Monday, February 22, 2021

Donald Trump's Path to Catholicism?

Call this delusions of grandeur, but what if we can somehow communicate this info to Donald and Melania Trump, in particular Melania? 

From my Okie armchair, it seems to me Donald can get his first two marriages annulled by the Church, based on traditional pre-Vatican II grounds, so the civil marriage to Melania can be validated, she can return to full communion with the Church, and Donald himself can even convert.

Donald's first civil marriage was to a woman previously married.  Done deal, that would be rendered invalid.  And to validly marry a second time, he would have needed an annulment of the first marriage, which he didn't have, so there you go, the second one would also be invalid.  I'm no canon lawyer, but has anyone explained this to Melania?  She still considers herself a Catholic.

And, here's the kicker, there are two Traditional Latin Masses just a few miles from their home in Palm Beach, one, I believe the nearest, at an SSPX chapel.  They both have struck me as people who would greatly appreciate the Ancient Mass, and Catholic Tradition.

I don't know how, but any chance someone can pass this on to someone who knows them?  One thought is Frank Walker at Canon212, who apparently knows Steve Bannon, who has said he frequents C212, who I hear is a Catholic with a background in the Latin Mass, could post this and alert Steve, and Steve could forward it to Donald.  Something. You never know.  One day Donald and Melania Trump could become practicing, traditional Catholics.

Thursday, February 18, 2021

Rush (RIP)

The first time I ever heard of Rush Limbaugh, I was sitting next to my uncle in high school in his work van, putting in irrigation systems across Long Island, NY, while he ranted and raved about the evil Clintons, us listening into Rush.

Rush was a formative source for me too in college, a go-to consolation while perpetually inundated by far left culture at the state college I attended.  He helped keep me moving forward with the moral compass of my conservative, Catholic upbringing.

Years later, though, I departed with him on some of his excessive views about American exceptionalism, in particular his seeming advancement of liberal capitalism.  He was after all a Protestant, and his Americanism was a reflection of that side to him.

Yet, Rush was a Christian, a conservative, a defender of liberty, the family, and the sanctity oh human life, despite his personal flaws.  He gave us conservative talk radio which is essential in informing and uniting those like us, to keep us afloat and empowered.

So, it was a sad day yesterday, when I clicked on Citizen's Free Press as part of my morning routines, and saw the headline "Rush has passed away."  I felt emotion of his passing, like losing an elder.  Rush was a hero, truth be told, in particular this past year defying the doctor's prognosis of dying earlier than he did, while summoning all his strength to keep coming on the air each week, if he could, to defend America during the Presidential election.

Rush rightly said that if the Dems take the White House, Senate, and Congress, in particular by means of voter fraud, it will mean a kind of death to the "United States of America" now effectively taken over--for God knows how long--by Communism.  

That was Rush's opinion, and I stand by it.   

Rush, you will be missed and remembered in my household.  May he rest in peace.

Tuesday, February 16, 2021

Brrrr its Cold in Oklahoma

So a big north bound storm came from the Gulf of Mexico this week, with record-breaking subzero temps and a couple waves of snow, after a wave of ice.  Which leaves me this mid-February evening sitting in my Okie Armchair wrapped up in winter apparel, surrounded by two space heaters for supplemental heat, and covered by a 3 inch thick down comforter.  And sipping Whiskey-sodas to up  my internal body temp.

Seems a fitting penance this Fat Tuesday, Lent beginning tomorrow.

After all, since we Americans have done proportionally little in response to 100 million babies being murdered by their public school brain-washed mothers, we deserve Chastisement.   This winter crisis in Oklahoma being miniscule in comparison to the fact we are all now slaves of the Communists States of America, readying ourselves for the next wave of covid-induced economic fallout.

We deserve this.  There is no excuse for our complacency to this pro-abortion, pro-sodomy culture.


Sunday, February 7, 2021

Vengence is Mine Saith the Lord

While I've been blessed over the years with a steady faith in central dogmas of the Catholic Faith like the Trinity, the Incarnation, or the Eucharist, I confess there is one teaching of Christ I've found to be a challenge to understand and follow.  That is, how we are to love our Enemies.  Not that I doubt what Our Lord taught, or am obstinate in resisting it.  It's just a paradoxical mystery that I find hard to square with certain practical realities of this life, while at the same time finding this divine Teaching one of the most sublime and central aspects of Christianity.

