Réquiem ætérnam dona eis, Dómine.

A death of a grandparent of a friend the other day reminded me of past days of my youth, when to my mind, my grandparents were all-wise and powerful (they could even tell Mom and Dad what to do). I used to wonder how I could ever be so wise, let alone so old. Today, reflecting on what I owe them, as well as how I can be like them, I realize I have a long way to go. There is great hope and fear attached to that realization. The fear, of course, must be that I could fail. The hope, though also a fear: the venerable man I could be I am becoming with every choice and thought I have. Now that is scary thought. I don't mean that I define my essence, as an existentialist would hold. Rather, every choice, with its formation of my will, and every thought and the formation of my intellect; who I am now, with what I do now will make me as a man the father of the elder, just as the child is the father of the man. May we all recollect this, and the immense debt we owe our forerunners.

A Good Man is Hard To Find

Individualism and Manhood

In the world today, where individual desires and needs provide the most obvious motivations for the actions of humans, an ideal of greatness and sacrifice can only be found in old books or movies based upon them. In men, especially, the call to greatness has been stifled by individualism and a consciousness centered on self-realization. Such trends, somewhat mitigated by contrary admonition of priest and scripture, plague all too many Catholic men. Despite many a good intention, too many Catholic men merely live lives with virtue, with their family, or with God, but not for virtue, families, or God. Such a life requires sacrifice and a heroism beyond ordinary. Now, why is this the case, especially in modernity? Clearly, since the time of the Fall, men have easily been persuaded from their manhood.

The primeval anthropological error into which Adam and Eve fell was an individualist and relativist theory. They thought that the individual good trumped a corporate good, that the point of reference for judgment could be an individual. Since then any individualist or relativist tendencies in dominant social or ethical theory only tend to increase selfishness and self-centeredness in fallen human nature. Yet the very nature of manhood (and indeed of all humanity) requires an outward turn. This outward turn must involve every level of that man, from his intellection to his action. Today, however, we grapple with the dominant intellectual strains from the past four-hundred years, directed man to look within himself for knowledge. From Descartes to current times, thinkers have relied on their own experiences of reality, their own perception of it. The far-fetched theories of Spinoza or Leibniz, the brutal realism of Bentham or Nietzsche; these come from a practical solipsism on the part of the knower. More recently, this became an explicit intellectual trend with existentialism.

In some ways, history since the turn to secular humanism during the renaissance has been a downward spiral of selfishness. Men thought up ways to justify the individualist turn, first in religion, then in knowledge, lastly in action. Thus, the selfishness in thought becomes selfishness in action; from justification for it, man derives it as a necessity, as becomes clear in the existentialist trap.

In the Catholic world, we can see an ongoing struggle with this throughout the latter half of the second millennium. The weapons the Church used were the sacraments, a strong tie to tradition, and a tighter communal identity. However, this battle, as St. Augustine presented it in The City of God, was destined to failure. The “long defeat,” which Tolkien mentions through Galadriel, truly parallels the war against the Evil one that the Church still wages. Despite the probable failure of our efforts, Catholics have no choice but to continue to fight the good fight. Thought he end be all too clear at times, Catholic men must step forward sacrificing their lives for their Lord who sacrificed His. The triumph of selfishness may never have seemed so close as during the middle of the last century, when the majority of Catholics abandoned much of the tried weaponry of the past. Instead, they embraced the individualism and secularism of the world around them. Much can be said of the subsequent fall-out of that choice, but manhood certainly suffered from this. The exaggerated personalism and phenomenology promoted by too many in the Church have led to the downfall of real manliness.

When one stops to think about Catholic men, there seems to be an underlying uneasiness with their position. This may not be voiced or understood, but exists nonetheless. How many Catholic men that we know are heroic? So many are “good men,” but not great men. We need great Catholic men, not just in stature or confidence, but in deeds, in virtue. We need men who are leaders, who do great things, even on a small scale. We need Catholic men as politicians, teachers, doctors, in great roles, who live their faith and their manhood every day. Such men must arise in the face of the challenges of today. Much if the Church has been defeated or wounded, we have lost contact with our basis for defense. The picture appears bleak, but hope lives on, albeit a small quiet voice, crying: “Awake! To arms!” These arms, the weapons of the past, those tools which God has seen fit to prosper in our hands: we must recover these. But they are worthless unless men of stature and worth are there to wield them. Men of value, men of courage and skill; the Church requires these to survive. Only when the Church can defend itself can She return to her Divine mission to sanctify the world, rebuilding what secular humanism and selfishness so easily destroyed.

