Free Republic

"...[Sen. Christopher] Murphy, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, said that a progressive view might include a substantial increase in the budget for diplomacy relative to the Pentagon. “A substantial transfer of financial resources from the military budget to buttress diplomacy and foreign aid so that our global anti-poverty budget, not our military budget, equals that of the other world powers combined,” Murphy said. “A new humility to our foreign policy, with less emphasis on short-term influencers like military intervention and aid, and more effort spent trying to address the root causes of conflict.”.....

Why Did Christ Humble Himself in the Face of Evil? By: Msgr. Charles PopeEarlier this week we read the magnificent hymn from Philippians, which sings of the Humility of Jesus:Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus,Who, though he was in the form of God,did not regard equality with Godsomething to be grasped.Rather, he emptied himself,taking the form of a slave,coming in human likeness;and, found human in appearance,he humbled himself,becoming obedient to death,even death on a cross (Phil 2:5-8).Why this incredible humility? The Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity, had always enjoyed His Father’s love...

Dearest Pope Francis, I am so pleased to have the opportunity to greet you. You'll surely not remember me and I understand, since, seeing so many new people every day, it must be very difficult for you to remember all the people with whom you have conversed and lived at some point during in your life. Over the past 12 years, we happened to meet, several times, you and I, in some meetings, gatherings, and Church congresses that were held in the cities of Central and South America on various topics (communication, catechesis, education). During these pastoral meetings I had...

In yesterdayÂ’s blog post, (which was actually a written version of my Sunday sermon), I mentioned that it might make sense for us to look more deeply at some of the virtues In the Letter to the Colossians which ought to be cultivated by a Christian, especially in the family setting.The third chapter of The Letter to the Colossians, while speaking in a general way about vices to be avoided and virtues to be cultivated, has a particular family focus since it builds to its conclusion about wives being submitted, husbands loving their wives, and children obeying their parents. Because...

I. The Paradox of this Night - In a way, we are too familiar with the Christmas story, and so many of its strange paradoxes and stunning “absurdities” fail to shock and amaze us. And yet it does not take long to consider that no human being would ever craft this sort of entrance of God into our world. Surely we would envision God’s entrance in Cecil B. DeMille proportions.  (DeMille was producer of “The Ten Commandments” and other classic Hollywood Epics, in case I’m showing my age). Yes, there would be grand sets, a cast of thousands, palaces, trumpets,...

Listers from the moment our Holy Father Pope Francis stepped onto the balcony overlooking St. Peter’s square, his manners and style were hailed as humble. Humility is a virtue which we all ought to develop to bring ourselves in greater conformity with Christ as we seek “to temper and restrain the mind, lest it tend to high things immoderately.”1 Mother of Fair Love, a gift of Josemaría Escrivá to the University of Navarra: John Paul II stated: “Love for our Lady is a constant characteristic of the life of Josemaría Escrivá.” – Wikipedia Below is an excerpt from the writings...

I, perhaps like you, have to see folks I love and care about through some difficult periods in their life. One neighbor and parishioner just lost her eight year old daughter to cancer. A number of parishioners are seeking work and praying daily for it, but no work offers seem forth-coming. Still others cry out for the alleviation of any number of different crosses. I too have lots of things for which I pray, and sometimes I get discouraged or even angry when God seems to say, “no” or, “wait.” One thing I have surely learned about true prayer, and...

MIDEAST: TARIQ RAMADAN, 'MUSLIMS WANT RESPECT AND HUMIILITY' (ANSAmed) - ROME, JUNE 3 - According to the controversial Swiss intellectual and Islam scholar, Tariq Ramadan, a "change in attitude" and "effective and necessary action", a "real and profound message of respect" but above all "humility" are what the Muslim world expects in the keynote speech that USA President Barack Obama will be making tomorrow in Cairo. In a statement sent to the press via email, Ramadan underlines how Obama has found himself having to "reverse the legacy" left by George W. Bush and his administration, who did not show "respect...

David never holds any of His feelings back when he pleads with His Heavenly Father. Every heartfelt song/prayer is written with so much anguish and humble spirit behind it. David’s words can teach us to pray to God in the same fashion. There is an undeniable closeness between God and David that the Psalms show us. In Psalm 39 David is recognizing how small we all are in God’s eyes. Imagine that, a King humbling himself enough to see the futility of holding onto material things in our short life compared to eternity. His son Solomon writes in this similar...

