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"Say What?" Monday Catechism Series #13 - Why Should I Paint?
I believe the Catechism is THE tool for the re-evangelizing of secular society and the renewal of Catholic culture. Every Monday this epic mini-series will share a gem from our Catechism of the Catholic Church that is interesting, relevant, or remarkable.
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Is art a useless hobby? Is there a higher meaning and purpose to finger painting? Is Bob Ross in heaven? The Catechism explains that art is a participation in the divine. There is hope yet for the happy trees...
2501 Created "in the image of God,"294 man also expresses the truth of his relationship with God the Creator by the beauty of his artistic works. Indeed, art is a distinctively human form of expression; beyond the search for the necessities of life which is common to all living creatures, art is a freely given superabundance of the human being's inner riches. Arising from talent given by the Creator and from man's own effort, art is a form of practical wisdom, uniting knowledge and skill,295 to give form to the truth of reality in a language accessible to sight or hearing. To the extent that it is inspired by truth and love of beings, art bears a certain likeness to God's activity in what he has created. Like any other human activity, art is not an absolute end in itself, but is ordered to and ennobled by the ultimate end of man.296
+JMJ
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“Say What?” Monday Catechism Series #12 - What Does 'Catholic' Mean?
I believe the Catechism is THE tool for the re-evangelizing of secular society and the renewal of Catholic culture. Every Monday this epic mini-series will share a gem from our Catechism of the Catholic Church that is interesting, relevant, or remarkable.
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We use the word "Catholic" but what do we mean by Catholic? Were the first Apostles Catholic? Is Jesus Catholic? Is Catholicism a denomination? Check it:
830 The word "catholic" means "universal," in the sense of "according to the totality" or "in keeping with the whole." The Church is catholic in a double sense:
First, the Church is catholic because Christ is present in her. "Where there is Christ Jesus, there is the Catholic Church."307 In her subsists the fullness of Christ's body united with its head; this implies that she receives from him "the fullness of the means of salvation"308 which he has willed: correct and complete confession of faith, full sacramental life, and ordained ministry in apostolic succession. The Church was, in this fundamental sense, catholic on the day of Pentecost309 and will always be so until the day of the Parousia.
831 Secondly, the Church is catholic because she has been sent out by Christ on a mission to the whole of the human race:310 All men are called to belong to the new People of God. This People, therefore, while remaining one and only one, is to be spread throughout the whole world and to all ages in order that the design of God's will may be fulfilled: he made human nature one in the beginning and has decreed that all his children who were scattered should be finally gathered together as one. ... The character of universality which adorns the People of God is a gift from the Lord himself whereby the Catholic Church ceaselessly and efficaciously seeks for the return of all humanity and all its goods, under Christ the Head in the unity of his Spirit.311
+JMJ
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“Say What?” Monday Catechism Series #11 - Pets, Animal Rights, and Experiments
I believe the Catechism is THE tool for the re-evangelizing of secular society and the renewal of Catholic culture. Every Monday this epic mini-series will share a gem from our Catechism of the Catholic Church that is interesting, relevant, or remarkable.
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This week's interesting catechism is about respecting creation. Do animals have rights? How should we respect God's creation? Are medical or scientific animal experiments morally acceptable?
2415 The seventh commandment enjoins respect for the integrity of creation. Animals, like plants and inanimate beings, are by nature destined for the common good of past, present, and future humanity.195 Use of the mineral, vegetable, and animal resources of the universe cannot be divorced from respect for moral imperatives. Man's dominion over inanimate and other living beings granted by the Creator is not absolute; it is limited by concern for the quality of life of his neighbor, including generations to come; it requires a religious respect for the integrity of creation.196
2416 Animals are God's creatures. He surrounds them with his providential care. By their mere existence they bless him and give him glory.197 Thus men owe them kindness. We should recall the gentleness with which saints like St. Francis of Assisi or St. Philip Neri treated animals.
2417 God entrusted animals to the stewardship of those whom he created in his own image.198 Hence it is legitimate to use animals for food and clothing. They may be domesticated to help man in his work and leisure. Medical and scientific experimentation on animals is a morally acceptable practice if it remains within reasonable limits and contributes to caring for or saving human lives.
