Advent

What is Advent?

Advent is the time of preparation for Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ.

Advent is just over 4 weeks long, beginning four Sundays before Christmas and ending on Christmas Day, when the Christmas Season begins.

Advent is the beginning of the new liturgical year in the Catholic Church. The liturgical year follows the life of Christ so it would, naturally, start with the birth of Christ.

As a result, Advent is also the end of the period known as ordinary time (ordinal time) in the liturgical year.  While ordinary time is spent focusing on the message of Jesus and preparing for His second coming, Advent is a time spent preparing for and celebrating the first coming of Christ 2000 years ago.

It is a time especially focused on Jesus Christ.  It can be looked at as a sort of "spring cleaning," a time to prepare your mind, body, and soul to welcome the Lord of all Creation.


"I Desire Mercy not Sacrifice"

This dedication to renewal and improvement over the course of Advent is customarily viewed as a gift to be given to Jesus on His birthday, Christmas.  This makes advent a time of great joy, celebrating and using the blessings you have been given.

In this way Advent is different from Lent, another period of preparation for a monumental period in history.  During Lent we practice sacrifice and focus on repentance, whereas during Advent you focus more on practicing mercy and grace.

In doing so we give freely of the blessings we have been given in time, talent, and treasure!  Rather than abstaining from a favorite food as a sacrifice, we might share that food with those in need because as we all know, Jesus said:

...Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me ~ Matthew 25:40

The Reason for the Season

Another popular practice that captures the spirit of both, spring cleaning and a birthday gift, is becoming a better Christian by dedicating time each day to prayer and reading the Bible.  However you should know that success in this pursuit should be measured by the fruit it bears.

It should result in you reflecting the graces you have been given to your loved ones, freely granting the mercy you have been granted to those who wrong you, and being an example of Christ's sacrificial love to those around you.

If there is no impact on those around you, what good is it that you became better?  As Jesus said:

You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house.  Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father. ~ Matthew 5:14-16

The end goal of any endeavor in Advent is to put Jesus in your mind, in your heart, and on your lips.  It is a time to recenter yourself on the only thing that matters.

This is slightly ironic as you could argue it is the hardest time of year to keep Jesus in focus...what with the gifts, the visits, the carols, and parties.

So prepare your heart, share your joys, enjoy the season, but always be sure you don't lose sight of the reason for the season.

Keep Pursuing

Additional Resources for Your Advent Season

Per usual, Bishop Robert Barron has some incredibly insightful things to say on Advent:

The Spirituality of Advent

The Advent Revolution

Aleteia published a wealth of of informational resources and media about Advent:

What is Advent?

The 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit

here is a list of the 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit:

• Wisdom 
• Understanding 
• Knowledge 
• Fortitude 
• Counsel 
• Piety 
• Fear of the Lord

Keep Pursuing

Additional Resources


The moral life of Christians is sustained by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. These are permanent dispositions which make man docile in following the promptings of the Holy Spirit. ~ CCC 1830

Please note, the Gifts of the Holy Spirit should not be confused with the Fruits of the Holy Spirit.

[The Gifts of the Holy Spirit] belong in their fullness to Christ, Son of David. They complete and perfect the virtues of those who receive them. They make the faithful docile in readily obeying divine inspirations. (CCC 1831)

The Church gets the list of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit from the following Bible passage:

The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, A spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD, and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD. ~ Isaiah 11:2-3

Here are some additional Bible verses that speak to the Gifts of the Holy Spirit:

Now in regard to spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be unaware. ~ 1 Corinthians 12:1

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. ~ 1 Corinthians 12:4-6

To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. ~ 1 Corinthians 12:7

To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom; to another the expression of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit; to another mighty deeds; to another prophecy; to another discernment of spirits; to another varieties of tongues; to another interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing them individually to each person as he wishes. ~ 1 Corinthians 12:8-1

The 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit

The 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit are:

• Charity 
• Joy 
• Peace 
• Patience 
• Kindness 
• Goodness 
• Generosity 
• Gentleness 
• Fidelity 
• Modesty 
• Self-Control 
• Chastity

Keep Pursuing

Additional Resources

Please note, the Fruits of the Holy Spirit are not the same thing as the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Here is a great Bible verse that speaks to the Fruit of the Holy Spirit:

Now the works of the flesh are obvious: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions, occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.  

In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. ~ Galatians 5:19-23

The fruits of the Spirit are perfections that the Holy Spirit forms in us as the first fruits of eternal glory. ~ CCC 1832

The Prayer to Saint Michael

The prayer to Saint Michael is one of my favorite prayers.  I cannot help but be moved by its power each time I pray it.

This is how you say the prayer to Saint Michael:

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
And do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God,
cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen

The original version of the prayer was penned by Pope Leo XIII in 1884 and was much longer.  The current version of the prayer was penned by Pope John Paul II in 1994.

Saint Michael is one of the three archangels mentioned in the Bible.  Here are some of the verses about Saint Michael the archangel:

"Fear not, Daniel," he continued; "from the first day you made up your mind to acquire understanding and humble yourself before God, your prayer was heard. Because of it I started out, but the prince of the kingdom of Persia stood in my way for twenty-one days, until finally Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me. I left him there with the prince of the kings of Persia, and came to make you understand what shall happen to your people in the days to come; for there is yet a vision concerning those days." ~ Daniel 10:12-14

"At that time there shall arise Michael, the great prince, guardian of your people; It shall be a time unsurpassed in distress since nations began until that time. At that time your people shall escape, everyone who is found written in the book.  Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake; some shall live forever, others shall be an everlasting horror and disgrace. But the wise shall shine brightly like the splendor of the firmament, And those who lead the many to justice shall be like the stars forever. ~ Daniel 12:1-3

"Then war broke out in heaven; Michael 8 and his angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and its angels fought back, but they did not prevail and there was no longer any place for them in heaven." ~ Revelations 12:7-8

Keep Pursuing

My Favorite Bible Verse

The discovery of my favorite Bible verse was a transformative experience.  It was one of the first times in my life when I could actually feel God's presence.

