William Hemsworth's Blog, page 92

My Conversion And Intro To The Didache

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-538pm-f8eebe

I am honored to join forces with Deeper Truth Catholics every Wednesday night for the William Hemsworth Show.  You can check out the other content at Deeper Truth Radio that airs every day of the week.

I will post these episodes here every Thursday.  In this episode I discuss my conversion to the Catholic faith as well as give an introduction to the Didache.

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Protestantism And Grace

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-rmtm4-f88630

Today’s episode is my appearance on Gary Michuta’s Hands On Apologetics radio program.  Gary’s show airs daily at 1pm EST on Virgin Most Powerful Radio.  This episode aired on January 6th and we talk about the difference between Protestants and Catholics in regard to grace.  We discuss imputation vs. infusion, scripture, and the church fathers.

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Addiction And The Power Of The Sacraments With Scott Weeman

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-jgcja-f82721

Scott Weeman joins me for today’s program. Scott has a tremendous testimony about how Jesus and the power of the sacraments helped him overcome addiction. He speaks about what 12 step programs are doing and how the sacraments and church teaching can be implemented into it. He founded a great organization called Catholic in Recover that seeks to help those who are struggling with addiction.

Help is out there and there is hope. Check out www.catholicinrecovery.com to learn more.

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Comics And Evangelization With Philip Kosloski

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-rutum-f7dcc2

Philip Kosloski graduated from the University of Saint Thomas in Minnesota with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and Catholic studies and a master’s degree in theology from the Augustine Institute. He is currently a spirituality writer for Aleteia.org and has been featured on such places as The Huffington Post, Crisis Magazine, The Catholic Herald, Catholic Exchange, National Catholic Register and EWTN Radio. His also the founder/creator of Voyage Comics and Publishing and is the author behind the popular comic book series entitled, Finnian and the Seven Mountains.

In this interview we discuss how Voyage comics came to be, how comics can help in evangelization, and some great upcoming projects that are coming up.

Learn more about Voyage Comics at www.voyagecomics.com

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Thank You And Happy New Year

Everyone I want to thank you for another great year and for all of your support. It has been a great year on the writing front, and there and many interesting projects in the works. In this post I will give a brief update on existing projects, some you may not have known about, and what is coming in the future.

Thank You!

In case you haven’t noticed, I find it necessary to thank you all. Over the past year I have been blessed to begin writing for three great platforms. My column at Patheos titled, The Pursuit of Holiness, has been doing well. In that column I strive to provide a mix of apologetics, evangelism, and devotional resources to help people grow in faith.

I have also had an article posted at Catholic Stand once per month. Shout out to my editor Peter Darcy for challenging me to become a better writer. Material here has mostly been based on apologetics and church history.

I have also been contributing monthly to EpicPew. Check out this website if you haven’t already. Great content goes on daily that will inspire you.

Podcast News And Notes

The podcast has been doing well and growing exponentially month over month. Many great guests have come on over the past year. Some of the names you have heard of like Dr. Scott Hahn, Jeff Cavins, Steve Ray, and Gary Michuta.

Other great guests such as Tony Agnesi, Kendra Von Esh, and Orlando Javien Jr have come on to give us tips to evangelize and grow in faith. So far 98 episodes have been published and I am forever indebted to my great guests. Many of these interviews are also available on my YouTube channel.

New Radio Show

I am excited to share that January 6th is the debut of my radio show titled Coffee And A Book. The show will air on Elevation Radio Network at 2:00pm every Wednesday. It will also be available wherever you listen to podcasts. The show will interview Christian authors, whether Protestant or Catholic, about their faith and what inspires them to write. Since I am a coffee addict coffee may or may not be mentioned ;).

Thank You Again

In addition to all of this I am working on a couple books as well. More information will come on that soon. I thank you for your support and prayers. Also know that I am also praying for you. God bless you and happy new year.

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Liberation And Grace

In the New Testament there are many passages that speak of grace as liberation.  Sin is a plague that has overtaken the world, and it enslaves us (Stevens 9).  We are born in original sin, and though that is washed away through the sacrament of Baptism, concupiscence remains.  Concupiscence is the tendency to still drift toward sin.

This concept of liberation is seen in Romans 5:17 where St. Paul writes, “because of the one man’s trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ” (NRSV).  St. Paul states this again in Romans 7:6 where he says we are no longer slaves and held captive.

Grace Through Christ Brings Liberation

In bestowing grace, the Blessed Trinity looks to the bounty, or freedom of the one who receives (Hardon).  In the grace of God, we discover our true freedom.  When we have a new life in Christ the destructive power that evil had over us is no more (Stevens 10).  Some may call this being born again, and it is a concept that is discussed frequently throughout the New Testament.

When we have this new birth the bonds that held us captive to sin are now shattered.  Just as God gave life to Adam in the garden of Eden, we are given new life through grace (Stevens 11).  Adam sinned, and through his sin death came into the world.

Free From Bonds

Through Christ we are free from that and we can live.  Regarding this Charles Journet writes, “Since the soul of Christ is so close to the person of the Word, grace finds there its true home, and there unfolds itself in perfect freedom” (Journet 2.12).

