All have sinned. Really?

St. Paul tells us that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

If St. Paul's words are inspired, and they are, then his statement must mean that our Lord and His most Blessed Mother are sinners just as we are, right?

And if St. Paul is wrong, then the Scripture is contradictory or wrong.

But there are no contradictions, and the Scripture is not wrong.

First, St. Paul was well educated, a Roman citizen, and, most importantly, a persecutor of the nascent Christians,  In fact, he was present at the stoning of St. Stephen, the protomartyr.  But after his miraculous and stunning conversion on the road to Damascus, became Christ's messenger, His ambassador to the Gentiles. 

There is no doubt that even the new Paul was a sinner -- as we all are.

On a human level, does anyone really think that the new St. Paul would have considered his Savior a sinner?   Or that His Mother was not immaculately conceived, also a sinner -- the woman that was to bring the Redeemer into the world?

I think not.

In his humility, St. Paul is referring to our human natures, not the human/Divine nature of our Lord, or His Blessed Mother (Hail, full of grace!  As the angel announced.).

As the cousin of Mary, Elizabeth, proclaimed: what is this that the Mother of my Lord should come to me!?

The Mother of our Lord!  The Mother of the Son of God!

No, she was not just a "vessel" to be used by God to bring His Son into the world, then discarded, if you will, to hold no special place in salvation history.

The most perfect of all God's creations!  The Mother of us all!

The "all have sinned" verse is another misinterpreted, and misunderstood verse that the unlearned quote to their own destruction (St. Peter).

E. DeLalla

 

Battle scene from my book: Mutiny! The Battle of Dong Ha

Chapter Nineteen: Time to Grieve?

…"Biffi; now Billingsly.  Why?"  He didn't vocalize this question to anyone standing nearby or working to recover the body of his friend, but asked this in the silence of his  heart.

Mires, standing near the collapsed bunker, limply holding the carry-handle of his M-16, turned around to make a quick survey and assessment of the damage done to the air field...

...The small MASH unit was rendered almost useless with the sandbagged roof having collapsed on the beds and stretchers...

...The north perimeter was almost non-existent, the west perimeter faired little better with entire sections of concertina wire blown away...

...The still, warm, humid air was filled with lingering smoke from the fires, gunpowder from spent shells and cartridges, making it difficult to get a breath of fresh air.  The battle was won, but the stench of death lingered...

...Just then, a slight breeze picked up and started to push some of the choking smells away from the compound.  A light misty rain began to fall, not the heavy and unpredictable monsoons so common at this time of year...

...As Mires continued his survey of the battle scene, his peripheral vision noticed something moving just up and over his right shoulder.  He slowly turned his head and, coming into his field of view now, he looked up at the movement that caught his attention.  It was the bullet-riddled, tattered American Flag dangling atop the shot-up flagpole.  It began to flap gently in the light breeze, catching the attention of several more cops and support personnel.  Almost as if an order was given, heads began to turn and stare at the symbol of their country.  No one uttered a word.  But the sight began to overwhelm those seeing Old Glory still flying over the nearly destroyed air field compound.  The tears that Mires shed earlier began anew... He thought to himself: "We are here for them, not for us." 

E. DeLalla

Judging others.

The Bible tells us not to judge others, that is, if we don't want to be judged!   Makes sense to me.  But the Scripture verse that is often quoted, mainly by those who misunderstand or misinterpret that verse, say that we cannot, under any circumstances, judge anyone for any reason.

This is false.

So, what is meant by that verse?  

First, it should be mentioned that there are four types of judgments: Divine judgment; General judgment; Last judgment, and the Particular judgment.

I'm not going to write a book here, and it could very easily fill a book to discuss these four types of judgments.  Instead, I just want to concentrate on what it means to "judge" someone, and to show that it does not mean that we shouldn't judge anyone at all, at any time.

In fact, just the opposite is true.  And I can prove it using reason and God-given common sense.

For instance, admonishing the sinner (a spiritual work of mercy), by its very nature, means that we have "judged" someone that has done or said something that is wrong or evil.  And this is where common sense comes in.

As an example, if you or I were walking down Main Street, USA, and as we approach a bank, out comes this guy holding a bag of money, with a smoking 45 pistol in his hand.  Common sense tells us (or should tell us!) that this guy is a bad dude; a bank robber, and potential killer.  Would you or I walk up to this guy, and with a big smile on our faces, say: "have a nice day, brother."

I don't think so.

But why not?  

Because we have JUDGED him to be an outlaw, a gangster, a felon, and a threat to life and limb; maybe our life and limb!

We take cover and hope that he doesn't see us and take a shot at us.

When he is caught, he is tried, and if found guilty, is sentenced to prison or death.

A judge and jury found him so, and passed sentence.  They JUDGED him.

In fact, we make many hundreds of little, and sometimes momentous, judgments every single day.  We have to, in order to function in society.

Some of these judgments can be very simple, and easily accomplished.  Others, can literally mean the difference between life and death, as in the bank robber example.

