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Category: Faith and Reason (Page 3 of 8)

Episode 4 – Exposing Marx: The Son, The Father, And The Husband

December 12, 2021 /


Visit ClearlyCatholic.net for more episodes.

In Episode 4 I continue to explore the life and writings of Karl Marx.

Many Catholics have become sympathetic to Marx and his ideas and have allowed his ideas to sneak into Catholic theology and moral thought. My hope is to continue to show Catholics that Marx was no secular saint. In fact as I have previously pointed out, Marx’s ultimate goal was to destroy Christianity.

In this episode I explore who Marx was as a son, a father and husband.

If you’re unfamiliar with Karl Marx, you’re in for a shock.

Visit ClearlyCatholic.net for more episodes.

The Measure of Real Love is Our Willingness To Lay Down Our Lives Daily

May 10, 2021 /

In this Sunday’s gospel Jesus says that “there is no greater love than to lay down your life for a friend.” 

 

What comes to mind when you hear the words “lay down your life”?

Story

 

My mother in-law, Anna, lost her husband 20 years ago to cancer. Anna’s husband was an only child so she became responsible for the wellbeing of her in-laws as they aged. 

 

Her father-in-law developed Alzheimer not long after his son’s passing. Not long after Anna’s mother in-law fell into depression followed by an avalanche of health complications that made her a regular at the St. Catharines General Hospital. Anna tirelessly drove them from appointment to appointment, cleaned their home, cooked for them and was always a call away. This was in addition to her duties as a mom, her job as a nurse, and tending to her own parents when needed. Both Anna’s in-laws have since past. Yet, if you knew Anna during those times you’d never guess what she was dedicated to. She was laying down her life for her in-laws, her daughter Jennine (my wife), her parents, and her patients at work. 

 

Here’s one more story.

 

Sarah, a high school teacher, is a hard-working teacher and dedicated wife and mother. While at school Sarah remains positive and inspires her students. When at home, she is loving towards her children. Perhaps, it’s only her husband who knows what she is going through. Sarah’s mom is an alcoholic and lives alone, one hour away. Despite being anxious, exhausted and even angry at her mom, Sarah drives one hour to see her mom every day after school and one hour home. She brings her a bottle of liquor (because it’s dangerous for alcoholics to suddenly stop), prepares food for her and ensures she’s comfortable and safe for the night. In the evening she gets home in time to tuck her own children into bed. She repeats the next day. Sarah lays down her life for her students, her family and her mom. 

 

Connection

 

Do you know people who lay down their life daily? 

 

Do you lay down your life daily for someone? 

 

When I hear the words “lay down your life,” I immediately think about grand heroic acts. But laying down one’s life is not always so grand that it would make a good movie. You and I can lay down our lives by doing little acts with great love. Here’s some examples:

 

Wash the dishes after dinner. There’s nothing exciting about washing dishes, but it can make a huge difference for your parents. Study and do your homework, even when you feel tempted to play video games or scroll through Instagram. Don’t dismiss someone just because you don’t see eye to eye them. Teach yourself to listen. Be present for your younger siblings, even if they are annoying. Honor and respect the dignity of your friends, peers and teachers. Finally, lay down your life for your own sake, by stopping negative life-degrading habits. None of this is glorifying and you may even be made fun of, but it’s the virtuous thing to do. 

 

The measure of our love is found in our willingness to lay down our lives every day. 

 

Let us pray, 

 

Lord Jesus, you laid down your life for us in an extraordinary way on the cross. But you also laid down your life in more ordinary ways when you encountered those who were marginalized or in need of forgiveness. We thank you Lord for your example of love and the examples set by countless saints before us. Sometimes the most difficult thing to do is to lay down our lives daily for our friends, family, co-workers and peers. When we feel lazy or unmotivated, help us to see opportunities to lay down our lives in simple ways. We pray for the inspiration of Your Holy Spirit. We make this prayer in Your Holy Name. Amen. St. Joseph…Pray for Us!

How To Make Peace In An Evil World

January 7, 2021 /

Reflection & Prayer – January 7, 2020 

 

So… What Now?

