REVERENCE FOR A MYSTERY
FIFTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
JULY 10, 2016
THERE IS A STORY TOLD ABOUT SHERLOCK HOLMES AND DR. WATSON.
SHERLOCK HOLMES AND DR. JOHN WATSON WENT ON A CAMPING TRIP. AFTER SHARING A GOOD MEAL AND A BOTTLE OF WINE, THEY RETIRE TO THEIR TENT FOR THE NIGHT.
AT ABOUT 3 AM, HOLMES NUDGES WATSON AND ASKS, "WATSON, LOOK UP INTO THE SKY AND TELL ME WHAT YOU SEE?"
WATSON SAID, "I SEE MILLIONS OF STARS."
HOLMES ASKS, "AND, WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU?"
WATSON REPLIES, "ASTRONOMICALLY, IT TELLS ME THERE ARE MILLIONS OF GALAXIES AND POTENTIALLY BILLIONS OF PLANETS. ASTROLOGICALLY, IT TELLS ME THAT SATURN IS IN LEO. THEOLOGICALLY, IT TELLS ME THAT GOD IS GREAT AND WE ARE SMALL AND INSIGNIFICANT. METEOROLOGICALLY, IT TELLS ME THAT WE WILL HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DAY TOMORROW. HOROLOGICALLY, IT TELLS ME THAT IT'S ABOUT 3 AM. WHAT DOES IT TELL YOU, HOLMES?"
HOLMES SAYS:”WATSON YOU IDIOT SOMEONE HAS STOLEN OUR TENT."
FOLKS, SOMEONE HAS STOLEN OUR TENT. OUR TENT IS THE JUDAEO-CHRISTIAN CULTURE THAT WE USED TO COUNT ON TO GIVE US A MEANING SYSTEM FOR OUR LIVES. OUR TENT IS THE JUDAEO-CHRISTIAN VALUE SYSTEM AND SENSE OF MORALITY THAT PROTECTED OUR FAMILIES AND OUR WAY OF LIFE. OUR TENT IS A SOCIETY THAT RESPECTED MARRIAGE, FAMILY AND THE VALUE OF EVERY HUMAN BEING BORN AND UNBORN.
ONE MUST BE REALISTIC AND ACKNOWLEDGE WITH DEEP PAIN THAT A GREAT NUMBER OF TODAY'S CHRISTIANS FEEL LOST, CONFUSED, PERPLEXED, AND EVEN DISILLUSIONED: IDEAS CONTRADICTING THE REVEALED AND UNCHANGING TRUTH HAVE BEEN SPREAD FAR AND WIDE; OUTRIGHT HERESIES IN THE DOGMATIC AND MORAL FIELDS HAVE BEEN DISSEMINATED, CREATING DOUBT, CONFUSION, AND REBELLION; CHRISTIANS ARE TEMPTED BY ATHEISM, AGNOSTICISM, FALSE RELIGIONS AND MORAL RELATIVISM. OBJECTIVE MORALITY HAS BEEN RELEGATED TO THE DUST BIN OF HISTORY.
I’M SORRY TO TELL YOU THIS BUT THAT JUDAEO-CHRISTIAN CULTURE THAT MADE IT EASIER TO PRACTICE OUR CATHOLIC FAITH AND CHRISTIAN MORALS IS DISAPPEARING. THE ATMOSPHERE THAT WE BREATHE IS NOT CHRISTIAN. IT IS SECULAR. THAT MEANS WE LIVE IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT HAS PUT GOD ON THE MARGIN OF LIFE. THE NATURAL LAW AND THE TEN COMMANDMENTS NO LONGER COUNT IN THE AFFAIRS OF MEN AND WOMEN.
YOU AND I HAVE THE SAME FAITH; THE SAME VALUE SYSTEM; THE SAME LOYALTY TO JESUS AS LORD AND RESPECT FOR THE AUTHORITY OF THE CHURCH FOUNDED BY JESUS CHRIST. BUT AS WE TRY TO PRACTICE THIS FAITH WE ARE MEETING HOSTILITY FROM THE CULTURE THAT SURROUNDS US.
IT IS HARDER TO BE A CHRISTIAN TODAY THAN IT WAS 50 YEARS AGO.