It was a cold winter morning in the second semester of my freshman year in college.  Sunlight was pouring through the window of my dorm room.  I rolled out of bed, grudgingly, to read my Bible and go running before class.  I started reading John 15 and the following line woke me up:

I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. ~ John 15:5

That was it!  For years I had been searching for a simple way to summarize what I thought my relationship with Christ should be.  And this visual nailed it!  It was like finding a puzzle piece you have been looking for.

That's not my favorite Bible verse...

But it got my attention.  I was now fully awake and invested...no longer grudging.  I kept on reading. Every single verse built on the one before it...I get my power from Jesus...bearing fruit glorifies God...God loves Jesus...Jesus loves me...love one another as Jesus loved us...

And then it all culminated in this:

No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. ~ John 15:13

I stopped reading, stunned.  This verse meant infinitely more when taken in the full context of John 15. (Go read it, it all goes together.)

The full meaning of this verse really sank in. The greatest love one can have is to sacrifice one's life for another. And everyone knows Jesus gave his life for us. Jesus died for me...because of me.

I put down the Bible, numbly got dressed, and went running. I ran, not seeing anything, my mind focused on the fact that Jesus, this man I didn't know, had died for me because he loved me. What used to be just words became real to me for the first time. And it didn't compute.

The Bible verse drifted through my head again and I thought of my brother, Garrett. I thought of how much I loved him. Would I give my life so that he might live?  The answer, I was surprised to find, was yes...that was terrifying.

The discovery slowly began to dissolve into understanding. Jesus loved me like I love my brother. That made Jesus' love tangible. I knew what Jesus felt for me. I experienced it in the love I had for my brother. 

That was incredible. The most powerful love I knew and that was how Jesus felt about me...even when I was ignoring Him. And this love led to His death. He sacrificed His life because of the love I felt now.

It made my heart long for Jesus. For the first time in my life, I really loved Jesus back.

I ran until my eyes cleared. Exhausted, I started walking back to my dorm. I started seeing the people around me again. And I was shocked to see the purple backpack in front of me had "John 15:13" stitched into the back of it!

I couldn't believe it. I wanted to tell her, but I was scared.  (Yes, I've always loved talking, but I had never talked about my faith before.) I decided that this couldn't be a coincidence and it warranted overcoming the trepidation I felt.

I tapped her on the shoulder. I bumbled my way through a brief chat about our shared favorite Bible verse and how amazing God was for lining her up in front of me on the day I discovered the verse. It was the first time I shared my faith, something we are all called to do.  And it was rewarding!

And that is the story of how I discovered my favorite Bible verse: John 15:13!

Post Script 

You might be reacting with disbelief. I know that this might be the most famous and widely quoted verse in the Bible, but I was really uninformed about my faith at that time. I really didn't know it.  And, being that uneducated allowed this verse to hit me with all the force of someone discovering it for the first time.

It is so nice being able to have a clear answer (and a great story) when people bring up favorite Bible verses. Do you know your favorite Bible verse? If not, you should go find it.


Keep Pursuing

Holy Days of Obligation

Here is a list of the 6 Holy Days of Obligation in the dioceses of the Unites States (in addition to Sundays):

1. The Solemnity of Mary
2. The Ascension of Christ
3. The Assumption of the Blessed Mother
4. All Saints' Day
5. The Immaculate Conception of Mary
6. Christmas

Keep Pursuing

Additional Resources

On Holy Days of Obligation, the faithful are required to attend mass.

The precept of the Church specifies the law of the Lord more precisely: "On Sundays and other holy days of obligation the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass." "The precept of participating in the Mass is satisfied by assistance at a Mass which is celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the holy day or on the evening of the preceding day." ~ CCC 2180

What is Marriage?

This is the first of two posts about Marriage.  This post will be part of the ongoing Truth series and will seek to dispel any confusion concerning the actual meaning of Marriage.

I will cover what Marriage is, the purpose of Marriage, and what the Bible has to say about Marriage.


What is Marriage?

Marriage is the covenant between a man a woman to emotional and sexual fidelity for the purpose of creating a family and raising children.

The institution of Marriage has existed in almost every civilization throughout the history of mankind.  It is governed by natural law, as it takes a man and a woman to create a child.  It is the ideal environment for children to grow in.  And Marriage is a sacrament of the church:

"The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring; this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament" ~ CCC 1601

What is the purpose of Marriage?

The purpose of Marriage is twofold:

• to provide an example of the sacrificial love of God to the rest of the world
• to procreate and provide a nourishing environment for children

To be clear, let's point out a few things that Marriage is not:

• Marriage is not about the pleasures of adults (and never has been).
• Marriage is not a sterile institution (and never has been, naturally).
• Marriage is not about happy feelings (and never has been).
• Marriage is not just about sex (and never has been).

What does the Bible say about Marriage?

Sacred Scripture begins with the creation of man and woman in the image and likeness of God and concludes with a vision of "the wedding-feast of the Lamb." Scripture speaks throughout of marriage and its "mystery," its institution and the meaning God has given it, its origin and its end, its various realizations throughout the history of salvation, the difficulties arising from sin and its renewal "in the Lord" in the New Covenant of Christ and the Church ~ CCC 1602

"This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; This one shall be called 'woman,' for out of 'her man' this one has been taken."  That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body." ~ Genesis 2:24

"Alleluia! The Lord has established his reign, (our) God, the almighty.  Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory. For the wedding day of the Lamb has come, his bride has made herself ready." ~ Revelations 19:6-7

In his preaching Jesus unequivocally taught the original meaning of the union of man and woman as the Creator willed it from the beginning permission given by Moses to divorce one's wife was a concession to the hardness of hearts. The matrimonial union of man and woman is indissoluble: God himself has determined it "what therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder." ~ CCC 1614

[Jesus] said in reply, "Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female' and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate." ~ Matthew 19:4-6

In Summary

Marriage is the covenant between a man a woman to emotional and sexual fidelity for the purpose of creating a family and raising children.