 

A reading from the first letter of St. John:

 

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 4For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith.

 

Reflection

 

Did you turn on the TV last night or look at your phone? How did you feel?

 

Typically, when a new year starts one tries to be optimistic. After a year violence, economic instability and health crises I feel emotionally drained? For some of you all these challenges were additional weight to personal challenges. For some of you, what you saw last night is the last thing you needed and may have crushed any reminisce of optimism you had for the new year. 

So what now? 

 

Let me share with you a brief story.

 

An Unintended Friendship

 

Seven years ago the director of a retirement home asked me to lead a Remembrance Day prayer service for their residence. 

 

At the end of the prayer service I met a man who was a former Canadian navy officer in the Second World War. He was stationed on a battleship in the North Atlantic Ocean. One day they captured a German submarine. After the submarine pulled up next to their ship, the Canadian officer recalled how he opened the hatch of the submarine to find the Nazi soldiers ready to die. One of the Nazi soldiers spoke English, so through him, the Canadian sailors were able to give them instruction. 

 

When the German soldiers came on board, the Canadian sailors didn’t shoot them and throw them overboard, but gave them food, conversed and even played cards with them. 

 

The former Canadian sailor was the son of German immigrants. To his surprise, he discovered that one of the German soldiers they captured was his cousin. What are the chances?! He told me that the rest of the time out at sea, it was like a family reunion. No hate, no anger, but laughter. 

 

The retired navy officer told me that it didn’t take long for his Canadian crew and German soldiers to ask each other, “What the hell are we even doing?”.  In other words, what’s the purpose of all this violence? 

 

The Victory that Overcomes Evil

 

This encounter between the two men is an example of Christ’s great commandment lived out: “Love God above all things; and love others as yourself.” 

 

In today’s reading, the apostle John writes, “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.”

 

John then continues to say, “For his commandments are not burdensome.” Was this encounter a burden on the Canadian sailor? No! In fact, it was the opposite, it led to reconciliation. Yet, if his crew executed the German soldiers, that violence and hatred may have haunted him for the rest of his life. 

 

John then concludes with the words, “…this, is the victory that overcomes the world. Faith.” In the Bible “the world” is characterized as being under the influence of satan (the devil; the great deceiver). St. Paul writes, “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News (2 Corinthians 4:4). 

 

Not only did this man overcome hate, but by his love, he conquered evil…he conquered the devil, just as Christ did. The man was a devout Christian. 

 

So what to do? If you want peace in the world, start by loving those people whom God has placed in front of you every day, even if you find it difficult. For many of you, that’s your friends, teachers and families.

 

Mother Teresa once said, “If you want peace in the world, go home and love your family.” 

 

Let us pray,

 

Prince of Peace, today we pray for the peace in our hearts, in our minds, and in our actions. In the world that is struggling to find meaning and often itself witnessing deliberate acts of violence, help us to be peacemakers. Grant us the wisdom, insight and prudence to be able to distinguish the need and necessity to resolve issues and conflicts without violence. Grant us the vision to recognize that although we are all unique and different, we share a commonality rooted in our humanity, dignity, and worth. Help us to embrace the model that you lived and to love one another as you continue to love us. Amen. 

 

Why You Should Treat Your Body Like God’s Home

November 10, 2020 /

One Sunday in August my family and I decided to go for a walk on Lakeshore Blvd. near the Exhibition grounds and BMO field. 

 

As we were making our way towards Lake Ontario we noticed a gathering of fancy sports cars in front of a building. It appeared to be some kind of fundraiser. Car enthusiasts with classic American muscle cars like 67 Corvettes and Mustangs to modern marvels of engineering such 2020 McClaren P1s, Ferrari La Ferraris and Porche 918 Spiders lined Lakeshore Blvd. 

 

 

They  were all in immaculate condition. Not a scuff. You could be blinded by the sunshine reflecting off their surface. I remember telling my wife how afraid I would be to drive one of those cars. I’d be terrified of getting a small scratch on them or someone hitting it in a parking lot. There was no doubt about it; the owners of these cars treated them like their own children…. Maybe even better. 

