St. Augustine on "How to Live Well"

The earliest known portrait of Saint Augustine 
in a 6th-century fresco, Lateran, Rome.

To live well in nothing other than to love God with all one's heart, with all one's soul and with all one's efforts; from this it comes about that love is kept whole an uncorrupted (through temperance). No misfortune can disturb it (and this is fortitude). It obeys only [God] (and this is justice), and it is careful in discerning things, so as not to be surprised by deceit or trickery (and this is prudence). -- St. Augustine, De Moribus Eccl. 1, 25, 46:PL, 32, 1330-1331

Eight Cow Wife

I thought that this video (though old) is a good illustration how the value put on a person greatly affects the way he/she values his/herself; it shows how to bring out the best or the worst in a person. 

It is possible to change someone's life simply by changing your attitude in how you think about, talk about, and interact with him/her.

"Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa for all the times, I helped devalue any individual through immaturity, selfishness, pride, anger, and jealousy."   

Ways to devalue someone:

• Gossip & Slander
• Mock
• Ignore
• Belittle & Accuse
• Lying to
• Infidelity 
• Betrayal
• Abandon
• Abort

Ways to value someone:

• Encourage
• Fidelity
• Respond 
• Listen
• Support
• Show up
• Be Generous 
• Respect
• Serve

If You Don't Want to Change the Way You Think...

than do not listen to this!

One Minute Each Night

America is considered a Christian country.  Nevertheless, according to 2009 statistics, there are approximately per year:

• 1.37 million abortions 
• 120,000 suicides
• 68,000 rapes
• 39,417 drug induced deaths
• 24,518 alcohol induced deaths
• 16,799 homicides
• 50% marriages ended in divorce

"You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not kill. And whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment." (Matt 5:21)

" I hate divorce," says the LORD God of Israel," and I hate a man's covering himself with violence as well as with his garment," says the LORD Almighty. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith. (Malachi 2:16)

"If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town." Matthew 10:15 

I do not know where the following originally came from.  It was emailed to me by a friend. 

May God forgive our country for the many evils we have allowed.

ONE MINUTE EACH NIGHT

During WWII, there was an adviser to Churchill, who organized a group of people who dropped what they were doing every night at a prescribed hour for one minute, to collectively pray for the safety of England, its people and peace. This had an amazing effect, as bombing stopped.

There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here in America; The United States of America, and our citizens, need prayer more than ever!!!

If you would like to participate, each evening at 9:00 P.M. Eastern Time (8 PM Central, 7 PM Mountain, 6 PM Pacific), stop whatever you're doing, and spend ONE minute praying for:

• the safety of the United States,
• our troops,
• our citizens,
• peace in the world,
• the upcoming elections,
• that the Constitution will remain the basis for the laws governing our land,
• and that Christianity will grow in the U.S.

If you know anyone who would like to participate, please pass this along.  Someone said if people really understood the full extent of the power we have available through prayer, we might be speechless.  Our prayers are the most powerful asset we have.

Please pass this on to anyone who you think will want to join us.

May God have mercy on America and may we turn back to what our Nation was founded on: IN GOD WE TRUST.  AMEN!

Vote YES/NO On These!

In this blog, I try to stay away from politics, but when the law goes against my faith, I have to stand up for what I believe. It's not a matter of bringing faith into a secular realm; rather, I live my faith, so it must be part of my daily choices, which include what laws I vote on -- otherwise, why have faith? Faith without action is dead.

I am including any law in the nation that I find that goes against life, marriage, the family and the dignity of the human person. I will add the laws as I find them. If you know of one/some, please comment. The upcoming election in November will be here very soon... Let us choose to support the dignity of every individual.

"Furthermore, whatever is opposed to life itself; ...whatever violates the integrity of the human person;... whatever insults human dignity, such as subhuman living conditions, arbitrary imprisonment, deportation, slavery, prostitution, the selling of women and children; as well as disgraceful working conditions;... all these things and others of their like ... poison human society, but they do more harm to those who practice them than those who suffer from the injury. Moreover, they are a supreme dishonor to the Creator." 
—Pope Paul VI (Vatican II) Gaudium et Spes, #27 (1965) 

Helpful websites:
EWTN - Non Negotiables
National Catholic Vote
California Catholic Vote

Massachusettes - Stop Assisted Suicide

Romney/Obama Scoreboard
Patrick Madrid says of this video, "One of the most courageous sermons I've ever heard a Catholic priest deliver."

