What is Advent again?

            Since October, stores have been showing the signs of a modern Christmas.  "Sales of the Season" abound hoping to entice holiday shoppers into purchasing gifts and accumulating debt; Christmas music plays through the speaker system on constant repeat, effectively eliminating any Christmas cheer (and sanity) that shoppers might have had; Gift-Wrapping stations are scattered throughout shopping malls for those not skilled in the ancient art of origami.

            The little period before Christmas though, Advent, is often overlooked and seen simply as the time to buy the gifts, prepare for Christmas parties, and find at least one radio station that does not have Christmas music 24/7.  But Advent is far too important and valuable to be skipped over.  As defined by the Google dictionary, an advent is "the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event."  For Christian denominations celebrating Advent, this arrival of a "notable person" is the coming of Jesus Christ Himself!

            The purpose of Advent is to prepare our hearts to receive Christ Incarnate (Latin for "be made flesh").  Christ, the Lord and God of the Universe, will walk among humans, talk with them, and be with them in actual human flesh.  Imagine how incredible that would seem to the Jewish people awaiting the birth of the Messiah!  Imagine how incredible, striking, and compelling it should be to us!

            Is it possible to have family (and Christ) over for Christmas and only start preparing the night before?  No.  You buy the turkey at least a week early so it can sit in the fridge to thaw before you can even cook it.  But of course, you cannot just have turkey.  You make sure that there is enough pasta salad, fruit salad, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, gravy, bread, pie, cookies, treats, rice dressing, sweet potatoes, corn, green bean casserole, veggies, fruit, and cooked carrots for everyone.  But of course, you cannot just have food.  The construction company is called to build an addition onto your home to hold all the relatives from the woodwork.  Then, your home is vigorously scrubbed and cleaned because you must not let anyone see what your house really looks like.  But then, because it is Christmas, you cannot just let people visit and enjoy each other's company.  You buy gifts and make sure that not one person, "not even a mouse" (to quote the story that you read to the little children to carry on tradition), is left out.

            And yet, for the birth of Jesus Christ, God Incarnate, Emmanuel, a Christmas Mass or Service the night before, or even the day of, is enough preparation.  The above things are important and definitely contribute to the joys of the holiday season.  However, it is absolutely essential for Christians to make proper use of the Advent season.  Slow down, breathe, and pray (Click here to find out 50 Ways to Talk to God).  Prepare for the coming of the King!  Where will Christ dwell if He cannot fit inside your heart?

Watch this video by Fr. Robert Barron for more information on what Advent is all about!

Authentic Christian Movies? Really?

            Earlier this month, Thor:  The Dark World, Gravity, and Captain Phillips were released.  Coming in December is the second installment in the Hobbit series titled The Desolation of Smaug.  These movies are widely popular (assuming The Desolation of Smaug meets expectations) especially in the various genres they represent.

            With great movies like these, it is difficult to venture much further out of the range of action-packed, fantasy-filled, sci-fi, drama genres.  However, there is much more out there to see, especially, the newest Christian movies.

            Honestly, Christian movies tend to get a bad rap.  The lack of funds and professional actors contribute to this, but a larger concern is that once people see the word "Christian" associated with movies, it is usually automatically downgraded.  The loss of traditional values in society has certainly contributed to this, but another reason, encountered in my own life, is the assumption that all Christian movies are going to be sappy, feel-good flicks.

            But the latest Christian movies have embarked on a journey to change all that.  Beginning with The Passion of the Christ in 2004, Hollywood and independent movie-makers have taken a sudden interest in the Christian genre, breaking onto the scene with dramatic, real, and powerful films.

            Even movies that aren't classified as Christian, such as the exceedingly popular musical Les Miserables, have deep Christian undertones.  This leads to speculation:  why would a society that has tried to rid itself of traditional values even want such a thing?

            Offering my personal opinion, I find it is because every human heart searches for the authentic and realness of life.  These films don't just show the happiness of Christians.  They show the struggles, sadness, anger, frustration, and joy and peace of Christians.  Real people. And audiences are attracted to this, the solidness and truth displayed in the movies.

            This is exactly what a morality-starved society needs (and desperately wants, even if it doesn't know it).  We all need to see examples of people triumphing over their sins and struggles with the help of God's grace.  Only then will we be able to see that it is possible to overcome our own as well.

Click here to see this week's post's inspiration!

Below are trailers for excellent and inspiring Christian movies.  Please feel free to leave comments and reviews about the movies!

Why is Relativism Wrong?

            Relativism is "the philosophical position that all points of view are equally valid, and that all truth is relative to the individual," according to CARM, the Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry.  Today, relativism has become a sort of Religion of Tolerance and is applauded as a pinnacle of kindness and justice.  While Christianity is the main group that appears to be suffering from it, everyone is at risk from this infectious system.

            There are three different types of relativism, according to CARM.  Cognitive relativism is when no truth is more valid than another and there is no objective standard of truth.  Moral/Ethical relativism is when any and all morals are relative to the group within which they are created.  Situational relativism occurs when ethics, or notions of right and wrong, are dependent upon the situation.

