Luke 11:5-13 The Year of Faith

Luke 11:5-13  The Year of Faith

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Jesus said to his disciples: …“If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”

One does not solve a problem by making it bigger. 

As I sat around the dinner table last night with a beautiful family, I had to ask this mom and dad of three kids how they came up with their youngest daughter's name.  I never expected to hear what I heard.  I should have known better.

Facts are not opinions.  That’s what we all learned in school.  Well, the facts didn’t look good for this mom of two, or for her unborn child.  The doctor treating her said she ran the very serious risk of bleeding to death if she continued with her pregnancy; and that her unborn child, if it even survived, would have serious defects.  The doctor pleaded with her to use her better judgment.  He reminded her that she was already the mother of two small children.  Why run the risk for one more child?  Why in the world would she leave the other two motherless? The “logical” conclusion was to abort.   

With so much to lose and with so much pressure to come to terms with “reality”, it is a miracle she remained steadfast.  She refused to have an abortion.   

A few months before she gave birth, she had one last sonogram.  The doctor would not allow her to look at the image of her child.  When she pressed for a reason, the doctor told her, “Just in case you decide to change your mind.”   

Her husband, a good Christian man, had his doubts though.  He did not have her faith. 

The moment her child was born, her doctor began to cry.  This mother of two had given birth to a perfectly normal baby girl.  Mom and dad named her “Faith”.    

A few years later, Faith’s dad became a Catholic.

Today, Faith is a very beautiful, highly intelligent (straight A), playful and creative teen.  While her parents shared stories about her at the dinner table, all she did was smile.  And what an amazing smile she has.  

It's obvious to see that family life would be so different if they did not have their little Faith.  At Sunday Mass, mom and dad still look at her every time the priest, after the consecration, says, “Mystery of Faith”.

Why do I mention this story?  Because today, unbeknownst to me, the Holy Father inaugurated “The Year of Faith”.  I couldn’t believe the coincidence.  I should have known better!

Faith is our response to God’s grace.  I can take it or reject it.  And I do so knowingly or woefully.  Faith is an act of the intellect.  It is not an act of the emotions.  It is not “wishful” thinking.  It is
“thankful” thinking.  I am grateful to Him. 

I can honestly say I believe in God more than I believe in man because I have seen what man can do without God, and what God can do regardless of man.

I am a very logical person, but I am also a person of faith.  I can put the two together like faith and reason, truth and forgiveness, love and enemy, science and God, the mystery of our faith and the mystery of Faith. 

I can love when there is no reasonable reason to and have Faith when there is no logical reason to.

Lord, give us Faith to see what no eye could see, ear could hear and love could not reject.

Luke 7:1-10 For Whatever Reason

Luke 7:1-10  For Whatever Reason

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A centurion had a slave who was ill and about to die…When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and save the life of his slave.  They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying, “He deserves to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us.”  And Jesus went with them.

He deserves to have you do this for him.  The elders approached Jesus and strongly urged him to help this man out.  But why?  Why were they so insistent on a centurion getting help?  St. Luke leaves no room for doubt.  It is clear:  The elders sought the Lord’s help because the centurion had helped them out.  He had built their synagogue; he had power; he had money; he had authority; he had friends in high places.

But none of these reasons account for the reason why the Lord helped his man out (let alone the elders).  He helped them out for the same exact reason why he helps us out:  For no reason.

Do I have to have a reason for being kind to someone?  Do I have to have a reason for loving someone?  Do I have to have a reason to stay in touch with someone?  Do I have to have a reason to help someone?

Woe to you, hypocrite…if you help someone for selfish or prideful reasons!  Woe to you, you pagan…if you only help those who help you.  Woe to you, you Pharisee, if you only speak to those who agree with you!  It is better for you to have no reason at all than all the reasons in the world! 