This definition of Marriage has been recognized by civilizations throughout history.  Jesus Christ reinforced this definition.  He even raised Marriage to level of a sacrament in the Church because of its extreme importance as the building block of society.

Any attempts to "redefine" Marriage only create confusion because Marriage is governed by natural law.  It cannot be anything else.  This is the true definition of Marriage and it should be protected.


This post is the first of two in a mini-series.  The next post here covers the impacts on children when changes to family structure are made.

Appendix

The Bible is filled with verses about Marriage.  Below are just a few examples.  I will continue to add more.

God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them, saying: "Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that move on the earth." ~ Genesis 1:27

"...but none proved to be the suitable partner for the man.  So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.  The LORD God then built up into a woman the rib that he had taken from the man. When he brought her to the man, the man said: "This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; This one shall be called 'woman,' for out of 'her man' this one has been taken."  That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body." ~ Genesis 2:24

"Then I heard something like the sound of a great multitude or the sound of rushing water or mighty peals of thunder, as they said: "Alleluia! The Lord has established his reign, (our) God, the almighty.  Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory. For the wedding day of the Lamb has come, his bride has made herself ready." ~ Revelations 19:6-7

He said in reply, "Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female' and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate." ~ Matthew 19:4-6

In addition, here are a few excerpts about what the Catholic Church believes about marriage:

"The intimate partnership of married life and love has been established by the Creator and qualified by His laws, and is rooted in the conjugal covenant of irrevocable personal consent. Hence by that human act whereby spouses mutually bestow and accept each other a relationship arises which by divine will and in the eyes of society too is a lasting one. For the good of the spouses and their off-springs as well as of society, the existence of the sacred bond no longer depends on human decisions alone. For, God Himself is the author of matrimony, endowed as it is with various benefits and purposes.(1) All of these have a very decisive bearing on the continuation of the human race, on the personal development and eternal destiny of the individual members of a family, and on the dignity, stability, peace and prosperity of the family itself and of human society as a whole. By their very nature, the institution of matrimony itself and conjugal love are ordained for the procreation and education of children, and find in them their ultimate crown." ~ Gaudium et Spes, 48

"Sacred Scripture begins with the creation of man and woman in the image and likeness of God and concludes with a vision of "the wedding-feast of the Lamb." Scripture speaks throughout of marriage and its "mystery," its institution and the meaning God has given it, its origin and its end, its various realizations throughout the history of salvation, the difficulties arising from sin and its renewal "in the Lord" in the New Covenant of Christ and the Church" ~ CCC 1602

In his preaching Jesus unequivocally taught the original meaning of the union of man and woman as the Creator willed it from the beginning permission given by Moses to divorce one's wife was a concession to the hardness of hearts. The matrimonial union of man and woman is indissoluble: God himself has determined it "what therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder." ~ CCC 1614

Here is a spectacular article on the conflicting definitions of marriage:
http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2013/01/7495/



Keep Pursuing

Does God exist?

Yes, I can be as certain of God's existence as I am of tomorrow's sunrise.

That answer is so important it had to come first.  In the rest of this post I will provide an explanation.  I will cover why I am certain of God's existence, why there are those who will never accept God's existence, and I will provide a few samples of evidence from the incredible amount of evidence for God's existence (including a few "proofs" for you philosophical types).


Why I am certain of God's existence

I can never prove God's existence apodictically, i.e., with absolute certitude. He exists apart from time of space. He is well beyond our human intellectual/reasoning powers.

However, while God is not provable, He is knowable.  And our faith is our bridge to understanding God.

I have already told the story of my history with God in this post.  And I have already told the story of why I believe in God in this post.  I will not repeat those stories here (I do recommend you read them), but to summarize: I am certain of God's existence because I know Him.

God is knowable.  If you seek Him, He will answer.

"And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." ~ Luke 11:9-10

For me, the personal stories of relationships and experiences with God are the best testament to God's existence.  You can also pray to God, go to Church, speak with a priest, or even do some serious research into the Bible, the history of the Church, the life of Jesus, the lives of the saints, and proven miracles.

These are the reasons I know God.  And if you are honestly seeking, then you will be led to God too.

"When you call me, when you go to pray to me, I will listen to you. When you look for me, you will find me. Yes, when you seek me with all your heart, you will find me with you, says the LORD..." ~ Jeremiah 29:12-14

To summarize, God is knowable.  In knowing God, I can be as certain of His existence as I am of  tomorrow's sunrise.

Why there are those who will never believe

As I mentioned in my post on Faith, there are those who refuse to believe.  (And they existed in the time of Jesus as well.)  All of the evidence in the world could not convince them of God's existence because they have already made up their minds that He doesn't exist. They are not honestly seeking.

These people adopt a stance of extreme skepticism when it comes to religion.  They will say if it can't be touched, observed, and measured then it is not real.  But what about love?  What about heroism?  What about happiness?  You can't touch and measure any of those, but they exist.

The stance adopted by these people when it comes to God is practically solipsism.  (Solipsists doubt the veracity of everything, to the point where they are only really sure their own minds exist.)  This kind of extremist view applied to anything else is ridiculous.  It would mean that a person could not believe his clothes were real, he could not know whether other people actually existed, and we could never prove the sun will rise tomorrow!  It's just silly!

Those adopting this point of view towards religion would never apply the same point of view to rest of their lives...and you should point that out to them.

In short, even though faith in God's existence can be as certain as tomorrow's sunrise, there are some who refuse to see.  If this isn't good enough for some people, then they have bigger problems to worry about...like the world ending tomorrow.


