Stephen K. Ray's Blog, page 5

Musings on the Greatest Danger to the West and Freedom-Loving Democracies

In discussion with a friend, I wrote the following and thought I would share it. Of course, the greatest danger is our own selves as we abandon the Judeo-Christian worldview and increasingly adopt a Marxist, Materialist, Humanist perspective.

But, these musings are related to outside dangers which become relevant mainly because of our shift away from the Christian worldview that made the West great.

“Everywhere we travel in the world it is acknowledged that “as America goes, so goes the world.” Most countries and people who love freedom and democracy say that if America falls the whole world will fall.

Who will it fall to? I used to think it was the Muslims who are our biggest threat. They used to conquer with the sword but now they conquer with immigration and the population bomb.

Now my thinking has shifted. I think that China is more likely our greatest enemy, more than Islam. And they will be much more ruthless than the Nazis and the Soviets.

Like Protestantism, Islam is very divided and therefore can never unite to become conquerors of the world — there are too many factions within Islam that oppose and fight against each other. “United we stand, divided we fall.”

This is also what happened in Europe. When we were following “the footprints” of Martin Luther through East Germany in 2017 with a group (mostly converts) commemorating the 95 Theses and the 500th anniversary of the Reformation (“Deformation”), our guide said that Germany is atheist and lost its faith because of years of Soviet Communism.

I told her and my group that she was incorrect. The whole problem in Germany was started by Martin Luther when he divided Christianity. “United we stand and divided we fall.” Had Germany stayed united and strong in the Catholic faith there is nothing that the Communists could’ve done to crush their national pride, unity and Christian faith.

Poland is a good example of a country that stayed faithful to the one holy Catholic and apostolic Church. And they still stand strong today having survived Nazism and Soviet Russia. Germany collapsed.

If Christianity was united institutionally and morally and philosophically — Islam and China would have no chance against us.

However, we in the West have given up the worldview that made us such a powerhouse of good with enterprise and ingenuity that has never been rivaled. We are now very near collapse from within.

China is quite different than Islam. They have a powerful unified communist government. They are ruthless and have goals to conquer the world.

I told my kids that we have two enemies — one to the east and one to the west. The Chinese and the Muslims are rising up against the West on both sides. And right when we in the West should be strong and resilient, we are collapsing morally, economically, militarily and philosophically.

President Trump was only a short parenthesis to the decline.  The two powers of Islam and China are powerful and our great-grandchildren may live under the rule of one or the other.

Unless of course, the Lord causes a huge revival or the 2nd Coming of Christ happens. Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!

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Danube 5: Dürnstein, Wine Tasting in Spitz, Emmersdorf, Melk Abbey, Conversion Story

Durnstein | Spitz | Emmersdorf for Melk Abbey

Savored the region’s renowned wines in Spitz. Time on ship after driving back to Durnstein. Guided tour and Mass at Melk Abbey surrounded by Renaissance buildings and winding streets.

The Abbey is the setting for Umberto Eco′s “The Name of the Rose”. Free time at Melk Abbey then back to Emmersdorf for dinner and Steve’s talk. Ship departs for Linz.

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Mary a Mediatrix? Isn’t there just One Mediator?

The Bible says, “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim 2:5).

Yet Catholics refer to Mary as a Mediatrix (feminine form of the word mediator).

So, isn’t that prima facie evidence that Catholics make up doctrines, worship Mary and disregard the Bible?

I was again challenged with this the other day. Interesting how the same old, same old keeps coming up no matter how many times you answer it. Interesting how these same misconceptions keep coming up as though some contentious power keeps inserting them into gullible minds. Interesting how people love to twist the rubber nose to make it obscene, grotesque, and distorted.

So here was my short response — again!

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In 1 Timothy 2:5 Paul recognizes that there is a huge chasm between the holy God and sinful men. Paul states that there is only one mediator that can bridge that uncrossable gorge.  How do we sinners reach a holy God across such a chasm?

God has provided the solution. He has provided the-one-and-only Mediator (1 Tim 2:5), the bridge, the stairway between heaven and earth, (John 1:51 based on the ladder seen by Jacob). This one Mediator is the God-Man Jesus Christ and he is the only one that can bridge the gap–mediate–between heaven and earth to bring reconciliation between God and men.

Thus, there is one Mediator to reconcile God and man. Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant as the writer of Hebrews informs us three times, for example: “Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel” (Heb 8:6, 9:15, 12:24). No one else could have ever become such a mediator of the New Covenant.

However, after Jesus has accomplished such an act of redemption and mediatorship, he calls us to share in his ministry.

I remember my father saying to me before I joined the Catholic Church, “When you become Catholic you will pray to Mary and remember that Paul says there is only one Mediator between God and man.” I lovingly but sternly replied to my father, “Dad, never ask me to pray for you again!”

My father was shocked but understood my meaning. As soon as he asks me to pray for him — he asks me to be a mediator between him and God. I told him that to be consistent with his Protestant theology he should not ask me or anyone else to intercede for him, to be a mediator — one who stands in the middle — but he should pray directly to Jesus himself.

