PathToHoliness

As Catholics we must always have a joyful awareness that this life, as beautiful as it may be, is not our ultimate end. Though we fight for truth and freedom in our beloved country, it remains but an earthly dwelling place, a temporary homeland where we must prepare ourselves for the greater Home that awaits us:

I know the country I am living in is not really my true fatherland, and there is another I must long for without ceasing. This is not simply a story invented by someone living in the sad country where I am, but it is a reality, for the King of the Fatherland of the bright sun actually came and lived for thirty-three years in the land of darkness. (Story of a Soul, Manuscript C)

Heaven. Resurrection. Eternal Life. What we believe, what we hope for, is not merely some lofty philosophical ideal or the fantasy of uneducated simpletons. It is truth, Divinely revealed and able to be known through human reason (CCC 156-59.) I love this little dialogue at the end of Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov:

“Karamazov!” cried Kolya, “can it really be true as religion says, that we shall all rise from the dead, and come to life, and see one another again, and everyone, and Ilyushecka?”

“Certainly we shall rise, certainly we shall see and gladly, joyfully tell one another all that has been,” Alyosha relied, half laughing, half in ecstasy.

“Ah, how good that will be!” burst from Kolya.

How good that will be, indeed! As this month for All Souls comes to an end let us pray for all the faithful departed: Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen

Now we begin that great season of hope where we prepare ourselves for the coming of the Lord when truth and justice will reign for all eternity.

Angelo Porciuncula is a Filipino student at the University of Navarre in Spain. He has set up a great website (EarlyChristians.org) for young people about the life of Jesus Christ’s early followers. There’s an interview with him on the Opus Dei website. Here’s an excerpt:

How did the idea of making a web page about the early Christians come about?

Catholics can consider this web page as a family album. It is designed in such a way that anyone interested can learn about the life of the early Christians and later tell their friends about it. St. Josemaria always encouraged people to imitate the life of the early Christians, who with the example of their ordinary lives were able to change the world. Moreover, we want to echo the catechesis of Pope Benedict, who devotes his Wednesday audiences to the principal figures of early Christianity.

This past week I wound up in Emmetsburg, IA to attend a farm field day. The weather wasn’t very nice but at least it wasn’t snowing, just rain.

I found Holy Family Church and attended Mass on Thursday morning before the event I was in town for got started.

Right nearby to Emmetsburg is West Bend, IA. A number of years ago I was driving by and saw a sign for the Grotto of the Redemption. I visited and spent the night there. Mass that next morning was in the upstairs of the house an elderly priest lived in. I’ll never forget it. I wish I’d had time to stop in for a visit this time but it didn’t work out that way.

Congratulations, Barack Obama. You were not my choice, but you will be my President. My prayers are with you. Good luck and Godspeed.

May the most just, the most lovable, and the most high Will of God be done, be fulfilled, be praised and exalted in all things forever. Amen!

Your slacker blogmaster really needs to get with it here and with election day today I just had to get back on track. It’s an important day in America and I hope everyone will exercise their civic and moral duty.

I attended a Sarah Palin rally here in Missouri yesterday and it was a lot of fun. Estimates are 18,000 at the State Capitol. You can see more pics here.

You’ll get the distinct impression from this post that I support voting McCain-Palin.

You are correct. I see this as a very clear choice. Unfortunately, I have some very liberal friends who I believe have convinced themselves so much that they hate our current President that they’ll vote for anyone without seriously thinking it through. They argue that there’s really not much one man can do so why worry? But then why are they so angry at President Bush? I know. It doesn’t make sense and it’s all based on emotion and not thoughtful and prayerful consideration.

We need to move our country back toward the kind of faith filled values that started it. Our country’s founders weren’t liberal anarchists. They very carefully and prayerfully considered what they were doing and acted accordingly. I thank God they did.

You should know how pro-life Chelsea and I are and I believe that’s enough reason to vote for McCain-Palin. However, there are so many more. I’m a small businessman and there’s no way I could support the policies of the O-man. We’re looking at a socialist who could have full Congressional support. That should be pause for anyone who wants to have a job and opportunities in the future.

Oh and btw. Hank Jr. sang a variation of one of his hits, called “McCain-Palin Tradition.” I think you will enjoy it.