Monday catch up...

What I'm doing about it.
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I'm really into my series on the Interior Castle.  I can't sleep at night.  If nothing else, painting about it allows me to think more deeply about what St. Teresa wrote.  I'm realizing my first panel is much too small - and dark - albeit intense.  I'm not sure if I should post the images I finish.  Anyway - I'm preoccupied with this project - but I will continue to blog.
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I also want to thank everyone who prays for me.  As I woke up this morning I was made aware of your prayers.  Thanks very much.
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Feelings. 
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Lately I've been driving myself totally crazy worrying that my posts may offend someone's sensibilities, which means I have been skipping certain controversies so as not to ruffle feathers.  Something Fr. Gjengdahl of Voice of the Vicar wrote reminded me that charity does not mean we refrain from speaking or acting just to avoid hurting someone's feelings.
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"Okay, I have remained silent on this issue long enough. We have come to the point in our society (world, global village, whatever word you want to use) where our concern over feelings is inhibiting people from doing any good whatsoever. Here is another example. Now this is not an isolated incident, but has happened here in the USA in several states already. It is a complete joke that now the Church is not allowed to do good (i.e. helping homeless children find homes) because they will not work to put these children in the homes of people living out their homosexual attractions. The logic here is so warped! The point of adoption agencies is FOR THE CHILDREN! So as a result, we are willing to sacrifice the good lives of children because we don't want anyone to feel bad. We are not willing to make a sacrifice of our own lives, our own wants, our own desires for the good of others. The only thing that we are willing to sacrifice is the lives and well being of others. This is completely antithetical to love. Love seeks the good of the other EVEN at the expense of the good for myself. This is not love."  - Voice of the Vicar
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Repetition.
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Another reason I stopped with the hot button issues is that I realized I was repeating myself and getting somewhat frustrated with it; it was my same old, same old - especially on the gay, gay, gay all day issues.  It almost seemed to me that the other side was winning - and so I stopped writing about Catholic teaching which opposes homosexual acts and homosexual culture.  In the meantime, I have found other people willing to address similar issues head-on.  One of these is Larry of Acts of the Apostacy.
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The reason I find Larry's commentary so valuable is that he is a well balanced husband and father of sons, he's obviously an intelligent and well formed Roman Catholic, and as far as I can tell, he's an all around good guy.  Such ordinary credentials, often overlooked by our culture, carry a lot of weight for me.  This man is a normal guy addressing influences and changes that affect the foundation of society - the family.  He always writes with intelligence and clarity and obvious compassion, yet he points out the truth of the matter.  Anyway - if I'm tired of talking about this stuff - there are men like Larry who have written about these issues better than I can.
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"... Being opposed to same-sex marriage is not discriminatory - the basis for the objection is multi-faceted: to preserve traditional marriage; to protect children; to ensure stability in society. Note that none of those reasons are religious. And as this scientific study seems to show, the results support the reasons for the objection. Kids.Get.Hurt. Even to the point of contemplating suicide." - Acts of the Apostacy
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"... The Church has to be more direct - in a compassionate, Christ-like way - on the grave sinfulness of homosexual behavior and continue to properly catechize the laity. One thing is for certain: the Church will not change Her teachings on these matters - one only needs to see the free-fall the Anglican Church is experiencing to see the chaos and confusion that would result. Not to mention that sin is sin in any age and for every generation. The Church cannot change that which She has no authority to do so." - A of A
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Until I get time to add my two cents, I may be lifting good commentary from other excellent bloggers for awhile.
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Photo:  Miraculous Teddy Bear cloud seen over Cathy's house as she was writing comments on Fr. Z's blog.   (I know.  It has absolutely nothing to do with this post.)
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Thanks to Paula for the heads-up on Fr. Gj's post.