Respecting the truth
Purple Catholic Saturday Post
Good morning and happy Saturday. Today is the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, more commonly known as All Souls Day.
This is the last Saturday Post before the 2024 general election. I wish I could say that after we know the result, we could all breathe a sigh of relief that it is over. But our reality is more challenging than that.
As I mentioned to Dr. Marcus Peter last week on Ave Maria Radio, it seems our society has lost respect for truth. I’ll let you do your own reflections on how that has played out in this election cycle, but it goes deeper than that.
People are quick to jump on each other simply for sharing a different opinion, asserting that the other person must have some nefarious intentions. That is an insult to truth. Just search Luce or Pope Francis on X.
Basic legal concepts seem to frustrate those when it doesn’t fit with their political agenda or opinions. Just this week, I had a YouTube comment on one episode of Michigan Mornings™ from someone who was in disbelief that I used the word “allegedly” when describing a crime that had been charged but not tried. Again, it’s an insult to the truth.
The list goes of insults to the truth can go on and on.
This election is not going to solve that problem; it goes far deeper than just our political decisions. Our society’s disrespect for the truth has roots much deeper than that and is not new. We can trace it back to the fall when the serpent lied to Eve claiming that she and Adam “eritis sicut dii” (will be like gods).
Of course, we can take comfort in knowing that God is truth and as I explained to Marcus, I can breathe easy knowing that Christ is victorious no matter the outcome of this or any election.
That being said, we have a duty and an obligation to participate and if you haven’t already voted (and you are eligible to do so) I would encourage you to pray, make a plan, and vote.
What about Luce?
The Vatican this week released the mascot for the 2025 Jubilee Year that will be used as the Holy See participates in Expo 2025 in Tokyo next year. She is a pop art/anime style girl named Luce.
Luce caused quite a stir on X this week. Neo-traditionalists hopped on the usual bandwagon of “this is the worst thing since the last worst thing” and more level headed individuals might not have liked the art style, but saw value in where she will be used in Tokyo.
I had some thoughts I wanted to share, but JD Flynn at the Pillar beat me to the punch and had essentially the same feelings I had. Check it out:
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Latest polling average:
Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time
This week we are entering the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time. This Sunday we will hear readings from Deuteronomy 6:2-6, Psalm 18, Hebrews 7:23-28, and Mark 12:28-34.
Here are some resources to help you prep for the readings this Sunday:
In the Liturgy of the Hours, we are in Psalter Week III. In the Office of Readings we are reading from the first book of Maccabees, except Saturday when we read from the first letter of Peter.
Here is a calendar for the rest of the week:
Monday, 4 November - Memorial St. Charles Borromeo, bishop
Saturday, 9 November - Feast of the Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica
If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
John 14:23
In the news:
The United States
Archbishop Richard Henning succeeds Cardinal Sean O’Malley as head of Archdiocese of Boston - Crux
Hard times a’ comin’, whoever wins - George Weigel in the Denver Catholic
What the NY Times missed in the latest encyclical: the whole point - Phil Lawler in Catholic Culture
The Vatican
The World
India court calls for regulation of Christian properties to end legal squabbles - Crux
Have a good weekend,
Matthew