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John Martignoni: Does God really condemn people to hell?

Q:    Why would a loving God say he gives you free choice to love him, and then if you did not, send you to a place of eternal torment?  I have heard of others who believe that hell is not a place of eternal torment, but rather a spiritual death, a doing away with, or as the second death and perishing forever.  That seems more realistic.  But, I would like for you to explain to me the logic of the doctrine of eternal torment of hell.

A:     Even were I as brilliant a theologian as a St. Thomas Aquinas or a St. Augustine, which I decidedly am not – neither brilliant, nor a theologian - I have a sneaking suspicion that you would not find my answer satisfactory.  I say that because it seems to me you are basing your question not on logic, but rather on feelings.  Feelings that are perfectly natural, and feelings that I can actually relate to (although my kids would tell you that Dad has no feelings), but feelings, nonetheless.

No one likes the thought of someone suffering, even if just for a little while.  The suffering of others, especially of those we love, can be gut wrenching to us. The idea of someone suffering for all of eternity, then, is something that just doesn’t sit well with most of us.  It just doesn’t “feel” right.  But, we need to recognize that it is just that…a feeling.  And when it comes to matters of faith, feelings, no matter how sincere they are, can lead us down the wrong path.  Our Catholic Faith is a faith that is built on reason, or logic, and not on emotion, or feelings.  Now, we need a faith with emotion, but our faith cannot be built on emotion.

Okay, on to the “logic” of eternal torment in Hell.  The logic is really quite simple: God gives you a choice to love Him or to reject Him.  If you reject Him, then you have chosen not to be with Him in Heaven.  Remember, you have rejected Him, He has not rejected you.  You have lived your life with the attitude, “God, my will be done, not Thine,” so God simply allows your will to be done for all of eternity.  You wanted to live for yourself in this lifetime, God lets you live for yourself in the next.  Hell is simply the farthest place you can be away from the God you have rejected.

And the fact is, if you have rejected God in this lifetime, then after you die, the last place you want to be is face to face with God.  Have you ever, for example, lied about someone and they found out about it and you knew that they knew you had lied about them?  Who is the last person on earth you want to be around under those circumstances?  The person you lied about.  You don’t want to be around them.  You might spend a lot of time at home because you don’t want to go out and take the chance of them even seeing you.  And if you were to see them, it would be a very painful thing for you to endure.

What did Adam and Eve do when they sinned against God?  They hid from Him.  They did not want to even be seen by Him. They did not want to be in His presence.  And when God did see them, what happened?  It was an experience that caused them a great deal of pain – pain that they had to endure for the rest of their lives.  So, if a soul has rejected God in this lifetime, contrary to what one might think, it would not be a very pleasant thing for that soul to be in Heaven in the presence of God.

Think again about the pain one would experience if they had to be in the presence of someone they had lied about. Now, take that pain, and when it comes to being in the presence of the Living God that one has utterly rejected, multiply that pain by a million to the millionth power, and you’re still not coming close to the pain the soul would feel. That soul has rejected Love itself.  That soul has rejected Eternal Goodness.  That soul has rejected the very thing that it was created for – to love God.  Were the damned to behold the face of God, it would be so painful for them that they would long to be back in Hell.

So, the logic of eternal torment in Hell, is that the soul has freely rejected that for which it was made.  As St. Augustine says, “Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee.”  The soul cannot find rest in God because it has rejected God.  That is the essence of the punishment of Hell.  It is called the “poena damni,” or pain of loss.  The soul cannot be what it was destined to be.  The soul has lost itself in itself.  And since what the soul has rejected is Eternal Good…Eternal Love…then the soul’s suffering is eternal…without end.  That is logical.  It may not make us feel good, but it is logical.

But, does it really have to be eternal suffering?

To be continued…

John Martignoni: Is doctrine really all that important?

Q:    Is doctrine really all that important?  I don’t like doctrinal discussions - I let others worry with that. I'm not too much on studying facts as much as studying life application. Denominations, with all of their differing doctrines, appear to be man-made to me and it gets hairy when people start to pick apart the Bible and say to live exactly by this or that.  We have Old Testament and New. But, now, more importantly, we have the Holy Spirit which guides our hearts into all the truth there is. I liken all the different denominations to the situation of the Israelites in the desert.  The 12 tribes lived in different "camps," but they crossed the Jordan as one. The differing doctrines don’t really matter that much.

A:    The problem I have with what you’re saying is that Scripture states we are to, “Love the Lord with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind,” (Matt 22:37-38; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27). You seem to be saying that you love Him with your heart and soul, but not necessarily with your mind. Or, at the least, you seem to be saying that the “mind” part of the equation is not nearly as important to you as is the “heart” and “soul” part of the equation.     What if I said: “I’m not too big on studying how all this stuff actually applies to my life, my strength is in studying doctrine and simply knowing the truth.” Would that take you aback if I’m more concerned with the actual doctrines than with applying the doctrines? If I’m more concerned with the mind part of the command to love God, and not so much with the heart and soul part? Can I simply say, “Well, I’ll let other folks worry about the heart and soul part of loving God?”

The problem, from my point of view, is you seem to be saying that doctrinal questions are merely a secondary matter, if that, as far as you’re concerned. But, my question is: What if you’re receiving bad doctrine from others, and this bad doctrine is part of what you are trying to put into practice? Or, this bad doctrine is keeping you from putting things into practice that you should be putting into practice? Does that matter or not? Should we shuffle doctrinal questions and doctrinal discussion off into the corner and make them a secondary concern?

The real question here is: Does truth matter? Does proper interpretation of the Bible matter? If you misinterpret the Bible, and end up believing a false doctrine, could it cause separation from others and, more importantly, separation from God? Peter tells us that there are folks out there interpreting Scripture in such a way that it is leading to their destruction (2 Pet 3:16). Paul tells us that one can leave the faith by believing false doctrines (1 Tim 4:1). Pretty scary stuff.

