An Accomplishment with the Elements

 

One of the greatest accomplishments of mankind is the understanding of the elements, as is made evident through the use of the periodic table. The history of the periodic table is interesting and shows a sense of scientific inquiry in how the universe works. The information in the periodic table shows careful measurement, as well as understanding of the elements of themselves.  Knowledge of the elements, through the use of the periodic table, is an essential requirement for anyone to grasp who is interested in the purposes of the physical sciences, which is to understand the functions of the universe. 

The history of the periodic table has gone through many stages of evolution, starting around the mid-seventeenth century and continuing until today.  The need for organization, or rather for something like the periodic table, began with the discovery of new elements.  Although Dmitri Mendeleev is considered the "father" of the periodic table, the need for a classification system arose before him and the resulting periodic table is a result of the hard work of many scientists (Western Oregon University 1). In the year 1669, a German amateur alchemist and merchant, Hennig Brand, attempted to make a stone that turned metals to gold, called a “philosopher’s stone” (“Periodic Table History” 1). His attempts failed, as would be expected, but he did discover a new element.  His discovery was of phosphorus and in 1680, Robert Boyle also discovered and publicized this element (“Periodic Table History” 1). The known elements would continue to increase and by 1869 science knew of 63 elements (Western Oregon University 1).  By this time also, characteristics and similarity in the elements was being noted, causing them to be placed in different classification.  Meanwhile, science continued to discover new elements, which also had to place placed in these different classifications.  It was said that “as chemistry advances towards perfection, by dividing and subdividing, it is impossible to say where it is to end” so were the discoveries happening so quickly (Lavoisier 1). By 1817 Johann Dobereiner noticed that “the atomic weight of strontium fell midway between the weights of calcium and barium, elements possessing similar chemical properties” which led to the foundations of the Law of Triads (Western Oregon University 1). Following him, many other scientists studied this concept and in 1862, A.E.Beguyer de Chancourtois, a French geologist, published the first periodic table (Western Oregon University 1).  A paper written in 1863, by English chemist John Newlands, proposed a classification of the 56 known elements into 11 groups based on similar physical properties.  He published his own version of the periodic table, as well as introduced the Law of Octaves, in the year of 1864 (Western Oregon University 1).  In 1869 and 1870, Russian Dmitri Mendeleev and German Lothar Meyer, respectively, published very similar periodic tables independently of each other into the scientific community (Western Oregon University 1).  By the time 1894 came, Sir William Ramsay and Lord Rayleigh discovered the noble gases and these were added to the periodic table as group 0 (“Periodic Table History” 1). The trend of discovering, measuring, and adding elements has continued as science advances. 

Something that makes the periodic table so useful is the careful measurements of the properties of the elements. Measurements and observable facts are foundational to any scientific understanding in all branches of science. As quoted in a Christian High School Science text, William Thomas, Lord Kelvin states the following in regards to measurement:

When you can measure what you are speaking about and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you cannot measure it, when you cannot express in in numbers, your knowledge is of a meager and unsatisfactory kind; it may be the beginning of knowledge, but you have scarcely (Steele et al 5).

Based on the premise presented here by William Thomas, because the elements are arranged in measurable and observable value the scientific community knows something about the elements.  The elements are sorted in the table based on similarities in physical properties and in order of Atomic Number, or how many protons are in the atoms of the element. Also included is the atomic mass, the chemical symbol and the name of the element. From the placement of an element on the periodic table, many chemical properties can be discerned, such as the number of valance electrons and the charges of the elements. Further, also using the periodic table, the changing of an unstable element (natural or isomer) to a stable element (natural or isomer) in nuclear radioactive decay can be predicted. Thus, having a grasp of understanding of the elements organized in the periodic table opens up a wide range of possibilities for the scientific community. 

Today, over one hundred types of elements are known, each possessing a different makeup in the atomic structure of protons, neutrons, and electrons (Bennett et al 114). This in itself provides for a vast topic of study, yet to truly understand something, the history of the subject in question is often employed.  The method in which the elements were formed is called the nucleosynthesis. This is the process of making new atomic nuclei from pre-existing nucleons, usually through the merging of hydrogen nuclei to others.  This happened in two stages: with the origin of the universe and inside stars (“Formation of the Elements” 1). The origin of the universe is found in the Big Bang theory, which is based on the application of the laws of physics to the idea that everything that exists began as an “incredibly tiny, hot, and dense collection of matter and radiation” (Bennett et al 474). Hydrogen and helium was quickly abundant after the Big Bang, at different amounts, throughout the universe. Gravity began to clump amounts of these two elements together.  These clumps eventually formed galaxies and stars.  Higher mass elements were formed by the merging and bonding of nuclei, through nuclear fusion. Then, with the death of a star, during the nova or supernova, these “high mass elements, along with … massive nuclei created … were thrown out into space to eventually become incorporated into another star or celestial body” (“The Formation of the High Mass Elements” 1). The formation of the elements eventually led to the formation of the planets, including the planet Earth. This leads to many more concepts and potential disciplines to study, and to think the basis of life started with the stars. 

Learning about the elements and the periodic table help to form a better understanding of the order and functions of the universe. If it was not for the many great thinkers of centuries past, the origin of the universe and knowledge of the physical sciences would be extremely limited.  They were able to find, identify, measure, and classify the basic building blocks of the world and of life. From their hard work in developing a classification system, many new chemical laws were discovered. With the accomplishment of the classification of elements in the periodic table, a wider perception of scientific inquiry can be explored.  