2418 It is contrary to human dignity to cause animals to suffer or die needlessly. It is likewise unworthy to spend money on them that should as a priority go to the relief of human misery. One can love animals; one should not direct to them the affection due only to persons.
+JMJ
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“Say What?” Monday Catechism Series #10 - Dead Men Walking?
I believe the Catechism is THE tool for the re-evangelizing of secular society and the renewal of Catholic culture. Every Monday this epic mini-series will share a gem from our Catechism of the Catholic Church that is interesting, relevant, or remarkable.
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This week's interesting catechism is related to the article of the Creed we profess at Mass "I believe in the Resurrection of the body." Do you know what that means? What does rising mean? Who will rise from the dead? (Spoiler: EVERYONE) How will we rise from the dead? When will this all go down?
This week's catechism is a chunk, but its a great one. The final paragraph wraps it all up in the Eucharist
How do the dead rise?
997 What is "rising"? In death, the separation of the soul from the body, the human body decays and the soul goes to meet God, while awaiting its reunion with its glorified body. God, in his almighty power, will definitively grant incorruptible life to our bodies by reuniting them with our souls, through the power of Jesus' Resurrection.
998 Who will rise? All the dead will rise, "those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment."552
999 How? Christ is raised with his own body: "See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself";553 but he did not return to an earthly life. So, in him, "all of them will rise again with their own bodies which they now bear," but Christ "will change our lowly body to be like his glorious body," into a "spiritual body":554But someone will ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?" You foolish man! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body which is to be, but a bare kernel. ... What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. ... The dead will be raised imperishable. ... For this perishable nature must put on the imperishable, and this mortal nature must put on immortality.555
1001 When? Definitively "at the last day," "at the end of the world."557 Indeed, the resurrection of the dead is closely associated with Christ's Parousia:For the Lord himself will descend from heaven, with a cry of command, with the archangel's call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.558
+JMJ
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“Say What?” Monday Catechism Series #9 - Ladies First
I believe the Catechism is THE tool for the re-evangelizing of secular society and the renewal of Catholic culture. Every Monday this epic mini-series will share a gem from our Catechism of the Catholic Church that is interesting, relevant, or remarkable.
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This week's interesting catechism is related to today's Gospel reading on the first Monday in the Octave of Easter. It is interesting to realize that just as a woman (Mary) is the first to hear of the good news of Christ's birth and mediate this message to the world, so a woman (or women) is the first to hear of Christ's Resurrection and mediate this good news to the Church (the Apostles).
Dem Catholics love women!
641 Mary Magdalene and the holy women who came to finish anointing the body of Jesus, which had been buried in haste because the Sabbath began on the evening of Good Friday, were the first to encounter the Risen One.498 Thus the women were the first messengers of Christ's Resurrection for the apostles themselves.499 They were the next to whom Jesus appears: first Peter, then the Twelve. Peter had been called to strengthen the faith of his brothers,500 and so sees the Risen One before them; it is on the basis of his testimony that the community exclaims: "The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!"501
+JMJ
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“Say What?” Monday Catechism Series #8 - Sacred Heart of Jesus
A new series on this blog. Each Monday I’ll be posting a gem from our Catechism of the Catholic Church that is interesting or remarkable.
This week's interesting catechism is about the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
478 Jesus knew and loved us each and all during his life, his agony and his Passion, and gave himself up for each one of us: "The Son of God. . . loved me and gave himself for me." He has loved us all with a human heart. For this reason, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, pierced by our sins and for our salvation, "is quite rightly considered the chief sign and symbol of that. . . love with which the divine Redeemer continually loves the eternal Father and all human beings" without exception.
+JMJ
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“Say What?” Monday Catechism Series #7 - Exorcisms
A new series on this blog. Each Monday I’ll be posting a gem from our Catechism of the Catholic Church that is interesting or remarkable.
This week's interesting catechism is about exorcisms. Does the Church still practice exorcisms? (At every Baptism!) Does the Church really believe that people can be possessed by a demon?
1673 When the Church asks publicly and authoritatively in the name of Jesus Christ that a person or object be protected against the power of the Evil One and withdrawn from his dominion, it is called exorcism. Jesus performed exorcisms and from him the Church has received the power and office of exorcizing. In a simple form, exorcism is performed at the celebration of Baptism. The solemn exorcism, called "a major exorcism," can be performed only by a priest and with the permission of the bishop. The priest must proceed with prudence, strictly observing the rules established by the Church. Exorcism is directed at the expulsion of demons or to the liberation from demonic possession through the spiritual authority which Jesus entrusted to his Church. Illness, especially psychological illness, is a very different matter; treating this is the concern of medical science. Therefore, before an exorcism is performed, it is important to ascertain that one is dealing with the presence of the Evil One, and not an illness.
+JMJ
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“Say What?” Monday Catechism Series #6 - What is Art?
A new series on this blog. Each Monday I’ll be posting a gem from our Catechism of the Catholic Church that is interesting or remarkable.
This week's interesting catechism is about art. The catechism defines art as "to give form to the truth of reality in a language accessible to sight or hearing." Art is a distinctly human activity similar to God's activity in creating. We need more good artists!
2501 Created "in the image of God," man also expresses the truth of his relationship with God the Creator by the beauty of his artistic works. Indeed, art is a distinctively human form of expression; beyond the search for the necessities of life which is common to all living creatures, art is a freely given superabundance of the human being's inner riches. Arising from talent given by the Creator and from man's own effort, art is a form of practical wisdom, uniting knowledge and skill, to give form to the truth of reality in a language accessible to sight or hearing. To the extent that it is inspired by truth and love of beings, art bears a certain likeness to God's activity in what he has created. Like any other human activity, art is not an absolute end in itself, but is ordered to and ennobled by the ultimate end of man.
+JMJ
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“Say What?” Monday Catechism Series #5 - Mass Media Zombies
A new series on this blog. Each Monday I’ll be posting a gem from our Catechism of the Catholic Church that is interesting or remarkable.
This week's interesting catechism deals with social communication and our responsibility as users and consumers of mass media to form our conscience so we can filter out unwholesome influences and not turn into mindless media zombies.
2496 The means of social communication (especially the mass media) can give rise to a certain passivity among users, making them less than vigilant consumers of what is said or shown. Users should practice moderation and discipline in their approach to the mass media. They will want to form enlightened and correct consciences the more easily to resist unwholesome influences.
+JMJ
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“Say What?” Monday Catechism Series #4 - Newspaper Fame
A new series on this blog. Each Monday I’ll be posting a gem from our Catechism of the Catholic Church that is interesting or remarkable. (I missed Monday this week, so here is the belated Monday post.)
This week’s Interesting Catechism talks about forsaking everything in the world that does not give true happiness, for we find happiness in God alone, "the source of every good and of all love". It includes a great quote from John Henry Cardinal Newman addressing the lures of the world that include even "newspaper fame". Challenging words for a blogger like me who can get caught up in chasing after page views.
1723 The beatitude we are promised confronts us with decisive moral choices. It invites us to purify our hearts of bad instincts and to seek the love of God above all else. It teaches us that true happiness is not found in riches or well-being, in human fame or power, or in any human achievement - however beneficial it may be - such as science, technology, and art, or indeed in any creature, but in God alone, the source of every good and of all love:
- All bow down before wealth. Wealth is that to which the multitude of men pay an instinctive homage. They measure happiness by wealth; and by wealth they measure respectability. . . . It is a homage resulting from a profound faith . . . that with wealth he may do all things. Wealth is one idol of the day and notoriety is a second. . . . Notoriety, or the making of a noise in the world - it may be called "newspaper fame" - has come to be considered a great good in itself, and a ground of veneration.
- (John Henry Cardinal Newman, "Saintliness the Standard of Christian Principle," in Discourses to Mixed Congregations (London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1906) V, 89-90.)
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+JMJ
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