In today’s Gospel, I can see how reason can get in the way of faith; how it can set-up a road block, a  barrier or a wall that separates me from another.  If I must always have a reason to show my love, give my time and my attention, then I allow my heart to be conquered by my brain.  But my love was never meant to be held hostage by what is physical; nor was it ever meant to be limited by another.  Love was created to be an extension of His hands, His works, His words, His heart, His mission!  Love was never created to be chained to a reason; it was created to be unlimited as well as unconditional.  The world was not created out of necessity.  It was created out of no necessity.  I was not given life because I was necessary.  I was given life out of no necessity.  Love is to be given freely.  Cost whatever it costs.  Love was given without charge to be given away without cost. 

Love overflows.  This explains why the Lord reacted the way He always did.  His reaction explains the reason why we should always get involved:  for no reason at all.  The beauty of Christian love lies in the power it has to push wide open the doors of our reason and allow each and every one of us to penetrate the mystery of faith. 

Just say the word and my servant shall be healed.   The centurion’s response to Christ’s love created a challenge (or problem) for all of us.  Do I have the faith that he had?  Do I appreciate and esteem God’s authority?  Do I demand that God meet me half-way?  Do I need to have a say in everything?

We love to be the one in charge.  We love to be the one who has all the authority.  We want to be the ones who set the rules.  We want to able to define the rules whenever we want.  We like things done our way.  We want people to bend over backwards for us.  But the centurion understands authority very well.  He knows he commands one hundred men.  But he also knows he’s not God.   He knows and respects that he is under the Lord’s authority. 

This truth may be difficult for us, but it should be obvious to all of us.  To walk I must roll out of bed, stand on my feet and move one foot in front of the other.  There’s no way around it.  It is what it is. 

The same holds true for being a Christian.  If you wish to be blessed, then you must pick up your cross, carry your cross and follow the Lord in his footsteps.  There’s no way around it.  It is what it is. 

And in this case, it is what it is for a very good reason!         

Mt 17:14-20 Fire and Water

Mt 17:14-20  Fire and Water

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A man came up to Jesus and said, “Lord, have pity on my son, who is a lunatic and suffers severely; often he falls into fire, and often into water.”

A lunatic.  What better way to describe a sinner.  A sinner is not someone who has fallen from God’s grace; the sinner is someone who has elevated his reason to the height of disgrace.  Like the lunatic, he believes way too much in himself. 

Recently, we have seen plenty of cases of reasonable “lunatics” in the news.  About a month ago we saw one in Colorado.  Less than two weeks ago, we saw another in Wisconsin.  But there are many more lunatics out there that we dare not speak of, for their lunacy has become a part of our society.  For example: The abortionists; who care so much for the women, that they cannot care at all for their children, and in a single day can end the life of a dozen young souls.  The animalists: who elevate the dignity of every-single-conceivable-living being except the human being.  The pacifists:  who will excuse the terrorist but not the soldier. The liberal politicians: who believe human rights come from the government and not from God or nature.  In fact, they never define human rights because they are too busy redefining human rights. 

I could go on and on, and I will.

The music/Hollywood artists:  who inspire millions to “go for it” but only end up “falling for it”.   [Most kids would be shocked if they only knew that David Bowe, Lady Gaga, Madonna and Janet Jackson did what they did not because they believed in it but because they could make a living out of it].  The fashion designers: who take no responsibility for teen abuse but alone have inspired millions of children to be immodest with their bodies and starve their bodies.  Not only do their clothes cost a fortune, but the therapy required to heal their victims is outrageous!  The atheists:  who seek the benefits of a Godless society while ignoring the results of a Godless society.  They ignore their handiwork just like they ignore God’s handiwork.   

Often he falls into fire, and often into water.    Lunatics are caring and careless; hot and cold.  You may even say the lunatic is constantly in hot water!  Like the lunatic, the sinner knows what he is doing.  He may be sick, but he’s not sick enough.  He may throw himself into the fire but he always ends up in the water.  Yes, the lunatic loves to play with sin because it is interesting; it sparks curiosity.  Sin, like fire, is sensational, thrilling and exciting.  When the sinner gets too close to the fire and burns himself, then he can always jump into the lake of saving grace. 

O faithless and perverse generation, how long will I be with you?  Why do we have the problems we have today?  Why do we continue with as many problems as before, but with a much more expensive twist to them?  The Lord’s answer holds true today:  Because of our little faith. 

