Happiness is the Truth?

 
Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof

Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth

Clap along if you know what happiness is to you

Clap along if you feel like that's what you want to do 

-Happy Pharrell Williams 

I've had this post on the topic of happiness bouncing around my head for almost a year, since I saw a You Tube video by Peter Kreeft speaking on subject. As sometimes happens, time passes and new topics become more urgent and posts like this get put on hold. But, for what ever reason, the time seems right to finally get down to tackling the subject.

Dr. Kreeft makes the observation that in Christian thought, borrowing and building upon the Ancients, blessedness is what matters most as opposed to happiness. He sets up happiness as being analogous with contentment; a passing, subjective reality, where as blessedness implies some objective state that persists in spite of the mood we are in at a given moment. Lou Gehrig, the baseball player whose untimely death was caused by a disease that would later bear his name, called himself the luckiest man on the face of the earth. He was able to do this because he saw the many blessings he had received in his life, even though it would be hard to imagine that he was very content with his plight at the moment the words were spoken.

We place a great importance on happiness, the pursuit of which is among the basic rights enumerated by the Founders in the Declaration of Independence. As Dr. Kreeft implies, this is not a trivial or unimportant thing. The Baltimore Catechism famously states that we were made by God to be happy. But not necessarily to be happy here and now. St. Bernadette was told by the Blessed Mother that she could not promise the Seer of Lourdes happiness in this life, only in the next. Even so, we would all agree I think, as does Dr. Kreeft, that happiness, even if only thought of as freedom from physical, psychological or emotional discomfort is not a meaningless or unimportant thing. But is happiness, defined as a subjective state of contentment, really the purpose of our life here, and the thing that will bring us the greatest sense of fulfillment in the long run?

If you don't believe that we tend to reduce happiness to subjective, passing emotions or material security, we only have to look to the recent hit single Happy by Pharrell Williams. I'm not here to hate on Pherrell or anything like that; it's an infectiously catchy, beat driven number that makes the most of a rather minimalist, almost a cappella arrangement. Plus he gives a soulful vocal performance some have compared to the late Curtis Mayfield. More than the words, the video brings home this notion of happiness being a subjective state of mind. The four minute version is made up of quick cuts taken from, what bills itself as, the first twenty-four hour long form music video. For the most part we see clips of individuals dancing through the streets of Los Angeles along to the song, cheerfully oblivious to the world around them. Some dance really well, others have two left feet and clap awkwardly out of rhythm. But you know what; they're all happy because they know what happiness means to them, or so the song goes. And as it also states, happiness is the truth, so how can they be wrong?


I did not watch anywhere near one hour, let alone the entire 24 hours, of the long version, which focuses on individuals dancing along in "real time," so maybe I missed something. As I wrote, most people hop, skip and jump along solo; sometimes they are in pairs. But each is in his or her own universe. Some time is spent on a school bus, but rather than having a group dance, each person dances one at a time to the song in its entirety while the others sit indifferently in their seats. One young man is shown dancing along the streets in the wee hours, and actually tries to get a bystander to join in, but only gets an annoyed, "who cares" shrug.

There are numerous celebrity cameos in the video, but the one that really hit me was Magic Johnson's. He's smiling and up beat, which is par for the course for the hoops legend. In the course of his appearance he makes clear what happiness means to him; his big house, his NBA titles, along with the hardware that comes along with them (if you're not a sports fan, I mean trophies and championship rings). He points to them, along with his cars and swimming pool as he dances around his estate singing (OK, lip syncing) about how happy he is. Again, I'm not knocking the Magic Man; he earned everything he has, and is involved with numerous charities. But I am critiquing the video, and the message is clear; happiness is not just a subjective state of mind, but linked to our material possessions.

The Christian message is that while happiness is important, it's not everything. Jesus in the Beatitudes turns on its head any notion of true happiness as connected with material or worldly values (this is Dr. Kreefts main point). What I would add is that true, deep, lasting happiness can not be linked to the material or to mood because these things either pass, are lost, break, or become out dated and obsolete. The desire for them can make us blind to the needs of others, oblivious to the world around us, and the reason we have been blessed in certain ways to begin with.

We heard the reading about Lazarus and the Rich Man the other day at Mass. There is no doubt in my mind that the Rich Man, who ate sumptuously everyday, died as he had lived; a happy man. Yet he found himself in Hell because he lived to satisfy his appetites as opposed to seeking first the Kingdom of God, and righteousness. He had been truly blessed in his life, but was so caught up his own contentment he couldn't even see the starving man on his doorstep.

I'm going to end off here. This is the point at which I promise a part two that rarely comes. But I do have more to say, and it's linked to Mad Men, a show I write about a lot that will be coming back for a final season soon. Until then, keep on dancing, but try to find some partners.

The Rich Man and Lazarus from AOP

Saint Joseph: A Hidden Life with Fr. James Martin from Loyola Productions

Meet the Real St. Patrick from Family Travel Forum

Saint Patrick's Day: Celebrating a Life of Mission from Rome Reports

The Sixth Commandment from Columbia Catholic Ministry

Transfigured: From the Apostleship of Prayer

The Real Antidote: Part 3 of a Series on the Pope's Lenten Message from The Apostleship of Prayer

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Moral and Spiritual Destitution: More from the Pope's Lenten Message from AOP

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Fr. Barron on the Three Temptations of Jesus via the HBO Series "Rome"

This is one of Fr. Robert Barron's early videos, but one that fits in well with the First Sunday of Lent's theme of the Lord's temptation in the desert.

The Fifth Commandment from Columbia Catholic Ministry

Fr. Robert Barron Comments on Original Sin

Salt + Light Perspectives 3/6/14: Pope Meets with Priests of Rome, News of Fulton Sheen's Canonization Cause Progress

On the Pope's Lenten Message from the Apostleship of Prayer

Ash Wednesday & Lent in Two Minutes from Busted Halo

Ash Wednesday Reflection from Apostleship of Prayer

The Ax: Son of God Review

The Third and Fourth Commandments // Columbia Catholic Ministry

Consistory of Cardinals Discuses Family and Married Life

The Consistory of Cardinals that met in Rome this week was preparing for October's Extraordinary Synod of Bishops that will concern itself with the Church's pastoral care of married people and families. We can't underestimate the importance of the upcoming meetings, as well as the regularly scheduled Synod set for 2015 which will continue the discussion. Synods are held normally every three or four years, but these extraordinary synods, called by the pope when he feels that they're necessary, are not all that uncommon.

What is different this time is that Pope Francis plans on using the synod as a catalyst for possible changes, not in doctrine, but in pastoral practice. A complaint by some over the years is that both Blessed John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI used these more as information sessions, with information going from the top down, more than as opportunities for the bishops to collaborate with the pope. Whether these criticisms are fair or not, Pope Francis wants to change the perception, at the very least.

And he's beginning with a hot button topic; how the Church cares for divorced and remarried Catholics who didn't have the first union annulled, or are first time married, but in civil unions. Right now Catholics who find themselves in these situations are not supposed to receive the sacraments, particularly Communion and Reconciliation (Confession).

