Stephen K. Ray's Blog, page 96

“Is it a boy or a girl?”

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Proud of My Grandson Damian and his Theological and Insightful Poem

Our grandson Damian Augustine Brown wrote and delivered a poem for his Thomistic Philosophy class at their home school co-op St. Augustine classical education.

I don’t know if a grandfather could be more proud! You can watch the delivery here:

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Mega-church Mania: One Mom’s Observations (she’s a good writer) and Observations from the Early Church

Mr. Ray,

My eldest daughter invited me to my grandson’s ‘dedication’ at her new place of worship.  Worship? Sorry. Her new place of…..well, the giant Olympic-sized structure that, after being directed in by police/traffic officers, upon entering, reminded me of a mall.  Oh and by the way, I didn’t witness any worship. My 1st thoughts were…”Wow! A frappucino Mass! Where do I get my 3D glasses?” 

Joined daughter, son in law and grandson in the biggest theater I’ve ever been in.  The music was ghastly and horribly loud. I found out later, I could have gotten ear plugs from one of the kajillion ushers. Seriously? I personally choose 11:00 Mass at St. Johns because of the music. So now this place is on strike # 6 or 7.  I’m still giving it a chance as I love my child and grandchild more than life. 

Music’s done. Smoke machine turned off.  Some hip, young guy puts down his guitar and welcomes us to the (lack of) worship service.  A special welcome to us uninformed-not-belonging-to-the-mega-church-there-because-of-the-dedication, schmucks. 

He also welcomed the 4 or so other locations as they are all gathered at their ‘malls’ watching on the big screen. Are you kidding me?!?! He then tells us that this dedication “is not a baptism as they don’t baptize infants. “The Bible is clear that we are saved by God’s grace, not by dedication, baptism, or our own works.”  And that “every baptism recorded in the Bible occurred when someone was old enough to make a faith decision.” 

I got up and walked out. Mostly because my husband wouldn’t let me stand up and yell “LIAR!” “Go home. Open your bible, read it and get back to us.” As today is Sunday and I went to Mass at my church with my live priest and beautiful music and the presence of our Lord and true praise and worship and forgiveness…..I’ll admit to you that I wanted to say worse. In my mind I did.

This daughter was a Catholic.  This daughter knows better.  I felt as though this daughter ripped my heart out and stomped on it.  She claims she ‘switched’ because her husband, while attending Mass with her, was offended and did not feel comfortable because she told him he could not receive communion as he didn’t understand the true meaning. They went church-hopping and ended up at Eagle Brook. Super mega franchise church. Did I say church? My apologies.

Please help me.  I’ve heard you speak at Little Canda, MN.  Which of your books would help me and God help her, my daughter. [Steve here: Crossing the Tiber would be the book. It is my conversion story and has effected thousands to come back to the Church – blessed be God] I say books as she is an avid reader.  Books are best in this case. 

I feel just sick that my grandson is this little nobody in this horrible excuse for a place of worship…or lack thereof.  I so want him to be a part of our beautiful, Catholic family. 

I must say, since I’ve been so very negative, that a good thing did come from this visit……daughters 2 and 3 (who happen to be teenagers, mind you) both stated from the back seat on the way home, “I can’t wait to go to real church tomorrow.” That was huge for daughter #2…..teenage angst and all that. I appreciate any help you can give me.

Check out this video from a person who posted it as “This is my church.” This was shared and viewed at all of their campuses (a word they use for all of their satellite “churches”, rather, theaters.

STEVE RAY HERE: The current trend of mega-churches is pretty much an American phenomenon. It is a response to Americans’ desire for entertainment, theatrics, “big exciting stuff” and religion-lite. They don’t want a lot of commitment, history, or quiet. Mega churches replicate the media world. In the first century they would have been similar to the colosseum, the entertainment genre of the day.

I am not saying there is not good being done in the mega churches, there is. But the Church that Jesus Christ founded 2,000 years ago is not about entertainment but about sacrifice, the Eucharist and the liturgy given by the Apostles which has been practiced since the first century. This good mom has described it all very well.