Some evidence for God's existence

As I stated, for me, the personal experience with God is much more convincing than anything else, but there is abundant evidence for God's existence and below are five examples that might get you thinking...


Reasoning: An Argument for God

Here is an amazing six minute video from Father Robert Barron that makes a series of very convincing arguments to arrive at the existence of God.

Why do we believe in God?

Scientific: Creation is Ordered

The world and all creation is ordered.  From the arrangement of matter, to the existence of life, to the laws that govern the universe, there is order.  And it is ordered in a mind blowing way!  And it didn't have to be ordered.  It could have been chaos.  The fact that it is ordered supports the idea of a Creator who ordered the universe.

Continuing deeper into this theme.  If the values of some of the fundamental parameters of the universe were just slightly smaller or slightly larger, life could not have arisen.  We have:

• N = the ratio of the strength of gravity to electromagnetism
• Epsilon (ε) = strength of the force binding nucleons into nuclei
• Omega (ω) = relative importance of gravity and expansion energy in the Universe
• Lambda (λ) = cosmological constant
• Q = ratio of gravitational energy required to pull a galaxy apart to the energy equivalent of its mass
• D = number of dimensions

The probability of any of these variables being anything else is huge.  The chances for our existence are so infinitesimally small that you would have to worship coincidence to believe it happened by accident and not by God's design.


Moral: Right and Wrong Exist

1. Natural moral law exists.  
• No one actually believes in relativism.  
• No one believes theft, murder, or rape are okay. 
2. All humans have an innate knowledge of moral law
• Humans feel guilty when they do something wrong. 
• Even children immediately recognizes when someone has wronged another.  
3. This moral law does not come from man, but must come from an authority.
• Morality has no evolutionary value.
• If humans could change the law, they would.  
4. Therefor, there exists a moral authority higher than man that imparted this knowledge to man

The best summary of this I have ever read can be found in the book, "Mere Christianity" by C. S. Lewis.

Logical: St. Thomas Aquinas' First Cause Argument

1. Things exist
2. Everything that exists was caused to exist by something else
3. There cannot be an infinite series of causes
4. Therefore, there exists a first cause which did not come into existence

Here is a great article discussing this.

Supernatural: Miracles Exist

Miracles are, by definition, events that defy the established rules of reality.  Science says they shouldn't exist.   But I bet you know at least one person who will testify to a miracle in their life.

Miracles point to the existence of the supernatural, of something beyond the rules of reality.  They are evidence of God's intervention in our lives.  While we could talk at length about the miracles performed by Jesus, let's look at an example you may not have heard before: the tilma of  Our Lady of Guadalupe.

This tilma (peasant cloak woven from cactus fibers) from 1531 bears an image of Mary.  It has been, and is still, on display at a church in Mexico.  The tilma, as can be seen above, is perfectly preserved despite being almost 500 years old.  In experiments to replicate the preservation, the fabric has disintegrated within 10 years.  Further, studies on the image reveal it is made with materials unlike any pigment on earth.

You can read more about the tilma in this article.

This apparition of Mary and the accompanying miracle of the tilma were responsible for the conversion of 9 million Mexicans between 1531 and 1541.

(In the appendix below I have links to additional arguments and proofs.)

In conclusion

My experiences make me certain of God's existence.  There are some people who refuse to believe.  There is evidence for God's existence all around you IF you are seeking with an open heart and an open mind.  

I believe this is the MOST important question of our lives.  You need to ask yourself:

Have you really given this question the thought it deserves?

Keep Pursuing (honestly)

Can Catholics Vote for Obama?

Catholics cannot, in good conscience, vote for Obama in the 2012 election.
In fact, to do so will be a sin.

To explain it briefly:

• All Catholics are morally obligated to vote (CCC 2240)
• Some issues are more important than others (CCCB)
• Voting in support of intrinsic evils like abortion or euthanasia is a sin (Pope John Paul II, 73)
• Further, fundamental rights like Religious Freedom are of primary importance (CCCB)
• Obama is the most pro-abortion, anti-marriage, anti-religious-liberty president in history (List)
• As a result, Catholics cannot vote for Obama, doing so would be a grave sin

I know this is a dramatic claim, but that does not affect the claim's veracity.  If you are a Christian and this shocks you, I hope it inspires you to prove or disprove this claim.

Below I have written a point-by-point explanation providing details and sources.  In addition, at the bottom of this post is an Appendix with a wealth of resources for further study.


It is the moral obligation of Catholics to vote

All Catholics are morally obligated to vote.  It is stated in the Catechism and countless encyclicals.

Submission to authority and co-responsibility for the common good make it morally obligatory to pay taxes, to exercise the right to vote, and to defend one's country. ~ CCC 2240

We are called to take action.  As Christians we have Pontius Pilate to remind us of the consequences when good people do nothing. (Matthew 27:24)  


Some Issues are More Important than Others

Being responsible for the common good mandates that we act on our Christian values and vote with a well formed conscience.  In so doing, Catholics understand that all issues are not equal.

"While there may be many legitimate ways to address the needs of our neighbors, there are some actions which are always and everywhere immoral. As Catholics, we must recognize that not all issues carry the same moral weight". ~ Chicago Conference of Catholic Bishops

First, there are intrinsic evils that go against God.  Catholics can NEVER support these...it is non-negotiable.   

"The continuing slaughter of innocent children through legal abortion—to take the most appalling example of such 'intrinsic evil'—is a grave offense against God and our own human dignity, and cries out for justice. Accordingly, 'the moral obligation to oppose intrinsically evil acts has a special claim on our consciences and our actions.'" ~ Chicago Conference of Catholic Bishops

Abortion and euthanasia are both intrinsic evils.  These grave sins are atrocious acts of murder committed against the most vulnerable of society.  (For an explanation of why abortion is murder, please see this post on why life begins at conception.)

Secondly, there are fundamental rights that must be protected at any cost.  Preserving freedom should always take priority.  America was founded as the "land of the free" and foremost among those freedoms was freedom of religion.

