vital truth to the world -- a truth that all other religions reject.

This alone makes Christianity unique.

But it doesn't end there. Recall Jesus' statement in John's Gospel: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me." In Christianity, we have God's full revelation to humanity. It's true that all religions contain some measure of truth -- the amount varying with the religion. Nevertheless, if we earnestly want to follow and worship God, shouldn't we do it in the way He prescribed?

If Jesus is indeed God, then only Christianity contains the fullness of this truth.

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3. "The Old and New Testaments contradict one another in numerous places. If an omnipotent God inspired the Bible, He would never have allowed these errors."

This is a common claim, one found all over the internet (especially on atheist and free-thought websites). An article on the American Atheists website notes that "What is incredible about the Bible is not its divine authorship; it's that such a concoction of contradictory nonsense could be believed by anyone to have been written by an omniscient God."

Such a statement is generally followed by a list of Biblical "contradictions." However, claims of contradictions make a few simple errors. For example, critics fail to read the various books of the Bible in line with the genre in which they were written. The Bible is, after all, a collection of several kinds of writing...history, theology, poetry, apocalyptic material, etc. If we try to read these books in the same wooden way in which we approach a modern newspaper, we're going to be awfully confused.

And the list of Bible "contradictions" bears this out. Take, for example, the first item on the American Atheist's list:

"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." Exodus 20:8

Versus...

"One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind." Romans 14:5

There! the atheist cries, A clear contradiction. But what the critic neglects to mention is something every Christian knows: When Christ instituted the New Covenant, the ceremonial requirements of the Old Covenant were fulfilled (and passed away). And so it makes perfect sense that Old Testament ceremonial rules would no longer stand for the people of the New Covenant.

If the critic had understood this simple tenet of Christianity, he wouldn't have fallen into so basic an error.

The next item on the American Atheist list is similarly flawed:

"...the earth abideth for ever." Ecclesiastes 1:4

Versus...

"...the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up."

So, the Old Testament claims that the earth will last forever, while the New says it will eventually be destroyed. How do we harmonize these? Actually, it's pretty easy, and it again comes from understanding the genre in which these two books were written.

Ecclesiastes, for example, contrasts secular and religious worldviews -- and most of it is written from a secular viewpoint. That's why we find lines like, "Bread is made for laughter, and wine gladdens life, and money answers everything." (Ecclesiastes 10:19)

However, at the end of the book, the writer throws us a twist, dispensing with all the "wisdom" he'd offered and telling us to "Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man." (12:13)

If a reader stops before the end, he'll be as confused as the critic at American Atheists. However, since the viewpoint that gave birth to the notion of an eternal earth is rejected in the last lines of the book, there's obviously no contradiction with what was later revealed in the New Testament. (And this is just one way to answer this alleged discrepancy.)

The other "contradictions" between the Old and New Testaments can be answered similarly. Almost to an item, the critics who use them confuse context, ignore genre, and refuse to allow room for reasonable interpretation.

No thinking Christian should be disturbed by these lists.

*************************************************

4. "I don't need to go to Church. As long as I'm a good person, that's all that really matters."

This argument is used often, and is pretty disingenuous. When someone says he's a "good person," what he really means is that he's "not a bad person" -- bad people being those who murder, rape, and steal. Most people don't have to extend a lot of effort to avoid these sins, and that's the idea: We want to do the least amount of work necessary just to get us by. Not very Christ-like, is it?

But that mentality aside, there's a much more important reason why Catholics go to Church other than just as an exercise in going the extra mile. Mass is the cornerstone of our faith life because of what lies at its heart: the Eucharist. It's the source of all life for Catholics, who believe that bread and wine become the real body and blood of Christ. It's not just a symbol of God, but God made physically present to us in a way we don't experience through prayer alone.

Jesus said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:53-54). We're honoring Jesus' command and trusting in that promise every time we go to Mass.

What's more, the Eucharist -- along with all the other Sacraments -- is only available to those in the Church. As members of the Church, Christ's visible body here on earth, our lives are intimately tied up with the lives of others in that Church. Our personal relationship with God is vital, but we also have a responsibility to live as faithful members of Christ's body. Just being a "good person" isn't enough.

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5. "You don't need to confess your sins to a priest. You can go straight to God."

As one who returned to the Faith after time spent apart from it, I can understand the Protestant objection to confession (they have a different understanding of priesthood). But for a Catholic to say something like this...it's disappointing. I suspect that, human nature being what it is, people just don't like telling other people their sins, and so they come up with justifications for not doing so.