Christianity is the remedy for all the world’s problems because Christ is the answer to all our problems.  The Lord is the antidote for the lunatic.  May the Lord grant us the strength and courage to profess our faith as radically as those who undercut it! 

Fire is quenched with water; sin is released by grace; hatred is destroyed with love; pride is baffled by humility; prisoners are freed by forgiveness; lunatics are healed with faith.

“If you have faith the size of a mustard seed…then nothing will be impossible for you.”

Mt 13:54-58 Faith in Jesus

Mt 13:54-58  Faith in Jesus

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Jesus came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue…and they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house.”  And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith.

Faith is sometimes confused as believing in what cannot be seen or heard or known.  But that’s not quite right.  Faith is actually based on solid facts. 

Faith in God means to acknowledge the Lord’s presence.    

He did not work many mighty deeds there.  When I was a child, I used to think like a child and act like a child.  If I was interested in showing someone how intelligent I was, I would dazzle them with all the things I knew.  If I wanted to impress my friends, I would do some crazy things.  If I wanted to make an impression on some girl, I would act like someone other than myself.  Today, if I want to impress my friends at how intelligent I am, then I will listen to them.  If I want to impress my friends then I will do something for them.  If I want to make an impression on some girl, then I will treat them like my own daughter.

It all came to a shock to me at how different the Lord was from me.  It was a shock to me when I read this passage for the first time in CCD class and noticed that the Lord did nothing, absolutely nothing, to impress his childhood friends and neighbors.  Why?  Didn’t he want to increase their faith?  Didn’t he have the best opportunity in the world to dazzle them, impress them and have them marvel at Him?  Why does Scripture state, “He did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith”?  

Come on God!  That’s not fair!  If you want me to believe in you then show yourself to me!  Do something God-like!  Amazing!  Something...I don’t know…incredible?  Don’t just stand there and stare at me with those big brown eyes!  Show me who you are.  Otherwise, I will just think that you are someone below me or just like me. 
Jesus came to his native place.  I have a feeling that many of our Olympians, when they return, will be greeted in a very special way by the President of the United States, but not necessarily by those closest to them.  Why?  For a variety of reasons:  we tend to marginalize those we know; we take people, like life and things, for granted; we have a hard time acknowledging someone else’s accomplishments; we have a hard time being objective.

Is he not the carpenter’s son?  Families that are very religious tend to have the most rebellious children.  Why?  Because their kids equate their faith in God with the faith of their parents.  If they are upset with mom and dad, chances are they will be upset with God and His Church; if they think their life sucks, then they will think the world sucks.  If they think that the world is a disaster, chances are it’s because their life is a disaster.  If they think you have a problem, it usually means they have a problem.  Faith is a response to the Lord’s invitation to see things as they really are, and not as we have made them to be.

It’s not intellectual prowess that tends to separate us from God.  It’s pure and simple pride that does it for us.  All of us prefer to be God rather than to acknowledge a God.  All of us tend to prefer death rather than admit our mistakes.  “Is he not the carpenter’s son?”  No.  He’s not.  And this one mistake of ours will cost us His head.  This one simple mistake, will lead to all future mistakes; any honest enquiry, open investigation and any objective conclusions.    

The people of Nazareth could not imagine the Messiah as poor, as one like them, as one similar to them in all things except sin.  After all, if I am a sinner, then who does he think he is?  And that one assumption was enough to settle the matter.

Faith means to acknowledge the Lord’s presence.  To acknowledge Him requires honesty, humility and openness.  If not, then we are more than capable of making some horrible conclusions based on erroneous, prideful and closed assumptions.  “They were astonished at him”…and yet, they refused to acknowledge him.

Faith is not blind.  Faith is not some thoughtless, mindless exercise.  Faith is not something we cross our fingers to.  Rather, faith is an intellectual act; it is how man responds to God’s presence.  Make no assumptions about it, It is not the emptiness or darkness that makes me search for someone out there; it is the light of the world that gives me faith; that allows me to acknowledge Him.  It is not the door that makes me wonder; it is the knock on the door that gives me faith in someone out there; it is opening the door that gives me knowledge of who is standing before me.      

