12/29/06

Slaughter of the Holy Innocents

Today (Dec. 29th) in the Eastern calendar, and yesterday in the Western Church calendar, commemorates the slaughter of the Holy Innocents - the children of Bethlehem who were slaughtered by King Herod in a maniacal attempt to grasp hold of life, power, and security for just a little longer.

In the Church calendar darkness and pain are always closely associated with Christmas, as is also the case in so many people's lives for whom holidays are painful.

Every time we come around to this day of the year, I cannot help but reflect upon the practice of "abortion on demand" - which I consider one of the greatest evils of our time by which we in the US alone have slaughtered millions of innocents and most often for reasons not unlike those of the wicked king...all this in our "Christian nation."

Some will no doubt find this characterization 'offensive' - but I simply submit that the existence of a new human being begins at the moment of conception: physically this is true, genetically this is true. In what sense can it be argued otherwise? Can it really be argued that the fetus is part of the mother's body when it is genetically distinct from its mother? Can it really be argued that it is not a human life when it is most definitely alive (and thus, can be killed) and most definitely has 46 chromosomes of a human (that is, 44 autosomal and 2 sexual)? To argue that the fetus is not alive or not human flies in the face of what science has taught us. Certainly, it flies in the face of the Christian tradition as well that has always considered the fetus a human being (note the fetal John the Baptist is able to worship the fetal Jesus and honor the Blessed Virgin Mary who has only recently become "the mother of the Lord" in Luke 1:39-45 and also Gorman's book Abortion and the Early Church).

To be honest, I wish this were not true. I wish that my civilization were not responsible for the worst holocaust in recorded history. But the sad, dark - yes, even offensive - truth is that we, all of us, have the blood of innocent children on our hands. Sexual intimacy without its naturally adjoined responsibilities or commitments is more important to us than protecting the 'least of these.' And this evil cannot simply be laid at the feet of abortion doctors, or young women who get abortions, or politicians who support it - it is our whole society that creates and allows this arrangement of values and priorities and arrangements. We are all, in our own ways, tainted by this.

Today's Mere Comments post touched on this same idea, while noting a disturbing trend - the use of newborn babies, the cloning of babies, or the late-term abortion of babies specifically for the purpose of harvesting stem cells, especially in Eastern Europe.

The weakest among us are being exploited and murdered by the strong in order to maintain their strength - their lifestyle, their security, their comfort, their vigor, their longevity. This is, of course, the very opposite of the highest Christian virtue of charity - which means seeking the good of others - especially the weak - even if it means dying on a cross for their sake. I sometimes wonder how history will judge this age in which we live. But I am certain that the dawn of the Kingdom of the Lord (which must include the judgement of God) means the utter undoing of all the kingdoms of all the Herods in the world (including those in our very hearts).

Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison. Kyrie eleison.

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12/28/06

C.S. Lewis quote of the day

"The fact that God can make complex good out of simple evil does not excuse - though by mercy it may save - those who do simple evil. And this distinction is central. Offences must come, but woe to those by whom they come; sins do cause grace to abound, but we must not make that an excuse for continuing to sin. The crucifixion itself is the best, as well as the worst, of all historical events, but the role of Judas remains simply evil. We may apply this first to the problem of other people's suffering. A merciful man aims at his neighbor's good and so does "God's will," consciously co-operating with 'the simple good.' A cruel man oppresses his neighbor, and so does simple evil. But in doing such evil, he is used by God, without his own knowledge of consent, to produce the complex good - so that the first man serves God as a son, the second as a tool. For you will certainly carry out God's purpose, however you act, but it makes a difference to you whether you serve like Judas or like John."

-C. S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain, chapter 7


It seems that lately I have been again and again approaching this question "(Where) Is God at work in the evil things people do?" I think Lewis is right - he essentially is asserting some kind of mystical double agency - God in his power and wisdom is able to take into account even the willful sins of men even while he is working "all things for the good of those who love him." On the other hand, we may freely choose to do good, yet we know that it is by his grace that he "works within us to will and to do his good pleasure." So that there too, both he and us are truly and freely at work.

