As Created

In the construction industry, one would be exposed to nuts and bolts, tongue and groove, and so on. Plumbing or even a door knob would have male and female parts.

These simple things make one aware of the complimentariness of things... necessary, in order to build. It is just the way they are. A unique way of working things together naturally. So much of what humanity had developed sprang forth from this. It is basic to what life is.

So when I think of marriage, it is about a man and woman. Marriage is the public avowal of sexual relations; While sexual relations is the private avowal of marriage. Marriage is equal to the sexual act between a man and a woman. Sex is equal to marriage. Sexual relations is not equal to love. Sexual act is equal to life.

Marriage is a betrothal - to be true. The sexual union between a man and a woman is for building up of the biological family, though not limited to that. It is meant for the propagation of Truth through the biological family. Marriage between a man and a woman is the smallest unit of communion between two unique but complimentary individuals. Such is the significance that would affect the larger society in its relations with one another and growing in and from each other's uniqueness. It is a building block of civilization and determinant of its culture.

Like all things beautiful, marriage requires effort, commitment, and virtues for it to transcend the constantly changing things through the seasons of life. The constantly changing things like wealth, health, physique, talent, preferences. As they journey through it together, they are able to assist and bring each other to the knowledge of truth and love; Thus, towards God and heaven.

God's gift to us of marriage and family life enables us to experience something of the infinite love that unites the three divine persons -- Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Benedict XVI, 2010

"Only God's love can fully satisfy our deepest needs, and yet through the love of husband and wife, the love of parents and children, the love of siblings for one another, we are offered a FORETASTE of the boundless love that awaits us in the life to come."Benedict XVI, 2010

Shape the Liturgy or the Liturgy will Shape you

Shape your environment or your environment will shape you. Shape your home or your home will shape you. And it goes for many things in this life. It is not really like life is a powerplay of controlling or being controlled. I do hate control freaks (not the person but the way they treat people). It is more about STEWARDSHIP. If we become negligent, we can become enslaved. If we become rigid, we can become robots. So "shape" is a good word, because it shows our capacity to form, to choose, to grow.

In Architecture, this is far more obvious. Churches give you a sense of awe, pointing towards the transcendental. Houses are proportioned to man. And if a man is placed in a low ceiling, he had to crawl like an animal. Of course, there more to architecture than the psychological and behavioral factors. It is a field of many disciplines.

Without knowledge of history, bible, or the Catholic Faith, I would have probably designed the most appalling church. The Early Christian Churches were almost a Bible in Architecture. The Church Basilica reminded people that there is also Divine Justice apart from the Civil Basilica. The Cathedral is the "Seat" of the Bishops or Apostles where in they are called to be teachers of the Gospel. In Churches, there is the Triumphal Arch that symbolizes the passage from death to life. And many more.

I have never really thought much of the Liturgy if not for the papacy of Pope Francis. I suppose many Catholics accept the Liturgy as they are given. We don't know much of the Rubrics or the canons. But somehow, now, I would say "SHAPE THE LITURGY, OR THE LITURGY WILL SHAPE YOU." Nonetheless, whatever form, the Holy Mass is efficacious.

It's efficacious because I had a wonderful experience in a most boring Mass. It was a weekday 6 a.m. Mass. There was no choir. There were few old people. The officiating priest is an old priest who did not give a homily. It was a short mass at maybe thirty minutes. But it was then, that God showed me, "I am here with you always until the end of time". And I knew I must go to confession and go back to receiving Holy Communion. It was a special grace, and the Mass will always be special to me in whatever form.

However, many people do not see and feel the presence of Jesus in the Holy Mass. So, they go looking for a good Homilist (and Protestant preachers seemed better at it), a choir to suit their taste, an air-conditioning, a better crowd to sit with. Even with no knowledge of the Liturgical do's and don'ts, there are things which you can sense is wrong. Like there was a time when short Shorts was the fad, everyone was wearing one even in Church. Fortunately, during the papacy of Benedict XVI, dress codes were promoted. When I was in Florida, there were female Eucharistic Ministers and girl altar servers. It felt odd, although I didn't know it was forbidden.

