Eyes of Faith The world appears empty and flat to those without eyes of faith.

I recently revisited Shakespeare's "King Lear," a tragedy of misbegotten and alienated affections. It strikes me that there is a certain parallel between this great drama and the drama unfolding before our eyes in America.

It is an article of faith in America that "governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed." To put this another way, the people are sovereign, or so they have been.

Thus, I see a parallel between the benighted King Lear and the benighted American body politic.

It's understandable that the world's elite news media failed to capture the essence of who Pope Francis is, given their dogged determination to always be ahead of the narrative. One can find a representative sample of the approach taken in the New York Times piece by Rachel Donadio from July of last year, "On Gay Priests, Pope Francis Asks, ‘Who Am I to Judge?’" Who can blame them for failing to understand a personality such as his — compassionate, humble, and yet with firm convictions regarding the difference between truth and falsehood, good and evil, beauty and ugliness, wisdom and folly, material and spiritual, timeless and ephemeral. One must travel far and wide to find such a combination in a world leader these days. Even Catholic journalists found him confusing, although one can come across the occasionally balanced perspective, such as that of Colleen Carroll Campbell in her piece "God and Mammon". And as the English poet, Alexander Pope, noted, "Hope springs eternal in the human breast." It matters not the provenance of that hope.

The basic problem with the Republican Party is that it suffers from dissociative identity disorder, colloquially referred to as a split personality.

It's possible to identify at least the following distinct political personalities in the G.O.P.

Secularism began as a philosophical reaction against Christianity in the 18th century in Europe. Like the religious rebellion of the 16th century, it had its roots in outrage at the vices of religious and royal officials. And, like its earlier religious counterpart, it began to invent and to live by its own rules. As a movement, therefore, it exhibited all of the tendencies of moral and cultural drift that all major cultural movements and even civilizations have displayed throughout human history.

VATICAN CITY, 30 June 2014 (VIS) - Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for July is: "that sports may always be occasions of human fraternity and growth".

His mission intention is: "that the Holy Spirit may support the work of the laity who proclaim the Gospel in the poorest countries".

FRANCIS-PRAYER INTENTIONS/VIS 20140630 (70)
Published by VISarchive - , June 30, 2014

 

You can find more information at:  www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net VIS sends its news service only to those who have requested it. For address changes, cancellations  use the links or visit our web. Copyright © VIS - Vatican Information Service In accordance with international regulations on Intellectual Property and Author’s Rights, VIS authorises reproduction of news items issued by the Vatican Information Service, partially or in their entirety, on condition that the source (VIS – Vatican Information Service) is quoted.

VATICAN CITY, 30 May 2014 (VIS) - Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for June is: "That the unemployed may receive support and find the work they need to live in dignity."

His mission intention is: "That Europe may rediscover its Christian roots through the witness of believers."

FRANCIS-PRAYER INTENTIONS/VIS 20140530 (70)
Published by VISarchive - , May 30, 2014

 

You can find more information at:  www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net VIS sends its news service only to those who have requested it. For address changes, cancellations  use the links or visit our web. Copyright © VIS - Vatican Information Service In accordance with international regulations on Intellectual Property and Author’s Rights, VIS authorises reproduction of news items issued by the Vatican Information Service, partially or in their entirety, on condition that the source (VIS – Vatican Information Service) is quoted.

I have offered simple orbital mechanics, and the earth/sun "system", as a metaphor for the importance of the connection between the unitive and procreative aspects of the marital act. I would like to suggest another metaphor to help us understand and appreciate the notion of "moral drift" in the absence of divine replenishment. In analogy with the thermodynamic law of entropy (the second law of thermodynamics), I would like to suggest that there is a kind of moral and spiritual equivalent.

A century ago it could be said that there was a reasonable consensus regarding basic moral questions among Americans and Europeans. Today, that consensus no longer exists, except in isolated pockets or communities. Why the difference?

The Catholic third way is ultimately about recognizing and identifying with the humanity in everyone without diluting the call that we all have to righteousness. Blackstone Films has captured the essence of this challenge in the particular dilemma of homosexual attraction.

VATICAN CITY, 30 APRIL 2014 (VIS) - Pope Francis' general prayer intention for May is: "That the media may be instruments in the service of truth and peace".

His mission intention is: "That Mary, Star of Evangelisation, may guide the Church in proclaiming Christ to all nations".

FRANCIS-PRAYER INTENTIONS/VIS 20140430 (70)
Published by VISarchive - , April 30, 2014

 

You can find more information at:  www.vatican.va - www.vis.pcn.net VIS sends its news service only to those who have requested it. For address changes, cancellations  use the links or visit our web. Copyright © VIS - Vatican Information Service In accordance with international regulations on Intellectual Property and Author’s Rights, VIS authorises reproduction of news items issued by the Vatican Information Service, partially or in their entirety, on condition that the source (VIS – Vatican Information Service) is quoted.