Is 'Santa Claus' a Pseudonym?

     Santa Claus, Pere Noel, Father Christmas, Sinterklaas, Kris Kringle, and Jolly Old Saint Nick are all names for the man who drives a magic sleigh, has a sack full of toys, and a stomach ‘like a bowl full of jelly.’  Children wait all year for this mysterious yet beloved man to appear with the presents on Christmas Eve, yet not many children or adults know much about him except that he's the most important resident in the North Pole and has elves who help him.  So where did Jolly Old Saint Nicholas come from?

     St. Nicholas was a bishop who lived in what is now known as Turkey during the 4th century.  At age nine he became an orphan, and this was just the beginning of his difficult life.  When he was older he studied philosophy and Christian doctrine, and was known as a candid troublemaker.  Roman Emperor Diocletian, who was not a fan of the Christians at all, wanted Nicholas to stop preaching Christianity.  He had Nicholas arrested and jailed twice. (Yes, ‘Santa’ has a criminal record.)  St. Nicholas eventually became the Bishop of Myra, and was known for his good will and red bishop’s robe.

      The legend of Santa Claus comes from a traditional story of St. Nicholas.  Generous Bishop Nicholas helped his poor neighbor to pay for his daughters' weddings by sneaking to their house in the middle of the night and dropping a handful of coins through the open window.  It was enough money for the eldest daughter to be married, and the Bishop would duplicate this act again for each daughter.  From this story of St. Nicholas the legend of Santa Claus was born, and it has grown into the tales we know today, full of stockings, chimneys, presents and all that Christmas stuff.  

      During the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, Catholic St. Nicholas and tales of his adventures were frowned upon.  In the Netherlands he was renamed ‘Sinterklaas’ and stories of a kindly man who wore red robes, had elfin assistants and traveled from house to house delivering presents for children emerged.  After Dutch immigrants came to the United States, ‘Sinterklaas’ evolved into the ‘Santa Claus’ we know today.

      The true story of St. Nicholas is full of suffering, simplicity, humility and generosity, as is the story of Jesus’ nativity.  Both young and old focus on Santa Claus during the Christmas season but they forget that Jesus’ birth is what we are celebrating.  It is saddening that the story of God becoming a human is not good enough for some, though it is intriguing, beautiful and heroic.  Instead, they turn to a man with a sack full of toys and cheeks like roses and a nose like a cherry to provide their Christmas joy.  As Christmas draws near, everyone must decide who the real reason for the Christmas season really is: Jolly Old Saint Nick or Jesus Christ?

         Watch this video for more history of St. Nicholas, whose feast day is celebrated on December 6th.

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!

Could Having Crucifixes in Every Classroom Lessen Their Impact?

Recently I encountered a rather thought provoking question on an exam. The true or false question read, "It is possible that having crucifixes in all classrooms at the University of Mary could lessen the impact of the powerful symbol of Christian salvation." This caught me by surprise, since I took it to mean that it would lessen the meaning of Christian salvation.

Its also an argument for not having crucifixes in every room, which I disagreed with because then that is saying there should be less witness to faith, and less expression of it. This could then apply to other things like Christian shirts, personal crucifixes, or even churches.

But upon discussing it with my teacher, he made a distinction between the meaning of the crucifix and the symbol of the crucifix. The meaning of the crucifix is its message of salvation for everyone. But the symbol of it is its ability to point to another reality, which is the message of salvation. So, the question on the exam was simply stating that if someone sees a crucifix in every room, they could get so used to it that it no longer has any effect on them. For example, if someone wears a neon pink shirt, people notice it on the first day, but on the 10th day that someone wears it, people are used to it and may not even think about it.

This question then seems acceptable, but useless. For instance, seeing my teacher every day of the week could lessen the power they have of making me think to do my homework. Still, this question is worth pondering and certainly made me think. Maybe next time we look at a crucifix we should not take it for granted, but instead realize and think about how Christ died on a cross for us.

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.

What Does A Guardian Angel Do?

   

          Angels appear everywhere in our world, from books to Victoria’s Secret advertisements, tattoos to movies.  There are many believers in these mysterious, spiritual beings, but not everybody knows what an angel exactly is.

     The Catholic Church defines angels as pure spiritual creatures of God who have no bodies, cannot die, and are usually not visible.  They have understanding and can convey God’s will and protection to men. (Check out the Catechism of the Catholic Church for more info)

     No matter how we imagine angels, from the smiling cherub with two wings and a shiny halo on a Precious Moments card to the scantily clad beauty with fluffy wings in a magazine ad, they are not human.  Furthermore, humans cannot become angels when we die, but we can become saints!  Whether you believe in them or not, angels are mentioned many times throughout the Bible.  Psalm 91:11-12 says,

“For he will give his angels charge of you to guard you in all your ways.  On their hands they will bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.”

     Angels exist solely to praise God and carry out His will.  God gives every person a guardian angel, a spiritual being that burns with love for Him and serves Him day and night.  We can pray to our guardian angel for ourselves and for others, and with confidence we can know they will bring our love, messages and prayers to those of whom we are thinking.  We must ask our angels, though, because they cannot read our minds.

