I read this article on the Catholic News Agency today and thought it was worth sharing. Fr. Robert J. Spitzer, S.J, PhD is a philosopher and physicist who says that the more we learn about our universe, the more it points to the idea that it must have a creator.
Here is a snippet from the article explaining the theory of of “singularities”:
“Every single Big Bang model shows the existence of what scientists call a ‘singularity,’ and the existence of each singularity demands the existence of an external ‘element’ to the universe,” Fr. Spitzer said.
The priest physicist then proceeded to explain the different, complex versions of the various Bing Bang theories.
He quoted Roger Penrose, the world-famous English mathematician and physicist, who corrected some of the theories of his friend and colleague Stephen Hawkins to conclude that every Big Bang theory, including the one known as Quantum theory, confirms the existence of singularities. Therefore, said Spitzer, the need to find an explanation to the universe’s existence drives us to seek “a force that is previous and independent from the universe.”
Fr. Spitzer also quoted the 2003 experiments by three leading cosmologists, Arvin Borde, Alan Guth, and Alexander Vilenkin, who were able to prove that any universe which has, on average, been expanding throughout its history cannot be infinite in the past but must have a past space-time boundary.
“The concept at this point is clear: nothing is nothing, and from nothing, nothing comes, since nothing is… nothing!” Fr. Spitzer said, to explain the fact that contemporary astrophysics demands “something with sufficient power to bring the universe into existence.”
“It sounds like a theological argument, but is really a scientific conclusion.
“There is no way to ignore the fact that it demands the existence of a singularity and therefore of a Creator outside space and time,” he added.
According to Fr. Spitzer, “this theory has become so scientifically solid, that 50% of astrophysicists are “coming out of the closet” an accepting a metaphysical conclusion: the need of a Creator.”
Personally, I’ve always seen it as very logical that something must have existed outside of the universe and created the dense matter that would later become the Big Bang. Read the full here.
Dear children, with joy, persistently work on your conversion. Offer all your joys and sorrows to my Immaculate Heart that I may lead you all to my most beloved Son, so that you may find joy in His Heart. I am with you to instruct you and to lead you towards eternity. Thank you for having responded to my call.
Mary wants us to “persistently work” on our conversion towards Jesus Christ. This theme of conversion is echoed repeatedly throughout the mysteries of the rosary. We see it most clearly in the Third Luminous Mystery. We are called to live for Jesus’ kingdom of Heaven by converting our earthly ways to His heavenly ways. I like how Mary calls conversion “persistent work” in that our conversion towards Christ isn’t something done in an instant. Everyone, from the normal person on the street to the Pope has to work constantly on their conversion towards Christ. Mary adds that not only should we work towards conversion, but we should work with joy since there is no higher goal than living in God’s grace and one day living in His kingdom of Heaven.
The idea of joy is repeated throughout Her message. She says that we should convert with joy, offer up our joys, and we can find joy in His heart. At times we don’t always think of our faith with a sense of joy and wonder. Instead we see its rules, laws, and obligations. We see it as a burden to go to Mass on Sunday. We see only the hardship of following the Church’s laws and not being able to do whatever we want. But we miss the joy of working towards something so much greater than what this world has to offer.
May we listen to our mother, Mary, and persistently work on our conversion to be true followers of Christ. May we keep our eyes on that eternal goal of the joy of Heaven instead of being consumed entirely by shallow, earthly pursuits. Mary asks us to orient ourselves towards Jesus Christ. Ask yourself, which way are you pointing?
This rosary meditation focuses on The First Luminous Mystery — Jesus’ Baptism in the Jordan. In this mystery we see Jesus transforming Baptism from being a purely symbolic act of renewal to an actual gift of the Holy Spirit that cleanses our soul of original sin. For this mystery I’m going to focus on the central message of John the Baptist — a call to repentance. While John is usually associated with Baptism (hence his title), his ministry really focuses on the Sacrament of Confession. He preached that we prepare ourselves to fully receive God when we approach Him with a repentant heart. These two sacraments really go hand-in-hand in that they both center around the Holy Spirit cleansing our soul of the effects of sin.