If I tend to think my life is boring, then it’s not because God is boring.  It’s because I am acting like an animal.  When animals sniff around and find nothing, they sleep.  When humans look around and find nothing, they reflect.  Take some time to reflect.  This is something that only humans can do.  This is one reason why only human’s can believe!  Ask yourself:  Am I dazzled by the sun?  Am I thrilled every time I see the moon?  Am I impressed at how incredible 24 hours are in a single day?  Do I still believe that two eyes are better than one?  Then why not three?  Have I come to realize that what I take for granted is not so usual?  Do I understand that it is all by design and not by survival.  Can I separate the objective from the subjective?  Can I separate my past from my future?  Can I acknowledge God without the hindrance of others?  Can I separate my life from Christ’s life?  Try it.

Mt 13:36-43 Coexist

Mt 13:36-43  Coexist

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Jesus said to his disciples:  “He who sows good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom.  The weeds are the children of the Evil One, and the enemy who sows them is the Devil.”

While driving back home, I noticed a bumper sticker that read “Coexist”.  The letters were written in the form of various religious symbols.  The “C” was in the form of a crescent moon (Islam); the “T” was in the form of a cross (Christianity); the “X” was in the form of the Star of David.

Although I have no doubts of the owner’s good intentions, I do wonder if the designer was open to any religion at all.  I wonder because I could easily design a bumper sticker myself with the same word but written in an entirely different form.  Why limit our hope to just religion, especially if our goal is to live in perfect harmony?  Why limit ourselves to religion when we can use so many political and national symbols or colors as well. 

For example, I would love to see “Coexist” written in various colors.  “C” in blue (Capitalists), “E” in green (Environmentalists), “S” in red (Socialists), “X” in black (national socialists).  Or better yet, why not write the letters using the colors of national flags:  “C” (USA), “O” (North Korea), “E”(Israel), “X” (Iran), “I” (Iraq), “S” (Saudi Arabia)? 

Why not?  Unless, we have a hidden bias against religion; that religious piety is the source of all our problems and not human thinking?  Or, to be more specific, that religion, and not human beings, is the source of all our problems.

People love to group religions together, as if they were all the same.  Would we do that to animals?  Would we place a cat in the cage with a lion?  Are they not the same? Would we do that to a dog and a coyote?    I don’t think so. 

Would a math teacher be upset with me if I claimed that all numbers are the same?  Can’t we group them all together?  Is one more significant than the other?  Can’t they coexist?

There is a place in our world for coexistence.  For example, I dream to see a Republican endorse a Democrat, not because he/she is a Democrat, but because he/she is really the better candidate.   I would love to see a Democrat nominate a Republican as their running mate, not because they have lost their mind, but because two minds are better than one.  This is real coexistence. 

But when it comes to the truth, there can be no space for falsehoods; when it comes to love, there can be no place for hate; when it comes to unity, there can be no time for sin.

My concern with false ideology is how it disguises itself as authentic piety.  Why should religions coexist?  Did the Lord ask for coexistence?  Of course not!  He asked for his disciples to go throughout the world and baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.   He did not ask us to declare war on religion, like atheists have done.  Neither did he ask us to declare war on religious liberty, like secularists have done.  He asked us to declare war on sin, like Christ has done by dying to oneself and “loving one another as I have loved you.” 

Let us compete.  Let us race.  Christianity, like all religions, was not created to coexist.  Christianity was created to stand alone, like the number “1” or a gold medalist.  Let us compete.  Let us race.  Most religious people would find nothing wrong with this statement.  Islam was not created to coexist; it was not created to be one truth among many truths.  What distinguishes one religion from another is the truth; the truth found in its founder. Christianity is not like any other religion because Christ was like no other.  He did not die in battle.  He died on a Cross.  He did not hate his enemies; he loved His enemies.  He is not God or man; He is God and man.  He sowed good seed where there was only bad seed. 

Christianity is not a religion of conquerors, unless you consider love conquering.  

