-
Just how far are people willing to go in this society to get a laugh or provoke a response? The dialogue about politics has become increasingly uncivil and ratcheted up a level from Clinton to Bush and Obama. But the current prize may go to Sarah Silverman who happens to be Jewish. She unleashed a diatribe against the Catholic Church capped by a suggestion that Pope Benedict sell the Vatican to feed the poor. The Vatican sensibly did not offer comment but several Catholic organizations did come forward to explain the error in Silverman’s thinking. I can’t help but think how outraged our Jewish sisters and brothers would be if their leader(s) were lampooned like Pope Benedict. Her misstep will hopefully not set off a backlash against the Jewish people similar to what happened after the terrorist attacks of September 11 did against the Muslim population. I think that we as Catholics have become all too familiar with this type of insult. The Catholic Church has served so many for so long yet people still try to come against God’s church. I wonder if Silverman has ever contributed to a St. Vincent DePaul ministry. I wonder if she has ever served at a soup kitchen. I wonder if she has ever visited an inner city school where Catholics are brining hope and education to the poor and neglected, often free of charge. I remember my Grandfather talking about the hate-filled speech that was launched against President John F. Kennedy as he ran for office. I realize that we are the largest Christian church in the world and that brings a huge responsibility which we have accepted. But I also wonder when some of our fellow Christians will step up to defend the Catholic Church as well. Again I say, when we as Christians are not standing together, we are doing the Devil’s work for him. My last entry is well suited for what Silverman has done. Her tongue is uttering bombast. She is talking about things that she knows nothing about and perhaps we should ignore her. I would rather pray for her and I urge you to do the same. Let us pray for her conversion that she realizes the folly in her idol worship. Money will not serve her in the afterlife.

Comments

  1. Kurt HOctober 19, 2009 at 9:05 PM

    The Gospel reading from a week ago was Mark 10:17-30. Remember, it ended with Peter asking what was in it for the apostles, who had given up everything to follow Jesus. Jesus replied, that they would receive back a hundredfold everything that they had sacrificed, and persecution, too! Oh, and eternal life.

    If they hated the Master, they'll hate us, too. Mockery comes with the territory (see Luke 22:63).

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

-
Kurt Hilgefort, is a Catholic father of six who publishes his thoughts on his blog Shadows of Augustine . He responded to my seven question survey with the following answers. Kurt is the first layperson to respond to the seven question survey and I think that his experience is extremely relevant to me personally and I hope that you are inspired by his thoughts as well. If you would like to respond, please send an email to fellmananthony@gmail.com with your thoughts and I will be happy to publish them as well. 1. What is the biggest challenge to your faith that you have faced so far? The biggest challenge for me has been the whole dying to self thing. On an intellectual level, there are no barriers. It comes down to a matter of accepting the authority of the Church that Christ founded upon Peter. My challenge is not in the intellect, but rather in the will. The challenge for me has always been to continually seek conversion. I want to be transformed, but I want it to be over all ...
Read more

Finding St Anthony Among the Lost Items

-
Image
Saint Anthony of Padua, though often associated with finding lost articles, was primarily known in his lifetime as a powerful and eloquent preacher. Originally a Canon Regular of St. Augustine, he was inspired to join the newly formed Franciscan order after witnessing the martyrdom of the first Franciscan missionaries in Morocco. His conversion to the mendicant life under St. Francis of Assisi transformed him, deepening his commitment to poverty, humility, and evangelical preaching. Gifted with profound theological knowledge and a captivating speaking style, he traveled across Italy and France, drawing immense crowds with his clear and passionate sermons, converting many and combating heresy with his unwavering faith and intellectual rigor. Beyond his public ministry, St. Anthony was a mystic who enjoyed profound spiritual experiences, most notably a vision of the Infant Jesus. This intimate connection with the Christ Child is a hallmark of his iconography, often depicting him c...
Read more

Jesus Came to End Death and to Build a Church

-
Image
The twelve apostles chosen by Jesus formed the bedrock of the early Church , and their Catholic identity is deeply rooted in their direct relationship with Christ and the mission He entrusted to them. The Catechism of the Catholic Church highlights this foundational role, stating that Jesus "instituted the Twelve as 'the seeds of the new Israel and the beginning of the sacred hierarchy'" ( CCC 860 ). These men were not simply followers; they were handpicked by Jesus, lived intimately with Him, witnessed His miracles and teachings firsthand, and were specifically commissioned to preach the Gospel to all nations ( Matthew 28:19-20 ). Their unique position as eyewitnesses to the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, and their reception of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, established them as the authoritative leaders of the nascent Church, a reality echoed in the writings of early Church Fathers like Ignatius of Antioch, who emphasized the apostles' authority as repre...
Read more