The Sacrament of Confession has been with us from the beginning, coming from the words of Christ Himself:

"Jesus said to them again, 'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.' And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.'" (John 20:21-23)

Notice that Jesus gives His apostles the power to forgive sins. Of course, they wouldn't know which sins to forgive if they weren't TOLD what sins were involved.

The practice of confession is also evident in the Letter Of James:

"Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed." (James 5:14-16)

It's interesting that nowhere does James (or Jesus) tell us to confess our sins to God alone. Rather, they seem to think that forgiveness comes through some means of public confession.

And it's not difficult to understand why. You see, when we sin, we rupture our relationship not just with God, but with His Body, the Church (since all Catholics are interconnected as children of a common Father). So when we apologize, we need to do so to all parties involved -- God AND the Church.

Think of it this way. Imagine you walk into a store and steal some of their merchandise. Later, you feel remorse and regret the sinful act. Now, you can pray to God to forgive you for breaking His commandment. But there's still another party involved; you'll need to return the merchandise and make restitution for your action.

It's the same way with the Church. In the confessional, the priest represents God AND the Church, since we've sinned against both. And when he pronounces the words of absolution, our forgiveness is complete.

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6. "If the Church truly followed Jesus, they'd sell their lavish art, property, and architecture, and give the money to the poor."

When some people think of Vatican City , what they immediately picture is something like a wealthy kingdom, complete with palatial living accommodations for the pope and chests of gold tucked away in every corner, not to mention the fabulous collection of priceless art and artifacts. Looking at it that way, it's easy to see how some people would become indignant at what they think is an ostentatious and wasteful show of wealth.

But the truth is something quite different. While the main buildings are called the " Vatican Palace ," it wasn't built to be the lavish living quarters of the pope. In fact, the residential part of the Vatican is relatively small. The greater portion of the Vatican is given over to purposes of art and science, administration of the Church's official business, and management of the Palace in general. Quite a number of Church and administrative officials live in the Vatican with the pope, making it more like the Church's main headquarters.

As for the impressive art collection, truly one of the finest in the world, the Vatican views it as "an irreplaceable treasure," but not in monetary terms. The pope doesn't "own" these works of art and couldn't sell them if he wanted to; they're merely in the care of the Holy See. The art doesn't even provide the Church with wealth; actually, it's just the opposite. The Holy See invests quite a bit of its resources into the upkeep of the collection.

The truth of the matter is that the See has a fairly tight financial budget. So why keep the art? It goes back to a belief in the Church's mission (one of many) as a civilizing force in the world. Just like the medieval monks who carefully transcribed ancient texts so they would be available to future generations -- texts that otherwise would have been lost forever -- the Church continues to care for the arts so they will not be forgotten over time. In today's culture of death where the term "civilization" can only be used loosely, the Church's civilizing mission is as important today as it ever was.

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7. "Dissent is actually a positive thing, since we should all keep our minds open to new ideas."

You might hear this argument a lot today, especially in the wake of the abuse scandal in the Church. Everyone wants to find a solution to the problem, and in doing so some people are advocating ideas that are outside the pale of our Catholic faith (i.e., women priests, being open to homosexuality, etc). A lot of people blame the Church for being too rigid in its beliefs and not wanting to try anything new.

The truth is, a lot of the ideas for reform that are floating around today aren't new. They've been around for a while, and the Church has already considered them. In fact, the Church has spent its entire life carefully examining ideas and determining which ones are in line with God's law and which aren't. It has discarded heresy after heresy while carefully building up the tenets of the Faith. It should come as no surprise that there are thousands of other Christian churches in existence today -- all of them had "new ideas" at one point that the Church had decided were outside the deposit of faith.

The Church has an important responsibility in protecting the integrity of our Faith. It never rejects ideas out of hand, as some dissenters would claim, but has two thousand years of prayer and study behind the beliefs it holds to be true.

This doesn't mean that we can never disagree on anything. There's always room to discuss how best to deepen our understanding of the truth -- for example, how we can improve our seminaries or clergy/lay interactions -- all within the guidelines of our Faith.

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8. "Properly interpreted, the Bible does not condemn homosexuality. Rather, it weighs against promiscuity -- whether homosexual or heterosexual. Therefore, we have no reason to oppose loving homosexual relationships."

As homosexual activity gains greater acceptance in our culture, there'll be more pressure among Christians to explain away the Bible's clear prohibition against it. It's now the standard liberal party line to claim that the Bible -- when understood correctly -- doesn't disallow homosexual activity.

