Comments for The Baptism of the Lord at http://www.thecatholicthing.org , comment 1 to 10 out of 10 comments http://www.thecatholicthing.org Mon, 20 May 2013 12:46:50 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2013/the-baptism-of-the-lord.html#comment-15375 Another article on New Advent today (Jan 14, 2013) discusses the drop in the birthrate in most developed nations to "below replacement" figures. The only reason that the USA's population is still growing is that immigrants have larger families than those born here. Further, Asia, Africa and Latin America also have steeply declining birthrates. Will God accept the people who have largely disobeyed His command in Genesis: (Gen 1:28) in pursuit of wealth and leisure time, and causing the effective suicide of their populations? TeaPot562 - TeaPot562 Mon, 14 Jan 2013 20:10:17 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2013/the-baptism-of-the-lord.html#comment-15374 Bramwell writes, "We are at the end of an age. What will replace it of course is not at all clear. Love should be the answer but what does “end” even mean?" Jesus talked about the "consummation of the world" [Douay]; which other Bibles call 'the end of the age. "And when he was sitting on mount Olivet, the disciples came to him privately, saying: Tell us when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of your coming and of the consummation of the world? And Jesus answering ..." Mt 24 ibid. From there on down it's bad news, especially v. 22, "And unless those days had been shortened, no flesh should be saved: but for the sake of the elect those days shall be shortened." However ... "And these shall go into everlasting punishment: but the just, into life everlasting." So some get life everlasting out of this; not bad. Isn't that more hopeful than some of the comments here? - Doug Mon, 14 Jan 2013 18:27:04 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2013/the-baptism-of-the-lord.html#comment-15364 Dr. Bramwell writes: "The government of the Philippines, a once profoundly Catholic nation, recently signed into law the permission for contraception." I am a Dual National --- American and Filipino. Forgive me for making this correction: The Philippine government DOES NOT represent the Catholic Filipino citizenry. NO government (democratic or otherwise) represents its citizenry. Governments only represent themselves --- THIS is the reason WHY all democratic governments become inevitably secular. This is true of the US and it is true of the Philippines. The words "duly elected by the majority" usually only means that portion of the population that is ALLOWED to vote. What percentage of the Filipino population do you think is allowed to vote? What percentage of that Filipino population who were allowed to vote actually FREELY voted? What percentage of that population who actually voted were TRULY INFORMED of the electoral candidate's moral position with regard to oral contraception when these candidates were SELECTED by minority parties and fielded for elections? It is neither a reflection on the Filipino people nor a reflection on the influence of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines that the Philippine government "signed into law the permission for contraception." One must keep in mind; the Philippine government is a profoundly corrupt institution (as most secular governments are --- including the US Federal Government). The free distribution of oral contraceptives has always been a condition of US Foreign Aid. The Philippine government ignored this requirement in the past because it received the US Foreign Aid monies regardless. The Philippine government and US Big Pharma merely pocketed the US Foreign Aid monies and just pretended oral contraceptives were freely distributed to control population growth.(It's all a matter of paperwork anyway.) AND the RH Bill languished in the Philippine congress for 15 YEARS. The 2012 US "Fiscal Cliff" changed everything. The threat of the loss of US Foreign Aid triggered the passage of the Philippine Reproductive Health Bill into LAW. Of course, the Philippine government and US Big Pharma will continue to pocket the US Foreign Aid monies. BUT (I am hoping) all will return to "business as usual" and no oral contraceptives will be distributed to the Filipino poor in TRUTH. God works in mysterious ways. The evil of the Philippine RH Law lies in the message it is sending the Filipino young and its confirmation of the LIE broadcast in the world today --- that sexual gratification is all there is to LOVE and LOVE should be understood as separate from the TRUTH (i.e. GOD). But this topic is best left for another day. - Miriam Sun, 13 Jan 2013 20:27:01 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2013/the-baptism-of-the-lord.html#comment-15362 Catholics today do no longer know their Faith. We need our priests to speak out from the pulpits, we need gifted orators to conduct 'missions' so that we know the Truth. How can we stand for the Truth and defend it when we no longer know it? - Margaret O Sun, 13 Jan 2013 14:59:56 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2013/the-baptism-of-the-lord.html#comment-15361 Father, I found this refreshing and as always I learned a ton,thanks Jack - Jack,CT Sun, 13 Jan 2013 14:17:14 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2013/the-baptism-of-the-lord.html#comment-15359 'When law came, it was to multiply the opportunities of falling, but HOWEVER GREAT THE SINS COMMITTED,GRACE WAS EVEN GREATER; and so, just as sin reigned wherever there was death, so grace will reign to bring eternal life thanks to the righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ our Lord.' (Romans 5:20-21) We MUST 'pray without ceasing' (1 Thessalonians 5) and fulfil, to the very best of our abilities, our duties according to our state in life. God bless us and save us. - Tjtm_25 Sun, 13 Jan 2013 12:02:33 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2013/the-baptism-of-the-lord.html#comment-15356 You wrote: "But we are coming to the end of the voluntaristic age. It started with the worst excesses of the Enlightenment and has simply gone downhill from there, turning more and more bloody ever since. When you have even many Catholic clergy and religious, for all practical purposes, condoning 3500 abortions a day, normal people realize that there is something radically wrong with society and the Church." Yes, Father, an age of widespread moral darkness that is a seedbed for all of the seven deadly sins. Yet, as Bishop Sheen said, "The darker the night, the brighter the stars." Let us draw close to Our Lord, Our Lady and the entire Heavenly Court at Golgotha (present at EVERY MASS)-- seek the intercession of Mary, the angels and the saints, thank Our Lord, the Father and the Holy Spirit, repent, thank and adore. God will not abandon us any more than He did on the Cross; He will come to our assistance if we trust in Him and keep His commandments. - Tom Reynolds Sun, 13 Jan 2013 10:23:48 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2013/the-baptism-of-the-lord.html#comment-15355 PLEASE rephrase your conclusion to, "at the end of an age MUST there be a loss of possibility?" - Mary Carver Sun, 13 Jan 2013 09:59:40 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2013/the-baptism-of-the-lord.html#comment-15354 It is already possible to guess at what the next age will bring - islam. There is huge persecution of Christians in muslim lands and it is being ignored by the "Christian West" - islam is gaining ground in Europe and in the USA. Our lack of knowledge of our own Faith makes it almost impossible for us to spot the difference. - how we will fare in this particular scenario I don't know but there will be a huge challenge to remain faithful - Rene - Mrs. Rene O'Riordan Sun, 13 Jan 2013 09:57:27 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2013/the-baptism-of-the-lord.html#comment-15351 Subjecting one's self or one's children to baptism is an act of humility. And there is none more humble than Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, who emptied Himself as GOD for love of us. So it is with deep humility that we (like Jesus) submit ourselves to baptism or (like God) submit our children to baptism for love of Him. - Miriam Sun, 13 Jan 2013 05:42:07 +0100