V for Victory Garden

This year marks the first year I will be planting a garden. Mr. Crane has generously donated a small plot of land in the prairie adjacent to their beautiful farm home. I have planted brandy wine and beefsteak tomatoes, red and yellow onions, 2 kinds of peppers, spinach and cantaloupe. In addition, I'm planting basil, parsley, and mint. Something about having some fresh mimosas in August with some home made bruschetta and salsa sounds very appetizing.

Plus, there is such a value to working the land, in the dirt, smelling the dirt after a rain and weeding out intruders. There's a value also in nurturing something from inside the ground as it grows, tying stakes around the base to protect the weak plant from the wind, and laying out the garden just as you wish.

During World War 2, families all across the country planted Victory Gardens. These gardens contributed to the war effort, by alleviating stress on food providers. And, maybe more importantly, they gave families a real physical task to help their country. As individuals gave their lives for our freedoms, families helped themselves to help those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

Today, we are in another kind of war, a war on the fundamental right of all humans which is the right to life. A group of radicals, focused in the left and personified by B.O., is mounting an assault on the unborn which has already begun. It seems that every decision made by King Hussein destabilizes our country, whether it be bowing to the Saudis or compromising with dictators and murderers. But, the most fundamental way of unmaking our society is by unmaking the family. And the most direct way of unmaking the traditional family is by the direct killing of its members by mass, senseless, illogical, and criminal abortion. Our government is the most focused and determined government in the world when it comes to advancing the culture of death and the abortionist agenda.

The point I'm trying to make is that we are moving further from safety, sanity and stability. And, if our society insists on making abortion a fundamental right, as H. Clinton insists, then we, the sensible and compassionate of our society who insist that the children of our country not be killed, must take the necessary steps to battle injustice and evil. If the abortionists insist on declaring war on our families, then we, those of the cross, will take up the battle cry and go singing in the sun. As Churchill declared when confronted with evil, "Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory there is no survival."

Call it a garden, or call it one step closer to separating from a corrupt society that is in serious need of correction. Victory counts more than ever. This is one small step.

Cheers to Victory!


"But heavier fates have fallen
The horn of the Wessex kings,
And I blew once, the riding sign,
To call you to the fighting line
And glory and all good things.

"And now two blasts, the hunting sign,
Because we turn to bay;
But I will not blow the three blasts,
Till we be lost or they.

"And now I blow the hunting sign,
Charge some by rule and rod;
But when I blow the battle sign,
Charge all and go to God."

-G. K. Chesterton.

Scott Hahn

Yesterday, Frodo and I went to see Scott Hahn, scholar and theologian from Franciscan University in Steubenville, OH. Dr. Hahn shared some extraordinary stories about his conversion to Catholicism, his family and his mission. I'd like to convey one of Dr. Hahn's stories to you, because its one of finest stories I've heard in many months.

Dr. Hahn, when he was first thinking about converting, had been meeting with a Monseigneur Bruskewitz (Now Bishop Bruskewitz of Lincoln Nebraska). Monseignor told Dr. Hahn about a priest friend of his who was visiting Rome the previous week.

The priest was visiting Rome to have an audience with Pope John Paul the second some years back. The priest was preparing for one of many meetings with the Pope over the week to discuss various things. Well, the priest had an hour before he had to meet with the Pope so he decided to go to the Church across the street from his hotel to pray before his meeting.

On the steps of the Church were several beggars. As the priest passed to go in to pray, he thought he recognized one of the beggars sitting on the steps. But, he passed him by and went in to pray. As he knelt down on the kneelers, he realized where he knew the beggar from. He rushed back out of the church and asked the beggar, "Do I know you?" To which the beggar replied, "Heh, yeah, we went to seminary together."

The priest replied, "So, you're a priest then?" And the beggar replied, "I used to be, but look at me know, I'm doing really well, what do you think."

So the priest told the beggar that he would pray for him to which the beggar replied, "Lot of good that will do." The priest left and went to meet the Pope. When one meets the Pope, the meeting is very formal. Usually one proceeds in greets the Pope, bows or shows a gesture of respect and reverence, and proceeds out. But when the priest went to meet the Pope, he bowed and blurted out the story of the beggar he met earlier in the day. John Paul looked concerned and told the priest that he would pray for the beggar.

The following day, the priest went to the same church and saw the beggar once again. He told the beggar, "Guess what, not only am I praying for you but now Pope John Paul the second is too!" The beggar replied, "Yeah, so what, it won't do anything anyway."