How important is the "Liturgical correctness"? There was a book that I read about a conversion story, who was converted just by the Holy Mass. I was amazed at that, because there was no need for door to door missionaries. Yet, it was not the new mass. He was talking of beating the heart three times when the "Lamb of God" is said. The words, the postures, the incense. In another book, "The Holy Eucharist" by St. Alphonsus Liguori. St. Alphonsus went through the Holy Mass and its Biblical bases. It was a time when there was a surge of Protestanism in the country, and I was moved that the entire mass is consistent with the Bible. I appreciated the Mass evenmore. Again, it was the old form of the Mass.

Our Parish Church is not as abusive or experimental as other Churches. Although, there is a choir that uses drums. There are occasional High Masses. Although, I do not see much difference from ordinary Sunday Mass except that they processed from the entrance door. There is a camdle held by two servers when the Gospel is being proclaimed. And there is the use of incense.

As yet, I have no access to Traditional Mass except watching Pope Benedict XVI's Masses on television. And for us in the so-called "Third World" country, I only see beauty, solemnity, and reverence. I have heard others say the same thing. Pope Benedict XVI's Masses were like the Holy Mass for the Universal Church. In it's splendour, it was like embracing everyone as a child of God. There is no more rich, poor or different nationalities. We become equal children of God.

Some parishes, perhaps, would not be able to afford good vestments, beautiful Church building, or they may not even have altar servers available. The Holy Mass will still have graces flowing from it. But I do hope that where it is available, most especially with the Bishops and the Pope, the Holy Mass can be done with its utmost best for God, centered on God in behalf of all the Faithful..

Shape the Liturgy or the Liturgy will shape you. Not negligent and not rigid that we lose its meaning, but let God shine in His greatness, love, beauty, mercy and His call for us to be partakers of who He is. And together with Mother Mary, the Saints, and the Holy Angels, may the Liturgy be a window of heaven and resonate the Heavenly worship of God.

Storifying Church Events

Lightening up with the Church news...

On 01-29-2013, Pope Benedict XVI released a DOVE of PEACE with the Catholic Youth but a SEAGULL viciously attacked it.. the dove was able to escape. In less than a month, Pope Benedict XVI announced his renunciation of the papacy due to lack of physical strength. Left for Castel Gandolfo on the 28th of February
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2269255/Popes-dove-peace-ends-pieces-Seagull-attacks-bird-seconds-Pontiff-releases-Vatican-balcony.html
And 03-13-2013, the SEAGULL came again, perched on the conclave stack, drawing attention from the crowd. Hours after came a new pope, Francis a.k.a Jorge Borgoglio
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/local-news/20130313-sea-gull-on-sistine-chapel-smoke-stack-steals-the-show.ece
So another kind of bird, CARDINAL named Mahoney said "So long, papal ermine and fancy..." https://mobile.twitter.com/CardinalMahony/status/312846635333988352#!/CardinalMahony/status/312846635333988352
So all the talking CARDINALS took their shot to bid goodbye.

Lightning struck VATICAN on 02-12-2013, some hours after Pope Benedict XVI announced his renunciation.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/lightning-bolt-hit-vatican-not-1705156 And so Pope Francis decided to stay at the DOMUS on March 26, 2013
http://themoynihanletters.com/from-the-desk-of/letter-62-staying-in-the-domus
Another bird from US, Cardinal Sean O'Malley was glad he was not a PRISONER in a MUSEUM
http://m.wcvb.com/news/Boston-s-Cardinal-Sean-O-Malley-glad-he-s-not-prisoner-in-museum/-/17428308/19315952/-/s455mbz/-/index.html

On March 21, 2013 Pope Francis called Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew as my BROTHER Andrew http://themoynihanletters.com/from-the-desk-of/1887 And days later, Pope Francis met with Pope Benedict XVI and said "We are BROTHERS" http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-to-benedict-xvi-we-are-brothers But Magdi Cristian Allam calls all this as religious relativity and called it QUITS http://www.thetablet.co.uk/latest-news/5152

There is a sad song "the CARNIVAL is over", http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/The-Carnival-Is-Over-lyrics-Boney-M/F736EA228C6BAC8648256B2000344832
Rumors have it that Pope Francis said CARNIVAL time is over. It turned out it was a poor translation of what he said http://anothervoice-greenleaf.org/2013/03/17/carnival-time-is-over/
And St JUDAS was declared patron saint of the modernists in Linz, Austria http://cathcon.blogspot.com/2005/03/shrine-to-judas-in-town-of-linz.html?m=1