This liberation is also much more than being free from the bonds of sin.  Liberation in the New Testament grace established a union between the Christian and Christ (Stevens 17).  This is open to all men who are seeking the light of Christ and not seeking the attachment to sin (Stevens 17).  Grace is thus liberation because it breaks the bonds of death and united us fully to the source of life.

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TILMA Helps Parish Outreach

It has been a tough year. We are going about our business, doing ministry at our parishes, and all of a sudden life changed because of the pandemic. People still need the Gospel and the church. Ministry never stops and we have to adapt. Coincidently, during this time the tech firm Glass Canvas releases a new platform named TILMA.

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What Is TILMA?

TILMA was piloted in the Archdiocese of Vancouver prior to the pandemic beginning. The goal was to get people more engaged, help grow their faith, and bring them back to the church.

Post pandemic the need is more essential. A study done in the Archdiocese by Georgetown University states,

31 percent of weekly Mass attendees say they will go less often when circumstances return to normal, with 42 percent of monthly attendees and 35 percent of those who attend only a few times a year reporting the same. 

Georgetown University Center for Applied Research In The Apostoloate

My own parish has experienced this first hand as programs had to stop due to the pandemic. We are currently rushing to implement digital programs to still minister to people. The parishioners have been very appreciative.

Nurturing Faith Journeys

In discussing the platform, Glass Canvas President JM Boyd comments,

“The beauty of this ecosystem is that it nurtures individual faith journeys and unites them around the evangelizing efforts of an entire diocese. The power of Tilma uses data around a single system to intentionally send content to users around interests and faith journeys, suggesting content on a personal level. This has never been done in the Church before.” The goal of Tilma is to drive people to encounters beyond the platform, to allow people to evangelize people. Each point of contact nudges users towards real engagement.”

Tilmaplatform.com

The platform is built for ease of use so even those not comfortable with technology can utilize it.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is that people need the church more than ever before. With the disconnection from people and the parish, people feel alone. That is a prime environment for the evil one to take someone away from Christ and his church. We must adapt.

TILMA helps parishes keep people engaged with the parish, let them know what is going on, and provides efficient ways to help parishioners along their faith journey. No matter what stage they are at.

Learn more about TILMA here.

Learn More about TILMA in this video.

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Give Thanks: Twelve Reminders From The Saints

Each year, when Thanksgiving is coming, it is a great time to remember and give thanks no matter what happened during the year. Still, some may be wondering what we are supposed to give thanks for.

Always Something To Give Thanks For

The bottom line is that there is always something to give thanks for. We give thanks for the sacrifice that our Lord Jesus Christ did for us on the cross. The sacraments are something else to give for. How about our families? Our families are a great blessing that we must not forget to rejoice over.

Sacred scripture tells us to give thanks in all things. This is the testimony of the saints as well. To assist us this Thanksgiving here are twelve quotes from saints to help us remember our many blessings.

Saint Quotes on Thanksgiving

Remember the past with gratitude. Live the present with enthusiasm. Look forward to the future with confidence. — St. John Paul II

Get used to lifting your heart to God, in acts of thanksgiving, many times a day.
Because he gives you this and that. You have been despised.
Because you haven’t what you need or because you have. Thank him for everything, because everything is good. — St. Josemaria Escriva

In all created things discern the providence and wisdom of God, and in all things give Him thanks. — St. Teresa of Avila

No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks. — St. Ambrose

A man wanted to do evil, but first prayed as usual; and finding himself prevented by God, he was then extremely thankful. — St. Mark the Ascetic

O my God, let me remember with gratitude and confess to thee thy mercies toward me. — St. Augustine

The secret of happiness is to live moment by moment and to thank God for what He is sending us every day in His goodness. — St. Gianna Beretta Molla

Gratitude is the first sign of a thinking, rational creature. — Bl. Solanus Casey

O God, grant that whatever good things I have, I may share generously with those who have not, and whatever good things I do not have, I may request humbly from those who do. — St. Thomas Aquinas

Lord, teach me to be generous. Teach me to serve You as You deserve. — St. Ignatius of Loyola

Happiness can only be achieved by looking inward and learning to enjoy whatever life has and this requires transforming greed into gratitude. — St. John Chrysostom

Jesus does not demand great action from us but simply surrender and gratitude. — St. Therèse of Lisieux

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Deuteronomy, The Gospel, And A Change Of Heart

First, it is unfortunate that Deuteronomy, and the Pentateuch as a whole, are for the most part ignored.  They are a part of divine revelation and as such should be discussed a bit more.  In all fairness I am also guilty of this.  I admit that I am not a priest or deacon, but do teach children, and to a lesser extent some adults. 

However, the message contained in Deuteronomy is one that is applicable to us all.  Deuteronomy has the unfortunate distinction of being called “second law” based on its naming in the Septuagint.  As an exhortation it can be synchronized with what we read in the New Testament.  

Moses And The First Address of Deuteronomy

In Deuteronomy four, Moses challenges the Israelites to look at the evidence of what God has done for themselves.  He describes everything that God has done for the people.  At this point they have seen the events of Sinai and seen various miracles occur. 