Works Cited

“A Brief History of the Development of the Periodic Table.” Western Oregon University. 2012. Web. 28 July 2012 from http://www.wou.edu/las/physci/ch412/perhist.htm 

Bennett et al. The Essential Cosmic Perspective (6th ed.). San Francisco: Pearson Education, 2012. Print. 

“Formation of the Elements.” The Smoot Group, 2012. Web. 28 July 2012 from http://aether.lbl.gov/www/tour/elements/element.html 

“Formation of the High Mass Elements.”  The Smoot Group, 2012. Web. 28 July 2012 from http://aether.lbl.gov/www/tour/elements/stellar/stellar_b.html 

Lavoisier, Antoine. “Elements of Chemistry.” David M. Knight, ed., Classical Scientific Papers--Chemistry, Second Series, 1970. Web.  1 August 2012 from http://web.lemoyne.edu/~GIUNTA/lavtable.html 

“Periodic Table History.” Lenntech. 2011. Web. 29 July 2012 from http://www.lenntech.com/periodic/history/history-periodic-table.htm

Steele, DeWitt and Gregory Parker. Science of the Physical Creation in Christian Perspective (2nd Ed.) Pensacola: A Beka Book, 1996. Print.

Leading to Salvation

 

Christianity was a strange and novel religion in which the believers refused to worship more than their own God.  To the Romans, this concept of unrelenting monotheism was radical and absurd.  For centuries, the Romans had encountered every form of religious sentiment from the mystery religions in the Orient to the Cult of Isis toward the South in Africa.  For some of these religions, the Romans would incorporate the elements which were not too offensive into their own religion. When Christ instituted the Religion of All Ages, the Romans, who had already encountered every sort of strange religion, were shocked and perturbed by the belief held by the Christians, ultimately persecuting them, indicating that there is fundamental difference between this new religion and every other religion throughout history. 

On the surface, it would seem that there are not that many differences between Christianity and other religions. The Jewish people claimed to be monotheistic.  The love for the dead, or at least for relics, is a practice that has been employed in human religion and is associated “with many other religious systems besides that of Christianity” (Thurston para. 1).  The Gospel, or the Message of Christ, when written down does contain some similarities to other religions.  It can be argued that the Gospel is deeply rooted in the Jewish Religious traditions through the mention of the Law, Festivals, and the governing Hebrew scriptural passages associated with the Judaism of the day (Davies 391). Still, the Gospel is situated in the Greco-Roman world soundly as that it appeals to the “Greek religious intelligentsia…in documents called The Hermetica” (Davies 398).  Some of the Greeks who followed the discipline of Hermetica adapted a philosophical amalgam in a “synthesis of Platonism and other philosophies” (Davies 399).  The Hermetica, like the Gospel, empathized knowledge, truth, true life, and the Word who is “The Son of the Primal God” (Davies 401).  Thus, the themes of the Gospel are embedded in both the Jewish Religion and Greek Philosophy.   

Following Greek thought, there was an element of stoicism which the Christians possessed.  They looked toward the second coming, ignoring the cares of the world.  Some Christian communities had such a radical position on this that a Christian leader has to rebuke the Christians saying, “The charge we gave you on our visit was that the man who refuses to work must be left to starve” (2 Thess. 3:10).  Because of the Greek influence all over the known world, conquered by the Romans, quickly after the form of Christianity, there was influences by the Greeks.  Gnosticism, which was one of the first challenges of the Church, proposed the concept that human beings gain salvation through special knowledge (Harris 258).  The speculative idea that man needs to know in order to gain salvation is reflected in the thinks of Greek society. 

Christianity is even not without its sacrifice.  Jesus is the “Lamb of God” and His death a fulfillment of the “ritual slaying of the paschal lambs” (Harris 256).  The worship of the Christians is an unbloody continuation of the ultimate sacrifice at Calvary where the Incarnate God took on the fault of all men and died.  This is the most perfect sacrifice from which all life springs forth.  This sacrifice, although in reparation, was not needed by God.  Instead, this was a gift freely given.  The sacrifices of the pagans were demanded.  

Many religions typically worship toward a direction, but for Christians, it is different than Islam and Judaism. The Muslims worship toward Mecca and the Jews worship toward the Temple in Jerusalem.  Christians pray toward the rising sun, as Christ will return as the Sun of Righteousness. St. John of Damascus stated: 

It is not without reason or by chance that we worship towards the East. But seeing that we are composed of a visible and an invisible nature…being sharers in the Mysteries and in the grace of the Spirit…Since, therefore, God is spiritual light, and Christ is called in the Scriptures Sun of Righteousness and Dayspring, the East is the direction that must be assigned to His worship (“Why We Pray Facing East” 1). 

So, as it can be seen, there are elements which false religions share with the True Religion, these are purely external.  The real differences lie not in the liturgical practices of the religion, but the belief.  

One striking fact which took place in the Modern Age is the Protestant Persecution of the Catholics is that these English Catholics would rather face death than pray with those who were unpleasing to God.  The early Christian martyrs took this one step further.  Although they could have simply offered incense to the gods of the pagans.  Like the English Catholics who refused to pray the Lord’s Prayer with the Protestants, the Early Christians refused to fall into this trap.  In the words of Justin Martyr, “No right-thinking person falls away from piety to impiety” after the Roman prefect said, “Let us, then, now come to the matter in hand, and which presses. Having come together, offer sacrifice with one accord to the gods” in the account of his martyrdom (Ante-Nicene Fathers).  This shows his strong fidelity to the Faith.  