There are two basic points of view and both, as far as I can see, have their merits. The first is that Jesus is very clear, from Matthew 19, that marriage is an indissoluble bond. There are only two ways a person can walk away from a marriage. The first is to prove that some conditions existed at the time the partners exchanged vows that renders the sacrament invalid, thus null and void in the eyes of the Church. Or else, by way of what we call the Pauline Privilege, when two non-Christians marry and one converts to Christianity while the other opposes and puts serious obstacles in the way of the believing partner's practice of the faith. This is based on 1 Corinthians 7:10-15. While it's a sad situation, and we encourage these people to stay close to the community, in light of justice they are living in a persistently sinful condition which renders a turning away from the offending behavior nearly impossible, and so receiving the sacraments itself becomes an occasion of sin.

The other point of view is that Christ was merciful, and the Church's pastoral response needs to reflect mercy more than strict justice. The annulment process is long and arduous, and many give up or don't even begin when they see all that is involved. What do we do with people who may have been married briefly early in life but have been with their second spouse happily for decades? Surly this alone could be seen as a sign that the first union was invalid, even if it's difficult to prove juridically?  The Eastern Orthodox churches, who also see marriage as a sacrament, allow second, and even third marriages, though the ceremonies are rather penitential in nature, as opposed to the joyously ornate ceremonies surrounding a first wedding. Some say that judging the validity of the first marriage should be made by the individual conscience, others that some juridical process, albeit streamlined, would still need to be maintained. Both agree that a mistake made early in life shouldn't translate into decades of separation from the sacraments, which then could only be received when death is imminent. 

I must be honest, I struggle with this. Some on both sides see things in very cut and dry terms, but not me. Jesus is clear about divorce and remarriage being an occasion for adultery.  He was also merciful with sinners, especially those who were "victims of human passion," as Don Bosco called those who committed sexual sins. I do know that something has to be done. There are too many good, sincere people caught having to chose between their marriage and following their faith. These are people I meet almost everyday. So, I pray that the Holy Spirit enlightens the bishops as they gather and discuss, and the Pope as he makes his decisions, that we reach the right balance between justice and mercy in our pastoral practice.

The Gift of the Papacy: From AOP

The Pope and the Pentecostals

Ecumenism, the working for the unification of Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox Christians after centuries of division was one of the main prerogatives to emerge from the Second Vatican Council. An assumption that many, including myself, have worked off of is that unification will come quickest with the Eastern Orthodox Churches and possibly the Anglican Communion, which either have valid sacraments, or at least some sacramental sense, to go along with the apostolic succession (though Catholics would say that the Anglicans lack this, as well as lacking valid sacraments).  What we call ecclesial communities, those born of the Reformation in the West that lack the sacraments and apostolic secession would be harder to reach an accord with. Along with these basic differences Rome has deeper theological differences along a broad list of topics with Protestants than with either the Orthodox or even the Anglicans.

My mind on this in the last few years had changed somewhat, but not in a positive way. The Anglicans continue to drift further away from Rome on many key issues, from the ordination of women to gay marriage. Even through the Anglicans voted not to perform same sex marriages this week, there are strong divisions between progressive British and American bishops in favor of such a change and traditional Latin American and, in a more pronounced way, African bishops opposed. Over the last two decades there's been a death watch of sorts on for the Anglican Communion; though they've defied expectations and remained untied thus far the danger of splintering into a hundred little pieces seems real. The Eastern Churches, after decades of existing underground in places like Russia and the Ukraine are becoming reestablished. Their issue has always been more about authority than theology, and now that they can function openly they don't seem eager to recognize the Pope as anything other than the Bishop of Rome, and nothing more. Relations are certainly more cordial with Constantinople, as with Canterbury, these days, but I'm still not sure unification is anywhere close to happening.

Rome has made progress in patching differences with Mainline Protestantism on certain theological issues. But these historical ecclesial communities have been in steep decline, in the U.S. at least, for almost forty years. While these communities often have some shadow of the sacraments at work, and a similar approach to scripture as Catholics (even if they lack Tradition and Magisterium), I'm not sure there's any "there-there." People who identify themselves as Lutherans or Presbyterians, for instance, has nosedived since 1974. As with the Anglicans, I wonder if there will be any organized body to reunite with before long. The real vibrant forms of Protestantism exist today in the Evangelical, Pentecostal, and non-denominational communities, that tend to get lumped together in the popular mind as Christian Fundamentalists. These groups have the least in common with the Church of Rome, and some of them question if we're Christians at all. How do you begin to find common ground with people who think you're a half pagan fulfillment of the Whore of Babylon from the Book of Revelation?

So, as I looked around I began to grow a tad discouraged about the prospect of great progress being made in this front. As Bishop Tony Parker, an Anglican cleric right in the middle of both the ecumenical and charismatic movements, says in a special video I feature below, diversity is Divine, division is demonic. This is not a trivial issue. This division in the Body of Christ is a scandal, and a true turning of the culture back to Christ won't happen until all who bare the name Christian come together.

Well my mind is beginning to change again. Below are two videos. One is the long version, containing Bishop Parker's testimony along with a message from Pope Francis to a group of Pentecostals meeting in Texas, U.S.A.. Yes, the Pope speaking in fraternal terms directly to Bible Belt Pentecostals, and the Pentecostals accepting the message in love and respect. Truly a graced moment. Is reunion coming tomorrow? No, but this gives me hope in a future, and a hope in a direction I had only seen futility. As the Pope says, this is God's work, and He can make miracles happen when and where we least expect it.

I'll stop. I encourage you to watch the complete video, and I'll have further reflections next week.

Not with Flesh and Blood

The funeral of Fr. Jesus Plaza, SDB and Brother Luis Sanchez, SDB on Monday, February 17

Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground. Ephesians 6:11-13

As I reported last time, two Salesians were murdered over the weekend in Valencia, Venezuela, when their school residence was broken into. On one level this is a very personal tragedy, and there are no words that can properly express the loss of Fr. Jesus Plaza, 80, and Brother Luis Sanchez, 84. Both dedicated their lives to the Gospel and sharing the love of Christ with young people. How ironic that two of the suspects in connection with the murders are teenagers or pre-teens.

Unfortunately this is not the first time that I've read about priests or religious being murdered in recent years. Some are martyrs for the faith, others are victims of random crime. A priest in New Jersey was killed in 2009 by a parish employee angered by his recent firing. A Salesian in the Dominican Republic was killed a few years back in a carjacking. These murders, like all murders are senseless, but at the same time I never had the feeling that there was something darker lurking underneath the surface beyond the "normal" evil that is murder.  There were no plots, conspiracies or grand designs involved as far as I could tell. The killer's motives were transparent, though the crimes still shocking. Even in the famous case of the Monks of Atlas, whose deaths are so shrouded in mystery, we know that whatever the particulars, they had made a decision to stay in a dangerous location, making violent death a strong possibility. The Salesians in Venezuela are going to pains to say that these murders are apart of the epidemic of crime effecting their country, and are not connected with any political strife they're presently experiencing. I'm not going to argue with that. But these killings seem to have a different feel to them, one that points to something deeper and darker.

On the surface this does seem like a routine robbery gone terribly wrong. Schools getting broken into are not uncommon. Computers and other AV equipment are the usual targets, and there's sometimes loose cash hanging around in teachers' desks; field trip money, prom money that teachers are collecting, things like that. Gangs are most often behind the break-ins, though the cash grabs are most likely "inside" jobs; students who know what teacher is collecting money for what event, and where they hide it, which is usually in an obvious place.