But Scripture constantly commands us to pray for one another, to intercede for our fellow humans. We are all “mini” mediators sharing in the mediatorship of Christ. And it goes the other way too. When God tells us to share the Gospel with lost sinners he is asking us to stand between himself and the sinner to share the Gospel, although he could have chosen to communicate with them directly.

Mary is not the infinite mediator, nor does she impose on the prerogatives of her Son. She, like us, intercedes for sinners and the people of God. Mediatrix is simply the feminine form of mediator. All of us share in the ministry of Christ, mediating and praying for our fellow man. In this sense, all of us are mediators and the females among us are mediatrixes.

I am frequently asked, “Where does the Bible say we should pray to dead saints?” to which I usually ask, “Where does the Bible say that saints are dead?”

Those of us, including most Protestants, believe that when a person dies in friendship with Christ they are still alive in Christ.

To prove that those who died in a state of grace were not dead, Jesus said to the Sadducees (who didn’t believe in the resurrection which is why they were “sad you see” — as my dad used to joke with us kids), “‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living” (Matt 22:32). Jesus said that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were still alive.

Those who say “Why do you Catholics pray to dead saints” need to understand that those who die in Christ are not dead. Catholics affirm that they are alive and in the presence of Christ and that they can intercede for us as much as my father or I can intercede for each other.

Mary and the saints do not answer our prayers, any more than I answer the prayers of my dad. Rather, Mary, the saints and you and I all are intercessors. We do not answer the prayers, we simply intercede with the Father through his Son Jesus.

When I take pilgrimage groups to Israel I always take them to the top of Mount Tabor where the Transfiguration took place. I always ask people how a “dead guy” like Moses could be talking to Jesus about things that are taking place on earth (Lk 9:31).

When my father asks me to pray for him he asks me to stand in the middle — to be a mediator, an intercessor — and when God commands me to preach the gospel to the lost, he tells me to stand in the middle — to be an ambassador for Christ as Paul says,

“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Cor 5:20).

(Opps, to the right is a Pentecostal group acting as mediators, interceding with God, standing in the middle as they pray for this man!)

I hope that helps explain why we call Mary a mediatrix and why all of us are mini-mediators sharing in the ministry of Christ — the one-and-only mediator of the New Covenant, but certainly not in any way claiming to be the one mediator of the New Covenant, nor in any way arrogating to ourselves or to Mary the unique prerogatives and ministry of Jesus.

One last thought on this matter. Sometimes there is a misunderstanding of the differences between prayer and worship. In the Catholic tradition they are very different things. In Protestantism prayer and worship are sometimes used as synonyms. Pray simply means to ask, whereas worship is to adore.

If a Catholic says he “prays to Mary” it’s perceived as worship by many Protestants, but the Catholic it simply making a request that Mary intercede for us — the same as when my dad asked me to intercede for him. In Catholicism there is a big difference between pray and worship.

We honor, love and venerate Mary. We ask her to pray for us. But we worship God ALONE!

For more on this and other Marian topics, all filmed on location in the Holy Land, check out my documentary MARY, MOTHER OF GOD here.

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4 Danube: River Locks, Vienna Austria, Symphony

Started the morning going through the river locks which was quite fascinating. Janet and I got up at 5 AM and made a movie of it. So today you’ll have two movies instead of one. The first is a short video of our passage through the locks. The second movie is our adventures during the day.

We celebrate Mass at Votivkirche then toured Vienna — Old Town between the University and Opera House. Saw major monuments including Donners’ Fountain, Belvedere Palace Gardens, Hofburg Palace, Spanish Horses training place and St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

Optional transfer to ship for lunch or remain in Vienna for a free afternoon. After dinner on the ship we attended a Strauss and Mozart concert at one of the concert halls at Kursalon.

PASSING THRU THE RIVER LOCKS

VIDEO OF OUR DAY IN VIENNA

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Danube 3: Bratislava Slovakia

Celebrate ad orientem Mass at St. Martin’s Cathedral before our walking tour through quaint “medieval town” passing by Michael’s Gate, Academia Istropolitana, Main Square, Primatial Palace, Slovak National Theatre, and view of Bratislava Castle.

Lunch on own in the city or return to the ship. Afternoon and evening on port with free time. Exciting, fun and educational beer tasting at Dock 5. Free evening with dinner on the ship (or in town if desired).

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“IF” – An excellent short poem by Rudyard Kipling, and “you’ll be a man my son”

I suspect you’ve heard this short poem by Rudyard Kipling before, but it is good to sing-song your way through it again every once in a while.Once on a bus in Israel a man stood up on a long ride and recited it verbatim. Quite moved and impressed.**************************************************It is entitle IF  

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,

And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;

If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,

And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

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2 Danube: Budapest, Szentendre, Fortress of Visegrad & Esztergom

Breakfast aboard the ship then celebrated Mass at Matthias Church. Explored the beautiful city of Budapest with a tour of the Buda Castle Hill, and the Fisherman’s Bastion and views of the Danube and Pest, crossed the bridge and passed by St. Stephen’s Basilica and Hungary’s ornate Parliament building. Strolled through Central Market Hall before lunch on the ship.

