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absolutely love the angels, Catholic Pilgrims. I find them fascinating and, also, comforting—it’s a relief knowing they are around to guide and defend us.
The St. Michael Prayer is one of my favorites and I say it pretty often when I need to be strengthened.
The way angels are depicted in the Bible is quite a bit different than many of the cherub angels we see in art. Though angels are pure spirit, lacking a body, they are often depicted in Scripture as being—if I may use the term—frighteningly beautiful.
In the Hagia Sophia, the artists actually tried to depict them as is described in our first reading today from Daniel.
We’ve had a great discussion about beauty this week. So many of you gave me your thoughts on it when I asked about the phrase “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” It’s like we had a virtual coffee meet-up where we talked it out and you all gave me so much to think about.
So much so, that I’m thinking of incorporating many of your answers into a follow-up blog.
My favorite comment of the week from one of you was from Krista.
She said about beauty:
“I definitely used to be someone who would throw this phrase around but, of course, that was before I was Christian. If we, as Christians, understand that God is all that is good, true, and beautiful, and that all that is good, true, and beautiful comes from Him, then it follows that there is an objective definition of each. We know that truth is objective and goodness is objective because they come from God. It follows that beauty is objective, as well. If we say beauty is in “the eye of the beholder,” we are guilty of moral relativism because we are robbing beauty of its source: God.”
That last sentence, Catholic Pilgrims, gives a lot of food for thought.
Have a blessed weekend.
St. Michael, St. Gabriel, and St. Raphael, pray for us!
Back when we were living in Turkey, we discovered that our 15-year old daughter had scoliosis. It needed a corrective operation and, to make a long story short, we found an amazing doctor in Istanbul. The operation was 11-hours long which was utter torture for my husband and me. When it was over, she had a long road to recovery. After 10-days in the hospital, we finally got to bring her home, but she was very uncomfortable--mostly she could only sit. Lying on her side was impossible. Her lungs were weak and everything hurt. At night, she would get tired of lying on her back and would want to move out to the recliner in the living room. She couldn't help herself, and so I told her to call for me in the night and I would come get her and help. Because her lungs were weak and her torso hurt, she couldn't call very loudly, but no matter what, I always heard her weak voice call out, "Momma?" I could be dead asleep and I never failed to hear her and get up. I'd go to her room, help her up, walk her to the living room, and get her settled in the recliner. When her dad would get home from work, he would take her for a walk around the large 6th floor patio area of our apartment building. Slowly, slowly she would walk in circles, hanging onto her dad's arm, getting stronger with each lap. Today, she is wonderfully healed and healthy. I was thinking about this yesterday. My daughter calling out to me in the night reminds me of how we can call out to Our Blessed Mother for help, prayers, and love. She will always hear us no matter how weakly we call out. A mother always hears the voice of her children when they need her. My husband's actions reminds me of the Father's love--there to give strength and encouragement through difficulties. Always knowing that we are capable of more than we think we are. The love of God always heals us if we trust Him with our pain. We are so blessed, so very blessed, Catholic Pilgrims, to be so loved and wanted by God. We are also blessed that He gives us such a beautiful Mother to call on, as well. Live the Faith boldly and travel well this Monday.
Continue ReadingBack when my girls were in high school, I was teaching them about what St. Thomas Aquinas had to say about government. Initially, when I was learning this, I was surprised that Thomas believed that a pure monarchy with a just, charitable, and wise king would be optimal. This was surprising to my American eyes. Yet, he knew that humans were prone to tyranny and so, in reality, he knew that a mixed government--a central ruler kept in check by others was probably best. Humans are weak and power is intoxicating. There have been good kings, but too many struggle to not be overwhelmed by the power. Christ, though, is our perfect King. Everything we understand about our Faith is understood through Christ. Mary is only the Queen Mother because Christ is King. We are only heirs to the Kingdom because Christ is King. He is the most beautiful, perfect, excellent, glorious King and I think we forget sometimes that He is King. We try to rule Him by making Him into what we would like, instead of letting Him rule our lives. We run around looking for salvation from worldly powers and always and forever wind up disappointed. The One Who truly saves is Christ. Welcome to the end of the liturgical year, Catholic Pilgrims. May we praise, glorify, and revere our King. Have a blessed Sunday.
Continue ReadingYou've all heard me talk about my friend from college who became an atheist. After becoming an atheist, she told me stories about what it was like growing up in a Pentecostal church. It did not sound good. She told me that growing up, she and her siblings were not allowed to have toys, because toys were from the devil. "How could simple toys be from the devil?" she asked me. "Well, they aren't. That's just superstitious nonsense." This belief was one of the reasons that she abandoned Christianity. To her, it was fear-mongering, controlling nonsense that had no basis in reality. I can't say that I blame her for feeling that way. It wasn't logical for her to then conclude that God doesn't exist, but when your whole foundation of Christianity is built on weirdness, superstition, and, sometimes, abusive practices, you can see why people give up on it. Lately, I've been seeing more and more people--including many Catholics-declaring that certain toys are diabolical or portals for the demons. Honestly, this has been going on for a long time. Care Bears are evil. He-man is evil. Unicorns are evil. Each decade has "evil" toys. This is superstition and we are forbidden to be superstitious. Inanimate objects do not have power in and of themselves. You may counter with, "Well, what about an Ouija Board?" Yes, an Ouija Board is bad because of the action that is intended to be done with it. The board itself has zero power. Sitting there using it to conjure spirits to gain information is opening yourself up to bad things. That is dangerous. New Agey people assign power to objects--this is superstition. We cannot be like this. Toys are toys. They hold no power in and of themselves. The Church does not condemn toys--except very specific ones like Ouija Boards. If we are unreasonable and nonsensical about this stuff, children will eventually figure out that it's just a bunch of superstitious nonsense and, consequently, this will cause them to question actual truths about the faith. Now, yes, can people become obsessed with toys and idolize collecting them. This is wrong and generally comes from a place of trying to fill your life with stuff in order to satisfy your heart's desires rather than seeking God. Do not be led astray by people, even within the Church, who are setting up their own rules for you to follow. Trust in Christ, trust in your baptismal mark, trust in what the Church teaches. Have a blessed day, Catholic Pilgrims.
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