TOB Tuesday: The Word Made Flesh

ChelseaReligion, Theology of the Body, TOB TuesdayLeave a Comment

Because we are still in the Christmas season and because it is so significant, I want to re-post some of what I posted last week from Steve Pokorny’s Catholic Exchange article on the REAL meaning of Christmas:

Have you ever really listened to “Oh come, all ye faithful?” Check out the third verse:

Yea, Lord, we greet Theenull

Born this happy morning;

Jesus, to Thee be all glory giv’n;

Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing.

GLORY

In the public square, the Second Person of the Trinity was proclaimed by His sons and daughters as coming down to earth, to wrap Himself in human flesh, and to become one like us. All the hopes and dreams of humanity hinges on that one small child who came to earth to bring us to heaven. And He came in A BODY. And it would be this Body, given for us, that would give new hope and new meaning of our own bodies.

The body matters. What we do with our bodies matters. We especially know this is true because of the mystery of the Word made flesh. In Christ the “whole fullness of deity dwells bodily” (Colossians 2:9). Through this fact, the John Paul II says, the human body “entered theology…through the main door” (TOB 23:4).

Read: What Makes the Body “Theological”? or watch: “How Can the Body have a Theology?”

The truth is that only in the mystery of the incarnate Word does the mystery of man take on light…Christ, the final Adam, by the revelation of the mystery of the Father and His love, fully reveals man to man himself and makes his supreme calling clear. (Gaudium et Spes 22)

TOB Tuesdays

Tebow Pro-Life Super Bowl Commercial Buzz

ChelseaAbortion, Pro LifeLeave a Comment

Lord knows I am not one to post rumors or speculation, but I’m hoping with all my heart that this one is true. From the Colorado Springs Independant:

[d]uring the (Super Bowl) telecast, mixed in among all the hilarious, watch-my-wife-Susie-blow-beer-out-of-her-nose commercials, there may be a 30-second, anti-abortion ad from our very own Focus on the Family.

Really.

A Super Bowl spot on CBS and three 30-second slots during pregame coverage would cost Focus $4 million.

*snip*

The Focus ad supposedly features the story of University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow and his mother. Pam Tebow and her husband were Christian missionaries in the Philippines in the ’80s, and during her pregnancy with Tim she developed amoebic dysentery. Doctors told her the strong drug they used to kill the infection had likely damaged the fetus, and they suggested an abortion. Pam refused. Tim was born healthy, won the Heisman Trophy in 2007, led Florida to the national championship a year ago and is a likely top draft pick in next spring’s NFL draft.

*snip*

Focus isn’t confirming anything about the ad, though it’s not a secret inside the organization. Reached by phone Tuesday, Focus media relations director Gary Schneeberger said: “I decline comment. Let’s just say that. I have nothing to say.”

But then he added: “If there is a Super Bowl commercial from Focus on the Family, I guess you’ll just have to wait and see it during the Super Bowl. I can say Tim Tebow does not appear in any Focus on the Family ad.” Schneeberger didn’t say anything about Tebow’s mother.

A source says the new head of Focus, Jim Daly, spoke at an evangelical conference a few months ago and unveiled the Super Bowl ad plan. Then he begged for donations from like-minded organizations. According to the source, Daly was given about $3 million, and Focus dipped into its general fund for the other $1 million.

h/t Tebow’s Eye Black

Unfortunately, something tells me that if there is any merit to this story and Focus on the Family is seriously pursuing this, there’s a good chance that CBS will not allow the ad to air. You will recall that last year when NBC aired the Super Bowl they rejected Catholic Vote’s pro-life ad featuring an unborn President Obama. I hope that does not happen. Not only is this the kind of message America – who still aborts over 1 MILLION of her own children every year – needs to see, but I’m sure it would be classier than many of the commercials we’re likely to see throughout the evening.

The story of Tim’s pre-born life has been told on national television before, though it was to a much smaller audience, I’m sure. I was pretty surprised when watching the 2007 Heisman Trophy presentation to see it mentioned in Tebow’s intro video:

Tebow also mentioned it himself that evening in an interview with Kirk Herbstreit after winning the Heisman.

Here you can hear an interview with Pam Tebow at a 40 Days for Life event in Jacksonville, FL.

Holy Innocents, Past and Present

ChelseaAbortion1 Comment

Today, December 28, the Church remembers the “Holy Innocents” who lost their lives in Bethlehem. Then it was all boys age two and under who were put to death at the hands of King Herod and his soldiers because of Herod’s fear of the prophecy of the Messiah. Now over 4,000 innocent children lose their lives every day in this country because of abortion under the full protection of the law. As we remember the Holy innocents of the past, perhaps we should also request their intercession, and appeal to God’s mercy, on behalf of the millions of innocents being slaughtered today around the world.

From Universalis today:

There is nothing to be said about the Holy Innocents. They were no-one because they never had the chance to become anyone: they just died.
They may stand for the unimportant and unnecessary pawns that permeate the whole of human history, the ones who can be sacrificed for some greater cause because they don’t really matter; the eggs that were broken to make an omelet… or to make nothing at all.
In celebrating their martyrdom we effectively celebrate also the martyrdom of the people these children could have become, and their children’s children also; and we remember the contemporary and continuing massacre of those who die before birth for the convenience of those who have them killed.