THE LATEST EXAMPLE OF A DISAPPEARING CHRISTIAN CULTURE IS THE DIRECTIVE THAT CAME OUT OF WASHINGTON TELLING US THAT GIRLS AND BOYS IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL HAVE TO SHARE THE SAME RESTROOMS AND LOCKER ROOMS UNDER PENALTY OF LOSING FEDERAL AID TO THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
FORTUNATELY OVER 10 STATES HAVE REFUSED TO COMPLY WITH THE DIRECTIVE.
THE GOVERNMENT IS ATTEMPTING TO ELIMINATE THE TRADITIONAL DEFINITION OF SEX AND GENDER. THE PRESENT DIRECTIVE IS SAYING THAT A BOY WHO THINKS HE IS A GIRL MAY USE THE GIRLS’ BATHROOM AND LOCKER FACILITIES. A GIRL WHO THINKS SHE IS A BOY MAY USE THE BOYS’ BATHROOM AND LOCKER FACILITIES. NO PROOF IS NEEDED.
THE TRANSGENDER MOVEMENT WILL SETTLE FOR NOTHING LESS THAN ELIMINATING ANY HISTORICAL OR BIBLICAL IDEA OF MASCULINITY AND FEMININITY.
IN THE REAL WORLD OF BIOLOGY IT IS A FACT THAT A PERSON BORN WITH XX CHROMOSOMES IS, AND SHALL ALWAYS BE FEMALE. A PERSON BORN WITH DISTINCT X AND Y CHROMOSOMES IS FOREVER MALE. CALLING A SEXUALLY CONFUSED MAN A TRANSWOMAN DOES NOT MAKE HIM A WOMAN. CALLING A SEXUALLY CONFUSED WOMAN A MAN DOES NOT MAKE HER A MAN.
YOU WERE RIGHT WHEN YOU THOUGHT THERE WERE ONLY TWO SEXES. IT’S A BIOLOGICAL FACT THAT A PERSON IS EITHER MALE OR FEMALE.
THE BOOK OF GENESIS TELLS US CLEARLY THAT GOD MADE US MALE AND FEMALE. THERE IS NO REVELATION THAT GOD HAS CHANGED HIS ORIGINAL DESIGN. EVEN IF ONE TAKES CROSS-GENDER HORMONES OR UNDERGOES SURGERY NATURE WILL ALWAYS HAVE THE LAST WORD.
WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IGNORES THE MORAL PRINCIPLES THAT HAVE BEEN A PART OF JUDAEO-CHRISTIAN TEACHING FOR 5000 YEARS IT IS A DIRECT ATTACK ON OUR FREEDOM OF RELIGION.
THE BATHROOM DIRECTIVE OF THE GOVERNMENT COMPLETELY UNDERMINES AND TRIVIALIZES THE TRADITIONAL JUDAEO-CHRISTIAN CULTURE OF MODESTY AND CHASTITY. WE HAVE ALWAYS LOOKED UPON HUMAN SEXUALITY AS A SACRED MYSTERY BECAUSE IT PRODUCES LIFE. LIFE IS A SACRED MYSTERY. WE HAVE ALWAYS LOOKED UPON CHASTITY AS REVERENCE FOR A MYSTERY. WE HAVE ALWAYS LOOKED UPON MODESTY AS A PROTECTION OF THAT MYSTERY.
OUR INTEREST IN THIS ISSUE IS NOT POLITICAL IT IS RELIGIOUS AND MORAL.
BUT WHAT IS THE REAL ISSUE BEHIND THE DIRECTIVE. THE CONCERN OF THOUGHTFUL PEOPLE IS THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS USING ITS COERCIVE POWER TO MANDATE BY LAW THE SEXUAL REVOLUTION THAT STARTED IN THE 1960’S.
THE SEXUAL REVOLUTION IS AN ATTEMPT BY SOME IN OUR SOCIETY TO REDUCE SEX TO A RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY THAT HAS NO MORAL CONSEQUENCES. IT IS AN ATTEMPT TO BRAINWASH PEOPLE INTO THINKING THAT THERE IS NO MORAL ASPECT TO SEX. IN A SECULAR CULTURE ALL SEXUAL BEHAVIOR IS MORAL.