 

Body and Soul Unity

 

Similar to a state of the art supercar our God-given bodies have a value that is greater than any material thing in this world. The dignity of our bodies are not defined by dollar signs, but by their source and designer, God. 

 

Not only did God design us, His Holy Spirit also dwells in us. In today’s reading St. Paul writes, “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?…For God’s temple is holy, and that temple you are.”

 

Our bodies are not merely outer casings for our souls. God created both our bodies and souls; therefore, there is an inseparable connection between the two. We are not merely our bodies, nor are we merely our souls, in the same way a car shell alone is not a car, nor is an engine alone a car. A car is a sum of all its parts. 

 

This unity of our body and soul is the dwelling place of God’s Holy Spirit. For this reason, you and I have an inherent dignity that is greater than anything else in this world. Do not look down on yourself. Treat yourself with the same dignity and respect you would treat a loved one. God demands it. 

 

Let us pray,

In the name of the Father…

I invite you to make this prayer your own. 

Father God. Thank you for creating me. You envisioned every intricate detail about me before bringing me into existence. I’m sorry for the times I looked down on myself. Help me to see myself as you see me. The perfect temple for your Spirit. I pray this in your holy name. Amen. 

In the name of the Father…

Why Striving for Sainthood is Not Boring Nor Depressing

October 31, 2020 /

Is Holiness Boring?

 

Before becoming Catholic I believed that holiness was being pious and serious. Whenever, I’d enter a Catholic Church I would see stained glass windows and statues of saints praying on their knees with their eyes and arms outstretched toward heaven. Moreover, none of the saints ever smiled. Since then I’ve come to learn that the icons in Catholic (and Orthodox) churches are reminiscent of an artistic style that stretches back nearly 1700 years. I mean, what was I thinking? Should icons of saints resemble TikTok, Instagram, or SnapChat posts? 

Photo by Vidar Nordli-Mathisen
from Unsplash.com

Even so, if holiness is defined by nonstop prayer and seriousness, count me out. Maybe I don’t want to be a saint. Even after becoming Catholic, I’d pray for God to make me “holy…enough,” because I didn’t want to be miserable. 

 

But if you think about it, if holiness is defined by misery then God is not Our Father, but a narcissistic master who imposes duties on us so, in turn, we get what we need. 

 

Holiness = Peace, Confidence & Acceptance

 

What surprised me even more, is that when I came across nuns wearing habits, faithful priests or married couples striving to live an authentic Christian marriage they were the furthest from misery. They were filled with peace, confidence, love and weren’t judgemental. I always wanted to be around them. 

 

Josh & Lisa

 

One example is my friend Josh. Josh and his wife Lisa, and now 8 children, live in Florida. If you met Josh and Lisa you’d get the impression that they live a stress free life. Couldn’t be further from the truth. Josh has struggled with depression and Lisa is a business owner, mom and a cancer survivor. Despite their struggles they are generous with their time, money and marriage. If you’d like to learn more about Josh and Lisa visit Lisa’s YouTube Channel @LisaCanning. There’s a lot more I can say about Josh and Lisa’s  example of holiness, but in brief, their example has led me closer to Jesus and continues to inspire my marriage. 

 

Holiness = Joy + Conquering Tribulation

 

Holiness is simply striving to live communion with Jesus’ teachings. If Jesus is God, and not a conman, then his teachings will naturally lead us to a life of joy, even in the face of tribulation. 

 

So this is holiness: To live a life in union (or friendship) with Jesus while overcoming tribulations on our way to heaven. Once we reach heaven we become saints. 

 

The apostle John’s vision in the book of Revelation is of all the men, women and children who have conquered through the tribulations of life, just as Jesus conquered the Cross. John writes, “”These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” 

 

In my experience, people who strive for holiness are able to be positive and joyful because they don’t allow the tribulations of this world to overwhelm them. Ultimately, they recognize God is in control and that this life is but a comma in light of eternity with Jesus. Ironically, like Josh and Lisa, those who live for eternity, also have the greatest impact on this world. 