Follow Me… Apr 1st, 2012by Gary Zimak.  As Jesus passed on from there,He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. (Matthew 9:9)As we head into the final 2 weeks our Spiritual Exercises retreat, I just wanted to reach out and share a few thoughts. Today, with the celebration of Palm Sunday, we enter into the holiest week of the year. Over the next five days, on my nightly radio show, we’ll meditate on Our Lord’s Passion and death. As we do this, we’ll recognize...

The culture war might be likened to fighting a war against a coalition of powers. Imagine WWI-style trench warfare on a long front. In the center of the enemy lines are the forces of moral relativism. These forces oppose the idea that there is a universal moral law. On one flank are the forces of the sexual revolution, including gays, feminists, adulterers, the promiscuous, and the pro-abortion folks. On the other flank are the cultural relativists, and multiculturalists. This camp opposes the ideas of truth, beauty, and intrinsic quality. It seeks to suppress the literary, philosophical, and artistic heritage of...

GREENVILLE, S.C. – Campaigning in South Carolina on Thursday, both Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry visited a hotel ballroom to seek the support of a crucial coalition here, as well as in Iowa: Evangelical pastors. They were both featured speakers at the Pastors Policy Briefing, a gathering of roughly 400 church leaders hosted by the South Carolina Renewal Project, a branch of an under-the-radar evangelical group that holds similar events in other major primary states. Gingrich and Perry– one recently thrust into the glare of public favor, the other trying to get back in it – gave speeches that demonstrated...

....What if Perry were an atheist who called for a day of secular discussion of solutions to the many challenges we face as a nation, and as a sidelight pushed the notion that the faithful should not play a role in the discussion? The Constitution's establishment clause was designed to protect freedom of religion by protecting us from one religion, authorized by the state. But the noxious nature of the governor's proposal does not merely hinge on the question of its constitutionality. ....Perry's proclamation, and the Response website, seek cover with a timeline of historical calls for national prayer, quoting...

Concern about disasters, terrorism and morality led Stone County supervisors and the Wiggins mayor and Board of Aldermen to pass resolutions declaring Aug. 6 to be a day of prayer, fasting and humility for the city, county state and nation. ...Wiggins Mayor Jerry Alexander said the power of prayer has been evident in his own life. “There is nothing like the power of prayer,” he said. “I’m a Christian; I was saved 17 years ago, and I can tell you I wouldn’t be here today otherwise. I believe the Lord is sending us a message -- we are so hard...

My family and I went to an art exhibit recently. It was dingy, dirty, unkempt, probably dangerous, and just plain creepy, and I could not wait to leave. The artist was inspired by God to create his numerous and various works. As we were leaving, there was a quote from the artist on the wall to the effect of: God provides the art, I am just the brush (not the exact wording) and I thought "I am sure that God could come up with something better than this!" I am not a fan of this particular art style to start...

Divine Mercy Diary Exerpts   Jesus's words are in italics.  St. Faustina's words are in regular print.   "Your task is to write down everything that I make known to you about My mercy, for the benefit of those who by reading these things will be comforted in their souls and will have the courage to approach Me." (1693)     "Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My mercy." (300)     

To Walk Humbly with Thy God     Elder Marlin K. JensenOf the Presidency of the SeventyMarlin K. Jensen, "“To Walk Humbly with Thy God”", Ensign, May 2001, 9  True humility will inevitably lead us to say to God, “Thy will be done.”  One of the memorable themes of last October’s general conference was that, in addition to being concerned about what we do, we Latter-day Saints ought also to pay attention to what we are and are striving to become. 1 With that principle in mind, I listened attentively last November to President Gordon B. Hinckley’s address to the youth of the...

Since Obama first stepped on the national stage, pundits have fallen all over each other in a race to declare that Obama is special type of genius. Tom Shales of the WaPo recently called Obama "the smartest kid in the class." Billionaire Julian Robertson claimed, "Obama, from all I read, thinks that on every occasion that he is the smartest person in the room. And I think he often probably is. ..." Robertson may be half-right. Obama apparently does consider himself the smartest person in every room. According to Peter Baker of the NYT, "One prominent Democratic lawmaker told me...

Dear Speaker Boehner/Cantor/Bachmann/Whomever, Speaking as a citizen, a conservative, and a Tea Partier, I’d like to give you some advice as you prepare to take up the reins for the 112th Congressional session. These suggestions come from my desire to get our country back on track, to mitigate the disasters wrought by the 111th Congress, and to start Congress delving into the bigger picture about what will happen to America if we allow ourselves to continue on our current path. They are very simple suggestions, and I hope you will take them in the spirit in which they are offered....