The break-in at the Salesian school in Valencia, Venezuela has all the earmarks of a gang related burglary. Add to this the rampant crime, as well as the social-political unrest which has plagued that nation for months, the pieces fall into place neatly for a rather prosaic explanation for what happened. So while these murders are all very shocking, the explanation for why they happened seems to be very logical. So why the queasy feeling that things may be more than what it appears?

Because gangs in Latin America and, increasingly, in the United States, are connected with drug cartels. Many of these cartels have adopted a form of occult practice and spirituality; a mixture of "folk Catholicism" and occult beliefs known as Santa Muerte (Saint Death). She is usually depicted as a grim reaper holding a sickle and an orb. Statuettes and other images of the "saint" come in black and white (I know this because someone left one of each outside our church doors a number of years back). She is invoked for protection and good fortune, especially before big drug deals and other criminal activities like robberies. She is nonjudgmental, or so her devotees claim, the goddess for those whose lifestyle leaves them outside the norms of both civil society and mainstream religions like Christianity. Though there are devotional elements associated with Catholicism mixed into Santa Muerte ritual, they view the Church as an enemy and priests as legitimate targets for violence and murder. Don't take my word for it, the FBI has a report on their website detailing this insidious cult, which is especially popular among the Mexican gangs.

The reports I've seen in both English and Spanish on this tragedy have been brief. And yes, the Salesian provincial there has rightly tried to down play the sensationalistic aspects of the murders. Still, I'm faced with questions. I'm not familiar with the layout of this school's campus, but Salesian residences are usually placed in an out of the way location on the grounds, if it's on the property at all. They are not practical targets for thieves if their goal is to steal computers, grab some cash and get out quick. They also went out of their way to enter the chapel to desecrate the Blessed Sacrament. Again, while the community chapel isn't hidden per say, it is in a quiet part of the house that typically has to be sought out. While avoiding hysteria is important, I can't help but think that this was a robbery, true, but one that didn't go "wrong" as far as the perpetrators' intentions are concerned.

This adds up, in my mind, to gangs, possibly ones with particular animus for the Church. And, sadly, young people with familiarity with the school. That the intruders were teens, one possibly as young as 12 years old, is incomprehensible, and yet not unheard of. Gangs do recruit kids that young, and indoctrinate their minds, steal their souls.

These gangs are not values neutral. They want to justify their actions as good. Many who engage in crime and vice as a way of life abandon God and religion. Atheism, though, is not a natural human inclination; we are "wired" for God. So when some one's life is at odds with traditional religious values, but they want to hold on to some transcendent connection one of two things happen. Traditional religion is kept but perverted in some way. The criminal reduces religion to superstition, often living a double life of devotion and murder, unable to see the contradiction. Otherwise esoteric devotions arise which are confused at best, demonic at worst. We know what side the gangs and cartels have thrown there lot in with.

The problem of organized crime in Latin America and the United States is a complex one. There are social, political and economic factors at work. But there are also spiritual realities at work. Yes, the murders of Br. Luis and Fr. Jesus are two of thousands of such killings that result from the rampant crime in Venezuela, be it organized or random. As good citizens, in the spirit of Don Bosco, we need to advocate social changes that will bring a world of greater justice and peace.

We also need to understand that there is a spiritual battle taking place, and the enemy isn't flesh and blood. He doesn't carry knives or guns. He seduces with promises of paradise and power, which leads to short term benefits and eternal death. The deaths of our brother Salesians came at the intersection of the earthly and spiritual struggle that we are engaged in. Our part, as children of the light is to advocate justice through peace, while aggressively fighting the powers of darkness with the spiritual weapons at our disposal.

Salt+Light Perspectives Daily 2/19/14: Crisis in Ukriane, Pope's Wednesday General Audience, Euthanasia Laws

Salt+Light Perspectives: Pope's Sunday Angelus, His Visit to a Roman Parish, Meeting of the C-8 and the Pope Renews his Passport

Salt+Light is a Canadian Catholic cable network, akin to the United State's EWTN. Perspectives is a daily news brief, focusing on happenings in Rome. Here's the report for today.

Persevere in Temptation: A Reflection from AOP

Two Salesians Murdered in Venezuela

It is with a sad heart that I write to you today about the murder of two of my Salesian brothers in Valencia, Venezuela. I'm linking to the Catholic News Service report and a local secular report in Spanish. Fr. Jesus Plaza, 80, and Brother Luis Sanchez, 84 were murdered in the residence of the Colegio Don Bosco Saturday night in a apparent robbery. I'll have more to write later, but for now please pray for the repose of the souls of Br. Luis and Fr. Jesus.





Eternal Rest Grant Unto Them, Oh Lord, and Let Perpetual Light Shine Upon Them. May Their Souls, And All the Souls of the Faithful Departed, Through the Mercy of God, Rest in Peace. AMEN

Derek Jeter Begins His Long Goodbye

Now that I am a man I think like a man, and follow sports like a man. Long ago I left behind the childhood wonder that went along with winding my way up the ramps and escalators of the old Stadium with two of my older brothers. We had left the bright late spring sunlight to enter into the Stadium's dark corridors, made claustrophobic by the crush of the crowd flowing in a chaotic swirl. Inside I took in the smells of roasting peanuts, beer, cigars, cigarettes and an over used men's room, the aromas, smells and stench all mingling in the air. Once at our level we looked for our section. As we walked through the darkness I peeked up the ramps, the sunshine breaking through, back lighting the fans milling around like something out of Rafael's Deliverance of St. Peter. All I could see was the top of the upper deck and the clear blue skies. We arrived at our section, went up the narrow tunnel that lead us back into sunlight. It was like standing on a cliff, the grand stands seemed so steep. fighting my natural fear of heights, I was overwhelmed by the green of the field, the brown of the clay diamond, the blue of the seats and the massiveness of the stadium. I had seen it a hundred times on TV, but here I was. By the time I was ten I clearly understood that what I saw on television wasn't reality. But this was real, and it was spectacular. And it was my heart that beat with wonder, my mind was racing to catch up.

But now I am a man, and baseball is about free agents, syringes, urinalysis and suspensions. Statistics are the measure of the player, and managers carry three inch binders of data (how the utility infielder hits against left handed Laplanders on Tuesday's after the trade deadline in odd years when the Democrats control the House). We don't believe there's such things as clutch, choke and hustle. It's all about OBP, WAR, WHIP, pitch counts and lefty righty match ups; just the things that capture a boy's imagination. So I follow still, but without the wonder.

Then yesterday Derek Jeter announced his retirement at the end of this season. I was again a boy, this time sad that a player that exemplified clutch, hustle and defied choking was soon to patrol the clay no more.

This day was bound to come. All athletic careers end too soon, and as adults we knew that Derek Jeter's was on borrowed time. The human body can only take so much wear and tear, even in a non contact sport like baseball, and his recent injuries over the last few seasons have only gotten more and more difficult to comeback from as he's gotten older. So our adult minds told us he can't go on much longer, or that maybe be should have walked away already. The adult says it's time to get younger, especially at shortstop. The adult says it's strictly business.