VOTE YES!!!!

CALIFORNIA: Proposition 34 - End the Use of the Death Penalty 

Proposition 34 - End the Use of the Death Penalty  (En Español)

California Catholic Conference Statement in Support of Prop 34 - (En Español)

CALIFORNIA: Proposition 35 - Harsher Punishment for Human Trafficking

Proposition 35 - Human Trafficking - (En Español)
California Catholic Conference Statement in Support of Prop 35

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: Support HR303

Protect Pain-Capable Unborn Children in the District

VOTE NO!!!!

MASSACHUSETTES: Question 2 - Physician Assisted Suicide 

Question 2 - Stop Physician Assisted Suicide

WASHINGTON: Reject R-74

Preserve Marriage, One Man, One Woman

This joke is NOT funny!

My co-worker shared this story with me yesterday, and then I searched for it online. I found it categorized as "funny joke". However, I don't think it is funny.  What do you think?

A man was being tailgated by a stressed-out woman on a busy boulevard.

Suddenly, the light turned yellow, just in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.

The tailgating woman hit the roof--and the horn--screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to get through the intersection. As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer. The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. He took her to the police station where she was searched, finger printed, photographed, and placed in a holding cell.

After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.

He said, "I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the 'Choose Life' license plate holder, the 'What Would Jesus Do' bumper sticker, the 'Follow Me to Sunday School' bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated ’Christian Fish' emblem on the trunk. Naturally, I assumed you had stolen the car."

Why do I think this joke is NOT funny? Maybe, because I have been a passenger in the car too many times  where Catholic Christian drivers behave this way.  It makes me sad, because not only do we take off our Christian hat on the road, but in restaurants, and basically any and everywhere. We know what we represent, but  if x, y, and z happens, THEN we have the right to behave in this and that way, right? I mean, you would respond like this too, if it happened to you .... and THAT makes it ok.

I think that the police officer's response is great, and reminds me of the song: "They will know we are Christians by our love."  It also reminds me of St. Francis and his encouragement to "preach always and speak only when necessary".

I am serious about my faith, but this made me reconsider how I behaved today and yesterday.  What do others actually see when they look at me? Do they think I am a hypocrite? Or do they believe I am what I claim, a follower of Christ, a disciple of love, a Catholic?

Marks of the follower of Christ (1 Cor 13):

• Patient
• Kind
• Not jealous
• Not boastful
• Not proud
• Not self-seeking
• Not easily angered
• Keeps no record of wrongs
• Does not delight in evil
• Rejoices in the truth
• Protects
• Trusts
• Hopes
• Preserves

Am I all of these, in all circumstances, and with all people? If I am not, what lame excuses do I give myself to justify "my exception"? Do I blame others for my behavior?

What if... there was no afterlife?

On the radio a few days ago, a DJ presented the question:  "Would you still be a Christian.... IF you knew that there was no afterlife?"  He asked this hypothetically to his Christian audience to gauge the importance of this belief in day to day living.  He wasn't interested in theological answers -- just an in the moment reaction.

The main response was: "No."

Many said if there was no afterlife, the hope that they have in Christ would be dead. While a Christian life promotes goodness in people, it is not impossible to be "good" outside of Christ.

I see what they are saying, but I disagree.

Without going into theology... I think that an afterlife is a great motivation for people to be good, that is, to have a relationship with Jesus -- like an award system.  However, one doesn't need the reward system to have a true relationship with Him. Likewise one doesn't need a reward system to be a "good" person.

For me the afterlife is a beautiful bonus.

I am glad, it is not hypothetical, but an actually reality-- because then one day my love for God will be made more perfect, and I will experience happiness more than I could possible imagine. However, I love God because He is God.

Therefore, I think that even if there was no afterlife, I would still try to have a relationship with Jesus, because Jesus is God.