The Faith established by Christ, the beliefs of the Christians, is different than every other religious belief system throughout the history of the world.  Because, as St. Paul wrote, this shows “that the obligations of the law are written in their hearts; their conscience utters its own testimony,” all religion points to the truth of the Christian Faith (Roman 2:15).  This idea is acknowledged by the Church herself as she references the Sibyl, ancient seerers of the gods in antiquity, in the Dies Irae of the Requiem Mass.  The elements to the pagan religions which hold similarities to the True Faith are due to the fact that the Truth is written in the hearts of men.  All creation was preparing for the coming of her Creator and Lord which was echoed in the bits of truth in the pagan religions.  There are those who might even argue that Socrates found truth before Truth was born.  Christianity is fundamentally different than every other religion; however, the religions of man often have elements of the Truth attached to them.  This provides for an interesting and insightful study of the history of religion and how this applies to man today. 

Works Cited

Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 1. Edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1885.) 7 Dec. 2013 http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0133.htm. Web. 

Davies, W.D. Invitation to the New Testament. Garden City: Doubleday & Company, 1966. Print.

Harris, Stephen L. The New Testament (7th ed.) New York: McGraw Hill, 2012. Print.

Thurston, Herbert. "Relics." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 12. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 5 Dec. 2013 http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12734a.htm. Web. 

“Why We Pray Facing the East”. (2013). Orthodox Prayer. 7 Dec. 2013 http://www.orthodoxprayer.org/Facing%20East.html Web. 

For the Love of God: The World Shall be Conquered

In the great confusion of the modern-day world, many distinctly Catholic terms have been greatly profaned.  These misused terms are employed to build up the smoky façade of a healthy Church in order to distract Christians from the truth of this matter. That is, the Church is very ill due to the poisonous choke-hold of the internal enemies of the Church.  These wolves in shepherd’s clothing openly embrace liberal and modernist ideals in the name of conforming the Church to fit the needs of modern man. A term which, while being purposely ambiguous, has come to be an excuse for every progressive movement in the church.  One of the most misused and ill-defined terms is Charity.  As a theological virtue, this should be employed to lead man to God; instead, this word is bastardized by weak-willed individuals in place of the better defined terms of tolerance, joy, patience, prudence, and benevolence.  Even still, without true charity behind these virtues, they lose their heroic value and contribute to the great disparity of the world.  With charity left in this ill-defined state, more souls will be lost under the timidity-induced pretext of being charitable.  Man has undermined the charity granted to him by valuing the opinions of man above the law of God which will ultimately lead to the self-destruction of the Church and the damnation of many souls.

True Charity has been abandoned in favor of an anthropocentric attraction which, because it is not based on achieving a final end, will ultimately lead to the decline of civilization as a whole from the virtue of Christianity to the depravity of a fallen world.  Charity, in its truest form, is defined by God because it naturally flows from His goodness.  As such, it is the life force for all of the other virtues.  Pope St. Gregory the Great penned to the Bishop of Constantinople “if charity the mother of virtues abides in your heart towards us, you will never lose the branches of good works, seeing that you retain the very root of goodness” (Barmby, trans., 1859).  In his work on the Faith and the Creed, St. Augustine states that charity is rooted in the truth.  Further, he condemns those who would break charity saying that “by false doctrines concerning God heretics wound faith, by iniquitous dissensions schismatics deviate from fraternal charity, although they believe what we believe” (Salmond, trans., 1887).  The saints, fathers, and doctors of the Church all seem to agree that charity is a source of Christian perfection.  Even when the apostles penned the gospels and early epistles, they acknowledge the importance of love. 

Charity, which rightfully comes from God, must be defined in human terms and put into practice by the faithful of the Holy Catholic Church.  In the modern word, charity has been greatly weakened by opposing definitions and an obsessive approach to achieving political correctness in a world ordered on temporal social justice.  Man fears correcting his brother because he wishes to remain charitable.  Sadly, this is a confusion of charity, for it is a spiritual work of mercy to admonish the sinner.  God is forgotten from the very actions which should bring Him the greatest honor and glory.  Charity is not a weak emotion which is carried out simply by being nice to everyone the Christian soul encounters.  Charity is a strong, heroic virtue which inspired numerous saints and confessors of the past toward the end of the salvation of souls.  If the true definition of charity is not reclaimed by those of the True Faith, then many souls will be lost in an attempt at tolerance.  