Denominations are indeed man-made and your comment about individuals picking apart the Bible is right on target. But, you have a contradiction in your words that I don’t think you realize is there. First you state that it “gets hairy” when people start to “pick apart the Bible,” but then you say we have the Holy Spirit to guide us into all the truth. Don’t the folks who “pick apart the Bible” claim to be guided by the Holy Spirit just as you claim to be guided by the Holy Spirit? If all these people who “pick apart the Bible” are being guided by the Holy Spirit just as you are, then either the Holy Spirit isn’t too concerned about truth or, people may not be being guided by the Holy Spirit like they think they are – maybe even including you.

Regarding the different camps of the Israelites, I have heard that analogy used before to justify different denominations, but what folks seem to forget when they say such things, is that the various tribes of the Israelites did not have doctrinal differences and, just as importantly, they all answered to one leader - Moses.  Something to think about.

Thinking about doctrine…discussing doctrine…even arguing doctrine are things that Christians should readily engage in with one another.  Why?  Because doctrinal differences result in division.  If we don’t discuss our differences, and try to at least better understand why the differences exist, how can we ever overcome these divisions?

Doctrinal differences necessarily mean that someone is following Christ, and someone is following a lie.  The one who is wrong - whether it’s you or it’s me - is believing a lie, and we know who the father of all lies is, don’t we? In other words, when one believes in a false doctrine, he is believing Satan instead of Christ. Could that affect one’s salvation? Could that affect one’s relationship to his fellow man? I believe it can, and the Bible supports me on that. Doctrine is important, because truth is important, because Jesus Christ is the Truth.

So, don’t simply dismiss doctrinal disputes as not being your cup of tea, and so you’re not going to be bothered with them. Consider the arguments, research the claims, and be open to where the truth leads. That is all I ever ask of anyone.

Pat Arensberg: Many gifts, one Spirit

“The Church’s mission is not an addition to that of Christ and the Holy Spirit, but is its sacrament: in her whole being and in all her members, the Church is sent to announce, bear witness, make present, and spread the mystery of the communion of the Holy Trinity.” -CCC #738

The whole notion that I can love spirituality but not religion really makes no sense to us as Catholics. Jesus left his Spirit with the group of followers. When he did they became the Church, the Body of Christ. This Body of Christ is vivified by the Holy Spirit and speaks with divine authority because of that. This Spirit not only vivifies the Church as a whole, he also is poured into my heart. It is the Spirit who teaches us how to pray (Romans 8:26) and teaches us what to say to witness to the Gospel (Matthew 10:20). It is the Holy Spirit who brings the many varied gifts to the hearts of us believers. As St. Paul says in 1 Corinthians, “Some people God has designated in the church to be, first, apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then, mighty deeds; then gifts healing, assistance, administration, and varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers?...Do all speak in tongues?” (1 Corinthians 12:28-31)

The Holy Spirit does not bring the same gift to each person, but the gift of the Holy Spirit is given to all. That gift will manifest itself in each person differently FOR THE GOOD OF THE BODY, THE CHURCH. The gifts given are not given for us individually, but are given to build up the Body of Christ. Some of us teach, some of us are administrators, some of us heal, and some of us speak in tongues. When one of these gifts is manifested it is meant to build up the Church.

Pat Arensberg: The Holy Spirit sanctifies the Church

“The Spirit prepares men and goes out to them with his grace, in order to draw them to Christ. The Spirit manifests the risen Lord to them, recalls his word to them and opens their minds to the understanding of his Death and Resurrection.” -CCC # 737

On the Feast of Pentecost (which was/is a Jewish feast seven weeks after the Passover) Christ fulfilled the promise he made to send us the Advocate. This outpouring of the Holy Spirit is the fulfillment of Christ’s Passover. Jesus came to forgive our sins and to fully reveal the Blessed Trinity. In the outpouring of the Holy Spirit the revelation of the Trinity is seen in its completed form. The Holy Spirit, which comes upon the Apostles and brings the Church to life is the “first fruits “ of our promised inheritance. The power of the Holy Spirit is what enables the Church, through the ministry of the priest, to exercise the power of forgiveness of sins (Jesus breathing on them in John 20 can be seen as an imparting of the gift of the Holy Spirit since breath was synonymous with spirit for the Jews).
The Spirit and Jesus have the same mission; namely to bring all of us to the Father. They each have a distinct role to play in that mission.

Each member of the Trinity seeks to give themselves away in love. They each seek to give and not to take. They each are solicitous to lead us to the others. We experience some of this when we meet a new friend and wish to share them with others. We so often want to introduce one of our friends to another friend of ours. This desire is like the desire of each member of the Trinity to bring each of us to their beloved.

Pat Arensberg: Only revealed by Jesus

“When the Father sends his Word, he always sends his Breath. In their joint mission, the Son and the Holy Spirit are distinct but inseparable. To be sure, it is Christ who is seen, the visible image of the invisible God, but it is the Spirit who reveals him.” -CCC #689

“It was the Holy Spirit who called Jesus to life in the womb of the Virgin Mary (Mt 1:18), endorsed him as God’s beloved son (Lk 4:16-19), guided him (Mk 1:12) and enlivened him to the end (Jn 19:30). On the Cross, Jesus breathed out his Spirit. After his Resurrection, he bestowed the Holy Spirit on his disciples (Jn 20:22). At that the Spirit of Jesus went over to his Church: ‘As the Father has sent me, even so I send you’ (Jn 20:21).” -YouCat #114

The mission of the Son is in fact a joint mission with the Holy Spirit. Jesus reveals the Spirit, but only slowly throughout his ministry. Only after he is glorified through his Death and Resurrection does he fully reveal the gift that is the Holy Spirit. The Son and the Spirit are in fact distinct persons, but they do share the mission of revealing the Father to the world.

