The Arrow's Path

 Here is a strange case of a frozen embryo that was in storage for 30 years before being born. While we as Catholics believe an embryo is a unique human being and should not simply be discarded or destroyed for want of use, herein is one of the issues with IVF. There are thousands of frozen embryos sitting around for decades, perhaps for centuries, that no one knows what to do with.  In this bizarre instance, the embryo was born to parents who are biologically about his same age and there is apparently a a biological sister from when the embryos were created who is now 30 years old (the same age as the non-biological parents. 

     The readings for Mass for this coming Sunday (18th Sunday in Ordinary Time) asks us to examine our relationship with material possessions and whether the true source of lasting fulfillment is found in them. Together, the readings paint a complete picture of how we are called to live as followers of Christ in a world obsessed with accumulation and wealth.      The first two chapters of Ecclesiastes open with the haunting refrain: "Vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!" The author, referred to only as “The Preacher,” offers words that cut through our illusions about the permanence of worldly success. He reminds us of the bitter irony that someone may "toil with wisdom and knowledge and skill" only to leave everything to another who "did not toil for it." This isn't a condemnation of honest work, but rather a sobering reminder that our ultimate security cannot rest in what we accumulate.      The sleepless nights spent worrying ab...

 

 Now we're talking:  

     The readings today open with an intriguing story about three men who visit Abraham. This story illustrates themes of hospitality, divine revelation, and the covenant relationship between God and humanity in a unique way. This passage not only serves as a narrative of Abraham's welcoming of the visitors, but also foreshadows the deeper theological truths that resonate throughout today’s readings.      In Genesis 18, the three men, often interpreted as a manifestation of God, arrive at Abraham's tent. Abraham's immediate response is one of hospitality; he runs to meet them, bows before them, and offers them sustenance. This act of hospitality is significant in the ancient Near Eastern context, where welcoming strangers was not merely a social nicety but often seen a sacred duty. Abraham's    actions exemplify the virtue of hospitality, which is a recurring theme in the biblical narrative. His openness to the three visitors reflects a heart attu...

 

 I had another interesting question posed to me: "...my husband and I exploring Catholicism. My husband and I have been doing much reading and research into the Catholic Church. My husband was raised catholic and so he has a love for the Catholic Church but wandered away in his youth. I was raised non denominational but I have attended mass and I do enjoy it. My husband is like 98% sure he wants to join the Catholic faith. I have some hang up though. I’ve looked through the dogmas and, I can accept most of them, however I am getting hung up on the last two Marian dogmas. Her assumption and her being sinless. I am under the impression that if I become catholic and do not believe in these things I will be guilty of sin. We are looking into starting classes this fall and my husband thinks all my questions will be answered then. In the meantime I would like some insight on these two things from converts. Just accepting them is not enough for me. How did you come to believ...

I have done one review before of a Button Shy Games classic called Skulls of Sedlec . I was dubious at first of Button Shy "wallet" games, namely because the ones I had attempted were Print 'n Play games that I had tried to print myself. Not having either the advanced home printer or the patience for the fiddly nature of printing game cards at home, my experience with small wallet sized PnP games was pretty bad. But, I rolled the dice and tried Skulls of Sedlec directly from the Button Shy website. I had such a good experience, I decided to try another one (or two...)   I ordered a few more different Button Shy games, but I remained skeptical that they could do so many different games with only about 18 cards in a wallet and keep variety. So far from the ones I have tried, that has not been the case. So, I will likely do more Button Shy reviews in the future.  Today, I will discuss a little gem I almost did not order until the last minute. I was ordering some other bigge...

    What does Jesus mean when he says,"the harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few?" This theme concerning the harvest in God’s Kingdom runs through today’s Mass readings, and each of today’s texts weave today a tapestry of understanding regarding the call to mission, the nature of God's kingdom, and the responsibilities of believers.     In Isaiah 66:10-14 speaks to the joy and comfort that God promises to His people. The imagery of Jerusalem as a mother nurturing her children encapsulates the tenderness and care of God for His people. The passage emphasizes the abundance of blessings that God pours out, likening them to a bountiful harvest. This abundance is not just material but spiritual, as it signifies the fulfillment of God's promises and the joy that comes from being in communion with Him. The call here is to recognize the blessings and to respond to God's nurturing love by participating in the life of the community, which is a form of labor in its...