Charity is a difficult word to define because it represents an abstract thought which flows directly from the perfections of God.  Charity is often confused with other terms, such as benevolence and tolerance.  Because it is such a misused term, very few people have a clear idea to what this word actually represents.  Charity is listed among the three theological virtues, yet often it is reduced to action.  According to the Oxford English dictionary, charity is “1. The voluntary giving of help, typically in the form of money, to those in need; 2. An organization set up to provide help and raise money for those in need; and, 3. Kindness and tolerance in judging others (Oxford University Press, 2014).”  The first two definitions of this word are actually natural fruits to the virtue of charity, not the virtue itself.  The third definition lacks distinction and remains an incomplete explanation.  It is then necessary to look towards Catholic sources in order to find a good definition of this term.  Looking toward Catechisms – the Roman Catechism, Baltimore Catechism, and Catechism of the Catholic Church, respectfully – the definitions are as follows:

But as our Lord and Savior has not only declared, but has also proved by His own example, that the Law and the Prophets depend on love, and as, according to the Apostle, charity is the end of the commandment, and the fulfilment of the law, it is unquestionably a chief duty of the pastor to use the utmost diligence to excite the faithful to a love of the infinite goodness of God towards us, that, burning with a sort of divine ardor, they may be powerfully attracted to the supreme and all-perfect good, to adhere to which is true and solid happiness, as is fully experienced by him who can say with the Prophet: What have I in heaven? And besides thee what do I desire upon earth?

This, assuredly, is that more excellent way pointed out by the Apostle when he sums up all his doctrines and instructions in charity, which never falleth away. For whatever is proposed by the pastor, whether it be the exercise of faith, of hope, or of some moral virtue, the love of our Lord should at the same time be so strongly insisted upon as to show clearly that all the works of perfect Christian virtue can have no other origin, no other end than divine love (Catechism of the Council of Trent, Preface, question X).

Charity is a Divine virtue by which we love God above all things for His own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God (Baltimore Catechism, #109).

Charity is the theological virtue by which we love God above all things for his own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God… the practice of all the virtues is animated and inspired by charity, which "binds everything together in perfect harmony;" it is the form of the virtues; it articulates and orders them among themselves; it is the source and the goal of their Christian practice. Charity upholds and purifies our human ability to love, and raises it to the supernatural perfection of divine love (CCC 1822 & 1827).

Thus, from these explanations, it can be seen that charity, as a virtue, is the expression of the duty of man toward God.  Because God is Love, charity is an imitation of this love toward man and the just return of this love toward God. 

There are obvious contradictions between the definitions of the Church and those of man.  This would become even more evident if the definitions of the word love were to be examined as well.  The words charity and love are often used interchangeably in spiritual works, but for the sake of brevity and clarity, love will not be defined here.  Instead, it will be noted that when the word love is used, it will most often refer to the duty of man toward God.  Man’s influence, whether realized or not, has seeped into the Church throughout the past several hundred years, contributing to the overarching philosophy of the Church today.  Pope emeritus Benedict, in Caritas in Veritate (2009), rightfully penned that “[t]o defend the truth, to articulate it with humility and conviction, and to bear witness to it in life are therefore exacting and indispensable forms of charity.”  Charity is rooted in the Love of God for His Creation.  The love of souls and Truth naturally flows from this root.  Charity is not, therefore, a form of concupiscence or attraction.  Neither is it simply benevolence, for benevolence flows naturally from charity, but it cannot be viewed as synonymous with charity.  Charity is a heroic and theological virtue which should permeate every action of the Christian soul. 

Charity has as its seat the human will.  Charity can be influenced by the emotions, but it must reside in the “rational will” otherwise it would not be a virtue (Sollier, 1910).  Charity has as its end and its origin the Love of God; however, because man is made in the image and likeness of God, it natural that charity will also apply to him (Sollier, 1910).  True charity, or love, rightfully uses the emotions and sentiments of a human person to direct the heart and soul toward the final good, who is God.  Charity is not based in emotion, rather it is based in the will which is informed by the intellect.  It is a virtue which speaks to the higher powers of man and has dominion over the lower faculties of man.  Affection is a sentiment which belongs to charity, but it does not possess a supernatural power.  Benevolence animates and flows from charity, but it is not charity.  Benevolence might be viewed as a fruit of charity.  There are times that charity must exist without the warmth of benevolence for the good of the soul.  Finally, concupiscence prompts hope and it is the longing of the soul for the good (Ming, 1908).  In its strictest sense, it is the desire of the soul for a good by the lower faculties of man, which often causes this longing to become disordered (Ming, 1908).  In First Timothy (1:5), St. Paul writes that the end of the commandment, that is the law, “is charity from a pure heart, and a good conscience, and an unfeigned faith.” Real love is a natural extension of the virtue of charity; thus, it is not merely affection, benevolence, or concupiscence.  Charity has a higher purpose than mere affection or kindness.  It is a means through which man might find his final end, his final good. 

In the last one hundred years, or so, there has been a change in the view of charity from the supernatural to an over-emphasis on social charity.  Social charity, which is a manifestation of true charity toward the end of teaching souls about God, is a way of relieving the soul of her worries in order to allow her focus on loving God.  “Social charity, moreover, ought to be as the soul of this order, an order which public authority ought to be ever ready effectively to protect and defend. It will be able to do this the more easily as it rids itself of those burdens which, as We have stated above, are not properly its own” (Pius XI, 1931).  When the focus of social charity is changed from teaching souls the love of God to only providing for the temporal needs, then these actions lose their divine origin.  They become reduced to benevolence.  The care for the temporal needs of a person does have its place in true charity, but only in so far that the soul be saved from the grip of sin and damnation. 