THIS SHOULD COME AS NO SURPRISE TO YOU AS YOU WITNESS WHAT IS GOING ON BEFORE YOUR VERY EYES IN YOUR OWN FAMILIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS-- FORNICATION, ADULTERY, SODOMY, PORNOGRAPHY, CONTRACEPTION, ABORTION AND STERILIZATION.
IN ANY CULTURE THESE IMMORAL ACTIVITIES HAVE SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL CONSEQUENCES. SPIRITUALLY THEY DESTROY THE SOUL WITH MORTAL SIN. PHYSICALLY THEY RESULT IN AN EPIDEMIC OF SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES AND A CONTEMPT FOR MARRIAGE.
SECULAR HUMANISM HAS BRAINWASHED THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE UP THE CULTURE.
THAT IS WHY WHEN YOU TRY TO SPEAK TO YOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN ABOUT SEXUAL MORALITY THEY CANNOT HEAR YOU BECAUSE THE SECULAR VOICE DROWNS YOU OUT.
THE SECULAR CULTURE HAS INVENTED A PLOY THAT IS MEANT TO SILENCE YOU. IT IS CALLED POLITICAL CORRECTNESS. POLITICAL CORRECTNESS IS DESIGNED TO PREVENT YOU FROM SPEAKING ABOUT YOUR VALUES AND YOUR MORAL PRINCIPLES.
DON’T BE FOOLED. POLITICAL CORRECTNESS IS NOT ABOUT OFFENSIVE WORDS—NOBODY WANTS TO USE OFFENSIVE WORDS. POLITICAL CORRECTNESS IS A DEVICE TO SHUT YOU UP. POLITICAL CORRECTNESS PUTS MUZZELS ON PEOPLE. IT IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT PREVENTS THE TRUTH THE KEEPS US FREE.
DON’T BE DECEIVED. THE COURT DECISIONS AND EXECUTIVE ORDERS OF THE PAST FEW YEARS HAVE NOT BEEN PRIMARILY ABOUT HOMOSEXUALITY AND TRANSGENDER. THE REAL AGENDA IS TO MINIMIZE THE INFLUENCE THAT JUDAEO-CHRISTIAN VALUES HAVE ON OUR CONSTITUTION, OUR COURTS AND OUR CULTURE.
SECULAR HUMANISM IS A MOVEMENT THAT HAS ITS ORIGIN IN ATHEISM AND HATRED OF RELIGION. CARDINAL JOSEPH RATZINGER SAID:” FORGETTING ABOUT GOD IS THE IMMINENT DANGER OF OUR AGE”.
IF YOU THINK THAT CARDINAL RATZINGER IS EXAGGERATING JUST REVIEW THE HISTORY OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY IN GERMANY, RUSSIA, AND CHINA TO NAME JUST A FEW COUNTRIES WHERE ATHEISM DESTROYED THE CULTURE AND THE FAMILY.
WHAT SHOULD BE OUR CHRISTIAN RESPONSE TO THE DECHRISTIANIZING OF OUR CULTURE? ST. PAUL GIVES US DIRECTION IN THE SECOND READING TODAY. HE TELLS US THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD OF OUR LIVES NOT ONLY WHEN IT SUITS MY PERSONAL DESIRES; OR WHEN IT IS POLITICALLY CORRECT AND SAFE.
- PAUL DID NOT WANT TO GET MIXEDUP IN DAY-TO-DA POLITICS OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. BUT HE ALWAYS SAW THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AS THE TRUE ALTERNATIVE TO POLITICAL LEADERS AND EMPERORS WHO WOULD BE LORD OF THIS WORLD. ST. PAUL WAS CLEAR THAT THE ONLY LORD OF THIS WORLD AND THE NEXT IS JESUS CHRIST.
A CHRISTIAN WIFE AND MOTHER WHO SPEAKS ABOUT HUMAN SEXUALITY IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WAS GIVING A TALK TO A CLASS OF SENIORS IN HIGH SCHOOL. ONE OF THE YOUNG MEN IN BACK OF THE ROOM YELLED OUT: “LADY YOUR REALITY STINKS”.
