Wszechmogący wieczny Boże, za przyczyną św. Augustyna apostoła Anglji, wszystkie przeciwności racz od nas odwrócić, abyśmy pokoju ciała i duszy doznając, swobodnem sercem wykonywali to, co się do Ciebie odnosi. Przez Chrystusa Pana naszego. Amen.
Wysłuchaj Panie prośby nasze, które w uroczystość błogosławionej Klodyldy, królowej, do ciebie zanosimy, a dla zasług jej, racz nam przebaczyć wszystkie grzechy nasze. Amen.
Rex Wockner of the Gay City News interviews David Bianco in Taking the Gay Out of Gay Press.
David Bianco was a longtime media leader in the homosexual movement. He has chosen to give up the homosexual lifestyle and sex with men to fully live his Jewish faith.
The article is and interesting read and a great portrayal of one man’s struggle – and witness before his former community. If you understand the inferences in some of Mr. Wockner’s questions, the article is a little scary as well.
For example, Mr. Wockner infers men are not monogamous (“I’m suspicious of male monogamy… Men are not naturally monogamous.“) and that sex is a primal drive that must be put before all else and that must be acted upon (“But what makes you think that this fundamental, core piece of who you are, regardless of how it got there, can be put away and sort of just ignored or not acted on? … This is something much more central to who we are… This is sex.“).
Gee, I never knew that urges must be acted upon. Is that what society wants to be about, the simple facilitation of urges? Sure, I know it’s true, it’s what sells SUV’s, big screen TV’s and lots of other stuff we don’t really need —“ but just have to have.
I prefer Jesus’ thinking on the issue.
And [Jesus] said to all, —If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
Losing his life is what David Bianco is doing. He is giving up his desires and urges and following God’s way – God’s desires and commands. I wish him well.
O Boże, któryś mocą swoją łaskawie wspierał św. Erazma, biskupa, iż najrozmaitsze męczarnie i kartusze dla imienia Twego przetrzymać potrafił, – prosimy Cię, abyś za jego przyczyną i nam udzielił tej siły, abyśmy zwyciężyli zasadzki i sidła otwartych i skrytych nieprzyjaciół zbawienia, i zasłużyli sobie na zbawienie wieczne. Amen.
Boże, któryś błogosławionego Jakóba Strzemienia duchem apostolskiej gorliwości zapalił, spraw za jego przyczyną prosimy Cię, abyśmy nie tylko troszczyli się o zbawienie własnej duszy, ale i naszym rodakom do zbawienia w miarę sił naszych dopomagali. Amen.
Boże który św. Petronellę, miłością Twoją płonącą niebieskiemi łaskami ozdobiłeś, spraw, abyśmy dziś święto jej obchodząc, czystość jej i miłosierdzie naśladowali. Przez Chrystusa Pana naszego. Amen.
Boże który serca ludzkie przenikasz, Ty wiesz, że w całem życiu swojem szukam Twojej, a nie mojej chwały. Nie chcę dla siebie zdobywać miast i krajów, lecz pragnę jedynie rozszerzać panowanie imienia Twego. Wesprzyj mój miecz, daj mi życięztwo nad pohańcami i nad grzechami i niedoskonałościami mojemi. Amen.
Chwała Tobie, synu najwyższego Boga, iżeś przyjął mię w poczet twych wyznawców, i wesprzeć raczyłeś moje mdłe siły niewieście, żem zwyciężyła czarta i pokusy jego, odepchnęłam bogactwo, świat pychę i dostatki jego, a nie zlękłam się gróźb i męczarni Tobie cześć chwała i pokłon na wieki wieków. Amen.
O Boże, który Francji dałeś św. Germana, aby Ci służył za pomocnika w wielkiem dziele zbawienia dusz, których swą gorliwością tak wiele pozyskał Kościołowi, ach dopomóż nam, abyśmy naśladowali go w miłosierdzu i w gorliwości o zbawienie bliźnich naszych. Amen.
—For it is written in the Book of Psalms:
May another take his office.
How many could have been Judas? That’s an interesting question isn’t it? Could Peter have betrayed Jesus? How about the Sons of Thunder, James and John, could they have betrayed Jesus? What about the others, the twelve, the seventy-two?
Peter was always quick to jump the gun. He had all sorts of plans laid out for Jesus —“ and expectations too. Jesus even called him Satan:
Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”
James and John wanted to sit at Jesus’ right and left hand in His glory and they didn’t get what they wanted:
Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”
—What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”
“You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”
“We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”
The other ten were mad at James and John when this happened.
Couldn’t any of the disciples or Apostles have been Judas? Why was one so maddened with rage while the others, who could have been just as angry, learned a little bit about subduing their expectations?
Perhaps they learned that Jesus did not come to make life comfortable for anyone. He did not come to fulfill our expectations, but to call us to fulfill God’s expectations.
Jesus certainly opened the doors to heaven. He certainly reconciled us to the Father. He certainly showed us what being truly human was all about. He was able to do this because He, in His unity, is God and man. He is fully both.
The key is that Jesus is the way. He is the way to God, the way to heaven, the way we must follow to become fully human, to become so human that we may come to the Father in truth. He did so much for us, but we have to act. John tells us:
Moreover, we have seen and testify
that the Father sent his Son as savior of the world.
Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,
God remains in him and he in God.
Listen again,
Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,
God remains in him and he in God.
Amazing stuff, but you have to focus on acknowledging. Acknowledging is more than the occasional nod toward God at Christmas and Easter. Acknowledging God is more than the weekly trek to the parish church. Acknowledging means we must fully commit and act.
Jesus calls us to reach beyond our complacency and comfort. First, we must fall in sorrow for our sins. Then, we must repent, and in the act of repentance, commit to change. The constant struggle is the fight against temptation and the call of the world: ‘hey it’s easy, just do it, it feels good, and it’s what I want’
But Jesus tells us:
“I gave them your word, and the world hated them,
because they do not belong to the world
any more than I belong to the world.”
We have the word of Jesus. We have His command and His way of life.
We, have a lot to do.
Bishop Hodur told us that very few will reach perfection on the road toward Christ —“ at least in this earthly life. What is most important is that we commit to that road, that we take the first step in a journey of a thousand miles. The tests along the road and the pitfalls are many, and if met with Christ within us and at our side, will make us stronger. The body and blood of Jesus Christ is our food for this journey.
I tell you then, be a disciple of Christ. Be His followers and His doers. Do not let anger or despair turn you into a Judas, a man or woman of broken expectations. Keep your eyes here, front and center. Raise your eyes up to heaven and put your minds and bodies to work.
Any one of us can be Judas. Therefore, consider carefully and place yourselves on the road, walking in the footsteps of the faithful, the communion of saints. Take the place of the one who went his own way, as so many do today, because Jesus told us:
—I consecrate myself for them,
so that they also may be consecrated in truth.—
Jesus Christ has consecrated you in truth. Acknowledge Him and act on it.
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