Highly Recommended Book: Father Manelli's "Devotion to Our Lady"

If you want a great little book (only 167 pages) on why we should have great devotion to the Immaculate Virgin Mary, then please get read Father Stefano Manelli's Devotion to Our Lady. It's only five dollars, so there is not reason not to buy it.

It's one of the best books on Mary that I've ever read. Drawing on Scripture, the Fathers, the Lives of the Saints, and writings of the Popes, Father Manelli provides a concise defense for the claim that Marian devotion is absolutely necessary for our sanctification.

He also sheds light on the Marian titles of Mediatrix, Co-Redemptrix, Gate of Heaven, etc. As Saint Irenaeus said in the second century: "Mary became the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race" (Adversus Haereses 3:22).

You can purchase Father Manelli's Devotion to Our Lady here.

Fantastic Photo of His Holiness Pope Benedict and Our Lord Jesus Christ

This photo is simply stunning. Here's looking forward to the Pasch. In the meantime, have a blessed Lenten, Ember Friday.

Tantum Ergo by St Thomas Aquinas

Tantum ergo Sacramentum veneremur cernui: et antiquum documentum novo cedat ritui: praestet fides supplementum sensuum defectui. Genitori, Genitoque laus et iubilatio, salus, honor, virtus quoque sit et benedictio: procedenti ab utroque compar sit laudatio. Amen.

Down in adoration falling, Lo! the sacred Host we hail; Lo! o'er ancient forms departing, newer rites of grace prevail; faith for all defects supplying, where the feeble sense fail. To the everlasting Father, and the Son who reigns on high, with the Holy Ghost proceeding forth from Each eternally, be salvation, honor, blessing, might and endless majesty. Amen.

Augustine on the Meaning of the Number 38

We've been discussing Lenten numerology (particularly the signification of penance by the number 40). A reader has recently brought my attention to how Saint Augustine treats the number 38.

Augustine's sermon about the number 38 occurs today in the old Roman Breviary in the Matins of the Ember Friday of Lent: Matins of the Ember Friday of Lent.

The Four Marian Dogmas and the Various Titles of the Blessed Virgin Mary

We Catholics love the Mother of Christ simply because Christ loves and reveres her as His own mother. "Honor thy father and mother." Even more, Catholics recognize that the Blessed Virgin is not merely the means of Christ's incarnation. She is the "Woman" of Genesis 3:15 who is at everlasting war with Satan.

Her silent place under the cross demonstrates her willingness to conform to Simeon's prophecy about her: "A sword shall pierce your heart as well" (Lk 2:25). Mary experienced a piercing of the heart as her Divine Son was also pierced upon the cross of our salvation. This mystery further confirms that God has mystically associated the Holy Virgin with the infinite work of Christ's redemption. This is why she is sometimes called the "Co-Redemptrix" (more on this controversy in a later post). So then, since the Mother of the Redeemer is not merely one of the saints, but rather has a unique role in God's purpose and plan, the Catholic Church has proclaimed the "Four Marian Dogmas," which are:

1. Theotokos - Mother of God as testified by St Elizabeth: "And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" (Lk 1:43).

2. Ever Virgin - Mary is the Ark of the New Covenant since she contained the Word made flesh within her sacred womb. Consequently, she is set apart and inviolate.

3. Immaculate Conception - Mary was pre-redeemed in sight of the merits of Christ's cross so that she was preserved from the stain of original sin from her very first moment. This derives from Lk 1:28 where St Gabriel addresses her as κεχαριτωμένη - which is the Greek perfect passive participle of the verb related to noun "grace." It entails the completion of an act in the past. For the reason, the phrase has been historically translated as gratia plena or "full of grace." One full of grace is empty of sin!

4. Bodily Assumed into Heaven - The Mother of our Lord, since she is without original sin or personal sin, experiences the glorification of her body prior to the Last Judgment. As the Ark of the New Covenant she carried up by her Divine Son into Heaven in order to inaugurate the Kingdom of God: "Arise, O Lord, and go to thy resting place, thou and the ark of thy might" (Ps 132:8). As the Hebrew Gebirah or Queen Mother. For more details, read this: "Mary as the Davidic Gebirah."

Look for more posts today and this week focusing on titles, privileges, and prerogatives of our Immaculate Lady, such as Co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix, Advocate, Spouse of the Spirit, Seat of Wisdom, and Exterminatrix of All Heresy.

Please also read:

• The Virgin Mary inspires U2's Bono
• The Virgin Mary's Womb as Ezekiel's Closed Gate of the Messiah
  
• Demons unable to curse Blessed Virgin Mary
• St Augustine on Mary and our Becoming "His Mother"
• If Mary Had No Sin, Is Christ Her Savior?

Here's the Audio and Video of My Interview on Al Kresta

For those who weren't able to hear my interview with Al Kresta about the book The Crucified Rabbi, here's the mp3 digital audio version: Taylor Marshall on Al Kresta (02/24/2010)

I am especially thankful to Doug Pearson and Dave Palmer for this!

Video forthcoming.