THIS NO NONSENSE WIFE AND MOTHER WHO HAS SPOKEN TO THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS, SAID: “YOU WANT TO HEAR ABOUT A REALITY THAT STINKS. TRY THIS.” 1,300,000 ABORTIONS A YEAR. SEXUAL ABUSE OF CHILDREN WOMEN AND MEN. 50% OF MARRIAGES END IN DIVORCE. EPIDEMIC OF VENEREAL DISEASES: SYPHILLIS, CLAMYDIA, GONHORRIA, HERPES, P.I.D. AIDS AND MANY OTHERS.
9 OUT OF 10 CHILDREN BETWEEN THE AGES OF 8 AND 16 HAVE VIEWED PORNOGRPHY ON THE INTERNET.
AND THEN SHE SAID: “I’LL TAKE MY REALITY OVER THAT ANY DAY OF THE WEEK.”
A NEW FATHER, WITH TEARS IN HIS EYES, SAID TO ME: “I NEVER REALLY UNDERSTOOD SEX UNTIL THE BIRTH OF MY FIRST CHILD.” THE INCITE OF THAT YOUNG MAN PUTS HUMAN SEXUALITY IN PERSPECTIVE. IT’S LIKE THE FAMILY PORTRAIT.
VERY OFTEN WHEN I VISIT A HOME IT ONLY TAKES A FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE HUSBAND AND WIFE TAKE ME TO THE FAMILY SHRINE. THEY PROUDLY POINT OUT THE PICTURES OF THE CHILDREN GROWING UP; THE BAPTISMS, THE FIRST COMMUNIONS, THE CONFIRMATIONS THE GRADUATIONS, THE WEDDING ALBUMS; THE GRANDCHILDREN AND GREAT GRANDCHILDREN. AND THEN THERE IS THE CROWNING GLORY, THE FAMILY PORTRAIT THAT PUTS EVERYTHING IN PERSPECTIVE. THIS IS TRUE REVERENCE FOR A MYSTERY.
TO COUNTERACT THE DESECRATION OF HUMAN SEXUALITY YOU MUST BE CONVINCED THAT THE PLAN OF GOD FOR HUMAN SEXUALITY WORKS. YOU MUST BE CONVINCED THAT THE PLAN OF THE WORLD FOR HUMAN SEXUALITY DOES NOT WORK.
THIS HOMILY IS NOT A JUDGEMENT ON THOSE WHO SUFFER WITH GENDER CONFUSION. THERE MAY BE ONE OF THEM IN YOUR OWN FAMILY. EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD APPRECIATE HOW DEEP THIS SUFFERING CAN BE. IT MUST NOT BE DISMISSED.
EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD APPROACH THE GENDER CONFUSED PERSON WITH LOVE, PRAYER, SUPPORT AND COMPASSION. BUT REMEMBER THAT COMPASSION DOES NOT EQUAL APPROVAL.
DO NOT ALLOW ANYONE TO BULLY YOU AND INTIMIDATE YOU BECAUSE YOU DISAGREE WITH THEIR AGENDA. DO NOT ALLOW ANYONE TO CALL YOU NAMES LIKE BIGOT, HOMOPHOBE, NARROW-MINDED, OLD FASHIONED. CALLING NAMES IS INAPPROPRIATE, UNAMERICAN AND UNCHRISTIAN.
REMIND ANYONE WHO CHALLENGES YOUR BELIEF THAT WE MUST OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MAN-- THAT JESUS CHRIST ALONE IS LORD.
HOLD ON TO YOUR CATHOLIC FAITH AND YOUR CATHOLIC VALUES. WHAT YOU WERE TAUGHT IS NOT OUTDATED. IN THE GARDEN OF PARADISE GOD CREATED A MAN AND A WOMAN AND GAVE THEM THE POWER TO CREATE THE FAMILY.
YES, THE FAMILY IS SICK. IT NEEDS A LOT OF HEALING. BUT THE TRADITIONAL FAMILY WILL NEVER GO OUT OF DATE. THE SURVIVAL OF THE HUMAN RACE DEPENDS ON IT.
PRAISED BE JESUS CHRIST NOW AND FOREVER.