Pics from Paradise

ChelseaPro Life2 Comments

PCB

As promised, here are a few pictures from my trip to Panama City Beach last week. Hopefully you don’t find this too boring. It was just so beautiful I have to share:
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We had an excellent view right outside our condo!
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Nothing beats a gulf coast sunset! Except, perhaps, being able to watch it every night right in your back-yard.
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One day several dolphins were swam around outside our condo for about an hour:
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On our last full day in PCB we rented a boat to drive around the bay. The scenery was super gorgeous, so the boat-ride itself was quite pleasant, but we did anchor and spend some time on a little island (last pic) for a while.
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Cute Baby Cousin Blogging

ChelseaCute Baby BloggingLeave a Comment

Merry Christmas, dear readers! I’m slowly recovering from a nice, relaxing, week-long vacation and a few very loooong days of traveling.

On our way back home from Panama City Beach on Wednesday we stopped in Irondale, AL – home to EWTN – to visit my uncle and his wife (who used to work for EWTN) and their 10 month old baby boy Gabriel:

    Gabriel
    Gabriel
    Gabriel

Here is a cute video of Gabriel playing with my sister’s iPhone:

I’ll be sharing a few more pictures over the weekend. Then, hopefully I will be able to force myself to get back to blogging as usual next week! I hope you all had peaceful and very blessed Christmas celebrations this week. Remember, the season has only just begun!

TOB Tuesday: The REAL Meaning of Christmas

ChelseaReligion, Theology of the Body, TOB TuesdayLeave a Comment



nullSteve Pokorny writes at Catholic Exchange:

Have you ever really listened to “Oh come, all ye faithful?” Check out the third verse:

    Yea, Lord, we greet Thee

    Born this happy morning;

    Jesus, to Thee be all glory giv’n;

    Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing.

    GLORY

In the public square, the Second Person of the Trinity was proclaimed by His sons and daughters as coming down to earth, to wrap Himself in human flesh, and to become one like us. All the hopes and dreams of humanity hinges on that one small child who came to earth to bring us to heaven. And He came in A BODY. And it would be this Body, given for us, that would give new hope and new meaning of our own bodies.

If we slow down for a moment and really think about what we are singing, it is truly profound. For all of human history has been looking for God. Yet at Christmas, we proclaim that we do not have to look any more, for God has been looking for us and is now present with us as the greatest Present ever, never to leave. He is physically present to us. In all of our stumbles and falls in our search for Love, Love has come as the Bridegroom in a way that we never would have expected it, yet fulfills and exceeds all expectations. And that’s just what Love is.

Read more

O King of all the nations, the only joy of every human heart; O Keystone of the mighty arch of man, come and save the creature you fashioned from the dust. The Lord is close at hand; come, let us worship Him!

A beautiful rendition of O Come All Ye Faithful by Enya:

Or, if you prefer it sung by choir:

Congratulations Pro-Life Bloggers!

ChelseaPro Life1 Comment

Pro-Life Blog Awards

Congratulations to the 2010 Pro-Life Blog Award winners!

Best News and Reporting Award – Stand for Life
Pro-Life Instigator Award for Activism – Operation Rescue
Best Pro-Life Apologetics Award – Life Training Institute Blog
Pro-Life Whistleblower Award – Pro-Life Defender
Pro-Life Unity Award – Fr. Frank’s Blog

And congratulations to Best Overall Pro-Life Blog – Catholic Fire!

I’m honored to have been a nominee again this year. Thanks to those who voted for me – maybe next year!

Please keep me an my family in your prayers. We’ll be driving back to Missouri all day tomorrow. It looks like there is supposed to be some pretty nasty weather heading our way. We’ve had just a really wonderful time down here the past week! It’s been a little chilly some days, but still BEAUTIFUL! Pics to come!

Wisdom from Melanie Wilks

ChelseaPro LifeLeave a Comment

“The happiest days are the days when babies come.”
-Mrs. Melanie Hamilton Wilks, Gone With the Wind

gift from GodCertainly some babies are conceived by and born into less than ideal, even unpleasant circumstances, but a new human being means a new and wholly unique image of God in the world and that’s always something to celebrate.

Heavenly Father, Creator of human life, watch over the unborn children that You made in Your image and likeness. Help all families to welcome Your gift of the child who is destined for the glory of eternal life. May the nations of the world protect Your precious gift of unborn human life from its very beginning, and safeguard the Christian family through which peace is found in society.

I’m Dreaming of a White (Sand Beach) Christmas

ChelseaPro LifeLeave a Comment

Well, we won’t technically be there on Christmas Day, but My family and I are driving down to Panama City Beach this evening and staying until Wednesday or Thursday of next week. It won’t be real warm there, being on the panhandle, but it sure beats the freezing cold weather we’ve got going on here in the MidWest! Please pray for our safe travel and, you know, that we don’t end up killing each other after spending more than 14 hours in a car together – though we will be driving two vehicles. We’re also bringing the dogs down with us.

While you’re praying for us, please say a little prayer (to St. Francis or Anthony) for one of my poor kitties. I got a glimpse of my Cassie-cat the other day (they live in our basement garage so I don’t get to see them very often) and she’s looking really bad. I’m pretty sure she’s got some thyroid disease thing that we have not been able to treat as it is just way too expensive – not to mention the fact that she’s about 18 years old. She’s basically a walking skeleton. I’m not sure if we’re doing her any favors by keeping her alive at this point, though she’s not really dying. She’s still very active and eats well. It’s just painful to look at her. 🙁

Anyway, it’s going to be a pretty laid back week, just the 5 of us, so I’m sure I will be able to post some while I’m gone. Just please keep us in your prayers as we travel!

Peace,
CZ

p.s. Don’t forget to vote for your favorite pro-life blogs! Voting is open until Dec. 20