Around 150 AD Justin Martyr described the apostolic Church of the second century following the pattern laid down by the apostles. There was only one church, the Catholic Church. Read this and tell me where you find it today

Early Christians often celebrated the Mass in the catacombs

And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits; then, when the reader has ceased, the president verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these good things.

Then we all rise together and pray, and, as we before said, when our prayer is ended, bread and wine and water are brought, and the president in like manner offers prayers and thanksgivings, according to his ability, and the people assent, saying Amen; and there is a distribution to each, and a participation of that over which thanks have been given, and to those who are absent a portion is sent by the deacons. 

First century bishop St. Ignatius, disciple of the apostles wrote:

See that ye all follow the bishop, even as Jesus Christ does the Father, and the presbytery as ye would the apostles; and reverence the deacons, as being the institution of God. Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop. Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is [administered] either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it.

Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude [of the people] also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. It is not lawful without the bishop either to baptize or to celebrate a love-feast; but whatsoever he shall approve of, that is also pleasing to God, so that everything that is done may be secure and valid.

And,

But consider those who are of a different opinion with respect to the grace of Christ which has come unto us, how opposed they are to the will of God. … They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they confess not the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Saviour Jesus Christ, which suffered for our sins, and which the Father, of His goodness, raised up again. Those, therefore, who speak against this gift of God, incur death in the midst of their disputes.

So dear mega church friends, where is your bishop? Where is your Eucharist? The heretics of the first century denied the Real Presence of Christ in the Blessed Eucharist. Where is the liturgy of the apostles on your stages? Even imagining Peter or Paul officiating at a Rock Concert church service is unthinkable.

Thank God for the one, holy, Catholic and apostolic Church!

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Israel 9 Comments and Farewells 4-29

Enjoy these heartfelt and enthusiastic comments, even with some tears, from our pilgrims.

“I’m so impressed with the fruits of your years of experience with the logistics, group dynamics, etc. I can see 100 ways to ruin a trip, but you gracefully avoided them all with skill, planning, and flexibility.

“Thank you and Janet so much for your ministry. You are a dynamo force for the Lord!”

By US law everyone needs to be tested for Covid within 24 hours before flying back home. We hired a clinic to come into the hotel where we had all of our people tested and the results within 15 minutes printed out for them. Everyone was negative and they’re now on their way home.

enjoy these final thoughts and comments from our pilgrims.

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Amazing Harmonica – A Brief Intermission for your Day

I loved playing the harmonica when I was a kid. The first song I learned to play was “What can wash away my sins, nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

But I could never play like this!

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Israel 8 The Fun Day at Jericho, Dead Sea, Jordan River and CAMELS

We call today the Optional Day. People either take a free day and do what they want or stay in Jerusalem or, they board the bus and do some fun things mostly down in the Judean Wilderness area.

After Mass we started out for the Israel Museum, then drove 20 miles descending 4125 feet to the Jordan River. We renewed our baptismal vows with feet in the water and then went to Jericho for a magnificent lunch. People had an opportunity to buy a Hebron glass, see the Mount of Temptation and a sycamore tree.

Qumran before a swim in the Dead Sea and we ended up with riding camels.

We also hired a Covid testing clinic to come right into the hotel so our people could get their US mandatory test to fly home. This was a great advantage for a group and made everything very easy. Everyone tested negative and they’re now on their way home.

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Did John the Baptist Doubt that Jesus was the Messiah?

I get asked this question a lot and thought others would find my answer helpful. Not that I claim to have discovered this myself but reading and gleaning has brought me to this conclusion.

In Luke 7:19-28, John the Baptist was in prison and sent two of his disciples to Galilee to ask Jesus a question.

And John, calling to him two of his disciples, sent them to the Lord, saying, Are you he who is to come, or shall we look for another?” And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you he who is to come, or shall we look for another?’ 

Some say John was doubting. Was Jesus really the one sent from God, the Messiah, or not?

Had John lost his faith? Of course, we cannot deny that this is a possibility. Of course John was in prison and things had not gone the way he may have hoped. If Jesus was the “sent one” why was he, John, languishing in the Machaerus Fortress?