But when the news started to flash across the Internet I felt like a kid again, unabel to comprehend that people get old and can't do today what they were once able to. And Jeter made you believe he would play forever. Unlike Mariano River who hinted for years before announcing his retirement that he was ready to walk away at any time, Jeter always acted like he was going to patrol the middle infield at Yankee Stadium for another ten seasons. He had been injured before, and the line was always the same; Of course I'm coming back from this. No doubt I'll play shortstop (I dare you to try and run someone else out there). And of course I'll play at the same level as when I came up to the Big Team for good in 1996. So while our adult heads told us the calendar and medical realities made such claims practically impossible, our hearts still beat the rhythms of youthful wonder, wanting to believe that Derek Jeter, and we by extension, were never going to wake from this glorious dream that his career's been.

For Yankee fans Derek Jeter has always been more than the sum of his stats and fantasy points. He came along at a time when the Yankees were the baseball version of Jerry Jones' Cowboys; a franchise making a lot of noise but living on their past glory, never coming close to winning it all, with a front office that didn't seem to have a clue. The Yankees of the eighties to early nineties were a mess. GM Gene "Stick" Michael was the mastermind who brought pride back to a tired franchise. Jeter was one piece of a big puzzle Stick was putting together, but in a particular way he embodied the hustle and commitment to excellence New York fans were starving for since Thurman Munson died (another player whose value couldn't be calculated on a spreadsheet). In his prime he was never considered the best player in the Majors, he never hit the most homers, he never even won a regular season MVP. But he was the leader of Joe Tore's Yankees before he became the Captain. He hit home runs when they made a difference and was the MVP when games mattered the most; in October. He did it all with respect for the game and a desire to win that defies mathematical formulas, but comes from the heart.

I'll have more to write as the Farewell Tour unfolds. For now, for at least this season, I'll remember to put my adult mind on a shelf as I watch the Captain say his goodbyes. Because baseball careers are short, as is life it self. If we get caught up in the techno-jargon of bloodless statistics we miss the poetry of hustle and clutch. If we get distracted by the sideshows of PED's and lawsuits we too quickly forget the wonder of green grass, brown clay and warm days in the grandstands with your brothers.

Better to Fade Away: A Requiem for Two Stars

  

In 1997 the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences held a reunion of past Oscar winners at their 70th annual awards presentation.  There were many big stars there, from distinguished veterans like Sydney Poitier and Gregory Peck to the latest names on the scene like Mira Sorvino and a still teenaged Anna Paquin.  By far the loudest and most sustained applause went to someone who hadn't made a movie in 48 years, and quit the business at the ripe age 22: Shirley Temple Black.

Shirley Temple is considered the first true child star, reining as the top box-office draw four years running in the mid-1930's when she was hardly out of diapers. Like many child stars that followed, she didn't make a successful transition to being an adult actor. By the time she quit Hollywood in 1950 she had a failed marriage to go along with her dead film career.  Add to this that the vast majority of the 3.2 million dollars (in the 1950 money) that she had earned was lost due to her father's mismanagement. But in the bigger picture she made the transition to being an adult better than most actors who succeed in the business, let alone wash out young. She did some television work later on, but felt the calling to politics. After a failed congressional run in the late '60s she became a delegate to the UN, and later an ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia. The career diplomats scoffed at first, but she soon won their respect with her discipline and intelligence. She even headed up the training program for new diplomats, quipping, “We teach them how to get used to being called Ambassador and having Marines saluting. Then, on Day 3, we tell them what to do if they’re taken hostage.” She is also credited as being one of the first celebrities to raise awareness about the need for cancer screenings when she went public with her own battle with breast cancer in the early '70s, something almost unheard of at the time.  Through these ups and downs she always maintained her equilibrium. According to her second husband of 55 years, Charles Alden Black who died in 2005, what you saw with Shirley was what you got. He stated that her down to earth nature, free of the psychological demons that haunt so many actors, "would be catastrophic for the psychiatric profession."


I was a little disappointed that the response to her death on Monday night was so muted. Or at least it seemed so to me. The more we know about her the more there is to admire. She didn't let stardom define her, living a full life beyond the silver screen. In some ways it's understandable that the public reaction would be less intense than for other stars. Her's was an unusual career, peaking before she was 10 years old almost eighty years ago, thus she out lived most of her original fans.

Still, I can't help contrast the coverage of Temple Black's death to that of Philip Seymour Hoffman, who died ten days ago. I understand that on many levels we are dealing with apples and oranges. Hoffman was one of the top five or six actors working right now, in terms of talent and ability. He won an actual Oscar for acting, not an honorary statuette for "selling the most tickets," as her mother Gertrude quipped when Shirley asked if the honor meant that she was the best actor in the world (she often credited her mother for not letting the adulation go to her head). In our present pop culture Church of What's Happening Now Temple Black was an artifact from an ancient time; yesterday's goddess. Though undeniably talented, she wasn't a "serious" actress; just a bit of innocent eye candy that got people's minds off of the Great Depression. Hoffman was the artist, developing characters in ways that even the script writers didn't think of. And oh yes, the "demons" that drove him on, or so the myth goes. But the greatest contrast is that one showed us how to live fully, the other how to squander a great gift.

Lest you get the wrong idea, I come not to bury Philip Seymour Hoffman. I agree; he was probably the best pure actor America had to offer right now (Daniel Day Lewis was and still is the best in the English language overall). He should be mourned, and his acting achievements remembered. Before being an actor he was a human being. He had family, children and friends who loved him, and who are devastated by his death. He certainly deserves to be remembered for the good, and this is not the time savage him for his faults. I'm just not sure that he should be celebrated, or his death made out to be some noble act like Aaron Sorkin tries to in his Time Magazine obituary.  Sorkin claims that his death saved ten lives; people who will think twice about shooting a possibly lethal dose after hearing about a famous person's death from same.  I think that such a claim is wishful thinking, as well as a tad narcissistic. I don't know what was hounding Philip Seymour Hoffman, or what it's like to struggle with his addiction. All I know is that famous public figures from Jimi Hendrix to members of the Kennedy family have been dying from heroin related deaths for decades, and by some accounts the heroin problem is worse now than ever. In light of this the only thing we should be doing now is mourning the loss, remembering the positives and hold back on rationalizing the irrational.

I do hope that Philip Hoffman's death helps raise awareness of the dangers of heroin, and that addicts will use it as an impetus to seek help. But if so many high profile deaths before his haven't done anything to stem the overall tide of this drug's use, I don't have a lot of hope that his will either.


Yes, it's too bad that more will not be made of Shirley Temple Black's death from natural causes. Somehow, considering how gracefully she handled both fame and the lack of it, I'm not sure she'll mind. She seemed content to fade from the public scene, only emerging periodically for one salute or another. Her quiet passing, by show business standards, is our loss more than her's because her life had so much to teach us.

Every life is sacred, each one has infinite value. We should pray for the repose of the souls of both the Honorable Shirley Temple Black and Mr. Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Eternal Rest Grant Unto Them, Oh Lord, and Let Perpetual Light Shine Upon Them. May Their Souls, And All the Souls of the Faithful Departed, Through the Mercy of God, Rest in Peace. AMEN

Pope Francis' Daily Homily for 2/10/14: Mass is "God's Time"

Since ascending the Throne of Peter, Pope Francis has had most of his daily Mass homilies posted on You Tube.  I've been hesitant to post them here, not because of the content but because often times the clips are awkwardly edited by Vatican TV. They seem to rush the voice over translation, leaving long gaps where we hear the Pope speaking; great for those who understand Italian, frustrating for those of us who don't since they usually end the translation with minutes to go, never to resume it.