But this claim flies in the face of clear passages in both the Old and New Testaments. The first, of course, is the famous story of Sodom and Gomorrah . If you recall, two angels were sent by God to Sodom to visit Lot :

"But before [the angels] lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house; and they called to Lot, 'Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them.' Lot went out of the door to the men, shut the door after him, and said, 'I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly. Behold, I have two daughters who have not known man; let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please; only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof.' But they said, 'Stand back!' And they said, 'This fellow came to sojourn, and he would play the judge! Now we will deal worse with you than with them.' Then they pressed hard against the man Lot , and drew near to break the door. But the men put forth their hands and brought Lot into the house to them, and shut the door." (Genesis 19:4-10)

The message of this passage is pretty clear. The men of Sodom were homosexuals who wanted to have relations with the men inside the house. Lot offered them his daughters, but they weren't interested. Shortly thereafter, Sodom was destroyed by God in payment for the sins of its people -- namely, their homosexual acts. This fact is confirmed in the New Testament:

"Just as Sodom and Gomor'rah and the surrounding cities, which likewise acted immorally and indulged in unnatural lust, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire." (Jude 7)

But these certainly aren't the only passages in the Bible that condemn gay activity. The Old Testament contains another unambiguous condemnation: "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination." (Leviticus 18:22).

And these statements aren't reserved to the Old Testament alone.

"For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. Their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural, and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in their own persons the due penalty for their error." (Romans 1:26-27)

It's awfully hard for a liberal Christian to explain this away. There's simply no mention here merely of gay promiscuity or rape; rather, Paul is weighing against ANY homosexual relations (which he describes as "unnatural," "shameless" and "dishonorable").

Liberal Christians are in a bind. How, after all, does one harmonize homosexuality with the Bible? Their solution, it appears, is to strip the Bible of its moral power, and run in rhetorical circles trying to escape its clear message.

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9. "Catholics should follow their conscience in all things...whether it's abortion, birth control, or women's ordination."

It's true -- the Catechism says quite plainly, "Man has the right to act in conscience and in freedom so as personally to make moral decisions. 'He must not be forced to act contrary to his conscience. Nor must he be prevented from acting according to his conscience, especially in religious matters'" (1782). This teaching is at the heart of what it means to have free will.

But that doesn't mean that our conscience is free from all responsibility or can be ignorant of God's law. This is what the Catechism refers to as having a "well-formed conscience."

The Catechism assigns great responsibility to a person's conscience: "Moral conscience, present at the heart of the person, enjoins him at the appropriate moment to do good and to avoid evil.... It bears witness to the authority of truth in reference to the supreme Good to which the human person is drawn, and it welcomes the commandments. When he listens to his conscience, the prudent man can hear God speaking" (1777).

In other words, our conscience isn't just "what we feel is right" - it's what we judge to be right based on what we know of the teachings of God and the Church. And in order to make that judgment, we have a responsibility to study and pray over these teachings very carefully. The Catechism has a section dedicated entirely to the careful formation of our conscience -- that's how important it is in making right decisions.

And in the end, whether right or wrong, we're still held accountable for our actions: "Conscience enables one to assume responsibility for the acts performed" (1781). When properly formed, it helps us to see when we've done wrong and require forgiveness of our sins.

By seeking a fully-formed conscience, we actually experience great freedom, because we're drawing closer to God's infinite Truth. It's not a burden or something that keeps us from doing what we want; it's a guide to help us do what is right. "The education of the conscience guarantees freedom and engenders peace of heart" (1784).

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10. "Natural Family Planning is just the Catholic version of birth control."

Natural Family Planning (NFP) has enemies on all sides. Some believe that it's an unrealistic alternative to birth control (which they don't think is sinful anyway) while others think that it's just as bad as birth control. NFP has had to walk a fine line between both extremes.

First of all, the main problem with birth control is that it works against the nature of our bodies -- and nature in general. It aims to sever the act (sex) from its consequence (pregnancy), basically reducing the sacredness of sex to the mere pursuit of pleasure.

NFP, when used for the right reason, is more of a tool used for discerning whether a couple has the means (whether financially, physically, or emotionally) to accept a child into their lives. It involves understanding your own body, taking careful stock of your situation in life, discussing the issue with your spouse, and, above all, prayer. Rather than cutting yourself off from the full reality of sex, you are entering into it with a better understanding of all aspects involved.