Human weakness could possibly be an explanation though John the Baptist does not strike me as one who is going to doubt Jesus as the Messiah considering all that he had witnessed and known.

I think a better explanation might be that John the Baptist had to decrease and Jesus had to increase (John 3:30). What is the best way to get your disciples to leave you and follow the Messiah than to send them to Jesus to ask him if he is the Messiah?

In other words I don’t think it was doubt that caused John to send his disciples to ask Jesus that question. It was that he wanted to wean them off of himself so that they would realize who Jesus really was and begin to follow him.

Luke continues,

In that hour [Jesus] cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many that were blind he bestowed sight. And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them.  And blessed is he who takes no offense at me.” (Luke 7:18-28)

Seeing Jesus’ miracles and their correspondence side-by-side with the prophecies of Isaiah certainly gave the proof to an honest heart and mind.

John, knowing his disciples had been prepared for the coming Messiah through his own preaching, knew they would recognize and follow him after their journey. He must decrease, Jesus must increase.

This seems to me an adequate and substantial explanation of John the Baptist’s question. I think St. Francis de Sales explained it this way and if anyone knows where the citation is, please let me know.

“The glorious St. John the Baptist did not send his disciples to Jesus our Lord to find out whether or not He was the Messiah. He had three reasons: first, to make Him known to the whole world. Second, he wanted to draw disciples only to his Teacher, to whose school he now sends them to be instructed personally by Him. Third, to detach them from himself and let them see Jesus so that they might come to Him in a manner worthy of Him. Therefore, John sent them to this Divine Majesty.”

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Passion & Resurrection of Christ, Mass at the Tomb; Meeting Patriarch of Jerusalem

Today we started out at 4 AM so we could do the Via Dolorosa, touch the top of Calvary before the crowds arrived. It was a great plan!

Enjoy our Mass at the Holy Sepulchre in front of the tomb, and then we went to the Western Wall before having a lunch at the Notre Dame Center.

From there we went to meet with the Patriarch of Jerusalem and then went into the tomb of Christ. There were no lines so everyone got to touch and enjoy the tomb of our Lord.

After that we had a great dinner at the Wine and Cheese Restaurant on the rooftop of Jerusalem.

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Rent to Own

The Father sees my sign and knocks on my door, seeking a home for his Son.

“Rent is cheap,” I say.
“I don’t want to rent, I want to buy,” says God.
“I’m not sure I want to sell, but please come in to look around.“
“I think I will,” says God.
“I might let you have a room or two,” I say.
“I like it,” says God. “I’ll take the two rooms. You might decide to give me more some day. I can wait,” says God.
“I’d like to give you more, but it a bit difficult. I need some space for me,” I say.
“I know,” says God, “but I’ll wait; I like what I see.”
“Hmm, Maybe I can let you have another room. I really don’t need that much.“
“Thanks,” says God. “I’ll take it. I like what I see.“
“I’d like to give you the whole house, but I’m not sure.“
“Think on it,” says God; “I would not put you out. Your house would be mine and my son would live in it. You’d have more space than you’ve ever had before.“
“But, I don’t understand at all,” I say.
“I know,” says God, “but I can’t tell you about that. You have to discover it for yourself. That can only happen if you let me have the whole house.“
“That’s a bit risky,” I say.
“Yes,” says God, “but try me.“
“I’m not sure. I’ll let you know.“
“I can wait,” says God. “I like what I see.”

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Israel 6 All Day Jerusalem: Gethsemane, Mt. Zion & Mt. of Olives

We start the day at the top of the Mount of Olives to visit Pater Noster where Jesus taught his disciples to pray the Our Father. Then to Mass at Gethsemane — always a very emotional site for the pilgrims.

Lunch at the Ramat Rachel Kibbutz. Then to the lookout over Jerusalem where I give my talk “The Story of Salvation History from Adam and Eve until Today“. Then on to Mount Zion to visit Peter in Gallicantu, the Upper Room and the Dormition of Mary. Some free time in the afternoon and dinner.

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