Visited the artists’ local village of Szentendre, home to many generations of Hungarian artists before the imposing ruined fortress of Visegrad. Visited Esztergom, the former residence of the Hungarian kings and seat of the Archbishop, and the domed basilica, built in the early 19th century

Returned to the ship in Esztergom for dinner.

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Danube1: Arrivals, Budapest, Boarding Amadeus!

Today it all begins! We begin to celebrate our 20th anniversary of leading pilgrimages!

We picked everyone up at the airport and drove to our Mass at the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Máriaremete.

Everyone enjoyed lunch on their own at the many restaurants and cafés before boarding our ship at Dock 5. Our group fills the whole ship — we own it!

We enjoyed the rest of the afternoon to explore our ship settle in before our welcoming dinner with announcements and warm greetings! We are off!

The video below is mainly for the people in the cruise and their families. It was our first dinner on board, safety, drill, and the Hungarian dancers and musicians.

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7 Reasons to Study the Cultural Backgrounds of the Bible

7 Reasons to Study the Cultural Backgrounds of the Bible

1. Understand the audience: Grasping the original audience’s perspective helps us understand the setting to which the inspired authors communicated their message.

2. Understand how the text communicates: A text is ideas linked by threads of writing. Each phrase and each word communicates by the ideas and thoughts that they will trigger in the reader or hearer.

3. Biblical writers made assumptions: Biblical writers normally could take for granted that their audiences shared their language and culture; some matters, therefore, they assumed rather than stated. Think about what happens when later audiences from different cultures read the text without the same un-stated understandings as the original audience.

4. Understand the differences: We can see the differences between [ancient people] and us. To better understand how they would have interpreted what was being shared to them.

5. Understand what issues were being addressed: When we hear the message in its authentic, original cultural setting we can reapply it afresh for our own different setting most fully, because we understand what issues were really being addressed.

6. Prevent imposing your own culture: If we know nothing of the ancient world, we will be inclined to impose our own culture and worldview on the Biblical text. This will always be detrimental to our understanding.

7. Fill in the gaps: As each person hears or reads the text, the message takes for granted underlying gaps that need to be filled with meaning by the audience. It is theologically essential that we fill [the gaps] appropriately.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church summarizes this beautifully as follows:

109 In Sacred Scripture, God speaks to man in a human way. To interpret Scripture correctly, the reader must be attentive to what the human authors truly wanted to affirm and to what God wanted to reveal to us by their words.

110 In order to discover the sacred authors’ intention, the reader must take into account the conditions of their time and culture, the literary genres in use at that time, and the modes of feeling, speaking, and narrating then current. “For the fact is that truth is differently presented and expressed in the various types of historical writing, in prophetical and poetical texts, and in other forms of literary expression.”\

Catholic Church, Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd Ed. (Washington, DC: United States Catholic Conference, 2000), 32.

This article originally posted by Cierra Klatt on 09/06/2017 in Olive Tree Blog

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Excellent Riddle: Can You Discover What God Made?

This puzzle was written by a lady in California in 1890 in response to a gentlemen in Philadelphia, who said that he would pay $1,000 to anyone who could write a puzzle that he could not solve. He failed to do so, and paid the lady $1,000 (a great sum at that time).

The answer is one word, five letters long, and appears only four times in the King James Version of the Bible and twice in the Revised Standard Catholic Edition.

An eight-year-old boy figured out the puzzle. Can you? If you give up, need a hint, or guess the answer, write me at sray@me.com. A hint at the end of the riddle if you want to cheat. Happy hunting!

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God made Adam out of the dust,
but thought it best to make me first.

So I was made before the man,
according to God’s Holy plan.

My whole body God made complete,
without arms, or hands, or feet.

My ways and acts did God control,
but in my body He placed no immortal soul.

A living being I became,
and Adam gave to me a name.

Then from his presence I withdrew,
for this man Adam I never knew.

All my Maker’s laws I do obey,
and from these laws I never stray.

Thousands of me go in fear,
but seldom on the earth appear.

Later, for a purpose God did see,
He placed a living soul in me.

But that soul of mine God had to claim,
and from me took it back again.

And when this soul from me had fled,
I was the same as when first made;

without arms, legs, feet, or soul,
I travel on from pole to pole.

My labors are from day to night,
and to men I once furnished light.

Thousands of people both young and old,
did by my death bright lights behold.

No right or wrong can I conceive;
the Bible and it’s teachings I can’t believe.

The fear of death doesn’t trouble me;
pure happiness I will never see.

And up in Heaven I can never go,
nor in the grave or hell below.

So get your Bible and read with care;
you’ll find my name recorded there.

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If you give up and want the answer, extract and write down every third letter to form the answer: wmwdhhzwautlcxe or see Matt 112:40 in the KJV, Revised Standard or the New American Bible.

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