Guy Mansini on Henri De Lubac's Surnatural

I'm excited about a lecture tonight at the University of Dallas:

Fr Guy Mansini: “On the Enduring Importance of De Lubac’s Surnaturel: The Dispute on Nature and Grace”

If you're going, I'll see you there. It should be fantastic.

Godspeed,
Taylor

Why Fish is Okay, but Not Meat on Fast Days (Interesting Answer from Thomas Aquinas!)

Many people ask why Catholics are permitted to eat fish on days of abstinence ("Fish Fridays"!), but not meat. After all, isn't fish a kind of "flesh"?

The traditional Catholic allowance for fish on days of abstinence has a mystical relationship to the episode of the Great Flood of Noah, in which it rained forty days and forty night - just as Lent is a forty day period of universal cleansing. During this time, Noah and his family ate fish, since they were not permitted to eat the animals on board the ark. Moreover, the fish were preserved in the Great Flood (fish can swim), but land animals were not (they drowned). Hence, fish also play a part in the ministry, parables, and teaching of Christ - after all, many of the Apostles were once fishermen.

However, Saint Thomas Aquinas provides us with a more practical reason for why meat is not allowed, but fish are permitted:

I answer that, fasting was instituted by the Church in order to bridle the concupiscences [i.e. inordinate desires] of the flesh, which regard pleasures of touch in connection with food and sex. Wherefore the Church forbade those who fast to partake of those foods which both afford most pleasure to the palate, and besides are a very great incentive to lust.

Such are the flesh of animals that take their rest on the earth, and of those that breathe the air and their products, such as milk from those that walk on the earth, and eggs from birds [here is the traditional prohibition against eggs, milk, and cheese since they all come from land animals]. For, since such like animals are more like man in body, they afford greater pleasure as food, and greater nourishment to the human body, so that from their consumption there results a greater surplus available for seminal matter, which when abundant becomes a great incentive to lust. Hence the Church has bidden those who fast to abstain especially from these foods. (Summa theologiae II-II q. 147, a. 8)

Are there any nutritionists out there who can confirm this? Any comments?

You may also enjoy reading:

• The Mystical Significance of the Fish in Jonah
• Why 153 Fish in John's Gospel? The Jewish Answer
• Fishers of Men and the 153 Fish in John 21:11

A Special Welcome to All "Al Kresta in the Afternoon" Listeners!

Please watch the The Crucified Rabbi book trailer.
A special welcome to all Al Kresta listeners! Thank you for visiting the Canterbury Tales blog. May God richly bless you!

I'm very grateful to Al Kresta and Nick Thomm for this opportunity. Kresta's program is one of the best, if not the best, syndicated shows out there!

to Jesus through Mary with Peter,
Taylor Marshall


Read about Taylor's conversion from the Episcopal priesthood to the Catholic Church by clicking here.

You may also like reading:

• Seven Reasons Why You Should Go to Confession During Lent
• The Official Catholic Rules on Fasting
• Top 10 Catholic iPhone Applications

Sandro Magister on the Conversion of Rabbi Zolli to Catholicism

The Jew, Jesus, Who Changed the Life of the Chief Rabbi of Rome

He changed it so much that Rabbi Israel Zolli had himself baptized in the Catholic Church. His book "Il Nazareno" has been reprinted and reviewed in "L'Osservatore Romano" by a Jewish scholar. And meanwhile, the second volume of the pope's "Jesus of Nazareth" is going to the printer

by Sandro Magister. Read the whole thing here.

You may also like:

• Rabbi Israel Eugenio Zolli – The Catholic Rabbi
• Christ's Great Hanukkah Sermon and How It Relates to the Maccabees
• Hanukkah Interview with Hebrew Catholic Mark Drogin of Remnant of Israel

I'll be on Al Kresta's Radio Program Today (Wednesday Feb 24)

I'll be on the Al Kresta in the Afternoon radio program this afternoon at 4:35 pm Eastern (3:35 pm Central) to talk about my new book The Crucified Rabbi: Judaism and the Origins of Catholic Christianity.

Al Kresta has a great show - one of the best in Catholic radio. Always interesting and humorous. He can be heard from New York to California.

Every Catholic radio station that is an affiliate with EWTN carries the show. Here's a list to find the show in your area: Affiliate Stations – Click Here.

Please listen and please say a prayer for me!

Godspeed,
Taylor

Seven Reasons Why You Should Go to Confession During Lent

1. Priestly absolution is an awesome gift that Jesus gave us.
Jesus gave us this Sacrament and wants us to enjoy His grace through it. He told His first priests, the Apostles:

Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, their sins are forgiven (John 20:22).

Christ gave us this sacrament of grace and forgiveness because He loves us. It is a divine gift of mercy and love - not merely an obligation.

2. You are a sinner.
We are a sinners and we need to examine the sinful patterns of our hearts and have a priest give us absolution, counsel, and penance.

"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 Jn 1:8).

We are often not honest with our hearts and it takes an objective "physician of souls," to help diagnose us spiritually.

3. Confession is a means of grace.
Confession shouldn't be terrifying. It is peaceful. We get excited over baptisms, weddings, and ordinations. Why not the remedy for our greatest Christian struggle? Why not be excited about Christ's forgiveness being declared by His appointed deputies - the priests of His Church.