“The right to religious freedom has its foundation in the very dignity of the human person as this dignity is known through the revealed word of God and by reason itself. ” ~ Dignitatis Humanae, 2

Voting for Intrinsic Evils is a Sin

As mentioned above, Catholics have a moral obligation to oppose intrinsically evil acts, even in the voting booth.  It was stated clearly by Pope John Paul II:

In the case of an intrinsically unjust law, such as a law permitting abortion or euthanasia, it is therefore never licit to obey it, or to "take part in a propaganda campaign in favour of such a law, or vote for it" ~ Evangelium Vitae, 73

 As a result, if Catholics knowingly vote for a law or candidate that promotes intrinsic evil, they are cooperating in his sin and are equally guilty.

"Those who knowingly, willingly, and directly support public policies or legislation that protect and perpetuate such injustice, cooperate with that grave evil." ~ Chicago Conference of Catholic Bishops

"To vote for such a candidate even with the knowledge that the candidate is pro-abortion is to become an accomplice in the moral evil of abortion. If the voter also knows this, then the voter sins mortally." ~ A Brief Catechism for Catholic Voters

To be clear, we just had quotes from a priest, a bishop, and a pope stating that voting for pro-abortion candidates or pro-abortion laws is a sin.


President Obama is Strongly Pro-Abortion

President Obama is the most pro-abortion president in the history of the United States of America.  Life News has compiled Obama's entire track record on abortion.

As recently as this past Tuesday (10/16/12), President Obama was proudly championing his record on abortions and promising his continued efforts to promote them if he is re-elected.

In short, there is no way that anyone could be fooling themselves into thinking Obama is not pro-abortion.

President Obama is Anti-Religious-Liberty

President Obama directly attacked religious liberty in America with Obamacare's Health and Human Services (HHS) Mandate.

You can read the full story in my post about the HHS Mandate but to summarize, the mandate will require Catholic institutions to provide free contraceptives, sterilizations, and abortion-inducing drugs (practices the Catholic Faith view as sinful violations of conscience).  

"This year, our own federal government, through the Department of Health and Human Services, mandated a new and narrow definition of “religious employer.” This unprecedented action could force the punishment or even closure of faith-based soup kitchens, schools and hospitals because these institutions would not fit under the federal government’s definition of “religious.” It is an ominous sign when the federal government issues the edict that Catholic Charities and other religious employers are not religious. The mandate is both illegal and unjust, and constitutes an unprecedented affront to religious liberty." 

"It is important to remember that religious liberty is not a Catholic issue. It is not a Christian or Jewish or Muslim issue. It is an American issue. Fundamentally, it is a matter of social justice; for when religious liberty is endangered, the good of society itself is diminished." ~ Chicago Conference of Catholic Bishops

In attacking the practice of worship and freedom of religion of the Catholic Church, Obama is violating the First Amendment of the Constitution.  As a result of this outrage, there are currently over 100 separate suits against the US Government for violation of the First Amendment.

President Obama is Anti-Marriage

In addition, President Obama is attacking the building block of society, the family.  

In February of 2011, President Obama instructed the justice department to stop defending the Defense of Marriage Act put in place by President Bill Clinton.  (article - ABC News) (article - Catholic Online)

In May of 2012, President Obama stated that he had changed his position and was now in favor of gay marriage.  (article - Fox News)

This, of course, stands in stark contract to the definition of marriage reinforced by Jesus:

"He said in reply, 'Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female' and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'?" ~ Matthew 19:4-5

Therefore Voting for Barack Obama is a Sin

So, as a result of Obama's actions, which not only attack the church, but also promote intrinsic evil, Catholics cannot vote for Obama and if they did, it would be sinful.

That any politician could slip so far that the act of voting for them would separate the voter from God is a tragedy!

But what would be an even greater tragedy, would be if Catholics continued to vote for him, violating their conscience and their faith.

So please fact check all of this...and after you have arrived at the same conclusion, please share this will all friends of faith.

APPENDIX

If you are skeptical about what I am saying, PLEASE do your own research and discover the truth.  I am ALWAYS for others using critical thinking and exploring SOURCE documents to learn the truth.

In addition to the links to Catechism and Bible provided above, below are additional authoritative sources that are urging Catholics to learn and practice their faith.

Bishop Paprocki sums up the voting issue better than I ever could in this 6 minute video to all Catholics:
Think and Pray About Your Vote in the Upcoming Election

The Chicago Conference of Catholic Bishops has issued a series of very informative inserts.  This series provides a beautifully complete picture of the entire situation and is worth reading:

• The first insert is an introduction and summary of topics
• The second insert explores the importance of conscience and defines it
• The third insert looks at the moral clarity needed to evaluate candidates
• The final insert speaks to the importance of religious liberty and the recent attacks against it

Father Stephen F. Tarraco, PhD provides an amazing catechism on voting and even provides concrete examples in the "gray areas" to eliminate any doubts a voter may have:
A Brief Catechism for Catholic Voters

This statement from Father Trigilio does a great job of summarizing how the Church asks Catholics to be informed when voting:
How to vote as a Catholic

Father Rocky, the Executive Director of Relevant Radio, has a gem of a response that captures the need to vote responsibly, the joy of the Catholic faith, and heinous act that is abortion:
What if I'm not a "good" Catholic?

Here is another priest, Father Brian Bransfield providing a brief lesson on voting with conscience:
Voting by Conscience

Lastly, here is an interesting read covering Obama's long track record of fighting against the Catholic Church.
Obama's History Against Catholics


Keep Pursuing

The Rosary Concluding Prayer

You say this prayer to conclude the Rosary.  (To be clear, this is not the Rosary, just the last prayer in the Rosary.)

This is how you say the Rosary Concluding Prayer at the end of a Rosary:

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. 

