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December 31, 2004
Just call me Solomon
Two days ago my two daughters were fighting over a baby doll. Recognizing the opportunity immediately, I took the doll from them and told them I was going to cut it in two and give each of them a half. My oldest daughter smiled, she knew what I was doing, and said, "She can have the baby." I started to laugh and gave her the doll. We all were laughing so hard that my youngest daughter didn't notice that she lost the fight.
:-)
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December 30, 2004
Pope's Prayer Intentions for 2005.....
.....can be found here.
Posted by Walter Babetski at 10:19 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 28, 2004
Christmas ain't over folks!!
I realize most readers of this blog know that Christmas isn't over; it just got started. The only thing over with right now is Advent. Lisa over at CAPPMoms' post, Day of Discontent, prompted this post here.
There is a radio station here in mid-Michigan, 100.3 WNIC, that was playing Christmas tunes all day, every day starting after Thanksgiving. We woke up on Dec. 26th (Notice I didn't say the day "after" Christmas.), got the coffee going, and turned on the intercom system in our house that's been pumping Christmas tunes most of the day since Thanksgiving only to find regular old secular Top 40 stuff. What a disappointment!!! Also, what a splash of cold water in the face to my wishful thinking that the whole world also knows that Christmas just got started. Gosh, a number of realities sink in here including the fact that we are pilgrims in this world.
Hey, I could go on, but I just realized a time committment that I made. You see where I'm going with this. Please add your own thoughts in the comment box.
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December 26, 2004
Playing the Heavy
Tonight was one of those nights where my wife and I had to make a very unpopular decision. We have, with some reservation, allowed the kids to have a Gamecube video sytem. They have had it for about a year now. Some very close relatives of ours bought my sons a few games for the system: Madden 2005, and Spiderman 2. They were exceedingly excited by this. I must admit, I was also pretty excited about Madden 2005.
Later yesterday the boys finally got a chance to sit down and play their new games. They started with Madden 2005 while I watched. The graphics, and the realism of the game are incredible. Yet, we were all somewhat shocked when after one of the plays we were shown the cheerleaders on the sideline. Yep, you guessed it, they were all looking quite busty and not dressed very modestly. My oldest son looked at me in shock. He said, "Wow Dad, that was really bad."
These games have layers and layers of options, usually. I was convinced that I could find an option to turn off the cheerleader display. Much to my disappointment, I could not find any way of turning that off. I told the boys I was going to talk it over with mom.
Then they put in Spiderman 2 which was also pretty cool. That is until they hit a level where suddenly Catwoman was in the game. They showed a scene where they panned from her feet to her top and she, much to no one's surprise, was also very busty, and basically falling out of her top.
That was it!! We took the two games away from them, and talked to them about why. I was very proud of them. I thought they would really put up a fight, argue, wine, etc. They did not. They understood fully. My oldest son said, "It's too bad they always have to put in a little bit of trash into everything." Good boy. I told them about how these people selling these things have absolutely zero concern about the welfare of their souls, and that it's the almighty dollar that rules the day for them.
I'm not sure if the store where these were purchased will allow us to return the games. I suspect they will not once the package seal has been broken. Anyhow, I'm thinking of firing off a letter to the makers of these games expressing my disappointment.
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December 24, 2004
Mercy at Christmas
Today was the fourteenth year in a row that we visited Paul on Christmas Eve. Like our Advent wreath and Christmas tree, it is one of our enduring Christmas traditions.
Paul is an inmate in a maximum-security state prison about 15-minutes from our town. Hes a white guy from the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia. Hes almost 40-yrs-old now. I met Paul 14 years ago while I was participating in a bi-weekly prison apostolate with some other Catholic men. He was one of those guys smart, good-looking, great social skills -- that makes you ask How did this guy end up in jail?
