The Meaning of Life and Hope

From Canada, Michael Coren writes in the National Post on life without meaning. The Kanuck commentator aptly notes the denigration of life as the central and essential value in modern Western society.

Problem is, life is considered one of the least significant issues in Western culture. Compared to opinions on the state of the market or the state of Paris Hilton, the notion of a person's inalienable right to live appears rather meager. Or to put it another way, life is only assumed to be significant when it is thought to be of quality. (Emphasis added)

Being old, handicapped or even unattractive are at best unfashionable and at worst unacceptable. Life is not precious in itself but measured to the degree that it is ostensibly glamorous, stylish or important. And none of these characteristics are instantly applied to the dying, the severely disabled and the very old. Which leads us to the cult of euthanasia.

Implicit in Mr Coren's argument, which is no more than speaking clearly about the situation, the relativistic secularism that currently rules our society ultimately is vacuous in re values, leaving irrational hedonism at the ultimate determinant. If it can't be enjoyed it is to be avoided or ended.

The general view is that all depends on will. In other words, if a person does indeed ask for death it is their body and their choice. Yet surely the very last people who can make calm and balanced decisions about life and death are those who are suffering or are in pain. (Emphasis added) Anguish and emotion are powerful factors and they make for an often gripping story. But by their very nature they obscure clear thought.

This is such an obvious point that I'm surprised so few have stated it in such succinct terms before. Ignoring the influence of pain and stress on such important decisions leads to a de facto ethical callousness in which "my" inconvenience in dealing with the one suffering ultimately trumps the value of the very personhood of the sufferer.

It is no coincidence that the most outspoken opponents of euthanasia are the handicapped. They are justifiably concerned about how they will be treated in a society increasingly obsessed with ending what is seen as life lacking in quality. They also know that for every seemingly compelling story of a dying person merely wanting closure, there are innumerable cases of the vulnerable being coerced into assisted suicide and the powerless being murdered.

The the whole article here.

I would also note that the one monk who is interviewed in the magnificent "Into Great Silence" (the elderly blind monk) also speaks eloquently to the meaninglessness of life when God is taken out of the equation. (If you haven't seen it yet, don't wait for Nativity, get it now as inspiration for your Advent Fast!)

In yet more related news, the Holy Father has released his second Encyclical called Spe Salvi, which like its predecessor, Deus Caritas Est, should be read, contemplated, and treasured.

Amongst the many vital things noted in the Encyclical, the Holy Father speaks to the failure of atheism and modern relativistic materialism.

We can try to limit suffering, to fight against it, but we cannot eliminate it. It is when we attempt to avoid suffering by withdrawing from anything that might involve hurt, when we try to spare ourselves the effort and pain of pursuing truth, love, and goodness, that we drift into a life of emptiness, in which there may be almost no pain, but the dark sensation of meaninglessness and abandonment is all the greater. It is not by sidestepping or fleeing from suffering that we are healed, but rather by our capacity for accepting it, maturing through it and finding meaning through union with Christ, who suffered with infinite love.

(Spe Salvi, no. 37)

Atheism precisely fails due to the elimination of objective values it entails. A Godless universe is truly a universe without purpose, blindly moving from chaos to vacuous darkness. Similarly, human life requires purpose and direction. Progress without purpose is mere careering in the void.

If progress, in order to be progress, needs moral growth on the part of
humanity, then the reason behind action and capacity for action is likewise
urgently in need of integration through reason's openness to the saving forces
of faith, to the differentiation between good and evil. Only thus does reason
become truly human. It becomes human only if it is capable of directing the will
along the right path, and it is capable of this only if it looks beyond itself.
Otherwise, man's situation, in view of the imbalance between his material
capacity and the lack of judgement in his heart, becomes a threat for him and
for creation. Thus where freedom is concerned, we must remember that human
freedom always requires a convergence of various freedoms. Yet this convergence
cannot succeed unless it is determined by a common intrinsic criterion of
measurement, which is the foundation and goal of our freedom. Let us put it very
simply: man needs God, otherwise he remains without hope.

