Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Duck, Duck. Whose Goose is Cooked?

All the fuss over the Duck Dynasty debacle has proven only one thing. A&E needs the Roberston's more than the Robertson's need A&E.
Duck Dynasty - Photo Credit: Parade.com

What did the network think? That these self-proclaimed Christians were going to deny their beliefs? Go against their faith? That they were going to put up and shut up?
That in itself is proof that the executives at A&E don't understand Christianity at all.

Following Jesus Christ is not about convenience. It's not the least bit convenient. It's about believing what truth is. Living in the truth isn't easy. Christians and Catholics live a harder path. It's harder to do right than to just do okay. People, we mere humans, don't get to decide what is a sin and what isn't.

Well, that's the question that Phil Robertson was answering. Or more accurately, he was trying to explain what his understanding of sin is, in the way that it matters in his life.

According to Wikipedia:
On December 18, 2013, A&E announced that it was suspending Phil Robertson from the show indefinitely over remarks he made during an interview with Drew Magary of GQ magazine.[64] During the interview for a featured article in GQ's January 2014 issue, titled "What the Duck?", Magary asked Robertson: "What, in your mind, is sinful?"[65] Robertson replied: 
"Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men." Continuing rhetorically, Robertson questioned the appeal of same-sex relationships, particularly amongst men, saying: "It seems like, to me, a vagina—as a man—would be more desirable than a man’s anus. That’s just me. I’m just thinking: There’s more there! She’s got more to offer. I mean, come on, dudes! You know what I’m saying? But hey, sin: It’s not logical, my man. It’s just not logical.”[66]
A&E released a statement that read: "We are extremely disappointed to have read Phil Robertson's comments in GQ, which are based on his own personal beliefs and are not reflected in the series Duck Dynasty. His personal views in no way reflect those of A&E Networks, who have always been strong supporters and champions of the LGBT community. The network has placed Phil under hiatus from filming indefinitely."[64]

Christians and Catholics don't have the luxury of just shrugging their shoulders and saying, "Well, okay. Whatever you want, I guess." We are called to stand up and defend what is right, what is true.

Sure it's convenient to acknowledge that times have changed, and these days, sex before marriage is normal, so if it's normal it must not be a sin, and those Christians and Catholics ought to just get with the times.

Myself, I've struggled with the Church's position on homosexuality. I have friends who are gay. They are wonderful people and I love them. That's not to say that I don't believe the act of homosexuality is sinful. (note the distinction: the act, not the condition is sin.) Likewise, I have friends who are straight who have lived together, presumably sexually active prior to their marriage. I love them too. I have friends who sleep with most of the people they date, committed or not. I think THAT is really messed up. But I love them.

I'm a sinner too. Yet I am loved.

But here's what I don't understand about how the media spins these kinds of things out of proportion.
Christians are pretty clear about what they know to be sinful.
When we say we don't believe in premarital sex, when we point out that extra-marital affairs are sinful - secular society just points and laughs and calls us ridiculous.  See above, we're just supposed to get with the times.

They write us off as lunatics and get on with their lives.

So why is it, when Christians point out that homosexuality is a sin - people get fired? It's called hate speech and people start drawing up lawsuits.

Why don't they just write Christians off as silly, self-righteous fools and ignore them then?

I have some ideas. What are yours?

Friday, November 1, 2013

Anticipating and Serving Needs

My parish has a tough time organizing Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers and Altar Servers.
We have set schedules for the weekend Masses, but not for Holy Days of Obligation. (Even for weekend Masses, those assigned fail to show up, or even attempt to find a replacement, but that's another topic.) 

A few weeks ago, at a Sunday, 10:00AM Mass, there were NO altar servers! Zero. Our priest processed down the aisle alone, no crucifix, no candles... I think there was a Lector escorting the Word... but I'll admit I was embarrassed and ashamed that there were no servers, and no one from the assembly sent their sons forward!
I do hope this problem is rare in other parishes.

Tonight, I attended my church's All Saints Day Mass at 6:00PM. Since there had already been an early morning Mass, and another for the school children, there were only about thirty people attending Mass.
When I walked in, I was prepared to do a reading or both if necessary, but I saw that there was someone prepared for that. As soon as I sat down, the choir director came over to ask if I could serve as Eucharistic Minister. My only concern was that I had just come from work, wearing jeans, but service outweighed that concern.

More concern arose though, when the priest processed all alone.  My mind flashed forward to the consecration, visualizing the priest trotting back and forth with the water and wine. I couldn't even imagine how that would work, logistically!

You see, I was raised to always help out whenever there was a need. My parents were a great example. Not just at church, but throughout life.
My dad, at age seventy-five told me that he often found himself as an altar server for funeral Masses back home. Since few kids could get out of school to serve for funerals, Dad would put on his suit, go to the funerals of his peers, and volunteer as an altar server for such farewell Masses.
When he told me, it struck me funny to picture an elderly man in a suit, doing what I considered a kid's form of ministry.

But this evening, that impression changed. I considered going up there myself! Although I'm from the generation in which girls were never servers, I thought I could make a go of it, awkward as it might be.

I looked around and saw a man in his late 20s with his wife, and considered asking him to serve. I looked to my left and saw a boy around 12 or 14, (Hmm, maybe older, considering he was alone - maybe he could drive!) then got up my nerve, walked across the side aisle and asked the boy if he knew how to serve Mass.  He said he did. "Would you please help Father?"

Keep in mind, Mass had already begun! Perhaps I was out of line, but I felt it was important.
The boy went up, put on a cassock and went into service.

I was pleased. This was a small act of mercy on his part.
After Mass, the choir director thanked me for nudging the boy, and told me that normally, that boy's father would nudge him to go up.

Now, I'm going to be a little opinionated here - but maybe this experience will give him the presence of mind to step in to serve without a nudge. As he's getting older, maybe he will learn to see needs, and fill them without a second thought.

Of course, the larger issue is getting the ancillary service of Mass better organized. I guess I'll call Father next week to offer my services and those of Sign Up Genius - and crack the whip!


--This post is not an advertisement for any product. To be perfectly honest, I haven't even tried the product in the above link yet. I just think it might help us to garner some accountability. --

Sunday, August 25, 2013

To Seek and To Walk the Narrow Way

These days, those of us striving to live on the narrow path, according to the will of God, find that we are living counter to the culture.

We are so far off the beaten path, that the secular world, (even some Christian folks) simply can't understand why we Catholics live as we do. Sometimes, even we Catholics aren't sure why we do it.

This blog is for everyone who needs a little support to walk the narrow way.

Single adults are particularly on my heart, as the Holy Church isn't quite sure what to do with us.  This may be the first time in Church History that so many singles face the challenge of a missed vocation.
Many are called to marriage as a vocation, but because so many others have strayed to the easier, secular path, they are left without a spouse.
Tricky thing, the Sacrament of Marriage calls two people at a time.

I hope married Catholics will participate here as well. We all have something to share, we must learn from one another, and support each other in our walk.

Look for faithful reflections, tips for surviving as a searching single, and hopefully some guest posts on even more topics.

Also, I ask for your help with this blog.  If you have questions about the faith, or how to live your faith in a world that no longer respects religious freedom and the differences that come from that - please ask your questions here. 

I can't promise to have an answer, but I do promise to search for an answer. Even better, we can build a community here to help one another with what we know.

More posts to come!

(status 8/25/2013 - I am writing posts behind the scenes to launch any day now. Because I desire to present proper theology, I know I must reflect and pray before I post so please bear with me for the inaugural post!
In the meantime - what are your thoughts on Pope Francis' call for a Theology of Woman? )