Sorry. I'll take off the media critic hat now, and focus on the positives, which are the Holy Father's words themselves.  He gives simple, practical yet penetrating explanations of the daily readings. The clip here makes no reference to the scripture passages for today, but I'm guessing that Pope Francis is preaching on the first reading from 1 Kings. This describes the dedication of the Jerusalem Temple under King Solomon.  All Israel came out for this blessed event when the Ark of the Covenant was placed in the Holy of Holies and thanksgiving sacrifices were made to God.

Today the Holy Father speaks of the Mass as "God's Time," when we enter directly into the mysteries we are commemorating. The Mass isn't a reenactment, but a participation and re-presentation of Christ's sacrificial offering of himself to the Father. We shouldn't be preoccupied with how long the Mass is taking, constantly looking at our watches, but rather allow ourselves to enter more deeply into this great theophany (a tangible manifestation of God), the miracle that takes place at every Mass during the consecration.  At this point I'll let the Holy Father speak for himself.  And in the future I'll post more of his homilies, questionable editing choices not withstanding.

The Second Commandment from Columbia Catholic Ministry

Three Kings

The Mass readings for Friday got me thinking a bit about sin, conversion and humility. The daily readings are not "synced up" like those on Sunday, and so any thematic connection between the two selections from Sacred Scripture is unintended. But today I think we can see a thread running through the Word as we hear about three kings; David, Herod, and of course Jesus Christ. The two who were kings in the worldly sense stand in contrast to one another, though both had certain negative traits in common. Both were weak in the areas of sexual sin and the abuse of power. But one lived with a spirit of humility that allowed him to accept correction, recognize his sin and return to the Lord. The other was a slave to pride and status that lead to his taking a destructive path.

For the last two weeks we've been hearing about King David and all his famous exploits.  Today we get a summery of his mighty deeds by way of a poem from the Book of Sirach (47:2-11).  While the passage does mention God forgiving his sins, most of the reading deals with his heroism like when he defeated the Philistines and slayed lions.  But if we've been following the readings from Second Samuel we also know that David was guilty of adultery and of arraigning the death of his lover's husband, Uriah the Hittite, in order to cover up the affair and resulting pregnancy. He is also guilty of holding a census of the people. In trying to count the number of the inhabitants of Israel David was showing a lack of confidence in the Lord's promise to make the nation as numerous as the stars of the sky or the sand on the sea shore. In both cases he is approached by his court prophet with God's rebuke. In both cases David accepts the correction and the ensuing penance. 

In the Gospel (Mark 6:14-29) we read about Herod who is hearing reports about Jesus and all his miracles. Some are saying he is a prophet, others is that he is one of the ancient prophets come back from the dead. Herod, who had had John the Baptist executed, is convinced that it is his nemesis returned from the grave to haunt him. John had warned the king that he was living in sin by taking his sister-in-law as his wife while his brother still lived.  John's inconvenient message made Herodias, the offending partner, angry to the point of wanting the prophet dead.
We know the story well; Herod is throwing a birthday party and Herodias' daughter dances for him, and he is so pleased that he offers her anything she wants.  At her mother's prompting she asks for John's head on a platter. Not wanting to go back on his word in front of his guests he reluctantly acquiesces to the girl's request.  It was an act of cowardice more than of cruelty.  In his heart he knew that John was right, and his preaching captivated him. But Herod was too comfortable in his sin, too mindful of his guests' opinions, at the root of it all too prideful to allow those words to change his heart.

David, on the other hand, while weak, had a basic humility about him that allowed him to listen to correction and return to the right path when he strayed. He knew even before his predecessor Saul was dead that he would assume the throne, but never grasped for it. While Saul was seeking his life, and often times falling into traps that could have lead to his own death, David never harmed him. He was God's anointed king, even if David was God's chosen heir. He would never assume to harm the king, and he would punish severely anyone else who did, whatever the motive.  This sense of respect to others, even those who persecuted him, and deep well of love is what allowed David to respond positively to God's call for repentance, unlike his successor Herod.

Scripture is very open about David's sins, but still exalts his greatness.  In contrast another Old Testament giant, Moses, was not allowed to enter the Promised Land for some transgression, the nature of which remains ambiguous. It's as if the Scriptures are trying to help Moses save face. But David's sin is always before us. In the Gospel genealogies Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, is not referred to by name. She is always called "the wife of Uriah the Hittite," as a reminder of David's double sin. Yet David received the promise from God that one of his descendants would sit on the throne of Israel forever, an assurance God never turned back from. This promise is fulfilled in the King of kings, Jesus Christ.

This fact gives me hope. Not that we should imitate David's sin, but that we should know that God does not abandon us when we fall. We are called to a high standard of holiness. But God is not going to throw us away if we have a hard time living up to it. For our own part we need humility. This will allow us to listen to the Lord when he speaks to us through family, friends, teachers, religious and priests who try to correct us when we are going the wrong way.  We're not to be like Herod, who was so caught up in preserving his own comfort and status that he was unwilling to listen to the Baptist's call to repentance and readily gave in to the unreasonable demands of those around him. We are called to be more like David who was strong, to be sure, but also humble in the face of God and of his own failures.  This allowed him to respond to the grace of repentance and return to the right path through the preaching of the prophets. More than killing Goliath or uniting the Tribes, this is what made David great, and worthy of remembering today.

Fr. Robert Barron Comments on the Calling of the Disciples

Fr. Barron addresses those discerning a vocation to the priesthood or religious life, but hopefully all of us can get something out of this penetrating examination of Scripture.

The Ten Commandments: Columbia Catholic Ministry

Here are the first two in a series on the Ten Commandments by Fr. Dan O'Reilly at Columbia Catholic Ministry.

Indiana Exorcism

I have been following the case of demonic possession and the ensuing exorcism that happened in 2012 in Gary, Indiana. The story has only come to light now, first reported in detail in an Indianapolis Star feature article.  I saw a brief clip of an interview with the article's author, Marisa Kwiatkowski, who remained perfectly objective, never betraying her own opinion, while maintaining that she had no reason to believe that the principals involved were lying (in other words she's not going to say if these things happened or not, but everyone from the police chief to state employees believe that they saw what they saw; so judge for yourself).

I've lined to the article above, and am also linking to a commentary by Fr. Dwight Longnecker that's pretty interesting. 

A few scattered thoughts of my own.

It is a pleasant surprise to see a story like this taken seriously. I don't expect the Indianapolis Star, or any secular news outlet, to come on out and simply endorse the account. Ms. Kwiatkowski didn't actually see these events; she's dependent of the veracity of the witnesses she's interviewing and of the official reports she's read.  That they all passed the "smell test" to the point that she doesn't think they are lying is important. Stories of exorcisms and "hauntings" are either treated in an overly dramatic, sensationalistic manner, or else with total incredulity on the part of those covering the story.  Here it was treated soberly and matter-of-factly, which is how it should be when so much of the objective evidence points in one direction.

But secular journalists are not the only skeptics on matters supernatural out there.  We are living in a time when even those who are religious, especially in intellectual circles, are content to treat the Scriptures like they would a work by Shakespeare or Dickens.  The Bible is complex, and the tools of literary criticism are useful in helping to understand the text.  We shouldn't read Genesis (especially the first eleven chapters) the same way we read the Gospel of Mark, or either one the same way we read Revelation.  Jesus used parables filled with metaphor and simile, there is no reason to expect that the Spirit wouldn't inspire the human authors to do the same.  Our Lord also spoke quite plainly of spiritual realities.  If the fundamentalist errs in stopping at the literal, many on the Catholic-Protestant Mainline side err in making the whole of Scripture an appendix to Aesop's Fables.  

