Presumption v. Experience

In the Magnificat readings for yesterday I came across an article written by a man named Monsignor Lorenzo Albacete that was quite thought provoking. He is discussing St. Augustine's wondering about God's interactions in Augustine's life. Augustine was wondering why God had led him to study Plato. Plato, of course, was the ancient Greek philosopher who applied reason to try to explain existentialism and whose writings were (and are) widely used in classical study. Augustine concludes that it must have been to teach him the difference between "presumption and confession". Now there are probably 3 or 4 languages and one or two thousand years involved in translating these concepts into modern words, but the gist seems to be that being a follower of Christ through only having been taught by your teachers and trusting solely in the institution of the church is not enough. For Augustine, if one intellectually "becomes" a Christian through proper philosophy, theology, spirituality, morality or cultural project, it is merely based on presumption. You are presuming that the intelligent and well meaning ancestors and teachers must have it right, so that if you follow the guidelines you can attain the desirable goal of salvation, whatever that turns out to be. You are presuming that you can become saved through your own efforts, by doing the right things and thinking the right way. Augustine's point was that you must experience, personally, God's work of salvation. We have been saved, are being saved, and will be saved because God is doing it. God became man in the person of Christ, God filled the disciples with his Spirit at Pentecost, Christ rose from the dead and lives. God is still alive and still acting. When we personally experience God at work in our lives, then we are driven to witness to others what God is doing. We "confess" what we have experienced to our peers. Monsignor Albacete uses the word "evangelization" to describe the process of telling others about what has happened to you.

The fire of the evangelicals. The motivation of personal experience. I have experienced two miraculous healings personally. I have been filled with the Holy Spirit. I have been absolved of my sins. I am still struggling to understand and see what God is about, but I cannot deny what he does. Monsignor Albacete calls it the "concern which post-Christian man has tragically lost". I don't see it as lost. It is alive and well, but not evident where where one might presume it to be. If you come to experience the sacraments you can enthusiastically engage the street preachers and cult members and cowboys and indians with what you have found out. God is alive! He loves me! He saves me!

Boots: the rest of the story

Sorry, I forgot to post this earlier, but I have been busy.

As you may know, the Roman Catholic Church doesn't teach the concept of reincarnation. However, I think there are major religions of the world and even some protestants who do consider the possibility. General George Patton was a famous believer in it. The validity is beyond knowing in this mortal life with certainty, but it is fun to play around with in a "what if" sort of way. As a practical matter, I do defer to the wisdom of the ages handed down within the church founded by and protected by God (the Roman Catholic Church). So, even though I might wonder about reincarnation, I do not believe in it.

Thirty years ago I took a college course on the religions of the world. One of them (Hindu, perhaps) taught that souls are "recycled" through this world, life after life, until they do a really good job and and end up close to God. You might come back as an animal, you might come back as woman, or you might come back as a perennial soldier, like Patton thought he had. Patton would have a Deja Vu experience on various ancient battlefields that would remind him. The major religion that teaches you could come back as animals went on to say that all life is, therefor, sacred, since it could be grandpa. They especially thought bovines (cows) were sacred. Here on the ranch I spend this life with the herd, feeding them and caring for them. They have a good life, with plenty of different kinds of good food. A beautiful place to live with all their needs met. They also have community with the rest of the herd. They are, most days, peaceful, content, and thriving.

So I have wondered aloud about this concept of reincarnation, and have said before that if it were true I would want to come back as a herd bull on this ranch. Here on this ground the herd bull has vast beautiful pastures of tall palatable grasses with clear running water and all the females he can breed. He is surrounded by his "wives" and his children in the land of milk and honey.