(Spe Salvi, no. 23)

Archbishop Raya (of blessed memory) on the Immaculate Conception

The Byzantine Tradition celebrates the Fest of the Immaculate Conception as "the Maternity of St Anna," the mother of the Theotokos. The feast is held on 9 December. Below is Archbishop Raya's comment from Byzantine Daily Prayer.

The soul of the Virign Mary whom God had chosen from all eternity to be the Mother in the flesh of the Incarnate Word was created full of grace and free from original sin, united to a body formed according to the laws of nature through the operation of love of her parents, Joachim and Anna. This privilege, accepted throughout the centuries, was officially proclaimed as a dogma by Pope Piux IX in the year 1854. It is known in the Roman Church as the Immaculate Conception. (Byzantine Daily Worship, p. 537)

Note also the Ninth Ode of the Second Canon of Orthros for the feast from the December Menaion:

The Son of the Eternal Father, our Lord and our God, took flesh from the Virgin and appeared to us to bring light to those in darkness and to gather together those who were scattered. O Theotokos, worthy of all praise, we magnify you!

Today let the prophets, the chosen ones, rejoice, for their prophecies announcing the grace of God, have begun to be fulfilled in the venerable conception of the pure Mother of God who will bring forth the joy of the world.

The throne of glory has been prepared for the Lord; the gate of salvation has now been announced, the passage reserved for the Master and Creator alone. Through her, we shall attain eternal life.

With Anna, Joachim cries out: You alone have heard our voice in supplication, O Lord and Creator; in granting an end to our sterility You have given us the Root of immortality. We glorify you!

The ladder is now prepared: by it, the Lord and Creator will come down to lift up the human race. Heaven rejoices with the angels! The human race exults with all creation because of the grace of deification.

I sing of your unequaled good will, O Lady: you are my illumination, my glory and my pride, my source of wisdom, the cause of my joy, my expectation and my hope, my fortress, my rampart and my defense.

Our community is celebrating the Feast of the Maternity this year with a Divine Liturgy devoted to the cause of Life, from conception to natural death. Given the love of the Theotokos for all of God's children, I am happy that we are connecting the cause of life to her holy conception.

Dinesh D'Souza is at it again!

Dinesh D'Souza has written an excellent book defending Christianity against the irrationalist pseudo-scientific atheists called, What's So Great About Christianity. In Monday's Townhall, a column by Dinesh highlights the myths behind the Galileo versus the Church arguments. Here is the opening paragraphs:

Many people have uncritically accepted the idea that there is a longstanding war between science and religion. We find this war advertised in many of the leading atheist tracts such as those by Richard Dawkins, Victor Stenger, Sam Harris, and Christopher Hitchens. Every few months one of the leading newsweeklies does a story on this subject. Little do the peddlers of this paradigm realize that they are victims of nineteenth-century atheist propaganda.

About a hundred years ago, two anti-religious bigots named John William Draper and Andrew Dickson White wrote books promoting the idea of an irreconcilable conflict between science and God. The books were full of facts that have now been totally discredited by scholars. But the myths produced by Draper and Dickson continue to be recycled. They are believed by many who consider themselves educated, and they even find their way into the textbooks. In this article I expose several of these myths, focusing especially on the Galileo case, since Galileo is routinely portrayed as a victim of religious persecution and a martyr to the cause of science.

As always, Dinesh is fresh and precise in his research and analysis. I highly recommend the article and the book!

Revelation about Rubrics

Gerald Augustinus reports on an article in America in which a "liberal" priest reflects on his first celebration of the extradorinary form of the Roman Rite. Whether the priest is "liberal" or no, his comments about the rubrics deserves attention.

Gerald particularly quotes the priest's revelation that the rubrics, far from leading to a sense of superiority over the laity, etc., actually focus attention on God and the Mystery of His saving Grace in the Liturgy. This revelation fits quite neatly with the orientation (no pun intended) of Byzantine rubrics. The complexity of the liturgical action forces the priest and deacon to empty themselves of attention to self and allow the Spirit to fill them for the accomplishment of the Mystery of the Holy Eucharist.

Below are the paragraphs Gerald quotes.