Mt 11:20-24 Comfortably Numb

Mt 11:20-24  Comfortably Numb

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I remember as a teenager listening to Pink Floyd but never really understanding it.  Today, it reminds me of children watching a cartoon with their parents and wondering why their parents are laughing at a certain comment.  Cartoons, like Pink Floyd’s music, were created for adults, not for kids.

If you don’t stand for something you will fall for everything.  Now I know where that saying comes from:  today’s first reading.  The Lord told Isaiah, “Take care you remain tranquil and do not fear; let not your courage fail before these two stumps of smoldering brands…They shall not stand, it shall not be!  But within sixty years and five, Ephraim shall be crushed, no longer a nation.  Unless your faith is firm you shall not be firm!”

Two smoldering stumps.  When did we go wrong?  How did we get so far lost?  It all began when we started believing the scientists and activists more than the religious; when we decided to heed human advice rather than Godly advice.

Remember how computers were supposed to make life easier?  Remember how they were supposed to eliminate paper?  Remember how they were supposed to save us time?  Hahahahaha! 

Life has not become easier or less wasteful, life has become less personable: comfortably numb. 

“Take care you remain tranquil and do not fear; let not your courage fail you!”  We don’t always have to run away from difficulties.  We don’t always have to curse them out!  Trials and tribulations can make us stronger and much more responsible! 

Over the years I have grown numb.  From my seminary days of cold showers and no heat, I have grown comfortably numb.  The reason for my numbness is due to my comfortness.  When I was in the seminary, if you wanted some Q-tips you would have to write a note to the superior and the superior would deliver them to your room.  He would usually leave just two Q-tips for the week.  I learned to use them at the right time and in the most efficient way.  Nothing was wasted!  Nothing.

Today, I have a confession to make.  I have a tendency to be very wasteful.  Why?  Because I live in a home that does not belong to me; I do not have to pay for my electricity, water or maintenance.  In the morning, when I leave my home and notice the front light still on, I don’t get of my car, I don’t even fret for a moment.  Instead, I tell myself, “Oh well, I’ll turn it off later.”  The next morning, when I notice it’s still on, because I forgot to turn it off, I promise myself I will take care of it as soon as I return.  Again, I forget to do anything about it.  Why?  Because I don’t pay for it.   I’m comfortably numb.

Yesterday, I got on an online debate with a group of people who were supporting Melinda Gates' billion dollar campaign to provide over 100 million women in Africa with free contraceptives.  I read all the same stale arguments over and over again:  "The Catholic Church hates women; the Church knows nothing about family struggles or about the problems in Africa!"  I screamed, “The Church hates women?  The Church knows nothing about Africa or families???”  That was it!  I couldn’t take it anymore!


Before anyone's great-grandmother was born, the Catholic Church had missionaries, priests and nuns working with poor families in Africa.  We know a lot about Africa and the struggles that families face.  We know more about Africa than anyone's personal experience or anyone's personal advisors.

But what do American's know about families?  When did America suddenly become the expert in raising kids and protecting families???  When did we become the role model of the world?  If ten million African girls are starving to death, why are ten million American girls starving themselves to death?  What do we know about families?  What do we think we can teach others about raising children?  I’ll tell you what we can teach them:  the mistakes we have made.

Why do we want to export to other nations and other cultures our programs and policies that never worked their wonders?  Why do we want to share with others our failed ideas?

Let’s take a good look at family life in America.  1-out-of-2 marriages fail, far more than any third world nation; more of our kids take drugs than any third world country (including those that supply them); more of our kids are committing suicide than any third world nation.  We spend more money on secondary education than any third world nation and yet most of our doctors, professors, and engineers went to a secondary school in a third world country.   Why do our test scores lag behind most of the industrial world?  I will tell you why:  because we don’t honor, support and protect the family like other nations do, especially third world nations, neighborhoods and families.

We have connected contraceptives with ending poverty, ending abuse, stronger families, success, job opportunities, responsibility, and higher "living" standards. These are all BAD CONNECTIONS.