4. You may have committed mortal sin.
There is a such thing as mortal sin:

If any one sees his brother committing what is not a mortal sin, he will ask, and God will give him life for those whose sin is not mortal. There is sin which is mortal. (1 Jn 5:16)

Mortal sin is deadly and it separates our souls from the pure eternal life that exists within the Blessed Trinity. Contrition and priestly absolution restores our hearts to a position of love toward God and our neighbors. It ratifies our repentance.

5. Guilt is unpleasant.
Often Satan weighs us down with guilt. Guilt can be a good thing if we transform it into repentance. Of course, Satan hates this and God and the angels love it. So free yourself from guilt and hear a tangible person with spiritual authority say, "I absolve thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

6. Confession unites you more fully to the Church.
When you make your confession to a priest, you acknowledge that you have sinned not only against God, but against every single other Christian because by your sin, you have weakened the universal witness of every single Christian. You have given the non-believer the excuse that "All Christians are hypocrites." When you go to Confession you acknowledge that you have caused every Christian to suffer by your sins.

"If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together" (1 Cor 12:26).

The priest, who represents both God and the Church by his ordination and office receives your repentance and you have the assurance of not only God's forgiveness, but also the implicit forgiveness of the entire Church.

7. Receiving the Eucharist becomes even more powerful.
When you receive the Holy Eucharist you receive the true Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ our Redeemer. When you confess your sins in a sacramental way, you also have a stronger sacramental union with Christ in the Eucharist. Also, if you are living in mortal sin, you should NEVER receive the Eucharist because you blaspheme Christ and set yourself up for greater judgment and eternal damnation! Consequently, confession heals and deepens your devotion to Christ in the Most Blessed Sacrament.

Did the Twelve Apostles Keep Lent?

In a previous post, we looked at the biblical significance of Lent as it relates to the number "forty" as a penitential sign of fasting and prayer (see: Lent: Why Forty Days?). Today we turn to a new topic: Did the Twelve Apostles Keep Lent?

Pope Saint Leo the Great (d. 461) maintained that the forty days of Lent were instituted by the Apostles:

"ut apostolica institutio quadraginta dierum jejuniis impleatur."
(Patrologia Latina 54, 633)

"That the Apostolic institution of forty days might be fulfilled by fasting."

St. Jerome (d. 420) and the church historian Socrates (d. 433) also assumed the apostolic institution of the forty days of fasting before the celebration of Christ's resurrection.

However, the "forty days" is difficult to maintain when we examine Eusebius' Church History (5, 24) in which he preserves an epistle of St. Irenaeus to Pope St. Victor (reigned from A.D. 189 to 199) in connection with the Paschal (Easter) controversy of the second century. Not only was there confusion about the date of the Christian Pascha (either Nisan 14 or Sunday thereafter), but Christians also debated as to whether the preceding fast should be for one day, two days, or forty hours. It seems that neither the Roman Christians nor the Eastern Christians knew of a "forty day" fast before Pascha.

Nevertheless, by the fourth century, the "forty days" of fasting prior to Pascha seem to be universally observed. St. Athanasius' Paschal letter for A.D. 331 reports that all the Christian of Alexandria, Egypt keep a "forty day" fast prior to Pascha/Easter. In his Paschal letter for A.D. 339, he mentions how the "forty day" fast prior to Pascha/Easter is universally kept by all the Churches: "to the end that while all the world is fasting, we who are in Egypt should not become a laughing-stock as the only people who do not fast but take our pleasure in those days."

The fifth canon of the Council of Nicea in A.D. 325 also confirms that "forty days" are kept as days of penance prior to Pascha.

My Conclusion:
My opinion is this. The Apostle instituted a strict fast to be kept for "the day on which the bridegroom was taken away" (Lk 5:35) - the day that we call Good Friday. The "forty hour" tradition mentioned by Irenaeus likely refers to the estimated time that Christ was in the tomb (3pm Friday till sometime before light on Sunday). Consequently, the apostolic fast began on what we call Good Friday and ended on Easter.

Hence, second century Christians believed that there was a special fast immediately before the commemoration of Christ's Resurrection, but the forty day tradition probably developed later. However, I think it is safe to say that a pre-Easter fast is of "apostolic institution," since it is already universally assumed by the 180s.

Podcast #7 Jewish Temple, Catholic Cathedrals

Click on "triangle" play button to listen.

Catholic cathedrals often incorporated features of the Jewish Temple. Learn more by listening to this podcast!

Please visit: crucifiedrabbi.com to browse through all the available podcasts.

Lent: Why Forty Days?

In Sacred Scripture, the number forty is a sign of penance:

• God made it rain for forty days and forty nights in the days of Noah (Gen 7:4 - by the way they only ate fish on the ark, not meat)
• Moses spent forty days fasting on Mount Sinai with God (Exodus 24:18)
• The People of Israel people wandered forty years traveling to the Promised Land (Numbers 14:33)
• Elijah spent forty days and forty nights walking to Mount Horeb (1 Kings 19:8)
• Jonah prophesied forty days of judgment for Nineveh to repent (Jonah 3:4).
• Jesus fasted for forty days days in the wilderness, and was tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1-2, Mark 1:12-13, Luke 4:1-2)
• Jesus was also in the tomb for about forty hours.