Jesus talks clearly about Satan and his minions.  He does so in parables and in plain speech.  When he explains the parable of the sower (MK. 4:1-20) he explains to the disciples that the birds who snatch the seeds sown on the path represent Satan who seeks to rob us of God's Word.  Is it possible that He would explain a metaphor with another metaphor? If so He wouldn't have been a very good teacher.  Jesus cures illnesses and expels demons, and even sees a connection between illness, sin and the demonic.  A complex problem not easily understood. But our lack of understanding shouldn't lead us to extremes of fundamentalism or hyper-rationalization. We need to accept the mystery that sometimes Jesus is speaking to us in direct and unambiguous ways that nonetheless leave us in wonder, defying a "reasonable" explanation.



At times it seems like these attempted rational explanations are used to nullify the power of Jesus' words.  Rather than allowing Christ to challenge us we try to make, what Fr. Barron calls a Domesticated Jesus who is easy to follow.  Both those who think of themselves as progressives and as traditionalists do it in one way or another, and it is in truth a danger for all of us.  Traditionalist tend to gloss over the social justice aspects of the Gospel message, progressives can sometimes do the same on issues of personal morality, particularly in the area of sexuality.  A main trend in scriptural criticism over the last century and a half has been to deny the supernatural accounts in the Bible as being reflections of the pre-scientific cultural milieu in which they were written.  Jesus is thus reduced to an ethical-moral teacher who can be seen in the same line as the Buddha or Confucius.  All these are attempts to make a reasonable Jesus, but one who is not Lord, and can make no special claim on our souls.  But I do not believe that an honest reading of the Gospels backs this up.  He forces us to make a choice for Him, and to take his words seriously, if we find them "reasonable" or not. 

So yes, seeing that I think it's unlikely Jesus would explain a metaphor with another metaphor, I take His words on the topic at face value. If demons are real then we really are in the midst of a spiritual combat. While he did use parables, as I said, which in turn are filled with literary devises, we know also then that not everything that came from his mouth was meant to be taken on the level of symbol. If demons are real, and they perceive that the Eucharistic Bread is not ordinary bread, as I have come to understand, why do we act so often as if the Blessed Sacrament were merely a symbol? If invoking St. Michael makes demons enraged (not to mention calling on the Blessed Mother), and blessed olive oil applied by an exorcist to a possessed person's hands binds them to chairs, and appeals to the minister's baptism, confirmation or holy orders compels them to obey his or her commands when done in Christ's name, how can we live as if Jesus is simply one of many ways we can follow, that the Sacraments are common memorials, sacramentals are superstition, or that His concerns were limited to the material sphere?

We rail against Phariseeism, which is only right. Pharisees believed in things like the resurrection and angels, but sought doctrinal purity to the exclusion of mercy and separation from the gentiles, particularly from the Romans.  Their name is synonymous today with hypocrisy (which is a little unfair to the historical Pharisees).   But today we are also infected with Sadduceeism.  Sadducees denied the supernatural and sought accommodation with the Romans.  Today we have those who focus on the social political implications of the Gospel at the expense of the spiritual. They are exacting in their own way as to how Scripture should be interpreted and the Liturgy celebrated, but both are robbed of Grace and power in a attempt to fit into the contemporary scene and gain human acceptance. These two impulses, that of the Pharisee and of the Sadducee, are with us, and both rob the Gospel of its power.  But here I am focusing on the latter.

Social justice is important, nay essential to the Gospel message. But the preaching of social doctrine without an understanding of the supernatural reality it is grounded in reduces the Catholic Church to one of dozens of political parties that can be taken or left, or worse yet manipulated to fit the human agenda of the moment.  A focusing on the supernatural divorced from the realities of the everyday life of the polis is an opiate.  The both must be together, like our Lord's divine and human natures, for the whole Gospel to present.

As for the curious case from Gary, IN, it is the latest in a series of such happenings I've been hearing about lately. Phenomena like levitation and walking up walls is rare. Most exorcists will tell you these things happen in like one in a hundred cases, if that frequently, and demonic manifestations are rare to begin with.  But I agree with Fr. Longnecker that we are entering a dark time.  People are abandoning traditional religion but can't escape the basic human impulse to seek God and the spiritual. Many are looking in the wrong places, opening up doors to evil often without even knowing it. For our part we need to stay grounded in the Lord, follow the entire Gospel, and make the Eucharist and Reconciliation the center of our spiritual life.

Don Bosco: Prophet of the Young

Today is the feast of St. John Bosco (a Solemnity for members of the Salesian Family).  We had a parish celebration last Sunday, as is our privilege, but you know us Salesians - one party is never enough.  So tonight we will have another.

I bring up this past Sunday because I committed a bit of a liturgical no-no.  We kept the first two readings for the Sunday, but proclaimed the Gospel for the feast, from Matthew.  It was the first reading though, from Isaiah, that hit me more than the reading about Jesus proclaiming that when we welcome a child in His name we are welcoming Him.

Isaiah is proclaiming that God's promise was meant for all the nations not just for Israel.   Israel's mission was to be a light for the world, dispelling the darkness of sin and despair.  That prophesy was fulfilled in Jesus, and is continued by the Church today.

Don Bosco was called to be a light to dispel the darkness from the life of the young people of his time.  Many lived in poverty, both economic and spiritual.  With the onset of the Industrial Revolution in Italy in the 1800's young people left the farms for the cities, like Turin, that promised jobs in factories and construction.  We're not talking about eighteen or nineteen year olds; these were children of middle school or high school age working long hours in dangerous conditions for pennies a day.  Those that couldn't find work (which were many) often pursued a life of crime and vice.  The next step for too many of them was prison, and for the truly desperate, the gallows.  They saw no future in this life or the next.  Don Bosco brought them the Gospel message of love and educational opportunities that they may see that there is a future now and life eternal for those who have faith.

We often talk of Don Bosco as a prophet because he had visionary dreams and at times was given insights into future events.  But this is not what really makes him a prophet.  He was obedient to the impulses of the Spirit and proclaimed with actions, as well as words, that God is near and has a plan for each and every one of us.  He was often misunderstood; by the government, by benefactors and even by his brother priests and his bishop, even by members of his own family.  They tried to dissuade him from this mission that took a hard toll on is health.  But Don Bosco firm belief was that this was not his mission, but God's.  God speaks to us through our desires, but these are not the sole measuring stick of a vocation's validity.  So yes, Don Bosco was attracted to this ministry, but simply liking it wouldn't have sustained him through the trials and tribulations he encountered.  He once said that if he had known how difficult it would be to found the Salesian Congregation he wouldn't have begun.  It was his firm faith in Christ, that He is the light of the world, especially for the young and poor, and that he, Don Bosco, was given the mission to lead them into that light, that sustained him.  This is what made him a prophet in the tradition of Isaiah.

Don Bosco died 126 years ago today.  Yes, his spirit lives on, but not in an abstract way, sentimental way.  His prophetic message that young people are close to the heart of the Savior is lived out in every Salesian work that is faithful to the charism (gift of the Spirit) that he received.  When the various branched of the Salesian Family work together, or even separately, to bring the Good News to the young, Don Bosco the prophet lives.  When we work to educate young people, forming them to develop the Culture of Life, Don Bosco the Prophet lives.  When we open young people's eyes to the reality of an eternal destiny in Heaven, Don Bosco the Prophet lives.