            The first proof of why relativism is not only wrong but completely illogical is that the statement, "there is no such thing as absolute truth," refutes itself.  If that simple sentence were in fact true, it would have just proven itself wrong because that statement in itself would have to be a truth.

            Another common declaration for advancing the Age of Tolerance is, "well, that's true for you, but not true for me."  The statement is lacking in logic.  In a very basic example, two plus two equals five.  My mom told me this and I believe it with all my heart and so that makes it true.  Would people say, "Yeah, that's cool, you can believe what you want"?  I'm inclined to think that they would correct me.  No one who has ever passed an elementary math course would let me go around saying that two plus two equals five.  Because it doesn't.

            The word "tolerance" has been twisted and contorted to the point where it simply means nothing's wrong and everything's right and if you disagree, you're intolerant.  According to RealLifeCatholic.com, in a blog post by popular youth speaker Chris Stefanick, "a disagreement needs to occur for tolerance to even be possible. You don’t tolerate a beautiful sunny day. You tolerate a cold rainy day."  Disagreement does not mean there is intolerance; it simply means that the person disagrees.  I don't like cold, rainy days, but I deal with them.  Acknowledging that there is a difference is the first step toward tolerance.

            But what can be done if we stop saying that everyone is okay just believing what he or she wants to believe?  The first thing to realize is that there has to be absolute truth.  Logically, absolute truth cannot not exist.  Then, one must work to find that truth, keeping in mind that, while truth exists, some will not come to accept it.  Thus, the person seeking truth must always exercise patience.

            Why is this important for people of all faiths?  Every human heart, whether they know it or not, searches for truth.  To not actively seek out complete truth and then give it to others is an injustice to all.

Go check out CARM.org for more arguments against relativism!

Sources:  RealLifeCatholic.com

                 CARM.org

Please watch this video for more information about Relativism.  It is a presentation by Chris Stefanick based on his book:  Absolute Relativism.

Losing Faith on College Campuses

Here is our second podcast!  Please listen to the Questions of Faith Blog talk about college students losing their faith:  who, why, and how!

Persecution in the Church

Here is our first podcast!  Please listen to the Questions of Faith Blog talk about persecution, both past and present, in the Catholic and Christian Church.

What Does Pope Francis Mean When He Says...?

            Recently, Pope Francis has been quoted saying some strange things.  Inside and outside the Catholic Church, questions abound as to what the Holy Pontiff could possibly mean.
            Since his election to the Papacy on March 13, 2013, Pope Francis has been turning heads with his outspoken remarks.  However, everything Pope Francis is saying about the Church is nothing new.  The subjects he refers to are only being brought to light in a very different way than that of his predecessors.

            “If someone is gay and searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?”  What Pope Francis means is: its wrong to judge others, it is a task reserved for God.  It is necessary to use a well-formed conscience to discern whether or not an action itself is sinful, but one must not judge the actual person.  Pope Francis also means that everybody is a sinner and everybody deserves to be treated with respect and dignity.

            “We must meet one another doing good. ‘But I don’t believe, Father, I am an atheist!’ But do good: we will meet one another there.”  The Catholic Church wills everyone to be saved and prays that all can come to know Jesus as his or her savior.  However, if people do not look to Jesus for redemption, arguing and fighting about it will not help.  The pope wants all people, regardless of beliefs to be united in their vocation to serve others.

           

Cardinal Timothy Dolan said, on the different but effective style of Pope Francis’s preaching:  “The way he’s doing it is so fresh and is so captivating, but he’s not really changing anything of the essence of the church.”

A CBS Interview with Cardinal Dolan on the message of Pope Francis:

What is a Saint?

The Catholic Church teaches that a saint is anyone who is in heaven.  Whether by becoming one on earth or in purgatory, everyone must be a saint before entering heaven.  Typically though, saints today are seen as the ones acknowledged by the Roman Catholic Church.

            “…the Church recognized the power of the Spirit of holiness within her and sustains the hope of believers by proposing the saints to them as models and intercessors” (Catechism 828).  In the Catholic Church, saints are seen as individuals who can pray and intercede for people still on earth.

            Usually a person must be dead for at least five years before the road to sainthood is even begun.  The first step consists of the local bishops studying the candidate’s life and writings.  If there is enough evidence of heroic virtue, this information is then sent to the Vatican.  The Congregation for the Causes of Saints (a panel of theologians and cardinals at the Vatican) then takes a careful look at the candidate’s life and, if approved, the pope will then proclaim the candidate venerable, which means that they are a role model of the virtues exemplified by the Church.  Then, to be beatified, it must be proved that a candidate is responsible for a posthumous miracle.  Martyrs for the Faith can be beatified without a miracle.  The last step, canonization, occurs with a papal decree that the candidate was holy and is in heaven, interceding for us with God (this step must include another posthumous miracle attributed to the candidate in question).

            So, in all honesty, saints are humans.  They are people who have dealt with trials, temptations, doubts, and fear.  The main difference between saints and “regular people” is just in the way that they responded.

“Life holds only one tragedy, ultimately:  not to have been a saint.”

                                                                ~Charles Peguy

Click on the link to browse the list of saints: http://saints.catholic.org/saints/

References:
http://www.howstuffworks.com/question619.htm

http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0004.html