The Incarnation, Passion, Death, and Resurrection was the proof of God's love.  If there was no life after death, then going into the theology of how things would be different will get very complicated, but I am sure that God --the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit -- would still have proved that He is our very Life.  Maybe, I would not be called "Christian" but I would hope to follow God with everything I have.

God is unchanging, eternal, all powerful, and not dependent on an afterlife for His creations.  He didn't need to create our souls immortal.  He could have created us like the insects. (I don't believe that insects, or dogs go to heaven.)  Does God not care about them?  Does He not still order them, giving them a part in His creation?  Did he not say that their existence was GOOD?

The fact that I, a miserable creature, was deemed worthy of existence is Divine Mercy and Goodness in action.  I am grateful for my existence and the opportunity to love God.  I owe Him everything.  He gave me life. Thus, my duty to follow His Commandments would not be lessened.

My question to the DJ's audience would be:

Would Moses still have lead the Israelites out of Egypt.... IF he knew he wouldn't ever see the "promised land"?

When Time Touches Eternity

As you may have noticed, my subtitle for this blog is: "A blog focusing on living a virtuous life, NOT TOMORROW, but in THIS moment."

Currently, I am all about living in the present moment. I didn't always used to be this way.  When I was a teenager and also when I was in college, I mostly thought about the future. "What do I want? What is in store for me? How can I get there?" After college when life became more challenging, I mostly thought about the past. "I wish I can live in it again... or did I make the right choices?" 

Now I see that resting in both ways of thinking are futile. How true are St. Faustina's words!

Only the present moment is precious to me,

As the future can never enter my soul at all.

It is no longer in my power,

To change, correct or add to the past; 

For neither sages nor prophets could do that,

 And so, what the past has embraced I must entrust to God.

O present moment, you belong to me, whole and entire.

I desire to use you the best I can.

- Divine Mercy in My Soul, Notebook I #2

 
As much as I wish I could go into the past and either change my actions or live in it still, I am wasting my moments in the NOW on it. Since the past can't be changed no matter how hard I think on it, I am wasting time and causing anxiety in myself.

It is good to be prepared for the future, but it is futile to place my hope in it.  It is good to have dreams and goals, but as most successful people say, the dream comes true through the work of today. I think similar advice is true for the goal of Union with God.  C.S. Lewis illustrates this beautifully in his Screwtape Letters. (This book is a satire about tempting humans away from God.) Here is an excerpt from a letter from one demon to another:

CHAPTER 15:

"My dear Wormwood, 

        ...The humans live in a time but our Enemy destines them to eternity.  He therefore, I believe, wants them to attend chiefly to two things, to eternity itself, and to the point of time which they call the Present. For the Present is the point at which time touches eternity. Of the Present moment, and of it only, humans have an experience which our Enemy has of reality as a whole; in it alone freedom and actuality are offered them. He would rather have them continually concerned either with eternity (which means being concerned with Him) or with the Present --either meditating on their eternal union with, or separation from, Himself, or else obeying the present voice of conscience, bearing the present cross, receiving the present grace, giving thanks for the present pleasure. 
      Our business is to get them away from the eternal, and from the Present. With this in view, we sometimes tempt a human (say a widow or a scholar) to live in the Past. But this is of limited value, for they have some real knowledge of the past and it has a determinate nature and, to that extent, resembles eternity. It is far better to make them live in the Future. Biological necessity makes all their passions point in that direction already, so the thought about the Future inflames hope and fear. Also, it is unknown to them, so it makes them think of unrealities. In a word, the Future is, of all things, the least like eternity. It is the most completely temporal part of time - for the Past is frozen and no longer flows, and the Present is lit up with eternal rays... Gratitude looks to the past and love to the present; fear, avarice, lust and ambition look ahead...
      To be sure, the Enemy wants men to think of the Future too - just as much as is necessary for now planning the acts of justice or charity which will probably be their duty tomorrow. The duty of planning the morrow's work is today's duty; though its material is borrowed from the future, the duty, like all duties, is in the Present...
      We want a whole race perpetually in the pursuit of the rainbow's end, never honest, nor kind, nor happy now, but always using as mere fuel wherewith to heap the altar of the future ever real gift which is offered to them in the Present...

Your affectionate uncle,
Screwtape" 

Also, remember that God's name is "I AM",  not "I was" or "I will be".