O God, whose only begotten Son, by His life, death, and resurrection,
has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life,
grant, we beseech Thee, that meditating upon these mysteries
of the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
we may imitate what they contain
and obtain what they promise,
through the same Christ Our Lord.

Amen.

The Hail Holy Queen

This is how you pray the Hail Holy Queen prayer:

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy!
Our life, our sweetness, and our hope!
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve,
to thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn, then, most gracious advocate,
thine eyes of mercy toward us;
and after this our exile,
show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb Jesus;
O clement, O loving, O sweet virgin Mary.
Amen

Keep Pursuing

New Series: Foundations

We are starting a new series this week called Foundations.

The series is being launched in celebration of a landmark for this blog: we just hit 1000 page views!!!

About this series:

In my zeal to force myself into a schedule of posting once a week, I have posted on things that I was struggling with at that moment.  I would be flattering myself if I said I have been discussing advanced theology, but I did make some assumptions and leaps in logic that not everyone would make.

With this series, I hope to correct any omissions in my collection of posts.  I will lay out the foundational truths of Catholicism so that I will be able to speak to them clearly.  As an added benefit, this series will serve as a great starting point for any newcomers to the site!

In this series I hope to cover topics like:

• Does God exist?
• Who is Jesus?
• The Holy Trinity
• The Bible
• The Catechism
• The Structure of the Catholic Church
• What is the Church?

I would love to hear recommendations for additional topics in the comments section below! 

Conscience: What is it?

What is a conscience?
Do I have a conscience?
 How do Listen to what my conscience is telling me?
Tell me you haven't wrestled with those questions!  Today we will answer them.


What is a conscience?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church has this to say about the conscience:

1. "His conscience is man's most secret core and his sanctuary. There he is alone with God whose voice echoes in his depths." ~ CCC 1776 
2. "Conscience is a judgment of reason whereby the human person recognizes the moral quality of a concrete act ..." ~ CCC 1778

So conscience is reason at the core of a human that judges what is right and what is wrong.  This description seems to follow common conceptions of what the conscience is...BUT WAIT!  That's only part of the story!  The catechism goes on:

"Conscience must be informed and moral judgment enlightened. A well-formed conscience is upright and truthful. It formulates its judgments according to reason, in conformity with the true good willed by the wisdom of the Creator. The education of conscience is indispensable for human beings who are subjected to negative influences and tempted by sin to prefer their own judgment and to reject authoritative teachings."  ~ CCC 1783

WHAT?!?! The common conceptions of conscience never mentioned any of that!  What did we just learn?

1. "Conscience must be informed and moral judgment enlightened."
• Your conscience is not given to you fully formed.  You can't just say you are following it without the proper training.
2. "[The conscience] formulates its judgments...in conformity with the true good willed by the wisdom of the Creator."
• Informed consciences will not lead to differing positions, beliefs or actions; a group of people with informed consciences would all act in conformity.  So, no, morals are not relative.
3. "The education of conscience is indispensable for human beings who are...tempted by sin to prefer their own judgment and to reject authoritative teachings."
• Your conscience is not the same thing as your judgement or your feelings.  In fact, we are tempted to follow our own judgement because we sin.

How do I form my conscience?

The CCC goes on to say:

"The education of the conscience is a lifelong task. From the earliest years, it awakens the child to the knowledge and practice of the interior law recognized by conscience. Prudent education teaches virtue; it prevents or cures fear, selfishness and pride, resentment arising from guilt, and feelings of complacency, born of human weakness and faults. The education of the conscience guarantees freedom and engenders peace of heart." ~ CCC 1784

We have to work at educating our consciences our entire life?  How do we start such a task?  Where do we go to inform our consciences?

"In the formation of conscience the Word of God is the light for our path, we must assimilate it in faith and prayer and put it into practice. We must also examine our conscience before the Lord's Cross. We are assisted by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, aided by the witness or advice of others and guided by the authoritative teaching of the Church." ~ CCC 1785

We educate our consciences by learning the teachings of the Bible.  We use our faith and prayer to form our conscience.  We correct our conscience by examining ourselves before the Cross.  And we are aided in all of these undertakings by the authoritative teachings of the Catholic Church.

What does the Bible have to say about conscience?

I relied heavily on quotes from the CCC above because they spoke directly about what constitutes a conscience.  But do not assume the Bible is silent about the conscience.  (Where do you think the teachings in the CCC came from?!)

Here is a quote from the book of Romans discussing how the conscience of everyone, even those who did not know the commandments of God, calls them to be morally just and make the right decision:

"For it is not those who hear the law who are just in the sight of God; rather, those who observe the law will be justified.  For when the Gentiles who do not have the law by nature observe the prescriptions of the law, they are a law for themselves even though they do not have the law.  They show that the demands of the law are written in their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even defend them on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge people's hidden works through Christ Jesus." ~ Romans 2:13-16

Here is a quote from 1 Timothy that speaks to the need to instruct and inform consciences:

"I repeat the request I made of you when I was on my way to Macedonia, that you stay in Ephesus to instruct certain people not to teach false doctrines or to concern themselves with myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the plan of God that is to be received by faith. The aim of this instruction is love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith." ~ 1 Timothy 1:3-5

And here is another quote from 1 Timothy that speaks to the existence of malformed consciences:

"Now the Spirit explicitly says that in the last times some will turn away from the faith by paying attention to deceitful spirits and demonic instructions through the hypocrisy of liars with branded consciences. They forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth." ~ 1 Timothy 4:1-3

In Summary

The conscience is reason at the core of a human that judges what is right and what is wrong, but the conscience must be informed and instructed by the teachings of the Church.  Your conscience is not your feelings, is not your opinions, and is not your own judgement.

When properly formed, a conscience will urge one to act in unity with the will of God.  This means that saying "I am following my conscience" is not an excuse to act against the Church's teachings and the will of God.

Human beings, by our sinful nature, are naturally drawn off course and must work to inform and educate our consciences by reading the Bible, learning the Church's teaching, praying to God, and examining ourselves before the Cross.

