Dwight Longenecker's Blog, page 297

The Second Coming

I've just finished re-reading Walker Percy's The Second Coming. Whew! what a knockout last page!



It's the story of Will Barrett--an emotionally wounded, rich, late middle aged Wall Street lawyer who has retired to North Carolina. He has a mental breakdown after the death of his wife and is rescued by Allison, a loopy gal who escaped from the mental asylum herself.



Beneath the story is the struggle for faith and meaning, a contemplation on the madness of miserable Americans pretending to be happy, a meditation on wealth and emptiness, musing on sanity and insanity, faith and experience, forgiveness and being born again.



It's a powerful and compelling novel, and one which bears reading and re-reading because Percy understands the complexity of human nature and communicates it with all the subtlety and skill that his own main character exhibits. The interwoven complexities of the person and his relationships are shown, not told and the reader is drawn into the emotional struggle through the outwardly dull, but inwardly tumultuous life of the hero.



Turn off the TV, tear yourself away from the computer and read this great book.



Geesh, I wish I could write a book like that!








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Archbishop of Canterbury to Resign

News has come in that Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury is to resign and return to his previous employment on the Muppet Show.



Seriously now, I think the Archbishop of Canterbury deserves a break. He's clearly a sincere and intelligent person who means well, and what an impossible job--trying to hold together the Anglican Church which has as part of its genetic code the principle that everyone can believe whatever they like.[image error]

The Practical Purpose of Penitence

In Lent I repent. I say, "I'm a sinner." I admit I am wrong, not right. I accept that I am flawed, that I am ignorant and arrogant and proud and willful and egotistical and I could go on and on.



What is the purpose of this self denial and degradation? One of the practical purposes of penitence is that I am being realistic. My own high self image is very likely to be at very least distorted and probably a complete fabrication. Therefore repentance is a useful correction.



The problem with penitence is that it has been distorted by heretical notions of total depravity and excessive doses of guilt. These religious ideas have produced some Christians who are laden with guilt and have a self image that is so low that it can hardly be lifted at all.



Healthy repentance, on the other hand, helps us to take a serious, simple and honest look at ourselves, realize we are imperfect, and begin to make amends. The best way to do this is through a complete examination of conscience.



A good examination of conscience enables us to take an objective look at the state of our soul and to steer around the three things which most cloud our vision: fear of being found out, shame and guilt.



The lowest level of sorrow for sin is fear of being found out. Shame is the embarrassment and disgust at ourselves for doing something which goes against the fine and delightful image we have of ourselves. Guilt is a healthy sorrow for sin because it breaks God's commandments, and most of all because it offends God himself and desecrates his love for us.



When fear of being found out, shame and guilt combine the emotions are strong and drive us to repentance and the confessional. However, the level of our fear, shame and guilt may not be an accurate indicator of the seriousness of our sin. We may do something sordid and shameful and which may have serious consequences if we are found out, but which may not be a very serious sin. Likewise, we may do something which does not make us feel ashamed and which may have no serious consequences at all, but which is more serious because it is grave matter and we did it intentionally.



A good examination of conscience helps us move beyond the natural feelings of fear, shame and guilt to look objectively at what we've done and receive forgiveness and absolution through the confessional. This objectivity corrects both the person who doesn't feel guilt, fear and shame for their sin and the one who feels this too much.[image error]

Homosexual Marriage in England

The homosexual marriage debate is raging in England. Damian Thompson-- who is probably one of the world's greatest journalists-- write here about how the church will lose the argument. They are saying that there will be a clause in the legislation banning homosexual marriages from taking place in church, but Damian's right in pointing out that there will be plenty of Church of England priests willing to conduct church "blessings" of the homosexual marriage. They've been "blessing" second and third marriages in church for a long time now already.



What this means is that Adam and Steve get "married" have their civil marriage then go on to the church for the "blessing" which will be all fancy just like a wedding. Catholic priests will not be allowed to conduct such services, but anybody who has followed this debate and knows what the homosexual activists are like can easily predict the future. Homosexual marriages in churches will soon be allowed, and then be made mandatory--especially in the established Church of England.



The time will come very quickly when religious groups will not be able to maintain their own employment policy which excludes homosexual people, and churches will be forced to "marry" homosexual people if that is what they demand. It will be the law, and refusal to co operate means you will be punished.


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Sermon for Sunday

Got my sermon ready for Sunday already...[image error]

Thrown Under the Bus?

Was Fr. Guarnizo thrown under the bus by the Archdiocese of Washington?



He makes his statement here, and most importantly, contends that his 'suspension', which the Archdiocese said was due to 'intimidating behavior' was connected with the funeral-lesbian incident after all.



If this is true, is justice being done? Can an Archdiocese withdraw faculties from a priest simply for 'intimidating behavior'? What on earth does that mean? Any kind of conflict in a parish in which a priest asserts himself might be construed as "intimidating behavior". For goodness sake, I can name half a dozen priests off the top of my head about whom reports of "intimidating behavior" are reported weekly.



Even if Fr Guarnizo is guilty of "intimidating behavior" what did he actually do? Did he hit someone? Did he threaten them with violence? Did he threaten to blackmail them? What did the "intimidating behavior" consist of? Were there witnesses? What actually happened?



Will "intimidating behavior" become the new "abuse". Increasingly we hear charges against people of "abuse". "Abuse" used to mean that a man came home, kicked his kids down the stairs, punched his wife and raped his daughter. "Abuse" used to mean a woman got drunk, burned her kids with cigarettes, tortured the dog and locked her son in a cupboard. "Abuse" used to mean a priest was a drunkard, raped little boys and stole the collection money.



