Posts Tagged ‘faith’

Tonight is A Moment of Truth on Loan From God To Donald Trump and the Nation

Posted: July 18, 2024 by datechguy in catholic, election 2024, politics
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Ebenezer Scrooge: “I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all three shall strove within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach. Oh, tell me that I may sponge away the writing on this stone!”

Charles Dickens (with one k) A Christmas Carol

Kafni: I can not give you my belief or my devotion, so I’m afraid my honesty is all I have to give after giving up my daughter.
Jesus: I understand. I ask a lot from those who follow me, but I ask little of those who do not.

The Chosen Thunder 2021

What a difference a week makes.

As recently as one week ago tonight was going to be a moment that had been repeated many times in American History in a four year cycle. Tonight is the night when one of the major party candidates for president makes his case publicly to both his party’s convention and to the American people in a prime time speech.

As such a moment it would be of news value and depending on the result of the election and how the speech is received of some history value as well. Something that the chattering classes might talk about for a bit but nothing that would be considered earth shattering

But that was then.

Now instead of just Donald Trump, the former president and GOP nominee making a speech to the nation, it’s also Donald Trump, the man who missed being murdered by the tiniest of tiny margins giving his first public address the nation after facing death.

Salena Zito who had been scheduled to interview Trump that Saturday and who was feet away from Trump on the same grandstand as Corey Camperatore who died saving his wife and daughter interviewed Trump the next day and wrote this report:

“That reality is just setting in,” he said. “I rarely look away from the crowd. Had I not done that in that moment, well, we would not be talking today, would we?”  

Talking as he boarded his plane in Bedminster, New Jersey, for Milwaukee, where the Republican National Convention starts Monday and lasts through Thursday, Trump said his speech will meet the moment that history demands. “It is a chance to bring the country together. I was given that chance,” he said.

Early Sunday morning, Trump posted on Truth Social that it was “God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening” and that he would “fear not.” Again, in talking to the Washington Examiner, he invoked “God” for his deliverance.

“This is a chance to bring the whole country, even the whole world, together. The speech will be a lot different, a lot different than it would’ve been two days ago,” he said.

I have written in the past that Donald Trump as a man of 78 is set in his ways. It is very difficult for such a man to change the habits of a lifetime, but if there is anything that CAN do such a thing it’s the hand of God allowing him to walk away from certain death.

One of the most important things for a soul is to see itself in the light of truth and Donald Trump was given the incredible gift of being able to see that every remaining day of his life, is a gift from God.

In short, he’s been given an incredible grace, today we find out what he chooses to do with said grace.

The world will be watching. I suspect he will not disappoint.

Medjugorje and Main Street What Do you Believe?

Posted: January 15, 2024 by datechguy in catholic, catholic devotions
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This morning when I woke up I noticed that Medjugorje was trending on twitter likely because one of the bishops that the Vatican under Francis has gone after is going there.

Nobody seems to have a neutral position on Medjugorje either they firmly believe in the apparitions or they don’t. The Vatican has not approved Medjugorje, which does not mean they never will, but they have not denounced it either. Catholic Answers has a pretty good summery of the Church’s position:

In 1985, Mostar-Duvno’s bishop Pavao Zanic determined that the apparitions were not authentic, i.e., not of supernatural origin.

In 1991, the bishops’ conference of Yugoslavia ruled that the supernatural character of the reported apparitions could not be affirmed. This is different than a definitive declaration that there is no supernatural character

No subsequent bishop who has authority over that area has overturned these rulings. As for the Vatican:

The Holy See, consistent with the rulings of the local bishops, has allowed pilgrimages to Medjugorje—and in May 2019 Pope Francis formally authorized them—provided they don’t present the reported apparitions as approved by the Church. The Holy See has also forbidden the faithful from participating in events where the reported seers present their reported apparitions as of supernatural origin (see this for more information).

Those who have experienced conversions—or a deepening of faith—associated with pilgrimage(s) to Medjugorje should know that the validity of their experiences does not hinge upon whether the reported apparitions are declared of supernatural origin. Indeed, the sacraments are valid at Medjugorje, and the Blessed Mother can—and does—fruitfully intercede for those who seek her sincerely, wherever that may be.

Emphasis mine

What it really comes down to in my opinion is this. 

If you are seeking God, if you are praying faithfully, going to confession, receiving the sacraments, reading scripture and loving your neighbor as yourself then you have already found him, even if you don’t realize it.

There is a tendency among people in general and among those in the faith in particular to go “hunting miracles”. It’s not unnatural thing to do. Man always sees awe and wonder in the natural, man made and even the supernatural world. That just human, but to those who chase miracles hoping to find God it me tell you something.