Jesus tells us that the Holy Spirit will teach us how to pray (see Romans 8:26). The Holy Spirit is also promised to us in times of persecution or other times when we are called to witness as disciples of Jesus Christ (Lk 12:12). We should be very sure that we are living in the Holy Spirit if we have been baptized. Tomorrow, we will look at the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but it is important to note that not everybody manifests the gifts of the Holy Spirit in exactly the same way.

David O’Brien: Catholic Evangelization

Since the earliest days of the church, the disciples of Jesus have evangelized. In every era, the methods for sharing God’s love have adapted to the cultures and styles of the day. I’m sure the saints of the Middle Ages never dreamed of blogs, twitter or youtube, all great evangelization tools in our modern era.


Still, there is one method that has held up over all these centuries: stories, in particular, personal stories about how God has impacted one’s life.


Think about St. Paul and his story of persecuting the early believers and then meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus. That story is told three times in Acts (9:1-9; 22:3-16; 26:2-18) and then again in Galatians 1:11-24. You get the impression that Paul began every talk with his personal testimony.


We know the stories of St. Peter and his denial of Jesus, St. Thomas’ doubting ways, St. Francis’ stripping himself naked in the Assisi town square. All great testimonies.


So what is your story and are you ready to share it if God opens the door for you to evangelize? In 1 Peter 3:15, it says: "Always be ready to offer an explanation for the hope that is within you."


Your story doesn’t have to say it all. You are simply explaining the hope that is within you, as St. Peter said.


Here’s my story.


I grew up Catholic. Never worked at it. I thought Mass was boring and irrelevant. When I was confirmed in 8th grade, I thought I graduated from Church and ceased practicing my faith in any tangible way.


Filling out my college applications years later, I had nothing for the section entitled "Town and Civic Activities (i.e. Church etc.)." Since I desperately needed a big scholarship in order to attend school, I decided to take a little creative license in order to make up for this glaring deficiency in my application. Yes, I lied.


My father was an usher at our parish so I put down I was too since he was related to me. I was an altar server for a week when I was 6, so I figured that should count for something. Then, even though I didn’t even attend Mass, I wrote that I was the youth group leader because my sister, who was also related to me, was in the youth group.


Days after sending those fraudulent applications, a coworker of mine at the local supermarket invited me to a youth group retreat. I immediately accepted with the intention of learning what I needed to know to BS my way through a college interview.


On that retreat, I encountered over 100 young people who were unlike anyone I had ever met. They acted differently, talked differently and most of all, openly shared their love for Christ. At first, I was freaked out. Who were these religious fanatics, I thought. But in time, I could see the authenticity of their faith.


Midway through the retreat, a teenage girl read the Footprints in the Sand story as a part of her talk. I expected the conclusion to say something like this: "Come on buddy, you know how all this works. You probably don’t pray, just like I don’t. You probably don’t go to Mass, just like me. You probably do a lot of things you know you shouldn’t, just like I do. Face it, you are not going to see two set of footprints in your life until you clean up your act." I was confident I was right. After all, I had learned in 1st grade CCD that God loved good people.


So you can imagine my surprise when the girl read the final line and it said: "My precious, precious child. I love you and I would never leave you. During those times of trials and sufferings when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."


The Lord was speaking to me. For years I had ignored Him and treated Him as if He were irrelevant. Now He was telling me that He had been carrying me all this time.


I stared at the cross behind the speaker and spoke this prayer: "Jesus, if that is true what that girl just read on that card, make it true for me. Make it true in my life."


In that moment, surrounded by 100 teenagers, I experienced the most profound sense of the Lord’s presence. It was as if Christ was hugging me and saying: "it is all true. I have never stopped loving you all these years." I was so overwhelmed. I began to cry, but not because I felt bad but rather because the experience was so incredibly wonderful.


Twenty six years have passed since that first retreat weekend and my ride with the Lord only gets better and better. Sure there is still suffering and sacrifice. But I know in whom I have placed my hope and I know I can trust Him with my life.

Pat Arensberg: Why fully man and fully God

“Jesus paid a debt he did not owe, because we owed a debt we could not pay.”  -Many people

This phrase has actually been popularized in Christian music.  If I threaten the life of a local teacher the city police would investigate.  If I threatened the life of the Governor of Alabama the state police would investigate.  But, if I threaten the life of the President of the United States it is a federal crime.  Who we offend can determine the seriousness of the crime.  When mankind listened to the serpent they decided that God was not their loving Father.  They, we, decided that God is an oppressor from whom we need to be liberated.  Adam and Eve did this in the Garden, but we do this every time we grasp after something that is sinful.  This offense is against God, who is an infinitely good being who is also eternal.  So the redemption for this offense must be infinite and eternal in stature.  We, none of us individually, not all of us together could rise to that stature.  Only God could redeem.

But, it was against God that the offense was offered.  It had to be a man who offered the price.  “Umm, Houston, we have a problem.”  Only God has the stature to pay the price, but only man can pay the price.  In his infinite justice and his infinite mercy God conceives a plan.  He will become incarnate.  The Incarnation must be complete.  The person of Jesus must completely be human and completely God for the redemption to occur.  The divine person Jesus is fully human, so humanity is in fact paying the price.  But, that divine person is in fact fully God and so that price is sufficient….and more.

Think about that for a minute and it should shake you to the core.  We cannot be lukewarm Christians any longer (see Revelation 3:16 too).  If in fact, Jesus of Nazareth is who we believe he was/is we owe everything and more to him.