Think about how you take care of your teeth. You brush and floss daily to keep them clean. However, every six months you also need to go to a dentist to have your mouth thoroughly inspected and cleaned by a professional. Seeing your dentist is not a sign of bad oral health. It’s not like the only people who need to see a dentist are those who do not brush regularly. Rather, everyone needs regular brushing and checkups or else our teeth will not be their strongest. Skipping the daily brushing routine or the checkups might lead to premature dentures.
What does this have to do with repentance besides the fact that most people would probably consider a trip to the dentist as some sort of penance? Like brushing your teeth, prayer must be part of your daily routine to keep your soul healthy. Regular prayer is your time to reflect on all those ways you have lived God’s will and offer Him thanksgiving. You also ask for strength and guidance to continue living a spiritually healthy life. Prayer serves as a little check to prevent sin from entering and decaying your soul. However, every so often you also need to see a professional to give your soul a thorough scrubbing away of sin. And that scrubbing is the Sacrament of Confession.
Just like how brushing alone isn’t enough to keep your teeth healthy, individual prayer alone is not enough to keep your soul healthy. You can’t completely fix the effects of sin with only individual prayer. There are instances where your soul requires the help of a professional in order to fix the spiritual decay that may be attacking and spreading within you. You may think that my analogy leads to the priest hearing your confession to be that professional who “fixes” your soul. However, the priest is merely the assistant. The real professional, the one who actually cleanses your soul of sin, is God. God works through the priest to clean your soul and restore it back to a clean and healthy state.
This mystery should remind us of John the Baptist’s message that we should “prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths” (Mt 3:3). Let us remember to be thoroughly repentant not just through our private prayers but also by receiving the sacrament of Confession. That way we clear out souls of everything that blocks us from fully receiving God’s graces. Instead of seeing confession as some sort of punishment, let us see it for what it really is — a gift. It is our chance to set things right, fix what is broken in our life, and build a stronger relationship with our Lord, Jesus Christ. May we remember that it is through confession that we return to that pure innocence that we had at our Baptism. We return to that state of grace that God desires for all of us. So let us make the effort to go to Confession regularly (the Church says at least once a year) and live as true disciples of Jesus Christ. And you might want to pop in to see your dentist as well!
Along with the rewards and benefits that come with membership in the Catholic Church come duties, obligations, and even sacrifices. This article on the Catholic News Agency discusses how the secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education, Archbishop Jean-Louis Brugues, says that modern society has lost the ideas of duty and sacrifice. I see the theme of duty represented in the Fifth Sorrowful Mystery and the importance of sacrifice shown in the Third Luminous Mystery. We should meditate on these mysteries for the strength and courage to do all that God asks of us.
Through His death, Jesus showed us that we all have a duty to live and defend our faith. As I said in my Crucifixion meditation, I feel that Jesus’ crucifixion is the ultimate example that we are all called to follow God’s plan even in the face of great difficulty. It is our duty, as Catholics, to remain faithful no matter the earthly consequences our faith might bring. I see so many instances where peoples’ duty to the Catholic faith stops as soon as it comes in conflict with their personal views, beliefs, or lifestyle. However, the Church always reminds us that we have an obligation to put God first in our lives. And while that can cause great hardship in this life, God rewards our dedication with everlasting life in His kingdom.
The Third Luminous Mystery, The Proclamation of the Kingdom of Heaven and the Call to Conversion, outlines the need for sacrifice. I typically see sacrifice in terms of fasting. However, I often wonder what difference it makes whether I fast or not. After all, am I a better person because I skip a dessert or give up drinking soda? Do my prayers carry any more weight because I didn’t eat meat on a Friday? When put into the context of the Third Luminous Mystery, sacrifice and fasting make more sense. In his book, “Fasting,” Fr. Slavko Barbaric explains the sacrifice of fasting as “a call for conversion directed to our body… by which we become free from and independent of all material things.” Notice how he echos the idea of sacrifice being a tool for conversion. When we fast and sacrifice, we detach ourselves from the fleeting pleasures of this world and open ourselves to the much greater gift of God’s grace. In other words, God is no more receptive to us because we fast (after all, He is already infinitely receptive to everyone) but we become more receptive to God.