His Dad (+RIP) was a long-haul trucker, and wasnt home a lot in Pauls younger years. His Mom (now in a home with Alzheimers) battled alcoholism her whole life. Life in urban Philly had just too many temptations and ways for a youngster to get into trouble, which for Paul was happening by age 14. At around 20, he was convicted of three counts of armed robbery, and received a very heavy sentence. He wont even be eligible for parole until February 2013. After spending time in both Holmesburg and Graterford (two notorious Philly-area maximum-security state prisons), he was transferred to the prison near me. Here he lives with about 2000 other inmates, many of them the worst kind of thieves, rapists and murders, and many serving life sentences.
While trying to make a name for himself in the eat-or-be-eaten culture in prison, he got into a bit of trouble and found himself in the hole solitary confinement, most privileges removed. After several weeks in the hole, someone gave him a Bible. Recalling his childhood Sunday School classes at his familys Lutheran church, he wept and called out to God for help. Gods word in Sacred Scripture touched his heart; he knelt, repented, and he committed his life to Jesus, right there in the hole. I met Paul just a few months later. I visit him by myself 3 or 4 times each year. He calls our home about once a week, and has become like a Dutch uncle to my kids. Over the past 14 years, he has been an example to me of perseverance and expectant faith. He strives diligently to live a holy life in a truly unholy place. He even had the self-discipline to give up smoking (while in prison, where cigarettes even serve as the primary form of underground currency!). In the past year, his 19th in the system, he has been struggling with his hope. He so desperately wants to get out (several legal appeals in process) so that he can do some good in society in reparation for the bad he had previously done. So I humbly ask you to keep Paul in your prayers.
Our annual family prison visit can be a real eye-opener for our kids. Even after 14 consecutive years, the sight of the double chain-link fences, each topped with razor wire, and the gun tower guarding the entrance, still puts ominous looks on their faces as we climb the long access road and draw near.
The entry process is a tad tedious. Anyone who doesnt have a photo I.D. must have two other official forms of I.D. That meant taking six sets of Birth Certificates and Social Security Cards (for my six youngest). All pockets must be emptied. Coats are searched thoroughly. Shoes and belts must come off. Then, if youre lucky, youll make it through the metal detector without setting off the alarm. They allow you to take very little into the prison: no coin or currency (only the prison-issued tokens for the vending machines), no pictures, no wallets or purses, not even the little automatic car openers. About the only thing you can take in are the tokens, your keys and your photo I.D. Then, back on with the shoes, belts and coats. You then pass through three different security gates, waiting at each one until the guard hits the electric unlock. A 50-yard walk gets you to the building that houses the Visiting Room.
The Visiting Room is a large open room furnished with small tables and plastic chairs. The windows are all barred (of course!). Convex mirrors are strategically positioned at points along the ceiling-wall intersection all around the room. Most visits are face-to-face, in the flesh. However, there is a station with two phones where inmates from solitary confinement (the hole) can talk to their visitor and see them through the security glass. And there is a small glass cubicle that houses a webcam and video monitor for inmates to have a virtual visit from a family member who could not travel to visit in person (@ $10 bucks a pop).
So, besides Paul, what do the kids see in the prison? First of all, they see a lot of black guys. We have hardly any blacks in our town, so they rarely see any (except athletes on TV). Secondly, they see a lot of Moslem black women, most with faces exposed, the rest of their heads covered with a nun-like headscarf, and wearing floor-length loose robe-like dresses. They see couples, and they see families. Today, my daughter Angela heard the man at the table next to ours proposing (marriage) to the woman who was visiting him. She said No, and he cried. We saw a family of five having their photo taken, the father (an inmate) not more than 30, the oldest son about 10, and the baby no more than 5-months old. An inmate dressed as Santa was handing out to the kids decorative plastic bags containing some candy and cheap trinket-toys, which helped greatly to occupy the little ones during our visit. Its the only place my kids ever see an African-American Santa! He was perspiring a bit, so I bought him a cold soda.