Pat Arensberg: Savior and Redeemer

“He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” -Colossians 1:13-14

The reason Jesus became man was to redeem us. He testifies to this, “I am troubled now. Yet what should I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour?’ But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour. Father Glorify your name.” -John 12:27-28 He came to redeem us and to be our savior. Yet, we are reminded that the work of salvation is present through the entire life of Jesus. We are reminded that in the Incarnation he became poor and enriches us through his poverty. In his hidden life that humble submission atones for our disobedience. The word he preaches purifies his hearers. The healings and exorcisms he performs took our infirmities and he bore our disease. And by his Resurrection he justified us. (see CCC #517)

In other words, the entirety of Jesus life while on earth was redemptive. There are two players in the relationship between me and God; namely me and God. Jesus’ life and death purchased my redemption, but his life also modeled for me how to participate in that redemption. I cannot be a passive player. If someone gives me the winning lottery ticket, but I do not take it to the appropriate office and cash it in it does me no good. So too, we can render Jesus’ life, death and resurrection powerless in our lives by not accepting the free gift that he offers. His life of humility and service as well as the lessons he taught with his preaching instruct me in how I must live. He shows me and teaches me how to cash the lottery ticket.

Jamie Floyd: A Reflection on Ascension and Pentecost; thoughts on the Fr. Kevin Lee scandal

It's comforting knowing God is here. Perhaps somewhat disquieting; challenging, certainly (but that's my issue). It's comforting none the less.  Not sure what I mean? Let's briefly look at two men.

Malachi Martin was a catholic priest, a Jesuit. Through much hard work and dedication he got to prominence within the church holding an office in The Vatican. While I am not sure exactly what straw it was that broke his back, he left the church disgusted at some of the goings on within it. His approach from then seemed to be one of amendment of the church, perhaps in the hope of cleaning it up from the outside. He wrote a number of books questioning many aspects within the church. And being a former priest of the church he undermines seemed to give some authority to his teachings which were not in line with the Catholic Church.

He was, however, somewhat right; there is plenty that needs cleaning in the church (I need not go into all details). Most recently, here in Australia there was a priest, Fr Kevin Lee, who has openly confessed to a secret marriage: news which hit the main stream media. While that is scandalous enough he claimed that most priests lead a double life and that priestly celibacy should be reconsidered. A clear allusion with undertones of a greater scandal.

Now this is not the time for a debate nor for an apologetical lesson (though much could be said, of course). What I would like to point out is that both Kevin and Malachi identified problems, which was great, but in seeking to address them left the church then proceeded to point the finger and, perhaps, grind an axe or two. I question the effectiveness of this tactic, given that history is littered with notables who have done much the same with little effect. It seems to me that to make real change in the church, one must remain, well, in the church.

At the conclusion of Matthew's Gospel, Jesus promises to be with  his church until the end of the world (Mat 28:20). Luke tells us how this is done - through the Holy Spirit: a Spirit of power (Acts 1:8). In the wake of the Ascension its easy to imagine the disciples either wondering around aimlessly or just waiting around for the promise to be fulfilled. While I don't think it was quite like this (they did have the issue of replacing Judas after all) there was a notable change in the apostles from before Pentecost to after; epitomized in Peter's speech in Acts 2. The difference is the Spirit of Power.

While Fr Kevin and Malachi might have intended well in trying to implement change in the church (if that was their intent) ultimately all change will come with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Power found at home in the Church. Let him do the cleaning of his home in his time. God is in charge. God is here, guiding and guarding his body, the church. It's comforting to know God is here.


About Jamie Floyd
Jamie Floyd is a leader of the Men of St. Joseph in Melbourne, Australia

Daniel Miller: Does a celibate priesthood promote pedophilia? No!

A member of our local MOSJ group in Sydney, Benny, made a good point to me after the conclusion of our meeting last week: given that (sadly) lay people no longer practicing the Catholic faith these days is hardly the stuff of front page news (let's never cease praying for the conversion of all souls, including our own conversion!), Satan likes to go for a "big scalp" in drawing people away from the faith - so he attacks our Priests.

Benny made the comment to me in the course of a discussion after the meeting about Fr Kevin Lee, who we had prayed for as a group during our meeting.  As some of you may have heard (unfortunately it's been across the media, even around the world), Fr Kevin Lee, Parish Priest at Glenmore Park (in western Sydney), admitted last week to entering into a civil marriage with a lady from the Phillipines approximately 12 months ago.

Here is footage of Fr Kevin's very public admission to our local Channel 7 (one of Australia's "mainstream" stations, much like CNN or NBC).

My own initial response was one of shock, hurt and disbelief.  I hold all priests in very high regard for all their sacrifice in bringing Jesus to us in such an intimate and personal way through the sacraments. Also, a move such as this "registers" with one more when you know of the Priest involved - I didn't know Fr Kevin in a personal way, but I was certainly aware of his work throughout the Diocese (apart from being a Parish Priest he also had additional roles such as Police chaplain) and I had attended the odd Mass here and there over the years where he was the celebrant.  One of his many gifts was as a powerful and dynamic preacher of God's Word. Please pray for Fr Kevin that he will return faithfully to his vows.  While Fr Kevin has committed a grave error of judgment in doing what he has done, this is not the time to engage in personal attacks on his character.  We all face temptations related to persisting faithfully with our state in life (whether religious life, married or single) and we should all be constantly praying for ourselves and others that we always remain faithful to our calling - the temptation to "throw it all in" could happen to any one of us.

However, some matters that as men we do need to be ready to respond to though are 2 highly inaccurate comments that Fr Kevin has made, namely: (1) that celibacy of the Priesthood is directly linked to pedophilia (and by extension that the church should remove the celibacy requirement for Priests), and (2) that there are many other Priests leading a "double life".

Point (2) above is an unfair reflection on the majority of Priests who lead very holy and dedicated lives.  Such comments have the potential to weaken Catholics' faith in the priesthood and create potential cynism and distrust in the Priesthood for those who aren't Catholic.  Wherever you are in the world, the historical record (and our own experience with Priests) simply doesn't support such a blanket assertion.

