Mining gems in the alternative press

First of all, a Merry Christmas, a Good New Year, a Happy Channukah, a Joyous Kwanzaa, and a Fertile Solstice to all who celebrate any of the above holidays. ("Happy Holidays," we believe, is too generic.)

We celebrate Christmas at The Ubiquitous Observer, but we were baffled when various bizarre religio-pundits declared war on shadowy anti-Christmas factions this holiday season. What was the crime of the Christmas destroyers? Saying "Happy Holidays," instead of "Merry Christmas."And who were these audacious Christmas annihilators? Retail stores. It has been said by many in the past few months, but a small victory of Christmas over commercialization is something to celebrate, not to bemoan.

Many are in the true Christmas spirit within the pages of the latest issue of the Catholic New World, the biweekly newspaper of the Archdiocese of Chicago. It's a great alternative to the mainstream media.

"What?" you ask. "A Catholic paper a good alternative? Don't they just want people to stop fornicating, feel guilty all the time, not get abortions, be repressed gay people, and act like big hypocrites who don't actually care about their fellow men and women?" Close. But perhaps you're thinking of Fundamentalist Christians. They are called Fundamentalists because they are fundamentally Christian: They believe Jesus is God. (Now whether they actually listen to him is another story entirely.) These few Catholics on the other hand, have some great things to say.

Consider these real gems from the current issue of the Catholic New World. Like this letter to the editor by Father Joseph A Mulcrone:

News reports have recently disclosed that the FBI has been spying on the Catholic Worker organization fearing these people constitute a "subversive group."

At first I was upset to think about the waste and foolishness of the government spending our tax monies on this sort of clandestine operation. Yet, the more I considered the situation, I realized that, yes, the Catholic Workers are "subversive."

In an age that worships acquisitiveness and materialism, Catholic Workers live the teachings of Jesus, especially Matthew 5-7. During a time when violence and war are touted as solutions to our problems, Catholic Workers follow the Prince of Peace and suffer harassment and governmental spying because of their convictions. While the present administration and Congress continue to dismantle the programs that aid the poor, senior citizens, and people with disabilities, the Catholic Workers "feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, care for the suffering and dying" as instructed in Matthew 25.

Yes, these Catholic Workers are "subversive," and with good reason. They understand that was the charge made against Jesus in Luke 23 by the authorities of his time. And like the early apostles, these young men and women in the Catholic Worker movement "...rejoice that they are considered worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of Jesus." (Acts 5:41)

Booyah, Father Mulcrone. Booyah. The Catholic Workers are on the whole a great bunch. We are blessed to know some. Their work is very difficult, unglamorous, and it is truly God's work.

Or consider this passionate letter from Dr. Thomas Zabiega:

As a doctor, I see discrimination against the poor everyday. Most doctor's offices will not accept Medicaid and many don't care if the poor can't pay. They tell the people to go to Cook County Hospital or the local emergency room. That is why the poor have poorer health and die sooner. They have no access to preventive medicine. ...

I have been in contact with both worlds: country-club-like living and the inner city where I teach catechism. I prefer the gang members, pregnant teenage girls and others that many would pick to condemn. They seem to be more authentic Catholics who simply may have gone astray because they were never told otherwise, and they don't realize their potential (many very bright kids think they are just not good enough for college).

They are not like many of us wealthier citizens, who think we are good Catholics, going to Mass every week, but who also believe we should not be forced to pay to help the poor advance. Maybe we forget that our situation in life is not thanks to us, but thanks to God.

Clearly, Father Mulcrone and Dr. Zabiega have heard the startling Christmas message of God born to poverty in a manger (you know, what Linus talks about in the Charlie Brown Christmas Special).

There are a few other good things in the new Catholic New World, like Jesuit Father GianPaolo Salvini's declaration that bad driving is a sin.

[Bad driving] places at great risk one's own life and the lives of others, certainly much more than seeing a provocative film, something people confess much more easily because they feel more at fault.

Father Salvini is on to something. There are a lot of people on the road that need to go to confession.

Lastly, there is a great little article about evangelization entitled "The difference of Jesus and the difference it makes" by Father Robert Brown. You can read the whole article at the above link, but here is a particularly striking passage about the fact that Jesus spoke in the person of God, forgiving people's sins and bringing people back from death:

What Jesus claims about himself rule out--as C.S. Lewis so clearly saw--—is the bland middle position that, though he isn'’t divine, he is a kindly and wise ethical teacher, one inspiring religious figure among many. If he isn't who he says he is, he isn'’t admirable at all, and this is why Jesus, more than any other of the religious founders, compels a choice.

The Buddha claimed to have found a spiritually liberating path; but Jesus said, "“I am the way;‚"” Mohammed could say that, through him, the final divine truth had been communicated to the world, but Jesus said, "“I am the truth;" Confucius could maintain that he had discovered a new and uplifting form of life, but Jesus said, "“I am the life."” Neither the Buddha, nor Mohammed, nor Confucius, nor Moses ever claimed to be God--—and this is to their infinite credit. But Jesus did, and therefore, we have to decide: are we with him or against him?

That's something to chew on. It's a question not often addressed in this day and age. And a bit deeper than whether the banners at Wal-Mart should say "Merry Christmas" or not.