He Descended into Hell

He descended into Hell.
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What is happening? Today there is a great silence over the earth, a great silence, and stillness, a great silence because the King sleeps; the earth was in terror and was still, because God slept in the flesh and raised up those who were sleeping from the ages. God has died in the flesh, and the underworld has trembled.

Truly he goes to seek out our first parent like a lost sheep; he wishes to visit those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. He goes to free the prisoner Adam and his fellow-prisoner Eve from their pains, he who is God, and Adam's son.

The Lord goes into them holding his victorious weapon, his cross. When Adam, the first created man, sees him, he strikes his breast in terror and calls out to all: "My Lord be with you all." And Christ in reply says to Adam: "And with your spirit." And grasping his hand he raises him up, saying:

"Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light.

I am your God, who for your sake became your son, who for you and your descendants now speak and command with authority those in prison: Come forth, and those in darkness: Have light, and those who sleep: Rise.

I command you: Awake, sleeper, I have not made you to be held a prisoner in the underworld. Arise from the dead; I am the life of the dead. Arise, O man, work of my hands, arise, you who were fashioned in my image. Rise, let us go hence; for you in me and I in you, together we are one undivided person.

For you, I your God became your son; for you, I the Master took on your form; that of slave; for you, I who am above the heavens came on earth and under the earth; for you, man, I became as a man without help, free among the dead; for you, who left a garden, I was handed over to Jews from a garden and crucified in a garden.

Look at the spittle on my face, which I received because of you, in order to restore you to that first divine inbreathing at creation. See the blows on my cheeks, which I accepted in order to refashion your distorted form to my own image.

See the scourging of my back, which I accepted in order to disperse the load of your sins which was laid upon your back. See my hands nailed to the tree for a good purpose, for you, who stretched out your hand to the tree for an evil one.

I slept on the cross and a sword pierced my side, for you, who slept in paradise and brought forth Eve from your side. My side healed the pain of your side; my sleep will release you from your sleep in Hades; my sword has checked the sword which was turned against you.

But arise, let us go hence. The enemy brought you out of the land of paradise; I will reinstate you, no longer in paradise, but on the throne of heaven. I denied you the tree of life, which was a figure, but now I myself am united to you, I who am life. I posted the cherubim to guard you as they would slaves; now I make the cherubim worship you as they would God.

The cherubim throne has been prepared, the bearers are ready and waiting, the bridal chamber is in order, the food is provided, the everlasting houses and rooms are in readiness; the treasures of good things have been opened; the kingdom of heaven has been prepared before the ages.”

- From an ancient homily by an anonymous source and shared by Bishop Robert Barron

The Gardener Who Sows Wildly - Lent Day 38 - Bishop Robert Barron

Why does God create? Is it out of need? No. God creates because he is diffusivum sui, diffusive of himself, bubbling over with joy and fecundity. He creates, as Vatican I says, in order to manifest his glory. He is effervescent, exuberant, over the top, playful and creative love. God is the gardener of being who sows, plants, and prunes.

- Bishop Robert Barron

The above quote is from Bishop Barron’s lenten reflection about the Parable of the Sower. 

I love the phrase about God being “diffusive of Himself”.  He is Creator, and He creates. He does so joyfully and even wildly, as seen in the Parable of the Sower and as Bishop Barron has pointed out. 

If the ground is the least bit receptive, then the seed will take root and grow. That is the good ground that the good seed of the Word falls on. Choose to be that good ground. Ask God to make it so, to make you good ground where the Word can produce fruit. Choose Him choosing you, as the saying goes. 

Matthew 13New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

The Parable of the Sower

13 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. 6 But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 Let anyone with ears[a] listen!”

Holy Saturday

Today a great silence reigns on earth, a great silence and a great stillness. A great silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began... He has gone to search for Adam, our first father, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow Adam in his bonds and Eve, captive with him — He who is both their God and the son of Eve... "I am your God, who for your sake have become your son... I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead.

-Ancient Homily for Holy Saturday

Definition of Abortion

“Abortion does not mean the gentle exercise of some abstraction called ‘choice’. Abortion means the brutal execution of a living human being.”

Babies in the Womb Exist

One of the tragedies of the abortion culture is that life in the womb has been so heartbreakingly devalued. To embrace the arguments of the “pro-choice” crowd one must conclude that the child in the womb doesn't exist, isn't there, has no being. 
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Excellent pro-life argument.  The baby in the womb does exist, and his or her existence is is different from that of the mother. 

In order to kill the child, his existence must be denied. It must be redefined as just a blob of tissue. 


In Him we live and move and have our being.
 (Acts 17:28). 

That fact is just as true for the unborn child as it is for the mother. 

See 40 Days for Life Campaign

Gleaned from Comments at Old Life

 Person 1: I feel as though I know so little, have so much to learn, and have made so many mistakes, so many missteps in my life. The term ‘life-long learner’ is a good fit for me

Person 2: Ariel, if so serious then require repentance over apology. The latter is cheap, the former more difficult. Another option is to let offense go so it can rest on the head of your accuser. But in blogdom it’s all about the drama.

Person 3: ... we all have ‘blind spots’ (I fear I have the most), so yours was an excellent point and reminder.”>>>
Response from Person 4: Well isn’t that a fine attitude to take. ;-) Bless your heart sir :) Of course, this side of the resurrection, we will all live and die with some blind spots.
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So, I am  lifelong learner with the Word of God, Sacred Tradition, and the Teaching Magisterium of the Catholic Church, - led by the Holy Spirit - to be my guides. I am not left all on my own to try to figure it all out by myself. Christ put me in His body. There I am hidden with Christ in God who is above all and through all and in all. 

Let all else go, and be joyous!

Ephesians 4New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

Unity in the Body of Christ

4 I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

Whatever our spiritual need - Christ meets it

Here is a quote from the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Some groups emphasize that we are dead in our trespasses and sins, which is true. However, the Bible also has other descriptions of our spiritual state without grace. Notice all the things we needed and how each and every need is met by Christ. 
When I get time, I will show where Scripture supports each point St. Gregory of Nyssa makes. Many accuse Catholics of not caring about Scripture, only tradition. That is true of all kinds of Christians, but it should not be that way. 
There is a movement within Catholicism to study Scripture and know what our faith teaches. 
Sick, our nature demanded to be healed; fallen, to be raised up; dead, to rise again. We had lost the possession of the good; it was necessary for it to be given back to us. Closed in the darkness, it was necessary to bring us the light; captives, we awaited a Savior; prisoners, help; slaves, a liberator. Are these things minor or insignificant? Did they not move God to descend to human nature and visit it, since humanity was in so miserable and unhappy a state?71

St. Gregory of Nyssa, Orat. catech 15: PG 45, 48B.

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