Real Catholic Blog

Here’s a report from the Vatican on Pope Benedict’s Angelus message on the Feast of the Assumption (Catholic Encylopedia). I like to tell people who doubt the Assumption something I heard during a homily a few years ago. It seems that Chamber of Commerce types, local governments and tourism boosters during the era of the Church’s early years (yes, they had them then, too) always were eager to proclaim sights related to saints in their cities and villages. This attracted pilgrims who spent money there. It was good for the local economy.

They would, at the slightest bit of evidence, or at the best guess of evidence (or legend), market sites related to significant figures of the Church: this saint ate here, this saint preached here, that saint died over there. So, there is ample reason to suspect that if the Blessed Mother was not assumed body and soul into Heaven, there would be some landmark, somewhere, marking the spot of her death or burial. There is none. Hmmm.

Also, it is important to know that, as Catholics, we believe Mary, in her complete human body, was assumed into Heaven, because as the Mother of Christ, just as she brought Him into the earthly world with a soul uncorrupted by original sin, so, too, her body left this world uncorrupted.

Pope Benedict XVI calls believers to entrust themselves to Mary, who “assumed into heaven, has not abandoned her mission of intercession and salvation.”

The liturgical calendar of the Maronite Rite, one of the Eastern Catholic Rites loyal to Rome, today celebrated the Revelation of Saint Joseph which prompted his determination to do God’s will on Earth. It is one of several such Sunday’s in Advent that the Maronites use to illustrate the preparation we must undertake to welcome the Lord.

Joseph’s role, of course, was the ultimate preparation for the Lord. Engaged to Mary, yet suddenly aware of her pregnancy, this humble man wanted to do what he could to save her blushes and quietly let her be. Yet the Lord explained to him why she was with child and who the child was. As we would say today, Joseph answered the call. He answered it with the ultimate selflessness, giving up a life he expected, to accept the responsibility of an entirely unexpected and unknown life, one surely he must have had some human trembling over. (I once was entrusted to coach a young phenom soccer player. Was I up to it? Imagine the doubts Joseph must have had in knowing he would raise our Saviour.)

But he did it because God asked. What don’t we do that God asks? What life plans do we change to accomodate God’s will? Do we give up a game or event we want to attend and instead attend Mass on a Holy Day of Obligation? Do we set aside some extra money for the needy or Church instead of the latest electronic gadget? Do we encourage those away from the Church to come back or excuse their attitude as, “it’s their life, it’s their choice.”

What are we willing to give up for God, in preparation for His Son? What are we are we willing to do for His will on Earth?

Saint Joseph deferred his life for God. Are we willing even to defer one activity, one television show, one possession?

The HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm, a bawdy comedy by Seinfeld co-creator Larry David, had a decidedly anti-Catholic scene in its most recent episode. David, who plays himself, urinated on a painting of Jesus. But it’s not the first time he has incorporated anti-Catholic insults into his show. A few years ago, he mocked people playing Joseph, Mary and others in a live nativity scene.

Bill Donahue of the Catholic League released a statement (read here) in which he asked:

Was Larry David always this crude? Would he think it comedic if someone urinated on a picture of his mother?

Deal Hudson, of InsideCatholic.com, told FoxNews.com:

Why is it that people are allowed to publicly show that level of disrespect for Christian symbols? If the same thing was done to a symbol of any other religions — Jewish or Muslim —there’d be a huge outcry. It’s simply not a level playing field.

More on the controversy can be found here at popeater.com. In fact, there are two poll questions there, including one asking if David should apologize. As of tonight, the responses to both questions are overwhelmingly anti-David. We encourage you to vote and pile on to send HBO — and Hollywood secularists in general — a message.