 I had a question about praying to Saints, which I will include here:   Hello, why am I reading on here, that some Catholics are praying to Mary and certain saints , instead of God the Father..I've not read in the Bible anywhere that you pray to Mary and Saints instead of God. So some Catholics pray to Mary and there chosen saints first above God and Jesus..I'm looking into the Catholic faith and I'm finding this very confusing I know some people will say , we are not praying to them but asking t hem to pray fir us and intercede for them , but I actually read that some Catholics are actually praying to them above God the Father and Lord Jesus Christ and I don't feel comfortable with that. It's like they are believing that the prayers to them will help them, but why not pray to God the Father who is the creator of us all..I'm not a Catholic but one who's looking into the faith but now losing hope in bothering now , because I'm reading people ...

 

 I had someone query about being on the journey to join the Church but was afraid if she died before being Confirmed and receiving the Eucharist, she might go to hell. She was baptized in her current Protestant denomination, but still battles with the dread doubt that she might not be saved even when validly baptized. She asks if she is crazy for thinking this way.  This is my response: No, you are not crazy at all. In fact, this very topic is one of the major driving factors that fueled the early Reformation. One of the, I think, quite valid criticisms of the Medieval Church on the practical day-to-day ground level in normal parish life was a lack of catechism and understanding amongst the everyday laity about certain central topics like Salvation. This was not true all over Christendom. Some places were better at catechizing and preaching everyday people better than others. But, it was a big enough problem that large groups of people were living in perpetual fear a...

     The centrality of the Trinity in Christian life is a profound and transformative reality that shapes our understanding of God, our relationship with Him, and our interactions with one another. Today’s readings illuminate the dynamic interplay of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, revealing how this relationship of the Triune God is foundational to our faith and existence.     In Proverbs 8:22-31 gives a poetic depiction of Wisdom, often interpreted as a prefiguration of Christ. Wisdom is portrayed as being present with God at the very beginning of creation, participating in the act of bringing forth the world. This passage highlights the relational aspect of the Trinity, where the Son, as the embodiment of divine Wisdom, is eternally in communion with the Father. The imagery of Wisdom rejoicing in creation underscores the joy and love that characterize the divine life. In recognizing the presence of the Son in the creation narrative, we are reminded that ou...

 I had a question on how to approach the Second Vatican Council. Here is my reply:  The most simple and direct way to approach Vatican II is to read the actual documents the Council produced. None are very long. All of them are actually quite interesting. Be open to what they are actually  saying, and to the idea the God was in control and did not go into hiding during the Council.  Secondly, (and I don't mean this to sound uncharitable) don't listen to the cranks. And I say that on both sides of the spectrum. There were and are those who took the actual documents and misused them as a blank check to justify chucking anything the. Church taught they didn't like, theologically and liturgically. That is not what the Council said. Read the actual documents for yourself. Vatican II was not a blanket invitation to burn the Church down, despite what people say. Now, the same is true on the other side of the spectrum. There are those who did and still do think Vatican II wa...

There has been much ballyhooing in the media the last few weeks over a finance bill working it's way through Congress. The bill has captured much media attention namely because President Trump, ever the showman, refers to it as his "Big, Beautiful Bill." This bill is a massive hodge podge of tax cuts, governmental cuts (mostly to baseline budgeting), and other blow out spending pork.  Baseline budgeting is the primarily guiding philosophical principle to most Federal spending. If you are unfamiliar with this boondoggle of an accounting system, b aseline budgeting uses current spending levels as the "baseline" for establishing future funding requirements. On it's face, that seems innocuous, but such a philosophy assumes future budgets will equal the current budget times the inflation rate times the population growth rate. In other words, it factors in percentage growth to the yearly projected budgets en perpetuity. This is how Congress has gotten away with ...