Our duty as Catholics to live a life of sacrifice will not be easy. However, Archbishop Jean-Louis Brugues is very direct when he says, “God’s plan cannot be fulfilled except through sacrifice.” In other words, sacrifice is not something optional for Catholics nor is it something we should only think about during holy seasons like Lent. Yes, our faith can present challenges. But what challenge can be so great that it is not worth the promise of God’s Heavenly kingdom?
Here’s a little snippet from the movie, “Rocky Balboa” where Rocky explains to his son that winning means being able to make sacrifices and endure life’s challenges. Think about this philosophy in terms of your faith. Are you a fighter or are you letting life’s hardships keep you down? Do you have the conviction to really live for God’s kingdom by always striving to do God’s will even in the face of great difficulty?
PS: “Fasting” is out of print, but it is worth picking up a used copy. It is only 47 pages (large type), but it is a great introduction on the importance of fasting.
I’m going to diverge a little from my usual posts and talk about a topic that combines charity, investing, and entrepreneurship. I’m going to talk about Kiva. Kiva is a website that allows you to give small loans to people, typically to those who live in poor areas of the world. Kiva describes itself as the world’s first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend directly to unique entrepreneurs around the globe. Its mission is to help alleviate poverty.
I discovered Kiva by accident. I received a gift certificate for it as an award at work. At first I was a little disappointed because previous award winners received items like a new iPod. And who doesn’t like receiving a shiny, new gadget? Not knowing anything about Kiva, I felt like someone had made a donation to charity in my name. That would have been fine and I would have been quite happy if that had been the case. But there was still that little, materialistic part of me that really wanted the cool gizmo. But that was before I learned what Kiva was all about.
Kiva is not a charity in the way you traditionally think of one. You do not just write a check that goes into a large pool of money to be handed out or used for administrative costs. Instead, you are contributing directly to individuals who are trying to improve their lives and the lives of their families. You are not giving people a handout, rather you are loaning them money so they can do something constructive with it. The whole concept reminds me of the saying, “Give a man a fish and you will feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you will feed him for a lifetime.” Kiva is the opportunity to “teach people to fish” since they are using this money to build a business, get an education, or improve their situation some other way. It feels great knowing that there is a specific person, with specific goals, who is helped by a small contribution. It is amazing how we have the power to transform lives for the cost of a book or DVD.
You do not earn interest from your loans on Kiva. But you do get your principle investment back and can loan it to others (Kiva has a 98% repayment rate). And that is the most amazing aspect of the whole operation — you have the ability to perpetually help many people for years with a very small initial investment. Think of it like this — a one-time donation of $100 to a typical charity is spent once and is gone. However, putting that same $100 into a Kiva account has the potential to help people achieve their dreams indefinitely. How often can you say that $25 (the minimum loan amount) transformed people’s lives by allowing someone to fix his taxi, grow fruit to sell at a market, and build a home? Those are just some real examples of how my loans were utilized.
It is rare in this world that so little can go such a long way. I’m reminded about the story of Jesus multiplying the fish and bread to feed the masses (John 6). At first no one would have thought that a young boy’s meager offer of a few loaves and some fish would be enough to satisfy so many people. But through the power of Jesus Christ, the boy’s sacrifice did produce enough to feed everyone. In a similar vein, a seemingly small contribution to Kiva can go a long way in helping those who are trying to help themselves. So whose behavior do you want to imitate? Do you want to act like the apostles and doubt that a small contribution might do any good? Or do you want to be like the boy and offer what you can and see miracles happen?
PS: I do not work for Kiva or benefit personally in any way from it. I just think it is something everyone should know about.
