A Reflection on Jesus Cleaning House... His House.

Today's Gospel reading comes from the Gospel of St. Luke chapter 19. Glory to you, O Lord.

"Jesus entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out those who were selling things, saying to them, 'It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.' And every day he was teaching in the temple area. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile, were seeking to put him to death, but they could find no way to accomplish their purpose because all the people were hanging on his words."

The temple is the central place for the Jewish worship of God. It had a place of prominence in the city of Jerusalem. It was the place where God touched Earth, the Holy of Holies. So what does God find in this place of worship? Christ finds disorder and chaos. He finds a place that is more conducive to human wants and greed than to the worship of the Almighty God. So what does Jesus do? He cleans house. His house.

What is the significance of Jesus cleaning His house? First, it is frees it from the distracting chaos. It reestablishes a place of peace and order. Second, it allows us to truly be free to worship God. By casting out the distracting chaos, the unfair merchants, the junk we don't necessarily need, we can experience God fully. While God is bigger than the biggest spectacle, He presents himself to us in profound silence. Cleansing the temple allows us to see the true purpose of the temple, God.

So let's expand on this then. We hear often that our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit. This is certainly true since we have a soul, and God seeks union with us. As Jesus cleansed His house, allowing for us to freely experience God, we too must cleanse our temple. By allowing Christ to enter our hearts, we too can clean house. When our souls are clean, we are free to experience God more fully. We are more in tune to God's call for us.

The Church is to be the road to Heaven. Christ founded the Church to lead people to God. There is more to it though. While the road is neatly paved and maintained, it does no good if the car driving on it is not in good condition. The Church is our path to Heaven to meet our Maker. To travel on this path requires us to be in good condition also. Praise be to God that He is seeking to keep us in good condition. He is seeking to clean His temple, His rightful place in our hearts. Amen. Credo Domine.

St. Paul Sets the Record Straight

St. Paul seemingly never gives me a reason not to boast about him being my Patron Saint. The first reading today shows us an Apostle writing to his flock regarding competing Gospels. Oh boy, what I wonder the great Apostle would write in his Letter to the Americans! At the time of St. Paul early Christians were sometimes visited by recently converted Jews who tried to maintain Jewish customs. This is interesting given St. Paul's background as a highly educated Jewish man (which he points out in the verses following the reading). They would also be visited by other simply preaching different things in competition with the true Gospel. Here is today's first reading:


"I am so amazed that you are so quickly forsaking the one who called you by [the] grace [of Christ] for a different gospel (not that there is another). But there are some who are disturbing you and wish to pervert the Gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach [to you] a gospel other than the one that we preached to you, let that one be accursed! As we have said before, and now I say again, if anyone preaches to you a gospel other than the one that you received, let that one be accursed! Am I now currying favor with human beings or God? Or am I seeking to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ. Now I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel preached by me is not of human origin. For I did not receive it from a human being, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ." - Galatians 1:6-12 NAB


What St. Paul is saying here is that if what his flock heard differs in anyway from what he brought to them, then it is false teaching! What a strong statement by one of the first bishops! St. Paul received the gospel from the risen Lord Himself. This passage from Sacred Scripture is critically important in our world today. We have thousands of protestant denominations teaching various things that differ from what St. Paul taught and practiced. Is St. Paul the risen Christ? No! I'm not saying he is, and he also says this throughout the Epistles. What I am saying is that St. Paul, an Apostle of Christ's one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church, did not go rogue. He stayed true to St. Peter the first pope. He stayed true to the one church, which he also discusses in his Epistles.

There is one church. It is Christ's Church. Today in a world full of confusion let us dig deep and truly see what Christ's Church teaches. Let us pray for the Bishops, the successors of the Apostles, as they meet to discuss the family in Rome. Credo Domine!

Easter, Race, Ukraine

It has been a while since I last posted. I thought I would be more committed to blogging during Lent. I had many ideas, but it seems my Lent needed to be a quiet one. Lent was challenging, but also rewarding. It was nice to do a lot of contemplation and self reflection, because it was certainly needed, but now that it is Easter it is time to be alive. Many things happened during Lent and some have spilled over into Easter. Easter is my favorite time of the year which had me celebrating, Russia is surrounding eastern Ukraine, and an NBA owner is being essentially exiled, picking at the racism scab all over again.

Easter is a time of renewal; a time to celebrate the victory we share in Christ! It was great to celebrate this blessed season with our Orthodox brothers and sisters in Christ! Knowing how I lived in college, I certainly enjoy this season. I don't even want to imagine what my life would be like without Christ. I have absolutely fallen in love with the Easter Vigil. To be in total darkness amidst a great flame and then to process in as the light of Christ spreads from candle to candle is a magical moment. I am honored to be part of the RCIA team, helping people come in or back to the Church is truly rewarding. I remember my reentry very fondly. I was wide eyed with eyes filled with tears of joy, because of the incredible journey I was on. The journey continues, and hopefully it continues at St. Mary's Seminary on my way to becoming a Priest. Please pray for me. Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed, alleluia!

Earlier this week the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, Donald Sterling, was banned from the NBA for life. This race stuff is really getting annoying. There will always be people who are racist. Always. What he said is wrong, absolutely. However, why aren't we also discussing comments made by former NBA star Larry Johnson? He wants an all black league? Why is it OK to say that? Isn't that the exact opposite of what Martin Luther King Jr. wanted? Yes, it is. His dream was for all races to be able to work together and judge each other by their "character". How does the rhetoric by Mr. Johnson help King's cause? It doesn't. I have a proposal similar to King's; actually it is the same. Why don't we all just get along. King is remembered for his demonstrations of peace. He did not seek vengeance, he simply sought equal opportunity. We ought to work toward the same. We should not work for an all black league, or forced affirmative action. We should work for solidarity and opportunity. Enough of this vengeance seeking! It only fuels the fire of racists. It divides, not unites.

The Catholic Church is a shining example of how people of all walks of life work together for the glory of the Kingdom of God. The Universal Church is global, covering all races and cultures. The Catholic faith is applicable to every nation and tribe. It is absolutely beautiful. I can go into a Catholic Church in any country and celebrate the Eucharist with a multitude of people. I encourage you to look up footage from World Youth Day, where Copa Cabana Beach is filled with three million people from all over the world celebrating Mass. It is an amazing site.