Charity has faced many challenges because of this shift in philosophy.  When benevolence becomes the highest good, the drive for the Love of God is lost.  This runs the risk of reducing all aspects of religion to mere sentiment, which is what Pius X describes in Pascendi (1907): 

Moreover, the first actuation, so to say, of every vital phenomenon, and religion, as has been said, belongs to this category, is due to a certain necessity or impulsion; but it has its origin, speaking more particularly of life, in a movement of the heart, which movement is called a sentiment… In presence of this unknowable, whether it is outside man and beyond the visible world of nature, or lies hidden within in the subconsciousness, the need of the divine…excites in a soul with a propensity towards religion a certain special sentiment, without any previous advertence of the mind: and this sentiment possesses, implied within itself both as its own object and as its intrinsic cause, the reality of the divine, and in a way unites man with God. It is this sentiment to which Modernists give the name of faith, and this it is which they consider the beginning of religion.

This reduction of religion to mere sentimentalism introduces the idea of religious indifference, which is opposite of true Christian charity.  In a sense, after the French Revelation, the concept of charity was made synonymous with the idea of fraternity.  Then, because this idea was a false doctrine introduced to weaken the strength of Christian philosophy, it was reduced to political correctness and kindness.  No longer could the Christian soul correct an erring brother, for it was uncharitable to do so.  This should not bode well for the truly Christian soul, for even Our Savior corrected the erring brother which sharp, but true words.  

In order for charity to exist, Christians must adhere to the principles of the True Faith.  The Athanasian Creed begins with the words “Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic faith; Which faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly.”  This should drive the Christian to convert all souls for Christ, but modern philosophy has degraded this necessity.  “This Vatican Council likewise professes its belief that it is upon the human conscience that these obligations fall and exert their binding force. The truth cannot impose itself except by virtue of its own truth, as it makes its entrance into the mind at once quietly and with power” (Paul VI, 1965). The idea of religious freedom comes from a bastardization of true charity.  This is clearly illustrated further in Dignatitus Humanae (1965) “religious freedom, in turn, which men demand as necessary to fulfill their duty to worship God, has to do with immunity from coercion in civil society.”  Man should not be coerced to worship God, it is true, but man must realize his duty to worship his Creator.  It is the proper end for man to give back to God what belongs to Him.  Man, born sons of wrath, must be taught to fear the Lord in order to love Him.  In the Psalms and Proverbs, the poets and prophets repeatedly state that the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord.  To truly fear the Lord is to know Him properly.  To realize His goodness and infinite power, the soul must make the choice to be docile before His might and love Him or to love their own pride.  There is no coercion in performing this act of justice when understood properly. Reducing religion to that which belongs in the human conscience strips this duty of charity. 

Charity as defined by God is considered a theological virtue because it is the “habit or power which disposes us to love God above all creatures for Himself, and to love ourselves and our neighbors for the sake of God” (Ryan, 1908).  Charity is strongly united to and inspired by the Truth.  It, like the Truth, cannot be compromised for any reason.  If it is compromised, then the supernatural habit must have been lost.  If man truly knows God, then he must love God.  It is through charity that man is able to truly serve God in this world. The habit of this heroic virtues is illustrated clearly by the example of numerous confessors and martyrs who, for love of God and their own souls, as well as the souls of others, witnessed publicly on behalf of the Truth.  Martyrdom is a perfection of charity because it is only through the Love of God that man is willing to give up his life.  In order to live true Christian lives, man must possess this virtue.  Without love, works and powers of this world are dead, as St. Paul pens to the Corinthians (c.f. 1 Corinthian 13). Thus, it must be realized that charity animates the soul toward the greater good, God.  

The natural end of true charity is God.  Charity is set up in opposition to sin, death, and hell.  It was through the greatest act of charity that redemption was wrought.  In order for man to find full communion with God, he must obey God in all things and believe all of the truths which the Catholic Church teaches.  Charity, married so closely to Truth, proves that error has no rights.  If someone believes error, then that person is at risk of losing his immortal soul.  To Love God is to seek Him in all things, for it is to know Him that man learns to love Him. It can be said that the “mind cannot rise to the contemplation of the Deity, whom nothing approaches in sublimity, unless it be entirely disengaged from the senses, and of this in the present life we are naturally incapable” (Catechism of the Council of Trent, Part 1, Article I.).  It is through the higher powers of man that he can learn of God.  When this knowledge is achieved, it must compel man toward the conversion of sinners for love of God, as God would have all men for Himself.  Charity is an imitation of God in one of the highest forms possible.  Man must strive to do the holy will of God “for the love of God” so to live in full the “vital union with Christ” (Boylan, 1946).  Rightly applied charity is the center for the path of Christian Perfection because it is through charity that all other virtues are given life.  Because the action of Calvary was a form of perfect charity, practicing charity is a share in the redemptive nature of the Cross. 

From this examination of charity, it can be gleaned that the sentiments attached to the word are sorely lacking compared to the true definition of charity.  Charity is an attribute and an imitation of the Supreme Being.  It is vitally important for man, as a whole, to return to living that true charity which is defined by God.  If charity continues to be abandoned and ignored, especially by the shepherds and princes of the Church, then many souls will perish.  It is the leaders of the Church, as well as individual Christians, who will be held accountable for the lack of true Christian charity.  Further, it will be the bishops who will be held accountable for the countless lost souls which are damned due to the lack of the charity.  In the end, when before the judgment seat of God, very few will be able to affirmatively answer the question of Love of God which will be put before them.  Christians should prayer earnestly that their charity increase daily.  Adapting the words of the man whose son was possessed by a demon, “Lord, I do love thee; teach me to love thee more.”  Charity, which is defined by God through the Church, is an integral part of salvation.  