And now you know!  So the next time the topic of "conscience" comes up you can eschew the flimsy, philosophical stuff and speak with hard facts and truth!


Additional Resources

In addition to the links to the CCC and the Bible included above, I found the following resources to be very helpful.

The very first quote in this post ("His conscience is man's most secret core...") is taken from the CCC, but the CCC is actually quoting Pope John VI in his introduction to Vatican II found here:
Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (Gaudium et Spes)

Finally, this article by Reverend George Welzbacher is that spark that caused me to write about this subject.  It is a great read.  I believe he represents the issue much better than I ever could and he speaks from a position of expertise and authority:
A Brief Catechism for Catholic Voters

The Precepts of the Church

Here is the list of the 6 precepts of the Church:

1. You shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation. 
2. You shall confess your sins at least once a year. 
3. You shall humbly receive your Creator in Holy Communion at least during the Easter season. 
4. You shall keep holy the holy days of obligation. 
5. You shall observe the prescribed days of fasting and abstinence.
6. And it is your duty to provide for the material needs of the Church, according to your abilities.

Keep Pursuing

Additional Resources

The Precepts of the Catholic Church are like a list of the bare minimum that is required of a practicing member of the Church.  The Church describes them as:

"The precepts of the Church are set in the context of a moral life bound to and nourished by liturgical life. the obligatory character of these positive laws decreed by the pastoral authorities is meant to guarantee to the faithful the indispensable minimum in the spirit of prayer and moral effort, in the growth in love of God and neighbor:" ~ CCC 2041

Again it must be emphasized that these represent the lowest rung, the absolute minimum that is required of all Catholics.  I must admit I haven't always measured up these.  It's pretty humbling.  How do you measure up?

If you don't quite have it yet, make this your goal.  It is a great starting place from which your spiritual life can begin to blossom.

From there, the next step is to ask yourself, if you truly love someone are you really going to be trying to "nickel and dime" them to get away with as little involvement as possible?  NO!  You will grow in love and want to do more.  Keep pushing, keep growing, keep learning, and keep loving.

The Glory Be

The Glory Be is a prayer worshiping God in His three persons of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

It goes:

Glory be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. 

Amen.

Keep Pursuing

Now that is sexy!

Today's victory is about a friend of mine.  She is a young girl, a senior in high school and she recently discovered God.  She broke up with her boyfriend a month ago and he has come over to talk about getting back together.  It is in the midst of this discussion that the following dialogue occurs:

Him: If we get back together, would you be willing to go further into a physical relationship?
Her: You mean like...
Him: Like sex.
Her: No, not now.
Him: Would you be interested in the future?
Her: Like when we get married?
Him: ...I was thinking like the end of the summer.
Her: Oh, then no.

WHAT?!  Girls don't do that now days?  They have loose morals so they can be accepted!  Who saves herself for marriage?  Who does she think she is?!

I'll tell you who!  A woman of God!  And any red-blooded Christian man on the planet will testify to the fact that this is attractive!  A woman of faith, a woman of backbone, a woman who stands for something...that is what real men want!

VICTORY!!


Keep Pursuing

What's really wrong with the HHS Mandate?

There is a ton of confusion and misdirection concerning the HHS Mandate.  Let's set the record straight.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT CONTRACEPTION.  THIS IS ABOUT VIOLATING THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Here is why:

• The Bill of Rights is a list of amendments to the Constitution of the United States.  
• The First Amendment in the Bill of Rights protects freedom of religion.  
• The official stance of the Catholic Church on artificial birth control, contraception, sterilization, and abortion has always been that they are wrong and go against conscience.
• The HHS Mandate requires all employer health plans to provide free contraceptives, sterilizations, and abortion-inducing drugs regardless of any moral or religious exemptions.  
• So the government is requiring that Catholic institutions (including churches, schools, hospitals, and charities) provide and pay for services that they view as sinful violations of conscience.
• And as a result, the government is violating the practice of worship and freedom of religion of the Catholic Church

Why does it matter to you?

The First Amendment in the Bill of Rights protects freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly.

If the government is allowed to violate this part of the First Amendment, think about what could be next?  Why not mandate all religious activity?  Why not eliminate freedom of speech?  Why not eliminate freedom of assembly?

You've seen footage from countries around the world where freedom of speech and freedom of assembly are are not guaranteed...

It needs to stop now.  If this mandate doesn't directly affect you, what about the next one?

There is a famous quote by Martin Niemoller about the Nazi rise to power that is eerily relevant:

"First they came for the communists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak out for me."

What about the religious exemption I heard about?

Let me put this in perspective.  Jesus Christ himself would not qualify for their "religious exemption".

The exemption applies to "religious employers", which the government has defined employers who employ people of the same faith and serve people of the same faith.  Catholic hospitals would have to refuse service to non-Catholics to qualify.  Catholic schools would have to refuse to hire non-Catholics to qualify.  Catholic institutions would have to discriminate based on faith, which is illegal, in order to qualify for this exemption.

This is ludicrous!  The apostles would not have qualified for this exemption.  Neither would the Catholic Church at any point during its existence.  And neither do Catholic schools, hospitals, and charities.


What about the accommodation I heard about?

Hear this now.  There was no accommodation.  The bill was signed into law as it was originally written.  No change was ever made.

What you are referring to is Obama's offer whereby the insurers, rather than the employers, would be forced to pay for the services to which religious employers have moral objections.  This was a half-hearted deception.  The employers would still be forced to provide these health plans and would still be forced to pay for them.

...And, as stated, this was never actually put in the bill.


Your Takeaway

The Constitution of the United States is the foundation of our government and all of the freedoms you enjoy as a citizen of this country.  The Bill of Rights is a list of amendments to the Constitution and, as such, is part of the Constitution.  Chipping away at the Constitution and the Bill of Rights is chipping away at your freedom.