It is as though when God's will is working through me this does not negate my own will, but most perfectly fulfills it, since my will was concieved by God and he knows, better than I, who I am and what I - when I am most truly myself (in him) - truly will.

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12/22/06

It's been a while

I have been extraordinarily busy lately as we move through Advent and into Christmas at the church I serve. I haven't had time or thought enough to write any posts that I am really happy with, hopefully that will be coming soon. As you (no doubt very eagerly) wait for the day that I start thinking "out loud" here at Gloria Deo again, feel free to enjoy this hilarious (and not really enriching) video: Mr. Bean Goes to Church.

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12/8/06

Jolly Ole Saint Nicholas

We've all heard, and probably sung, some songs lately about Santa Claus. We watch movies about Kriss Kringle. We take our kids to visit Jolly Ole St. Nick at the mall. I recently nearly ran into a dancing and singing robot Santa. 'Tis the season for hearing about the man who may be the most beloved (and frequently entreated by Protestant and Catholic alike - though more often in malls than in churches) saint of all the saints known in the world. But who is he?

Christian History did an article on the real St. Nicholas, whose feast day was December 6th.
Apparently (our information is sketchy) St. Nicholas was (like so many other "canonical" saints) born into a rich family but gave away his inheritance to help others. The most common tale is that he threw bags of gold into the windows of three young maidens who, were it not for his gifts, would have embraced a life of prostitution.

He was reputed to have a spiritual gift of miracles and was made bishop of Myra, in modern Turkey, around the beginning of the 4th century. During the great Diocletian persecutions he was imprisoned for being a Christian disciple (possibly for years) only to be released later, when Constantine became Emperor.

So, St. Nicholas lived during the great Christological controversies that led to the Ecumenical Council at Nicea in 325 and, though we do not know that he was present at the council, became a staunch defender of orthodoxy against the Arian heresy until his death in 342. But you'll not likely hear any songs about that, I would expect.

During the middle Ages St. Nicholas was extremely popular in both East and West and had more Churches named in his honor than any other saint, save for Mary the Mother of the Lord. It was during this time that his legends began to be intertwined with some Germanic myths.

What will I think of when I see "St. Nick" at the mall this year? That by sacrificial (and very un-capitalistic) giving of our money we may transform the lives of people we have never met. That by our words and teachings we can help preserve life-giving orthodoxy in the church (as opposed to spiritually poinsonous heresy) and that even if nobody remembers us for it, we can help pass along the gift of the true faith "once delivered to the saints" to future generations.

"Almighty God, you have surrounded us with a great cloud of witnesses: Grant that we, encouraged by the good example of you servant Nicholas, may persevere in running the race that is set before us, until at last we may with him attain to your eternal joy; through Jesus Christ, the pioneer and perfector of our faith, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen." -Book of Common Prayer, page 250.

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12/5/06

Busy Busy Busy

Here is a haunting little post from Mere Comments suggesting that our supremely important (if you listen to the politicians) economy - even our whole society - seems naturally geared to form us into people like those who missed out on the "great banquet" of Luke 14:16-24, as this blogger says:

"I've often thought of our modern economy as based on the multiplication as many things and pleasures -- and increasingly time-consuming tasks (how long does it take to fill out endless forms, tax returns, drive to work?) -- as possible to take our minds off God and eternal matters."

I wonder what we as the Church are going to do about it? Hurry down to the mall on our Sabbath and fight the crowds to catch the last Christmas sales?

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12/1/06

Humans must colonize other planets to survive

Did you hear about this? Dr. Stephen Hawking, widely regarded as the smartest man alive, says we must colonize other planets to avoid extinction. This seems like common sense at first; we expand too quickly and use too many resources to be sustained by this one planet. But could it simply be a reflection on our lack of generosity (since they say there is already enough food for us all) and our lack of self-control (maybe we should try having sex less often?), in other words our lack of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23) in general that really is at the root of our need for more planets? Perhaps this is another example of our looking to technology to save us, when we should look to the Spirit of Jesus Chrst?

Just a thought.

On the other hand, if we had more than one planet, this would make the killer asteroid scenario much less potent, wouldn't it? Ha!

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