Humorous Video: Overpopulation is a Myth

Please watch this video. It's funny and informative.

Photo of My One Year Old Son with Ashes on Ash Wednesday

"Remember O man that thou art dust
and unto dust thou shalt return."

One of my favorite moments of fatherhood has always been seeing the imposition of ashes on my children's heads. It is an eerie, yet beautiful reminder that they too will one day die. Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust. I pray that I am a godly example and pattern of the faith that I hope they will hold till their dying breath.

Above are a couple photos of my one year old today after he received ashes at the hand of a priest.

Another Anglican Bishop Becomes Catholic - Paul Richardson of Newcastle!

From Damien Thompson at the Telegraph:

The former assistant Bishop of Newcastle, Paul Richardson, has been received into full communion with the Holy See, I am pleased to reveal. Richardson – also a former Anglican bishop in Papua New Guinea and diocesan bishop of Wangaratta in Australia – was received into the Church at the chaplaincy at Durham University last month.

He tells me that his conversion is not the product of recent controversies. “I would have become a Catholic even if the Church of England wasn’t ordaining women bishops,” he says. “In a sense I feel it’s what I’ve always been, so this is like coming home.”

Richardson, 63, is not planning to join the Ordinariate, but hasn’t ruled out ordination as a Catholic priest – “You can’t just jump in and say ‘I want to be ordained’. I think I have to let the Church guide me over that,” he says.

The Official Catholic Rules on Fasting for Ash Wednesday

In the United States pregnant women, nursing women, people over 60 and children under 14 are not obligated to fast, nor to abstain from meat. Here's what the current Code of Canon Law says:

Can. 1250 The penitential days and times in the universal Church are every Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent.

Can. 1251 Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference [for Americans, this refers to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops], is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence [not eating meat] and fasting [not eating food - see clarification below] are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Can. 1252 The law of abstinence binds those who have completed their fourteenth year [translation: no meat for those fourteen and up]. The law of fasting binds those who have attained their majority, until the beginning of their sixtieth year [so fasting for everyone from 18-59 years old]. Pastors of souls and parents are to ensure that even those who by reason of their age are not bound by the law of fasting and abstinence, are taught the true meaning of penance.

Can. 1253 The conference of bishops can determine more precisely the observance of fast and abstinence as well as substitute other forms of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of piety, in whole or in part, for abstinence and fast.

According to the United States bishops, "fasting" on Ash Wednesday for a Catholic Christian entails two collations (small, light snacks) and one full meal on Ash Wednesday - all without meat.

Does Ash Wednesday Contradict Christ's Words: "Let Your Fasting Be in Secret"

"And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6:16-18)

One of my students asked a very good question in light of this passage:

In the Gospel for Ash Wednesday, Christ warns us of changing our outward appearance whenever we fast [see verses above] in order to gain recognition for our religious commitments. Why then do we [Catholics] contradict this by placing ashes on our faces for the whole world to see?

Two answers: First, if you’re proud of your ashes, wash them off. If you’re embarrassed of your ashes, leave them on. Second, it’s worth noting that in Europe, ashes are placed on the top of the head or at the hairline so that they are not noticed. In America, however, we have the ostentatious practice of placing the ashes on our foreheads.

I just ate my pancakes for Shrove Tuesday (IHOP Innovations)

It's Shrove Tuesday - the day before Lent begins. So I put everyone in our white Mini-Van (her name is Vanna-White and she roll seven deep) and we went to the International House of Pancakes (IHOP) for our pre-Lenten feast. Yum.

I haven't been to IHOP in awhile. Let me say, they are pushing the limits of breakfast to a new extreme. If you think that I'm referring to the Rooty Tooty Fresh and Fruity, then you're wrong. I'm talking about French Toast filled with cinnamon cream cheese sugar frosting. And let's not forget the crepes filled with Nutella. Say what?

Anyway, back to pancakes. In England and many other countries, Shrove Tuesday is sometimes called "Pancake Day." Traditionally, making pancakes on the day before Lent was a way to rid the house of sugar, fat, and eggs - a sign of fasting and abstinence. Being Anglophiles, we roll out with pancakes every year on Shrove Tuesday...usually for dinner.

Last year, I celebrated by pouring Irish Stout beer (that I brewed myself) onto pancakes - which was surprisingly fantastic. My suspicion is that IHOP has not yet discovered this amazing combination. If IHOP ever gets a liquor license, look out. I may have to sell them my recipe.

"Welcome to IHOP. Can I interest you in some Nutella crepes or our brand new Irish Stout Hotcakes?"

Top of the morning to ya!

Please read: Fat Tuesday: Pancakes and Irish Stout

Humorous Video: The Quarlesome Wife of the Book of Proverbs

Thanks be to God that the video below does not apply to my marriage. I have a wonderful wife. In the Acknowledgments of The Crucified Rabbi, I say that my bride Joy, "is for me the virtuous and noble wife of the Hebrew Scriptures: Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all" (Prov 31:29).