     A guardian angel is an amazing gift from God to you.  They are always with you and yet still with God, and are sources of His power.  Your guardian angel is waiting for an invitation to pray with you, help you to stay focused on God and to watch over you.  Think of them as a heavenly police force, on duty to protect you and to serve God! (Read the article that inspired this post here)

Guardian Angel Prayer

Angel of God, my guardian dear,

To whom God’s love commits me here,

Ever this day be at my side,

To light and guard, to rule and guide.

Amen.

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.

Why Believe in the Assumption of Mary?

    With Pope Francis’ upcoming consecration of the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary this Sunday, October 13^th, the topic of the Mother of God is more relevant than ever.  Catholics and non-Catholics alike have many questions about Mary, one being her assumption into heaven.  How is this possible that someone could be assumed body and soul into heaven?

    First, it is important to clarify that Mary was assumed, not ascended, into heaven.  Jesus ascended by His own power, while Mary was taken into heaven by God.  In scripture, only Elijah and Enoch are mentioned being carried off into heaven, but Mary’s Assumption is never mentioned.  Some claim that if the Bible does not say it happened, then it never happened.  Yes, the Bible is silent when it comes to the deaths of many holy people, such as the Apostles and St. Paul.  Yet oral tradition tells how St. Peter was crucified upside down, and how St. Paul was beheaded.  We know where the bones of Peter and Paul are because early Christians took care of them.  Oral tradition also teaches that Mary was taken up into heaven, body and soul so it would seem logical that the early Christians would have also kept the bones of the Mother of God.  However, we have no record of them anywhere in history. 

    It says in the Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church,

    “Mary is the Mother of God.  She was united with Jesus on earth as no other human being was or could be- in an intimacy that does not cease in heaven.  Mary is the Queen of Heaven, and in her motherhood she is quite close to us.” 

    Mary committed herself, body and soul, to a divine and dangerous task when she said yes to becoming the mother of God.  Because of this, she was taken up body and soul into heaven.  The Church teaches that anyone who lives and believes as Mary did will get to heaven.  But how do we know Mary is in heaven?  If the woman God chose to be the mother of His Son and bring Him into the world is not in heaven, then the rest of us have absolutely no chance of getting to heaven.  The Papal encyclical Lumen Gentium (68) explains that Mary’s assumption and heavenly presence preceed and foreshadow our own future glory. (1 Corinthians 15)

    Mary is the Mother of God as well as our own mother.  Through her, we can grow in a much deeper relationship with her Son than we ever could on our own.  As Romoano Guardini wrote regarding the Assumption of Mary,

“This mystery is given to us so that…a divine light might be shed on our death.”   

Read more about Mary here!

Is the U.S. Military Targeting Christians?

            In the wake of the recent government shutdown, many areas of civilian life have been affected.  People are unable to visit national parks, receive survivor benefits for fallen military family members, and they also could have trouble getting their passports.  Now, there are problems within the military as well.
            The U.S. Military has furloughed as many as 50 Catholic chaplains due to the shutdown (Click here to read the full article on FoxNews.com).  Currently, the government does not allow priests to perform Masses, even as volunteers, on base.  "They risk being arrested if they attempt to do so," said John Schlageter, general counsel for the Archdiocese for the Military Services.  Cybercast News Service (CNS) has confirmed this ban.

            Questions abound as to why certain government services are considered necessary and others are not.  The military's football teams played this weekend, but their church services were not performed.  Bill Donohue of the Catholic League said, "It's a sad contrast when we can let a football game go on but we won't let a priest go on base and celebrate Mass."

            The shutdown has delayed many of the regular services that the chaplains provide.  "There is no doubt that furloughing of personnel hired or contracted to perform the duties of military chaplains is having an effect," Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) said. "Just in this region, church services, baptisms, weddings have been curtailed."

            Chaplains are part of the 800,000 federal employees staying home because of the shutdown.  Under the law, federal employees cannot work while the government is not operational.  This law is intended to protect employed persons from being forced to work for no pay.

            Republicans offered a proposal on Thursday afternoon for raising the debt ceiling but President Obama "didn't say yes, didn't say no," said Representative Paul Ryan, Republican of Wisconsin and chairman of the House Budget Committee.  "We agreed to continue talking and continue negotiating."  Republicans are "back to the drawing board," but even if Congress does end up raising the debt ceiling, the 17 percent of government that is shut down will still not be open.  There is no end in sight for the partial government shutdown which raises questions about what will be done to let the chaplains carry out their duties.

            A glimmer of hope though, came on Saturday, October 5, with a House resolution (H.R.3223) which should allow chaplains to give prayer services on a volunteer basis.

Click here for Thursday's White House Press Briefing:

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney

Sources:

http://catholic.org/hf/faith/story.php?id=52650

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/10/04/catholic-priests-in-military-face-arrest-for-celebrating-mass/

http://www.inquisitr.com/980707/catholic-priests-face-arrest-for-mass-during-shutdown-christians-targeted-by-obama-administration/

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/10/10/boehner-pitches-short-term-debt-ceiling-hike-ahead-white-house-meeting/

http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/326775-house-to-obama-let-furloughed-chaplains-serve-the-military-

http://money.cnn.com/2013/10/09/news/economy/federal-employees-pay/index.html

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/09/30/10-effects-of-a-federal-government-shutdown
http://www.navytimes.com/article/20131005/NEWS/310050005/House-votes-restoring-full-chaplain-services
http://money.cnn.com/2013/10/02/pf/federal-workers-shutdown/index.html