Light up the World!

March 5, 2009 by Be Holy

These are days that pull me in directions I don’t want to go. My day starts with prayer and reflection. That sets a tone I want to preserve. You probably know how things go from there. The world tries to be the boss of me.

The best I can come up with as an image to sustain my wholeness is that of an oil lamp, full and lit, sitting on a stand. The world changes around it, winds blow, it’s light burns brightly at times; at other times it’s flame flickers and it needs it’s wick lengthened or trimmed; depending. What I see is that there’s no confusion about it’s being. It is not the world and it is not the turmoil. It is a light on a lamp stand. If it could feel, it might feel threatened, inflamed, dampened. The reality is, it remains a lamp on a stand with one reason for being.

So here I sit on my stand (pc at hand), resolute and responsive to the day, unconquered and unyielding. Whether darkness prevails around me, in some small way, does depend on me and others like me.

So everybody, how about it? In chorus now! “This little light of mine…..”

Shared by Flickr & Ultraultraboomerang

Obama Silencing the Voice of Conscience

March 4, 2009 by Be Holy

Obama silencing the voice of conscience? Not!

“Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” Matt 22L 21, Mark 12: 17, Luke 20: 25

When something is repeated in the Gospel as this is by three Evangelists, it means this is supremely important. Of course, when you don’t like what the Gospel says, you simply leave the Church or come up with a version of church that makes you the Magisterium. In other words, you become the Voice of the Holy Spirit. Convenience, but not conscience!

Repealing this rule is, of course, one more issue of conscience vs. having none.

Here’s the NY Times report:

The rule prohibits recipients of federal money from discriminating against doctors, nurses and other health care workers who refuse to perform or assist in abortions or sterilization procedures because of their “religious beliefs or moral convictions.” Its supporters included the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Catholic Health Association, which represents Catholic hospitals.

Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio, the Republican minority leader in the House, said, “This is the third action taken by Washington Democrats in the past 38 days to weaken American rules that are meant to safeguard the sanctity of human life.”

Archbishop Charles Chaput put it this way in his address: Rendering unto Caesar: The Catholic political vocation

“The “separation of Church and state” does not mean – and it can never mean – separating our Catholic faith from our public witness, our political choices and our political actions. That kind of separation would require Christians to deny who we are; to repudiate Jesus when he commands us to be “leaven in the world” and to “make disciples of all nations.” That kind of radical separation steals the moral content of a society. It’s the equivalent of telling a married man that he can’t act married in public. Of course, he can certainly do that, but he won’t stay married for long.”

Talk Matters

March 3, 2009 by Be Holy

In Is Talk Cheap? Thomas Sowell warns that talk matters, words matter, and the ability to express oneself in speech matters tremendously. He calls to mind the gripping power of Winston Churchill and the enormity of the impact his powers of speech and expression had on history. With will and words, Churchill carried the Britons to heights of hope and endurance against Hitler and his juggernaut.

Sowell’s thoughts:

“Talk matters for good reasons as well as bad…..Unfortunately, people on the make seem to have a keener appreciation of the power of words, as the magic road to other power, than do people defending values that seem to them too obvious to require words.

“The expression, “It goes without saying. . .” is a fatal trap. Few things go without saying. Some of the most valuable things in life may go away without saying– whether loved ones in one’s personal life or the freedom or survival of a nation.”

Sowell points to the shell game Obama and his new administration play with words. Cloaked in vocabulary, this administration hides the blatant reality of legislation that would take away workers’ right to a secret ballot by calling it, “Employers’ Freedom of Choice Act.” “Choice” what a lovely word. Where have we seen it go wrong before?

Obama’s budget of deficits is labelled “A New Era of Responsibility.” Sowell says of Obama, “You want responsibility? He’ll give you the word “responsibility.” Why not? It costs nothing.

Those of you who want your country back, be on the lookout for a Presidential candidate who can handle the language without speaking in the “patrician style of country club Republicans.” Look, too, for someone with a good non-apologetic offensive.” According to Sowell, “General Douglas MacArthur gave a one-word definition of defensive warfare: defeat!”

Last and most important! Look out America! I believe that the gift of gab that got Golden Mouth elected won’t stop with words. Deception breeds deception, whether in word or deed.

Lion’s Roar:

March 1, 2009 by Be Holy

This morning I’m thinking about the Church. I love Sundays. I hear the lion’s roar, “and then he cried out in a loud voice as a lion roars.”(Rev. 10:3) The lion thunders out, crying “full-throated and unsparing like a trumpet blast…” “When He roars his sons shall come…” (Hoses 11:10) On Sundays,with tremendous power, the Lion of the tribe of Judah summonses the gathering of the Church from all corners of the earth for a great feast. Even in Lent, the season of fasting, the Church prepares a banquet. The Lion, Himself, provides the meal, prepared Himself of Himself. It is here that the Lion becomes the Little Lamb that was slain, but now lives.

Tea Party

February 19, 2009 by Be Holy

A response to Rick Santelli , it seems, is underway. The American Freedom network writes:

Most of you have already seen the wonderful,passionate speech by Rick Santelli among the traders in Chicago today. He decries the way the Obama policies for mortgage support reward the “water drinkers” instead of those who carry the water. It is one of the most truly inspired speeches I have ever seen or heard, and well worth viewing if you value capitalism. I love how Santelli dismisses the traders are “putty in his hands”, but are real Americans who want to enjoy the fruits of their hard work.