To all single men with a vocation to Holy Matrimony. Be careful, pray and choose wisely. Otherwise you'll get this (a constant dripping):

Poll: How Effective Was Tim Tebow Super Bowl Ad?

Poll: What was your impression of the Super Bowl ad featuring Tim Tebow and his mom?

From OneNews.

Oprah Interviews Catholic Nuns! (Video)

I'm partial to the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, because they were praying for me when I was leaving the Episcopal priesthood in order to be received into the Catholic Church. I met them in Washington DC and they are simply beautiful in their vocation to serve and adore Christ. Oprah was pretty fair to the nuns and I think that this was a positive development. Let's hope for the "Oprah Effect."

Here are the videos via YouTube:

Part One:


Part Two:


Part Three:


Part Four:

Hat tip to Marcel LeJeune of Aggie Catholics for bringing these videos together. Gig 'em Ags!

Great Quotes for Saint Valentine's Day

Woodcut of Saint Valentine

Here are some good quotes for Saint Valentine's day:

At the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet.
Plato

Ah me! love can not be cured by herbs.
Ovid

Who would give a law to lovers? Love is unto itself a higher law.
Boethius, The Consolation of Philosophy

Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs.
William Shakespeare

This one is my favorite:

I claim there ain't
Another Saint
As great as Valentine.
Ogden Nash

Abp of York: Anglicans going to Rome are not "proper Catholics"

I used to have so much more respect for the Anglican Archbishop of York, Dr. John Sentamu. He clearly doesn't know what he's talking about. Check this out from the BBC (red comments are mine):

The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, says those Anglicans who respond to Pope Benedict's invitation to join the Catholic Church under the provisions of the new Apostolic Constitution, would not be "proper Catholics". You can listen to the interview in full on this week's Sunday Sequence (Sunday, from 8.30am).

Here's part of the exchange I had with Dr Sentamu on this week's Sunday Sequence:

Archbishop Sentamu: "If people genuinely realise that they want to be Roman Catholic, they should convert properly, and go through catechesis and be made proper Catholics. This kind of creation [the Apostolic Constitution] -- well, all I can say is, we wish them every blessing and may the Lord encourage them. But as far as I am concerned, if I was really [but you aren't], genuinely wanting to convert [which means that you don't want to], I wouldn't go into an Ordinariate. I would actually go into catechesis and become a truly converted Roman Catholic and be accepted. [Abp Sentamu fails to understand what an Ordinariate is and he fails to understand the Catholic doctrine of communio.]

William Crawley: "So those Anglicans who take advantage of the Apostolic Constitution, you're saying, would not be 'proper Catholics'?"

Archbishop Sentamu: "Well, I mean, I'd be very surprised --" [How does an Anglican know what 'proper Catholics' are - he's not Catholic. It's rather amusing to have an Anglican prelate pontificate on who is and is not a 'proper Catholic'.]

William Crawley: "What would they be if they are not 'proper Catholics'?"

Archbishop Sentamu: "They would be what they are: an Ordinariate of the Vatican." [Yes, which means that they would be proper and true Catholics!!!]

William Crawley: "Anglican Émigrés?"

Archbishop Sentamu: "(Laughter) Well, if I was a Roman Catholic bishop [which you aren't] and I had this group within my diocese being looked after by an Ordinariate whose reference was back to the Vatican, I'd have to ask a number of questions." [Of course you would, because you aren't Catholic. Similarly, if a true Catholic bishop were an Anglican, we would have a number of questions as to why the state rules his diocese and would be perplexed by your women priests...]

As you can tell, I'm a little miffed by an Anglican prelate speaking condescendingly toward the Holy Father's greatest act of ecumenical generosity. It's so smug. Read the whole thing.

Hell hasn't frozen over...but Dallas has...

Those of you in the north will probably laugh about this, but all of us in Texas are going nuts over this "blizzard." So much fun.

Most of us are happy to shovel the driveways and sidewalks.

"We need to talk to Jesus about..."

After I received the Most Blessed Sacrament at Mass, my three-year-old son whispered to me: "Dad, we need to talk to Jesus about me getting First Communion."

The other morning while I'm getting dressed, he walks into the room and says, "Can we pray together about First Communion." So we knelt down at the prie dieu in our bedroom and prayed that he would be able to receive the Holy Eucharist one day.

The amazing thing is that I believe that my three-year-old understands the Eucharist and wants to receive Christ sacramentally. It makes me desire the Eastern custom of paedocommunion (i.e. children receiving the Holy Eucharist).

By the way, Saint Augustine attests to the ancient practice of paedocommunion in the Latin West. I wrote a post about it here: Saint Augustine on Paedocommunion.

Godspeed,
Taylor

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Watch Planned Parenthood's Response Video to Tim Tebow's Pro-Life Superbowl Ad

Planned Parenthood has released their "sports celebrity response" to Tim Tebow's Super Bowl advertisement featuring former Viking Sean James and Olympic gold medalist Al Joyner. Both athletes say they, "respect Ms. Tebow's decision," not to have an abortion when she was pregnant with Tim, but that they also want "every woman's decision about her health and her family will be respected."

Video post above via YouTube.