Last but certainly not least, they see how truly and visibly grateful Paul is to have us come in to visit him, especially at the normally joyous Christmastime, which he says gets emotionally more and more difficult as the years pass. I pray that this annual family work of mercy touches the hearts of my children at the deepest core of their being, and helps them to bear even more good fruit in their own lives.
Posted by Walter Babetski at 6:07 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
December 20, 2004
The Pope and Children
Back in The Year of the Family (1994), Pope John Paul II wrote a letter to children for Christmas. In it, he really covers a lot of ground: the life of Jesus, receiving the Sacraments, praying, and being open to the Lords leading regarding a vocation. He points out how much some children suffer, and reminisces about his own days as a child at Christmastime. It is a letter filled with tenderness, inspiration and challenge.....for both young and old. Perhaps youll want to share it with your family this Christmas season.
Posted by Walter Babetski at 11:49 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 12, 2004
A Daughter Honors Her Father
A daughter writes about the virtuous life of her father and his dedication to the rosary in the November/December online issue of Lay Witness magazine. Touching and inspiring!
Posted by Walter Babetski at 4:59 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
December 1, 2004
Examination of Conscience
Advent is a great time to reassess our efforts at our ongoing conversion to a life of greater virtue. This means it's also a great time to receive the Sacrament of Penance. Below you'll find a good Examination of Conscience to help you......
Examination of Conscience
I am the Lord your God. You shall not have false gods before me.
Do I deny or persist in doubt about the existence of God?
Do I seek to love the Lord with my whole heart?
Do I frequently give God time in heartfelt prayer?
Do I take time to read Gods word in Sacred Scripture?
Do I seek to surrender myself to Gods word as taught by the Church?
In what areas of my life am I guilty of self-righteousness? (viewing myself as better than others in the sight of God because some aspect(s) of my life seems to me to be well-ordered or aligned with what I think God wants)
Do I have false gods in my life? (idolatry) (people, pleasure, power, money, security, image, etc.)
Have I been involved with superstitious practices, magic or sorcery by which one attempts to tame or serve occult powers? (Satanism, horoscopes, palm-reading, ouija board, psychics or mediums, fortune-tellers, tarot cards, witchcraft, seances, reincarnation, clairvoyance, spiritism, omens, charms)
Have I been seriously involved in New Age philosophies or Eastern religions?
Have I supported or participated in a schismatic group?
Have I joined the Masons or any other cult or secret society outlawed by the Church?
Have I openly dissented from the Churchs teachings? (incredulity, heresy, schism)
Have I committed apostasy? (leaving the Catholic Church because I no longer believe her teachings)
Have I received Holy Communion or any other Sacraments unworthily (in a state of mortal sin)?
Have I deliberately lied in confession?
Have I knowingly withheld a mortal sin in Confession?
Have I failed to perform the penance given to me by the priest in my last Confession?
Have I participated in a General Absolution service, with the purposeful intention of avoiding a personal confession to a priest?
Am I guilty of the sin of despair? (lack of any hope for my personal salvation)
Have I sinned against the Holy Spirit by stubbornly refusing to accept Gods love, mercy and forgiveness?
Am I guilty of the sin of presumption? (presuming upon Gods mercy without an appropriate effort at ongoing conversion)
Is my relationship with God too friendly? (not enough reverence for God, or not taking seriously how greatly he hates sin)
Am I guilty of performing pious acts or works of mercy so that people can see them and think more of me?
Am I guilty of letting other people know how much money Ive contributed so they will think more of me?
Have I kept the required fasts and abstinences?
Do I regularly do penance and make reparation for my sins especially on Fridays? (Canon 1249-1253)
Have I committed the sin of indifference by neglecting or refusing to reflect on Gods love? (CCC, n. 2094)
Have I committed the sin of ingratitude by failing or refusing to acknowledge and return Gods love? (CCC, n. 2094)
Have I committed the sin of lukewarmness by hesitating or neglecting to respond to Gods love? (CCC, n. 2094) (Rev 3:16)
Am I guilty of the sin of acedia (spiritual sloth) by refusing the joy that comes from God and being repelled by his divine goodness?