Keep Pursuing

Men Wanted

Most adult males in the world are not men.
Have you noticed that?

Too many boys grow older, but never grow up.
Have you thought about the difference between a boy and a man?

Being a man used to be a title of respect.  They were role models.  Boys aspired to become young men.
...
But not today.  Men, demonized for their actions and ridiculed for their words, slowly stopped standing up for what they believed.  Instead, guys are praised for tolerating anything and sensationalized for acting like children.  Males have been neutered.

Well our culture is suffering as a result.  Let's look at just one aspect of being a man: fatherhood.  Fatherhood is looked on, at best, as a chore or, at worst, a disease to be cured at the doctor.  Well here are some of the ramifications.  Children in fatherless home are:

• More likely to live in poverty
• More likely to do worse in school
• More likely to drop out of high school
• More likely to runaway from home
• More likely to have emotional problems
• More likely to be homeless
• More likely to become a pregnant teen
• More likely to be sexually molested
• More likely to be involved in crime
• More likely to do drugs
• More likely to go to prison
• More likely to become a rapist
• More likely to commit suicide

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." ~ Edmund Burke

We are seeing that quote come to fruition right now.  It's time to reclaim lost ground.  We need men, not guys, not boys.

What can you do?

First, you need to ask yourself whether you know what makes a man.  If you don't, how can you work towards it?  Second, you need to dedicate yourself toward becoming that man.

And to you ladies.  We need your help.  Hold us accountable.  Demand that we be the men you want and need.  Don't let us get away with being jerks.  If we aren't men, we don't get the woman...got it?

Lastly, you need to know that I am on this journey with you.  I don't have the answers yet.  I find it appalling that I am 28 years old and still don't know what it takes to be a man.

But I am searching.  We are going to fix this problem.  I found an amazing men's faith formation group called the Knights of Divine Mercy.  I think they can help.  Hopefully, we'll be starting a chapter in Austin soon.  You are all invited.  All are welcome in this noble pursuit.

So get started.  Ask yourself whether you are on the path to becoming a man or the path to remaining a child the rest of your life.

Appendix:

Here is a beautiful post by Anthony Bradley on the need for more fathers.



Keep Pursuing

The 10 Commandments

Here is a list of the 10 Commandments:

1. I am the LORD your God: you shall not have strange Gods before me
2. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain
3. Remember to keep holy the LORD's day
4. Honor your father and your mother.
5. You shall not kill
6. You shall not commit adultery
7. You shall not steal
8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor
9. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife
10. You shall not covet your neighbor's goods

Keep Pursuing

Additional Resources

The 10 Commandments are covered twice in the Bible.  Once in Exodus 20:2-17 and again in Deuteronomy 5:6-21.

You can also find the 10 Commandments in the traditional catechetical formula of the Catholic Church here: The 10 Commandments

What is Faith?

This post is part of a mini-series on Faith.


Faith is not talked about nearly enough in today’s society.  And when it is discussed, it is often misrepresented.  As a result, the term has become confused. I hope to set things straight with this post.


The Simple Definition

Faith is an act of will to trust someone.

Let's break that down just to be safe.

1. Faith, at its most basic, is trust.  
• (Example: It is trust in others that allows us to walk down the sidewalk without fear of being hit by passing cars.)
2. That also means that Faith is a decision.
• (Example: You must decide to trust your spouse because you cannot be with your spouse every second of every day.)
3. As such, that means Faith is an action.
• (Example: If you do nothing, if you exercise no will power, if you don't make the decision, you have no Faith.)

Saint Thomas Aquinas

Saint Thomas Aquinas spoke about Faith as well. He repeats the same definition as above, just expressed in much more beautiful and thorough terms.

"Believing is an act of the intellect assenting to the divine truth by command of the will moved by God through grace."

Keep Pursuing

This post is part of a mini-series on Faith.

What is Happiness?

"Why aren't I happy?"

It is a question that plagues so many people.  You can't get on Facebook without seeing a status about someone being depressed, bored and/or dissatisfied with life.  You would think, being the second wealthiest generation in history and being in an age where we vaunt scientific progress that we would be the happiest people the world has ever seen!

But we aren't.  And we could create a long list of things that contribute to our being unhappy.  But I want to address the root cause...you've been lied to.

In fact, you've been lied to thousands of times about happiness.  "Buy this, you'll be happy."  "Achieve that and you'll be happy."  "Date someone and they'll make you happy."  "Get sexy and get happy."  "This drug fills you with joy."  "Relocate and you'll find bliss."  The lies echo around us every day.

The worst part is that these lies have confused us about what happiness is.  We are the first generation ever to think we deserve happiness and we are confused about what it is.  Is it pleasure?  Is it the absence of pain?  Is it feeling good?  Is it having what you want?

I believe happiness is a way of life.  A decision that you make.

In my next post I will explain how it works with a concept called "eudaimonia".

The 8 Beatitudes

List of the 8 Beatitudes:

1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 
2. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 
3. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 
4. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 
5. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 
6. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 
7. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 
8. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven. 

Keep Pursuing

Additional Resources

The Beatitudes come directly from Jesus in Matthew 5:3-12. Jesus teaches the 8 Beatitudes as the beginning to the sermon on the mount.

The 8 Beatitudes are at the heart of Jesus' preaching. They take up the promises made to the chosen people since Abraham. The Beatitudes fulfill the promises by ordering them no longer merely to the possession of a territory, but to the Kingdom of heaven.

The Catechism states that, "the Beatitudes depict the countenance of Jesus Christ and portray his charity. They express the vocation of the faithful associated with the glory of his Passion and Resurrection; they shed light on the actions and attitudes characteristic of the Christian life; they are the paradoxical promises that sustain hope in the midst of tribulations; they proclaim the blessings and rewards already secured, however dimly, for Christ's disciples; they have begun in the lives of the Virgin Mary and all the saints." ~  CCC 1717