 

Let us pray, 

Almighty God,

  as in this morning prayer we offer you our praise,

grant that in your kingdom,

  together with your saints,

  we may praise you with even greater joy.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

  who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

  (one) God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

The Consequences of a Bad Catholic Education

September 2, 2020 /

To be frank, I hated religion class all through elementary and high school. Not because I was closed to God’s existence or even the Catholic Christian faith, but because the curriculum seemed so bland.

Photo by Mathew T. Rader from Unsplash.com

Learning the same thing every year: the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, the Fruits of the Holy Spirit and stories of Jesus helping the less fortunate. By grade 11 I became numb to religion class and I couldn’t wait to learn to about anything, but Christianity. This was the beginning of my journey away from Christianity and towards embracing secular philosophies, specifically founded on Marxism and various post-modern thought.

 

Is Jesus all about Social Justice?

To be clear, the Ten Commandment, the Beatitudes and other items I listed above are important and lay at the heart of Christianity, but teaching without the greater context of history, the Church and foundational philosophy gives the impression that Christianity is just about being a nice person following the example of Jesus.

Or as contemporary culture would say, Jesus was a “social justice warrior.”

The greatest logical consequence about the above assumption is that if Jesus is just another wise and just teacher then there is nothing to separate him from other great religious, or even, political leaders. Most prominent religious leaders of the past and today believe in a variation of the Golden Rule: Treat others as you’d like to be treated.

 

Jesus was SENT for THIS PURPOSE

But here’s the major point that Catholic Education by in large fails to focus on: Jesus Christ is God. He proved it by dying and resurrecting from the dead.

In addition, while Jesus healed many, including St. Peter’s mother-in-law (see Luke 4), his primary vocation was to teach the Good News (the Gospel) that he is God among his people.

After healing Peter’s mother-in-law along with several inflicted people that came to her home, Jesus was preparing to leave.

But people kept coming to Jesus, preventing him from leaving. Jesus responded: “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose” (Luke 4:43).

“I was sent for this purpose.” Christ’s purpose was not be a nice person, but to show us that he is God in the flesh amongst his people. Jesus wanted to show us that God loves us and understands our suffering so much that he is willing to endure humiliation and death and then conquer it. This gives us hope that suffering, evil and death DO NOT get the final word.

This message ought to be the foundation and starting point of Catholic Education.

Why is Jesus So Mean?

August 11, 2020 /

I remember as a child playing on my great grandparent’s farm in Romania. The family would often gather on the farm to look after the crops. 

Courtesy of Egor Vihkrev from Unsplash.com

One of the most laborious jobs was cutting off dead branches from fruit trees. Like weeds that choke out plants in gardens so do dead branches “choke” trees and inhibit their ability to produce many good fruits. 

 

The dead branches were thrown into a pile and eventually burned. They didn’t fulfil the purpose for which they were created and were thrown aside.

 

For Jesus we are analogous to the branches on fruit trees. In John 15:5 Jesus says,

 

I  am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing (verse 6). 

 

If our lives are not rooted in Jesus we can achieve “nothing” in the same way a branch apart from a tree withers and dies. 

 

By “nothing” I don’t mean sitting around and relaxing. Unfortunately, we are very good at being busy and doing things, but that doesn’t mean being “useful” in the spiritual sense. 

 

Blind business is not holiness. 

 

By patiently asking the Holy Spirit to guide you in your day you will achieve more meaningful and fulfilling things then if you just were busy for the sake of being busy. 

 

My devotion to Jesus gives me focus and context. 

 

Avoiding the Flames

 

Jesus continues to say,

 

If a man [or woman] does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. 

 

This sounds harsh. Is Jesus saying if our lives are not rooted in a friendship with him we will end up in hell? ….Yes. 

 

If you and I know that we have the choice to root our lives in a friendship with Jesus, yet we intentionally strive to live apart from his love, hell is a logical consequence in the same way death is a logical consequence of a branch that is cut off from its host tree. Except in our case we cut ourselves off from our source of life. 

 

Conversely, if we continuously strive to be rooted in Jesus we will experience life to the fullest and bear fruit beyond our greatest imagination. 

 

In Christ. 

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