Long Live the Republic!

I Love my country and often times I like it as well.  I make the distinction because a person is capable of loving something without liking it, an important distinction especially when dealing with others who we might find irritable.

England, France, Spain, Italy and other European countries rich in Catholic history are also drenched in Catholic blood, and these are not ancient memories from the days of the primitive church, but their sagas along with other nations can be found in the last few centuries.  

Why should Catholics love America?  In America as of today, it is still possible to practice our Holy Religion, unlike in China or Saudi Arabia where the Church is underground and savagely persecuted.  We can still condemn sin from the pulpit, unlike even Canada where if you condemn certain politically protected sins you might be found guilty of a hate crime. 

The right to private property, the ability to have as many children as one would like(unlike China), the right to own firearms, the right to home-school (unlike Germany), the freedom to tithe the amount you want to and to whom you want to (unlike Germany again).  These freedoms no doubt, are graces granted to us by God to do good by.  Americans may think that it is through the people that we have these freedoms  while we as Catholics know it is only through cooperation with the grace of God that we have them.

It greatly saddens me to see pro lifers, or traditional Catholics sometimes getting so caught up in the struggle for national righteousness, that they begin to hate our beloved country.  It is true that the ideas on which our nation were founded were short of the fullness of truth.  Yet, nations are made up of men and men sin and fall short of the Glory of God.  Ireland may invoke the Blessed Trinity in its constitution, yet who would dare say that their Government today is Godly. 

What if our country was worst and we enjoyed none of these freedoms?  Could we, should we still love it? Yes, we should, for the most simple reason of all.  We live here.

Even during the centuries of savage persecutions of the Roman empire did the Martyrs hate their country and there countrymen? No.  It is true they hated and spited  their “gods” or national demons, and that they refused to worship the emperor as a god.  These oppositions to evil though did not make them bitter, their Christian faith which was the contradiction to both the political and cultural life gave them the strength to suffer for their country and even at times for the benefit of the Emperors who made them suffer.

I believe St Sebastian, Captain of the Imperial Guard to the Emperor, and made defender of the Church by the Pope at that time is a most excellent example of patriotism and love of country.  St Sebastian was the captain of the guard to the notorious and savage persecutor of the Church, Diocletian.  Upon hearing that St Sebastian was a Christian he refused to believe it, as he considered the Christians to be his greatest enemies, so he summoned him and interrogated him.

Diocletian said to St Sebastian “Sebastian, I have raised thee to honor and distinction among the officers of the palace, because I looked upon thee as one of the most faithful of my friends.  Must I believe that all the while thou was an enemy of the gods, and that I entrusted my safety to one who was disloyal to me.”

To which St Sebastian responded “I have ever been faithful and loyal to you, I have constantly prayed to the God whom I worship, that he might give safety to your august person and to the Empire.  Of your idols of wood and stone I have never asked anything, knowing that they cannot give to to others what they do not possess” 

“Thou art then a Christian?” asked the Emperor

“I am a Christian such I have been from the days of my childhood, and it is for this very reason that I have always performed my duties faithfully and conscientiously”.

After giving that story St Sebastian was ordered to be put to death by being shot full of arrows.  However, after his execution he was resurrected from the Dead and confronted the emperor again, not in vengeance but in pleading during a solemn day of pagan worship.  

St Sebastian: “Harken to me, O Prince! The priests of your temples deceive you by their wicked falsehoods against the Christians.  They tell you, that we are enemies of the Empire; yet it is by your prayers that the Empire is made to prosper.  Cease your unjust persecutions against us, and remember the day of reckoning is near at hand, when you too shall be judged by an all knowing judge.”  (To hear more on the Life and Martyrdom of St Sebastian taken directly from the Acts of the Martyrs, sign up for Alleluia Audiobooks mailing list to be notified when it is available for download). 

Needless to say the Emperor did not have a change of heart, and had St Sebastian beaten to death at that point by clubs.  What tremendous loyalty this Captain of the Guard had and love this Saint had for the Emperor, and the Roman Empire!  Even after being put to death, he does not cease to excuse the tyrant, excusing his cruelty on the deceptions of pagan priests.  Can we hope to have such a burning charity for these United States of America and for our leaders?  