Its been my experience that those chasing miracles are forgetting Elijah in the cave.  The miracles of God are all around us. We just need to learn to notice them amongst the noise of the world and if you stick with prayer and the Sacraments you’ll eventually see what’s been around you all the time.

As for Medjugorje, if it’s not supernatural Christ and Blessed mother will do what they always do, make Lemonade of Lemons and if it is the Vatican will eventually approve it in God’s own good time.

If you want to go there, go ahead, if you want to stay away, that’s fine too just but keep in mind this advice from Christ:

But seek first the kingdom (of God) and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.

Matthew 6:33

You don’t have to travel half way around the world to seek the kingdom of God. Worry about being a good and faithful Catholic where you are, anything else is just gravy.

Jonathan & Jesus Let’s Talk REAL Pressure

Posted: January 8, 2024 by datechguy in catholic, entertainment
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Abraham Lincoln: [speaking to a old freed slave who dropped to his knees before him] Don’t kneel to me, that is not right. You must kneel to God only, and thank Him for the liberty you will enjoy hereafter.

Richmond April 4th 1865 surrounded by a group of newly freed slaves

This trailer dropped from the folks at the Chosen:

In one respect this isn’t odd, you might recall from your movie history Cecil B DeMille’s silent movie King of Kings, the first movie adaption of the Gospels. It’s available at Youtube:

At the Turner Classic movies the lengths that DeMille took to keep things on the “right” path:

Cecil B. DeMille did not want to take any chances with the film. His two stars, ‘H. B. Warner’ and ‘Dorothy Cummings’ , were required to sign agreements which prohibited them from appearing in film roles that might compromise their “holy” screen images for a five-year period. DeMille also ordered them not to be seen doing any “un-biblical” activities during the film’s shooting. These activities included attending ball games, playing cards, frequenting night clubs, swimming, and riding in convertibles.

and Turner also reports that DeMille had some serious damage control to do:

Lead actor H.B. Warner, who played Jesus, was involved in an off-camera scandal with anonymous woman who was determined to blackmail Cecil B. DeMille by ruining the production. It is believed that DeMille paid the woman on the condition that she leave the U.S.

IMDB.com claims the woman was made to back off after being threatened with arrest. It also states that the pressure that Warner felt playing Christ was so intense that it brought back his drinking problem.

Now consider, this was one movie released in 1927 at a time when movies were not universal. Warner was already an established actor with a ton of credits behind him and decades of credits ahead of him (you might best remember him as Mr. Gower the druggist in It’s a Wonderful Life)  

The Chosen has now been around for over four years. It has been seen by hundreds of millions all over the world. It is a global phenomena. Furthermore if you look at IMDB you will find that while Jonathan Roumie has credits dating back to 2001 you will see nothing in a significant staring role that might cause him to be memorable before the Chosen. His entire fames comes from playing Jesus and there are, I suspect, many particularly in a post Christian culture that have not known the Gospel before and are rediscovering faith for the first time, for whom he is the only Jesus they have ever known in their lives.

Imagine the pressure of playing the son of God under those conditions and add to that the aditional pressure when you consider Jonathan Roumie is a devout Catholic who is very conscious of the dangers of the sin of Pride and that his performance and how he carries himself in public could have a huge oversized effect on people trying to find God. An actor might worry about the effects of his words and actions hurting a production, a devout Christian would worry about his actions and their effect on souls.

And we haven’t even touched on those who despise this message and the messengers who deliver it, both natural and supernatural. I’ve written and spoken about how the clergy and particularly the higher ups are targets for the devil, that comes with the job. Jonathan Roumie is an actor. I suspect that Satan has painted a target on his back bigger than the one on any Bishop.

That he is able to function at all, let alone as a man of faith and devotion speaks volumes and by the time the final season of the Chosen has wrapped, if he didn’t have a complete understanding of redemptive suffering he’ll know it first hand.

I admire him for this task which I would not want for all the gold in the world.

I haven’t watched this documentary yet, but you can bet I’m going to.

Update: Apparently it’s in four parts and available on Amazon. Watching now

Speaking of Gold in the world this is the final day of Christmas and thus the final day of our fundraiser: We remain stuck $2345 away from our goal. I suspect we won’t manage that today but I’d be really delighted if we could get that number below $2000 before I get home. If you would like to help please hit DaTipJar below or to the left:

Hello from Zilla

Posted: April 20, 2023 by Zilla in catholic
Tags:

Hi, Peter’s readers.

I have something I want to share with you at my place. Peter said I could tell you about it here. Please visit:

The Battle Ax Blog

https://axzilla.news.blog/2023/04/20/god-bless-the-advocates/

https://axzilla.news.blog/2023/04/20/god-bless-the-advocates/

Peace be with you.

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