Here are videos put together by the Salesian's Western U.S. Provence about the Don Bosco Relic Tour.  They gave some great insights into the Salesian Family and our mission and spirit.

Aquinas' Five Proofs from Colombia Catholic Ministry

All Is As Straw...On St. Thomas Aquinas from AOP

I know that I'm going a little St. Thomas Aquinas crazy here today, but it's not just because this Doctor of the Church and I share a first name (which is about the only thing we have in common).  He really is one of the giants, and is important today because his writings in philosophy and theology show the link between faith and reason.  There are many today who try to say that science and religion are incompatible.  While the so called "new atheists" say this in a derisive manner, claiming that the scientific method is the sole measure of reality, many believers buy into this secular dogma in a more subtle way.  We will often talk about having to make a "leap of faith" when confronted with an apparent contradiction between what Divine Revelation tells us and what scientific reason points out.  We will throw up our hands and say, "Well, I believe what the Bible tells me in spite of the evidence. That's the price of faith, I guess."

This is completely wrong.

We don't make a "leap," but do need to accept the mystery of God and reality in humility, and then continue to ponder, reflect and throw into the deep waters the nets of our honest curiosity.  As Fr. Barron points out in the video I posted previously, if there seems to be a contradiction between faith and science we are either dealing with bad science or faulty theology.  Which ever it is we are called to use our minds to unlock the mysteries of God manifested in nature and revelation.   But always in a spirit of humility, knowing that pious faith trumps great learning, and all the philosophies and sciences of the world are as straw compared to the glory that is God, and the eternal gifts he has in store for us.

DON BOSCO SONG WITH PICTURES

A Commentary on Thomas Aquinas by Fr. Robert Barron

A Brief Life of Don Bosco, with Song

Friday is the feast of St. John Bosco, the founder of the Salesian Congregation, of which I'm a member, as well as an entire Family dedicated to the evangelization of young people.  I'll have more to say about the apostle to the young on the 31st, but during the week I'll be posting different clips from the web featuring songs and hymns.  For a now a quick biography of the Saint. 

St. Marianne Cope from the Apostleship of Prayer

This is a short piece on a remarkable Saint that I knew little about.  St. Marianne Cope cared for St. Damien of Molokai in his illness and carried on his work, caring for the victims of Hanson's Disease, more commonly known as leprosy.  She is the 11th American citizen to be canonized, and holds the distinction of being in he first set of beatifications of Pope Benedict's pontificate and also among his last group of canonizations. 

Sacred and Inviolable from AOP

Movie Reviews: "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" // "American Hustle"

The Academy Award nominations came out last week, and it reminded me that I haven't seen too many movies this "Oscar Season" when compared to years past.  But Since December I did check out a couple of the big pictures; one that picked up only a few nominations among the technical awards, and the other which is featured prominently throughout the prestige categories.


The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

I didn't bother to review this movie when I saw it around Christmas time because, in spite of the intellectual pedigree of its source material, it didn't seem to have much to say.  There's been much made about the stretching out of the material into three movies where one would have sufficed (maybe two) and of the whole 48 frames per second projection rate versus the standard 24 fps controversy.  The second controversy is a bit pointless I think, except for hard core movie geeks like me.  I didn't have a problem with the sharper image, though I understand the detractors' point of view.  But the first point, that a second and third installment to the Hobbit is overkill, is proven by this film's very existence.

This is where I usually give you all a spoiler free summery of the film that I'm reviewing, but truth be told, I can't.  I saw this about six weeks ago probably, nonetheless I have a good mind for remembering movies, especially when I sit down and reflect on it.  In the case of Smaug, I really can't remember much of the story itself.  We get action sequence after actions sequence, all very well done.  There is some back story filled in about the last time Smaug the dragon attacked a village near his mountain fortress, and the failed attempt to kill him that leaves one man searching for redemption, and vindication.  We get to the mountain and the dragon is fully realized as a CGI monster for the ages.

I never read the book, but am familiar with the animated version of the adventure from the '70's, which memory tells me was pretty good (at least I remember being really into it as a 10 year old).  Memory also tells me that where Smaug ends doesn't leave much of the story left for the third installment to finish off.  So, I will be going back next Holiday Season if for no other reason to see exactly how they stretch the climactic battle, which shouldn't take all that long, out into a three hour movie.

I'm not going to pretend; I did have fun, and the action sequences are great.  There are some real frightening moments; let's just say that that big spider from The Return of the King has relatives.  I wouldn't have wanted to miss The Desolation of Smaug, especially not on the big screen.  I just wish they had taken a little out of the first movie, and little out of this one allowing time to finished it here.  But as more than one critic has observed, the dragon isn't the only one hungry for gold in Middle-Earth.

American Hustle

When it comes to reviewing David O. Russell directed movies I fear I'm getting somewhat repetitive.  The last three movies of his that I've seen all seem to have the same strengths; a great cast giving great performances, keen use of period popular music in the sound track, with his song choices getting stronger each time out, and individual scenes that run the gamut from laugh out loud funny to riveting and tense.  But there is also an over all weakness that mars The Fighter (2011), Silver Linings Playbook (2012) and his latest, American Hustle (2013); Russell wants to tell gritty, hard edged stories in the tradition of Martin Scorsese, but can't seem to be able go the whole way with it.   We are left with improbable happy endings, and in the case of American Hustle, a convoluted moral message that left me baffled.

Christian Bale and Amy Adams play scam artists selling forged art and making phony loans.  It's the late 1970's, the prime interest rate is hovering around 18%, people either can't get or afford loans from banks, and the duo claim they can get clients a $50,000 return on a $5,000 non-refundable investment, no guarantees of course.  They pull one scam too many and get busted by FBI agent Bradley Cooper in a sting operation.  But our ambitious agent has big plans, and sees his two grifters as keys to a bigger operation; one that will let him make a real name for himself.  Cooper puts pressure on them to help him bust crooked politicians (the story is very loosely based on the Abscam scandal); they help him with four busts, they go free.  Thrown into this mix of colorful characters is Jeniffer Lawrence as Bale's sometimes estranged wife; the hottest mess this side of Cate Blanchett in Blue Jasmine. The first target is a New Jersey Mayor played by Jeremy Renner who refuses the bribe at first but is unknowingly drawn into the plot as a recruiter of other marks.  Comedian Louis C.K. has a small roll as a straight laced FBI supervisor from the Midwest who struggles futilely to play things by the book amidst all the New York-New Jersey wheeler-dealers.  There's an uncredited appearance by a big name that I'll treat as a spoiler, and only say that he's in a very key scene, and is chilling in it.

So, much like last year's Silver Linings Playbook I walk away with mixed feelings.  Individual parts of American Hustle are brilliant and, to repeat my self from the last review, I wouldn't have wanted to miss it.  But it ends with this heavy handed speech from Bale about how the politicians they busted weren't really that bad.  It's the bankers (not a one we see depicted in the film) who are the real bad guys; what with their high interest rates (set by the Fed, but why let the facts get in the way) that keeps people from getting loans to start businesses.  They're the ones who should go to jail, or so the argument goes.  Even the mob comes off looking like decent folk.  And yes, just about everyone gets their silver lining.  If they had kept this more like The Sting, and simply allowed us to enjoy the interplay of the characters and get caught up into the fun of trying to figure out who's playing who without the fuzzy moralizing I would have liked this more.