Having decided to offer the Tridentine Mass, I began the arduous project of recovering—and reinforcing—my Latin grammar and vocabulary so that I could celebrate the liturgy in a prayerful, intelligible way. As I studied the Latin texts and intricate rituals I had never noticed as a boy, I discovered that the old rite’s priestly spirituality and theology were exactly the opposite of what I had expected. Whereas I had looked for the “high priest/king of the parish” spirituality, I found instead a spirituality of “unworthy instrument for the sake of the people.”

The old Missal’s rubrical micromanagement made me feel like a mere machine, devoid of personality; but, I wondered, is that really so bad? I actually felt liberated from a persistent need to perform, to engage, to be forever a friendly celebrant. When I saw a photo of the old Latin Mass in our local newspaper, I suddenly recognized the rite’s ingenious ability to shrink the priest. Shot from the choir loft, I was a mere speck of green, dwarfed by the high altar. The focal point was not the priest but the gathering of the people. And isn’t that a valid image of the church, the people of God?

The act of praying the Roman Canon slowly and in low voice accented my own smallness and mere instrumentality more than anything else. Plodding through the first 50 or so words of the Canon, I felt intense loneliness. As I moved along, however, I also heard the absolute silence behind me, 450 people of all ages praying, all bound mysteriously to the words I uttered and to the ritual actions I haltingly and clumsily performed. Following the consecration, I fell into a paradoxical experience of intense solitude as I gazed at the Sacrament and an inexplicable feeling of solidarity with the multitude behind me.

Gerald's report is here.

The America article in full is here.

Pro "Pro-Life Article"? In the LA Times?!

Yes it's true, sort of...

An article in the LA Time actually treats of the pro-life movement in a surprisingly even-handed manner. Below are some excerpts (in italics) and a few comments from your rambling host (in bold).

Abortion foes' strategy advances
An attempt to undermine Roe vs. Wade by amending constitutions to grant human status to embryos gains ground in several states.
By Nicholas Riccardi
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

The campaigns to grant "personhood" to fertilized eggs, giving them the same legal protections as human beings, come as the nation in January marks the 35th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. During those three decades, abortion foes have succeeded in imposing a variety of restrictions, such as waiting periods and parental notification for minors. But there are still about 1.3 million abortions a year in the U.S.

In fact, "personhood" will not be granted, it will be recognized. To be a human being is to be a person. Personhood is an essential component of humanity. It is not equivalent to nor dependent upon I.Q., personality, race, ethnicity, gender, physical ability, size, height, weight or age.

...

Still, national abortion-rights groups consider the current wave of amendment campaigns a legitimate threat.

They worry that the language of the initiatives might mislead voters. In Colorado, for instance, voters will be asked whether the constitution should "include any human being from the moment of fertilization as 'person' . . . in those provisions of the Colorado Constitution relating to inalienable rights, equality of justice, and due process of law." The amendment is being promoted by a group called Colorado for Equal Rights.

"This type of language may be scarier than an outright ban," said Belinda Bulger, deputy legal director for NARAL Pro-Choice America. "First, because it can be hard for people to understand what it's doing, and second, because it would be far further reaching."

This is an interesting concern. It might 'mislead' the the voters by defining a living human being as a living human being? Similar arguments were made during the slavery debates in the nineteenth century and during the civil rights debates of the last century.

...

Amendment supporters freely admit that giving a fertilized egg the legal status of a human being would affect a wide range of medical decisions. That's precisely the point, they say: "We're trying to establish some bioethical standards to move us into the 21st century," said Dan Becker, president of Georgia Right to Life.

...

"What is the potential impact on our court system of every fertilized egg having access to Colorado's court?" asked Toni Panetta, deputy director of NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado.

Frightening, eh? That would mean equal protection under the law!

Read the entire article here.