What a contrast of loyalty to a pagan leader to the memories of the Catholic States lead by noble kings.  Have you met a person who advocates the restoration of the monarchies of old based on these excellent memories.  I wonder how many traditional Catholics would feel about a Catholic Monarch if they wound up giving that power to a man like Prince Charles of England or even our Holy Father Pope Francis but with real Political Power.    

When we read such heroic old examples we should draw upon them and apply the examples of their virtue to our lives, and relay their stories so that other men become aware of the greatness of leadership characterized by a humble submission to God.  We should hope and labor to win over all of America  for Christ through conversion, and perfect our Government.  In the meantime we should show reverence and respect for the Laws, institutions, and customs of our nation and obey them in as far as we do not sin.  All authority, even the authority of our constitution (that makes no mention of the Holy Trinity), receives its authority from God whether it says so or not.  

The Monarchies of old are far removed from the political realities of today.  One can like the monarchs of old, as long as one remains loyal to the legitimate government now. By the ordering  of the world by God we are a republic and we should strive to serve him in the holiest way we can right now, not longing for distant governments or circumstances to come as per the warning of  St Francis De Sales.

“Do not desire faraway things, that is, things that cannot happen for a long time, as many people do, and by so doing wear out and waste their hearts to no purpose and expose themselves to the danger of becoming very discontented”  Introduction to the Devout Life.

Even if this country is becoming more hostile to Catholicism, may God preserve us my friends from becoming more hostile to it, may we find strength in the example of St Sebastian to pray for our leaders, the empire and  do our duties faithfully and conscientiously. 

Happy 4th of July, Long Live the Republic and God Bless America! 

Honor your Father

We can never repay our Fathers enough for their cooperation with God in giving us life.  No matter how we were conceived, or even their shortcomings in raising us, without them we would not exist.  It is a point worth repeating from a previous article on motherhood, that God put the 4th commandment above the 5th for a reason.  In Gods eyes, it is a more hateful thing to have contempt for those who created you, than to kill a man, because without being created you would not even exist to make decisions. 

Throughout history mankind reverence for Fathers even extended beyond just paternal fathers.  In the times of chivalry, a Knight was not allowed to meet in combat the Knight who had trained him (often times this was not the paternal Father as the Father would try to find the most distinguished Knight to train his son in warfare).  Even St John Climacus in the Ladder of Divine Ascent, one of the great ascetical works from the early church, took this point to excess when he said it worst to offend our spiritual father than to offend God (his reasoning was because our spiritual Father made intercession for us before God).  

How does a little boy show love for his Father?  By obeying him, learning from him, following his examples, being courteous to his friends, speaking like him and admiring his various perfections.  An older son carries the name and beliefs passed onto him (in the name of God) and strives to not shame him from departing from the instruction and good example that his Father has given him.  An adult Son seeks his advice, shows him attention, cares for him in his needs and speaks well of him to others and passes down the wisdom that he has received from him to his children.  

That does not mean that the son will be a copy of the father, no Father would want a copy but rather he would want the son to be more excellent and a better man.  In becoming a better man the son gives a great honor and reward to his father for his labors in raising him.

Can we see any departure from this model proposed in our relationship with our heavenly Father? No; rather we see a more excellent version of the same thing. With the notable exception that we can never even equal to God, but even here we are told that we may do yet greater things: “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these”  John 14:12

Our greatest joy was when onto us a Son was born.  The best example we saw was a Son doing the will of His Father.  Our whole reason for hope in salvation is because of the Love that the Father has for the Son and the Son for the Father.

Can a world that does not love and respect their Fathers, learn to call upon God as a Father and love and respect him, no.  Can a person be saved who does not honor their mother and father, no.  We can say beyond a doubt that a world that does not respect its fathers, does not respect God the father, and is going to hell both literally and figuratively.