Do I have a firm desire to work at eliminating sin from my life? (ongoing conversion and amendment)
Have I failed to make an effort to learn more about my faith?
Am I guilty of praying mindlessly and mechanically, just reciting words quickly without contemplating the Lord?
Have I knowingly put myself in danger of losing or weakening my faith by something Ive read or watched?
Have I neglected to share my faith in God with others because of fear or embarrassment?
Am I guilty of the sin of tempting God by putting his goodness and power to a test? (CCC, n. 2119)
Am I guilty of the sin of sacrilege through profaning or treating unworthily the Sacraments (especially the Holy Eucharist) or other liturgical actions, as well as persons, things or places consecrated to God? (CCC, n. 2120)
Am I guilty of the sin of simony because I was involved in the buying or selling of spiritual things? (CCC, n. 2121)
You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
Have I used any of Gods names lightly, carelessly or frivolously?
Have I told any jokes that made fun of God?
Have I been angry with God?
Have I spoken any words of hatred or defiance toward God? (blasphemy)
Have I wished that God would bring evil upon another person?
Have I used any of Gods names when cursing others?
Have I abused the names of the Blessed Virgin Mary or the Saints?
Have I insulted a sacred person or abused a sacred object?
Did I break any vows that Ive made to the Lord?
Have I used the Lords name in swearing an oath that I had no intention of keeping?
Have I committed the sin of perjury by lying or making a false promise under an oath sworn to God?
Have I used vulgar or profane language (especially in the presence of children)?
Am I embarrassed to refer to the Lord in conversation?
Remember to keep holy the Lords Day.
Have I missed Mass on a Sunday or Holy Day of Obligation deliberately or without a legitimate reason?
Have I carelessly arrived late for Mass or left before it ended?
Do I concentrate and participate at Mass by praying and singing, and listening to the readings and homily?
Was I irreverent, silly or carelessly distracting to others during Mass?
Do I acknowledge the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, and receive Holy Communion with reverence and gratitude?
Have I broken the required one-hour fast from any food and drink (except water and medicine) before receiving Holy Communion?
Has my behavior in the church before and after Mass reflected reverence for the presence of Jesus in the tabernacle?
Did I cause others to miss Mass on a Sunday or Holy Day of Obligation?
Have I tried to observe Sunday as a day of rest and reflection, of family time or of doing works of mercy and charity?
Did I do needless work/shopping on Sunday, especially the type of routine work/shopping that could have been done another day?
Did I selfishly cause someone else to have to work on Sunday?
Have I fulfilled my Easter Duty? (to worthily receive Holy Communion during the Easter season) (Canon 920)
Have I fulfilled my yearly Confession duty? (to confess my grave sins at least once a year) (Canon 989)
Honor your father and your mother.
Do I obey and honor my parents?
Have I spoken disrespectfully to or about my father or mother?
Have I neglected my duties as a family member?
Do I strive to be an example of holiness to the members of my family?
Do I view and treat my children as Gods children first, who he has entrusted to my care?
Have I participated in our family prayer with a good attitude and proper behavior?
Am I significantly involved in the education of my children?
Have I proactively and aggressively tried to pass our Catholic faith on to my children, especially preparing them for the Sacraments?
Have I tried to coerce any of my children to choose (or to avoid) a specific vocation?
Have I been impatient or unloving with members of my family?
Have I been a cause of disorder or lack of peace in our family?
Have I brought or allowed inappropriate or disordered media into our home? (TV, movies, books, magazines, websites, video games, etc.)
As a parent, have I neglected to exercise proper authority over my children?
When I corrected or disciplined my children, was I loving? Appropriately merciful?
Have I failed to show appropriate affection and encouragement to the other members of my family?
Have I done my chores and fulfilled my household responsibilities?
Have I taken time for substantive communication with the members of my family?