Baltimore Catechism.  Retrieved http://catholicism.about.com/od/baltimorecatechism/f/Question_109_BC.htm

Barmby, J. Trans. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 12. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1895.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/360207031.htm

Benedict XVI. (2009). Caritas in veritate. Retrieved from http://www.newadvent.org/library/caritas-in-veritate.htm

Catechism of the Catholic Church. Retrieved http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a7.htm

Catechism of the Council of Trent. Retrieved http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/romancat.html

Paul VI. (1965). Dignitatis humanae. Retrieved from http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decl_19651207_dignitatis-humanae_en.html

Pius X. (1907). Pascendi dominici gregis. Retrieved from http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/pius_x/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-x_enc_19070908_pascendi-dominici-gregis_en.html

Pius XI. (1931). Quadragesimo anno. Retrieved http://www.newadvent.org/library/docs_pi11qa.htm

Ryan, J.A. (1908). Charity and Charities. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved May 15, 2014 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03592a.htm

Salmond, S.D.F.  Trans. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 3. Edited by Philip Schaff. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1887.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/1304.htm

Sollier, J. (1910). Love (Theological Virtue). In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved May 15, 2014 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09397a.htm

Reflection on John 18

 Pilate therefore went into the hall again, and called Jesus, and said to him: Art thou the king of the Jews? Jesus answered: Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or have others told it thee of me? Pilate answered: Am I a Jew? Thy own nation, and the chief priests, have delivered thee up to me: what hast thou done?  Jesus answered: My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would certainly strive that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now my kingdom is not from hence.  Pilate therefore said to him: Art thou a king then? Jesus answered: Thou sayest that I am a king. For this was I born, and for this came I into the world; that I should give testimony to the truth. Every one that is of the truth, heareth my voice. Pilate saith to him: What is truth? (John 18:33-38)

What is truth?  This is the captivating question presented by Pontius Pilate, the Roman prefect of Palestine in around 26-36 CE, in response to the statement of Jesus.  It is a question which has been echoed through the centuries by believers and non-believers alike.  “Truth is that which corresponds to an objective reality” is a definition that Catholic theologians and philosophers use in order to attempt to answer this question.  The Merriam-Webster dictionary states that truth is “in accordance with fact”.  Yet, as most philosophical arguments, these definitions leave more questions than they provide answers. It seems like truth is a philosophical concept which is always fleeting.  

The arguments on truth are too numerous to count qualitatively. For many people of faith, the ideas presented and maintained in the scriptures are zealously guarded as truth.  Scripture, regarded as the “Word of God”, is the only truth. All other facts are ranked lesser or disregarded completely regardless of what science states.  For many other people who do not hold the scriptures in such high esteem, philosophical truth is an evasive illusion which vanishes at the instant it comes into view.  Still, for some, truth exists in some form through the study of physical science, systems, or history.  For others, everything is as subjective as the varying perceptions of reality found in society. The definitions and philosophies surrounding the idea of truth are unending as it is still a point of questioning for many. The Gospel of John is a prime example of a document in which truth is the theme.

Written between the years of 90 and 100 of the Common Era, the Gospel According to John is one of the later written books of the New Testament.  It has highly philosophical language which implies that it was written for Christian communities which embraced a lofty understanding of Christological theology, as well as early Gnostic disciplines of knowledge. The author of this book wrote it more along the lines of a theological treatise than that of a historical narrative of Jesus of Nazareth. Accordingly, the portrayals of Jesus may not be as accurate as the other gospels.  Instead, this book should be evaluated for its philosophy in the same manner as the platonic dialogues of Socrates. The authorship of this book has traditionally been attributed to John, the son of Zebedee, a disciple of Jesus. Contained within the texts of this book are powerful images and compelling questions concerning who the author calls the “Word that was made Flesh” and the true light who gave “power to be made the sons of God, to them that believe in his name.” (c.f. John 1). 

The dialogue seen above between Pilate and Jesus happens after the Passover feast and Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane.  The peaceful prayer, a stark contrast to the agony witnessed in the other gospels, is where Jesus gives believers the answer to the latter posed question of Pilate.  Jesus prays that those who follow him be sanctified in truth for the word of God is truth. (c.f. John 17:17). In the prologue to the Gospel of John, the author implies that the Word made Flesh is God, he who had made all things, is the light of truth (c.f. John 1:1-3). Again, in the fourteenth chapter of John, Jesus states “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Whether or not these words are authentic does not matter because the theology presented in the Gospel of John consistently portrays Jesus in this light.  For the communities in which the Gospel of John was written, and even for many Christians today, Jesus is the light of truth. 

After the prayer is completed, those who would hand him over to suffering and death, along with his betrayer, came to arrest Jesus.  He goes with them and is brought before Annas, the father-in-law of Caiphas, the high priest of the temple.  Following his interrogation there, he is brought before Caiphas. Under the theory that it is better for one man to die than for all of the people to suffer, the higher members of the Sanhedrin believe he should be condemned to death.  Because the occupied Jews had no right to condemn someone to suffer death, they brought him before the Roman prefect, Pilate, for sentencing (c.f. John 18:31).  