From St. Paul to the Romans, 12: 16-21

"Live in harmony of mind, falling in with the opinions of common folk, instead of following conceited thoughts; never give yourselves airs of wisdom.[4] 17 Do not repay injury with injury; study your behaviour in the world’s sight as well as in God’s.[5] 18 Keep peace with all men, where it is possible, for your part. 19 Do not avenge yourselves, beloved; allow retribution to run its course; so we read in scripture, Vengeance is for me, I will repay, says the Lord.[6] 20 Rather, feed thy enemy if he is hungry, give him drink if he is thirsty; by doing this, thou wilt heap coals of fire upon his head.[7] 21 Do not be disarmed by malice; disarm malice with kindness.[8] Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil by good."

Summarizing, vengeance is mine saith the Lord.  We are not to avenge ourselves, or to injure the person who injures us.  If they sin against us, we cannot sin against them in retaliation.  Instead we must keep peace even with our enemies, "where it is possible."   When our enemy injures us, we are to help meet his basic needs, like the need for food.  

Okay, I can do that.  I can let go any debt of my enemy when they wrong me, forgiving the need to apologize, restore what they took (like one's reputation), and forget the details of what they once did.  I can offer them a Pepsi at the BBQ if they look thirsty, to show them an act of mercy, that they are forgiven, that I mean them peace.

That said, it is impossible to be friends with your enemy so long as said person continues to act as your enemy, does not admit their wrongdoing, does not say they are sorry for it, nor shows the intention of changing.  In particular, so long as they pose a threat to your life, that is a threat to your peace of mind, social interactions with family or friends, your reputation in the community, the peace and stability of your home or work place, or pose some financial or material threat, they would in fact be your Enemy.  Enemies like this abound for all of us in some shape or form.   Whether a neighbor who disrespects your property, a tyrannical boss, a contemptuous coworker, or a gossipy parishioner.

Yet still, Our Lord teaches:

³⁸You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." ³⁹But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. ⁴⁰And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. ⁴¹And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. ⁴²Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you." (Matthew 5:3842)

I think we all have to admit this teaching is not quite so simple to understand or apply.  If your son comes home day after day with a black eye from the school bully, even after consulting ineffectively the school principal, are you really going to tell your kid that the next time Joey the Playground Bully punches him in the eye, he has to turn his head and let him punch him in the other eye?   And then smile and offer him a Pepsi?  

Therein lies the paradox.  When are we justified in fighting our enemy?  In not literally letting them commit the same wrong to you over and over again?  Are we NEVER permitted under the moral law to insult our enemy to make a point or put them in their place?  To ridicule the playground bully as a means of defending yourself AFTER he won't stop insulting you (and punching you)?

Not an easy Teaching, Lord.  And not one clearly explained from the pulpit or confessional, in my experience.

I mean the above verse from St. Paul said "Keep peace with all men, where it is possible, for your part." That is, "where it is possible." That implies that sometimes it is not possible, and sometimes not possible despite your constant attempt at peace. Narcissists, bullies, war-mongers, tyrants of all forms, tend to not be receptive to peace. They still want to dominate, offend, abuse, and disrupt the world around them.

And yet, we have the Gospel, and the Epistles. We have the clear teaching to maintain peace with our Enemies, endure patiently their persecutions with kindness and care for them in return, even helping them with their material needs, if need be. This Teaching is as absolute and undeniable as is the Church's teaching on Transubstantiation, Original Sin, the Seven Sacraments, or the Infallibility of the Pope.

And yet, like those doctrines, this one is also a mystery. One that I must continue to inform my conscience about. To know when it is justified and necessary to fight, and what weapons are at my disposal. When I get a call from an aggressive telemarketer, I like to playfully turn the tables on them and ask them about their personal finances, address, phone number. Its pretty funny the way I do it. I act confused and talk like a red neck hillbilly until I finally say "I'm just messin' with ya. Have a nice day." It teaches them a lesson, but to do so I have to annoy them a little.