Later that day, the priest got a call from the Pope's office. John Paul II wanted to have dinner with the priest and he wanted him to bring the beggar along too. So, very excited at the prospect at having dinner with the Pope, the priest went to the steps of the church and tracked down the beggar and told him, "The Pope invited me to dinner and he said that I had to bring you with as well." "Me?" said the beggar, "Look at me, I haven't showered or shaved in who knows how long and look at my clothes."
"I rented you a room in the hotel across the street and got you some clothes as well, but we have to hurry." said the priest.

Not long after, the priest and the beggar were meeting with the Pope to have dinner. They met in the Pope's private residence and enjoyed wondrous hospitality. The first course came and the second and third. Before dessert, the Pope motioned to the priest and asked him to leave the room for a bit. So, the priest went outside and left the Pope and beggar in the room by themselves. About twenty minutes later, the priest was allowed back in, dessert was served, and the two men said goodbye to the Pope and left.

When they were outside, the priest asked the beggar, "What did John Paul say to you in there, what happened, did he want to hear your confession?"

The beggar said a little timidly and quietly, "...No, he wanted me to hear his." He told the priest that when he stepped out of the room, the Pope asked him if he would hear his confession. The beggar said, "Me! How could I? I'm just a beggar now."

The Pope replied, as he clasped the man's hands in his, "So am I."

The priest said, you were in there for 20 minutes, the Pope's confession took that long?!" "No," laughed the beggar, "He had to hear mine first and that took a very long time. His confession was over very quickly."

The Pope reinstated the beggar as a priest. He commissioned the beggar to minister to the beggars in the parish where he had been sitting outside. So the beggar became a priest again, through the mercy of God, and he continues to minister to the homeless and forgotten at the parish where he was once a beggar.

This incredible story conveys a valuable lesson about humility. All sin is inherently prideful. And thus, humility can be a great medicine. Pope John Paul was a great man, a holy shepherd and taught us many lessons. This lesson can be a truly powerful one, about the power of the Sacrament of Confession. For Confession takes humility and repentance, and both are necessary weapons against sin.

Cheers.

Diesel fuel makes burning couches easier.

First off, Happy Earth day! The one (of many) days of the year when all the pagans get together and try to make all of us feel bad for driving cars, having jobs, and taking showers.

It's not that I hate the environment, quite the contrary really. I live a 'greener' life than most of the liberals who claim to be green when in truth they are simply following the trends of the time, trends marked by canvass grocery bags, stinky reusable diapers, and useless ethanol. But, this utterly pointless day always reminds me of perspective and relative importance.

We should value and protect the earth. We should protect it not because in and of itself this action is a good necessarily, but more to be good stewards of God's abundance. We should preserve and protect what we have been given for future generations of man, for the earth exists to provide for man and not the other way around.

The earth is God's artwork, His creation, His gift. And, of course, we should ask accordingly. If I owned a fine painting, a creation of utter beauty, I'd store it away out of the sunlight and out of the weather. I'd try to keep its value and its condition for my children to experience and enjoy. I'd share its beauty with all I could. But, if there was a fire in the house, I wouldn't send one person in for the painting and I would never feel badly about it.

We must ask ourselves why the 'fervor' for earth day has been re-invigorated in the last decade. Why did this horridly useless and contrived day, invented in 1970, suddenly become the obsession of pop culture and media (organized pop culture) as well as public schools? I have heard the thesis that the entirety of the green movement is the funneled remnant of the defeated Marxists. Some say that after the Berlin wall fell, there were many people that now had nothing to do. But how to achieve the same ends, the decline and fall of capitalism without government involvement? And thus the green movement was born, out of the Marxist philosophy, to achieve the ends of the fall of industrial, prosperous society. Because, if the ends of the green movement are achieved, we can bid farewell to what we have become accustomed to in terms of travel, energy, comfort, longevity, medical care, and a host of other technologies. Not to mention the implications on the family. The green movement has implanted the dangerous and grossly mistaken notion that children are a burden on society instead of a blessing. But in the society of green, where restrictions are placed on choices of energy use, dwelling location, and food consumption, how far off are restrictions on family size, religious expression, and vocation? The ruthless enforcer of green is big government, mainly because no one listens to hippies.

For the green movement, in its current manifestation, is reliant on big government, and now our big government is dedicated to the green movement.


Cheers to tire burning!