Pilate questions Jesus about why his own people had delivered him onto death.  He questioned his status and his teachings; to which Jesus answers that his kingdom is not of this world.  The idea of a Kingdom of God or a Kingdom of Heaven is common throughout the four gospels.  According to the authors of the Gospel of Luke and the Gospel of John, Jesus was the king of a spiritual kingdom which was unending (c.f. Luke 1:33; John 18:36).  In spite of his supposed high status as king and knowledge of his impending demise, Jesus remains unwavering before Pilate. In fact, he states that for this he was born and came into existence (c.f. John 18:37). Jesus claimed to have been born to testify to the truth, something he willing died for in order to accomplish.  So, the question remains, what is truth?

Carlie's Miracle: A Fictional Heartwarming Short

 Carlie looked outside her second story window and sighed loudly. Every surface was covered in a fresh blanket of snow. More snow! As if the four feet already on the ground wasn’t enough. Snow meant cold and she did not like the cold. She despised it. She idly thought of what it would be like to live in a topical paradise. No coldness or snow to ruin her day. The sun was just starting to peek over the horizon, casting pink and yellow rays against the sky. Another lovely morning, except for the snow.

Carlie was soon pulled out of her wonderings by her father’s voice, “Carlie, breakfast is ready and the cows need milking. Get down here.” He knew she was up. She was always the first one awake in the family, not the typical teenager. Carlie groaned as her father yelled at her brothers to wake up. They were typical teenagers. She sighed again. She missed her mother, deeply. She was the middle child and only girl in her family.

“I’ll be down in a second. Make Johnny, Mickey, and Danny save some pancakes for me!” She yelled as she pulled on her jeans and flannel shirt. She heard three distinct laughs coming from the kitchen as she raced down the hall. John and Michael Lane and Daniel Coy were the hired help on her father’s ranch. Carlie liked them all, but longed for another girl to talk to. Michael’s girlfriend, would come by now and again, was nice enough, but Carlie wanted a real friend. Carlie raced passed her brothers’ rooms, Tyler and Andrew were still sleeping. “Lazy Bums.” She muttered under her breath.

She jumped up onto the railing of the stairs and slid down. She has been doing the same all her life. She never actually walked down the stairs at home. She jumped off the railing and bounded towards the kitchen, tripping on the way. Suddenly a strong arm caught her from around the waist; her face was barely a foot from the floor. Danny and Mickey burst out laughing. Carlie did not even blush over her trip. She whipped her head to see the worried face, “Thanks, Johnny. Guess I should, you know, slow down.” She kissed his cheek lightly and he set her on her feet.

Her chair was pulled out and a big plate of pancakes was placed before her. She smiled toward the short stack of golden brown goodness dripping with butter and syrup. If cowboys couldn’t do anything else, they could cook. Every cowboy Carlie had ever known, her daddy included, knew how to cook. After about two seconds Mickey broke in, “Alright Carlie, cows need milking and your mare will be foaling pretty soon. Better get started.”

Carlie stared at him in disbelief. It was barely five in the morning. They started chores in fifteen minutes. Plenty of time to savor her pancakes. She then growled at him, “I am eating!” All three of the ranch hands laughed. Tyler and Andrew still had not stirred. This annoyed Carlie to no ends. She woke up every morning, why wouldn’t they?

Then Danny and Johnny suddenly got mischievous smiles and both grabbed an empty, clean slop bucket. They filled them up with ice water and quickly disappeared up the stairs. Carlie washed her plate swiftly, knowing that she would have to make a run for it in a second. Yelps and screams rang throughout the house and in the same instant two very wet boys can barreling after the two ranch hands. Carlie and Mickey took off towards the barn after them. When Tyler and Andrew felt how cold it was, they ran back inside, huffing all the way.

Carlie was still barefoot when she got out to the barn and Danny looked about ready to hit the roof. He grabbed an extra pair of rubber work boots from the shelf on the inside of the barn and threw them at her. “What Carlie? Are you trying to get yourself sick? Jeez, if you got sick you’d probably die. None of us knows how to take care of a sick girl. Is that what you want?” He was only halfway teasing.

Carlie pulled on the boots and shrugged, “As a matter of fact, yes.” She grinned and then stalked off toward her mare. Nope, not foaling time yet. Close, though. Carlie then started the milking process. They got that done in record time and decided to have a snowball fight while they waited for the bus. Tyler, Andrew, and Mickey on one team. Danny, Johnny, and Carlie on the other.

The school bus showed before long and Carlie had to run to catch it. She almost didn’t. She now had a nicer cotton shirt with a jacket and her boots on. She was somewhat of a loner. She was the only almost seventeen-year-old in the senior class and she was a cowgirl. She barely fit in being a cowgirl, being smart didn’t help. Carlie had learned to dread school. Between being mocked or ignored by the other students and being called “Charlotte” all the time, Carlie was not fond of her almost daily activity.

School passed quickly and before she knew it, Carlie was back on Copper Ranch. She went straight to her mare. Still not time to foal! Goodness, the wait was killing her. There was about two hours before other chores and her homework was done at school, so Carlie decided to go ice-skating. She found her skates and went out towards the pond. She was quickly doing figure eights and barrel rolls. She was actually really good at ice-skating in spite of her loathing of the cold.