And then we get to Russia and Ukraine. Putin is asserting his power during a time of US weakness. The United States has been drained by over a decade of war (three years of which there were two concurrent wars), and continues to build up trillions of dollars of debt. The United States is tired. It shows by our political climate. Each side continues to grow farther and farther apart, and the same can be said for the people of America. So while America continues to fight within, Russia is making moves. I also wonder what China is doing. We need to pay attention to the crisis in Ukraine. We are seeing incredible witness by Catholic and Orthodox Priests who are standing up for peace. Let us focus on this issue. Instead we are focused on what some old racist man said, and it is quite disappointing. I couldn't care less about the race "issue". Did Mr. Sterling's racism hurt anyone? Did his players get paid? Yes. Was his team all white? No. Is he wrong for being racist? Yes! However, instead of moving on and moving forward we let that bog us down. While this all happens Putin continues to move. We need to be paying attention, before China surpasses us as the world's largest economy. Yeah, that may happen in a decade as well. Did you hear of that? Probably not.

America needs to drastically discern its priorities. We are very concerned about social issues, but what about the economy and national security? How good are our arguments about social issues, if we can't keep our people employed and safe? They will all be for not. There is a solution. The solution is simple and many people know the solution, but choose the wide gate because it's easy. Let us choose the narrow gate. Let us choose Christ and seek to live by His commandments. If we all did this, the world would be a much better place. Well, at least it would have a better chance of being a better place. Credo Domine.

Discipline Prayer Discipline (DPD)

I. DPD Overview
Discipline, prayer, and discipline (DPD). No, that is not a typo or a mistake it is a way to go forward in pursuit of a strong faith in the midst of "toxic" environments. I had a short, but fruitful conversation with a college student today via Facebook, and the question was focused on maintaining your faith, while being around seemingly toxic people and places with an emphasis on an upcoming military life. I'm sure this person isn't the only college student that asks this, which is why I decided to write about it, hoping it reaches a few more people.

When it comes to discipline, discernment, and perseverance I am quick to turn to my Patron St. Paul the Apostle. One of the Church's greatest commanders (in this context commander as in Apostle or Bishop), St. Paul wrote a lot regarding proper practice doctrine. Sound like the military yet? The military is greatly concerned about proper techniques and doctrines. St. Paul is also greatly concerned with proper belief and practice, and rightly so! However, I will also focus on what the Great Apostle and first Vicar of Christ, St. Peter, has to say. As we meet at the corner of Peter and Paul this time, I will attempt to propose the DPD technique through the teachings of not only Christ, but the two Great Apostles Sts. Peter and Paul.


II. Discipline
I will begin with St. Paul and his teachings in 1 Corinthians 11:29-32. In Chapter 11 St. Paul discusses women's headdresses and the Eucharist or Lord's Supper. For the purposes of this post I will focus on the later. In verses 27-28 he states that eating and drinking the Holy Supper unworthily will result in judgement. One should examine themselves before partaking. This sounds exclusive, and indeed many Protestant denominations mistake the Church's teaching regarding the Eucharist. That is another post. St. Paul goes on to say in verses 29-32, "For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgement on himself. That is why many among you are ill and infirm, and a considerable number are dying. If we discerned ourselves, we would not be under judgement; but since we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world," (1 Cor. 11:29-32 NAB). What a powerful statement!

What St. Paul is saying in these verses is that we must really understand and know of Christ's sacrifice, and cooperate in obeying the teachings. Obeying the teachings is in essence a way of knowing Christ's sacrifice. If I know Christ's sacrifice, would I not be inclined to work to sin less? I believe, and the Church believes, the answer is yes. St. Paul is teaching here that partaking in the Eucharist is a discipline! Obeying the teachings of Christ, and thus recognizing Christ's sacrifice, takes discipline. This is why I chose this passage to help in discussing DPD. To build up or maintain our faith in a world that often is toxic, we must begin with discipline. Faith is obviously the initial step, but beyond the starting point which is faith, step one is discipline. We must constantly examine ourselves and our relationship with our Lord and his Church. If we truly believe in Christ, we must do this frequently. Step one, discipline.


III. Prayer
Prayer, the second part of DPD, is the most beneficial and often neglected part of a life of a Christian. I often hear people say, "I'm a Christian. I believe in Jesus. I pray sometimes." Sometimes? My brothers and sisters (myself included here), let us pray often! Prayer can be very intimidating. "How do I pray?" "I sound like I'm whining." "God is probably tired of listening to me." "I'm a hypocrite and don't deserve to pray." Some of those statements are legitimate concerns, and the last one especially is despairing. God listens! When researching how to pray, let's start with the basics. The basic Christian prayer is in the Regulation (The Bible) and discussed heavily in the Field Manual (Catechism). I suggested that a good place to start a solid prayer life is with the Lord's prayer. What better way to start praying than with the prayer Christ himself taught us?

The Lord's Prayer as found in Matthew 6:9-13 (a shorter version is also presented in Luke 11):
"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and do not subject us to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one," (NAB).

Boom! There is our starting point. Let us build our prayer life on the foundation of Christ and the prayer he told us to pray! He gives us the foundation! From there we can grow a fruitful prayer life. If you have the discipline to get going, and build on the foundation prayer (Lord's Prayer), you will notice yourself praying more spontaneously in time. This is good! Step two, prayer.


IV. Discipline
For the final part of DPD we return discipline. I could have used the word persevere or motivation, which St. Paul and others also frequently discussed. I chose discipline again, because it takes more discipline to keep motivated and persevere during the storms. It is discipline that will allow us to keep on the armor of God that St. Paul discusses in Ephesians 6:10-17 (constant prayer is also discussed in this chapter). I have discussed St. Paul already, though, and will now discuss St. Peter's teachings in 1 Peter 2. The entire chapter is devoted to living a Christian life in a hostile world. Let us look first at 1 Peter 2:11 and it states, "Beloved, I urge you as aliens and sojourners to keep away from worldly desires that wage ware against the soul," (NAB). St. Peter is telling us to protect ourselves. He interestingly notes that the recipients of his letter are "aliens". This can be applied to us today. He addresses the readers as aliens, because the Christian is not of the world but in the world.

Verses 13, 16-17 are very interesting taking into account today's American political environment. In theses St. Peter discusses citizenry; "Be subject to every human institution for the Lord's sake... Be free, yet without using freedom as a pretext for evil, but as slaves of God. Give honor to all, love the community, fear God, honor the king," (NAB).  Pope Saint Peter tells us that we are not to be unnecessarily rebellious, but subjects of our government. He also tells us we are to use freedom for God and not for evil. Simply reflect on America today. Are we using freedom to build up God's Kingdom or to attempt to bring it down? This, also, is another post.


V. Conclusion
DPD; Discipline Prayer and Discipline. I believe this is a good way to enhance our faith that is in Christ. DPD is merely a tip to promote a life of faith by a humble follower of Christ. If there is something that works better at bringing you closer to Christ and his Church, by all means utilize it. You there is a better asset to complete a mission than the one you were given, would you not use it? Of course you would. I hope DPD is a motivator and and tool to place in the tool box. May we continue to look to Christ, using the saints before us and among us as guidance. Amen. Credo Domine.








