Last year I made a slide show for my wife using Windows MovieMaker. It turned out really well, but the problem was, I set the bar pretty high for myself; not to mention, it took a very long time to produce. I think now the annual slide show is going to become a tradition. Thank God for Animoto. Here is this year's installment. Enjoy!
Merry Christmas Everyone! This is probably a tradition in most families, but starting this year our family will begin our evening reading chapter 2 of the Gospel of Luke. (I suggested that we cast lots to determine who gets to the read the Gospel. :) see, Acts 1:26) I'm excited and hope that our family will continue this as a tradition and devote oursevles to always keep 'Christ' in Christmas.
Merry Christmas!
LUKE 2 1-21
1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. 2 This was the first enrollment, when Quirin'i-us was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. 7 And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
8 And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 10 And the angel said to them, "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; 11 for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!" 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." 16 And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them concerning this child; 18 and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
21 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Here is a shocking video outlining the blatant racist agenda of Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood. It is amazing that so many people will support this organization without clearly undersanding its goals.
I just started reading The Philosophy of Jesus and was floored with the introduction. Kreeft begins by explaining the four basic questions of philosophy:
1. What is real? (metaphysics)
2. How can we know what is real? (epistemology)
3. Who are we? (philosophical anthropology)
4. What should we be? (ethics)
Kreeft then goes on the say that philosophers have argued about these four questions for most of the last two millennia. One philosopher spends his time arguing that the others are idiots...and he usually proves it. The Christian response to these four questions is what has my wheels turning. This is what Dr. Kreeft has to say:
"The Christian answer: because the only adequate and final answer to all four great philosophical questions is Christ. The most philosophical writer in the Bible, John, begins his Gospel by identifying Jesus with the Logos ("In the beginning was the Logos, and the Logos was with God and the Logos was God...and the Logos became flesh and dwelt among us.") What is the Logos? It is an incredibly rich Greek word. Here are some of its meanings: the Logos means the Word of God, the Revelation of God, the Speech of God, the Wisdom of God, the Mind of God, the Truth of God, the Reason of God, the Philosophy of God.
"Jesus is God's philosophy. "
What does this mean for us? How is Jesus the philosophy of God? I am having quite a time trying to wrap my mind around this one. If anyone has any thoughts on this, please leave them in the comment box.
Fr. Peter Irving has this video posted on his blog. What a fantastic testimony.
“All of these restrictions on abortion - all of the progress we've made over the past 35 years in trying to limit and reduce abortions in the United States - would be invalidated with the stroke of a pen if the next Congress passes, and the next president signs, the so-called ‘Freedom of Choice Act’.”
-Carl A. Anderson, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus
I found this article on one of my few blogs that I try to read daily. Hat tip to the Catholic Knight.
Can a Catholic in good faith vote for a candidate who openly supports abortion? Many will say that abortion isn't the only issue at stake in this election. They are correct. Our next president will have to address some very important issues ranging from war to the economy to energy. However, the correct position on these issues can be debated. Under no circumstances can one argue for the morality of abortion. It is intrinsically evil.
The bishops of Fort Worth and Dallas have issued a joint statement. In this statement they say that "to vote for a candidate who supports the intrinsic evil of abortion or "abortion rights" when there is a morally acceptable alternative would be to cooperate in the evil – and, therefore, morally impermissible. " Read the full text here.
Archbishop Chaput of Denver has gone so far as to call out Barack Obama by name. He states that there hasn't been a "more committed" abortion rights candidate from a major party in the last 35 years and that Catholic organizations who support Obama are doing a "disservice to the church." Read the article here.
**Update**
Yesterday, the USCCB came out with an official statement regarding our obligation to protect the unborn as well as care for the needs of mothers. You can find the statement here.
Here's a few quotes from Tertullian, an Early Church Father, written sometime between 160-240 A.D.
"For us [Christians] we may not destroy even the fetus in the womb, while as yet the human being derives blood from other parts of the body for its sustenance. To hinder a birth is merely a speedier man-killing; nor does it matter when you take away a life that is born, or destroy one that is coming to birth. That is a man which is going to be one: you have the fruit already in the seed." -Apology 9:6
"They [John and Jesus] were both alive while still in the womb. Elizabeth rejoiced as the infant leaped in her womb; Mary glorifies the Lord because Christ within inspired her. Each mother recognizes her child and is known by her child who is alive, being not merely souls but also spirits." -De A ninta 26:4
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"For those who would say that the early Church was silent on the question of abortion, even the few select quotations quoted above from the Church Fathers give witness to the contrary."
Proposition 8 protects the people’s will and overturns activist judges.
In 2000 over 61% of Californians voted in favor of Proposition 22 to reaffirm that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California. However, because this language wasn’t put into the state Constitution when it was approved, four activist judges from San Francisco wrongly overturned the people’s vote. In November 2008, Proposition 8 gives California voters the opportunity to reverse the court’s decision and restore the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman in the state Constitution.
Proposition 8 is simple and straightforward.
Proposition 8 contains the same 14 words that were previously approved in 2000 by over 61% of California voters: “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.” By putting these words directly into the state Constitution, the court cannot strike them down as unconstitutional.
Proposition 8 is about preserving marriage; it’s not an attack on the gay lifestyle.
Proposition 8 doesn’t take away any rights or benefits from gay or lesbian domestic partners. Under California law, “domestic partners shall have the same rights, protections and benefits” as married spouses. (Family Code §297.5.) There are no exceptions to this. Proposition 8 will not change this.
Proposition 8 protects our children.
Proposition 8 protects our children from being taught in public schools that same-sex marriage is the same as traditional marriage. In health education classes, state law requires teachers to instruct children as young as kindergarteners about marriage. (Education Code §51890.) If the same-sex marriage ruling is not overturned, teachers will be required to teach young children that there is no difference between gay marriage and traditional marriage.
Proposition 8 protects marriage as an essential institution of society.
Proposition 8 protects marriage and the important role of a traditional family. While death, divorce or other circumstances may prevent the ideal, the best situation for a child is to be raised by a married mother and father.
YES on Proposition 8 does three simple things.
It restores the definition of marriage to what the vast majority of California voters already approved and human history has understood marriage to be.
It overturns the outrageous decision of four activist Supreme Court judges who ignored the will of the people.
It protects our children from being taught in public schools that “same-sex marriage” is the same as traditional marriage.
Vote Yes on Proposition 8!
www.ProtectMarriage.com
Legalizing same sex marriage has real consequences. Clink on the link below to view full article:
First Graders Taken To San Francisco City Hall For Gay Wedding
What's the difference between Protestant and Catholic Bibles? Here is the historical answer to the question that lead to many interesting conversations in my life. It also denies the false notion that Catholics added seven books to the Bible.
