Ordinary Old Catholic Me

Christmas Eve Thoughts

Today is Christmas Eve. Let us all be glad, and recall what it means that God entered into time, the time He created, to redeem us!

The Mystery Man: He Always Leaves Room for Faith

Perhaps it is the darkness of our times, but scientific and religious interest in the Image on the Shroud of Turin has been assisted by the Exhibition in Salamanca, Spain, called The Mystery Man. The three dimensional image on the Shroud, still an enigma in terms of how it could have occurred except by the Miracle of Resurrection, was extrapolated into a figure of a Crucified, beaten Man on view for the public. It is reported that it will go around the world. For me, it is an enhancement of faith. Who is Man if He is Not Christ the Lord? 

Happy Holy Day!

The usual battle ground for the culture wars is the large ones. But the smaller ones are not actually so small.  Consideration of the battle over "Happy Holidays" and "Merry Christmas" up this episode. 

Foolish Ideas

Two phrases I often hear to justify desires that lack a moral foundation, the first, "God Loves Me Unconditionally" and "God made me the way I am". I no doubt have said these things to justify my own behaviors over my life. But without context, both are misunderstood and misused. Just thinking about that today.

Remembering Those Who Have Passed Through These Pews

We are in the month of remembering those who have died. I have been thinking of all those people that have passed through the pews of my parish in the last nearly 40 years of my attendance. Hard to believe indeed. So many souls. We must pray for them. As we hope we will receive prayers when we are only memories to the next generation of our respective parishes. 

A Foretaste of My (Potential) Future

If we are fortunate, we will reach an old age. But that comes with its own sufferings for which we need to prepare, practically and spiritually. As someone who spends considerable time with the generation just ahead of me, I know that I have a lot of work to do spiritually, assuming I make it to their good age. 

Down the Ladder of Perfection

A personal experience of a failure to stand up for the teachings of the Church. I didn't. Should I have?

How You Doin’?

Some thoughts on my progression in a daily Holy Hour. How are you doing in your prayer life?

Those Essential Glimpses of Paradise

A gloomy mood was transformed when I considered how often the Lord provides us glimpses of Paradise.

The Rattle of Sobering Thoughts

Some thoughts about currents events in the Church this week that are weighing on me.