Resource:
1. The Catholic Bible: Personal Study Edition. Second Edition. Jean Marie Hiesberger, editor. Oxford University Press. 2011.

Lent for the Busy Person

You may be like me on the day before Lent, better known as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday in the US, and make a list of Lenten promises to God. This list will include sacrifices, prayers, activities, and other things you will give up or do for Lent. If you are like me this list starts out fairly large. Not to boast, but here is an example of what my first list looked like:

If you are having trouble deciphering my beautiful calligraphy, the list reads:

1. No fast food 2. Facebook only on Fridays (Adoration Friday of course) 3. Daily Scripture reading 4. Finish "Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration" by Pope Benedict XVI and 30 day consecration ("33 days to Morning Glory" by Michael E. Gaitley) 5. Daily Rosary and Divine Chaplet 6. Daily Holy Hour (Eucharistic Adoration) 7. Gym three times per week.

You were probably chuckling by number four or five. What makes me chuckle is the line after the list which reads, "I think this is doable...." and then I add, "Also, praying more in Latin and Deutsch (German), and bed before 12am." To anyone counting, that is nine Lenten promises! Yes, nine! Sure, for a college student with a light course load this is possible, but I am not a college student with a light course load. You should have seen the reaction my spiritual director (Fr. Sean) had when I recited this list to him during my session with him. He had some good advice on how to refine this list. He broke it down into three categories (prayer, fasting, and alms giving). Here is my list following spiritual direction:

Again, my amazing calligraphy reads:

1. Prayer: a. Holy Hour three times per week minimum b. Daily Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy

2. Fasting: a. Facebook (one post per day [must be spiritual], and no more than one total hour surf time per day)

3. Alms giving: a. Volunteer three times during Lent

4. Spiritual Reading: a. Finish "Jesus of Nazareth" and 33 Days to Morning Glory

Again, looking back this is a jam packed Lent. Lent is supposed to be challenging, absolutely! Lent is a time to wrestle with our faults and find ways to eliminate or reduce them as we walk with Christ. I must admit, that I have not been proactive enough in following through in this refined list. I know that I could offer up three hours a week for Eucharistic Adoration. I already do an assigned hour on Fridays. I  know I could be reading the amazing work by Pope Benedict XVI instead of watching the WWE Network (which is awesome by the way). With work and prayer, I can commit to this list. Instead of volunteering, I have given money to Harvest for Hunger instead almost each time that I buy something at work. Since I seem to go two weeks to a month with out a day off, finding time to volunteer is difficult, so I made an adjustment.

At this point you may be wondering when I'm going to come up with ideas for you the busy person. The idea is this; make your initial list, reflect on your daily duties, and then discuss this list with friends, family, or a priest. You will find that you can refine this list and still have a fruitful Lent. Lent is not simply about abstaining from things. Lent is about spiritual growth. The goal is to come up with a list of things that will help you grow spiritually. Our relationship with Christ and his Church matters, and Lent is a time to get back to the basics. These basics, as Fr. Sean (my spiritual director/Confessor) puts it, are prayer, fasting, and alms giving. Find one thing that you can do or sacrifice in each of these categories, and Lent will be a fruitful one for you.

God knows our lives better than we do. God knows we are busy. Let us not feel guilty for having to trim our Lenten promises down to size. Let us, instead, be joyful that we are seeking a closer relationship with our Lord and his Bride, the Church. Lent is my favorite time of the year for this reason. I am so glad the Church has set aside a time to reflect, pray, and sacrifice to draw closer to God. Let us march forward toward Christ.

Here is a simple list you might be able to implement if you are having trouble:

1. Prayer: 10-15 minutes of prayer each day. Doing this around meal times is a good way to set aside time for it. Before bed is also a good time. Go to Confession more frequently.

2. Fasting: Limit social media time or Internet time to 1-3 posts per day if you are a frequent user. Or limit TV time to 1-2 hours a day if you watch a lot of TV. Do a good fast on Fridays (one meal and two smaller meals or snacks that do not add up to the one meal), or go 24 hours without eating (health permitting).

3. Alms giving: Pick a ministry and donate your time, money, or other resources throughout Lent. At Walgreen's they are supporting Harvest for Hunger. I simply add $1, $5, or $10 (on paydays) to my bill. This is a quick easy way to help feed the hungry.

I hope this list helps. Sometimes when it comes to our spiritual lives, less indeed is more if our mind, body, and soul are fully invested. I pray you have a blessed Lenten season. Please pray for me as I seek to better fulfill my Lenten promises. Please continue to pray for peace, especially in Ukraine and Venezuela. Let us be a witness to the love which conquers all. Credo Domine.

A Reflection on Matthew 17:1-9 (Sunday's Gospel Reading)

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Matthew 17:1-9:
"Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, 'Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one fore you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.' While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.' When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, 'Rise, and do not be afraid.' And then when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone.

As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, 'Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.'"
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The Transfiguration of our Lord. This must have been an amazing, yet scary, event to witness. Jesus was standing amidst the great Prophets Moses and Elijah, but that wasn't all. God also descended upon them and told the disciples to listen to Jesus the Son of God. The Transfiguration is where heaven met earth through Jesus. It affirmed Jesus as the Son of God and as a teaching authority. It was a very important part of the life of Jesus; it displayed the divinity of Christ as well as showing the continuity of God through the ages. Let's use St. Peter's recounting of the Transfiguration to drive home the message.

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2 Peter 1:16-20:
"We did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eye witnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father -- when that unique declaration came to him from the majestic glory, 'This is my Son, my beloved, with whom I am well pleased.' We  -- ourselves heard this voice come from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain. Moreover, we possess the prophetic message that is altogether reliable. You will do well to be attentive to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts."
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St. Peter makes a very strong statement here. He is saying that he (and the Apostles) holds the message, and that it would be a good idea to pay attention to it. What is this message? Jesus is the Son of God and we should listen to him. There is a reason "listen to him" jumped out at me. We are to listen to Jesus Christ, because he is the Son of God! If Jesus says something, we know it is true, because it comes from God. When the Apostles say something, we know it is true, because they witnessed the message being told. St. Peter and the Apostles hold the teachings of Christ. We would be wise to know this.

As we move on this Lent, let us remember what Christ taught and use Christ's teachings, which are continuously brought forth by the Church, to shape our lives. Let us listen to Christ and confirm our souls to him, so that we can accept the heavenly glory that God invites us to receive freely. Amen, I say, Jesus' words are true! Credo Domine.