Instead, we should connect contraceptives with the reality of infidelity, male invincibility, the hyper-sexualization of woman and the obsession towards the ideal body, irresponsible behavior and an increase in STD’s, abortion, suicide and lower standards of living in all categories except material.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux once said, “Hell is full of good wishes and desires.”  Today, we say “The road to hell is paved with good intentions”.  The roads to home may change, but the roads to heaven and hell will never change.   

We say we honor and value families.  If so, then why do we only encourage poor families to limit the number of children they have, but never encourage rich families to have more?  Why is that, if we honor and value the family?  Why do most rich families have just one or two kids?  Can they not afford to send their children to the best schools around?  Can they not provide each one their personal menu and show horse?

Do we really honor and value our families or is it that we care about something else?  

I don’t think we honor and value families like the rest of the world.  Instead, I think we honor and value personal choice; more specifically, choices that make us feel comfortable…“comfortably numb.”  And to not feel guilty about it, we would like to share our numbness with the rest of the world!

Mt 5:38-42 Standing Can Destroy

Mt 5:38-42  Standing Can Destroy

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Jesus said to his disciples:  “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’.  But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil.” 

Literalism is not the same as radicalism.  To take the word of God literally and in all cases is not the same as to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ in all cases.    

Offer no resistance.  Why?  Won’t evil prevail?  No.  Evil destroys itself.  But if you are like me, it seems like it doesn’t destroy itself fast enough!  That’s where we come in.  That’s where Christians can make a world of difference.  We can speed evil’s death by making it a little more obvious.  And the best way to make it obvious is for a Christian to stand in front of it.  “Offer no resistance” is not the same as saying offer nothing; or let evil step all over you; or let it roll over you.  Offer no resistance does not mean to be overcome or overtaken (cf. Rm 12:21).  It means do not fight evil with evil.  Do not fight fire with fire.  Don’t do it!  Otherwise, the difference between the son of God and the son of Adam will be harder to see; our light will not shine so bright.  Instead, “fight evil with good” (Rm 12:21) and our light will shine as bright as the Son! 

Christians follow a golden rule:  “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”  It’s golden because it is solid and priceless.  Evil follows a rusty rule:  “Hurt others before they hurt you!”   It’s rusty because it’s decaying.  It’s decaying because it’s been recycled far too often.  Eventually, it will rip itself apart.  On the other hand, Christianity will never decay because it continually resupplies itself.  Love stimulates life.  Courage stimulates Heroes.  Evil stimulates extinction. 

Cheap music and cheap lyrics are more evident when compared to an opus of Mozart or Beethoven.  Pornography as art is easier to decry when compared to the masterpiece of a Mona Lisa.  Lenin and Stalin came out of the closet when Marx went in it.  Darwin planted a seed and Margaret Sanger sprouted.  Nietzsche and Feuerbach dethroned God and Hitler took his place.  “Can a bad tree produce good fruit? …You will know them by their fruits” (cf. Mt 17:16-18).

Christians are called to let evil die.  Sometimes it takes silence; sometimes it takes words.  But it always takes a stand.  The world is watching. 

According to the Detroit News, state Representative Lisa Brown was disciplined by House speakers for speaking over and over again about “her vagina” in a debate on an anti-abortion bill that would put new restrictions on abortion doctors.  Brown was silenced during floor debate for her comments.  They were deemed inappropriate.  But Brown, a pro-abortion representative, defended her actions.  “I used an anatomically correct word.  I said vagina.  Is there something wrong with that?  Can I not say elbow?  I don’t see the difference.” 

There you have it, folks!  She doesn’t know the difference between her vagina and her elbow.  And that explains why she has a hard time seeing the difference between a fetus and a tumor; or a body from a body part. 

Evil destroys itself.  Abortion will destroy itself.  It is just a matter of time, but we need to speed up the process.  We can.  I have always said that the best reasons for being Pro-Life can be found by reading the statements made by rabid Pro-Choice advocates.    

The Lord said, offer no resistance.  Let evil do what it does best:  destroys itself and its children.  Let us do what we do best:  destroy evil and put it to rest. 