More particularly, point (1) above is a point that we need to be prepared to respond to because it will no doubt come up in conversation.  Given that this issue has been getting alot of media attention over the past decade in particular (with the sexual abuse scandals that have emerged in various parts of the Church throughout the world), as men we need to be prepared to address the issue with our families, friends and at work. We must be prepared to address the arguments made so that as Catholics our faith in the Priesthood is not weakened, and so that non-Catholics don't have the wrong idea around the reasons for celibacy.  Thankfully, many faithful Catholics have already done the initial hard work for us in writing a number of excellent articles on the topic that deals with the issue fairly, objectively and truthfully.  The following article from Christopher Kaczor at Catholic answers (from a 2010 issue of This Rock magazine) is an excellent summary of the issues.

Also, for those who subscribe to the new Catholic Answers Magazine (which succeeded This Rock), I notice that the May-June 2012 issue has an article by the outstanding Catholic author Mark Shea titled "Why a Celibate Priesthood".

I know that the media likes to make a circus of issues in connection with the Priesthood all the time, so in some respects this sad event is nothing new.  However, let's all make sure we're prepared to defend the Church's position and support all our Priests, the majority of which are faithful and dedicated and would not share Fr Kevin's views at all.

Most importantly, again, please pray for Fr Kevin, and also for our Bishop who needs our prayerful and active support - dealing with these matters is never easy but our Bishop has (as always) acted courageously and with great class - here is the statement released after Fr Kevin's announcement, and more importantly the homily he gave this past weekend as part of a pastoral visit to Fr Kevin's former parish.

Video: Bishop Anthony's homily at pastoral visit to Fr. Lee's parish.

About Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller is a leader of the Men of St. Joseph in Sydney, Australia.

Pat Arensberg: Eternally begotten; incarnate in time

“But when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”  -Galatians 4:4-5

Today, we move on to our discussion of the second person of the Blessed Trinity.  We will then discuss the third person before returning to an in-depth study of the Incarnation and the teaching of Jesus.  From all time Jesus proceeds from the Father.  He is not created by the Father, but is co-eternal and of the same substance as the Father.  We really struggle, as people who live in time, to try to understand existence outside of time.  I would argue that we really can’t understand it.  We can talk about it as best we can, but at the end of the day it is a mystery to us.  Jesus proceeding eternally from the Father is a statement that causes us a lot of consternation precisely because we think temporally.  From our experience if something proceeds from something else it has a beginning.  But this is not so with God who is outside of time.  Jesus proceeds from the Father from all eternity.  Jesus always was and always will be.

This divine person took on a human nature.  The divine person now has two natures; a human nature and a divine nature.  This event is called the “Incarnation.”  This making into the flesh occurred in a specific time and place.  The Divine Logos existed from all time, but he became a man at a concrete moment in history.  He continues to possess that human nature.  He was resurrected and ascended to the Father.  For all eternity a person with a human nature will be sitting on the Throne!  That is part of the reason the Church sings, “O felix culpa” at the Easter Vigil!

Pat Arensberg: God desires to be the father of all

“Since Christ died for all, and since all men are in fact called to one and the same destiny, which is divine, we must hold that the Holy Spirit offers to all the possibility of being made partakers, in a way known to God, of the Paschal mystery.”  -CCC #1260

Since, as we discussed in yesterday’s blog, God is eternally Father he is continually seeking to invite all men and women to be his adopted sons and daughters.  That is why Jesus commanded that the Church should go forth, “and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”  (Matthew 28:19-20)  He wishes to extend his familial invitation to all.  That’s how he rolls.

Now, we believe that Baptism is necessary for salvation, because Jesus said so in John chapter 3.  But the Catechism reminds us that, “God has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism, but he himself is not bound by his sacraments.” (CCC #1257)  We believe that the desire for Baptism can bring about the fruits of Baptism without being a sacrament.  (see CCC #1258 and see Luke 23:42-43 and the Good Thief receiving the promise of salvation without being sacramentally baptized).

But what about those who do not know Christ, or the Gospel, or know anything about the Church?  And what about babies who die without baptism?  You really should read the Cathechism #’s 1260-1261 and Lumen Gentium #16, but in summary:  one can be saved by the power of Christ even if they do not know Christ.  This can be only if the ignorance is through no fault of their own and that they would have desired Baptism explicitly if they had known.  Only God can make that judgment.  We entrust them to the mercy of God, and do all in our power to bring people to the saving waters of Baptism.

About Pat Arensberg Patrick Arensberg is the Director of Religious Education for the Archdiocese of Mobile. Previously, he taught for 17 years at McGill-Toolen Catholic High School, where he served as Chairman of the Theology Department. He attended the Gregorian University in Rome and holds an M.A. in Theology from Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. He is married to Connie and they live in Mobile with their 5 children.

David O'Brien: The Yard Sale from Hell

Spring cleaning is an annual rite of passage in my house. Out with old, please no more new. I used to be able to pack everything I owned and fi t it into my Toyota Corolla. Now I have to rent a U-haul to go to Goodwill every April.

This year we decided to have a yard sale. We invited our neighbors to join in the fun, selected the neighborhood park as a central location for the sale and advertised in all the normal venues.

All went well as we stacked hundreds of big and small, cheap and expensive items by our front door in preparation for the big day. The clutter was manageable for a week and then I broke down.

"Honey, we need to borrow a trailer to store this stuff until the sale," I told my wife. "I’m going to break my leg trying to negotiate this maze of boxes and containers." She agreed.

Yard sale day arrived and we were in the park unloading the trailer at 5 a.m. in the dark, trying to display all our treasures on the borrowed tables.

At 6 a.m. we had our first early birds. No sales. At 7 a .m. a few more perusers made their way through. By 8 a.m. we had made a grand total of $7. I was starting to panic.

Around 11:30 a.m. I had to fight back the tears. I was just so tired, so beat up from two weeks of loading and unloading, sifting and pricing, purging and pleading with my children to cut ties with that toy they never play with anymore. Now, with 30 minutes left before closing time, we had made less than $20.

I was tempted to buy a gallon of gasoline and burn everything right there in the park. The prospect of reloading the trailer or, God forbid, putting this stuff back into our house, ugh, I would rather drink poison.

Then, a final customer moseyed over to our book section. After a moment, she looked up at me and said in a surly tone: "I’m not much interested in your book collection. They are a bit too spiritual, borderline religious."

I smiled even though I could tell she said "borderline religious" in the same way someone would say "he has borderline personality disorder." She seemed to think I might be dangerous.

Then she said it again. I thought to myself "that’s odd. Why make that comment a second time? Are you trying to tell me something Lord? Do you have some deeper purpose for this woman?"

I took the bait hoping that God was behind this encounter.

"I work for the Catholic Church," I explained and we chatted a bit over what I did. I ascertained that she was brought up Catholic but had put some distance between herself and the institutional Church over the years. Perhaps God was leading her back to Him and I was the bait.

"I write for The Catholic Week and that book is a collection of my columns," I offered pointing to a box of books on the last table. To my surprise she walked over and picked one up. She even stood there and read an entire chapter, right in the middle of the park.

"What are you doing Lord?" I asked Jesus. No answer. I waited to see if a door would open for more conversation. Nothing. She simply thanked me and walked back to her car. She didn’t even buy the book.

About David O’Brien David O’Brien is the Associate Director of Religious Education for Lay Ministry for the Archdiocese of Mobile. His column, Everyday Faith, appears regularly in the archdiocesan newspaper, the Catholic Week. Email David at dobrien@mobilearchdiocese.org.

But strangely, my spirits were lifted. Gone were the thoughts of arson and throwing all this stuff into a landfill. Now I was invested in God’s work with this woman. My mind was caught up in a greater plan, a noble and glorious purpose that God might be unfolding through this abysmal yard sale.

Yes, we had spent over 300 hours getting ready for this disastrous event. Yes, we had sacrificed sleep and time with our children in the hopes of making thousands of dollars. But none of those crushed expectations and investments seemed important anymore as I watched this woman close her car door and drive away. All I wanted was for God to plant a seed in this lady’s heart, a seed of love that would grow and perhaps one day entice her to give God and the Church a second look.

Will I ever see this woman again? Probably not. But I wonder if she were writing this column a year from now, perhaps she would entitle it "The Yard Sale from Heaven" because this is when she started her journey home to God.

Pat Arensberg: Father from all eternity

“Jesus revealed that God is Father in an unheard-of sense; he is Father not only in being Creator; he is eternally Father in relation to his only Son, who is eternally Son only in relation to his Father:”  -CCC #240

In the Old Testament, as we have seen, God is sometimes referred to as a father in relation to his Chosen People.  This is, in and of itself, a pretty radical difference from every other religion in the world.  We have all grown up in a culture that has breathed the air of Judeo-Christian thought, so we are accustomed to the image of God as Father.  But, in the Middle-East and the Far East this is a foreign concept.  Jesus takes the Jewish notion of God’s Fatherhood another step, back eternally.

Jesus shows us that the Creator did not become Father at the birth of the nation Israel, or even back when he created our first parents.  Rather, the first member of the Holy Trinity was Father from all eternity.  The Church teaches that the Divine Word proceeds from the Father from all eternity.  Jesus told us, “No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”  In other words, the relationship between those two members of the Blessed Trinity is best described as a Father-Son relationship without reference to humanity.  The eternal relationship is paternal.

It is really difficult for the human mind to understand that the Son proceeds from the Father without arriving at a conclusion that the Father caused or created the Son.  But, we must remember that eternity is not just a really, really, really long time; eternity is existence without the presence of time.  Before God created the universe and time (which understanding the Big Bang Theory proves) there was no time.  So, things did not follow in a linear sequence of cause-effect.

About Pat Arensberg Patrick Arensberg is the Director of Religious Education for the Archdiocese of Mobile. Previously, he taught for 17 years at McGill-Toolen Catholic High School, where he served as Chairman of the Theology Department. He attended the Gregorian University in Rome and holds an M.A. in Theology from Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. He is married to Connie and they live in Mobile with their 5 children.

Pat Arensberg: God's loving care

“By calling God ‘Father,’ the language of faith indicates two main things: that God is the first origin of everything and transcendent authority; and that he is at the same time goodness and loving care for all his children.”  -CCC # 239

Yesterday, we looked at the fact that God is the source and origin of all things.  Today, I would like to focus on the loving care he has for his children.  The Old Testament refers to God as Father in many ways, but each of them seem a little less intimate than what Jesus teaches.  In Deuteronomy 32:6 God is referred to as “father” because he is the creator.  In Exodus 4:22 it speaks of Israel (the nation) as being the son of God.  These are not exactly intimate titles.  The fatherhood as understood in the Old Testament is corporate, but not really personal.  

Jesus, on the contrary, tells us to call God our daddy.  It seems to me that in many ways Jesus is attempting to remind us of the relationship we had with the Father in the Garden of Eden.  God walked with Adam and Eve.  They knew God as a loving and intimate Father.  Sin caused humanity to forget that.  Jesus comes to make things new, and perhaps the most important teaching he brought with him is the reminder of who we were in the beginning.  We were in a unique loving relationship with our Creator.

Jesus comes to remind us, but he also comes to bring the grace of restoration.  We could not mend the gap created by our sin.  Jesus could.  He teaches us to call God our Father and then he dies on the cross and leaves the sacrament of Baptism with the power to accomplish of divine adoption.  He teaches it, and then provides the means to accomplish it!

About Pat Arensberg Patrick Arensberg is the Director of Religious Education for the Archdiocese of Mobile. Previously, he taught for 17 years at McGill-Toolen Catholic High School, where he served as Chairman of the Theology Department. He attended the Gregorian University in Rome and holds an M.A. in Theology from Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. He is married to Connie and they live in Mobile with their 5 children.

Rosary masculinity

BY JASON GODIN

Some elements of our culture are calling men to embrace a very dark form of masculinity, based on violence, domination of women and self-adulation – messages that are found in video games, movies and music.

Yet real men know the emptiness, futility and ultimate falsehood of this view of life. As we begin this month of May – this month of Mary – men from all walks of life should accept the challenge of living a different form of masculinity by praying the rosary daily. Men who commit themselves to contemplating the rosary mysteries will discover a treasury of lessons on how to define masculinity and live it actively, fearlessly and full of hope.

Joyful Mysteries

The Joyful Mysteries, recited on Mondays and Saturdays, provide a basic definition of masculinity. By exalting in the fact that Mary answered “Yes” to the angel Gabriel at the Annunciation, men can see that the masculine life is worth living as God chose to live among men. Placing oneself prayerfully in the sandals of St. Joseph at the Nativity helps men appreciate how the masculine life, even in its earliest stage, is also precious and worth defending. The Presentation reveals how men can find authentic masculinity by remaining obedient observers of absolute truth found through, in, and with Christ. Living, defending, and obediently observing absolute truth is not easy for men in any age of history, but as Zachariah must have realized upon learning that his barren wife, Elizabeth, carried a child, nothing is impossible with God.  

Luminous Mysteries

The Luminous Mysteries, the latest addition to the rosary added by Blessed John Paul II, are recited on Thursdays. In these “Mysteries of Light,” the public ministry of Jesus Christ between his Baptism and his Passion reveals to men how to transform their masculinity into fearless action. Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom of God by instructing others with teachings and parables. The lessons continue to remain relevant for men in their mission for masculinity, as Jesus addressed such topics as anger, adultery, divorce, oaths, retaliation, almsgiving, and fasting (cf. Mt 3-7). The Wedding at Cana and, later, the Transfiguration, confirm how real masculinity requires not only listening to Jesus when instructed by Mary, but to do so fearlessly (cf. Jn 2:5, Mt 17:7). The Institution of the Eucharist nourishes men with the fact that such fearless, active masculinity is never accomplished alone.   

Sorrowful Mysteries

The Sorrowful Mysteries, recited on Tuesdays and Fridays, illustrate for men the personal price of responsible masculinity. Jesus’ agonizing prayer on the Mount of Olives reminds men that even the Alpha Male struggled but persevered in love for mankind (cf. Lk 22:42). Jesus himself suffered harsh physical pain when scourged at the pillar and crowned with thorns by mocking soldiers. Masculinity demands men constantly to carry their own crosses – in their families, workplace, and communities – with the same humble stamina of Jesus. The crucifixion illuminates in a profound way how masculinity requires that men must ultimately “die to self” in their service and love of others.              

Glorious Mysteries

The Glorious Mysteries, recited on Wednesdays and Sundays, provide masculinity with crucial dimensions of renewal, hope and nobility. When contemplating the Resurrection, men realize how they can always rediscover and relive masculinity even when they stumble. The Ascension directs masculine sights away from mundane goals and toward a destiny of heavenly triumph. Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples, shows how the power of the Holy Spirit can provide even a timid masculinity with an inner strength. Finally, the Assumption and Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary illustrate masculinity as a knightly privilege, where men walk beside 

Mary, the Queen of the Angels and Saints, when contemplating the face of Christ.    

Men, use this month to pray the rosary on a daily basis. But be prepared. Heeding the challenge just might make you think and act more like a man of God.

About Jason Godin

Jason Godin teaches U.S. history at Blinn College in Bryan, Texas, where he lives with his wife and two children. Reprinted with permission of the Catholic News Agency.

Pat Arensberg: We call God Father I

“I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.” –Nicene Creed

We profess faith in a God who is the almighty Father.  He is the ultimate source of all things.  We profess faith that there are realities that we cannot see (and we don’t mean the air; we mean spiritual and “non-corporeal” realities).  We know that our Father in heaven is the source of all physical reality and all spiritual and non-material reality.  You know, I am struck at the number of phrases we use that we don’t really understand.  So, for example, we believe that God is our ultimate source and that without him we would cease to be.  We believe that he is “Being” or “Existence” and that we would cease to “be” or “exist” without him.  But have you ever stopped and wondered what matter is?  I mean, in former times people categorized all things into four categories (earth, wind, fire and water).  As science progressed we learned to identify matter at the atomic level (hydrogen, oxygen, helium, etc.).  Then we advance further and began to ask what atoms were made of, “Well, protons, neutrons and electrons,” was the answer that came.  Ok, but what are protons and neutrons made of?  Well, I have heard that it is called “quarks.”  But, what are quarks made of?  And, when science tells me what a quark is made of I already have my next question ready to go…”What is ____________ made of?”

It seems to me that at the heart of matter is a mystery that points to our Creator, Our Father, who is the source of all things visible and invisible.  What, ultimately is matter?  It seems to me that every time science progresses another step forward into the building blocks of matter it only deepens the mystery.

About Pat Arensberg Patrick Arensberg is the Director of Religious Education for the Archdiocese of Mobile. Previously, he taught for 17 years at McGill-Toolen Catholic High School, where he served as Chairman of the Theology Department. He attended the Gregorian University in Rome and holds an M.A. in Theology from Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. He is married to Connie and they live in Mobile with their 5 children.

Pat Arensberg: Introduction to God the Father

“Original sin is, above all, an attempt to abolish the fatherhood of God.”  -paraphrase of John Paul II in Crossing the Threshold of Hope

Ok, I know that the above phrase demands an explanation.  Unfortunately, it is an explanation I don’t have the space to offer in this blog.  Suffice it to say, that Adam and Eve were not tempted by a piece of fruit.  Fundamentally, they rejected that God was their loving father and believed the serpent who said God was trying to keep them down.  Want more about that?  Call my office to schedule a talk on the Theology of the Body of John Paul.

Now, we all know that God the Creator does not have a body.  But, when asked by his disciples for the best way to pray Jesus taught them and us to call the Creator, “Our Father.”  So, while he is certainly not male Jesus told us to relate to the Creator as our daddy.  We will discuss that concept in much more detail this week.  For now, let me offer a couple of simple thoughts.  

There are two ways for a toddler to ascend the stairs in their home.  One is to struggle one stair at time.  I have watched my own children do this.  The other way is for them to stop crawling, look to their daddy and put their arms in the air (asking with their actions to be carried).  My children have done this to me too.  As a human father, with all of my weakness and imperfection, I can’t resist it.  I pick them up and carry them close to my breast to the summit of the stairs.  Our heavenly daddy wants us to do the same.

Second, and now I address the fathers in particular, bring your “A” game!  Your children are learning from you what their heavenly Father is like.  You better be as loving and unselfish as possible with His children that are on loan to you.  He will ask you at the end of your life, “How well have you loved my children?”

About Pat Arensberg Patrick Arensberg is the Director of Religious Education for the Archdiocese of Mobile. Previously, he taught for 17 years at McGill-Toolen Catholic High School, where he served as Chairman of the Theology Department. He attended the Gregorian University in Rome and holds an M.A. in Theology from Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. He is married to Connie and they live in Mobile with their 5 children.

John Martignoni: Why don't Catholics have altar calls?

Q:     I’m a Born-Again Christian and I’ve been wondering why doesn't the Catholic Church do the altar call to have people accept the Lord Jesus as their Lord and Savior since it says that you must make this declaration to be Born Again?  I see my sister and her husband going to church Sunday after Sunday with no clue to this...and know that they will not go to Heaven unless they receive the Lord with the prayer and that they must repent from their sin. I have had my sister become saved but haven't been able to approach my brother in law as of yet.  Isn't this absence doing a dis-service to the people?   

A:    The Catholic Church does indeed, in a sense, make an altar call at every Mass. When people approach the altar to receive Communion, they are indeed accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, as they accept His body and blood into their bodies. Jesus says in John 6, verses 51 and following, that unless you eat His flesh and drink His blood, you have no life in you. If you eat His flesh and drink His blood, you will have eternal life He says, and He will raise you up at the last day.  He repeats Himself on this matter like He does nowhere else in Scripture. Catholics take Jesus' words literally...we believe what He says. That is why we believe we receive Him - His actual body and blood - during Communion (or the Lord's Supper as you might call it).
   
My question to you, however, is where does it say that someone must make a declaration in which they "accept the Lord Jesus as their Lord and Savior" in order to be Born Again? Nowhere does the Bible say that. In fact, the Bible says that one is born again by being baptized. John 3:3-5 says that unless one is born of water and the Spirit (baptism) one cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven, and it is through water and the Spirit that one is born again. All Catholics, by virtue of their baptism, are Born Again Christians. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that one shouldn't make a declaration of Jesus being their Lord and Savior, but the Bible does not say that one is "born again" by making a verbal declaration of acceptance of Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. And, I assume you want to go by what the Bible says don't you?  
   
And, yes, people must repent of their sin to go to Heaven. Does your sister or her husband ever go to Confession? Have you asked them? Confession, or Reconciliation (being reconciled to God), is one of the 7 Sacraments of the Catholic Church. So, yes, it is necessary for your sister and her husband to confess and repent of their sins in order to be saved. But, it is also necessary for them to forgive others (Matthew 6); to do the Father's will (Matthew 7); to keep the Commandments (Matthew 19); to feed the hungry and clothe the naked (Matthew 25); to love others (1 John); to care for their family (1 Tim 5); to strive for holiness (Hebrews 12:14); to do good works (Romans 2); to eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man (John 6); to be baptized (John 3 and 1 Peter 1:20-21), and so on.
   
It is also vitally important to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ for us as Catholics, but saying one little prayer does not necessarily establish such a relationship with Jesus. That's why we have the Sacraments, and all the other things that we have in the Catholic Faith - it's all about bringing us closer to Christ. It's all about preparing our bodies and souls so that Jesus can be formed within us (Galatians 4:19). And, there is no more personal relationship that one can have with Christ than to receive Him in the Eucharist (Communion). It is even more intimate and more personal than anything that occurs between husband and wife in a marriage.
   
So, there is no absence in the Catholic Church in regards to bringing people to Christ. Everything in the Church is about bringing people to Christ. Again, when your sister and brother-in-law receive Communion, they are accepting Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, even if they have never said some sort of sinner's prayer.
   
Now, it is indeed possible that they are going to church every Sunday and not living lives that are pleasing to Christ.  In other words, they could be on the path to Hell, but that is not the Church's fault. Again, everything in the Church is designed to foster one's relationship with Christ and His Body, the Church. If one ignores what the Catholic Faith offers, it is their fault, not the Church's.
   
Finally, I would simply ask you to look into the Catholic Faith a little more deeply than you apparently have. You are making assumptions about the Catholic Church that are based on a lack of knowledge about the Church. There are a lot of misunderstandings out there about the Catholic Faith. I always tell people that if you want to disagree with what I believe - fine, you are certainly free to do so. But, please disagree with what I really believe, and not with some misperception, half truth, or even outright lie about the Catholic Church that someone has told you. All of us, as Christians, have a duty and responsibility to accurately represent differing faith traditions - even if, or maybe especially if, we disagree them.   

About John Martignoni John Martignoni is the Director of the Office of Evangelization for the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama and also the President of the Bible Christian Society. John's column, Apologetics 101, appears regularly in the diocesan newspaper, the One Voice.  If you have a question about the Catholic Faith, please send an email to: jmartignoni@bhmdiocese.org.  And check out John's free audio and written apologetics materials at: www.biblechristiansociety.com.