Into the Light: Coming Out

I would like to discuss coming out as a homosexual and tearing down other facades. From reading the title of this post you may be thinking that I am coming out as a homosexual. If you are, do not let go of those thoughts just yet. If you did not think this, consider it. I am not a homosexual, however, but keep those initial reactions or thoughts in mind. What did you think? How did you feel?

Once you answered these questions, now move on and discern what may be irking you in your own soul. Is there something in your soul that is dark and covered up from the rest of the world, even your closest friends and family? I wish to address those deep dark spots of our souls. I want to bring to light what may be ailing us in hopes to renew our lives. I will discuss what I feel our society should embrace, and how we can aid in this endeavor on a local level.

One of the biggest social issues today is the issue of homosexuality. There is no doubt that elections are filled with discussions on laws regarding homosexuality, the veil has been removed, and society is now addressing the issue of homosexuality in the open. This is certainly good. To bring something out of darkness you must bring it into the light. More secrecy and darkness does not bring light to anything. Satan certainly knows this. Satan can operate most effectively in darkness, and this is precisely where our most sensitive parts of ourselves often reside.

After the fall of Rome and the rise of Christian Europe, homosexuality and other sexual openness was covered. Ancient Rome and Greece made the 1960's sexual revolution look like amateur hour. Sexuality was a great part of these two societies, and so much so that St. Paul would often address sins of the flesh in his Epistles. In fact, for anyone that is struggling with sins of the flesh, I highly recommend diving into the Epistles. Great strength can be found in the words of the great Apostle, and I have benefited from them so much so, that that is one of the main reasons I made him my Patron on Holy Saturday 2013.

Bottom line up front (or in the middle I guess), is that we need to carefully uncover the veil Christians often place on sexuality (homosexuality in particular here). As a Catholic, I think we can absolutely share a beautiful message regarding homosexuality. Over the past several years there has been an on going "it gets better" campaign. I think Catholics can certainly be added to this message with its own beautiful teachings. If you are a person with homosexual tendencies, I urge you to come out. Sounds easy enough, but I am aware that it definitely is not. While it should be easier, it must also be said that coming out should be calculated amidst a world of confusion regarding the issue.

The first step is to run to Christ. Christ should be the center of our lives, and thus we should bring everything to him. This should not only include all of our joys, but also our darkest deepest parts of our sinfulness. If we continue to bury troubling thoughts or feelings, we will only hurt ourselves more in the long run. Bringing the darkest of sin into the light of Christ is the first step in sending Satan back to the drawing board (it is naive at best to think Satan will run from us forever; he is foolish and determined). Running to Christ has several steps in itself, but they are available to us. Being Christocentric is absolutely vital.

In running to Christ it is very beneficial to run to the Sacraments Christ gives to us through his Church. Reconciliation (Confession) and the Eucharist are the two Sacraments that will feed you Spiritually as you grow in Christocentrism. I must make absolutely clear that the Church does not hate the homosexual. Anyone who acts out in hate against a homosexual child of God is acting out of their own sinfulness, and not in accordance with Church teaching. This is a good time to introduce Church teaching on the matter. It is important to know that the Church does not teach that homosexuality is grounds for being hated or ridiculed.

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church (source: www.vatican.va):
Chastity and homosexuality
2357 Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity,141 tradition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered."142 They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.
2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.
2359 Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.
Foot notes:
141 Cf. Gen 19:1-29; Rom 1:24-27; 1 Cor 6:10; 1 Tim 1:10.
142 CDF, Persona humana 8.

To sum up 2357; homosexuality exists and always has, not everything is known about homosexuality, and Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition hold that homosexual actions are sinful. Paragraph 2358 is the most overlooked piece of Church teaching regarding homosexuality. It states, "They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition." Homosexuals are called to be active members of the Body of Christ. They should not be cast out like lepers used to be. They are called to share in the beauty of the Gospel. What a beautiful message!

Paragraph 2359 is arguably the largest point of contention between the mainstream homosexual community and the Church. This is the second step; pursuing chastity. This may be the most difficult step, because it requires more action from us versus receiving grace from God through the Sacraments. Chastity is holy and beautiful. Our society seems to teach us that sex is the ultimate fulfillment of ourselves. It makes perfect sense that the world can only offer satisfaction of the flesh, because that's all that it truly possesses. The world cannot possess the spiritual, because the spiritual comes from God not the world.

The Church has responded to the need of supporting homosexuals and their call to chastity. Apostolates such as Courage (for the homosexual person) and EnCourage (for families and friends of homosexuals) exist, bloggers are beginning to voice their journeys, and of course the Sacraments offer assistance in this endeavor as well. I must stress that the Church loves everyone. Simply because some teachings don't mesh with popular culture, doesn't mean the Church hates people. This argument is used to belittle the beauty that is the Bride of Christ. The resources I mentioned are below. Credo Domine.

Resources:
1. Catechism of the Catholic Church
2. Courage
3. EnCourage
4. LifeTeen
5. Steve Gershom
6. US Conference of Catholic Bishops

The Coca Cola Hoopla: America die Schoene

During the Superbowl Coca Cola, arguably the soft drink giant of the world, presented a commercial that contained a multi-lingual version "America the Beautiful". Almost immediately, people took to social media to cry foul. I must admit one second into the commercial I said, "What?", but once more languages were presented, I smiled. This was a beautiful one minute display of America. Before I go on, I must say that at the end of the day this was still an advertisement for Coca Cola, and its message is very clear.

"America was founded by the British, and they speak English!" some cry out. I am quick to respond, but the Brits weren't the only ones there. The French were involved, as well as the Spanish. America was founded by multiple cultures, with the British culture being the dominant one. We must also not forget the numerous Native American cultures that were here long before the Pilgrims. Following the colonial times, more cultures were introduced into the American picture. Irish and German immigrants came. Asians came to America during the Gold Rush and building of the Intercontinental Railroad. Eastern Europeans followed, and America quickly became the melting pot we know today. I like to think we are more like a robust stew rather than simply a melting pot.

We are the most diverse country on earth. A great example of this is our Olympic team. European teams are beginning to look like ours, but our Olympic team is still the greatest mix of ethnic backgrounds. The Chinese team looks... Chinese. The Scandinavian teams look... Scandinavian. The Italian team looks... Italian. The American team looks... Diverse. You cannot present a picture of a person and say they are American, based on just their physical features. We can identify an Italian, or a Korean, or a person of Middle Eastern descent, but we cannot identify an American the same way. This puts America at a huge advantage! We have people from all over the world. Different cultures make up the United States of America, and it indeed is beautiful.