The thing to keep in mind here, is that we make righteous judgments of others.  And with true humility, we can, indeed, make those necessary judgments righteous.

One last thing; only God can judge the interior, the heart of a person, we, on the other hand, can only make objective judgments of others, as we cannot know the interior or heart of a person...

E. DeLalla

   

Real American Heroes...

Patrick Henry: Give me liberty, or give me death!

John Paul Jones, father of the American Navy: I have not yet begun to fight!

Col. Travis, of the Alamo: Victory or death!

What did all these nascent Americans have in common?

The will to fight for what was right; freedom from a foreign tyranny; for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness (enshrined in the Declaration of Independence).

On June 6, 1944, began the allied invasion of Europe, and the beginning of the end of the Nazi scourge under the murderous lunatic, Hitler.

How many Americans walking down Main Street, USA, remember, that yesterday, June 6, was the 74th anniversary of D-Day?

With the current sad state of American history being taught in the school systems today, I would think that the average "Joe" doesn't know, or, even worse, doesn't care about a titanic event that is seventy-four years old.

But, to the families of those soldiers who died in that horrendous assault on the beaches of Normandy, I'm sure that they still remember or at least have grandchildren that were taught what their grandads did, not only for their own country, but also for the enslaved peoples of Europe.

And with all the deficiencies of our American system of "democracy," it is important to remember those aspects of our heritage, especially those of freeing others unable to free, or defend themselves.

I love my country, not necessarily my government.

Do you love your country?

E. DeLalla

 

The lack of moral absolutes and its disastrous results.

The culture of death is "alive" and well here in our beloved country, as well as in many -- far too many -- Western nations.  I contend that the lack of moral absolutes are the main cause, and that stems from the misuse of our free will.

The results are disastrous.

This can be seen in the snuffing out of life of the pre-born, euthanasia, homosexuality, promiscuity, contraception, pornography, the invasion of illegal immigrants, and numerous other facets that seem to be accepted because it is "legal" -- or wanted -- in many states and nations.

There are exceptions to this plague, such as Poland, and a few other sovereign countries, some in Africa, fighting for their very existence in the face of the onslaught of money and influence, mostly from outside sources attempting to smash the resistance of a God-fearing people.

The recent debacle in Ireland is a prime example.

But that debacle was not a flash-in-the-pan; something new or foreign.  The repeal of their Eight Amendment (protecting the life of the mother AND her preborn) was the result of decades of weakness of the Catholic Church and her willingness to accept the "spirit of the age."

Even non-Catholics, at one time, looked to the Church in Ireland and elsewhere, as a moral beacon in a world gone mad, but apparently that is no longer the case.  Not only is this a sad turn of events, it is a disaster of an unimaginable magnitude.

It seems that the demon is winning the battle for individual souls and nations as well.

What chance do we have to counter this abomination?  Is despair the only answer?  

I say, no!  

Remember, charity begins at home.  Strengthen your families; pray; instill love of God; discipline your charges; abide by the Natural Law; practice your Catholic faith; if not Catholic, come into the Church; find, and talk to a traditional Catholic priest.  If your children are not already baptized, get them to the baptismal font, quickly!

Never give up the fight!  

E. DeLalla

 

Poem on Vietnam Veterans that were killed in action...

I wrote the following poem; it is dedicated to all Vietnam Veterans that were killed in action (KIA).  It is taken from my book: Tragedy and Triumph at Sun Valley.

To My Brothers...

Side by side we stood,
Black or white, it made no difference.
Catholic, Protestant, Jew, or atheist,
I may not have liked you, but I loved you.

Only God can give and only God can take away,
But Charlie took and never gave.
Why did my bunker-mate die and I live?
To fulfill my dreams but not his?

Yet he is with me always -- in my dreams,
Not wanted there, as I struggle to sleep.
Lord help me to live and not just exist;
Take this burden from my soul.

Have mercy on them that stayed,
Some here, some there.
Arlington is their home now,
As mine will sometime be.

E. DeLalla

Do our rights come from the government?

The government, through the courts, grants us, and enforces our rights.

The above statement is false!

The job of the government is to guarantee our rights; it doesn't grant our rights to us.

Further, the courts have no authority over our natural rights.

Those that argue that the courts (the government) can determine if we have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, are in grave error.

The simplest of answers is that our natural rights come from our Creator, our God, and not the government or the courts.

When Kagan was before the Senate Judiciary committee (as a nominee to the Supreme Court) she was asked the question: what are your views of natural rights?

Her answer was astonishing.

She told those senators that she had no views on natural rights!

Let me repeat that: she said she had no views on natural rights.

Right then and there, those senators -- after picking up their respective jaws off the floor -- should have immediately rejected her nomination.   Instead, she is now on the court, and will be for 20, 30, or 40 years, there, to do more damage to our natural rights, especially, the right to life.  The most fundamental of all rights.

I must ask again: God have mercy on our country.

E. DeLalla