The Fifth Cardinal Virtue

An effort of the will and the grace of God are marking characteristics of cardinal virtues. Through their practice other virtues come to fruition, in fact all other virtues are dependant on the practice of the cardinal virtues. All virtues are an avenue towards God. How many times have you shown others more mercy than you would have before you ate that little piece of chocolate (the practice of brotherly love)? How many times have you turned to chocolate after a disappointing conversation (the practice of humility)? How many times have you enjoyed a piece of chocolate you had to share some with another (practice of liberality)? How many times have you turned around after realizing you forgot to buy a piece of chocolate (the practice of diligence)? How many examples must I cite? Chocolate is clearly the fifth cardinal virtue. The Spanish have known this for quite some time now. When the Jesuits were expelled in the Eighteenth Century they were allowed to bring their breviary, some clothes, chocolate and other necessities of travel.

Singing

So I joined my parish choir about two and a half years ago and found much delight in singing, but growing up I liked to listen to bands that never really had members that sang without playing an instrument. The real value singing had to me was that it gave more meaning to instrumental music. One week ago I was singing in mass and realized that singing is an esteemable discipline in itself, and that singing should be pursued as such! It just occurred to me out of nowhere, and I never even questioned my attitude about it before. In fact, I was completely ignorant of my attitude towards it at all. The surprise was so large that singing carried such great esteem in itself that I was excited for my discovery, although a little embarrassed over the surprise.

The things I have frequently told others are things like, "When you sing you pray twice." "Music touches a part of the soul that speaking can not." I always encouraged other to sing as part of their prayer life and admitted that it is an important part of mine, and that I feel my own prayer life is enriched because it includes singing. I know the Spartans held the pursuit of singing on par with the pursuit of strength, speed and beauty, and on and on through history. I guess I am just surprised at my own previous attitude towards singing despite my intellectual knowledge of its value, and I am delighted in my new one.

Spain & Rome

I started a book about Spanish history this week and it has been very interesting so far (and the author won't quit talking about Christianity, which makes me love it all the more!). Up until I began to read this book I have been an ignoramus regarding the history of Spain. The only things I knew were the same thing everybody learns in high school - the Islamic conquest of the peninsula and associated Christian reconquest, the Spanish Armada, discovery of America and Spanish exploration of the world, the Spanish American War and Spanish Civil War were just about the extents of my knowledge. I knew tid-bits because of the books I read about St. Teresa of Avila and the Spanish monastic orders of knighthood, but that did not amount to a great deal of knowledge.

One of the things this book talked about was a poem about King Roderick who reigned over the Visigothic kingdom at the time of the Islamic conquest (711 A.D.) It reminded me of the Song of Roland, which I read was the first epic poem to come out of Medieval Europe. This does not make much sense to me now, unless the Spanish poem is not considered epic. Anyway, both Roderick and Roland are betrayed by allied generals. While both fought bravely against the Moors neither were wounded in combat against a superior and prevailing enemy force, but both died as a direct result of the battles they fought - real hero stuff! Roderick was accused of seducing Jullian's daughter and Roland was accused of coveting Ganelon's wife. Roland was immediately avenged by Charlemagne, but Roderick's successors took their time avenging his defeat. It was no less dramatic though, we hear Peyalo shouting to the Muslims from a mountain cave, "Christ is our hope! From this mountain the defeat of the Goths will be avenged. I trust that the promise of the Lord will be fulfilled." It was a hope that persisted for centuries and was finally fulfilled at the completion of the Reconquista in 1492 (just in time for the evangilization of America!).

I wrote in this post that I am very interested in Christian history and have begun to accumulate books that I think would be important to read to gain a comprehensive view of it (of course the current book I'm reading is on the list). The last book I read was about the Roman Empire and it was quite revealing. It made me think about the relationship the Eastern Church has always had with the Western Church. It also made me think of the influence that pagan Rome exerted on Christianity. The Supreme Pontiff even takes this title from the pagan religious leaders called pontiffs, lead by the pontifex maximus. While Rome was the home of Saints Peter and Paul and one of the greatest centers of Christianity ever since the birth of the Church the city never gave up much of its pagan identity even long after Saint Constantine issued the Edict of Milan. Despite a long tradition of Christian heritage and being a major center of authority, the city of Rome did not shake off the remnants of Roman Paganism until the sack of Rome by the Vandals in 455, who were allowed peaceable entry to the city and free reign of her valuables for fourteen days in exchange for safety from murder, rape and fire. Even the golden tiles were taken from the roof of Jupiter's temple.

When Julius Caesar took political control of Rome he also took religious control, taking the title of pontifex maximus for himself and setting a precedent for the emperor to lead the empire in both politics and religion. When St. Constantine arose it was a tradition of the Romans for over three hundred years for the emperor to lead the state in all regards. It was natural for him to exert control over the bishops of the Church. It was natural for both the bishops and the emperors to exercise this type of authority and we see it taking place throughout all of early Church history. The establishment of the Roman Empire was absolutely necessary for the spread of Christianity and was a key element in the timing of the birth of God even though the pagan culture exerted so much influence on the Church. That was also the reason Constantine had to move the state capital out of Rome. He moved to allow the Church to grow in a Hellenistic culture free of the pagan influence of the Eternal City. I am sure I will find much more to say later. Church history has many more centuries to grow before reaching present days.

Communion of the Saints

One of the things the Roman Catholic Church teaches is that Jesus Christ is truly present in the sacrifice of the Holy Eucharist. I firmly believe this and am fascinated with it. Some have raised objection to this and even quoted scripture to deny it! One of the argument raised in opposition is that Christ died once for all and that He does not make Himself a sacrifice again and again. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that in the Eucharist all participating parties transcend time and all are present on Calvary during the time of the crucifixion of the Lord. This is one of the ways in which we experience the communion of the saints. This seems like it could be a foreshadowing of the things to come in Heaven. I wish I could discuss this at length, but I just do not know enough about it. If anyone else knows, please speak up.

Christ and Evolution

Last night I went to a bar-b-que with my parish's young adult group. A couple of the young men there were discussing the fact that they were going to teach the 9th graders' catechism classes and when the subject of sex ed came up I naturally asked if they were going to teach JP II's Theology of the Body. The subject drew precious little conversation but it stimulated my mind towards what I read of that great work. So I was in a looooong line to buy coffee today and thinking about all sorts of things and thought about what JP II discussed in the opening of the Theology of the Body, namely that we are created in the image and likeness of God. It occurred to me that this is the most powerful argument we have against evolution.

In the Beginning, Adam was created whole, entire and perfectly, in the image of God. Because we are created as the sole creatures on Earth God has willed for His own sake we have our dignity and humanity from the foundation of time. Both Adam and Jesus Christ were perfect human beings. If we truly did come into existence through the evolution of apes, then Adam is a myth and our religion is false. If evolution will eventually change us into something else, then will God come again to die for the atonement of that species? If not then are we not the most glorious and exulted of all Creation? Surely we are because God took on human flesh and became one of us. As a species we are holy unto the Lord, both before His coming because we are looking forward to His coming and after His coming because He humbled Himself to share in our humanity. Looking at evolution and trying to reconcile the life and work of Jesus in and for humanity just does not work. Because God came down from Heaven as a human being, evolution could not be a valid explanation of human life on Earth.