Has my self-centeredness caused me to be rude, sullen or sulky in my home?
Do I spend time with (or care for) my aged, sick or lonely relatives?
Have I failed to carry out the last will of a deceased parent?
Have I neglected any of the duties of my state in life?
Do I obey all legitimate authority?
Do I neglect to exercise my right to vote?
Do I advocate perverse forms of family structure proffered by the prevailing culture?
You shall not kill.
Have I harbored anger, hatred or resentment in my heart?
Am I guilty of judging others?
Have I abused alcoholic beverages, tobacco or drugs?
Am I guilty of the sin of gluttony? Purposely under-eating?
Do I care for my health adequately?
Have I physically harmed anyone?
Have I made a serious attempt at suicide, or encouraged someone else to do so?
Have I verbally abused anyone?
Do I readily extend mercy and forgive others?
Have I asked for forgiveness when I should have?
Have I been patient in the face of sufferings, sorrows and disappointments? Have I united my sufferings to the sufferings of Jesus, and offered them up?
Am I guilty of malice, treachery, haughtiness, rivalry, discord, quarrels, angry words, insolence, spitefulness, antagonism, tantrums, the silent treatment, rebelliousness, selfishness, pride, pettiness, insults, bossiness or being inconsiderate?
Have I been receptive to lovingly-delivered and properly-ordered correction?
Do I regularly neglect to express my gratitude to others?
Did I give scandal to anyone by my attitudes or behavior, thereby leading them into sin?
Have I had an abortion, or encouraged or helped someone else to have an abortion?
Have I voted for a non-Pro-Life candidate, when a Pro-Life candidate was also running?
Have I encouraged or condoned sterilization?
Have I mutilated myself through any form of sterilization to avoid having children?
Have I engaged in artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization?
Have I participated in or approved of euthanasia?
Have I participated in or supported human cloning?
Have I advocated or supported an unjust war?
Do I drive in a safe and courteous manner?
Have I taken revenge on someone, or taken pleasure in imagining it?
Have I willfully engaged in an unjust lawsuit?
Am I guilty of bigotry? (hatred of persons of other races)
Have I prayed for my enemies and persecutors? (Mt 5:44)
Have I done anything to pollute or otherwise damage our natural environment?
You shall not commit adultery.
Have I disrespected members of the opposite sex by thinking of them as mere objects for my pleasure?
Have I been chaste in thought, word and action?
Have I dressed immodestly?
Have I allowed my mind to dwell on impure thoughts?
Have I caused impure thoughts through reading or pictures? (magazines, television, movies, internet)
Have I engaged in masturbation?
Have I been faithful to my marriage vows in thought and action?
Have I engaged in any sexual activity outside of marriage?
Have I used any method of contraception or artificial birth control?
Has each sexual act in my marriage been open to the transmission of new human life?
Have I engaged in any homosexual activity?
Have I given impure or pornographic material to someone else?
You shall not steal.
Do I waste time? (work, school, home, etc.)
Have I stolen anything?
Have I failed to return and/or make restitution for anything that I had stolen?
Have I knowingly accepted or purchased stolen property?
Have I purposely damaged someone elses property?
Have I cheated anyone out of what is justly theirs? (friends, neighbors, workplace, creditors, insurance companies, etc.) (especially by breaking a contract or business agreement)
Have I cheated? (tests, games, taxes, expense accounts, etc.)
Have I accepted bribes, or otherwise sold my influence?
Have I engaged in blackmail, fraud, embezzlement, price-fixing, tax evasion, criminal forgery, or copyright violation?
Have I been a poor steward of any of the resources with which the Lord has blessed me?
Do I pay my debts promptly?
Have I incurred debt that I know is beyond my means?
Do I regularly support my parish financially?
Have I given to the poor? (relative to my income)
Do I gamble excessively?
Do I pay a fair wage to my employees, and provide good and safe working conditions?
Have I been guilty of laziness or excessive idleness?
Have I neglected or abused any animals?