Don’t forget to pray and take a stand so that people can recognize evil for what it is.

Mark 12:18-27 The Big Bang of Mistakes

Mark 12:18-27  The Big Bang of Mistakes

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Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and put this question to him, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us, ‘If someone’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother.’  Now there were seven brothers…” 

Hypothetical scenarios are a great tool for discerning the wisdom of an argument.  However, Hyper-theatrical scenarios (exaggerated or highly improbable situations presented in order to create a show), are a lousy tool for discerning the wisdom of an argument. 

In today’s Gospel, the Sadducees pose a hyper-theatrical scenario to Jesus.  The Lord puts an end to the discussion (and “show”) with one decisive and embarrassing blow.

Did you ever take math in College?  If you did, did you ever experience what is often referred to as a “stupid” mistake?  I did and on multiple occasions.  If you don’t know, a “stupid mistake” in math is something like this:  You work long and hard, diligently and deliberately, through a huge mathematical problem.  You show all your work in excruciating detail and employ all the latest mathematical techniques you know.  Then, when you get your quiz or test back, you’re stunned to see that you got a 90 rather than a 100 because you made one stupid mistake in addition at the very beginning of your masterpiece.  Argh!!!!!

The Sadducees made one stupid mistake at the very beginning of their hyper-theatrical argument.  In their emotionally driven craze to outwit Jesus, they forgot something.  They forgot that God is the God of the living.  And if He is the God of the living, then it must mean that no one really dies.  I wonder how many hours they spent formulating their scenario to present to Jesus.  I wonder how many people were involved.  

It’s no wonder the Lord told them, “You are greatly misled.” 

It’s bad enough to be greatly misled.  It’s even worse to mislead others.  That’s what so many of our politicians, friends and neighbors have been doing for years.  They’ve been misleading folks in a big way.  Of course it didn't start that way, but a little bit of illogic eventually creates a big bang of confusion. 

I would hate to think that there are people out there that agree with me simply because they know me or that they agree with my point of view.  I would prefer that people agreed with me because my arguments were logical and that they stood on solid ground.  God is solid.  The Church is the Rock.  The Church lives by faith and logic.  If God is the God of the living, then anything contrary to life is wrong, period.  If a man is designed to be with a woman, then any other type of design is flawed, period.  You might not agree with me, but don't tell me I don't make sense.

When a relativist comes up to me and matter-of-factly tells me, “There is no truth.”  I let them matter-of-factly know they just contradicted themselves:  If there is no truth, then how can you know the truth that there is no truth? Even more interesting is the male Pacifist who is also an abortionist that comes up to me and says, “War is wrong because it kills innocent people.”  If he is against war, then he better think of another reason why he is against it.  He is just as inconsistent as the female Naturalist who prefers organic foods to chemical ones but uses artificial contraceptives rather than natural family planning. 

Of course everyone can feel however they want.  But feelings come and go unlike the truth that lasts forever.     

I wish our Catholic Middle Schools and High Schools would offer one semester of Logic.  I can tell you right now it would give our schools and students an incredible advantage over all the kids and schools in Dallas.  Kids that think logically would save our parents, teachers and society a lot of hard ache and headaches.  It might even put an end to the talk shows where talking about our problems is cheap and solving them is elusive.  Finally!!!  Finally!!! We could have conversations that went beyond feelings, emotions and sentiments.  Finally!!!  Finally!!!  We could have issues that were no longer emotionally charged but rather candidly honest.  Finally!!!  Finally!!!  We could know the objective God of love and truth, rather than the subjective god of feelings and desires.    

The Sadducees resorted to some roundabout sentimental scenario to justify their position.  The Lord struck a fatal blow when he said, “If there is no resurrection, then God would not be the God of the living but of the dead.   

God is the God of the living, not of the dead.  Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead not because we feel him but because He did.  “When we take our “feelings” off the throne, God can come in and give us gifts, both of faith and even of feelings, that we could never give ourselves.  But He does it in His time schedule, not ours.  He’s a lover, not a train.” (Peter Kreeft)

Let’s solve our problems by thinking through them and not by accepting our way to them.