Turth in Charity

I received the following from Abe Alsop, who attended our Dominican Chapter meetings until the pressing duties of family and young children overwhelmed his calendar. It's a beautiful articulation of living the faith in one's state of life, and a reminder that it is how we love, not what we know, that is the basis of the last judgement. Thank you, Abe!

I've registered TruthInCharity.org, which I think would be a good name for some sort of theological colloquium website, but I'm not sure what it would look like (let me know if you have any ideas). The name comes from something Pope Benedict said just before he was elected: "This faith, the only faith, creates unity and takes place in charity. St. Paul offers us a beautiful phrase, in opposition to the continual ups and downs of those who are like children tossed by the waves, to bring about truth in charity, as fundamental formula of Christian existence. Truth and charity coincide in Christ. In the measure that we come close to Christ, also in our life, truth and charity are fused. Charity without truth would be blind; truth without charity would be like 'a clanging cymbal' " And St. Dominic is attributed as saying he learned more from Charity than from any text, for "it teaches everything". I guess that's a good thing for me to remember at this stage in life, where my actions are hopefully speaking louder than the few words I
manage to ponder. I was raised (by a Lutheran pastor) to be very theological, and that continued in full force as I converted to the Church, and my year or two with the Dominicans was actually one of my last expressions of that mindset before I surrendered to this new phase of life where it's all I can do to just keep my family running smoothly. Maybe one day I will be able to ponder theologically for hours at a time again, but God knew I needed a decade or two of basic training in charity to ensure that my ideals take on flesh and dwell among us.

The birth of the first Apostle

On Dec 25 we will celebrate the birth of Jesus for the salvation of mankind. Christ, Savior, Prince of Peace, Emmanuel, Son of Man, these are all common titles by which we know him. Perhaps one of the more common terms he used for himself is the most overlooked. We do well to remember that Jesus is the first Apostle. Perhaps this title does not readily come to mind because we regularly read the translation instead. His own constant witness is that he was “sent” (1)

As it is evident that Jesus was sent, so it also is evident that Jesus gathered others around him and “sent” them as He was sent, by and with His authority (2).

And that they chose and sent successors, as He authorized them to do (3).

Because Jesus promised to be with us forever, this will always be (4).


(1) Jn 4:34 5:24, 5:30, 5:37, 5:36, 6:38, 6:39, 6:40, 6:58, 7:16, 7:28, 7:33, 8:16, 8:18, 8:26, 8:29, 8:42, 9:4, 11:42, 12:44, 12:45, 12:49, 13:20, 14:24, 15:21, 16:5, 17:18, 17:21, 20:21, Lk 9:48, 10:16, Mk 9:36, Mt 10:40
(2) Jn 13:20-21, 17:18-21, 20:21, Lk 10:3, 10:16, Mk 9:36, Mt 10:16, 10:40, 28:18-20
(3) Acts 1:25-26, Titus 2:15
(4) Mt. 28:20

Pressing for Truth

A thought: If you take all of non-Catholic Christian belief, and could put it all together, and strain out the differences between A & B & C &... etc, You would end up with nothing, because all of them reject some things that others accept. You'd end up with the global world religion the UN and M. Gorbachev want to submit us to. However, if you instead put all the same beliefs together, and could strain out all the ERRORS of A & B & C & ... etc, then you'd have something. You'd have the Catholic faith, from which they all sprang as deformities based on adherance to error, because the only thing that separates non-catholics from each other and from the Catholic church are the errors.

3rd Sunday of Advent

We'll be hearing from the Gospel of John on Sunday. I found a couple of neat things in the commentary of ST. Thomas' Catena Aurea. John signifies "God's Grace," and Bethany signifies "house of obedience"

This is rather wonderful when we consider John baptizing in the Jordan beyond Bethany, for Grace transcends and perfects obedience, and it is obtained initially through baptism.

Now Martha, Mary, and Lazarus (the active life, the contemplative life, and the sinner) were particular best friends of Jesus whom he was fond of spending time with. yes, they lived in Bethany!

by this will I know that you love me, He said, if you keep my commandments.