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
Have I lied?
Have I gossiped?
Have I been negative, uncharitable, or too critical of others in my words or thoughts?
Do I complain too much?
Do I talk excessively?
When I have a different opinion, must I always express it?
Am I boastful or self-aggrandizing in conversation?
Have I been sincere in my dealings with others?
Am I guilty of unfairness or persecution?
Do I keep secret what should be confidential?
Am I guilty of morbid curiosity?
Have I injured the reputation of others by speaking about them negatively? Made restitution? Asked their forgiveness?
You shall not desire your neighbors wife.
Have I said or done anything which made a mockery of my wedding vows?
Have I failed to defend the sanctity of Matrimony in my conversations when it is attacked, ridiculed or belittled?
Have I weakened my marriage commitment through my obsession with another person?
Have I behaved in an inappropriate way with members of the opposite sex? (flirting, touching, etc.)
Have I consented to impure thoughts?
Am I living in an adulterous situation?
Have I been obedient to the laws of the Church regarding marriage, or re-marriage to someone who has previously been married?
Am I guilty of polygamy or polyandry? (having more than one wife or husband)
You shall not desire your neighbors goods.
Am I envious of what other people have? (possessions, successes, families, etc.)
Am I greedy, miserly, or niggardly?
Have I placed too high a priority on material possessions?
Am I consumed by my personal ambitions, to the detriment of my family life and personal spiritual growth?
Do I try to project a false image of myself through ostentation?
Do I trust that God will care for all of my material needs?
Do I live Gospel simplicity and detachment?
ACT OF CONTRITION
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you, and I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all because they offend you, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of your grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin.
ACT OF REPENTANCE
Heavenly Father, I come to you today with the stain of sin on my soul. But I ask you to look not so much at my sins as at the deep sadness and regret that I feel in my heart for having offended you. You have generously revealed your Fatherly love to me. You have adopted me personally as a son/daughter through the blood of Jesus Christ, your beloved Son, and you allow me to partake of your divine nature. I know that you want me to freely respond to your generous revelation by loving you with my whole mind, heart, soul and strength, so I can come to perfect communion with you. And still, I have done what is displeasing in your sight and grieved your loving heart by my selfishness. And so, Lord, I come to you, humbled by my weakness, but having full faith and trust in your great mercy, without which I would have no hope. I repent of my sins in the name of Jesus my Savior. I turn away from my wrongdoing and lack of love, and promise to strive to grow in virtue and do only that which pleases you. And I ask you, merciful Lord, to forgive my sins. Cast them as far from me as the east is from the west, and remember them no more. Fill me with your Holy Spirit, who will make me strong, loving and wise. And please, give me the grace to change my heart and my life so that I can go forth and love you above all things, do your will, and love others as you love me; so that I may act in self-giving love in everything that I think, say and do, and that I can truly open myself to receive the love that you and others want to give me. Amen.
THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS
6 32 38 51 102 130 143
SCRIPTURE PASSAGES FOR REFLECTION
Psalm 65: 2-3
O Lord who hears our prayer! To you shall all flesh come on account of sins. When our transgressions prevail over us, you forgive them.
Psalm 85:2
You did forgive the iniquity of your people; you pardoned all their sin.
Psalm 86:5
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call on you.
Psalm 103:11-13
For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, so the LORD pities those who fear him.
Sirach 17:24
Yet to those who repent he grants a return, and he encourages those whose endurance is failing.
Isaiah 1:18
Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.
Isaiah 38:17
Lo, it was for my welfare that I had great bitterness; but you have held back my life from the pit of destruction, for you have cast all my sins behind your back.
Isaiah 43:25
I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.
Jeremiah 31:34
And no longer shall each man teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
Ezekiel 18:22
None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness which he has done he shall live.
Micah 7:18-20
Who is a God like thee, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger for ever because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion upon us, he will tread our iniquities under foot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Posted by Walter Babetski at 6:48 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack