KingZorProphets? Pick One.

I am preparing lessons for my second semester classes at Brother High School.  I am teaching two Theology Courses to four sections of 36 Juniors and one section of 34 Freshmen.  The Juniors get Social Justice this semester after last semester's Morality units. The Freshmen are taking a full year of Old Testament.

The text books* are very orthodox presentations of Catholic teachings and you can't miss with the Bible.  Not only that, Catholic Social Teaching is rich with primary sources.  Pope Leo XIII's Rerum Novarum is an essential read that most later-day Social Justice Warriors (SJWs) have never encountered.

Instead, neo-Maoist activism of SJW proclaims - Every Voice a Prophet. . . .And every man a king!

It don't work that way.  Kings and prophets are in opposite camps and what about every man?

We are called by God to bear witness to the faith.

Some might argue that bearing witness is not enough.  Okay.

• Calling 911 when that clown broke out my back door window last Wednesday, in order to take what I do not have, was an act of bearing witness by a neighbor which I greatly appreciated, because the thief was interrupted and bolted, when blue lights from the heroes of District 22 appeared in the early morning skies.

• Chatham Glass ( two brothers) replaced my busted window for much less than two more franchised companies, because of the Sacred Season and the circumstance - they bore witness without a press conference, a march, or CNN
• I used the savings to donate to a charity.

Kings and prophets are too busy for such stuff.

I am going to try and concentrate upon words of the prophets and actions of the kings in the Old Testament and try and present their impact upon the people who will be dragged off to Babylon, conquered by the Persians,  Greeks and Romans and await the arrival of the 'annointed one' of the  Root of Jesse.

                                        CYO - Bishop Sheil is the template for Catholic Action

We have far too many SJWs taking it to the streets and far too few people willing to clean up their mess after wards,

The old Catholic Action was practical, effective and compelling. It was launched by Bishop Shiel.  Bishop Shiel?  Yeah, this Archdiocese has pretty much burried Bishop Sheil in favor of press happy prophets with hard collars and Macy's gold cards, 

Bishop Sheil inspired Catholics to act, not pose, shout, march or preen.

That was long before we were all called to be kings and prophets.

Some one needs to set up chairs.

No chairs, no Justice. 

*Written on Our Hearts (2009): The Old Testament Story of God's Love, Third Edition 3rd Edition

Living Justice and Peace (2008): Catholic Social Teaching in Practice, Second Edition 2nd Edition

Would God Like Me ? One Never Knows, Do One?

Simple Question: Would God Like You? Would God like me?

God Loves us all, that is why he created the universe, but I wonder if God would get along with me.

I am prepping my students for their final exams next week here at Brother Rice High School in Mount Greenwood.  I have four sections of Juniors taking a Christian Morality Class and one section of Freshmen in an Old Testament Class. All are very fun, challenging and sobering for me the instructor.

In the junior classes we cover morality

• Natural Moral Law  - the Unitarian Canon - we are all alike
• Old Testament Moral Law - God's contract with Man and Israel in particular
• New Testament - Christ's Challenge to Live Drudgery and find Happiness
• The Precepts of the Catholic Church The Magnificent 7: 1.Go to Mass, 2.take the Sacraments, 3.Study for Confirmation, 4.Observe Marriage Laws, 5.Support the Church - make that drop, 6. do penance and 7. be an Apostle - make Catholic Christianity attractive
• Canon law - The quotidian web of laws, teachings about worship, Church property, and role of laity - buck up, folks. 

We just finished a Unit on the the Sixth Commandment - Thou Shalt Not Kill and the lads were astonished to see what is covered under that:

• Do not Offer Scandal - If the Kids see me coming out of Pole Katz, or hookers popping in and out of Casa Hickey along the tracks, I have 'killed' their innocence by saying adultery is acceptable. I am a teacher and a Theology teacher at that.  More so, if I stay in bed on Sundays and ditch Mass, my kids learn to do the same.  Not on this fat boy's watch.
• Give People Their Dignity from Womb to Tomb - if you are OK with abortion, you are OK with anything. Likewise if you help prey on the poor by placing Pay Day Loan and Car Title Loan stores in Zip Codes of poor people, if you  are a State Legislator/Senator who helped enact the growth of predatory lenders you have sinned against the 6th Commandment.
• If you eat like hog and act like one as well, you might be committing suicide of the installment plan.
• There is a difference between 'killing' and a Homicide.
• Bullies are killing peoples' dignity 

The Freshmen have studied the LAW of God.  The Old Testament is great literature and the inspired Word of God written by some very talented people.

We have Covered Genesis & Exodus; Deuteronomy, Judges, Samuel 1 & 2 and the Book of Kings.

The guys learned that God wants us to listen to Him and the We ignore Him until the shit hits the fan.

The God hears our cries and 'raises up' flawed, scared and doubtful men and women to get our lard out of the frying pan.

Adam, Eve, Cain Abraham, Issac, Lot, Noah, Moses, Joshua, Gideon,  Samson Deborah, Ruth, Hannah, Saul David and Solomon all go their own ways ,after God has promised them His full support.  Even after God delivers, the OT people try to go their own way - just like all of us. 

What I have been blessed with is a nagging question - Would God like Hickey.  Would Jesus immediately kick my ass upon meeting? Has my life merited a sound beat-down? Would my ass be smote?

In the words of the great Fats Waller, One never knows, Do One!"