But my dearest friends, we are the adopted sons of God.  Who amongst the just is not humbled to call the holy patriarchs, prophets, apostles, saints, our fathers in faith.  But God has called us His Sons.  The confused world holds Gods law and our Fathers confession and service of him to scorn and contempt. These reeds are so shaken in the wind that they even condemn what they said yesterday let alone what our Fathers said even less than 20 years ago.  Is it any wonder that there are so many sad songs, so much rebellious rage mixed with tearing fear.  They have neither a refuge in God, their parents, nor the memories of the days of old, while Christians have a refuge in all three.

It is easy sometime as society continues to grow darker to think that we are isolated and alone.  No society has lasted long that has thrown off the natural law, and when we ignore the stories past unto us, history will repeat itself. Do not be shaken in practicing the faith of our fathers no matter how many brazen impiety, dimwit novelties and stupid theological nuances seek to destroy the faith passed on by our fathers to us.  As God did not condemn our Fathers who were faithful then he will not condemn those who are faithful to what they received.  As God did not leave the Apostles orphans he will not leave us, also his children, orphans. We are in good company when we stand with our fathers before us confessing that Apostolic Faith which has always been and always will be victorious.

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy upon us and save us.

Motherhood, More than a Hobby

Recently, My family attended a company day of recreation where workers were allowed to bring their family and friends. We had our four children under 4 and had our hands full (literally) but we were not short on help being surrounded by friendly people willing to help us out.

In fact a couple of my coworkers also brought their children with them, including their babies. So it made a certain statement made by a guest particularly flummoxing when they referred to having children as an expensive hobby to another person who was kindly pushing a baby stroller for us.

I shot back that a hobby was something unnecessary that we do for pleasure, the person acted as though they did not hear my remark and remained silent after that. Later, when I looked up the definition of a hobby I was pretty close to the mark: “an activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure.”

There are some people who hate mankind, or perhaps wish to see a significant portion of mankind die or not reproduce in the name of population control, but she did not refer to my children as parasites, but hobbies. In the misanthropic view, they are at least something that is powerful, powerful enough to destroy the world, but in this view they are something that is not even necessary.

Even Marxism, which hated the family, still valued the importance of having children, if only to further the revolution. This hit home with more force recently when I was finishing recording a new audio book on the Divine Maternity of Mary, by Abbot Vonier, when I read this:

“True civilization is easily tested by its attitude towards motherhood. There can be no real refinement of human feeling where mans heart is not full of delicacies for the dignity of motherhood; therefore there can be no true civilization where motherhood is either shunned or degraded. If there is anything that belongs to the health of the nations that dwell upon the earth, it is a loving reverence for the burdens of human motherhood. ” An Invocation, The Divine Motherhood of Mary

People forget that the 4th commandment is put above the 5th for a reason. Without parents a person would not exist. It is a tremendous evil to take another persons life, but God put the 4th above the 5th because it is a terrible sin to not show reverence for the parents that bore you, no matter how good or bad parents themselves are. Those who live lives of nihilistic despair, and hate living every day I can imagine hate their parents, the damned in hell hate their parents. Both are full of this hatred because they wish for the suffering that they are enduring to go away, and because it will not they wish they had never been born.

“Christianity’s moral power, Christianity's social contribution to the life of mankind is the sanctity and obligatoriness of the laws that govern the birth of man.” The Divine Motherhood of Mary

To date, Christianity as a whole has failed to make that social contribution since the sexual revolution. When women started bringing home little packages of pills, motherhood itself become compartmentalized, something that people were told could be turned on or off. Motherhood was no longer viewed as a duty of the married women to her God, to her family, to her country but a personal choice that at most might include her husband. To many in the west sex was no longer for procreation but pleasure, and so the begetting of children is now not viewed as a duty but as an optional, expensive, pleasure. In a word a hobby,

Yet, the reality is different even while we live in this age of sexual revolution. Once a mother holds her child and that child and her love one another, that is to say that the women suffers for the well being of the child, any idea that a child is a hobby would be quickly displaced by that reality of sacrificial love. That love of the father to the mother, of the mother to the father leading to a child that loves them both and that came from both of them is one of the most beautiful things our eyes probably will ever be privileged to see in this life, as it is a reflection of the love that exists between the persons of the Most Holy Trinity.

Motherhood is worth fighting for, it is worth suffering for, it is worth dying for, it may not be life itself but without it you and I would not exist.

Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us.