So a recommendation, with some reservations.  And a note that this is not for kids.  One area that Russell was really determined to imitate Scorsese here is in the use of the f-word.  He doesn't break any records like The Wolf of Wall Street reputedly does, but if you're sensitive to that, be warned. 

More in Heaven and Earth: A Warning to Avoid Anything Occult

While it's a matter I've long had an interest in, I've been very hesitant to write on the topic of the occult and possession up to now for many reasons.  First of all, I learned a long time ago that an inordinate fascination with the subject is dangerous.   Many begin what is intended to be a purely intellectual investigation into the subject of the devil and the occult that turns unintentionally real.  Secondly the subject lends itself to sensationalism and curiosity that obscures the truth and can also serve as a doorway for unintended consequences.   Lastly I do not want to sell myself as some kind of expert.  I had about forty-five minutes of instruction on possession and things demonic in four years of seminary study.  I have read a few books; books that anyone could pick up at Barnes & Nobel or order from Amazon.  But I feel now is the time to address this issue.  I am reticent to go into the reasons why this is the moment to tackle the subject, beyond the fact that there has been an increase in occult activity around the parish, and a general warning against getting involved in such things, even in a remote way, is in order.

First, and this is terribly important; Jesus has won the victory already.  Satan is active because he knows his time is limited.  He can not see the future, but he understands what Christ's death and Resurrection means better than we do, and that the Second Coming is inevitable.  It's just a matter of when, so he wants to destroy as many souls as he can.  Possession is real, but rare.  He works more through temptation to sin, and leading us way from God through living an immoral life.  A consistent message I've heard and read from various sources is that a good confession is more powerful than exorcism. The Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist unite us with Christ and do not give the enemy an opening to enter into our lives.  Plus, we are not dealing with two equal forces.  It's not a yin and yang situation.  As long as we cleave to Christ Satan doesn't stand a chance.  The sacraments close off what ever openings the devil may try to exploit.  But sin opens up the doors, doors better left shut.  What also does is when people who, sometimes unknowingly, make an opening through dabbling with the occult and the "New Age."

Beyond living a good, moral, sacramental (in the case of non-Catholics a prayerful) life we should avoid anything that even remotely smacks of the occult.  I mean tarot cards, astrology, ouija boards, fortune telling, any type of faith healing that involves magic or spells (spells of any kind), seances, and I would even include horoscopes.  These are doorways for evil.  Do I believe that spells work or that ouija boards can really reveal hidden truth to us?  No, not in the way we think they do. These are portals exploited by evil to get in and wreak havoc.  People really do go to fortune tellers or seek out people who claim to be able to cast spells.  Sometimes nothing happens.  Sometimes evil is visited on both the giver and receiver of the spell.  Sometimes we're talking about love spells, sometimes about curses, and in the end no one gets what they want but a great deal of heartache and pain.

I mentioned horoscopes; are they really that bad?  Like most people I've peaked a look at them in the paper once in a while out of curiosity or as a joke.  I've always chalked up any similarities between the predictions made and reality as either coincidence or as the result of the inherent vagueness of such readings.  And I agree that most people look at it as entertainment.  But in the end, I look at it like playing with matches in your kitchen sink; the chances of burning your house down are remote, but why take the chance.  More serious things like consulting with mediums, card readings and other such attempts to know the future through magic are grave sins to be avoided.

God calls us to faith in Him.  Jesus never promised us a smooth journey, but to have confidence that if we persevere by His grace there is nothing to fear.

The occult is about power; either gaining power over nature, over others or over knowledge.  It is an attempt to be a god, thinking we can control reality to achieve our own ends.  It is an expression of Lucifer's defining phrase, "I will not serve."  Christianity is about surrender to the will of God.  It is understanding that as marvelously created as we are, we are limited.  If we are truly to be free we have to come to an understanding of God's will and cooperate with His grace in following it.  The occult promises a short cut past the perceived obstacles of life to reach self fulfillment.  In reality it is a dead end.  Discipleship in Christ makes us face who we really are, accept the challenges of life without avoidance and understand that it is only the power of Christ that can overcome them.  When we try to control the invisible powers we are fooling ourselves, because they will ultimately control us.  It is only through surrender to Christ that true power is realized.  We will serve, don't be deceived.  As a wise man once sang, it may be the devil, or it may be the Lord, but you're gonna have to serve somebody.

Second point: sacramentals are powerful, and should not be underestimated as weapons against evil.   I've already written about the Sacraments, which give us the grace they represent while uniting us to Christ.  Sacramentals don't give us grace, but as the Catechism puts it, prepare us to be more receptive to the graces of the Sacraments.  Rosaries, crucifixes, holy images, holy water, blessed salt and oil are all great weapons we've been given in the spiritual combat.  God created the physical world and works through it.  Sacraments are the great sign of this.  But blessed objects, while not Sacraments, have been claimed in special way by God.  Once blessed they belong to Him to be used for his purposes.  This is a reason why a religious article, once blessed, should not be sold.  I was visiting a parish that had a small shop off of the vestibule.  After Mass people were asking me to bless their newly purchased rosaries and metals.  One lady, seeing how I was being swamped, jokingly said, "Father, wouldn't it be easier to just bless the whole store!"  "No," I said, "Then they'd have to give it all away and go out of business!"

No, these are not Sacraments, but sacramentals, when we have faith in God's power, repel evil.  It's not that the thing itself has any power, but that God uses it as a reminder to us of his love and power, and actually works through it for those with faith.  Think of the bronze serpent made by Moses that cured the people of their snake bites.  God cured them, not the image, but in His plan God wanted that external sign to be a channel of his healing grace.  A priest's stole is a piece of decorated cloth that represents his priestly office, but it causes great pain to demons when the possessed person is touched by one.  We don't always appreciate the power of both the Sacraments and sacramentals, but the evil one does.

So, hang a crucifix in your home, along with images of the Blessed Mother and the saints.  Keep holy water around.  Have a Bible in the house (display it, and better yet, read it).  Have your house or apartment blessed.  These are not just decorative objects or nice traditions.  They have the power of God backing them up to protect us from evil.

I leave you with the reminder that the power of Christ is greater than any evil.  We should not be afraid.  If we are living the right way, in a state of Grace, no evil can harm us.  It may try to molest us, tempt us, lead us off the path, but it really can't hurt us if we are united with Jesus Christ.  Be aware, be vigilant and most of all trust in the Lord.

The Baptism of the Lord From the Apostleship of Prayer

The Baptism of the Lord and Our Baptism from AOP

Closed for Vacation

I'm away for a week visiting my parents.  As Providence would have it they just happen to be in South Florida, far from the blizzards and single digit temperatures effecting my friends in Chicago and the North East.  So it's safe to say that I won't be writing anything for a few days.

I just want to take this oppertunity to wish everyone a blessed New Year, and to thank you all for making December 2013 the busiest traffic month in the Ax's history.   For those of you in the heavy snow and cold zones; keep warm and safe.  I'll be joining you again in 7 days.

You are all in my prayers.

ANDREA BOCELLI SINGS THE AVE MARIA: Happy Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God