Knowing that America is a robust stew, we must now accept that this stew does not only speak English. Our official documents may be in English, because most Americans speak this language, but our official language does not exist. The United States does not have an official language by law, but merely by default. This does not mean we must throw out other languages! "America the Beautiful" was written in English, sure, but even Church hymns were written in other languages. The Bible was mainly written in Hebrew and Greek; Aramaic was a popular language in Jesus' day. Does that mean it is time to learn Hebrew and Greek and only speak in these languages when speaking theologically? Certainly not! God did not change everyone's language to Aramaic or Hebrew at the Pentecost, no, He enable the disciples to speak other languages! 

We are America die Schoene (beautiful in German). We are a beautiful collection of cultures, from sea to shining see. We should be celebrating this! Soldiers died for this! I'm not even going to begin ranting about how grieved I am when I hear, "Soldiers did not die for a multi-lingual America". Yes, I saw a Facebook post that pretty much said that. All things said, at the end of the day this Coca Cola ad was just that, an ad. Its message is clear;  America is for all people, and Coca Cola is too so drink it. The fact that I am ranting about it, and people are up in arms about it, shows that this was indeed a genius advertisement. What's the genius? We are thinking, arguing, and talking about Coca Cola. Cheers.

From Lutheran to Catholic

Two of the most common questions I am asked, regarding my reversion are, "Why Catholic?" or "What is the difference?". They certainly are two very good questions. In a multifaceted, "buffet style" world, it is hard to sift through the differences between many things especially Christian denominations. I must admit the jump from Lutheranism to Catholicism is not nearly as far as jumping from being a Pentecostal or Baptist. Lutheranism is a spin off of Catholicism itself, so since the two closely resemble each other on the surface, it is easy to overlook or miss the differences.

The initial grievance Luther had was the selling of indulgences by the Roman Catholic Church, thereby questioning how the Church's practice of such corresponded with its teaching on sins, confession, absolution, and salvation. It is important to note, that initially Martin Luther had no intention to create "Lutheranism". He had no intention of starting the Reformation (capital "R"), and instead wanted the Church to enter a period of reformation (small "r"). 

Martin Luther was the big political whistle-blower of his day. The Catholic Church during the time of Martin Luther, was as much a political power as it was a spiritual one. The Catholic Church controlled a lot of Europe, and also was the sole entity involved in the coronation of the great kings of Europe. Martin Luther was correct in pointing out that reform was needed, and it did eventually come. The Council of Trent (1545-1563) made the necessary reforms and affirmations of Church teachings.

Looking back, a good Catholic would be obedient and accept the reforms and affirmations instituted by the Council of Trent, but the Reformation was roaring at that point. Had the reaction of the Church been quicker, we may not have had such a schism then. Had the princes not backed Luther, Lutheranism would not exist. It was the German princes that backed Luther once he was excommunicated. The split was as much political as it was doctrinal, if not more so at the time. I need not go into further detail on the rest of the Reformation. There are countless articles and books on the topic. 

Being apostolic is vital to the one holy, catholic, and apostolic church. Once you take the authority out of the dogma's, the dogmas become formed to our infallible human desire. Christ was very specific with the handling of his Church. He entrusted it to St. Peter. the first pope and the other apostles. These apostles then took the authority, teachings, and traditions Christ handed down, and chose disciples to carrying them on as well. Every bishop can be traced back to the original Apostles. How amazing is that?! This is why my reversion really is simple. By the Reformation taking down one papacy, they created thousands more. If every person is able to interpret Sacred Scripture, which was compiled by the very Catholic Church that is rebelled against, then who is to say what is proper and what isn't?

Many will answer, "Exactly! Who has the right to tell me what is true!" This is prideful. To think this way is to fall in the sin of pride. I used to think the same way, "Who is the Pope, a mere man, to tell me what the truth is?" I often knocked the Papacy down a couple notches during my sermons. By doing that I was instituting myself as the Pope at that moment. What a grave sin of pride that was! Praise God for forgiving these sins!

The reason we need a Pope, apostolic succession, dogmas, etc., is to preserve the teachings and traditions handed down by our Lord and Savior Himself! Christ chose Apostles (Holy Orders). Holy Communion was instituted by Christ. Christ Anointed the Sick. He instituted Baptism, and Reconciliation (Confession). Christ laid out the doctrine of Holy Matrimony. The people received the Spirit thanks to Christ (Confirmation). The Traditions of the Catholic Church come from the Messiah and his trusted Apostles. How can I deny this? How could I, when faced with the decision, go with the teachings based on a mere man's opposition to Church practices (which have been corrected)? To go with a mere person or Christ? I chose Christ. Rather, the Holy Spirit enabled me to choose Christ.

People have been debating Catholic doctrine for centuries. Catholics have debated their own doctrine for well over a millennium. What I always come back to, when being faced with opposition, is the authority. Who has the authority? Did Martin Luther take it with him? No! Catholic doctrine can be debated and dissected all day and night (it is), but what matters is who the carrier of the keys is. Christ gave St. Peter the keys to the Kingdom. I could not ignore Matthew 16:13-19 and many other passages that depict Peter as head any longer. Christ said that he will build his Church on the rock that is Peter.

Everything starts with God. God gave St. Peter the keys, which were passed onto St. Linus, then St. Anacletus I, they eventually were given to St. Deusdedit, St. Adrian III also held the keys, they eventually arrived in the hands of Celestine V, St. Pius V carried them, and the list goes on. The keys are carried today by number 266, Pope Francis. This connection to Christ is incredible and undeniable. Apostolicam really is the reason for my reversion. It is not because of how I feel about the Eucharist, Marian devotion, marriage, sex, or religious celibacy. Those all come after Christ. Jesus is the reason for my reversion, because he started the apostolic succession. It all started with our Savior. Amen, credo domine.

Here are some of the books I read during my reversion that I said I would provide in my last post:

1. "100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura" by Dave Armstrong

2. The Acts of the Apostles, New American Bible

3. The Gospel of Matthew, New American Bible

4. "Practice Makes Catholic" by Joe Paprocki

5. "Rediscover Catholicism" by Matthew Kelly

I also utilized websites:

1. www.catholic.com

2. www.catholicscomehome.org

3. www.elca.org

My Call Story: From Apostolic to Crossing the Threshold

Before I go into the details of my return to the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church, I must describe my initial membership in Christ's Church. It starts with my baptism. I was baptized into Christ's Church on 9 December 1989 at Heiligste Dreifaltigkeit Kirche (Holiest Trinity Church) in Langwasser - Nuernberg, Germany. I firmly believe that my baptism not only ties me to God, but to Nuernberg. I have family there, so my heart is filled with Nuernberg. In Germany there is a healthy version of separation of church and state.  Unlike in the United States, religion courses are taught in public schools. Yes, that is no lie, religion is encouraged.