What do you think? Please leave a comment with your thoughts...

Meet the Franciscans of the Immaculate (Inspired by Saint Pio and Saint Maximilian Kolbe)

I've recently learned of an impressive new order of Franciscans by the name "Franciscans of the Immaculate."

A special thanks to Fr. Joseph Michael Mary, FI for explaining to me the mission and charism of the Franciscans of the Immaculate.

Their founder, Fr. Stefano Manelli was a spiritual son of Saint Padre Pio. While still in his mother's womb Saint Pio blessed him. Manelli also received his first confession and first Holy Communion from Saint Pio as a young boy. When he was twelve years old he told St. Pio that he wanted to join him in the Capuchin Franciscans. However, Saint Pio told him not to do so. Instead, he was to become a Conventual Franciscan as it was there that our Lady had his sufferings waiting for him.

During his years as a Conventual Francsican, Father Stefano learned about Saint Maximilian Kolbe and the great Marian renewal that he led within the Franciscan Order. Inspired inspired by this, Father Stefano wanted to begin a renewal based on the example of Saint Maximilian Kolbe.

Father Stefano, with the permission of Saint Pio and his Conventual superior, instituted a separate observance within the Conventuals in 1970. Around 1989 the superiors of the Conventuals no longer desired this separate observance, and asked the friars to abandon their particular pattern of piety modeled on that of Saint Maximilian Koble for the common observance of the Conventuals.

At that time, Pope John Paul II of blessed memory learned about this state of affairs and asked that the documents of the separate observance be brought to him for his consideration. After reading the document called the Traccia, which is the Marian plan of Franciscan life lived by the Franciscans of the Immaculate, the Pope said that "this way of life is too precious for the Church to loose. Since they do not want you, I will separate you." In 1990, the friars became a Diocesan Institute and then in 1998 John Paul II elevated the Franciscans of the Immaculate to a religious institute of Pontifical Rite, which means the friars are directly under the Holy See.

The main aspect of their religious life is best understood by the Marian Vow. The friars make a canonical vow called the Marian Vow by which they give themselves totally to the Blessed Virgin Mary as Her property and possession. With that, in the spirit of Saint Maximilian Kolbe and Saint Francis of Assis, they seek to make her known and loved that she may bring souls to Jesus in the quickest way possible.

Here are some other links on the FI which you may have already seen:

• Franciscans of the Immaculate in America
• Franciscans of the Immaculate in Australia
• AirMaria
• Mary Victrix

I am especially grateful to Fr. Joseph Michael Mary, FI for for sharing this information with me.

My Book Recommendation for Lent: The Gargoyle Code by Father Longenecker

As many of you know, I'm a fan of Father Dwight Longenecker's blog and books. If you're looking for spiritual reading, he's written a great book for Lent entitled: The Gargoyle Code. It's a fictional exchange of "Lenten letters" between two demons who are attempting to tempt souls into sin. Provocative, entertaining, and edifying.

Please buy a copy for you and a friend via Father Longenecker's site.

What did you think of the Tim Tebow Pro-Life Superbowl Ad?

Okay, so you all have seen the Tim Tebow Superbowl Pro-Life advertisement? What did you think?

Personally, I was disappointed. The advertisement was hardly what I would consider "pro-life." I understand the need to be subtle, but it was a little too subtle. Ask yourself: "If you didn't know about the video and all the hype - would you have understood the ad or even known what it was about?"

I also don't understand why Tim tackled his mother. It's just sort of odd.

Seriously, with all the money that they spent on placing this ad in a Superbowl time slot, couldn't they have been a little more intentional and/or clever.

Those are just my thoughts. I'd love to hear your thoughts?

What did you think of the ad? Did you like it? Please leave a comment below and tell us.

You've Heard of the Pro-Life Tebow Ad - Have You Heard about the Pro-Abortion Ad from the Olympic Gold Medalist?

Okay, so by now you've heard of Tim Tebow's amazing pro-life Superbowl ad...but have you heard about this new "pro-choice" advertisement being put out by Olympic Gold Medalist Al Joyner and former NFL football player Sean James on behalf of Planned Parenthood?

It seems that Planned Parenthood is striking back. Both Olympic Gold Medalist Al Joyner and former NFL player Sean James have performed for a Planned Parenthood video. Both men speak up for "women's choices," which is always code for "let the abortion of babies be legal." Remarkably, the video directly addresses Tebow's mother. The gist of this pro-abortion video is that everyone's decisions should be respected...

But doesn't that beg the question? If abortion kills another human being, how can we respect that?

I'll post more as I learn more.

Please watch video trailer for Taylor Marshall's The Crucified Rabbi:



Please also read:

• Planned Parenthood's "Black Genocide"
• Abortion, College Girls, and Christmas Vacation

Olympic Gold Medalist Al Joyner

Movie Recommendation: Frost/Nixon

I recently watched the film Frost/Nixon about the famous interview between David Frost and President Richard Nixon after the Watergate scandal. It's true that movie about an interview sounds pretty lame, I know, but the acting was incredible. David Frost hopes that he can get Nixon to confess to crimes in a public interview while Nixon constantly outsmarts him along the way. It's like a game of chess. If you know your history, Frost finally catches him in a "check mate" moment.