THE REST OF THE STORY
Last September I went to a bull sale in eastern Oklahoma and bought 3 bulls. On the way home I stopped at a friend's house in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. While there, one of the bulls made an astonishing flat footed five foot leap to escape from the stock trailer (no other animal I have hauled has been able to accomplish this). He was very excited, and could not be eased back toward confinement. He went running through town, across the highway, and jumped the fence into the graveyard. 911 calls abounded. For some unknown reason he was content to stay in one part of the graveyard where he was eventually roped by some good cowboys sent to the rescue. After the ordeal was over my lady friend whom I was visiting pointed out that he was standing on the grave of one "Boots" Adams when he was captured. Boots Adams was a successful executive at Phillips Petroleum Company in Bartlesville during his life. He was rich, and bought several big Osage County ranches, right here in "cow heaven". Perhaps reincarnation and the related Deja Vu experience could explain this unusual turn of events. Maybe Boots did come back as a herd bull, and the proximity to his former body motivated his "super-bovine" feat of leaping out of the trailer and then drew him to his former grave? Most times an animal under stress either will fight or flee. This herd bull, curiously, did neither when confronted with the cowboys on horses. He neither ran away, nor charged the horses. He stood there, and didn't fight until we tried to load him in the trailer. Then he fought with vigor. So, is this herd bull Boots Adams reincarnated? I don't know, but it makes a good story, and gives me a good reason to name this animal "Boots".

There is something about Mary

From today's Gospel:
Luke 11: 27 - 28
27 As he said this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that you sucked!"
28 But he said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"

I am devoted to Mary, the mother of God. I do believe that peoples' souls live on after the body dies. Hence, there are many passed away, yet still "living". I often ask people whom I consider close to God to pray for me in my little trials and tribulations. People like Deacon Jim, or, if I could, Mother Angelica from EWTN. So it is natural to ask Mary to pray for me as well. I have, and often do. And I think she listens and does intercede effectively. I don't understand why protestants have such a problem with this. However, I do not think that devotion to the Blessed Mother is the end-all answer. There are people who pay lip service to respecting Mary, yet choose to ignore the Word of God when it comes time to keep it. These folks are fooling themselves. Be alert, do not presume goodness to follow from a person who uses devotion to Mary to gain your confidence. See what decisions they make when faced with following the word of God or not. Still, do not discard the value of her intercession when you want some company in your prayers. She should be blessed since God chose her out of all the humans he created to bear his son and to nurture him. Jesus was fully human and fully God. Surely he loves and honors his mother.

If you want to do a good job with your time on earth, listen to Jesus' words: hear the word of God AND KEEP IT! That is how you glorify God, and that is why you are here.

Shame on the pop star, the hypocrites, and anyone who would use the respect due to the true Madonna to mislead those who are trying to honor her.

God loves Cattle

from today's mass:
Jonah: God said "shoudn't I be concerned over the great city with more than 120,000 persons, NOT TO MENTION THE MANY CATTLE?"
Luke: Jesus teaches the "Our Father"

Yes, God does love his cattle, and sends them ranchers to take care of them. He also loves you, and wants you to remember that God is your father, he sends your daily bread, and he will forgive your mistakes with the same measure that you forgive others who have hurt you.

All new Tundra

It has been awhile since I posted, and I will get back to spiritual discussions, but first I wanted to crow about this great pickup truck. This is the '07 Tundra with the new big engine. It can pull a 20 foot gooseneck full of cattle effortlessly, and stop it easily without the trailer brakes even attached! I have changed over fron 1 ton Fords to half ton Toyotas for my ranch because they ride way smoother, work just as hard, and are MUCH more reliable.

This scandalizes many ranchers who feel that I deserted my country in favor of the country that our fathers went to war with. However, this truck is MADE IN AMERICA, BY AMERICANS, FOR AMERICANS, WITH JAPANESE OVERSIGHT AND QUALITY CONTROL. Unlike Fords, Chevy's and Dodges, it is not engineered to break after the warranty period. It rides like a 70's Cadillac did on the highway, but this Tundra is out in rough pastures carrying feed and hay to cattle. Good job, Toyota!