Heiligste Dreifaltigkeit Kirche

Looking back, it is interesting to note that while my mother (I will have to dedicate an entire post to her explaining more on her) had us (mom, sister, myself) going to a Lutheran Sunday school and church, I was getting religious instruction in the Catholic class at school. It is interesting, because I am curious as to that contributed into the return to the Church. I had a great respect for the Catholic Church until I became aware of the differences between Catholics and Lutherans. Once I discovered what the differences were, I slightly mocked the Church for its doctrines while still respected the Church. The respect for the Church remained, because my grandparents (mom's side) were, and my grandmother and husband (dad's side) are, devout Catholics.

The Benninghoff family's humble abode on the first floor. Subtract the satellite dish and add an Opel Kadett in the first parking spot, and you have it.

Now that I have explained my Catholic foundation, that was quickly overcome by Lutheranism as I became more involved in my church, it is time to discuss re-entry. As I mentioned in the previous post, I took Urban Ministry at Trinity Lutheran Seminary for my January Term. During this course we visited different churches and ministries with the goal of defining "urban". It was a Wednesday in January when we visited Holy Family Church in central Columbus, Ohio to attend the Latin Mass. I remember going in with great curiosity. I had never experienced the Extraordinary Form before, and knowing that this was the Form used in the early Catholic Church made it more interesting. I felt like I was going back in time.

I followed the Order of the Mass booklet they provided as best as I could. As I write this I remembered that the Presider was preaching about church unity. It was interesting a the time, because there was a good group of Lutheran and Episcopalian seminarians in the congregation. It is interesting now, because Church Unity Week concluded Sunday. The service was beautiful. The Latin was foreign, but felt close to home. After all, it was the history of the early Catholic Church celebrated! Although I could not understand the words by simply listening, I still felt fed in someway.

Now we stumble upon the word "apostolicam". I firmly believe the Holy Spirit shook me during the profession of this very word. Looking at Lutheran translations of the Nicene Creed, a lot of them now read, "one holy, one Christian, and apostolic church." I clearly remember saying "catholic" during my time at Parma Lutheran. I know that catholic means universal. I always understood that. What I did not understand, was how Lutherans interpret apostolic. How can there be so many ways to interpret apostolic? It seems pretty cut and dry to me now.

It was almost as if it was the Holy Spirit asking the question for me. Then again, it very well could have been. Regardless, the Spirit certainly influenced the question. I asked my professor, "What is the Lutheran interpretation of Apostolic?" His answer did not sit well in my soul. It was as if the Holy Spirit was shaking my soul, "There is more Johannes, there is more!" Luther was excommunicated, and thus the apostolic succession does not continue in the Lutheran church. The Lutheran church cannot proclaim a belief in apostolic succession, because they do not practice it. This realization was the start of a great journey of faith. Was I to leave everything and everyone that I loved at Seminary behind for a simple word? Was I to leave behind great fellowship for things even I declared as adiaphora (loosely translated, not required for salvation)? Was I to leave behind the church that raised me, that gave me so much faith and love? These were all large questions that I needed to answer honestly.

2012 was going to be an incredible year, "The Year of Finding Myself" as I titled it. I certainly found myself... needing to become Catholic. I was attending Trinity part-time, due to military training from July to October. It is amazing how that worked out; I was essentially going to complete my first year over two years. One of my first visits to St. Columbkille was on Good Friday. I remember kissing the crucifix and being filled, again, with the spirit leading me forward. I began to attend Mass with my would be confirmation sponsor, Angela. While spiritually great things were happening, emotionally I was torn.

I began to pray for peace, regarding a future decision. I was often upset at the reality before me. Come back to Christ's Church or stay with a church that does love the Lord, but is missing a lot. Parma Lutheran has some amazing people. I grew up with them; they were my second family. They supported my formation at seminary and countless times before. I was often reminded of the division that Christ discussed. This portion of the Gospel brought me the comfort and peace that I had been praying for. By July of 2012 I was almost certain that Catholicism was it.

Before I go on, I must state that I did not make a decision based merely on how I felt the Spirit moving me. I tested these feelings. I read books and articles. I discussed this with my pastor at Parma Lutheran and a priest at St. Columbkille. I also discussed the switch with friends, seminarians, and family. I was consumed by researching. Below I will provide the books I read, that led me back to Catholicism. It is never good to do something merely on emotion and feelings. Especially, a decision like this. This was a life decision. This decision will affect me for the rest of my living days and beyond.

From 15 July until 2 October I was at Fort Jackson, South Carolina for Basic Officer Leader Course (BOLC) training to be a human resource officer. I met absolutely amazing people, including a fellow Phi. I also met a strong Catholic man, Rich. I do not remember exactly how I discovered that he was Catholic, but once I did I suggested we go to Mass together. I discovered a beautiful Catholic parish not far from our hotel while driving around Columbia. St. Joseph Church (Diocese of Charleston) is a beautiful church, and one that would serve as our place of worship for two and a half months. The place was absolutely packed every Sunday at all masses! Ushers actually had to search for seats for people arriving last minute.

During BOLC we also went to Charleston twice, during which we went to Mass at the Cathedral. Seeing the Bishops cathedra (chair) was a great image for as I was debating between the true apostolic Church and the church that falsely claims belief in it. BOLC was certainly part of my journey. Rich and I continue to speak daily, and he provides great encouragement. I thank God for the people that have been place along my route, rather the people that seek to walk the route I do.

Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Charleston, South Carolina.

Before quickly discussing 2013, I will briefly discuss my trip to Ireland, and then to Germany with my friend Erik. While in Ireland visiting fellow Ohio Lambda Phis Steven, David, and Kevin, I was able to visit St. Patrick's Cathedral with Steven and David. What a great place. The look was unique and I was amazed at how the Church is so very catholic. It transcends cultures and continents as Christ intended. I was very grateful to be able to visit this great Cathedral.

St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, Ireland.

After the short trip to Ireland, it was off to Germany to visit family and see Berlin, Munich, and Weikersheim with Erik. While in Nuernberg I was also visited by my dear friends Lucy, Tyler, and their precious daughter Ashley. We toured the churches and ate delicious food. It was great to see good friends. What is also great is that Lucy is herself and comes from a family of strong Catholics. Her husband is also a convert and has a great zeal for the faith. He was very much a help in learning more about Catholicism. They continue to encourage me also. I am grateful to have them along for the journey. 2012 was certainly a year of finding, it was a blessing filled year.