Tradition Lives on

http://www.zenit.org/article-22880?l=english
Zenit had a great story about the monastery of Our Lady of the Annunciation at Clear Creek, Oklahoma. For such a specialized and difficult mission, the monks there have been blessed with success. And to think that it all arose through the Integrated Humanities program of John Senior. To me, this wonderful labor serves as a great reminder of true humanism and its goals. When studied for the end of wisdom and true excellence, the great thoughts of western civilization lead us to God and to human flourishing as it can only be under His care.

Death comes as the end

http://ironiccatholic.blogspot.com/2008/06/study-eliminating-trans-fats-still.html
Many thanks to the Ironic Catholic, who excels at pointing out the idiosyncrasies and incoherence of modern man. While done in a humorous fashion, Ironic Catholic's critique called to mind the obsession modern man has with earthly perfection. I suppose when that's all you believe in, you keep finding new excuses to returning to your failures.

Keep the door closed....

Curt Jester comments here on an article by Fr. Andrew Greely entitled "Fall Election Hinges on Race." As Curt Jester points out, such an assertion is ridiculous, and I would say that it is harmful. All this crying of "wolf" whenever racism could be an issue only leads to a hypersensitivity to any question of racism. Not that we should discount the possibilities of or problems with racism, but we must not keep opening every door with the intent of finding some racist bogey monster there.

The End of the World is Here, on June 12th . . .

or there, or in Texas. Why is it that so many of these bogus prophets thrive? They live off the fears and emotions of others all the while lining their own pockets. This would be hilarious were not the human element so sad. I will check back with you on June 12th, either from here or the far side of the grave.

Amator

Overheard in the Sacristy: Christ Won, Satan Zero

Overheard in the Sacristy: Christ Won, Satan Zero
I recently had a conversation with a Catholic who had not really considered that demons could be active in the world. I am sure this person would admit their existence, but the ongoing struggle did not seem pressing to them. Yet this struggle goes on every day, in every place. The devil wants to be unknown, to be a nasty surprise for all of us. Too many even study witchcraft or black magic just for the fun of it, not realizing its deadly consequences. For further study, read Fr. Gabriel Amorth's An Exorcist Tells His Story.

Amator

In "beano" veritas

I wanted to publish a slight caveat to the effect that I was under the influence of two cups of excellent but strong coffee when I started this blog. The coffee, combined with a severe lack of sleep may have made me a little giddy. Come to think of it, the terrible pun I use as my post title may indicate the residual effects of said substance. Long live coffee! (And wine).

Amator

Losing a job on Sunday

As it so turned out, I returned home from a fifteen hundred mile trip, to find out that I have no more work waiting for me. I guess God means for me to do a lot more than I had been doing. Curiously enough, the sermon at mass today was all about embracing the cross that we each are given. The discussion of the beatitudes that today's Gospel related to us, was recalled to me in terms of abnegation and sacrifice. So, added stress equals new cross. Great.... I thought I had enough already. I can always add more and offer it up, like the soldier in Joyce Kilmer's "A Soldier's Prayer." The question then becomes: "What does a liberal arts graduate do while attempting to get into grad school?" Anyway, fairwell until next time.

Amator

Salve, mundum!

Hello to the putative many who may visit this blog. In starting this blog, I intended to start a blog commenting on all things Catholic, from within the richness of the Catholic heritage. The name derives from Paul's letter to the Hebrews (11:1). The reference is to Paul's understanding of Faith, which I intend to take as the substance underlying my thoughts and the end of my affections. The title of the blog, due to the reference, is therefore not strictly accurate, but hopefully forgivable. Regarding the content, then, this will be a primarily serious blog, though I intend to periodically take humorous excursions. As much as possible, then, this blog will attempt to present what a Catholic could reasonably and morally hold as his own understanding. I welcome all comments, whether ecumenical, grammatical, or piratical in nature; I only ask you to comment on what I write, in the spirit in which I write it. Until next time, I remain

Yrs Truly,
MC