Hymns and Readings for Sunday

THIRTEENTH SUNDAY OF THE SEASON OF THE HOLY CROSS
(TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY OF PENTECOST)
Commemorating the holy Great-Martyr Katherine of Alexandria
and the holy Great-Martyr Mercurios

Tone One — Eothinon Four

TROPARIA AND KONTAKION
(THEME HYMNS OF THE DAY AND CONCLUDING SEASONAL HYMN)

TROPARION OF THE RESURRECTION IN TONE ONE

After the stone was sealed by the Jews, and while the soldier were watching your spotless Body, You rose, O Savior on the third day, bestowing life on the world. Therefore the heavenly powers cried out to You, O Giver of Life: Glory to your Resurrection, O Christ; glory to your Kingdom; glory to your Economy, O you who alone are the Lover of mankind.

KONTAKION OF THE PRESENTATION OF OUR LADY IN TONE FOUR

The most pure Temple of our Holy Savior, the most precious and bright Bridal Chamber, the Virgin sacred treasury of the glory of God openly appears today in the Temple of the Lord, bringing with her the grace of the Most Holy Spirit. Wherefore, the angels of God are singing: This is the heavenly Tabernacle.

LITURGY OF THE WORD

PROKIMENON
(RESPONSORY FROM THE PSALTER)

Terrible is God in his sanctuary, the God of Israel,
he gives power and strength to his people.
Blessed be God!

Bless God in the great congregation,
The LORD, O you who are of Israel's fountain!"


THE READING FROM THE EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO THE GALATIANS

BRETHREN: Before faith came, we were confined under the law, kept under restraint until faith should be revealed. So that the law was our custodian until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian; for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise. I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no better than a slave, though he is the owner of all the estate; but he is under guardians and trustees until the date set by the father. So with us; when we were children, we were slaves to the elemental spirits of the universe. But when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

ALLELUIA

Blessed is he who considers the poor!
The LORD delivers him in the day of trouble.

The LORD protects him and keeps him alive; he is called blessed in the land;
thou dost not give him up to the will of his enemies.

THE READING FROM THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST LUKE

AT THAT TIME: A ruler asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: `Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.'" And he said, "All these I have observed from my youth." And when Jesus heard it, he said to him, "One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." But when he heard this he became sad, for he was very rich. Jesus looking at him said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Those who heard it said, "Then who can be saved?" But he said, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."

HIRMOS IN TONE SIX
(a “Megalynarion” [Hymn to the Virgin] sung after the Consecration)

It is truly meet to bless you, O Theotokos, who are ever-blessed and all-blameless and the Mother of our God; more honored than the Cherubim and more glorious beyond compare than the Seraphim: you who without stain did bear God the Word, you are truly Theotokos: we magnify you.

COMMUNION HYMN

Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens,
Praise Him in the heights! Alleluia.

Rights... ? Where's the logic?

It should surprise no one that this blogger is adamantly pro-life. You can peg this as a theological position, a political position, but the truth is it is simply the application of logic.

Either all humans have rights or no one has rights. Rights either exist or they don't. I posit that humans have rights. Rights limit the freedom of everyone by granting privilege to each. In other words, there is a dual perspective that frees the one who "possesses" or has the right by limiting the freedom of another by disallowing certain interactions that would "violate" or infringe the right held by possessor of that right.

As an example: If person A has a right to property and possesses some object, say "x", it would be a violation of A's right to property for person B to simply take "x" away from A. We term this particular violation "theft".

Similarly, Person A has a right to life. A is alive. If person B takes away A's life, B has violated A's right to life. We term this particular violation "murder".

From where do these rights come? Let's simplify the matter and say that these rights are endemic to all humans. Certain rights are said to be "inalienable". They are not granted by law or custom, they are proper to humanity itself. To be a human being is to "possess" these rights. They are part of the "dignity" of the human person. We might say they are "natural human rights".

I grant that I am not always the easiest person to explain certain principles. A finer mind could probably explain this basic argument much more clearly. However, I pray that the basic thrust of the argument is clear to my longsuffering readers. It is a matter of simple logic.

That said, view the video below and note the confusion when a matter that is of natural human rights has been misunderstood in quasi-political terms. The person being interviewed perceives the issue in terms of a political debate about freedom, or the imposition of a religious tradition on others.



It is in light of this muddled reasoning and the need for clear thinking that our community will celebrate 9 December (Feast of the Maternity of St Anna AKA the Immaculate Conception in the Byzantine Tradition) with a pro-life celebration Liturgy.