2013 was the year of ambition. I had finally found myself... needing to be Catholic again, and it was now time to be ambitious. I went through the RCIA program at St. Columbkille led by Father Jamie and Deacon Paul. The members of Parma Lutheran were very loving toward me and my decision. I was fully initiated into the Catholic Church on Holy Saturday, and have been on fire ever since. Holy Saturday was the end to another great chapter in my life, and the beginning of a new one. I thank Angela my sponsor for being so inviting and encouraging. Thank you.

Once I was in, I began looking to the future. "What is God calling me to do, now that I am in His Church", I would ask. I was quickly drawn to the idea of Priesthood. The gifts identified by the senior ladies at church did not go away, the fire for ministry was still there. I began meeting with Father Jamie regularly for some time, and now meet with Father Sean. Both are great priests. I also talked with Father Kevin and Father Kalista. They also have great zeal and are awesome priests. I then was encouraged to contact the recruiter for the Diocese of Cleveland, the vocation director Father McCandless. I began meeting with him, and he also recognized that I was seeking something good and that something was there. I now am enrolled in Crossing the Threshold, the program for discerning men led by Father McCandless. I am absolutely loving life.

So why Catholic? I have rambled on long enough. I will answer this question in my next post, "From Lutheran to Catholic". May God bless all of you and thank you for reading. Credo Domine.

My Call Story: From Discovery to Urban Ministry at Trinity Lutheran Seminary

Everybody has a call story, some have several call stories. My call story isn't finished yet; to be honest, it never ends it changes. I will start my call story when I was in eighth grade. My eighth grade year was a turning point year from pre-adolescence into adolescence. It is that way with many people, however it was a spiritual turning point that still affects me to this day.

By the time I was in eighth grade (2002-2003), I was very active in my church youth group at Parma Lutheran Church (ELCA). After I had moved to Broadview Heights from Parma, I held on to my friends from church. I absolutely loved being a part of something great; the fellowship this youth group had was incredible. We had huge presence where ever we went; seeing a sea of blue shirts at youth gatherings was common place. We even got a shout out from Lost and Found ("give Parma a chance").   I have many great memories from that youth group, and it certainly had a tremendous part in forming my faith, rather, cementing my faith during my high school years and into college.

I started serving as a lector for Parma Lutheran that year, and people noticed something. The senior ladies at church seemed to know the most. They would approach me during the peace or after the service and say I'd make a good pastor. In my mind all I did was read from Sacred Scripture, but these ladies knew something. At first I stored the thought of being a pastor in the back of my mind to look at later. As I kept reading and participating in the church, the thought was continually brought forward. I had other plans at the time, but something kept calling back.

We move to 2005 when my best friend Jill and I went to the Summer Seminary Sampler at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Bexley (Columbus), Ohio. She told me about it, and I was very interested so I applied for it as well. I didn't know I got in until I emailed the Seminary to check the status of my application. It was a three week Sampler of service and learning. We participated in helping God's children through out Columbus. We also sampled classes at the seminary. I remember telling New Testament professor Clayton Croy that I would see him in the future (and I did, more later). I was the only male in the group, but that didn't stop me from making great memories. Jill and I were the Parma Lutheran tag-team. I remember laying in Schenk Chapel during the end of a Taize prayer session reflecting on my call, and I said "yes".

In high school, I also preached my first sermon. If I remember correctly, it was Jill and I leading the service while Pastor Jeff (our interim pastor) was on vacation. We, obviously, did not have communion. Jill was the Presider and I was the Preacher. I remember submitting the first draft of my sermon, and being told it was too Old Testament heavy. This is interesting, because getting more reacquainted with the Old Testament is something I still am working on. It was a standard Lutheran sermon, preaching on grace and how our sinfulness doesn't stop God from seeking us. I remember even bringing the Pope down to a "commoner's" level. The sermon was well received, and those same senior ladies (along with others this time) told me I should pursue Lutheran ministry.

With the discovery of certain gifts firmly in place, I still stored them in the "watch later" section of my mind. I still had my plans. We move to the two years of 2006-2007, my junior and senior years in High School. Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School had the blessings of a TV station. I joined Bee-TV my junior year, and started reporting on various school happenings (mainly sports). I even had my own segment on the morning show, interviewing various school athletes. I had a blast with Bee-TV. In my senior year, I earned a position as an anchor on the morning show. I absolutely loved it. I was known for wearing a red sports coat and gold tie when anchoring. I also color commentated sports events. I had fallen in love (puppy love) with broadcasting. I knew what I wanted to do in college and beyond. I wanted to be on TV.

Now at Kent State University (2007-2011) with a ROTC scholarship, I was only a pre-Journalism and Mass Communication major before I switched to Justice Studies. After talking with the ROTC admissions officer, we came to the conclusion that being Active Duty for at least four out of eight years would hurt my chances of a great broadcasting career. Back in 2007, four years of Active Duty was the minimum requirement out of an eight year service obligation following graduation. So I marched on toward graduation and commissioning as a Criminal Justice guy.

During college, I had stopped attending church regularly and filled the weekend gaps with partying like a lot of college students. My faith was on the back burner, and partying and social life was on the front burner. Since practicing my faith was on the back burner, pursuing ministry was not even on the stove. However, my junior year of college (2009-2010) would prove to be another turning point year. It was the year I rediscovered my faith and my call.

After a post-SongFest (Greek philanthropic event) celebration party I had hit the bottom. I woke up, and for one reason or another I noticed my body could not take it anymore; my soul could not take it anymore. I talked with my fraternity brother Devin, a convicted non-denominational Christian about my partying and what I needed going forward. Something stirred my soul to come out of the hardcore party scene and into something more. Looking back I am completely comfortable saying it was the Holy Spirit. It was not an immediate come back, though. I then entered into a period of great despair.

For a little over a month, I thought I was not worthy to talk to the almighty God. I believed that God was not pleased, and so would not listen to what I had to say. Although I would go to church (Trinity Lutheran, ELCA) more often, I still did not feel a connection. I realized the great pain I must have cause our Lord and savior! I would proclaim, "Who am I, Lord? Who am I to speak to your majesty?!" The despair was great, but then I ran into a passage in the Bible that I still carry around today. Outside of what Jesus would preach (blessed are the poor in spirit, etc) this passage struck me profoundly.

"But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, though testified by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction; all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God. They are justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Jesus Christ.." (Romans 3:21-24, NAB [emphasis added]). The version I used then read, "...all have fallen short of the glory of God."

What an amazing proclamation by the great Apostle St. Paul! Once I ran across this passage the despair departed me. I was on fire once again. I began to pray again. I began to reflect on the "yes" I gave to our Lord on the floor of Schenk Chapel. Praise the Lord for He is good! My faith was now on the front burner, and my call to ministry was on the burner next to it. I utilized Campus Crusade events, and met with their ministers to get a push start to where I was in 2007.

