From the archive (set #17)

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Happy Easter!

Tomorrow is time for New Evangelists Monthly to begin a new edition. Today, I would like to bring to your attention 3 original, brief essays that you may have missed. If you don’t have time to read all three, the first one is an especially fun, (fictional) newspaper-style report of Good Friday in 33 AD — Torn Temple Curtain. It is how I imagine our present, anti-Christian media would have reported if they were transported back in time.


Torn temple curtain

Top Story Roundup: The big story today is the torn temple curtain. An earthquake felt last Friday at 3:00pm triggered a complete tear of the heavy fabric separating the Holy of Holies within the temple complex. Engineers speculate that poor workmanship may be to blame. The leading theory is that a manufacturing flaw near the top, stressed by the material’s weight and the quake shaking, may have led to the damage. In unrelated news, the blasphemous Jesus of Nazareth was crucified.

…read it all:   Torn temple curtain


Being charitable

Sometimes people think that being charitable is “always being nice” or “never hurting someone’s feelings.” They are very wrong. In some situations, following those guidelines is actually uncharitable. Jesus and the Apostles boldly rebuked and condemned evil. That probably hurt some feelings.

…read it all:   Being charitable


Politically incorrect

Speaking of irony, one of the most ironic responses I have seen is when people are accused of being “unchristian” for speaking up. This accusation may be followed by sanctimonious comments on what Jesus would have done. Baloney! Jesus was often politically incorrect, judgmental and intolerant.

…read it all:   Politically incorrect


From the archive (set #16)

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Tomorrow is time for New Evangelists Monthly to begin a new edition. Today, I would like to bring to your attention 3 original, brief essays that you may have missed. If you don’t have time to read all three, I especially recommend the first one — Public sinners. It is a good reflection for this political season.


Public sinners

Hollywood is a rich source of examples. Professional athletics is another. Popular music performers still another. As upsetting as so many of these individuals often are, theirs is a context that at least numbs our reaction. They are usually acting as individuals, representing only their own moral depravity and directly affecting only their own sad lives. They generally do not claim to be followers of Christ. There is another group of public figures who share the attributes of the others noted above, but unlike them have a special trust with the public.

…read it all:   Public sinners


Membership available

All membership levels offer a path to eternal life. While the highest level is recommended for best results, any level is preferred to non-membership. Disclaimer: membership alone (at any level) does not automatically assure salvation. Act NOW. This is a limited time offer which expires with each life. Do not miss this great opportunity while you still have time. Priests and pastors are standing by.

…read it all:   Membership available


The Body of Christ

Amen! That simple response says a great deal when we present ourselves to receive the Holy Eucharist. The priest holds our Lord’s most holy body or most precious blood and says to us “the Body of Christ” or “the Blood of Christ.” Our response affirms many things, all expressed humbly and fully by “Amen.”

…read it all:   The Body of Christ

From the archive (set #15)

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Tomorrow is time for New Evangelists Monthly to begin a new edition. Today, I would like to bring to your attention 3 original, brief essays that you may have missed. If you don’t have time to read all three, I especially recommend the first one — Only prayer.


Only prayer

Sometimes we (and by “we,” I mean “I”), without thinking, forget that we do not have the power to fix everything that is wrong or to right all that is unjust. We witness or hear of terrible suffering and our first thought is to do something about it. That impulse is good and should be acted upon, but we err (a more polite description than “are delusional”) when we think that we alone can save the world, even subconsciously. Our real hope rests with God.

…read it all:   Only prayer


Reform the reform (part 1)

I also believe that while it as sacred as ever, Vatican II “spirit” changes have made it less reverent. Not just the extreme liturgical abuses such as “liturgical dance,” but smaller abuses and practices. What exactly Mass is becomes lost. The poorly catechized may not see it as particularly different than any Christian worship service. Their sense of the real presence of Christ becomes questioning. Ultimately they may leave. The zeal of the faithful is also diminished.

…read it all:   Reform the reform (part 1)


Reform the reform (part 2)

The bottom line is not that the liturgy of the Mass and other practices is wrong, broken or less sacred. It is that post-Vatican II “spirit” changes made in haste and/or with questionable authority should be reversed to restore greatest reverence. That is the point of reforming the reform.

…read it all:   Reform the reform (part 2)

From the archive (set #14)

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My bucket of 7QTF items is too low for that today, so instead I would like to bring to your attention 3 original, brief essays that you may have missed. If you don’t have time to read all three, I especially recommend the first one — Some leave the Church.


Some leave the Church

The Mass is sacred and conducted with reverence. While it includes worship, it is much, much more than that. Every Mass is a supernatural mystery where heaven and earth touch, angels and saints join us as the Last Supper and Calgary are made present. The body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus is literally confected in the Eucharist — in which we are united with Christ and each other through all time and space. The worship services of other Christian communities, however holy and reverent, are not remotely comparable to the Mass.

…read it all:   Some leave the Church


Are you ready?

As interesting as it may be to ponder the rapture or to consider science fiction stories, we would be missing the big picture. People have been waiting for the rapture for 2,000 years and may be waiting for another 2,000 – or 10,000. The possibility of these science fiction scenarios during our mortal lives is even more remote. What is not remote and quite sure is an end to our individual exiles here on Earth. We do not know when, but we know its certainty.

…read it all:   Are you ready?


Prayer and contrition

The consequence of sin, against God (as all sin is), is clearer. The God who has literally given me everything. The God who hears and answers every prayer. This is the God whom I sin against. My focus shifts from how this sin effects me to the sorrow rightly due to sinning against God Himself. The contrition I feel becomes “more perfect.”

…read it all:   Prayer and contrition

From the archive (set #13)

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Tomorrow is time for New Evangelists Monthly to begin a new edition. Today, I would like to bring to your attention 3 original, brief essays that you may have missed. If you don’t have time to read all three, I especially recommend the first one — On His way.


On His way

The image is intriguing, suggesting baby Jesus in His virgin mother’s womb over 2,000 years ago, but through today’s technology. Looking at it we feel the excitement of expectancy, especially those of us who are parents. What a terrific Advent image! I like it also because it powerfully ties to our firm belief in life from conception. Our Savior was once an unborn baby Himself. The Mother of God did not “choose” to “terminate” Him, she said only yes.

…read it all:   On His way


Women deacons

The fallacy is that deaconesses were female deacons, which was never the case. Deaconesses had a totally different, non-liturgical role. The name was often given to the wives of deacons or certain widows and their most notable purpose was to protect the modesty of women being baptized. In the early Church, baptism was done fully nude. Deaconesses assisted by holding a cloth between a woman being baptized and the priest.

…read it all:   Women deacons


When the Holy Spirit calls

The evil of that abortion could not be stopped. To my mind, the Holy Spirit used that tragedy to show Abby – up-front and very personal – exactly what it was. Abby would soon quit her job, literally cross the street and join The Coalition for Life. Now she would be outside of the facility that she previously ran, letting the Holy Spirit work through her and praying for all inside.

…read it all:   When the Holy Spirit calls

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