Carlie whipped around gracefully but suddenly heard and felt the ice crack. It should have been frozen solid. She had gone skating every day that week. She panicked. What seemed to be slow motion, she fell down into the cold water. Her whole body immerged under the freezing black water. It gushed into her ears, nose, and mouth. So this is what it felt like to drown? It was a weird feeling. She was trapped, with no air, under the ice. She fought against the ice and the freezing water, but she was too weak.

Just when she was about to give up and slip into death, a strong hand hauled her out of under the water. She was wrapped tightly into a parka and carried into the house. “So you are trying to get sick and die.” The voice said. She barely heard it. She was drifting in and out of conciseness.

“Carlie? Charlotte! Hello?” The worried voice of her father tried to break through her barriers. The ranch hands and her brothers were hovering around her, worried and even frightened. All of them loved their little Carlie. At almost seventeen-years-old, she was too young to die. She felt hot, but her clothes were freezing. She tried to open her eyes or speak, but she could not fight the blackness that was closing around her. She was so afraid. The darkness would not lift; she fought at it as hard as she could manage.

Her family brought her to the Hospital. She was slipping away. Into the emergency room they ran. Carlie was changed into a gown by a few nurses and placed on the monitor. Her brain activity was not dormant, luckily enough. Yet, it was not awake or in a sleeping state. Her breathing and heartbeat, at least, were relatively normal. The doctor examined her. After asking what had happened and being told the story, the doctor said Carlie was in a coma.

On a general rule, cowboys never cry. When they heard this news, not one eye was dry. Carlie could hear the sobbing and she tried harder to fight the blackness. She made no progress and then she fell asleep, exhausted. While she was sleeping, the monitor picked up on her dreams. Hope flickered across everyone’s minds. She never did wake though.

No improvement. No worse. Carlie was at a stalemate within herself. Her family begged her to wake up. The nurses doted on the pretty, sleeping brunette. They refused to admit that she was in a coma. She was just sleeping beauty, waiting for her prince in their eyes. The doctors were not as hopeful-nor as imaginative-as the nurses were.

After several weeks, idly one of the nurses wondered what the little beauty’s eye color was. She decided to talk to one of the ranch hands. “So, this little girl, you knew her well?” She asked. Obviously, he was the one person who never left. Ever.

“Knew her and loved her.” He laughed bitterly.

“You love her?” She failed at hiding the judgment in her voice.

“Carlie is special to me. She is a year and a half younger than I am. We kind of grew up together. I watched the child turn into the beauty. The duckling into a swan. Although, I would never call her ugly, she never was. I’m like her big brother, except she already has one of those.” Tears choked up his voice. Then a short pause followed by an afterthought, “Her mare foaled-you know, had a foal-she is going be upset she missed it. The colt is a real beauty too. Mother and baby are doing great, but Carlie wanted to be there. She even begged to be excused from school the last couple of days before the accident. Silly little girl, too bad she didn’t get to witness her foal being born.”

“Oh.” The nurse was shocked. She then remembered what she was going to ask, “What color are her eyes? Carlie’s I mean.”

“Emerald green, with a hint of gold-when the sun shined just right. Her eyes used to dance. They are very interesting, you can get lost in them.” He answered.

“Sounds lovely. I’m Lana, you are?” The nurse extended her hand. He took it.

“Danny, ma’am.” He answered politely. Carlie was lost in thought. Her mare had foaled, which was to be expected. Danny admitted that she was like his family; he was an orphan so Carlie was pleased to hear that. And…her eyes had gold in them?

After hearing Danny’s words, Carlie finally decided to try to fight again. She used all her strength, but it just wasn’t enough. Slowly she decided it would be better to die than to have to hear her crying family. She tried to give up. A force much stronger than her own had a different plan. Just as she had started to give up, energy surged through her body. With a jerk and a gasp, Carlie sat straight up. She looked around the room. It was the middle of the night and her family, along with the ranch hands, was sleeping in various positions. The conversation between Danny and the nurse must have happened hours ago.

Carlie crept out of bed. She felt weak and stiff. She walked over to the window. She could not see very well, but she could tell that there was not any snow on the ground. How long had she been …gone? She looked around dazed. She smiled at her sleeping family and almost woke them all up.

Suddenly nurses and doctors burst through the doors. Her family was up in an instant and everyone stared at the girl in the middle of the room. She looked around as everyone stared at her wide-eyed. She smiled. “What season is it and how long have I been asleep?” Her voice was soft, but she had a playful accusatory tone to it.

Danny was the first to snap out of the shock. He walked up and hugged her; tears filled his eyes. “It’s your favorite season, Carlie. Spring has come again. You were out of it for two and a half months.”

“Wow! I guess I thought I needed a good, long nap. I have always hated the snow.” She tried to joke, no one caught on. Their senses of humor had obviously disappeared. She tried a different approach, “So, my mare foaled. I have a colt now? Should I name him Black Beauty?”

“He ain’t black, Carlie. He’s a chestnut color, but not quite. You’ll have to see him.” Tyler answered her this time.

“I cannot believe this. I was just about to give up on you waking up, ever. You had decreased so much, and then I find you standing, alert. Carlie you are a miracle. There is no other explanation. A miracle.” The doctor finally stammered. 

All the cowboys bowed their heads at the mention of a miracle. Carlie had been returned to them, perfectly healthy. Just as sweet and witty as she was before her fall through the ice. They were so very thankful that they did not lose her. Carlie, they all knew, had always been a blessing. They had been blessed once again by Carlie’s Miracle.