On Baseball and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

To be truthful, I have become disillusioned with baseball as a whole. Here's why:

1. The Yankees: Always representing all that is wrong with baseball, this powerhouse committed close to half a billion dollars to 4 players in a matter of two weeks over the off season. In addition, with the opening or their new stadium, they ushered in the highest ticket prices of a single seat ever to be sold. The first few rows on the ground level go for 2,500 dollars. That's not a scalped price for a playoff game, that is their regular price. The second highest regular ticket price went to the Mets, (who also have a new stadium called Citi Field or some such nonsense). The White Sox and Cubs also cracked the top ten, probably because they are in big markets which means there's more people to rip off. Which brings me to my next point...

2. I dislike getting ripped the heck off: I went to one White Sox game in the last two years. I paid 24 dollars to park, 21 dollars for a ticket (a bad ticket) and 5 dollars for a hot dog. That puts you out 50 dollars before you even see a pitch or fill your belly with some quality ball park food. You can't even buy the horrible beer because it will run you something like 37 dollars an ounce. Or you can trade them one pinkie for half of an Old Style.

3. Its not a game for common folks or common players: If you have a family and you want to take them to see a game, you're either going to the little league game happening down by the tracks or to the minor league game where they're having "fried twinky Tuesday" or "random fan gets to pitch this game Saturday." This brings us to the players. Back in the early 20th century, baseball players were common folks that made pretty basic salaries. Their salaries were comparable to yours or mine ... well maybe yours. They came out of the backwoods to play, and after they were done they returned to the backwoods. But today, baseball players are glorified, over paid, giant babies, just as whinny and just as needy. They are disloyal and the most popular ones are drastically dishonest. Which brings me to number 4.

4. Alex Rodriguez: This is the poster boy of modern baseball, whether you like it or not. He is the highest paid baseball player, wrecks every team he is on, and is a cheater. For many seasons, he used a type of banned substance, winning an MVP in one of the tainted seasons. His cheating is not an exception, unfortunately. Players like Raphael Palmero, and Miguel Tejada are also proven cheaters. Tejada even lied to Congress about it. But then, why should anyone take our modern congress seriously, especially someone who isn't a U.S. citizen. Thankfully we live in a culture with no memory so many of the cheaters can go along, making millions of dollars while cheating and continuing to taint the game further, if that is possible.

5. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays fans and their noise makers: I don't care if they did make it to the world series last year, every time I watch the White Sox play Tampa Bay, I have to mute it because the Devil Ray fans use those blasted noise makers. It sounds more like a soccer game in Columbia than a baseball game. The fans even sing songs and chants too. I guess it stands to reason that baseball teams just don't make sense in Florida.

6. Astro Turf: All sports should be played on grass. Grass looks better, it smells better, and is more classic. I'm surprised the hippies haven't been on this one.

I love traditions and Spring. I love opening the windows for the first time of the year on a Saturday afternoon and watching the game. I love mowing the grass, finishing, and watching the game with a beer. But, so much of the romantic notion of baseball is simply a dream or a memory. The reality of the game as it is today is much different than the romance of its past.



Cheers.


On a side note, I was watching the blue collar comedy tour today and in the crowd I noticed a man dipping snuff and spitting into a water bottle. And for some odd reason it makes me feel good. Shoot dang!

Great Article

Here is a splendid article on the Constitution and the abuses there of. Walter Williams ladies and gentlemen.

In case you hadn't heard.

Did anyone else notice, yesterday, the statement put out by the Department of Homeland security. The report warned police forces of the imminent rise in 'right wing extremism.' Here is a passage from the report:

Right wing extremism in the United States can be broadly divided into those groups, movements, and adherents that are primarily hate-oriented (based on hatred of particular religious, racial or ethnic groups), and those that are mainly antigovernment, rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority, or rejecting government authority entirely. It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration.

So watch out all of you who hate abortion and pray and work for its end. Watch out if you think illegal immigration should be stopped or aliens should be given ways to free citizenship that don't involve breaking the law. Also, watch out if you are a veteran because with their elite fighting skills you are evidently more likely to join extremist militias. That little tid bit is also mentioned in the report. Basically, if you have any opinion that is opposed to the new Marxist regime you are at risk of joining a right wing militia and breaking the law. Seems reasonable to me. Of course by writing this and several other pro-life blogs I'm probably being watched right now.... tell the people my story!