They heard the voice of God themselves.  Moses declared the great things that the Lord has done, is attempting to stir the hearts of the people, and implores them to follow the instructions given.  This is the first address of Moses.

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You Must Choose

The second address takes places in Deuteronomy 5-11.  Here Moses is using personal pronouns like “I” and “We” and includes himself in the conversation.  The tone of this address is quite different from that found in Exodus 21-23 which utilizes a third person element. 

This is an important distinction as in Exodus Moses is giving the law while Moses in Deuteronomy in challenging the people.  In Exodus he is addressing the people as a whole and in Deuteronomy, based on the pronouns used, he is addressing the people individually. 

This is an important distinction not only for Israel, but for us today.  Moses is not shy about saying how YHWH chose the people, saved them from bondage in Egypt, and provides for them in the desert.  The Lord chose the people of Israel, but the people are also responsible for their own actions.

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Choose Life And Stay Faithful

The third address of Moses takes place shortly before his death in Deuteronomy 29-30.  Moses reminds the people of the need to stay faithful to the Lord, the consequences for not, and tells them to choose life not death. 

Moses has seen the people fall into sin before and exhorts them to stay on the narrow path.  The things that they had learned in Egypt would manifest themselves at times and cause them to stumble. 

This is something that Moses was aware of, but out of love for the people, he addressed the issue again.  Choose life.  The way of the Lord is life and not following leads to death.  

Deuteronomy And The Pentateuch

Deuteronomy presents itself differently than other law texts in the Pentateuch.  This can be seen based on language, tone, and the content in the addresses.  There is more than can be taken from Deuteronomy, but the three I have provided provide a good start. 

Though we may have grown up in a Christian family, there comes a point where we have to evaluate evidence for the faith ourselves.  Like Moses says to the Israelites, we need to see for ourselves everything that the Lord has done. 

Also like the Israelites, there comes a point where we cannot hide within the group.  Basically just because your parents and grandparents were Christians does not make you a Christian by default.  You are responsible for your own actions, which is what Moses told the Israelites. 

It is up to you to choose the way of death or the way of life.  True we are several centuries removed from the writing of Deuteronomy, but its message stands the test of time and the addresses of Moses can be applied to situations today.

Circumcision Of Heart

The law was given to Israel, but it goes further than that.  The heart has to be changed.  If it is not changed then we are missing the point.  The law was written on tablets, but not on the tablets of the peoples’ hearts. 

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The issue of a changed heart is mentioned in several other parts of the Old Testament.  In Jeremiah 31 the Lord speaks of writing the law on the hearts of the people.  In Ezekiel 11 the Lord discussed removing the heart of stone and replacing it with a heart of flesh.  

It is in this way that Deuteronomy and Malachi coincide a bit, especially in Deuteronomy 34 and Malachi 3.  Moses is the messenger of the Old Covenant.  He was the shepherd and messenger of God to the people of Israel.  Deuteronomy 34 says that a prophet has not risen like Moses, but Malachi 3 says another is coming and he will purify the hearts of the people.

Much more can be said, but the heart of the Gospel can be seen in Deuteronomy.  It is unfortunate that it is something that is ignored for the most part.  Jesus quoted from Deuteronomy for than any Old Testament book and for good reason. 

The message of Deuteronomy was also his message.  Love the Lord with all your mind and love your neighbor as yourself.  It not only breaks up the ten commandments into two sections, but is a rule of life.  If you love God with everything you got, you will hand your life over to him and your heart will be changed.  In other words, the law will be written upon your heart and from their you will love your neighbor because your heart is now after the things of God.  In short, doing this is to choose life. 

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Are You Born Again?

Today Steve Ray joins me to talk about what it means to be born again. We discuss what we meant by it when we were both evangelicals, but he digs deep into scripture.

Born Again The Bible Way

Starting with the Old Testament Steve works forward to get the proper context of John Chapter 3 and what it means to be born again the Bible way.

Steve Ray

He has a great article on his website www.catholicconvert.com where he goes into detail on everything we discuss. You can read the article here.

General Misconceptions

The question comes from a passage in scripture in John chapter 3. The passage states

Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.”4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.-John3:3-5 NRSV

In our discussion we talk about how this verse is used as a prooftext and not used in its proper context. Also how those who pose the question utilize mental gymnastics when it comes to verse five. Either that or they skip it all together.

It is a fun interview, and as always Steve lays out the Catholic position in an easy to understand fashion. As Catholics we are born again the Bible way, and Steve gives us the reasons why we can answer that question with confidence.

We are born again in baptism as the scripture quoted above states. There are many other passages that say the same. Here I leave you with a quote from the catechism before the interview.

For all the baptized, children or adults, faith must grow after Baptism. For this reason the Church celebrates each year at the Easter Vigil the renewal of baptismal promises. Preparation for Baptism leads only to the threshold of new life. Baptism is the source of that new life in Christ from which the entire Christian life springs forth- CCC 1254

The Interview

You can listen to the podcast version of the interview here.

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