As I continued moving toward graduation, I finally listened to what the senior ladies at church introduced in 2002/2003 academic year. I contacted Trinity Lutheran Seminary and began marching toward ministry. In ROTC and my fraternity I would eventually lead simple Bible studies. I lead Bible studies in the field at Joint Base Lewis McChord during ROTC field training. I was elected fraternity Chaplain. My faith was once again on fire, and actually more on fire than ever before.

I graduated in 2011 with a BA in Justice Studies and commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in US Army/Ohio Army National Guard. I would begin to attempt to enter Chaplain Candidacy for the National Guard and start at Trinity Lutheran Seminary that fall. I was so happy with where I was. God certainly never stopped being faithful during my years away. He will always be faithful. I was ready to enter seminary and continue pursuing my call to ministry.

I absolutely loved Trinity. The people I met there are amazing. The fellowship, prayer, service, learning, and community was incredible. I was in a good place in life. I thought everything was set, and that I simply had to press on and eventually I would be a Lutheran pastor. That all changed in January 2012 when I took Urban Ministry for my January Term. It was an interesting course; defining "urban" and visiting different churches and ministries. One church we visited was Holy Family Catholic Church in Columbus. We attended the Latin Mass, and afterward I would embark on the next part of my journey. It all started with the word "apostolicam" (apostolic). I asked what the Lutheran interpretation of apostolic is, and the journey home was underway.

I will discuss my reversion to Catholicism in my next post, My Call Story: From Apostolic to Crossing the Threshold. Thank you for reading. God bless you.

January is Pro-Life Month

This is a very heated topic. I have come across few people that don't have a stand on either side of the abortion issue. Abortion is the ending of a human growing inside the womb of a mother. Abortion really is that simple, it really is simply killing a person. People throw all kinds of solutions at the abortion problem, and some don't think it is a problem, "It's my life, my body; I should decide whether the baby lives or dies." I want to go over a two things regarding this abortion epidemic, yes, epidemic.



1. It is a woman's right to choose what happens to her body.
The pro-abortion crowd loves the word choice, and makes an emotional attachment to it. They are quick to criticize pro-lifers and claim that their belief is oppressive and dangerous to society. They are quick to label it "draconian", "backwards", "1950s", etc., attempting to connect with the emotions of a person, particularly women. "Be a strong woman and proclaim your right to your body!" they shout.

What about the baby? Does the baby get a choice? No. When the defense of abortion is that it's the women's body, this makes it seem that the pro-abortion crowd doesn't know biology. It is absolutely clear that there are two beings involved in a pregnancy, the mother and the child. "But it's a parasite!" No, it is not a parasite. To be a parasite, the baby would have to be of another species, with differing DNA, etc. A fetus is not a different species. The fetus has DNA from the mother and the father. It is human DNA, it is a human being.

This pro-choice mantra is a lie. It does not look at the living human inside of the mother's womb. If there was a choice, certainly the child should have a part of it. It obviously can't, therefore abortion is less of a choice as it is an order. And who has the right to murder someone? Where in the constitution does it state that we have the freedom to kill an innocent person? It doesn't.

And what about the father? We often forget that there is a third party in a pregnancy, the father. This may be due to the growing amount of single mother out there. Even so, this should not diminish the role a father has during a pregnancy. He should also be involved, but even so, with a choice as big as life itself it should be a unanimous decision. And again, since the child cannot choose, this choice is not a choice mutually agreed to, it is an order for the child to die.

2. We need to teach safe sex in schools.
This is an even messier topic. The adolescent years are critical in terms of human development. Part of this time is the discovery that one is a sexual being. This is the time we discover new things regarding ourselves, and the natural human tendency is to experiment and discover more. Therefore, teaching about sex is important in schools. Letting teenagers roam around in ignorance is not good for them, nor society as a whole.

When it comes to teaching sex in school however, it is important to also teach the importance of it and not just the fact that it exists. Teaching that, "sex is biological, sex happens, here's a condom" does absolutely nothing for the student except for adding fuel to an already growing fire. If we limit sex ed to "safe sex is good sex" are we actually accomplishing anything? Does the student learn anything? Yes, the student learns that he or she can do it whenever with no consequence.

"We'll teach them about STDs/STIs then!" This, again is avoiding a very important component to sex; the psychological part. It is obvious that our minds respond to sex. It is not just a feel good physical activity. There are various brain chemicals and emotions involved. Why do people get so attached to their "first love"? It is because sex is more than a physical activity.

The best form of sex ed should include the emotions tied to sex. This would be a better service to our teens. Abstinence should also be taught in our schools. The safest sex is no sex. "But sex is good!" Yes sex is absolutely amazing when you come to appreciate its true beauty and purpose. Contraception is a bandage. It does nothing. If anything it increases the chances of a person become pregnant and get an STD/STI. The more partners and sex a person has, regardless of contraception use, the better their chance of becoming pregnant and becoming infected.

At this point you may be asking, "Why is he including a discussion on sex ed and contraception in his discussion on abortion?" The true way to prevent unplanned pregnancies and ultimately lower the amount of abortions is to teach what sex really is.  Students need to know what the primary function of sex is procreation. At the end of the day, when you take away the psychological and the artificial, the primary purpose of sex is procreation. Period. This is undeniable. "But it feels good!" Yes, this is why there is more to it than simply procreation. My argument on abstinence and sex within marriage is not that sex doesn't feel good, on the contrary, sex is a physical and psychological (the feel good) bond between two people. Sex does not attract us to another person physically, but also mentally. This needs to be stressed in schools.



So why those two things? When a person accepts the fact that there are three players in a pregnancy and all should have a say, this person should realize that if one of the players cannot make a choice, then it isn't a choice. The choice is also not in what happens after sex, the choice is whether or not one should have it in the first place. Abortion cannot be solved by the bandage of contraception. Sex is deeper than a mere recreational activity, as much as secular culture (and some protestant cultures) deny this. If true sex ed is taught, there will be a societal shift away from the sexual revolution. People will make smarter decisions regarding sex. When sex is truly understood, when the consequences are clear, abortions will naturally decrease. Contraception perpetuates the problem. It does not decrease it. Check out this campaign video by ChurchMilitant.TV.

Credo Domine

I feel it is important to start my blogging adventure in this manner:

I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

This is what I believe. Most things I will discuss on this blog are a direct reflection of this. I must point out the word "apostolic" in the creed. This word was the start of an amazing journey back to the Catholic Church. I will share this story in a future post. This blog will also feature book reviews and updates on my discernment of the Priesthood. 2014 will be an exciting year for me. Please keep me in your prayers. Remember to love GOD and love NEIGHBOR. Have a blessed day.