I better watch out myself. Next thing I know they'll be breaking down my door and hau

Notre Dame disgrace

Excellent article on how Notre Dame has lost its last shred of respectability.

That's how you know.

I don't know whether it was the chip crumbs on the old thrift shirt, the unwashed hair, or the fateful words from the television somewhere in the background, "you're watching Lifetime," that made me realize that I need some direction. With the last rejection from graduate school all but inevitable and the job market looking bleak, I am currently on the hunt for a new direction. Standing at a cross roads can indeed be a daunting task, many directions to chose from with no apparent goal in sight.

But, as I watch the next episode of Ice Road Truckers coming up, let it be known, that while there is an unopened box of purple girl scout cookies in the cabinet that everyone knows about, I will not be the one to open it.

The Easter season is one of hope and renewal. So, perhaps this is my opportunity to rise with the season to a new beginning of sorts.

"An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered," after all. G. K. Chesterton.

Cheers.

Wisdom courtesy of Thomas Sowell

"Barack Obama seems determined to repeat every disastrous mistake of the 1930s, at home and abroad. He has already repeated Herbert Hoover's policy of raising taxes on high income earners, FDR's policy of trying to micro-manage the economy and Neville Chamberlain's policy of seeking dialogues with hostile nations while downplaying the dangers they represent. "

"...his favorable reception during his tour in Europe may be the most enthusiastic international acclaim for a democratic government leader since Neville Chamberlain returned from Munich in 1938, proclaiming 'peace in our time.'"

"How a man who holds the entire population of a country as his prisoners, and punishes the families of those who escape, can be admired by people who call themselves liberals is one of the many wonders of the human mind's ability to rationalize. Yet such is the case with Fidel Castro."

http://www.tsowell.com/columns.htm

Catholicism in LOST

For a while, I've wanted to write a blog about the Catholic imagery in the T.V. show LOST on Abc. While, to my knowledge, none of the writers or creators of the show are Catholic, nor is the show's message a Catholic one, it is interesting that relatively sound Catholic doctrine lies below the surface in numerous episodes. Also, admittedly, I will be ignoring the show's philosophically anti-Catholic elements, most notably pre-destination and reincarnation. So, while I cannot say the show is "Catholic" by any stretch or logic, it does have interesting Catholic elements.

The three most recognizably Catholic characters in LOST are Charlie, Desmond, and Mr. Eko. Lets begin with Charlie. In his very first flashback, the means by which all characters display how they became who they are on the island, Charlie was in the confessional seeking forgiveness and direction. The priest advised Charlie by telling him that he always has a choice when it comes to moral decisions, that our lives are a series of choices, and that our choices shape who we are. In addition, Charlie portrays the Christ like quality of total sacrifice. When the original group of passengers were trying to get off the island, Desomond revealed to Charlie that the only way that would happen is if Charlie made the ultimate sacrifice. So, after turning off the jamming signal to the island, to allow it to be discovered, Charlie drowned as a result. Not, it is worth noting before making the sign of the cross and stretching his arms out in a Christ like symbol of sacrifice.

Similar to Charlie, Desmond shows the same sacrificial nature at the end of the second season. Desmond most resembles, in my opinion, the apostle Peter. Peter is dominated by cowardice and over-compensation for much of his life. He denies Christ, his master, runs from the crucifixion, and is constantly saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. And yet, he is the man Christ chose to make Rock, the rock which the church still stands on today. Ultimately, Peter gives his life in a similar manner to his Master. He gives himself up to death and willingly sacrifices himself for the love of others. Desmond, prior to his days in the hatch was dominated by his cowardice. He runs from Penny, he runs from the army, and he runs away from the monastery. However, when he resolves himself to love, specifically the love of Penny, he overcomes his cowardice and makes the ultimate sacrifice. He makes the sign of the cross, says "I love you Penny" and turns the key. He turns his fail safe key to save all of the others on the island, maybe in the world. He gave up his life to "save the world." And thus, the true meaning of sacrifice, the true meaning of love.