Now the term "abuse" is thrown at people, damning them with a vague and unproved accusation. "My husband was abusive!" I hear a woman complain, and it turns out he didn't listen to her enough and forgot to take out the trash on a Tuesday. "My mom is abusive!" a high school kid wails, and it turns out she yelled at him to clean up his room and grounded him because his grades were lousy.



This is the heresy of sentimentalism turned violent. The play is on a supposed victim's feelings. So-and-so was "abusive" or "intimidating" and I'm feeling wounded so the accusation is made, the "abusive" or "intimidating" person is accused, assumed guilty and executed without trial.



I don't know Fr Guarnizo and I don't have enough facts either way to make the judgment in this case, and anyway it's not my job. It's easy to jump to Fr Guarnizo's defense and view the Archdiocese as the Big Bad Wolf (in sheep's clothing) when the fact is, we really don't know all the facts and so we can't make a judgment one way or the other. We have to give both Fr Guranizo and the Archdiocese the benefit of the doubt.



However, in the midst of this fuss, I'm making the more general point that accusations of "abuse" and "intimidating behavior" should not be enough.



Everyone deserves justice and fair play and not only must there be justice, but justice must also be seen to delivered. Let's hope that is what prevails in the conflict between the Archdiocese and Fr Guarnizo.




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Tertullian on Prayer

Prayer is the one thing that can conquer God. But Christ has willed that it should work no evil, and has given it all power over good.

  Its only art is to call back the souls of the dead from the very journey into death, to give strength to the weak, to heal the sick, to exorcise the possessed, to open prison cells, to free the innocent from their chains. Prayer cleanses from sin, drives away temptations, stamps out persecutions, comforts the fainthearted, gives new strength to the courageous, brings travellers safely home, calms the waves, confounds robbers, feeds the poor, overrules the rich, lifts up the fallen, supports those who are falling, sustains those who stand firm.

  All the angels pray. Every creature prays. Cattle and wild beasts pray and bend the knee. As they come from their barns and caves they look out to heaven and call out, lifting up their spirit in their own fashion. The birds too rise and lift themselves up to heaven: they open out their wings, instead of hands, in the form of a cross, and give voice to what seems to be a prayer.

  What more need be said on the duty of prayer? Even the Lord himself prayed. To him be honour and power for ever and ever. Amen.[image error]

Eau My Goodness

At Italian perfumer has produced a perfume especially for the Holy Father. The Daily Telegraph reports here. The expert says it was very difficult and she almost gave up. I would have thought it was quite easy--just take the fragrances of various incense types and you'd have something suitably ecclesiastical.



What got me is that she attempted to produce a fragrance that reflected the Holy Father's personality and theological position. What?? It got me thinking what sort of fragrances might reflect my personality and theological position.



I'm for cordite, incense and the mustiness of old books.[image error]

The Attack of the Ism's

Every year during Lent I am asked to conduct a Lenten mission in a parish. On the first night I tell my conversion story. On the second I talk about the "attach of the Ism's". These are twelve ways of thinking that have invaded our society and which undermine our Catholic faith.



1. Individualism - I'll do it My Way

2. Eclecticism - Cafeteria Catholicism

3. Sentimentalism - If it Feels Good it must be True



4. Materialism - What You See if What You Get

5. Scientism - Only Scientific Knowledge is Valid

6. Utilitarianism - What Works is What's True



7. Nationalism - My Country or Ethnic Group Right or Wrong

8. Sectarianism - My Church or My Ideology Right or Wrong

9. Elitism - The Survival of the Fittest



10. Fideism - Fundamentalist and Anti-Intellectual

11. Historicism - "Truth" is determined by historical circumstances

12. Progressivism - Every Day in Every Way We're Getting Better and Better!



The neat thing about these twelve is that they are countered by being One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic. The first set of three are attacks on the unity of Church Authority and Church Teaching, so are countered by being "One" The second set of three are attacks on the supernatural, on grace, on the belief in an afterlife. The are, at heart, atheistic, so they are countered by the "Holy". The third set of three are counted by "Catholic" because they are attacks on the universality of the Church. The fourth set of three are countered by "Apostolic" because they are attacks on the historicity, antiquity and dynamic continuity of the Church.



The third night of the mission I discuss how we as parishes, families and individuals can be more "One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic."



The people of Blessed Sacrament Parish in Providence, RI are experiencing this teaching this week. We're having a great time.

What Women Want

Watching the news coverage of the Alabama and Mississippi primaries last night it was interesting to note that Santorum got the large share of women's votes. The commentators on MSNBC were bemoaning the fact, revealing their own bias and arrogance.



When we hear the narrative that Republicans are "against women" what we are really hearing is from the feminists is "we don't like Republians." The idea that one political party is "against" one gender is ridiculous and degrading to women. If I were a woman I'd be outraged to think that some ideologue of either the right wing or the left wing were speaking for me.



When the liberal media talk about Republicans or Catholics or any other group being "against women" what they mean is that these groups do not rubber stamp the feminist agenda. But when are the feminists going to realize that they are not the only women in the world and that there are plenty of women (in fact the majority of women) in this country who don't buy into their radical agenda?



When the votes go against their ideology they will do two things: 1. Mindlessly shout out the dogmas of that ideology even louder and more repetitiously 2. Attack the other side with every weapon they've got--usually ignoring the other side completely, but also mis representation, distortion of truth and finally portraying the opposition as mindless hillbilly cretins who are "clinging to their Bibles, guns and snot nosed babies."



But of course, the women who voted for Santorum are not mindless hillbilly cretins. They may not be educated at some ivy league college, but they also are intelligent, thoughtful human beings who simply look at the world in a different way. Are there some ignorant, stupid women among them?



Sure. But nobody's got a monopoly on ignorance and stupidity.