Whoever played Nixon performed amazingly. I was very impressed. Very compelling.

There is some foul language, but the film is basically clean and very informative. It very much captures America's anger and disappointment regarding the Watergate fiasco. It also sheds light on Nixon's internal struggle as to whether to come clean or not. Five Stars.

Did Saint Agatha Wear Cosmetics?

Today is the feast of the virgin martyr Saint Agatha, and of course she did not where cosmetics. However, there is a beautiful passage in Saint Methodius about the "cosmetics" of Christ in reference to the blood of Christ (taken from today's Office of Readings). Here it is:

The woman who invites us to this banquet is both a wife and virgin. To use the analogy of Paul, she is the bride who has been betrothed to one husband, Christ. A true virgin, she wore the glow of pure conscience and the crimson of the Lamb’s blood for her cosmetics. Again and again she meditated on the death of her eager lover. For her, Christ’s death was recent, his blood was still moist. Her robe is the mark of her faithful witness to Christ. It bears the indelible marks of his crimson blood and the shining threads of her eloquence. She offers to all who come after her these treasures of her eloquent confession.

Agatha, the name of our saint, means “good.” She was truly good, for she lived as a child of God. She was also given as the gift of God, the source of all goodness to her bridegroom, Christ, and to us. For she grants us a share in her goodness.

What can give greater good than the Sovereign Good? Whom could anyone find more worthy of celebration with hymns of praise than Agatha?

Agatha, her goodness coincides with her name and way of life. She won a good name by her noble deeds, and by her name she points to the nobility of those deeds. Agatha, her mere name wins all men over to her company. She teaches them by her example to hasten with her to the true Good. God alone.

Saint Methodius Analecta Bollandiana 68, 76-78

Rather poetic and quite striking. I thought I'd share it.

Lord of the Rings: My Eldest Son Crosses a Threshold

Tonight I'm finally allowing my oldest son to watch the first episode of The Lord of the Rings - Fellowship of the Ring. First half tonight. Second half tomorrow.

I feel a little bad about it, because he hasn't read the books first. Still I'm pretty pumped about watching it with him. It's going to be awesome.

Augustine's Seven Steps to Wisdom and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Last night during a doctoral seminar, Father James Leherberger, O. Cist., Ph.D brought our attention to Saint Augustine's "Steps to Wisdom" in De doctrina christiana Book 2, Chapter 7. Father Lehrberger suggested that this course toward wisdom may appear elsewhere in Augustine's corpus (Confessions). As we spoke about it, we realized that these "steps" seems rather similar to the "Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit."

See for yourself:

Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit in Isaiah 11:2-3 (LXX):

1. Wisdom
2. Understanding
3. Counsel
4. Fortitude
5. Knowledge
6. Piety
7. Fear of the Lord

Saint Augustine’s "Steps to Wisdom" in De Christiana Doctrina Book Two

1. Wisdom
2. *Purification* (different from the traditional Isaian list above)
3. Counsel
4. Fortitude
5. Knowledge
6. Piety
7. Fear of the Lord

Why then does Saint Augustine substitute “purification” for “understanding”?

Whenever I’m confused about something like this, I usually turn to Saint Thomas Aquinas. So I looked up what he said on the "gift of understanding" in Summa theologiae II-II q. 8, a. 7. Thomas cites Augustine where he writes elsewhere:

On the contrary, Augustine says (De Serm. Dom. in Monte i, 4): “The sixth work of the Holy Ghost which is understanding, is applicable to the clean of heart, whose eye being purified, they can see what eye hath not seen.”

So then, Saint Augustine clearly understood the gift of "understanding" in terms of "becoming pure." This would explain why "step six" is listed as "purification" in Augustine's De doctrina christiana.

The conclusion then is that Saint Augustine's "Seven Steps" is simply a new expression of the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Pretty nifty.

Biretta tip to Father James Lehrberger.

The Roman Liturgy of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass Translated into Hebrew (Todah Sacrifice)

A kind Jewish gentleman who is reading my book The Crucified Rabbi, recently sent me a copy of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass (Roman Rite) in Hebrew.

As you may know, the rabbis said that the only sacrifice to be offered in the Messianic age would be the todah sacrifice. Todah is Hebrew for "thanksgiving," which translates into Greek as eucharistia. Hence, the true Messianic sacrifice is the Eucharist.

This Hebrew Mass is dated to 1967 and has an approval by the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem on the front page. The gentleman who sent it to me tells me that the Mass is celebrated in Hebrew in Haifa and Jerusalem.

If I have some time, I'll upload some images of it.

Does anyone know more about this? Has anyone ever attended Holy Mass in Hebrew?

Was C.S. Lewis an Anglo-Catholic?

C.S. had many deprecating things to say about the "gin-and-lace" version of Anglo-Catholicism that espoused the strange blend of Anglophilism and the copycatting of all ceremonial French and Italian. He also despised T.S. Eliot who stood as the English poster-child of high affected Anglicanism.

However, as C.S. Lewis developed his thinking, he became more and more of a High Churchman.

