This is the stuff that makes me love to be Catholic, and reaffirms my faith even when I am most despondent.
free Mobile PhoneTools IIIJimmy Akin tells the tale of a theological organization founded by Evangelical Christians, and how despite their best attempts to frame a charter that would implicitly exclude Catholics, clumsily wrote it in a way that stated accurate Church teaching. As a result, Catholics and like-minded Protestants were able to join the organization. Eventually (this past November, to be specific), they elected a President of the organization so close to Catholic philosophy that he returned to the Church during the course of his tenure. (Dr. Francis Beckwith was raised Catholic and received the Sacraments of Initiation as a boy, but eventually became an Evangelical Protestant.)
Welcome back to the Church, professor! Your circuitous trip again reveals the truth that the Holy Spirit lives in our sister Churches, despite the sad reality that they are not endowed with the fullness of Grace.
I've been thinking lately how I've let these pages grow overly quiet - even more quiet than I'd expected, given my track record. So when Jack Dunphy at The Corner got to the subject of forgiveness and Catholic faith, and seemed to have a hard time reconciling the idea of forgiveness for murderers, I could not resist the urge to respond to him here.
It occurred to me that the question on its face could best be answered by Christ himself, who during the process of being murdered himself, forgave his murderers.
And Jesus said: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. But they, dividing his garments, cast lots. (Luke 23:34)But are we always expected to do likewise?
As with most such questions, I was led to the online version of the Catholic Encyclopedia. Since there is no specific article on "forgiveness", I poked around a bit. The closest I came in the Encyclopedia proper was the entry for Contrition, which really wasn't much help.
Finally, I found the following sermon by St. Augustine, that pretty well summarizes the concept.
Do you rejoice at the death of your enemy? Thou doest ill. But haply both to your friend the life you wish him is not for his good, and to your enemy the death you rejoice at has been for his good. It is uncertain whether this present life be profitable to any man or unprofitable: but the life which is with God without doubt is profitable. So love your enemies as to wish them to become your brethren; so love your enemies as that they may be called into your fellowship. For so loved He who, hanging on the cross, said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Luke 23:34 For he did not say, Father let them live long, me indeed they kill, but let them live. He was casting out from them the death which is for ever and ever, by His most merciful prayer, and by His most surpassing might. Many of them believed, and the shedding of the blood of Christ was forgiven them. At first they shed it while they raged; now they drank it while they believed."In this we know that we are in Him, if in Him we be made perfect." Touching the very perfection of love of enemies, the Lord admonishing, says, "Be therefore perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:48 He," therefore, "that says he abides in Him, ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked." 1 John 2:6 How, brethren? what does he advise us? "He that says he abides in Him," i.e., in Christ, "ought himself also so to walk even as He walked." Haply the advice is this, that we should walk on the sea? That be far from us! It is this then, that we walk in the way of righteousness. In what way? I have already mentioned it. He was fixed upon the cross, and yet was He walking in this very way: this way is the way of charity, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." If, therefore, you have learned to pray for your enemy, you walk in the way of the Lord.I wasn't aware until now that so much of the texts from the Church Fathers were available alongside the Encyclopedia. What a treasure they are!
Just to prove to our friends on the Left that TBR and TBM are not simply an organ of right-wing-never-does wrong propaganda (as The Ugly American jokes), and to rebut the inevitable anti-Catholic rhetoric (thanks heaps Dahvid), I must take note of a disgraceful episode Thursday night regarding Mel Gibson. Apparently, the actor/director got blinding drunk, got caught DUI, and during the arrest repeatedly spouted anti-Semitic remarks. I'll let others get more detailed, and for my part simply and completely repudiate all Gibson's insane nonsense.
Unfortunately, those of us - especially we Catholics - who defended Gibson in the past will be hurt by association here, regardless of what we say. His tirade makes it appear that all the evil designs that he denied while making The Passion of the Christ were actually true. He brings scandal to the Church, and our cries that Catholics aren't really secret anti-Semites - despite some terrible things we've been associated with in the past - will fall on even more deafened ears.
We can only repeat that this is not the case, renounce Gibson's drunken antics, and beg the forgiveness of the Jewish people for any real or perceived insults of the past.
Many years ago I was given a nifty little booklet that was an excellent tool for an examination of conscience. I kept it in my wallet and referred to it whenever I went to the Sacrament. Through overuse, it eventually fell apart, and somewhere along the line what was left was missplaced. I've searched church alcoves and confessional booths ever since for a replacement, but never found anything quite as good. Until now.
I feel like such a dope that it's probably been here on the Internet for years and I never thought to look for it.