Desmond also spends a significant amount of time at a Catholic monastery in Scotland prior to meeting Penny. The priest who advises Desmond provides some sound insight on vocation. He says to Desmond, "The Lord tests our faith in many ways." In addition he explains to Desmond that maybe he isn't cut out to be a monk and that the Lord has bigger plans for him later (like "saving" the world). After his dismissal from the monastery, Desmond asks, "What am I supposed to do now," and the priest responds, "whatever comes next." In addition to the advice on vocations that Desmond receives, he also acquires his habit of calling everyone "Brother" at the monastery. Desmond always responds to the "callings" he receives in his life, rarely understanding them. After he overcomes his cowardice, he is fully able to trust the Lord's providence and act according to Love. For as St. John says, "God is Love." As a side note, I love the scheme that he has read every Dickens novel with the exception of one because he wants it to be the last thing he reads before he dies.

Finally we come to Mr. Eko, who has a most unusual connection to the Church. His brother is a devout African priest who serves his community steadfastly, administering the Sacraments, most obviously Reconciliation. Mr. Eko, on the other hand, was a drug dealer and a villain in the true sense of the word. His brother pleads with Eko to reform his life, but Eko refuses, resulting in the death of his brother. As a penance of sorts, Eko impersonates his brother and impersonates a priest. While deeply misguided his attempts are, he tries to make up for what he has done, even going to the extent of building a church on the island and Baptising Aaron. This character is the main flaw of the Catholic imagery in LOST in that the writers do not understand that just anyone can't be a priest just by saying that they are one. In addition, the Bishop of the diocese would immediately recognize Eko as an impostor and stop his faux ministry.

However, Mr. Eko's character does reveal the spiritual and emotional consequences of pride and refusal to seek forgiveness for one's sins. When he encounters the 'ghost' of his brother, the priest, on the island Eko refuses to ask for forgiveness and says, "I did my best with what I was given." This statement immediately results in his death at the hands of the smoke monster. Unlike Desmond and Charlie who give themselves in love for the betterment of others, Eko's refusal and turn into self results in destruction. His character is complex in that he does feel remorse for his life, but yet he refuses to take that regret and remorse to the healing end of asking for forgiveness.

In addition to these three main characters, Catholic imagery appears in other instances as well. Most notable of the images are the statues of the Virgin Mary found on the island in the second season. The statues were filled with drugs and were being used by drug smugglers who crash landed on the island. Ironically, or perhaps by purpose, Charlie was at one time a drug addict and forced to confront his demons. But, Charlie trusts his faith and resolves to turn away from temptation and throw the drugs into the ocean. I like to think that this represents how the Blessed Mother is always watching out for us, protecting us through her intercession. I'm sure the writers of the show were not thinking this but, it is a logical conclusion don't you think.

Most recently, the newest season of LOST had the most profoundly Catholic moment of any thus far. Benjamin Linus and Jack, the hero of lost were in a Catholic church discussing their plans to return to the island. Jack, previously had been seen as a 'man of science' refusing to believe in the island's mysterious powers or in any external powers of will. Ben points out a picture of St. Thomas the Apostle placing his fingers in the side of the risen Christ. Ben remarks how prior to the Passion of Christ, Thomas expressed a willingness to accept crucifixion if it meant standing at the side of Christ. Ben remarks how it is a shame that Thomas is not remembered for this comment but only for his doubt. Ben also remarks that Thomas needed to be convinced, he needed to be convinced of Christ's divinity. Jack asked, "and was he convinced?" to which Ben replied, "everyone is convinced eventually." Of course Ben was referring to the island, but this scene very purposefully and obviously has a double meaning and can be quite profound depending on the context.

I hope I have sufficiently expounded on this topic and that someone reads it and is interested by it ... if not, this exercise in nerdiness on my part was at least fun for me. I know many of you, probably Stephen, will remark on how allegory is horrible and a poor substitute for the authentic story of the Gospel. This is true, of course. But, I am only expanding on Catholic imagery in a T.V. show and saying, "Huh, that's interesting." And that's all I'm really trying to say.

Cheers.

Me too.

Today, when I was at work I was eating my lunch sandwich, as I always do. I made the sign of the cross, said a prayer, made the sign of the cross again and began to eat. Then I noticed that one of our students was staring at me. She is in a wheelchair, mostly deaf, and only says a few words from time to time. However, she is very sharp and joyous, often laughing and smiling.
After I said my lunch prayer, she looked at me and made her own sign of the cross and smiled. I turned my head a little bit, not expecting her to even notice me, nor to know what I was doing. She put her hands together as people do when they pray. I nodded, to confirm that I actually was praying. Then she nodded back. She smiled again, pointed to herself and said, "Me too." Then she laughed a bit and went back to what she was doing.
Even if she isn't talking to me, she's probably having much more meaningful conversations.

Cheers.