He believed in Baptismal Regeneration and spoke of Confirmation in a sacramental way, rather than as a mere public affirmation of faith.

Beginning in 1940, he began making his regular confession to an Anglican priest and heartily recommended the practice to others as good for the soul.

With respect to the Eucharist, Lewis most certainly believed in the Real and Abiding Presence of Christ in the Eucharistic species. He said, "Next to the Blessed Sacrament itself, your neighbor is the holiest object present to your senses."


Also, he openly affirmed the doctrine of Purgatory. He wrote:

Our souls demand Purgatory, don't they? Would in not break the heart if God said to us, 'It is true, my son, that your breath smells and your rags drip with mud and slime, but we are charitable here and no one will upbraid you with these things, nor draw away from you. Enter into the joy'? Should we not reply, 'With submission, sir, and if there is no objection, I'd rather be cleaned first.' 'It may hurt, you know' - 'Even so, sir.'

I assume that the process of purification will normally involve suffering. Partly from tradition; partly because most real good that has been done me in this life has involved it. But I don't think the suffering is the purpose of the purgation. I can well believe that people neither much worse nor much better than I will suffer less than I or more. . . . The treatment given will be the one required, whether it hurts little or much.

My favorite image on this matter comes from the dentist's chair. I hope that when the tooth of life is drawn and I am 'coming round',' a voice will say, 'Rinse your mouth out with this.' This will be Purgatory. The rinsing may take longer than I can now imagine. The taste of this may be more fiery and astringent than my present sensibility could endure. But . . . it will [not] be disgusting and unhallowed."

For C.S. Lewis, salvation was not a "once-for-all" event in the life of a believer at which "one gets saved." Rather it was the ongoing process of crucifying and mortifying the flesh and thus conquering all existing sin one's life by the Blood of the Christ. In other words, Justification necessitates a very real and necessary Sanctification of the believer. It's the taking up of the cross of Christ and following Him by he power of the Holy Spirit. God's grace forgives and transforms. This understanding is also revealed in Lewis' affinity for the literary theme of "spiritual pilgirmage," which is found in so many of his writings (Great Divorce, Pilgrim's Regress, Narnia, Space Trilogy).

If this Sanctification is true and real, it must indeed reach its goal and thus the sanctification and purification of the believer must be brought to completion even if not completed in this life. This after death purification or sanctification is called "Purgatory" by C.S. Lewis and by Roman Catholics. However, like Dante before him, C.S. Lewis places Purgatory within the gates of Heaven. It is in that sense the "forecourt of Heaven." The place where you are finally scrubbed down before entering the throne room of the King of Kings.


Anyway, as C.S. Lewis grows in importance, especially with the Narnia movies, it's important to recognize that he falls more in line with the Catholic tradition, which he shares with his friend and mentor J.R.R. Tolkien.

You may also enjoy reading:

• The Anglican Personal Ordinariate and How It's Different from a Personal Prelature
• Taylor Marshall's Conversion from the Anglican Priesthood to Catholicism

Why did Mary and Joseph Not Bring a "Lamb" to the Presentation of Christ?

Guest post by T. Ciatoris

In what follows, I wish to address both Mary’s purification and Jesus’ presentation at the Temple, then suggest a way of coordinating the two that may, I hope, elicit beneficial meditation on this glorious Feast of the Holy Catholic Church (and, indeed, each time we pray the Fourth Joyful Mystery of the Rosary).

First, Mary’s purification: why would the Mother of God stand in need of purification? How could conceiving and bearing the spotless Lamb of God render her unclean?

At Summa theologiae III.37.4 ad 2, St. Thomas Aquinas addresses this concern by attending closely to the biblical text of Leviticus 12:2, which, along with v. 4, specifies the period of post-partum purification:

Moses seems to have chosen his words in order to exclude uncleanness from the Mother of God, who was with child “without receiving seed.” It is therefore clear that she was not bound to fulfil that precept, but fulfilled the observance of purification of her own accord, as stated above.

The end of Thomas’s response refers to the corpus of the same article, where he writes,

I answer that, As the fulness of grace flowed from Christ on to His Mother, so it was becoming that the mother should be like her Son in humility: for “God giveth grace to the humble,” as is written in James 4:6. And therefore, just as Christ, though not subject to the Law, wished, nevertheless, to submit to circumcision and the other burdens of the Law, in order to give an example of humility and obedience; and in order to show His approval of the Law; and, again, in order to take away from the Jews an excuse for calumniating Him: for the same reasons He wished His Mother also to fulfil the prescriptions of the Law, to which, nevertheless, she was not subject.

Continue reading at The Crucified Rabbi.com

Recommended Private School in Dallas: Faustina Academy

Some of you listening on the radio today may be wondering where I teach. I teach high school Latin and Theology in the mornings at Faustina Academy in Irving Texas.

It's a great small private school. I'd encourage you to check out it out: Faustina Preparatory Academy.

I'll be on the radio today talking about Catholic schools

Dave Palmer at Guadalupe Radio (910 AM in the Dallas/Fort Worth/North Texas region) has invited me back to talk about Catholic Education today at 12:00 pm.

You can also listen live online at Guadalupe radio's website.