People who favor birth control point to those people who can't afford more children, or whose health might be at risk from further pregnancies. But these are perfectly legitimate reasons to use NFP -- situations where it would be perfectly effective -- and the Church allows its use.

Other people think that taking any sort of control over the size of your family is like playing God, rather than letting Him provide for us as He sees fit. It's true that we must trust God and always accept the lives He sends us, but we don't need to be completely hands-off in that regard.

For example, rather than throwing money around and saying that "God will provide," families carefully budget their finances and try not to overextend their means. NFP is like that budget, helping us prayerfully consider our situation in life and act accordingly. It's part of our nature as humans to understand ourselves and use our intellect and free will, rather than passively expecting God to take care of everything. We're called to be good stewards of the gifts we're given; we must be careful never to treat those gifts carelessly.

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11. "Someone can be pro-choice and Catholic at the same time."

While this may be one of the most common myths Catholics hold regarding their faith, it's also one of the most easily dispelled. The Catechism minces no words when talking about abortion: It's listed with homicide under crimes against the fifth commandment, "Thou shalt not kill."

The following passages make this clear: "Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception" (2270). "Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable" (2271). "Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life" (2272).

It can't be stated more plainly than that. Some people might argue, however, that being "pro-choice" doesn't mean being in favor of abortion; lots of people think abortion is wrong but don't want to force that opinion on others.

There's that "what's true for you might not be true for me" argument again. The Church has an answer to that, too: "'The inalienable rights of the person must be recognized and respected by civil society and the political authority. These human rights depend neither on single individuals nor on parents; nor do they represent a concession made by society and the state; they belong to human nature and are inherent in the person by virtue of the creative act from which the person took his origin'" (2273).

The sanctity of life is a universal truth that can never be ignored. Advising someone to get an abortion, or even voting for a politician who would advance the cause of abortion, is a grave sin, because it leads others to mortal sin -- what the Catechism calls giving scandal (2284).

The Church stands forcefully and clearly against abortion, and we as Catholics must take our stand as well.

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12. "People's memories of their past lives prove that reincarnation is
true...and that the Christian view of Heaven and Hell is not."

As society becomes increasingly fascinated with the paranormal, we can expect to see claims of "past life memories" increase. Indeed, there are now organizations who will help take you through your previous lives using hypnosis.

While this may be convincing to some, it certainly isn't to anyone familiar with the mechanics of hypnosis. Almost since the beginning, researchers have noted that patients in deep hypnosis frequently weave elaborate stories and memories...which later turn out to be utterly untrue. Reputable therapists are well aware of this phenomenon, and weigh carefully what the patient says under hypnosis.

Sadly, though, this isn't the case with those interested in finding "proof" for reincarnation. Perhaps the greatest example of this carelessness is the famous Bridey Murphy case. If you're not familiar with it, here's a quick outline: In 1952, a Colorado housewife named Virginia Tighe was put under hypnosis. She began speaking in an Irish brogue and claimed to once have been a woman named Bridey Murphy who had lived in Cork , Ireland .

Her story was turned into a bestselling book, "The Search For Bridey Murphy," and received much popular attention. Journalists combed Ireland , looking for any person or detail that might confirm the truth of this past-life regression. While nothing ever turned up, the case of Bridey Murphy continues to be used to buttress claims of reincarnation.

That's a shame, since Virginia Tighe was exposed as a fraud decades ago. Consider: Virginia 's childhood friends recalled her active imagination, and ability to concoct complex stories (often centered around the imitation brogue she had perfected). Not only that, but she had a great fondness for Ireland, due in part to a friendship with an Irish woman whose maiden name was -- you guessed it -- Bridie.

What's more, Virginia filled her hypnosis narratives with numerous elements from her own life (without revealing the parallels to the hypnotist). For example, Bridey described an "uncle Plazz," which eager researchers took to be a corruption of the Gaelic, "uncle Blaise." Their enthusiasm ran out though when it was discovered that Virginia had a childhood friend she called Uncle Plazz.

When a hypnotized Virginia began dancing an Irish jig, researchers were astounded. How, after all, would a Colorado housewife have learned the jig? The mystery was solved, when it was revealed that Virginia learned the dance as a child.

As the Bridey Murphy case shows, the claims of past-life regression are always more impressive than the reality. To this day, not a single verifiable example exists of a person being regressed to a former life. Certainly, many tales have been told under the control of a hypnotist, but nevertheless, evidence for reincarnation (like that for the Tooth Fairy) continues to elude us.